50ft Radio | Volume Two
First off, work has me running a bit behind on site updates but I will get back into the thick of it soon. New wallpapers are lining up in my ‘to post’ folder and the new design is looking good so far, I just need to sort out some of the logistics and make some tough calls to make sure its just right before pushing it out there and I would rather get it right than launch with a rushed design.
That out of the way, the new 50ft Radio mix is here! I have been working away on it for the past month or so and it’s changed shape a couple of times. I set out wanting to make a mix for the summer, for road trips, for hot nights and being played loud and booming. Something full of energy and heat.
This lead to the music selection to be nearly all electronic in nature but I tried to still make it fairly accessible to those not too into the genre. I was looking to make a departure from my usual quiet music mixes and let it hang out a bit and have some fun. With a couple of last minute additions and shuffling this afternoon and some time to listen to it through in its completed form a couple times (a must for any mix I share with anyone) I feel like it’s ready to push on out for everyone to enjoy. The idea is to spread some energy in these hot months through some great music. There are a lot of recent favorites on here and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
The 50ft radio mixes are presented in an advanced AAC format that includes chapters for different songs as well as changing cover art, information and links to the artists page from within the file. I will not be sharing these songs as individual files because I am not here to re-distribute music, I simply want to share some great music with friends and followers of the site to explore and enjoy. If you enjoy it check out the artists sites and show them some love!
To listen to the mix simply click or right click here to download a zip with the AAC and pdf with track info. Those of you who simply must know what it is your going to be hearing before putting it on can see the pdf here before downloading the whole mix.
50ft Radio Volume One
Well, the time has come and I finally have a new music post for everyone. I have been juggling a few different ideas for where to take the music side of 50ft and I plan on continuing to post more recent favorite albums as I have for a long time now but I would like to introduce something new into the mix and start releasing mixes for readers to discover some great new music and hear a bit of what I have been listening to lately. I have been making mix tapes for friends as long as I can remember, its something that I love to do and sometimes spend weeks compiling a good mix of songs slowly tweaking the ebb and flow of how they work as a whole and this is no exception. I started out simply wanting to make a spring mix to share but it sort of took a turn somewhere and took a life of its own.
The music I have assembled here ended up with a feeling of, lets say, organic exploration… Music that felt warm to me in some way either lyrically or sonically that conjures up some sense of peacefulness within an adventure. This is music for a day deep in the woods or standing on the edge of a canyon looking out into the empty world below, its music for road trips and the beginning of the warm months of the year with birds and cricket sounds sneaking through behind the melodies or, if you are not out exploring, hopefully it will allow you to close your eyes and imagine being somewhere where the wind blows at your back and the sun or moon lights the way forward. It’s a little sad, a little hopeful, a little meandering, its music for the coming of summer.
So anyway, all rambling in an attempt to describe something impossible to describe aside I hope you guys enjoy it. Its a bit of an experiment really and hopefully my servers wont cry too much under the weight of making a bigger file available for readers but feel free to let me know what you think in the comments if you get a chance to listen to it through.
A note on the format: I have made the format of the file an AAC file which has been created as an enhanced file for ipod/touch/phone/tunes (or other supported players). The ‘enhanced’ bit refers to the fact that it is one audio file that contains chapter markers and artwork that changes as you listen through it. I have released it as one single audio file because this music is here to share with readers as friends in the same way I would share a mix tape, I am not here to distribute songs to you and therefore am not going to be making individual songs available to anyone. If you like some of the music on here simply look up the artist or song and spend a dollar to support the music you enjoy 
If you have trouble with AAC please let me know in the comments, I may reconsider this way of sharing it if its too much trouble for you guys.
To download the mix and accompanying PDF with the track listing simply click or right click here and enjoy!
By request, here is a direct link to the track listing and information; click here to see the pdf.
On The Hi-Fi, Best Of ’09
Its that time again, time to let share some music with everyone, I dont do it nearly enough and while I do have a number of new albums I could write about I have decided to do something I have been trying to do for years and write a best of list for the year in music. For me its tricky because I am often finding new music that is older than the current year and so digging through some of my favorites I have to track down release dates to and some of them get a bit tricky because of multiple versions of smaller releases coming out. Some on this list are vinyl records that I bought this year which were re-released, or more officially released versions of self released albums or that kind of thing.. but for me this list contains nothing but albums that were released this year in whichever format that I bought it in so its close enough for me.
