Lemchaheb
10 years ago
Laurel Halo - Light + Space
Laurel Halo has quietly been perfecting her style over the last two years. From her promising 2010 King Felix, bangin Hour Logic last year, and new release under King Felix, Halo has perfected her gauzy, immersive and utterly emotional electronic pop. In Light + Space, off her debut Quarantine (on the legendary Hyperdub) Halo creates a gut wrenchingly beautiful piece of work. The sense of pure loneliness in the track's vocals along with the ever-changing simplicity of her synth give a feeling of dreadful hope. This ultimately wraps those who bear witness to it in ecstatic holiness, whereupon they can never return.
Laurel Halo :: Light + Space
Andy Stott-Passed Me By
Hey. It's been a while.
What have i been listening to? Andy stott. Dark and menacing. Beats. Techno from a soul fueled beast from planet zorb who lands in the deep south american jungles to hunt wildlife. Yeah it's real shit.
Andy Stott - Passed Me By by modernlove
L'orchestre Kanga De Mopti
Absolutely amazing
So great.
new reissue first i've heard
kindred spirits
try it out,
Blood Orange Dinner
I've never listened to this guy before he's the dude from lightspeed champion. not my thing but this is
tight as fuck
City Center- Redeemer
So stunned about this release.
City Center's debut was a record that came out on Type Records about two years ago. It interested me and I knew that there was more potential in the songwriting aspect of City Center especially in songs like Bleed Blood and Young Diamond. Having randomly seen the new record in stores I bought it on a whim. I had heard nothing about the album, no press, just bought it immediately on the promise that was displayed on the debut. Boy was I right.
The songwriting is actually concise and fully formed. While there are hints and rumbles of clanging and reflecting noise, this is a pop record, and one of the most original I've heard in a while.
While one could write this off as 'indie pop' it's really more than that. Cookies is an anthemic stomper with a guitar solo that shines brightly and simply rocks. On the other hand the song Obvious clatters echoed drums and percussion over heartbreaking strings that flesh out into earnest gutsy magic.
Other tracks play more like beachy tunes meeting a more grating sample based method. I'm not huge on the 'beach scene' that took the internet by storm two years ago, but this is especially pleasing.
Their songs are dramatic when they need to be, exciting and pack a punch.
Redeemer was a shock of a record and I've been constantly listening to it. Spread the word, I've seen little to nothing about it on the web.
Thrill Jockey
Seriously, three great to amazing records in one week.
First off is the new Mountains record.
My first experience with Mountains was their album Choral. I thought it was good, but didn't really feel it.
However maybe I was missing something the first time because their new record is so god damn good. Their new album Air Museum is immersive from the start, taking it's more ambient folk roots into a synth world, spiraling and exploding with burning colors. Not only beautiful, but a complete head trip that's easy to get lost in, especially the closing Live at the Triple Door. In a way this albums does what newer Emeralds and OPN want to do, but in a more humane way, therefore more artistically majestic imo. I love both of those projects a lot, but this easily sidesteps both of their most recent releases, creatin one of the best things I've heard all year.
Next is Liturgy's Aesthethica. A metal album on Thrill Jockey? Whatever i could listen to the song Generation for the rest of my life. A head trip unlike Air Museums; where Air Museum went into space, Liturgy's Aesthethica goes to hell and back. I wouldn't worry about it being too metal, or not metal enough or lame. The album is just really fantastic.
Finally, the Sea and Cake released a new album this week by the name of Moonlight Butterfly . The sea and Cake follow the: if it ain't broke why change it? road again and honestly good for them. The only sidechange I'd say would be the ten minute centerpiece inn keeping. All really great songs, but don't know what to think about the especially New Order ish beatless electronics on Moonlight Butterfly. Just a tad out of place along with the rest of the record but great, and know they do delve into that sound often.
You should go out and grab these all, they're all stunning, especially the mountains record. Serious doings on Thrill Jockey
Intrigue & stuff
Massive. Leyland Kirby's new 12 inch is fucking gigantic.
Don't really want to describe it... if you've heard him before, expect that and the unexpected.
No download link.
You need the vinyl. You'll thank later.
btw he has like something like 6 records coming out this year. If it's six more records of quality like this then let it rain I'll buy each one of em.
digital subscription on his website which is sick. Support him
Bee Mask
Canzoni dal Laboratorio del Silenzio Cosmico is apart of the first batch of records on the new label Spectral Spool curated by none other than John Elliot from Emeralds.
Top notch of course, it is a sub label of Editions Mego who has been treading this water now, with the OPN and Emeralds releases last year.
I expected something really traditional for some reason with this release more in vain of those albums put out on ED. Can't deny though, that those were great albums, but still more pop oriented explorations than on previous occasions. Yet i was silly. the record is of course as bizarre and equally as good as those albums put out last year.
I guess you could call it ballsier on part of Editions Mego's part? And frankly i'm happy that ED is letting Elliot take control of his own larger label. It gives the opportunity for small run releases to grab more attention and more publicity for things that are truly under-appreciated.
