I guess I'd call Lana del Rey a contemporary beauty in a classical way. Granted this is probably exactly the image she is going for or would love to have people call her. There is something mysterious about Lana del Rey. Maybe it's the way she hit the internet like a viral video earlier this year with "Video Games." She has not left us as an audience with much to grasp onto. This is about to change with the release of Born To Die this coming January. We will all finally have a chance to make our crass flash judgements of her. V Magazine recently interviewed Miss Rey and you can check the whole thing out here.
Lana on the production of Born To Die: ["I've kept it family. The beats are being looked after by my beat man. The arrangements are being done by my string man." There will be no industry grooming for the current and future pop star Lana del Rey] -excerpt from V magazine spot.
Miss Chan Marshall is back at it. An early Christmas present arrived on her website this morning in the form of a cover of her own song (King Rides By). I guess it's a rework but I can't help but call it a cover considering her more recent stints busting out covers left and right. Apparently the song will appear on her new album due out in 2012. Of course it's a beauty. Watch the video below and visit her site to download for a 99 cent donation to one of two charities.
So you know that secret Johnny Jewel score that was supposedly written for 2011's cinematic masterpiece Drive? Well this isn't it. However, Johnny Jewel has put together a two hour score for an "imaginary film". It has all the joys and pulsations you might expect from the a Jewel project. You can stream it below. The following is an excerpt from the Symmetry Soundcloud page:
"Three years in the making, Symmetry - the project that began as a conceptual tangent between Glass Candy, Chromatics, Mirage, & Desire's more abstract sides - finally sees its release this month. Themes For An Imaginary Film is two hours of claustrophobic cinematic bliss compiled for Painters, Writers, Photographers, Designers, Cruisers, Night Walkers, & Dreamers. Adrenaline drips thick like syrup across a horizon where memories become blurred scenes behind the windshield & yesterday's faces fade as the road strobes to aggressive rhythms. Romantic melodies linger in the rearview mirror as chimera bells saturate the electric fog that's slowly rolling in."
So here it goes. My chance to share my very own inflated opinion regarding the best musical releases of 2011, just like the rest of the internet. I'll break it down by category sort of like your yearbook did however many years back you weren't "most likely to succeed." It is ranked and so you can find the best at the bottom. Despite the state of things in America and the collective world's strife, 2011 was a great year for music.
Best Dark Ambient/Noise record: Roly Portner, Aftertime
If you notice the song titles as Dune references you can start to make sense of this record. And I only mean start, I don't think I have reached a full understanding yet of what is to be heard here. This is part of what I enjoy so much about it. Aftertime lingers, burns, aches, scratches on glass, and traps you until your done listening and I love it for that.
Peralta is the son of legendary Dogtown pro skater, Stacy Peralta. He is also a great maker of jazz. Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder imprint released Endless Planets back in February and I've been listening to it on and off ever since. It's the perfect, "I'm in the mood for jazz but don't really know where to start" sort of record.
Most likely to induce nostalgia: Youth Lagoon, The Year of Hibernation
I was a tad bit hesitant to include on the list but feel as though he is one of the years best surprises. He fills part of a void that 2011 seems to hold. That void is a good post-angsty dream pop record. Really the whole thing is rather good. on Trevor Powers is certainly a master of composing an absolutely gut-wrenching crescendo. Listen to "Montana" below if you don't understand yet.
The ultimate Bandcamp find: Chrome Sparks, My <3
This album is perhaps a great indicator of our times with a title built of characters and tracks that blip electronically and the whole thing was available for a name your own price download via the young talent's Bandcamp page. The many featured guest vocals from Steffalloo here really helped make the record as rich as it is.
Best Rock record: St. Vincent, Strange Mercy
Annie Clark is fucking talented and it really shows on Strange Mercy. The songs are well written, the girl can sing and murder on the guitar. "Surgeon" has the coolest breakdown of any song all year. Much needed female talent in the year.
The Moodiest of mood: Washed out, Within and Without
Talk about a mood! Ernest Greene was shredding at the crest of the "chill wave" for the past couple of years and then he released out Within and Without. My first listens were tough because I was still in the swells of his notable Life of Leisure EP. But the soft beauty of Within and Without slowly revealed itself and every track became a more distinct chapter in what feels like an oddly nostalgic and often dark record. What Greene did this year was define his sound and made a record, not an EP of catchy reverberated tracks.
