January 2012
1 post
11 tags
back to roots: trance & a&b.
Most people have a starting point for the music they obsess about, electronic music fans most of which. For a format of music so diverse in genre and style, EDM listeners can often trace where the sound first got to them, when in their lives it happened, their first rave and how they got to now. It’s a right of passage in dance music; you have to know where you started to explain where you...
December 2011
1 post
12 tags
captain hook. [revenge of the nerds]
Electronic Music has never been known for being the source of cool kids or heartthrobs. In fact, may of our most prized artists are misanthropic, submarine driving savants (a la Aphex Twin). Our heroes are anonymous, often faceless characters that really only communicate with fans via speaker output, even the generally accepted concept of a DJ spinning records puts the booth between the artist and...
October 2011
1 post
4 tags
August 2011
2 posts
7 tags
Sasha: a singular adjective.
Sasha is responsible, along with John Digweed for showing the world what was happening in the UK club scene in the 90’s. Prior to the release of their mix 3 Disc Mix on Renaissance, Germany was the power houses of electronic music and Britain was considered the equivalent of Musaq in the burgeoning, worldwide EDM scene.
Without Sasha, the true majesty of modern progressive EDM, trance,...
2 tags
4 tags
nick warren pursues balance.
Nick Warren’s Balance 018 Mix is his first ever departure from turntables of some shape or form, replacing them with Ableton Live. It also represents a favorite idea of Mr. Warren’s: his twitter provided an FTP upload site for up and coming producers to send their work for him to compile. Apparently, he did make use of a few here and there in this release. This is one of my favorite...
May 2011
1 post
5 tags
March 2011
3 posts
6 tags
burial; a phoenix.
With my recent, previous reblog and the release of the Burial & Four Tet & Thom Yorke collaboration, it must be restated; Burial is quite possibly the most important electronic music producer in the world today.
Hyperdub is releasing a 20 minute single disc, split into three respective songs, of which you can hear two prior to this next week, where it will be out there and ready to buy,...
February 2011
3 posts
2 tags
burning books as gifts, the 3rd before the second.
“I think I’ll save suicide for another year”
The preceding album to Frightened Rabbit’s “Winter of Mixed Drinks” called “Midnight Organ Fight”, is a brilliant retelling of the disassembly of love. But the intimacy of the record sometimes feels uncomfortable, as if a person you don’t know is standing too close to you in a room with plenty of...
January 2011
5 posts
4 tags
cut {beach boys} copy[sic]. Akai + The Beatles *...
Cut Copy has only recently become one of those bands I have to hear all the time. Though I knew their tracks in a casual sense, I also had multiple remixes and easily had an opinion about them prior to owning any of their full releases. However, a lovely woman, Amy (thank you Amy!), kindly provided me with their last two records, which I have perused quite fervently. And the conclusion, though I...
2 tags
3 tags
theory over practice, serendipity over...
To steal a quote: “This is a machine that is designed solely for the purpose of electronicly creating any imaginable sound that the operator knows how to specify. And he must specify it in a kind of detail that has never been posssible or necessary before. For example a sound such as this.”
This is a short one, just a small realization.
Brian Eno, god amongst men, inventor of all...
13 tags
recollections, i left them on the floor, and ran...
This was a year of high hopes, personally, professionally and in playback for the stereo. Professionally I at least got a holding station to keep me going for a bit. Personally, well that’s a structure in a constant state of “work in progress,” though sadly I only managed a house of cards this year. And I don’t mean to bring this up as a complaint, though, upon looking at...
December 2010
6 posts
3 tags
lcd soundsystem, by proxy.
LCD Soundsystem has always required a little bit of hand holding with me. I’ve never actually been able to pick up the record and react with “Oh I like this!” upon first listening. I don’t know why, but it always takes one person to actually show me how good James Murphy really is, and that I need to listen to his records carefully and closely. After some gentle nudging...
6 tags
4 tags
discovery via technology: The Naked & Famous
I was going through the notes on my iphone, which is my favorite way to record any song title I see, or album info I might happen across, in an effort to record all the music I find outside of the internet, as that’s much easier to save.
To be honest, this is oftentimes a “fire and forget” process; I will see a music video going, see the artist and song title, write it in notes...
3 tags
swing with all you have, a revisiting of chase...
In 2007, a band I have written much about released a record called Chase This Light, that band being Jimmy Eat World. The first single was Big Casino and the Japanese release, as per the usual, held multiple gems that apparently Americans were incapable of appreciating. Well, I intend to dispel such silly things, and welcome you all to the free world, at least with this record. You may have...
5 tags
{interim} she was not the cure for cancer. a...