Well, enough of all that rambling about it, rather than the top albums of the year I have decided to go with my favorite songs of the year, I thought it may be easier for you guys to check out songs rather than entire albums right? I started with the idea of a top ten but it came down to a top 35, all different artists and it was still a tough decision to make really. I know you have probably seen a number of these lists already but hopefully everyone finds something in here that maybe they have not heard or can enjoy. I will try to write a tiny description with each song if your interested in reading my thoughts on them, otherwise, happy browsing!
Find my top 35 for ‘09 after the read more link below:
On the Hi-Fi
It has been far too long since I have shared some music around here so why not get started up again. Part of the reason is when I decide to post something music related I have been trying to fill that gap with my You Disappear site but not every album I listen too is slow, sad music. So here is a rundown with a quick description of why I enjoy the album. Ill do my best to keep the amount under control, it has been a while though so I’m just going to pull my most listened to albums synced currently to my iPhone. (in alphabetical order) Links after the description will take you to the artists website or the closest thing to it that I can find.
Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue
I have followed Bibio for quite a while now and have always had sort of a mixed fondness of it. While I love the lo-fi approach to recording his songs I was never really able to connect with it in any way. With this newest release, his first on Warp, He has taken it up a notch or two and added some welcome warmth to his lo-fi aesthetic. This and added in a surprising amount of beat production into his typically acoustic, guitar driven music. It makes for a mixed bag of songs drifting between folk and hip hop. Lovers Cravings is still my favorite track on here but the rest has been slowly growing on me. Artist Site
Body Language – Speaks
While short, this EP has been great. fresh off the small Moodgadget label it brings a mix of danceable electronic with a healthy dose of soulful singing creating a really fascinating mix of influences that I can easily recommend. Artist Site
Cass McCombs – Catacombs
I noticed this pop up in Pitchforks best of whatever list and typically Pitchfork is hit or miss in my mind, always sort of trying to live up to the influential status that it stumbled into over time what with their cocky approach to being the kings of indie music reporting. I wont ramble on about them though, I picked this up on emusic this month on after enjoying the little previews they make available and I am glad I did because its really grown on me with its sort of swinging folk approach. It immediately felt familiar and warm and I keep coming back to it for its gentle sway that conjures up feelings of nicer days. Artist Site
The Cave Singers – Welcome Joy
Another folk album, I loved their first record and this picks up right where it left of with a foot stomping opening track that immediately let me know that I would love the album and I was right, the whole thing is full of their unique approach to folk that I cant get enough of. Artist Site
The Choir Of Young Believers – This Is For The White In Your Eyes
I follow Ghostly International (label) pretty closely because they always seem to release such an interesting, diverse set of music and there are not many another labels with such a cohesive aesthetic while still managing to be so diverse in style. The Choir Of Young Believers, from what I understand, is more the centralized efforts of one person yet the music comes across as a vaguely epic trip through the album. The music itself is hard to peg as far as style, sometimes you will find yourself in a quiet place while other moments you find yourself surrounded by a lush layered orchestration. Its as far as I can go to describe it… Artist Site
Clark – Totems Flare
Clark is an artist I have followed throughout his career and I have really enjoyed the progression of his music as he has experimented with many different approaches but always has managed to keep the grittiness of his sound in tact. Many talk of him as though he peaked with his somewhat more accessible album Body Riddle, which was brilliant sure, but it should not get in the way of appreciated his newer works which are a god bit heavier on the beat side. Warp seems to tout his newest material as dance floor friendly but not in the way you might expect. His rhythms here are always evolving and swinging in different directions from track to track which I really love and the sound design, as always with him, is exceptional. I even enjoy the tracks he added his own vocal too, took me a minute to get used to it but at this point I find I really enjoy it. Artist Site
Kurt Vile – God Is Saying This To You
I wrote about this album over on You Disappear and I had to include it here as well because it really is a recent favorite. The first pressing of these on vinyl sold out before I could grab one but I consider myself lucky when I wandered onto the labels online store at the right moment to pick up one of the 30 reissued copies they were selling straight form the label. Anyway, the music itself is something of a hushed folk blues almost in my mind, meandering through the songs with a seeming nonchalance that I love. Artist Site
Lusine – Two Dots
Lusine is another Ghostly International artist and one of my favorite electronic musicians, he is simply a great producer and this short EP is the first single off of his upcoming album that I am really looking forward to. I am curious what the lyrical content of this song cold possibly stand for (maybe im just dense) but melodically it is fantastic and gets stuck in my head whenever I hear it. Artist Site
MachineDrum – Want to 1 2?
