Monday, March 28, 2011

New Phaseone - "Murk Unit"


It's been two months since we've heard an original joint from Phaseone.  The dude recently packed up his game and moved from St. Louis to New York, so now seems like the perfect time for a new tune.  "Murk Unit" is tagged as belonging to the "killa" genre.  I'm not quite sure what that entails, but the song itself is pretty much "killa" and then some.  Buttressed by a sample* of The Luniz's "I Got A 5 On It," the song features the same trepid-sounding tubular bells as the original, with Phaseone adding some extra bleeps and plenty of bump to the mix.  Sounds like an unreleased hip-hop theme song to soundtrack a crime documentary about, well, "killas."

Phaseone - Murk Unit by PHASEONE

Get more Phaseone at SoundCloud and Tumblr.

(*Props to my buddy Tony for knowing his shit and name-dropping The Luniz.  I knew I'd heard the sample before but had no idea where to look.)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

New Burial - "Street Halo" & "Stolen Dog"


New Burial.  "Street Halo" is the A-side and title track to his brand new 12", out 3/28/11 on Hyperdub.  "Stolen Dog" is one of two B-sides.  As heard on Benji B's BBC Radio 1 program, with the host and guest DJ/Hyperdub label boss Kode9 talking about the release intermittently.  Buy the vinyl from Bleep, Boomkat, Juno, Phonica or Rough Trade; a digital version should be up on Hyperdub's new site come Monday.





("Stolen Dog" via krisa1989 on YouTube)

D/R/U/G/S - Love/Lust 12"


Been waiting on D/R/U/G/S' debut release ever since I heard "Love/Lust" way back when ALTERED ZONES was born.  Well, the moment has finally arrived.  D/R/U/G/S' Love/Lust 12" is out May 9 on Moshi Moshi / Tender Age.  It features a crisper, cleaner rework of "Love/Lust" as well as new tracks "Velodrome I" and "Velodrome II."  The latter two tracks are suprisingly sci-fi-inspired and spaced-out compared to D/R/U/G/S darker output.  Incredibly fresh-sounding and tightly-stitched electronica of the highest quality.  Stream the whole thing below; pre-order it here

D/R/U/G/S Love / Lust by wearemachinemusic

Sun Glitters - "Grow Up Like A Beautiful Flower"


Sun Glitters' music has been popping up in all the right places as a result of his excellent Everything Could Be Fine EP.  Luxembourg artist Victor Ferreira has also been uploading new Sun Glitters songs to his SoundCloud at a pretty decent clip.  "Grow Up Like A Beautiful Flower" is set to be included on a benefit compilation for Japan.  Its contemplative key tones, smooth guitar textures and crackling, fuzzy background noises recall Will Wiesenfeld's work as both Baths and Geotic.  Great stuff.  For more new songs, follow Sun Glitters on SoundCloud; buy the Everything Could Be Fine EP at bandcamp.

grow up like a beautiful flower by Sun Glitters

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

New Supreme Cuts - "Issues"


New song from Chicago's Supreme Cuts.  More screwed and tweaked future R&B like "Amnesia" and "Months" before it.  Not sure this post requires any additional commentary.  I mean, just look at that artwork.  Yup.  Pretty much says it all.  "Issues" sounds like a face-to-face encounter with a four-fingered, two-thumbed, anatomically androgynous R. Kelly doll in the middle of steamy dream pool that's also a dimensional portal.  Creepy?  Yes.  Am I lovin' it anyway?  Definitely.  Rising designation from Pitchfork any day now...

  Issues by Supreme Cuts

Monday, March 21, 2011

Hypermagic - San Fairy Ann EP


A new EP from Hypermagic!

San Fairy Ann.  I had no idea either.  So I looked it up.  It's a World War I era English language epic fail on the pronunciation of the Italian phrase ça ne fait rien.  Or so he says.  It's also a band and a cycling club.  But anyway.

The blurry, echoing atmosphere on title track "San Fairy Ann" immediately recalls Washed Out, as generous helpings of heavily reverberating vocals hit hot oil and heat until they're slightly crisp around the edges.  You know what I'm talking about: chillwave, bro.  And it's great.  Never mind the naysayers.