Most likely to be played by every god damn dj this year: Hudson Mohawke, Satin Panthers
As if the dj/producer right before their set didn't just play cbat or Thunder Bay, everyone has been digging on those two tunes from Hudmo's Satin Panthers EP. No matter how many times you listen there is nothing quite like when the beat drops on Thunder Bay. Making everyone on the dance floor want to be crawl inside the subwoffer for even more. It's a solid romp through heavy bass.
Best Metal record: Ulcerate, The Destroyers of All
This is a fantastic death metal release from New Zealand. As an added bonus it was also released on the always decent Willowtip Records. It's the sort of record that will leave you in an introspective state while and after listening. I might add that it is also highly addictive.
Thorough listen hybrid Alt-Pop: John Maus, We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
In my humble opinion the man puts his counterpart Ariel Pink to shame. This album is exciting from start to finish. Maus takes pop to a new reality. Every damn song is great. Tracks like "Hey Moon," "Head for the Country"...soild all the way through!
Most misunderstood album because they aint nevah seen him live! James Blake, James Blake LP
I didn't stop listening to this album until I saw the man live, twice. Boy can he perform. Frankly, the bass on the record shouldn't be heard in any context other than his live set. It's a really solid release at the forefront of the post-dubstep, indie-r&b, whatever you will call it movement going on right now. The LP has had Mr. Blake at the mercy of critics since it's arrival, they are unsure of whether they should shun or bless his work since. Blake seems to be torn at the moment, pulled from his roots at R&S records putting out the dance floor worthy Love What Happened Here EP all while still coming off the release of the Enough Thunder nap time piece that came after his debut.
Release containing the best song of the year: Burial, Street Halo
The bass legend released one of the year's best tracks in a single format bringing with it an additional two new Burial songs. Like all of his work the Street Halo EP is an extremely atmospheric 20 minutes. As for "Street Halo," the track, it's about as infectious, mood building and great as music gets folks.
Best release from the best record label of the year: Triangle Records' Holy Other, With U
Triangle records had a great year with releases from Clams Casino, Water Borders, Balam Acab and that's just to name a few. What I really like about Holy Other is that his sound is great at EP length. Dark, heavy, engaging and yet very ethereal.
Best thing to come from the "Industry:" Drake, Take Care
This is top 40 music that deserves to be at the top. Drake come out at his most honest in Take Care. I think it was hard for some to come to terms with the fact that they heard half the record before it was released, dulling the experience a little. Dull not!! At first the album felt a bit too long but after 10 or so listens all of the tracks sort of parade in one at a time leaving you thinking "forgot about this one, but damn this is good." It's an incredible dose of the times that truly satisfies. Every damn song!
Best R&B album(s): The Weeknd, House of Balloons & Thursday
This probably comes as no surprise. When Thursday hit in August I started to really ponder the question of whether I liked it or House of Balloons more. House of Balloons felt pretty novel at the time for the musical climate we were in. It has been the year of indie R&B and House of Balloons sort of felt like a tangible turning point we would not forget. The familiarity of Beach House and Siouxsie and the Banshees samples mixed with the sexy singing guy telling us how he's going to fuck us on pills all night seemed sort of irresistible. However, Thursday felt more like an album than the mixtape it is declared. There is a bit of atmosphere there and some really good music in between i.e. "Life of the Party" and "Rolling Stone." This is the man to watch.
Best must listen from start to finish record: Julia Holter, Tragedy
Holter takes you deep into a black hole for 50 minutes and has you feeling like you might never leave. It's synthy, ambient, speckled with moments of true melody. This is not a pick-a-track and listen record. In fact, the album will make little sense unless you start from the beginning and follow all the way through to the end. There are moments of despair and moments of crystalline beauty throughout this Tragedy.
This album is an electronic dream! Rustie maintains a pretty consistent sound throughout. It's a good one to take one track at a time or all in one big dose. Glass Swords thizzles and sizzles in all the right ways. As the album cover might suggest, listening to this LP may induce the urge to go spelunking in a cave of crystals. The future of dance music is right here ladies and gents, listen to it loud! Not that skrillex deadmau5 trash flavored trash.
