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February 28, 2005
Old German vinyl trash
I rarely find netlabel stuff that I would categorize as particularly retro or "groovy", which made this recent release by GeeNerve such a delight. The album is described as "the soundtrack to an imaginary movie", and that sounds about right; apparently "old German vinyl trash" made up a portion of the source material, but I'm not an old German, so I don't know what that means. From the album Suspense Dance Delights, released by So Healthy Music.
GeeNerve - Danse Burlesque
GeeNerve - So Far
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 25, 2005
And in the willfully eclectic department
Lune sent me the following rekkid, noting:
"Hey, these guys may be old hat to you, but in the slim chance that they haven't made your radar yet, I'd like to be the one to turn you on to The Bees... They're serious students of The Byrds, Creem, The Action, even early Who here and there. Stuff like that."
I don't normally go for this kind of music, but there's a psychedelic charm about the album that wound up sucking me in. From the album Free The Bees.
The Bees - Wash In The Rain
The Bees - Go Karts
The Bees - Chicken Payback
The Bees - The Russian
These and other fine, fine tracks can be heard on Comfort Radio. See you next week.
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 24, 2005
I repeat
Normally I view music described as "lo-fi" with a certain trepidation, since "lo-fi" can mean both "taking creative advantage of a lightly produced aesthetic" and "should not be allowed access to a tape deck". In the case of Reverbaphon, I think we have a solid example of the former, although to be clear, this is some very non-linear goofing around. If you liked The Books, you'll probably enjoy the experimentalism on display here; in fact, Reverbaphon is even a bit more arbitrary and all over the map. Plus, they have a song called "Hydrocow". I repeat, they have a song called "Hydrocow". From the 2004 release Our Heart Beats With Joy.
Reverbaphon - Insect Interlude
Reverbaphon - Hydrocow
Reverbaphon - Ästhetik Der Funktion
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (1)
February 23, 2005
Hard petting? Don't mind if I do!
Delightful and inventive lounge music from Tipsy, from their 2001 release Uh-Oh! I tend to overlook good lounge music, since it all kind of sounds the same to me after a while. But when you're in the mood for it, Tipsy is a fine place to land. They're jittery enough that they're more closely aligned with Esquivel's sonic experiments than Ursula 1000's faceless wallpaper. They don't seem to have released an album since 2002, but you know, lounge music is timeless, man.
Tipsy - Hard Petting
Tipsy - Wig Out
On the Tipsy Remix Party! album, you'll find crazy, wacky stuff like this:
Tipsy - Wig Out (Seksu Roba mix)
Tipsy - Cinnabar (Hairsprayed Ways mix by Optiganally Yours)
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2005
Head in a blender
Yummy, jazzy downtempo by Blend, from the 2002 Shadow Records release Echo Warrior. If the name isn't familiar, you might have run across Blend on DJ Spooky's Dubtometry remix album. There's a 2004 release from Blend floating around... but it isn't currently floating around my hard drive, so this will have to do.
Blend - Desert Inn
Blend - Green Tea Blues
Blend - Sunset Cream
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2005
I'm such a sucker
I'm such a sucker for this kind of quirky, eccentric techno - all those years listening to the Art of Noise trained me to dig novel approaches, I guess. After I discovered Akufen on the soundtrack to Appleseed (you know, the way Columbus discovered America, to the great surprise of everyone who was already living here), Sleepy dug up his 2002 album, My Way, much to my delight; he says it sounds like "microhouse" to him. Not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure, and the album can get quite repetitive (what can you say, it kind of wants to be dance music) - but when it works, it's really a unique treat.
Akufen - Even White Horizons
Akufen - Skidoos
Akufen - Deck The House
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2005
Grab bag of goodness
Today brings us a grab bag of netlabel releases:
We'll start with some good old-fashioned techno that you can sink your teeth into. From the album Hypocenter, released by the netlabel Kikapu.
Here's more of that menacing techno you've been hearing so much about, this time menacing IDM instead of menacing ambient. From the Remover EP, released by netlabel Lacedmilk Technologies.
R Garcia - R Garcia And The Hall Of Doom
Who is the Happy Elf? Why is the Elf so Happy? I do not know. From the First Contact EP, released by netlabel WM Recordings.
Happy Elf - Bingo In The Country
Finally, we must invoke the seldom-used "song title too cool to ignore" rule for posting a track, providing you with a nice little jam to start your weekend off right. From the Yellow EP, released by netlabel Dreamland Recordings.
Little General - Ifyoucan'ttakeajokeyoucangetthefuckoutofmyhouse
These and other fine, fine tracks can be heard on Comfort Radio - 109 gigabytes of MP3 love. Yes, on shuffle. See you next week.