Meanwhile, "Little Scamp" is only subtlety sunburned and otherwise smitten with melodic synth tones and wooden, worldly percussion hits.

Stream those two songs below; grab the entire 5-track EP for free at Hypermagic's bandcamp.  Altogether, San Fairy Ann is another set of sweetly sublime tunes to match his three other excellent EPs. 

Hypermagic - San Fairy Ann (mp3 link)
Hypermagic - Little Scamp (mp3 link)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Daggereyess - Daggereyess EP


You've already heard Daggereyess' crystalline cut "Hooked."  Now you can hear the rest of his self-titled debut EP, streaming below and at his SoundCloud.  Looks like it's set for digital release on May 9.  "So Hyped" is a shimmering, throbbing banger; "Terrorrr" is an atmospheric adventure in dubstep. 

Daggereyess - Daggereyess EP by Daggereyess

Follow Daggereyess on SoundCloud / Twitter / YouTube

D. Paris - "Left Behind"


New D. Paris jam.  This one's a jaded pop gem that follows a drugged-out, despondent Natalie Merchant as she stumbles through a steel factory.

Left Behind by D. Paris

Follow D. Paris on SoundCloud and Twitter.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

CFCF Mix for Last Gas Station


Montreal producer CFCF made a mix for the lovable Last Gas Station, and it's pretty much "killin' it" right now, to use the language of SXSW. (Can you tell I'm bitter I'm not there?) Anyway, like CFCF's own music and the plethora of other mixes he's made, these are some chilled-out dance, R&B and rap songs with some serious grooves to them. Featuring Asobi Seksu, Burial, Creep, Tangerine Dream, The Weekend and many more. Also has "Whispers," which appears to be a brand new CFCF song. All told, highly recommended listening.

CFCF: La.Ga.Sta. Mix by La.Ga.Sta.

Burial & Four Tet / Thom Yorke - "Ego" & "Mirror"


As if last year's collab between BurialFour Tet wasn't grand enough, the two had Thom Yorke step into the mix for a new 12".  Bummer, then, that the initial stock is already sold out, but Bleep says it "will have the final allocation on sale shortly" and advises you to sign up for their mailing list for more info.  The songs premiered on Rinse FM last night, and luckily for us, some pioneering soul ripped the streaming audio and posted it in YouTube.  And thus we have "Ego" and "Mirror," two tracks of melodic yet morose, paranoid yet placative whateverstep.  Come to think of it, these songs may well mollify those Radiohead fans who were hoping for more electronic experimentation on The King Of Limbs.

Burial & Four Tet / Thom Yorke - "Ego"



Burial & Four Tet / Thom Yorke - "Mirror"



Now seems as good a time as any to mention sites like OnlineVideoConvertor and ListenToYouTube.  Just sayin'.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Daggereyess - "Hooked" & "Alocolol2"


Daggereyess' music is made by a dude named Darren.  He has a preference for a low profile, which is perfectly respectable, but with songs as good as the ones he's posted to his SoundCloud, he might not be able to keep that up for much longer.  "Hooked" is set to appear on a self-released digital EP.  It cuts with the same crystalline, glacial ambiance as anything from Crystal Castles.  Meanwhile, "Alocolol2" is a soaring flight through the heavens, with the breath of the gods blowing against our faces.  Stay tuned for more info on Daggereyess' debut EP; watch the Simply Red-sampling "Gurl, u got blud on ur dresssz" here.  

Hooked by Daggereyess

Daggereyess - Alocolol2

Follow Daggereyess on SoundCloud / Twitter / YouTube

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

D. Paris - "Trojan Drubbing"


Last time we heard from D. Paris, it was the throbbing disco cut "1954," which the tantalizingly great Transparent posted back in late February.  Now we have "Trojan Drubbing" to tide us over until the London knob-twister strikes again.  Where "1954" was made for a macho stroll down a hard street or for brooding in the basement of a dark club, "Trojan Drubbing" is a more intensely intimate song that invades your headspace.  Featuring high-pitched vocal shrills that echo the more ethereal tones of Radiohead/Thom Yorke, this song seems to soundtrack a D.M.T.-induced hallucination of aliens plucking and prying at their subject's vocal cords. 