Album of the year: Nicolas Jaar, Space is Only Noise
The guy is 22 and a certified genius by my standards . Perhaps the fact that Space is Only Noise came out so early in the year helped bring it to the top of my list. But honestly there were parts of it that made so much sense even after just a few listens. Call it what you like, minimal tech, minimal house, space jams, or whatever. It is a work of excellence. It's an album that you can learn and that will not tire you out in the process. If this is Jaar's first big thing, we've got a lot to look forward to. He also put out two other extremely notable releases this year; one single, Don't Break My Love EP and a three song work under the side project Darkside.
Unofficial yet awesome video for one of the album's many standout tracks:
Sometimes music can act as a recipe for something we all long to eat. Something delicious, with lasting flavor and worthwhile taste. People often alter ingredients while imitating and the same is true when one song inspires another. We are all familiar with covers and understand the process in a pretty straightforward manner. Someone writes a song---> Someone likes song so much they feel inspired----> they create their version of it. Sometimes inspiration happens so rapidly that the lineage becomes blurred or broken. I can see this happening with the late Gil Scott-Heron's "I'll Take Care Of You". The song is now in its fourth incarnation of the popular sorts. Most recently, Florence and the Machine gave the Drake treatment her own treatment. Watch and listen to the evolution of "I'll Take Care of You" below.
Gil Scott-Heron - "I'll Take Care of You" via I'm New Here (2010)
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - "I'll Take Care of You" via We're New Here (2011)
Drake ft. Rihanna - "Take Care" via Take Care (2011)
Florence and the Machine - "Take Care"(Drake Cover) via BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge session (Yesterday)
Minimalist musician and creator of the 2011 standout album Space is Only Noise now brings us a new project for our ears to feast on. Darkside is Jaar and Dave Harrington, the guitarist from his band. The three tracks are sprawling, at times beat driven, and have hints of classic rock, disco and other things you may have come to expect from Mr. Jaar. There is some amazing clean guitar work here too. Listen in the widget below.
"I heard once that they would rather hear about memories than enemies
Rather hear what was or will be than what is
Rather hear how you got it or how much it cost you
Rather hear about finding yourself and how you lost you
Rather you make this an open letter, about family and struggle and it taking forever
About hearts that you’ve broken and ties that you’ve severed
No doubt in my mind, that’ll make them feel better"
This is taken from the end of the lead single 'Headlines' off of Drake's Take Care. I would not normally do this but I believe the man put work into this album and it comes out today. Pay it some attention if you have the time. It is not your average run of the mill hip-hop, R&B or whatever you'd like to call it. It has a heart, a soul and yeah he talks about money and women and seeps some ego but at the same time there is something bigger felt here.
To any of you who thought James Blake fell off the deep end and into a pool of yawns after his Enough Thunder EP, you are wrong. He seems to be back in full form on his forthcoming release, Love What Happened Here EP due in December on R&S Records. The track is called 'Curbside'. Stream a preview below. Get ready!
Die Antwoord are back and I'm pleased to present their latest video for their first single off of their new album, Ten$ion. No, Julie Naaiers is not a nemesis of the group, it is actually a figure of speech. Watch the first video below as a sort of prelude to the music video.
Tech-electric wonder kid Nicolas Jaar is set to release a new EP following his phenomenal debut album, "Space Is Only Noise." It's two songs, but they are quality tracks. Hear them below.
Last week we got to hear "Four Walls," the a-side to a super limited single collaboration by Massive Attack and the prolific producer Burial. Today we get the b-side, "Paradise Circle" which is Burial remixing Massive Attack's "Paradise Circle." Both tracks are sprawling rainy day beauty long-listens.
The best ten dollars that I've spent in recent memory went to the Korg iKaossilator today. This is an app for the iphone which will have you addicted after you make your first house eroding future dub beat. The intuitive interface is colorful and a whole lot of fun. Buy it now!