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2005
I can make dogs sick just by staring at them
High quality weirdness from Drone Sickness, Iowa's premier industrial ambient act. (No, it is not a given that Iowa has no other industrial ambient act.) Actually I noticed the ID3 on one of the tracks indicated the genre is "Cabaret", so ignore what I just said. (No, it is not a given that Iowa has no other cabaret act. Look, people do live there. I don't know why, but they do.) From the album Outer America, which you can download in its entirety here. (Please note that all cheap shots at Iowa's expense are not the fault of Drone Sickness. They are the fault of Iowa.)
Drone Sickness and friends - You Cannot Take Yourself Apart
Drone Sickness and friends - I Was Leaving It Open To The Holy Spirit To Stop Me
Drone Sickness - I Can Make Dogs Sick Just By Staring At Them
Drone Sickness - Low-End Rave In Your Mom's Basement
In other news, I'm sure you saw this on Boing Boing or Metafilter, but I wanted to bring your attention once again to The Original Sushi Pillow. I found out about this halfway through my wife's birthday fortnight (14 solid days of presents!), and worked with Mel to try to expedite delivery of a pillow. They were friendly and reliable, and Jen was exTREMEly happy with the pillow - mmm, squishy shrimp nigiri!
I also got her a fine little T-shirt. Nuff said.
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (1)
February 16, 2005
Bathe me in your love rays
Anubian Lights put out a new album, Phantascope, last January, and it sounds a bit different from the more overtly Middle Eastern sound of previous releases. "Sargasso Sea" is such a goofy, fun song that I can completely (well, not completely, but mostly) overlook the fact that one of the founders of this group was in Hawkwind. "New Wildlife" has a great secret-agent-in-the-tropics feel to it. And the lyric "bathe me in your love rays" makes the retro boogie track "Good Morning Spacegirl" almost perfect.
Anubian Lights - Sargasso Sea
Anubian Lights - New Wildlife
Anubian Lights - Good Morning Spacegirl
In other news, the beautifully named MP3 blog, the zombizi mishap, posted this cover recently, performed by ex-Veruca Salt vocalist Nina Gordon. I wept tears of great joy upon hearing it. Get more freebies from Nina here.
Nina Gordon - Straight Out Of Compton
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2005
Plundertastic
Today brings us one of the most entertaining plunderphonic pieces I've heard in a very, very long time... a wonderfully entertaining riff on "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine". It's followed immediately by an excellent, quirky electrojazz number, and a goofy full-fledged cover of "Kisses". From the Slinky/XXX EP, released by the netlabel Epsilonlab.
Frivolous vs DJG - Kisses (.v3 Edit)
Frivolous vs DJG - Slinky Internationalist
Frivolous vs DJG - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (Stretchy-Cover Mix)
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2005
I had no choice
A new Thievery Corporation album, The Cosmic Game, has hit the streets. I'm passing this news on as a public service to those of you who don't follow other, more important MP3 blogs. Not surprisingly, it sounds exactly like you'd expect a Thievery Corporation album to sound, except it has an All-Star Cast of Thousands, including The Flaming Lips, Perry Farrell, David Byrne, Bea Arthur, Tim Conway, and Harvey Korman. (Note: this album does not actually feature Bea Arthur, Tim Conway, or Harvey Korman.) music (for robots) claims this is their best album yet; I was lulled into a trance by its relentless downtempo attack and remember almost nothing of the experience.
Thievery Corporation - Warning Shots (feat. Sleepy Wonder and Gunjan)
Thievery Corporation - Holographic Universe
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 11, 2005
Riding the backs of giraffes for laughs
And now, the most posted song on Comfort Music - versions four and five of "The Porpoise Song", originally recorded by the Monkees. Useless trivia: the lyric "Riding the backs of giraffes for laughs is all right for a while" is an oblique reference to Micky Dolenz's first television role as a child actor starring in the series Circus Boy. Thank you, and good night.
Nobody - The Porpoise Song (Theme From Head), from the album Pacific Drift
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - The Porpoise Song (Theme From Head), from the Worlds Apart single
These and many other fine, fine tracks can be heard on Comfort Radio. See you next week.
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2005
All the more reason
Here's a very yummy slice of global fusion (I guess that's what the kids are still calling it). Kind of like the best Banco de Gaia, but with a name that makes me think of a professional wrestler or a porn star. Which, you know, is all the more reason, etc. From the album Great Unknown.
Hey look, Death Cab's not the only alternative rock group that can cover Björk! From the 2004 album She Loves You.
The Twilight Singers - Hyperballad
And here's a beautiful Berlin cover that came on the station recently, reminding me that we live in a very wonderful world. From the album Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By.
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (2)
February 09, 2005
Car chase terror!