Trojan Drubbing by D. Paris

Here's "1954," too.

D. Paris - 1954

Follow D. Paris on SoundCloud and Twitter.

worriedaboutsatan - "Heart Monitor" (ANTWERP Remix)


ANTWERP's remix of worriedaboutsatan landed in my inbox early yesterday morning, and it's been on steady repeat ever since.  The Hackney-based electronic artist shortened the original version even as he made it all the more sonically saturated.  What was once a skittering skeleton of a song is now a syrupy slow-burner with one hell of a plodding bass line.  Seems like this qualifies as dreamstep, given the atmospherics and the jumbled vocals.  Hear ANTWERP originals as well as remixes for Cymbals and D/R/U/G/S at his bandcamp.

 worriedaboutsatan - Heart Monitor (ANTWERP Remix)

Follow ANTWERP on bandcamp / Facebook / SoundCloud / Tumblr

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Sofia Kourtesis - "Abue"


Oh, the joys of following Gold Panda on Twitter.  Self-depricating tweets and retweets.  The ironic incongruity of the idea that the artist is followed by about 4,500 people yet "can't be bothered to follow anyone."  Except one person.  Namely Sofia Kourtesis, his girlfriend.  Who has now released her own song, which Gold Panda tweeted about.  "Abue" is simply breathtaking, yet breathtakingly simple.  Like a painter who shares his or her palette and demonstrates his or her technique, Kourtesis lists the ingredients that were used to compose the song: "water, paper, xylophone, glockenspiel, casio, drum machine, computer, voice."  We can hear each element working with and against the others to form one splendidly-formed whole.  A cursory listen showcases Kourtesis' playful tinkering; multiple listens reveal the innate genius of it.  Let's hope there's much more where this came from.  Follow Kourtesis at her SoundCloud.

Abue by Sofia Kourtesis

Taragana Pyjarama - "Ocean"


Every once in a while, stars align in such a way as to allow the perfect union between artist and record label.  One where the artist's sound is so inextricably attached to a label's aesthetic that any other record deal would seem lacking.  It happened with Gold Panda and Ghostly International: the result was Lucky Shiner, my favorite album of 2010.  And it will happen again on March 28, when Fool House releases Taragana Pyjarama's self-titled EP.  Fool House is famous for having released Delorean's Best New Music'd Ayrton Senna EP, before their full-length Subiza went on to be Best New Music'd as well.  Based on "Ocean" and the hype already building around this release, we can expect similarly great things from Taragana Pyjarama, too.  From the first sounds of waves crashing against the beach to the last sounds of feet splashing around in water, we are submerged in the warmest, most welcoming sounds we can imagine.  Minimalist dream-house to fall asleep or swim far to.  Seems to feature a sample of Imogen Heap's "Goodnight And Go" (unconfirmed).  Taragana Pyjarama is out March 28 on Fool House. 

Taragana Pyjarama - Ocean (via Pitchfork)

Previously:

Taragana Pyjarama - Girls

Monday, March 7, 2011

Pedro Magina - "Miyagi"


The Animal Collective fan in me will likely always remember Lisbon as the place Panda Bear picked to record Person Pitch and to live with his wife and child.  But now I can add Pedro Magina and his music to my list of Lisbon-based associations.  Magina's Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five tape is out now on Not Not Fun Records, and though his music is nowhere near the sunburned, tropic-tinged sounds of Person Pitch, it manages to be just as meditative and every bit as excellent.  Britt of Not Not Fun was nice enough to send over "Miyagi," and its undulating synthesizers have been transporting me ever since.  Fans of the spaced-out sounds of Megazord, Oneohtrix Point Never and Zonotope should enjoy it.  Meanwhile, the other songs streaming at Magina's MySpace sound a bit more subdued.  Regardless, these are blissfully ambient songs that shimmer and soar even as they're soused in Lisbon's coastal waters.  Buy Magina's Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five tape from Not Not Fun.