MachineDrum is a producer, electronic musician I have followed for years and years it seems and this is the first album from him in a number of years, one I had been waiting to hear ever since hearing a few early versions of tracks years ago. Its all done and available now and its amazing and well worth the time that was put into its creation. While primarily hip hop in its influence it is ripe for the dance floor and all of the guest vocals are spot on. Not one to pass up. Artist Site
Miachu & The Shapes – Jewellery
I cant remember where I came across Miachu but I am glad that I did. Her music is absolutely strange and wonderful pop music that I cant get enough of. I would say more but really, I should let the music stand for itself so have a listen! Artist Site
Noah & The Whale – The First Day Of Spring
This just might end up being my favorite album of the year. It was created in junction with a movie that they made to accompany the music that I have yet to see. In fact the album is not out yet. It was passed onto me from who knows where and its one of those rare albums that when I put on the first time I had to stop what I was doing and listen all the way through. I’ll just say this album will tug at your heart. Its a story about life, love, and music and its perfect. I cant wait to get my hands on the film when its released stateside in October. Artist Site
On – Your Naked Ghost Comes Back at Night
Close your eyes, play at a low volume and let this fill the cracks of your life with a beautiful ambience thats both organic and haunting in its subtle approach. On is a collaboration between Sylvian Chauveau and Steven Hess. Hopefully enough of a description to let you know what to expect, my favorite recently discovered ambient album. Artist Site
Peter Broderick – 4 Track Songs
I cant get enough of this guys music, after two great piano based instrumental albums, a more acoustic songwriter sort of an album and a cassette tape release full of wonderful Duets varying greatly in their conceptual nature, I jump at the chance to hear more from this talented songwriter and this release is no exception. Trading fancy production for a more basic almost lo-fi style these songs drift all over the place but all hold together with a common feel that is beautiful throughout. Artist Site
School Of Seven Bells – My cabal
Yet another Ghostly release, this time from The School Of Seven Bells, a group I am pretty sure I have mentioned before around here. This is the latest single from their album Alpinisms, its the last song on the album actually and its one of my favorites from it. The other songs on here are what stand out in my mind and make it worth mentioning here. The peaceful feeling of My Camarilla is a fantastic b-side that brings the feeling of peace to mind and the remixes are spot on and fit with their style perfectly and manage to pull of a rarity in remixes and I find myself enjoying the remix versions more than the originals. A perfect compliment to their growing catalogue of eps… Artist Site
On the Hi-Fi
It has been all to long since I have set aside a few minutes to put together a music post and I have wanted to write one for quite a while now. There are one to many great new albums to mention here but I will do my best to pick a nice diverse selection of great new music that I have been listening to lately and hopefully some of you will find something new in the process as well. It is always really hard to decide what to post and because it has been a while since I have done one of these music features I am finding it even harder to choose. I will try and keep my descriptions short this time around to make it easier for you to read through the selections. Without further delay..
Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid
Dan Auerbach is one half of the blues rock group The Black Keys and he has released his first solo record recently and its really really good. The Black Keys have this sort of gritty grungy vintage approach to the blues and this is along similar lines only much smoother in execution. Every song on here stands on its own which says something for a full length to be full of great songs minus the filler. It ranges from more simple acoustic blues like on the wonderful opening track, Trouble Weighs A Ton, to the more head nodding electric blues The Black Keys are known for. If you like the blues at all I highly recommend this release one of my recent favorites.