Due to a wonderful bit of chance in this world, I came upon a new band, of Selkrik, Scotland, known as frightened rabbit. To explain the importance of this lovely band, I am currently working on a further exploration of another band for a separate review, but this article took a bit of precedent as I was quite moved by this record. Finding something new from the UK seems a rather simple thing...
November 2010
4 posts
1 tag
[saying] goodbye, (to what's) gone forever, {as}...
Ulrich Schnuass has a massive collection of work, starting with ethereal 77 and various other monikers, moving on to self titled records that have continually and quietly rocked all of the EDM community to sleep after a long party. He’s our “unplugged”, the very essence of chill and quite often the provider of our most memorable music as a subculture. He’s found throughout...
2 tags
3 tags
( ) & i remember.
Sometimes switching on the tail end of a film is wildly frustrating. Especially one of the good ones, when the crescendo of a film is taking place and you’ve missed all the wonderful bits leading up to it.
Then of course, there are films that don’t ever officially end, something about them keeps with you. There is of course, one movie that, if given the opportunity, I will watch the...
4 tags
isolation, one keystroke at a time.
So I have been hesitant to write anything about the Social Network Soundtrack until the hype died down, in hopes my statements, though later in the game, might not be glossed over as yet another bit of talking on a film revolving around people talking in rooms.
But here it is, some weeks later, the $1 Theatres have the film playing out to that dirty collection of seats, full of so much bubble gum...
October 2010
1 post
7 tags
soundsystem, invented & global. the troubadour.
So it’s been a few weeks. A busy few weeks and there was a bit of waiting on new music to arrive. Well, the music arrived, the music has been listened to and now I need to provide some opinions.
Jimmy Eat World’s Invented. I remember hearing Jimmy Eat World the first time on KROQ in 1998. At that point, I had no idea who they were, had not heard Static Prevails or the incredibly...
September 2010
2 posts
2 tags
almost barking, listen to the voice that says-...
So I know I have absolute gushed about this more than any reasonable fan would, but I must at least mention once more; the new Underworld is hitting shelves, in the virtual and physical sense this week, Monday for the UK and other enlightened countries and the US on Tuesday compensating for bad USPS turnaround times (that’s really the reason I kid you not). You have been warned I think three...
3 tags
recently. can't explain.
So after 72 hours of no music, no headphones and a general avoidance of listening to anything other than human speech (and sometimes even trying to avoid that), my ears are wide open and awake again. Really highly recommend trying this as an experiment, as it does get you thinking about what you would listen to when given the chance. And now “loud” is 3 bars on my macbook pro’s...
August 2010
7 posts
1 tag
let's see what this does
ears have been ringing slightly and music is sounding slightly muffled. I am now 2 days into no headphones and no loud music. I am trying to see if that’ll help the ears. Science project after 10 years of clubs, concerts and adventures involving loud music.
Absence does make the heart grow fonder.
But, if you are in dire need of recommendations, Cut Copy. Most notably, Ghost Colours. And...
7 tags
electro from kyoto, iceland makes string & a study...
Shinichi Osawa recently released SO2 and I was finally given the impetus to purchase his first record as well, as his cover of star guitar was always a favorite of mine. The Chemical Brothers may have made the track to start out with, but SO’s version is wild, frenetic, and even more beautiful than the original. Both records of Shinichi Osawa are brilliant, hard bits of electro, with a huge...
5 tags
drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about...
I saw Scott Pilgrim the other night and was completely floored and entertained for the entire film. It’s a mixture of everything that I really do love in life and media. And I’m a sucker for girls with an affinity for hair dye. The film is really a love letter to all babies of the 80’s. Everything we love, laugh about, listen(ed) to and enjoy both then and now is encompassed in a...
5 tags
chicane. stay this time.
Chicane was first introduced to me by the Hackers soundtrack (the 2nd one actually), as the Disco Citizens edit of Offshore. Discovering further that Disco Citizens is also a Chicane alias was a rather interesting find as well. I have always loved the old skool tradition of musicians using alternate monickers to re-release music under different themes and styles.
But he has always been on the...
4 tags
young american primitive. an education.
Young American Primitive is a singular record and series of remixes all done by a man named Greg Scanavino. He is quite possibly one of the most important voices in EDM, yet he’s only released one whole record under the moniker of Young American Primitive, in the 90’s and under a limited run, self titled CD. (he attempted to release his 2nd record, but Geffen Records didn’t like...
6 tags
pryda. the return of single(s).
I hate singles. I hate buying them unless they have exclusive content or remixes. Other than that I avoid them, as the replay value is really quite low. An Alternate mix, possibly an instrumental for the hip hop producers to sample, we all know the drill. Unless it’s Madonna with her 15 remixes spanning all brands of house music and electro or the myriad tinkering Mr. William Orbit did on...
8 tags
ten thousand nine hundred fifty seven days, and...