  Pedro Magina - Miyagi by casketcrashvigil

Friday, March 4, 2011

Introducing: Hymnal


Austin/San Marcos musician Mich D. White, who records "dubbeatkrunk" as Kinder and ambient instrumentals as MDW, emailed me yet another project that was born of White's recent desire to sing and to explore a darker sound.  Hymnal's songs do indeed exist on a different plane.  While they're not necessarily "dark" per se, they might still be best heard in a room with little light.  These are chilled-out tracks with a bluesy, jazzy vibe to them.  Rightly or wrongly, I can't shake the thought of the subdued grooves of Deep Forest or a Southwestern Serge Gainsbourg.  Either way, there's lots of promise here, and I'm excited to see where White goes with Hymnal.  Follow Hymnal on bandcamp





Thursday, March 3, 2011

New Bibio - "Saint Christopher"


Dipped In Dollars just dropped this new Bibio joint and it's hitting really hard right now.  "Saint Christopher" is pretty typical Bibio, where typical means it belongs to that group of Bibio songs with crystalline guitar notes that sound as though they are cracking and decaying right after they enter our ears.  I already used the term "heartrendingly gorgeous" this week, but I'm going to have to apply it to "Saint Christopher" as well.  From Mind Bokeh, out March 28 on Warp.  Also below is a video for "Excuses," the first track from Mind Bokeh, which I somehow missed until now.

Bibio - Saint Christopher

Hyperdelic Records


Almost a week ago, I got an email from Daniel Smith, who records "face melting" music as Red Electric Rainbow and runs the cassette-only label Neon Blossom. Smith and Matt Kimmel of Acid Marshmallow curated last year's Neon Marshmallow Festival, and now they're collaborating on a new ambient/drone/noise/synth label called Hyperdelic Records.  Hyperdelic's first six releases are available now and include cassettes from Red Electric Rainbow, Mark Bradley, Headboggle, Netherfriends, Seabat and Mike Shiflet.  Other information was hard to come by, but I was able to hunt down tracks from 5 of 6 artists.  Note: not all songs are necessarily featured on the artists' Hyperdelic release.  They were just the most readily available songs and are intended to demonstrate the artists' work. 

Red Electric Rainbow - Ferris Wheel
Mark Bradley - No Words
Netherfriends - Wednesday



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Supreme Cuts - "Amnesia" & "Months"


Been digging Supreme Cuts pretty hard ever since I heard them on Friendship Bracelet the other day.  The Chicago act chops up R&B and serves it over some seriously sick and twisted beats.  Seems like these songs could even be cut from the same cloth as Two Inch Punch, if that cloth was spattered with salmonella and left to fester for a few days.  "Amnesia" almost qualifies as lovestep, but the more you listen, you realize it's really whining-baby-step.  Meanwhile, "Months" alternates between air raid sirens, cavernous percussion and diva vocals.  These are indeed supreme cuts, infected and raw.  Like the freshest scabs, you just wanna keep pickin' at 'em.    

Supreme Cuts by Supreme Cuts

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Yamaan - "Blossom" (Gold Panda Remix)


New remix from Gold Panda, supplier of Lucky Shiner, my favorite album of 2010.  Derwin Panda's remix of Yamaan's "Blossom" is a bit more aggressively techno than Lucky Shiner's content, but it still retains the same bluish, icy electronic textures.

Yamaan: Blossom [Chorus by Chiyori] (Gold Panda remix) by Gold Panda

How To Dress Well - "Waking Up To Life Sometimes Seems Worse"


Chicago's own lo-fi R&B crooner How To Dress Well just covered R. Kelly.  It sounds...well...pretty much like How To Dress Well covering R. Kelly.  Which is to say heartrendingly gorgeous.  If there's sensuality here, as R&B almost requires, it's the intimacy with which artist Tom Krell quivers over each note and the cadence in which he sings.  Frail and fractured to a frighteningly beautiful degree. 

How To Dress Well - Waking Up To Life Sometimes Seems Worse (R. Kelly Cover)

(via Tri-Angle Records on SoundCloud)