Fever Ray
Filed under Electronic, Experimental, Music.
I hardly enjoyed it at first, but this album has been growing on me for the past few months to a point where I find myself constantly coming back to it. It’s haunting, bittersweet and every time more astonishing is its subtly swelling darkness.
Fever Ray’s self titled isn’t Karin Dreijer Andersson’s first output. You probably remember her eccentric voice as part of the legendary electronic duo The Knife.
It’s minimal, a lot haunting and feels enigmatic in a very natural way.
Treat your eyes and ears with 3 music videos of her inspiring concept in chronological order below.
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Filed under Acoustic, Music, Rock. | 2 Points
Grizzly Bear are a Brooklyn based psychedelic quartet producing a very intimate style of art-rock, some call it chamber pop, referring to a very laid back feeling. It’s sophisticated, intriguing and it constantly challenges the listener to take a closer look at their warm, lush sound.
Like their more subtle Yellow House, Veckatimest is very much a record that needs to be played over and over. With that, it might seem hard to enjoy for a novice music listener as it demands much of your attention to fully appreciate every off-sheltered drum tap or elegantly placed guitar strike.
It’s no secret that I’ve been a big fan of the Grizzly Bear repertoire, from the very first time I heard the Yellow House stand-out “The Knife” to Daniel Rossen’s 2008 side project ‘Department of Eagles’.
They have a strive for perfection that’s uncanny, a dedication that only grows with each effort.
It has been most anticipated by many, others declare this as “old people music” or boring. The Needle Drop calls them ‘this generation’s Beach Boys’, then again others say it emulates their style.
Hype or no hype, it undeniably will be an influential piece in indie rock history.
Right now I still like Yellow House more, but i have no doubt that same feeling will happen for Veckatimest, I rather stay fascinated. To me it’s almost perfect.
MP3: Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader
website | myspace | itunes
Burial & Four Tet – Wolf Club & Moth 12″
Filed under Electronic, Experimental, Instrumental, Music.
Black label, black sleeve, no info, strictly limited. It’s almost as if the public isn’t supposed to know about this. Thats a lie, it’s both the most anticipated and hyped up electronic release from the past months. You know, it lives up.
A combination of Kieran’s majestic whirlwind of pitch-shifted instrumentation with Burial’s deep dubstep grooves coincide to form two 9min tracks of electronic greatness. Some say it’s an overture to future collaborative work.
Anyhow. Wolf Club is pure bliss, Moth is rapture, get it while it lasts.
Heima, A film by Sigur Ròs
Filed under Acoustic, Experimental, Film, Music, Rock.
It’s hard to think of Sigur Rós as your ordinary band, first off they have their own made up language which slightly resembles Icelandic, they have a very unique way of composing and Jonsi’s voice alone sets them miles apart.
Heima translates to “at home”, so it’s self evident that their first feature film is intended to reveal a passion or devotion towards their home, Iceland, the land of many musical marvels, the country that’s economically falling apart right now, an island with such great beauty exhibited in this film in an uncomposed natural way.
The documentary chronicled a series of free, unannounced concerts around the country with a mix of acoustic sets and larger scale concerts for a select audience.. Whether it’s an abandoned fish factory with unusual acoustic characteristics or an open air concert near a small isolated village, still maintaining a very intimate atmosphere, it leaves a beautiful audiovisual experience and feels every bit as mystical as a Sigur Rós album.
This astonishing portrait predates their last effort, but to me best brings out their most subtle album, “()” aka The Bracket Album. Even for a first time listener it’s a great introduction. Take a look at the trailer and let your senses speak for itself.
M83 – “We Own the Sky” by David Altobelli
Filed under Art, Music, Video. | 1 Point
So M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzales joined heads with Pitchfork late last year to announce a Radiohead Aniboom-like music video contest for my favorite track of my last years favorite album.
This submission by director David Altobelli is A-mazing and I must admit, it also has a sort of Radiohead House of Cards vibe to it, with maybe a Stephen Hawking string theory inspiration. It’s probably highly unlikely that this will win, seeing the 80’s theme from the album and his last two video’s, “Graveyard Girl” and “Kim & Jessie”, are also 80’s inspired.
Watch it in all HD glory at the Vimeo site or normal quality down below. Also see more great submissions on the Youtube group.
Salem – Water/Yes I Smoke Crack EP
Filed under Electronic, Experimental, Hiphop, Music. | 1 Point
I’ve been an avid listener of this mysterious Chicago/Michigan/New York based trio for the past couple of weeks. There’s little known about them and other than their amazing cover of The Boss’ “Streets of Philadelphia” called Brustreet, this is most likely your first encounter with Salem.
First off, don’t let that dark slowed-down crunk style, best noticed on Trapdoor, overthrow you. Their sound is more than just disturbing lo-fi electro.
They drown you in a haunting, maybe terrifying atmosphere with a constantly uncomfortable tension. If you’re anything like me you’ll love this fictional moody and restless soundtrack to a troubling horror flick (I keep picturing David Lynch’s rare Rabbits series, or any of the Lynch creations).
NME had a talk with them and made their intentions a little bit clearer. “It was written on painkillers,” explains John. “Being underwater at night,” offers Heather. “It’s like a thin snake near a foggy river,” says John.
The white vinyl pressed Yes I Smoke Crack EP was limited to 500 copies only, but if you’ve been on this internet thing before you’ll find it one way or another. Water EP is out on itunes. Get.
MP3: Salem – Redlights
website | myspace | itunes
Seeing they’re pretty much a mystery around the web, I’ve compiled as much streamable content as I could find. This includes the smokey Salem directed (and very NSFW) video for “Dirt” after the jump. It’s visual interpretation to the term ’sick’ is taken quite literal.