Adult Swim has been making waves around the indy world recently presenting some seriously good tunes in their weekly singles series. Now they are offering a free album of some "rare and unreleased" tracks from some more seriously good artists. Unclassified is a compilation full of electronic music you can move to by artists/producers that matter right now. Highlights include the legendary Burial, Manchester's killer producer XXXY, SBTRKT, Babe Rainbow ft. Ashley Webber (chick from Lightning Dust), and the creator of one of 2011's best albums, Zomby.
Late August through September gave us a lot of great music. I made many cuts when putting together this month's mix. Some of the tracks I'm sure you've heard and hopefully you'll find something new you like. The final product is available here to stream and/or download.
Last week I posted a new Family Band song, 'Again.' Today, Shaking Through released their September episode featuring Family Band writing and recording 'Again'. Watch the video below and download the track here. The song is gorgeous and has me begging them to make another album asap.
The always brilliant Yours Truly is apparently in the business of collaborating with the people over at Gorilla vs. Bear. The first thing they bring us is a video of Shabazz Palaces performing “The King’s new clothes were made by his own hands” off this year's fantastic Black Up. They recorded and shot this in the blistering heat of July in East Dallas, Texas. We get it now in the midst of our San Francisco summer! Watch below:
BBC Radio 1 has a tendency to bring some of the best talent to their Essential Mix series. It feels like we just got Jamie XX's blend and now Mr. James Blake has his go. The mix includes several gems such as new songs from James Blake himself and an eclectic mix of tracks from Snoop Dogg, Grouper, D'Angelo, to The Tallest Man on Earth and Erik Satie. Blake even throws in his own take on James Blake/Drake mashup with Half Heat Full vs. Up All Night. Check it out at BBC Radio 1 streaming for 5 more days....OR....download.
Tracklist:
Erik Satie — Gnossienne No.5
James Blake — Olivia Kept
James Blake Versus Drake — Half Heat Full Versus Up All Night
James Blake — Pan
SALEM — Trapdoor
Snoop Dogg — Drop it like it’s Not (Harmonimix)
[unknown] — Unknown
Klaus — Tarry
D’Angelo — One mo’ Gin
Joy Orbison — Sicko Cell
Blawan — What You Do With What You Have - R&S Records
James Blake — No More Than A Road (Dub)
James Blake — At Birth (Dub)
The Chain — Suffer For Your Art - R&S Records
Peverelist — Roll With The Punches (Harmonimix)
[unknown] — Navigator
OutKast — Return of the G
Africa Hitech — Out In The Street
DJ Nate — 3 Peat
James Blake — Deeds/A Case of You
Gavin Bryars — Three Elegies for Nine Clarinets II
Gavin Bryars — Three Elegies for Nine Clarinets III
Odi et Amo — Johann Johannsson
Grouper — Vessel
James Blake — Untitled
James Blake — Untitled
[unknown] — What Was It
The Tallest Man on Earth — Love Is All
SALEM — Redlights
Rev. James Cleveland — Jesus Saves
Trim — Confidence Boost (Harmonimix)
James Blake — Evening Fell Hard For Us
James Blake — Placing Us
James Blake — Words We Both Know
Arthur Russell — Love Comes Back
Stevie Wonder — You and I
Here is the video for Frank Ocean's Nostalgia/Ultra standout track, 'Swim Good.' It's a stunning one directed by Nabil Elderkin who also did the video for Novacane as well as a whole slew of others including some Kanye tracks from 808's and Heartbreaks and Bon Iver's 'Holocen.'
I don't know much about Scott Kid. I do know he has a free digital album available for download at his website. I also know we will probably be hearing a lot more about him in the coming months. My immediate reaction to this R&B infused hip hop, electronic, set of deep cuts is that fans of the Weeknd will have some more music to grind to. Try it!
We all have those bands that we track like a newborn baby. You want to know where they are at all times, you want to make sure they are sleeping right and eating well. Why? Because you love them. Family Band are that band for me. They are a husband and wife plus family friend hailing from upstate New York but currently reside in Brooklyn, NY. Weathervane Music ("A non-profit music organization to support and advance the careers of independent musicians started by Record Producer, Brian McTear") recently revealed a new Family Band song, 'Again' via Twitter. Family Band and the new song will be featured in Weathervane's September episode of Shaking Through, due out on the 20th. Stream the new song below:
We heard her first single 'Video Games' and got pretty nostalgic watching the video. Here's the singer's second go at chopped up video to make us feel something. 'Blue Jeans' is the B-side to her 'Video Games' single due out next month. I'm really anxious to see where this gal's career is headed. She just announced her first two U.S shows marking her chance to prove her stage presence. Is she the next Britney, Gwen, Nicks, or just a Rebecca Black high off appealing video? Hopefully she can keep up the momentum. Until then, enjoy:
Watch the hazy and hypnotic video for 'Apart' which comes form one of the quarters' best releases, Balam Acab's Wander/Wonder. You can stream the album over at NPR.
Start your weekend the right way right here, right now! Hudson Mohawke is still hot off his 'Satin Panthers' EP and today he gives us the Pleasure Principle mix. Bust these R&B reworks loud and hard and make sure to pour the Hennessy just as strong. It really picks up with "Turn Me Off" and Aaliyah's "Somebody." Stream below and check here for elaborate site design.
Die Jungen is Klaus Von Barre, a man who makes music whose origins feel pre-internet and that is fresh, folks. Enjoy this lazy seaside swagger. Download Just a Dream for less than 4 bucks and stream below. You can also grab his first EP, $, and a single via Bandcamp.
This past month it seems I've been wrapped up in the corrosive mist of San Francisco and I'm beginning to sense the signs of rust on those surrounding me. Thus, the August Rust Mixtape! This time around it's a bit longer (Fourteen tracks). In addition to the Soundcloud seamless stream, I've zipped the individual tracks that comprise the stream so you can listen at your own discretion. If you enjoy something, please support the artist.
San Francisco videographers Yours Truly deliver another flawless clip of Washed Out in the studio performing "Far Away." Earnest Green gives the Within and Without track the smooth rock/jazz treatment. Boy is it smooth. It'll leave you itching for an unplugged-esque version of the whole album.
There were whispers all across the interwebs less than a month ago about a potential collaboration between James Blake and Bon Iver and now we have the first and perhaps only incarnation of such. Let my early Christmas wish be for more. And how long until Mr. Blake gets his Kanye collaboration? Listen to "Fall Creek Boys Choir" below via Youtube:
A. It's Ryan Gosling in capri-style casual Clark Kent mode breaking up a street scuffle in NYC.
B. His finesse is one for the ages.
C. Who hates Ryan Gosling? No one hates Ryan Gosling! Why?.... He breaks up fights in intersections. Also, he happens to be one of the most underrated musicians to come out of the last five years.
I try to avoid two things here, regurgitation and delayed regurgitation. This post has both, so lets just say they cancel each other out. Two weeks ago The Fader debuted "As I Float: The Great John Nash", a mix-tape by Los Angeles talent, Young L. I just stumbled upon the batch of fantastic beats and a flow that will probably appeal to the masses.The stone that pushed this one to the edge of my blogging cliff and into TPM existence was the fact that "As I Float.." is strung together by none other than Imogen Heap samples. Yeah that's right, ying and some yang. Download via TheFader here. Watch the Trailer below:
Well, he's back folks. For all of those substituting your Neutral Milk Hotel cravings with Decembrists folly over the past years you can download and stream Jeff Mangum's live show at Trinity St. Paul's in Toronto, August 13th. Yes, it sounds amazing. Link here!
Ever since 'Vomit' was shared as the first single off San Francisco's Girls new LP I've been establishing a slow burning infatuation with the song. Watch film noir-ish video below. Download the track here. (via Abeano)
Jeremy Malvin, A.k.a Chrome Sparks is 20 years old and you should be paying attention to him. The 7-song My <3 feels like a testament to the digital age we exist in. Just look at an album title you might only expect to see in a text message to the brilliant conciseness of the record as a whole that you may only expect from a Tweet. Highlights here include guest vocals on two tracks by Steffaloo and a ridiculously infectious pair of mirrored songs that seem to be having a conversation with each other, "<3 & Soul" and "Soul & <3." Stream the album or name your own price (don't be cheap) at Bandcamp.
If this new song is any indicator of what we are to expect from Strange Mercy, the forthcoming St. Vincent album, be excited. There is the smooth vocal tide we are accustom to with a little extra funk thrown in at the end. Grab the Mp3 below:
