Architecture In Helsinki - Places Like This
Filed under Electronic, Experimental, Music, Pop, Rock.
I don’t think there’s any band that has as much fun as Architecture In Helsinki has. The six headed Australian indie pop group in known for their eclectic over-the-top feel-good musical style.
Although I like their previous album In Case We Die more, Places Like This delivers more song structure and a wider range of influences, without diverting too much of their original sound and joyous approach to making music.
This is definitely recommended to everyone as it’s catchy and easy listening, even Bruce Willis is a fan.
Psychedelic, danceable and rich easy listening melodies crafted by talented multi-instrumentalists, what more do you want.
MP3: Architecture In Helsinki - Heart It Races
After the jump you can find 3 music videos already from the new album: Heart It Races, Debbie and Hold Music. Enjoy.
Aphex Twin Mashups & Pet Sounds
Filed under Experimental, Music.
Some say mash-up artists are “talentless hacks”, unrightfully that is. Technically every song can be mashed, but choosing the right theme and executing a good mash-up is as hard as mixing a good dj-set, and we don’t call them talentless, do we?
How ill is Aphex Twin with the beats? I’ve been listening to his work for about a decade now and none of it sounds dated. Maybe more heads will recognize if I throw some vocals on top… here we have some quality mashups including verses by Busta Rhymes, Peaches, Nas, TI, Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg, Q-Tip, Afrika Bambaataa, OC, and Kool Keith. Technically one of the instrumentals is co-produced by Squarepusher, but whatever. That dude is crazy too.
As a big Aphex Twin fan I enjoyed Dan “100dBs” Brenner’s mash-up even more knowing that it’s completely free over at 100dbs.com.
This isn’t a mash-up, but also check out Pet Sounds: in the Key of Dee, where UK producer Bullion transforms Beach Boys’ classic 1966 album into a whole new experience in tribute to the legendary J Dilla/Jay Dee. Available free at Bullion’s myspace.
Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid - Tongues
Filed under Electronic, Instrumental, Jazz, Music. | Comment (1)
I like a good percussion project from time to time, and did I love Post rock band Tortoise’s Bumps project at Stonesthrow from a few months back.
Time for something new, actually Tongues is not a new release either but I never really got a chance to listen to it closely.
Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet, joins jazz drummer Steve Reid for a third time, after 2 live recorded improv EP’s.
Hebden’s epileptic kicks and electronic samples sound very well next to Reid’s laid-back drums. While some people might rate this very low for the lack of song structure, I applaud that thought, cause it’s not meant to be that kind of record. It’s more of an improvisational experiment and I think they’re just trying to show off their skills and let us know how great they work together.
Not for everyone though, also it might take a few listens to really appreciate it.
I do think at times Hebden went a little over the top with his electronic hums and clicks, but overall they succeeded in making a very enjoyable record for the novice jazz listener.
Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid
Domino Recording Co
Hebden’s Myspace
Múm - Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy
Filed under Electronic, Experimental, Music, Pop.
Múm is an Icelandic musical group which brings a very chaotic and unpredictable, yet melodic style of experimental electronica.
This is Múm’s first release after the departure of singer and founding member, Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir, to compensate the band added a couple to make it a 7 piece band.
With those changes comes a shift from the group’s traditional style. Without deserting their distinctive sound of high pitched tones and their affinity for organic repetition of electronic glitches, there are noticeably more live instruments like bells, whistles, the piano, violin and more.
Unlike Pitchfork, I think it’s another stellar album by Iceland’s finest. I don’t know why it is but I really dig the Icelandic music scene with artists like Sigur Rós, Björk, The Album Leaf. There’s just a lot of talent out there and they all have a fresh never-done-before “experimental” sound, or maybe it’s just my kind of music.
As always, you can check 2 music videos from the new album, “They Made Frogs Smoke ‘Til They Exploded” and “Rhubarbidoo” below. Two very fun videos which perfectly resemble the kid-like vocals and high pitched tones in their songs.