Ulrich Schnauss is coming to Seattle in April, on a bill with M83 - which was motivation to go check out the new M83 album, Before The Dawn Heals Us. Mmmmm... that's some shiny rocktronica goodness. The first track here is a great, heaving anti-anthem that evolves like an exploding vat of molasses. No, really, that's a very precise description! (Note: it is not a Cibo Matto remake, if that helps any.) (Additional note: I just periodically mention Cibo Matto to watch traffic spike.) CDDB considers M83 to be "General Electronic" but that makes me think of some kind of Transformer character.
M83 - Moonchild
M83 - Don't Save Us From The Flames
M83 - Car Chase Terror!
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2005
Bhangra? I hardly knowa!
Six Degrees just put out a fairly nifty remix album, called, intriguingly, Six Degrees Remixed. Dierdre Dubois is the singer from Ekova (she's got a solo album coming out this month); I've been meaning to post some Midival Punditz for a while now anyway, so that's convenient; and hey look, it's "Bathtime In Clerkenwell" again!! So very, very silly. The album is digital only, a special treat for iTunes, Rhapsody and Napster users.
Dierdre Dubois - Firefly
Midival Punditz - Bhangra Fever (Heavy Nitro Mix)
The Real Tuesday Weld - Bathtime In Clerkenwell (A Shrift Mix)
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (3)
February 07, 2005
They say it's your birthday
Many of you are undoubtedly familiar with the children's book Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown. My wife has a special fondness for it, not too surprising considering her last name is Moon. A few years back we threw a surprise birthday party for my wife, during which I sat her down with some earphones, and played this track for her while I turned the pages of the book. It's an acappella "jazz lullabye" version of the story; all the vocals are by me, and the recording engineer was Pfly.
Yes, it's her birthday today. Leave her messages in the comments!
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (7)
February 04, 2005
Menacing ambient weirdness
Plowed through an archive from the netlabel alpha Cat boogie recently and stumbled across this menacing ambient weirdness - most of it probably too weird for general consumption, but sometimes I can't help passing it on. I know my Nielsen ratings are at risk when I do this, but I plan to make up for it with my big "the many shades of Jessica Simpson" theme during sweeps week. From the album Manifest Destiny.
Trisma - Dearly Beloved Hallowed Be Thy Real
Trisma - Watch Your Head Dear Cannonball
These and other fine, fine tracks can be heard on Comfort Radio. See you next week.
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (2)
February 03, 2005
Indecipherabilia
Engaging, creative techno from Australian act Lake Lustre. "Skyscraping" is a nice bit of ominous techno funk. I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be reminded of Röyksopp when hearing "My Disco Twin". And "A Foreign Scene" shows remarkable restraint, essentially waltzing right up to the precipice of becoming a cheesy anthem without actually falling over the cliff. Neat! From the 2004 debut release Indecipherabilia.
Lake Lustre - Skyscraping
Lake Lustre - My Disco Twin
Lake Lustre - A Foreign Scene
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (1)
February 02, 2005
sqeeeble!
Seattle-based laptronica weirdo Plastiq Phantom is back with a new rekkid, full of his signature cut-up madness. Plastiq is definitely an acquired taste - a restrained kind of messy goodness, if such a thing is possible. I saw him at the Baltic Room a few years' back and he was an absolute maniac on stage, manipulating his laptop and an armada of samplers into a full-on Z-Trip-style extravaganza; on record, however, the musicality underlying his wacky act gets more of a chance to shine. Get more freebies here.
Plastiq Phantom - ya ya da da
Plastiq Phantom - sqeeeble
Sleepy pointed me to this track by Trespassers William, whose vocalist shows up on the new Chemical Brothers album. Expect Cocteau Twins-ish guitar supporting an atmospheric, Mazzy Star-ish vibe. Do not expect me to post any new Chemical Brothers. From the album Different Stars.
Trespassers William - Lie In The Sound
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 01, 2005
"Defiantly original, definitively hip-hop"
Aesop Rock has a new album coming out later this month, Fast Car Danger Fire & Knives. My appreciation of hip hop blossomed relatively late in life, and stuff like this makes me glad I finally got the first inklings of a clue about it. Released by Definitive Jux Records, whose slogan - "Defiantly original, definitively hip-hop" - sums it all up.
Aesop Rock - Zodiaccupuncture
Aesop Rock - Holy Smokes
Aesop Rock - Number Nine
In other, much more depressing news, it seems that Lamb has broken up. Actually, judging by conflicting reports on their site, they have either gone on "a back burner" (according to Andy), or are definitely "ex-Lambs" (according to Lou). Lou is apparently recording a solo album, and Andy has new Hiphoptimist music on the way; but still. I mean, damn.
Posted by Scotto at 09:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack