goodnight owl – maps and compasses.mp3

chris letcher – deep frieze.mp3

Jonathan Kusuma ‘Cycle’ MP3 single (Space Records, 2009)
Single-album ini adalah singel solo perdana dari Jonathan Kusuma, seorang multi-instrumentalist / music-composer / seniman musik muda berbakat asal Jakarta. Selain itu dia juga dikenal sebagai salah satu personil dari Space System (www.myspace.com/recspacesystem) house / classic-disco / psychedelic / nu-jazz duo asal Jakarta.

Berbeda dengan gaya Space System yang merupakan blender musik nu-jazz dengan 70’s psychedelic dan house / disco, di proyek solonya ini musik dari Jonathan Kusuma cenderung lebih eksperimental, ethnic-oriented, spacey dan eklektik (meski tetap berbasis pada electronic music), yang dihasilkan dari synthesizer analognya. Jadi kalau kalian mendengarkan rilisan-rilisan experimental-electronic dari label Ninja Tune, Warp Records atau Shadow Records, maka bisa dibayangkan sendiri Cycle dari Jonathan Kusuma seperti apa…

Yang membuat rilisan ini juga terasa berbeda dari lokal kebanyakan adalah “taste”-nya. Maksud kami adalah sound di sini lebih banyak dihasilkan oleh synthesizer analog, ketimbang software musik digital yang dipakai oleh kebanyakan musisi indietronic lokal lainnya. Lalu (mungkin juga) karena Jonathan Kusuma (dan Space System) lebih terkoneksi ke scene dance lokal, dibandingkan scene indie lokal, jadinya output sound juga sedikit berbeda.

Single-album ini berisi dua track, yakni: “Cycle 1” dan “Cycle 2”. Masing-masing komposisi berdurasi panjang. Di track 1 musiknya lebih spacey, down-tempo dan eksperimental, sementara track kedua lebih upbeat dan dancey. Rilisan ini kami rekomendasikan sekali. Ada harapan baru untuk scene indietronic lokal dari Cycle milik Jonathan Kusuma. - Dede
(kontak: www.myspace.com/spacejon dan beli digital-single nya via: www.myspace.com/spacerec)
Genre musik: Eclectic, Folktronica, Experimental, Electronic
Untuk penggemar: Four Tet, The Field, Caribou, Fridge, Prefuse 73, Burial, Amon Tobin

Άσε τον παλιόκοσμο να λέει ότι θα μείνουν στη σκιά των Arcade Fire , Grizzly Bear και Animal Collective. Το δεύτερο των Le Loup είναι εξαιρετικό! Εξελιγμένο, άψογο, ο ορισμός του προχωρημένου δεύτερου, η χαρά του εραστή της οργανικής καλλιέργειας. Δεν μπαίνω καν στον κόπο να παραθέσω επιχειρήματα.Από το family το beach town (η καλύτερη επιλογή) και το forgive me (η χειρότερη, σαν give peace a chance ένα πράγμα) είναι τα δύο που επιτρέπουν ελεύθερα στο διαδίκτυο, αλλά άκουσέ το ολόκληρο εδώ . Εντάξει, έχω και μονομανίες…

This film was alright, for an American rom-com. It was like an American attempt at Amelie. Basically, mainstream producers are finally acknowledging that there is a big ‘indie’ market to cater to out there; a 17 – 30something demographic that is too large to ignore and are no longer impressed with things that are not infused with the indie ethos / arthouse feel. Greedily, though, the producers still wanted the film to be mainstream enough for everyone to watch, hence the debatable cheese-factor of this film. Plot-wise it was like a super concentrated, more realistic version of He’s Just Not That Into You, where the female held the power in relationships and the audience were privy only to the thoughts and emotions of the male protagonist. It was another one of those, omg-so-love-isn’t-real(butitreallyis)!? films that I think are supposed to enlighten men and women across the world, giving them modern perspective on romance. Nevertheless, Zooey Deschanel is gorgeous and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is super adorable. Those are reasons enough for me.

She & Him is a folk band formed by Deschanel in collaboration with M. Ward. For those of you who are already familiar with Deschanel’s charms on screen, expect just as much from her song writing and singing in She & Him, complemented by M. Ward’s all encompassing greatness.

Django Django is a very, very new trio with only 3064 plays registered on Last.fm the last time I checked. Their mischievously fun and super catchy song Default has become a staple addition to my summertime playlist.

Braids is a Canadian experimental ensemble formerly named The Neighbourhood Council. My favourite track of theirs is Liver and Tan. It’s post-rock electronica at its very best. If you like Explosions in the Sky, you will Love Braids. (PS – yet ANOTHER amazing band with a token asian female member… what did I tell you?)

Wild Beasts are pure ear sex. Sorry, I can’t even describe with words how much I love this group. They played at Offset festival this weekend that just passed and I’m so gutted I missed them, I’m still mourning. They put Great Lake Swimmers, Fleet Foxes, Modest Mouse (insert any other ‘good’ folktronica bands you know here) to utter shame, making you never want to listen to them ever again because you’ve found something way, way better.

The xx are the epitome of dark, emotive pop. Pop that doesn’t even sound like pop. The kind of pop you could listen to without getting hassled by your extremely anti-pop, indie post-punk group of hyper-chic friends. You can actually go to a social gathering and proudly say, hey guys, I’ve been listening to The xx, and expect warm pats of approval on your back.

MP3s (click on link to preview, right click save as to download)

1. She & Him – Why Do You Let Me Stay Here

2. Django Django – Default

3. Braids – Liver and Tan

4. Wild Beasts – Devil’s Crayon

5. The xx – Infinity

So one of my favourite new artists from this year has jumped on tumblr-wagon and started up a new website over here. With it comes a new song which y’all can download for free. Pretty different from anything he has previously done but definitely a step in an interesting direction. Initially percussion based, with blips and blops under his usual crooning American vocals. A far cry from his primarily electric guitar drive earlier work but this, like his other work, weaves around an interesting soundscape with some moody melodies and is packed with sonic experiments.

“Be  Alright” mp3
or stream it here
Myspace

Altre dodici nuove recensioni pubblicate su Dedication:

• 65daysofstatic – Escape From New York – Monotreme
• British Sea Power – Man Of Aran – Rough Trade
• Calexico – Carried To Dust – Quarterstick
• Casiotone For The Painfully Alone – Vs. Children – Tomlab
• Caspian – Tertia – The Mylene Sheath
• Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca – Domino
• Mew – No More Stories / Are Told Today / I’m Sorry / They Washed Away // No More Stories / The World Is Grey / I’m Tired / Let’s Wash Away – Sony
• Owen – The Seaside – Polyvinyl
• The pAper chAse – Someday This Could All Be Yours Pt. 1 – Southern
• Portugal. The Man – The Satanic Satanist – Equal Vision
• St. Vincent – Actor – 4AD
• Throw Me The Statue – Creaturesque – Secretly Canadian

Ritorno in grande stile dei pAper chAse: nessuna delusione dietro l’angolo per i seguaci della band texana. Conferme per i Throw Me The Statue e, solo in parte, per i Mew. Non mancano nemmeno boiate e puro materiale da hype…
Leggete tutto su www.dedication.it.

Artist: James Yuill
Style: Folktronica
Mood: Upbeat
Contemporaries: David Gray, Jeremy Warmsley, Tunng, Wild Beasts

James Yuill blends together an odd-couple of traditional acoustic and modern digital sound, perhaps joining the best of Folktronica (others in genre: Goldfrapp, Patrick Wolf, Animal Collective). Influenced by the likes of Radiohead and the Chemical Brothers, he joins the band of progressive song writers that never disappoint in giving us something new and different to listen to. Count on being pleasantly surprised. Song Recommendations: No Surprise, This Sweet Love

The Black Holes are one of my favourite folktronica outfits, although they have taken to labeling themselves ‘darkcore’. It’s over a year since I posted a link to their myspace as an unsigned band, now I’m delighted to repost the link with the news that their debut album is forthcoming, distributed via the Electric Label.

www.myspace.com/theblackholes

www.electriclabel.net

But my delight doesn’t end here, the duo are using my photography to adorn the sleeve. I would celebrate if everything were not so darkcore.

En la geografía musical de Islandia, hay una ruta que conecta la excentricidad comercial de Björk con el espíritu naif de Sigur Rós. Con “Sing Along to Songs You Don’t Know”, su último disco de estudio, Múm se convierte en una parada necesaria dentro de esa travesía imaginaria.

