Luke Vibert (who also goes by the moniker Wagon Christ & Plug) displays his vibrant interest from avant garde jungle beats and sophisticate hardcore drum’n'bass. With so many tweaked out sounds in this cosmic stew, Back On Time combines flavors ranging from the bollywood-inspired “A Quick Plug For A New Slot” to the trip-hop track “Yes Man” oozing in elegance. Sounding brand new as well as being a lost classic from an electronic icon, Back On Time is a release that anybody interested in the progression of dance music should be very curious to hear and enjoy. Be sure to check out tracks #1, 2, 3, 7, 8. FCC Violation #6 Review from Terrorbird Promotion
February 3rd, 2012
February 3rd, 2012
The latest from Bjork collaborator Leila is titled U&I. The music is a blend of IDM, Minimal Wave, and Dance Industrial with vocals from Mt. Sims. You hear hints of early Front 242 or early Skinny Puppy on the track “all of this” with sharp drum machines and frentic synth wobbles. But there are some mellow, darker tracks as well like “in consideration”, “eight”, and “u&i”. The only criticism of the album is that while the tracks are good and have a good sound they lack originality. This almost has a greatest hits of IDM feel to it, with the tracks sounding like someone else’s music. Besides this blemish, the album is good and is well worth a listen.
RIYD: early Front 242, early Skinny Puppy, Wumpscut, Autechre, Sight Below
Tracks: 1,3,5,6,10,11,13
February 2nd, 2012
We all know The Big Pink, kinda like the poor indie boy’s Blink-182. Well “Future This” is classic Big Pink, peaking male vocals over synth and guitar riffs, catchy lyrics (via “These Girls Fall like Dominoes) and infectious beats. I’d like to hear an acoustic version of “Future This.” So awkward. All joking aside, the album is good. Not album of the year, but not a total flub after 2009’s “A Brief History of Love.” The first track “Stay Gold” is an epic pep talk, as you can probably guess from the title. And remains to do the same throughout. As 4AD puts it, “Each song has its own message, mostly positive to help highlight Robbie’s (?) progress as both a lyricist and a singer…” Check it out.
RIYL: Blink-182, Power pop
Check out: 1,2,6, 7
FCC: Definitely Clean
February 2nd, 2012
Hospitality is an indie-pop band from Brooklyn that fuses the smokey sentimentality of Camera Obscura with the infectious strangeness of Belle and Sebastien. Their lead-singer, the alluring Amber Papini, dominates every track with her lovely vocals. Though that it not to say that the instrumentals on the track don’t lend fabulously to the entire sunshine-y aesthetic that the album provides. Off of Merge records, the album stands on its own as a testament to the nearly lost genre of sunshine pop. The opening track, “Eighth Avenue” fills the listener with a sense of deliberate narrative behind Papini’s vocals. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what she is saying. Sounds kind of like a Sigur-Ros kind of language, yet I am pretty sure it’s English. “Sleepover” is an entirely sexy and smokey tribute to those immediately before her like Tracy Ann Campbell and Binki Shapiro.
Check out: 1,2,3,6,8
FCC: Clean
RIYL: Camera Obscura, Little Joy
February 2nd, 2012
I can remember listening to Ani Difranco in eighth grade in the locker room, pretending I was as emotional as she was. Though I suppose that story is neither here nor there, back then I was listening to Knuckle Down. Three albums later we have “Which Side Are You On?” If you are an avid fan like I am, you know that when “Red Letter Year” came out, Ani started to sound more like a parent because for the first time she was one. I personally thought it sounded good on her but was it the same “Little Plastic Castle” Ani? Not really. Now with “Which Side Are You On?” this is a good mixture of the lady we heard on Dilate, full of raw angst and the one we got on “Red Letter Year” with a mature and produced sound. The opening track, “Life Boat” is a lovely and authentically serious lament of a homeless mother. In “If Yr Not,” she boats, “If you’re not getting happier as you get older, then you’re fuckin’ up.” If one thing is true about Ani Difranco, you never feel guilty for listening to this jazz-fused lady rock. Not to mention, she is from Buffalo. Great town.
RIYL: Jessica Lea Mayfield, Lucinda Williams
Check out: 1, 8, 9
FCC: 8
January 31st, 2012
Highly variable works for a fairly wide range of instruments and combinations. “Impossible Miniatures” are works described as digital soundscapes using the berimbau (African-Brazilian bow) and caxixi shaker. Tracks 1-14 are very lyrical. Trks 15-24, electronic and abstract.
File: Classical composer: Grasse
January 31st, 2012
Contemporary chamber works for (mostly) wind instruments (saxophone, oboe, flute) and piano. “Five Lyrics” is particularly nice for flute and piano. ” Evening’s Shadow” includes soprano voice.
File: Classical composer: Krzywicki
January 31st, 2012
These are gorgeous contemporary classical guitar works, rich in density and sonority, created by overdubbing up to 4 guitars. Play all!
File: Classical composer: Caruso
January 30th, 2012
Lovely classical piano trios. Play all!
File: Classical composer: Haydn
January 30th, 2012
Contemporary and modern chamber works by Larsen, Schickele, Liuwen and Copland. Play most!
File: Classical collections: enhake