Here We Go Magic – Self Titled
This was a more recent discovery. I don’t know to much about the band other than I really enjoy this album and I think they are quickly picking up momentum in the popularity front. Understandably so. Music like this is surprisingly trendy these days. Its a little hard to pinpoint, a little folk, a little rock, a little ambient, a little electronic.. Kind of a grab bag of Lo-Fi love that will keep you guessing. The first track is what good me hooked and is my favorite on here. Check them out and see what you think, its really good stuff.
Calmer – Past is Present EP
This is an album I featured on my calm music blog, You Disappear, a while back. Calmer is the musical alias of Colin Palmer, a NYC musician crafting some of the most interesting jazz inspired electronic music that I have ever come across. The fusion of electronic elements and jazz is something really unique and the thick sound he has created with layers and layers of synth, drums, guitars, and other elements is really fascinating to listen to. From what I know he spent a few years working on this music and Anyone into jazz, electronic, or music that pushes boundaries of these genres should certainly check out this great EP.
Flying Saucer Attack – Distance
I found this album through eMusic this month and have really enjoyed it. It was released back in 1994 and is a collection of singles which was released after the groups first full length album. They are a British group centered around two members who wrote and recorded most of the music. The music itself is a cross between ambient and noise pop not unlike My bloody Valentine and other such artists. The opening track called Oceans is a great ambient piece and the third track, Crystal Shade, is a wonderful noise pop song full of a thick reverb that makes it sort of dream like and is the song that originally got my attention as I was previewing songs from the album. If you are into this sort of music I highly recommend it.
Mount Eerie – Dawn
This is another album which I featured on You Disappear and I wanted to mention it here as well simply because I love it. I have enjoyed the music of Mount Eerie aka The Microphones for some time now. The music on this album was written a few years ago and has appeared on a lot of various albums of his in different forms but they had never been recorded and collected in the way they were originally written, with a simplified approach of just acoustic guitar and singing. Its the way these songs are best heard and I find the songwriting to be really brilliant and insightful. The album is available digitally, on vinyl and within a cool looking book containing the original sketches while the music was being written. Here you will find calm music and in my opinion, wonderful songwriting.
Selected+Collected – eMusic Compilation
Obviously another eMusic discovery and its actually only available through eMusic. It is a collection of songs from a handful of largely unknown groups many of which have not even had one proper release yet. While the collection visits a lot of various genres it does hole a cohesive feeling to it and most of the music you will find here is the new breed of avant indie rock blending lo-fi recording and a hodgepodge of various influences to create some really wonderful unique music. It has been in heavy rotation since I have downloaded it and suggest you check it out if you are looking for a great, eclectic collection of new, up and coming artists.
Bon Iver – Blood Bank EP
Many of you may already be familiar with Bon Iver because I have featured him here on the site a couple of times before and because his music seems to have burst into popularity lately but I wanted to include this EP here because it certainly has been among my recent favorites. Its music for lonely moments and is hopeful in a melancholic sort of a way if that makes any sense at all. These four songs are wonderful and makes me really look forward to what he has to offer in his future releases.
Mike Bones – What I Have Left
I found this one song randomly and it connected with me in some way and would just not let go. Its one of those songs that just feels unflinchingly honest and it shows. It is a simple approach to songwriting in some ways and its lack of any sort of hook or chorus leads you to hear the message and feeling within the song without the need for a catchy hook. Its just a good solid progression and a great song in my opinion and wanted to include it here simply because it is one of the most played songs among my recent discoveries and I wanted to share. You can hear it via the video that was made for it here.
Beirut – March of the Zapotec & RealPeople: Holland
Beirut is a group that I have listened to for some time now and originally sort of avoided for some reason and I cant really explain why. Needless to say it took some time for it to really click in my mind. The music is full of horns and a light hearted traditional sort of an approach to its songwriting that I really love. The album is split right down the middle as it is actually two EP’s released as one full length album. The first half is all swinging horn melodies and the second half is nearly all danceable electronic with a hint of the horns that combine in a really great way that I really enjoyed hearing. As you can probably tell I really have no idea how to describe the music you will find on this album but I highly recommend you check it out simply because its a wonderful collection of songs.
iTunes Link • Artist Page
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I think I will leave it at that for this post, there were a few more albums on my list which I considered including but I think I have gone on long enough.Hopefully you discovered something new for your ears here and keep an eye out for more music suggestions as I hope to start doing more of them again but well see what happens with time. Thanks for reading and I will see you next time!