To tell the truth the first side is haunting. Blade like synths cut deep into into clean skin as the sick cough from excruciating pain. Yet you can't tear yourself away from the cough. It drives one mad but it entices to stay and visit awhile albeit uncomfortable. Blissful synth stabs appear with arpeggiated head spins before loosing control and falling into mass hysteria. Hell breaks loose in and out of consciousness for the rest of the two sides. Drums hit like a power button and just as soon as something nearly deathly enters, something almost beautiful takes it away and the cycle is repeated. Solitary Confinement. Being eaten from the inside only to discover that the light that accesses all the beauty in the universe is given to you to progress. Ignorant doom laden hope. Love when in the eyes of the possessed and zombies. What dreams are made of. Nightmares
Ponytail
Well that certainly worked out.
Basically I'll make this promise to you: obscure sometimes; bland indie more. Tapes occasional?
That's pretty fair. Cause that's my taste. As I've sadly learned. I think I always put myself into a cooler accord.
Anyway.
Ponytail are the fucking shit. This album is no exception. Awayway gives me chills and makes me jump. like something was inside me. I can't imagine anyone else not having that same knee jerk response. Well they're all talented, too bad they broke up. They'll keep it up right? RIGHT?
I imagine with the Ken Seeno release on NNA and Dustin Wong release on Thrill Jockey I've been meaning to grab (future post?) everyone's gonna be fine.
Incredible work.
Bedroom databank 2
Must sound super lame posting atlas sound
but Bradford Cox is an incredible songwriter in general. While i generally don't like his atlas sound work and like the new Deerhunter stuff just a slight bit more...(cryptograms was awesome) the best thing he's ever done was definitely the Bedroom Databank 1-4.
While i never really get a chance to listen to them all, (it's kinda daunting all at once...)
Bedroom Databank 2 is really a fantastic listen.
Just all over the map stylistically-yet it works together. It's loose, not pretentious, and covers all the styles Bradford can play (folk, rock, electronic, ambient, and krautrock on the great Here Comes the Trains)
He's ambitious on a humane level. The whole thing comes off as literally sounding like a genius boy wundekin playing in a toy store. the falling drums and collapsing melodies and lines sound like a little boy about throw down the drumsticks to his toy snare and pick his hot wheels track instead.
Circle of Ouroborus
of posts will come with time.
But for now this.
Circle of...
well wait back track. Today's Record Store Day right.
So I went to two places cause i was tired and lazy.
Other Music and Hospital Prod.
Let's just say one was busier than the other...(I'll let you put together the pieces)
While I found a lot of great Record store exclusives that i'll post about later at Other music
My real find for the day was at Hospital.
Whenever i walk in, the guys there are usually playing some ridiculously heavy black metal music which is totally not my thing (save for a couple of greats...liturgy ahem) But this time.
This time, well I wouldn't know how to classify. I walk into cascading sounds echoing and distant. Faded not by time or by age but by heavens or likely hell. A voice that screams like a confused soul. Not as much angry, but stern and full of pain and depression. But not howls. And there i was asking Hospital, what is this? Circle of Ouroborous' Unituli, out on the Hospital imprint.
Honestly this is less of black metal album and more reminiscent of Leyland Kirby than anything I associate with the genre. Not to say it's not thundering. But it's beautiful and unlike anything I've ever heard.
It really is something I cannot classify and it has to be listened to. Fans of ambient that feel like they need more of a kick, this is it.
act quick on the pressings.
bibio (ah god.)
Bibio is the shit.
Or at least was.
Anyway, ambivalence Avenue blew my mind (get the fuck on it.)
I'm not sure why cause when i go back individually on tracks it's not that solid.
but something about it, maybe the way he recorded it (BoC +dilla+folk)
whatever it sounds lame on paper but it's sweet.
Then he did the Apple and the Tooth and the original songs were tight as fuk...the remixes not so much.
of course i've never been a fan of remixes.
Well here he is with mind bokeh. and i wish i liked it more.
But really This album is pretty good or else i wouldn't have posted it would I?
It's all over the place though.
Done are those folk guitars (*weep*), more studio, "more electronic" less dilla
More rock. Take off your shirt is something that just shouldn't have happened. Ever. And having recieved the vinyl copy in the mail and reading the lyrics today, it's nearly worse than the song.
But that's fine right when songs like anything new just rule. No kidding.
Maybe the next album will be huge. We'll see. Unless he continues the rock songs. Help us.
tUne-yArDs
complete 180.
This girl for real. No bullshit. I swear to god Hatari rips me out...I'm not going to explain. and seriously the power and scope of it is something that is really majestic and is of a real artistic integrity.
Girl is on 4AD now, and supposedly she has a new album coming out called w h o k i l l (serious title right there)
I can't stop watching her live videos. She has a wonderful sense of presence and looks like she loves what she does: entertain.
It's honestly some of the most refreshing straight pop i've heard in while. So original.
Weird side note. She's on the blackberry commercial. Don't know how i feel about that. But whatever pays it for her right especially if that new album is as promising as the single.
Bird Brainssss
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