Desde el arranque del tema con el que se abre el quinto disco de los islandeses, algo se hace evidente: la experimentación musical tan presente en anteriores trabajos deja paso aquí a un folk natural y muy orgánico en el que la experimentación, a pesar de seguir presente, se diluye en las cuerdas de las guitarras, violines y ukelele.

La cadencia monótona de ciertos ritmos pregrabados, las voces que discurren con suavidad por la melodía de las canciones y los arreglos naífs transmiten una musicalidad que más que crear ambientes formulan un universo propio, muy particular y teñido de lo que podríamos denominar acuarela musical.

Y es que el agua parece ser el protagonista, el hilo conductor del último disco de los islandeses, tanto en las letras como, incluso, en la melodía, donde a veces se entremezclan sonidos sintetizados de gorgoteos.

Pero que nadie se confunda. En la folktrónica que practican Múm la parte folk parece acaparar mayor interés que la electrónica. No podía ser de otro modo con un disco tan acuático, y así la experimentación sonora se asienta menos en los glitches y blips (que los hay, y bastantes) para bucear en el mundo de la cuerda y el viento, e incluso sumergirse en la incorporación de instrumentos antiguos como el clavicordio. Y todo ello nos aporta una sensación de melancolía general, sí, pero de la buena. De la que te inunda en un atardecer veraniego, no de la que te acongoja en una fría tarde de invierno.

Y así, “Sing Along to Songs You Don’t Know” se convierte en un refrescante disco que, durante unos cincuenta minutos, nos invita a dejarnos llevar por la corriente del recuerdo nostálgico y feliz. Recomendación: bébase a sorbitos.

Grupo: múm
Disco: Sing Along to Songs You Don’t Know
Sello: Morr Music
Año: 2009

]]> http://traxidermy.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/newly-discoveredness/ Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:52:18 +0000 Alex http://traxidermy.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/newly-discoveredness/

Yo yo yo. I heard this dude on the radio in the car the other day (which is lucky coz I don’t have a radio anywhere else and I don’t like driving). It has quickly become my favourite album for the week, racking up playcounts like your mum racks up… I dunno, dry cleaning bills? Go easy…

If I had to describe this guy’s sound, I’d say it’s Flying Lotus (who btw is related to John “Fuck-me-this-guy-is-a-genius” Coltrane) meets some hippie indie alternative shit (which I don’t mind). On last.fm it has been appropriately dubbed folktronica. Definitely throw it on next time you visit your friend who “just isn’t that into electronic music” Perhaps best of all he uses sounds he finds and records out in the world – au naturale, I like it.

So here’s my favo track if you are tight-fisted with your bandwidth (…err, not a euphemism for wanking to internet porn):

Bibio – Fire Ant

And here is the full sonic-smorgasbord:

Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue

- woodcut from Germany, 1722

1. Full The Moon – Hans Appelqvist

2. Wolf Song – Patrick Wolf

3. The Werewolf – Micheal Hurley

4. Prelude – Patrick Wolf

Paavoharju is a Finnish folk musical collective of lutheran Christians formed around two brothers, Lauri and Olli Ainala.

Download: 

Yhä hämärää 

Laulu Laakson Kukista

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Such a tranquil and delicate album from an outfit who literally just came out of nowhere for me. Seriously – this is something that is just majestic and extends the benchmark of what twee indie music should aspire to. “Happy Holiday” is so so very dreamy, while “Beds And Dishes” hops around sounding so very excitable with glockenspiel aplenty.

This music seems so fragile and softly spoken and just emulates a stunning acoustic electronic atmosphere that kind of borders on experimental, but not quite, teetering on something that resembles minimalistic pop all recorded in a wooden shed somewhere. The album is permeated with simple intrumentation, which really brings the “less is more” statement to full effect.

Lars Kranholdt and Anne Baier are the two who make up Anois, and they are out of Germany. I was only notified of them through a freind of mine who delves into this acoustic electonic stuff on a daily basis. I, on the other hand have not given this genre any good time apart from the ever haunting Juana Molina. Much like Juana, Lars and Anne’s voices are just so soft and sweet and pose as a wonderful soundtrack to the upcoming winter. The track “A Noise” emulates this perfectly, even with handclaps and a lone bass drum. Tree House Whispers is definately to be listened to with the warm gloves on and a tightly worn beanie, all while you dream of playing in the snow. Just beautiful folktronic fragile stuff.