So This Is The New Year
It looks like another year has slipped through my fingers. Nearly one year ago I started up this new project for my desktops after feeling twistedsun.net had run its course. While within the year it went through a couple different design changes I feel happy with the way things are looking and feeling right now and have a feeling this design will stick for a while. The site has seen a number of new readers as the year went on and the word got out and I am in constant thanks of their support.
So looking ahead I have a number of new things that will come from the new year. First off, in an effort to focus my efforts here my music posts will not be as often or as full featured and I will probably reserve the ones I make here for more specific things or when an album gets me really excited and I just have to share it. Music is an important part of my life and I don’t want to phase it out completely from fiftyfootshadows just yet. That said I would like to casually announce that I have started a new web project. A music site for the calm music of the world called You Disappear. I have been brainstorming and working on it for a few months now and I have gone live with it as of today. It’s not perfect yet and it will take a few months to build its library of albums I have no doubt that it will be a lot of fun to work on and maintain. Hopefully you all will take some time to head over and check it out. Maybe discover some great new music. The about page and the welcome post will help describe my motives in a little more detail.
You can visit youdisappear.net by clicking here.
In other news, I will continue to provide new desktop wallpapers as often as I can and possibly more articles and the like on photography if readers show enough interest. I also have a portfolio site for my photography in the works and will announce that when it goes live, hopefully in the next few months. I also have plans starting to take shape about prints, a book, and other sorts of fun things that I would like to pull into reality this year which is something else I am really looking forward to.
On a more personal note, I have been in Munich, Germany these past couple of months and while I have had a wonderful time here I will be heading back stateside on the 7th. My adventures wont stop there turns out as I have been planning a winter trip through southern Utah and I am really excited about it.
That’s about all for now, just a simple update and a moment to wish everyone a good new year. I for one feel a good year coming on and I’m looking forward to all the days coming ahead.
Heres to a new year and many more to come.
-John
Black Cabs
Some of you may remember a post a while back about a french site that featured videos of somewhat spontaneous, live recordings of a number of great musicians and I have recently come across another concept similar in nature.
The idea is they get musicians to perform scaled down versions of songs while riding along inside a cab. More specifically, the famous black cabs of England. Its an interesting idea to me and its fun to watch through the videos of a lot of really great artists featured on the site. (seriously though, the artists featured are great) My only criticism really, is that its a bit distracting and honestly not as personal and intimate as you would think it might be but I’m not sure I can really explain why that is. That and I wish they had a bit faster server running these videos… or maybe that’s just me. At any rate, below I have embedded a few random favorites but you can visit their site through this link for more.
On The Hi-Fi
Well, good news is that I have finally gotten this great software called MacJournal to upload posts and images to the blog for me so I can write posts locally on my macbook and upload them without messing about in the WordPress back end. This means it will be easier for me to post and hopefully lead to me being able to post more often so here’s hoping.
At any rate, I’m here with a new music post which has been a long time coming. It seems I have come across a lot of great new music in the past month or so which I am excited recommend to readers looking for something fresh in their ears. Because it’s been a while I have covered a lot of music here so hopefully its not TOO much. There are things I had to leave out because the post was getting to long already but I think I ended up featuring a lot of great music for everyone to check out. So lets get started shall we?
Akira Kosemura – Tiny Musical
Anyone that has been following the blog here for a while knows how much I enjoy really minimal quiet music and that is still very true. It seems I’m a sucker for music that helps slow tine down a bit and gives my mind some breathing room and distance from the distracting world around me. I think that this genera of music has somehow adopted the name Folktronica but I really don’t like it because I don’t think it really represents the music all that well and, well, it sounds kind of weird. On this album you will find a lot of subtle, understated music. A lot of drifting piano, guitar and light electronics that float along through your mind as you listen. Highly recommended to anyone in need of some music that will help ground your mind during a busy day or relax you at the end of a long one. (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)
The Cinematic Orchestra – Live At The Royal Albert Hall
I have not always really been all that into The Cinematic Orchestra but when my ears had the chance to hear the first single from their newest album Ma Fleur. I really enjoyed all of the music on their last album, a perfect collection of songs with a distinct mood about them perfect for listening with your eyes closed.Truth be told, I usually don’t really like live albums for the most part. There is always something missing from them somehow but from time to time there is a recording of a live show that feels really satisfying and really makes you feel like you could be there in the audience. This is one of those recordings. I don’t know to much about the event itself but the recording is wonderful. The performances of the songs this evening with a live string section and wonderful vocal performances really flow great together and its nice to see a good range of material from the group performed and recorded in this way. The music drifts between lighter almost trip-hop like stylings to moments of straight jazz. If your a fan of the band or this sounds at all interesting to you then I suggest you take the time to check this out! (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)
Damien Jurado – Caught In The Trees
Over the years it seems Damien Jurado has kind of jumped back and forth between soft, whispered songs and more upbeat full band tracks. While I have preferred his quieter material in the past this album seems to have struck a perfect balance of full band songs and the quiet understated sort of songs that I think he is known best for. Often I find I was reminded of old Heatmiser songs for some reason while listening to the more lively songs on this album but they all certainly hold a feel of their own. This is easily one of my favorites from Damien Jurado. For anyone not familiar, his music varies from gentle indie rock to quiet singer songwriter folk inspired songs. He is a great songwriter in my opinion and never seems to get as much credit as he deserves as such. Take a moment and have a listen. (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)
Kate Simko – She Said EP
From what I hear Kate Simko grew up listening to classical music and calls it a big influence in the composition of her songs. I’m not sure if I can imagine that for whatever reason but I do find that I really enjoy her music. It’s like elegant dance/minimal techno and I really love the way her songs evolve over the time of the track. Recently I’ve really enjoyed this sort of dance music that keeps you moving but keeps you calm at the same time (if that makes any sense at all) and this EP has filled that need perfectly. My favorite track on here at the moment is Soltera, if you interested and want a track to listen to before jumping in but really, its all good. (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)
Michna – Magic Monday
Another Ghostly release here that I discovered through their free Ghostly Swim compilation. I think the first track on that album is also the first on this full length which it, as far as I know, his first release. Im not sure what it is that drew me into Michna’s music at first but I know what kept me listening. On this album you will find a lot of really catchy electronic that would bee good for a sunny day. A great album for the end of summer, something for those mildly warm sunny days of fall. One of my favorite aspects of this album is the occasional appearance of a horn section which gives the break beat filled tracks a spark of old soul music like energy that I really love. The album carries you through with plenty of chances to get up and dance and I could see anyone looking for some music to liven up their day enjoying this. (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)
Mount Eerie – Dawn
I’ve been following Mount Eerie aka. Phil Elverum aka The Microphones since I saw him perform live a few years ago. The performance was outdoors at a college and it was a quiet, nearly silent night and although there was a lot of people in the audience while he performed they were nearly silent the whole time because of his whispering quiet performance. You could hear the crickets singing along and because he asked for the stage lights to be turned off he nearly disappeared into the night as he sang. After the show I bought an album from him which ended up randomly being a japanese import of a cd he released of songs recorded while touring in Japan. There were two songs on that recording that really pulled me into his music, Great Ghosts and The Wolly Mammoths Might Absence. Both are songs about the passing of time and fighting pieces of our past and the recordings of these songs on that cd are still my favorite versions of the songs. At any rate, I have since bought a lot of his material as the Microphones and some of his newer material under his new alias, Mt. Eerie and my favorite songs were always the ones I heard at this concert and the ones on this live import album and that is because they were such simplistic versions of his songs. Many of his albums seem to follow some sort of conceptual idea and while they are good I often wanted to hear these songs stripped down to the essence of the song writing. Finally, this album that he recently released, ‘Dawn’ is such a record. It was him revisiting these songs and recording them in the way they were originally written and conceived, acoustically and with minimal production and It is easily my favorite album of his and I would recommend anyone with an ear for this sort of quiet reflective sort of music to look into it. I have my eye on the vinyl version of this as soon as I have a few dollars to spend. (and if you like that be sure to check out his album recently recorded with Julie Doiron ‘Lost Wisdom’ which I enjoy just as much..) (Artist Site • MySpace)