I turned thirty this last week and in the confusion of realizing I had been alive for that long and had survived with some rather interesting stories, I also ended up losing some people this year I never thought I would. Though of no worth to you dear reader- and I did have a wonderful birthday btw- I found myself oddly crestfallen due to some people in my life having to step away.
Anyway, as a...
July 2010
4 posts
6 tags
the emancipator, chill reinvented.
Chill is often referred to in the modern day as IDM, or intelligent dance music. I am against this genre name; for one, genres are worthless remnants of a record industry that doesn’t know it’s dead yet. Secondly, to say you listen to intelligent dance music is self congratulatory. Who says “I listen to moronic dance music.”? It’s idiotic and egotistical. Therefore,...
3 tags
furthur, further, ferthur? kcrw too.
Upon some careful listening to the record and KCRW reminding me track 6 and 7 are still always winners on every single record ever (the multiple of both being 42… SEE?), I have come to the conclusion that the Chemical Brothers- still firmly rooted in their own sound and the endless pursuit of looking for the ghost inside every Roland TB-303-have really managed to create a beautiful, albeit...
8 tags
wake me when it's over please (i.e. shoegazing).
A good friend contacted me rather out of the blue this late evening. She and I had fallen out of touch, seeing each other randomly but never as planned and always oddly.
At which point I had simply passed the friendship and whatever affections I had off as a mere trifle, done and gone. Surprisingly though, we ended up talking and she said she heard a song that reminded her of me.
This song being...
8 tags
cary brothers returns. not a band, that's his...
I remember seeing Cary Brothers live the first time, I was utterly confused by the name as this was obviously a one man act. Admittedly he did have a band backing him, but an artist like that will always be a one man show. His vocal is wide open and constant, melodic and touching, and he can do this in real life. His is not an engineered vocal, which is so very refreshing these days. Cary is, by...
June 2010
2 posts
2 tags
takota was... beta wolf is.
Some very good friends, but more importantly to you, some unbelievably talented musicians have generously released an EP for free download. Mind you this is rock, quite a bit different than my usual fair. But it’s sweeping rock n roll, crafted, hard, like Queen, The Who and some punk distortion tied in for good measure.
Beta Wolf, formally Tokota, is a band that has worked for this record....
7 tags
underworld. as always.
Underworld was my first introduction to electronic music. As many baby’s of the 80’s will attest to, our first introduction to electronic music was the Hackers Soundtrack (1995). Absolutely great collection of music, but Cowgirl, now that was the opus. I hadn’t heard lyrics done in a ginsbergian beat, or a rhythm synth that sounded so beautiful. This was the new world and I had...
May 2010
5 posts
11 tags
discovery. nor cal > so cal.
After two weeks in the Bay Area, getting trained by the company for whom I work, I was very fortunate to have a series of great experiences. First off, of course, getting trained to be able to service certain products for [redacted] and getting the coolest job title of all time, I was also able to check out SF, most importantly Amoeba. But the biggest surprise of all, was Rasputin Records, which...
3 tags
one week down.
Amoeba was almost everything I was hoping for, though my list was not completed. Diggers is well loved by SF and I acquired every one of his GU’s which had been sorely absent from my collection in the past. Got Ulrich’s “Missing Deadlines” in hard copy because one should. But the wild find was Way Out West’s first record. Unused, in the clearance bin. Lovely...
4 tags
adam freeland... and taco stands.
preface..
I was concerned that my music selection on my iphone was not adequate for my travels and since my Macbook Pro was staying at home, I did some digging and remembered Adam Freeland’s releases. After a thorough excavation of my record crates, I realized just how much this man has done for my definition of organized sound….
And therefore:
I have tons of his releases, I have...
9 tags
a city much bigger than 7 miles across.
I will be in the San Francisco (the literal translation, Saint Little Frank One) bay area for the next 2 weeks. In my employment for a particular company, [redacted] has graciously provided me room and board while I am trained for my new position as [redacted]. Has something to do with mensa I think ;)
Anyway, this current discussion of music, though it will not stop, may get a bit touristy as I...
7 tags
burial revisited. (and four tet... and other...
Admittedly a much more chill oriented selection below… not my usual fair of loud techno ;)
Four Tet recently released “There Is Love In You”, a beautiful mixture of natural instruments and well articulated programming. Four Tet jumps many boundaries, utilizing sampling and loops in creative ways a la Amon Tobin, building new sounds using real performances and joining the end and...
April 2010
1 post
9 tags
global underground, a discussion.
Today I discovered Nick Warren’s GU024 was discontinued. In memorium of this wonderful release, I wish to explain further:
Global Underground is one of those finds as a new listener of electronic music that makes you understand you have joined this party much, much too late. Here is a whole record label which is complete with the ability to fund tours, talented photographers quite capable...