Anois – Tree House Whispers (free download care of Aerotone)
Anois myspace

Δύο χρόνια τώρα δε λέει να μου ξεκολλήσει το “Dancing Behind my Eyelids” από το ” Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy” . Επομένως όσα ακολουθούν είναι εντελώς υποκειμενικά. Το φετινό  “Sing Along To Songs You Don’t Know” των ισλανδών Múm (εκτός από την If I were a carpenter …παράφραση στο άνοιγμα ) το βρίσκω αριστούργημα! Αν και το εξώφυλλο τους αδικεί κατάφωρα, το statement είναι ότι η μουσική τους είναι μια τρεμάμενη φλογίτσα αισιοδοξίας στην αναμπουμπούλα των καιρών. Κατ’ εμέ είναι ένα κουρδιστό μουσικό κουτί της Πανδώρας, από όπου ξεπετάγονται αλλόκοτες μελαγχολικές μελωδίες, άλλοτε καθαρές άλλοτε θολές.

Γραμμένα στον απόηχο της μεγάλης οικονομικής κρίσης στην Ισλανδία τα τραγούδια του νέου άλμπουμ είναι λιγότερο πειραματικά και  βουτηγμένα σε μια ηθελημένα απλοϊκή θετική στάση απέναντι στα πράγματα “The Smell of Today Is Sweet Like Breastmilk In The Wind”. Οι Múm στις διαδηλώσεις διαμαρτυρίας του κόσμου διάβασαν το θετικό μήνυμα της αφύπνισης γι αυτό και υποστηρίζουν στον τίτλο ότι πρέπει κανείς να τραγουδάει μαζί με τα τεκταινόμενα, ακόμα κι αν δεν ξέρει το τραγούδι. Ποιος ξέρει, από την συμμετοχή κάτι θα προκύψει.

Το “Sing Along To Songs You Don’t Know” δημιουργήθηκε στην Ισλανδία, την Εσθονία και τη Φινλανδία με ένα κουαρτέτο εγχόρδων,τη ξεχασμένη γερμανική Guitaret Hohner “Illuminated”, marimbas, dulcimer, harmonica , prepared piano …και το παπαγαλάκι της μαμάς “Show Me”. Κυκλοφορεί τέλη Αυγούστου από την εταιρεία του συμπαθέστατου κυρίου Morr.

Πάντως αν βρεθεί ποτέ κάποιος να σου πει “σκούπισε τη μύτη σου στο μανίκι μου” και να το εννοεί, έλα να μου τρυπήσεις τη μύτη!

Αν ήταν σεφ θα έπαιρνε το πρώτο βραβείο κουζίνας Fusion.Ο βρεταννός Steven Wilkinson είναι όμως μουσικός (έστω αυτοδίδακτος) και στην αλλαγή εταιρείας βάλθηκε να μας τινάξει όλα τα συστήματα κατηγοριοποίησης στον αέρα! Πού να τον κατατάξεις; Ambient, folktronica, glitch pop, funk, hip hop, experimental; Όλα αυτά ειν’ η πατρίδα του…κι αυτά και τ’ άλλα! Το όνομά του πάντως το πήρε από το φτερωτό δόλωμα που χρησιμοποιούσε με τον πατέρα του στο ψάρεμα. Δεν έχει πιο ευφάνταστο και ευχάριστο ανακάτεμα για αυτό το καλοκαίρι ούτε πιο αντιπροσωπευτικό τίτλο!

Ορίστε τι λέει ο ίδιος για να μην τα λέω εγώ:

“ As well as the more recognisable Bibio sound, I have been exploring other disciplines, and other styles of music. This debut on Warp really feels like a kind of artistic almanac in a sense and reflects the diversity in my musical interests. Come Autumn, I’m making moody degraded tape loop ambient stuff, come Summer I’m making stodgy beaty tracks with flutes – then there’s the ups and downs of life, sad and happy songs… and of course all the music that I listen to. In the last couple of years I got excited by J Dilla and Madlib, but also going further back, an obsession with 60s and 70s Brazilian music, especially Joao Gilberto and Marcos Valle. “

sampler