Praveen & Benoit – Songs Spun Simla EP
Over the last couple of years I had the opportunity to perform up in NYC a couple of times with my friend Matt as A Drop In Silence and both of the times I was there we were able to spend some free time with friends new and old. One of the people we met while we were there was Praveen who, at the time, was the room mate of the guy we were staying with, Colin Palmer (aka. Calmer which im sure you will be seeing in a hi-fi soon enough..). So back story aside I recently noticed that Praveen had a new project that he was working on with another musician I’ve liked for some time now, Benoit Pioulard and that alone was enough to get my attention. Praveen has a really calm, warm sort of a feel to his recordings and Benoit has a sort of a dirty lo-fi kind of approach to his music and together their styles compliment each other really well. I would highly recommend this record not because I know one of the musicians but because it contains some wonderful music. On this EP you can expect really warm, inviting songs that flawlessly bridge the gap between organic sounds and electronic. Add softly spoken singing from Benoit and you have a really great EP. (iTunes • Artist Site)
Squarepusher – Just A Souvenir
It’s been interesting the past few years to see what Tom Jenkinson/ Squarepusher will release next. The evolution of his music has been all over the place but a few themes have always lingered in the mix. Jazz, Drum n’ Bass, Breakcore, a constant explorative spirit and his skill as a bass player. While his early albums were full of often dark danceable tracks there has been a gradual shift to find something more organic in his music. Sometimes that was in the overall mixing and composition style and sometimes in the sound design and use of more traditional sounds and instruments. This evolution has left his music in a really unique place on this latest effort, Just a Souvenir. If you take the time to read his story behind the albums concept, it was based on a dream he had of a supergroup of musicians on stage performing music on manipulated instruments. The result is an album I have really enjoyed lately. Its like Squarepusher the band and holds a really wonderful combination of Jazz, Punk, Funk, and electronica. His simplified approach in production leaves you with the impression that it is a band performing the songs and its a great new direction for his music in my opinion. So don’t go into this album expecting an electronic album full of breakbeats, listen to it as something different all together. Currently this is only available in digital form on Bleep.com but there you are able to preview entire tracks of the album so head over and check it out. (Bleep • Artist Site)
School of Seven Bells – Half Asleep
I don’t know much about the story of this group but I do know that I’m happy to have found their music. More often than not I enjoy the music released by Ghostly International (record label) and this is no exception. While this is simply a single/EP with only two songs it has certainly gotten me excited to hear their full length album when it comes out later this month. The title track, Half Asleep, is a steady, dreamy electronic song. One of those songs that is balanced somewhere between shoegazing and dancing along which is a great place to be in my opinion because it is perfect for any mood really. The B-side here Caldo is a bit more on the calm side with its lack of drums but synthesizer, acoustic guitar and beautifully layered vocals are all a perfect match in the song. For two dollars I dont see how you could pass up the chance to grab these great songs and be sure to keep an eye out for the full length at the end of October. (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)
The Juan Maclean – Less Than Human
I have always been curious to hear more of what comes out of the DFA label, especially after falling for a handful of songs on the last LCD Soundsystem album. Recently I randomly had a show at a local college with my live audio work and I unknowingly stepped into an electronic music show. I knew I had recognized the name of the group on the rider for the show but I didn’t connect the dots until they started up for sound check and I remembered where I had heard them, on a DFA comp that I had at home. So after their great performance that night I finally made the time to look more into the label and while its not all my favorite music in the world there is a lot of great music to be found. I got a couple of remix albums and this full length from The Juan Maclean, Less Than Human. For those of you now familiar, DFA has this disco rock kind of a vibe to it and this album very much fits in that category. Anyone looking for something to help put a spring in their step in the morning or any time really, should check this out. For an idea of what you can expect listen to the song, Give Me Every Little Thing, easily my favorite cut on the album. (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)
The War On Drugs – Wagonwheel Blues
Filling in more on the indie rock side of things I’ve really been enjoying this album by The War On Drugs. It’s music at first reminded me of early Shins in some ways but not so much any more now that I’ve listened to it more. I really like the production of this album, its not as shiny and clean as most of the other music I’ve been listening to. This and some of these songs are really catchy and always seem to get stuck in my head. Start with the song Taking The Farm and you will see what I mean. (iTunes • Artist Site • MySpace)