I wish that I could swim and sleep like a shark does
I'd fall to the bottom and I'd hide til the end of time
All songs previously in my "blog/share with the world" queue got pushed back due to the release of a new Lindstrøm remix. If you've been following this blog for any amount of time (or since the beginning - holler to all five of you), you'll know that if I subscribed to any religion, it would be Lindstrømism. He's just perfect. Or rather…his music is perfect. I was especially taken by his latest remix endeavor as it saw him collaborating with one of my new favorite bands (one who's bandwagon I am admittedly late to jump on), Oregon's Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra are a psych-rock band making waves with their 2013 sophomore album, II. For ease of reference's sake, UMO sound like Tame Impala with less fuzz, breezier melodies, and more accessible lyrics. Take the experimental out of psychedelia, and you have UMO - a nice place to be, if I'm to judge. But forget rock for a minute -- Lindstrøm's rework of their 2012 single Swim and Sleep (Like A Shark Does) takes a lilting melody and turns it intergalactic disco spectacular. Still with me? Check it out.
Some facts:
- Swimmhaus Johannesburg is a song by Fixers. (Buy the original here.)
- Fixers are an Oxford-based psychedelic rock band.
- I initially wrote off Fixers based on singer Jack Goldstein's voice.
- It is one those nasal and high-pitched BIlly Corgan/whichever Gallagher sang-esque voices.
- Many people dig that kind of voice. I find it rather grating.
- I do, however, really dig Star Slinger.
- Star Slinger is essentially the MasterChef of remixes.
- Star Slinger remixed Swimmhaus Johannesburg.
- The remix has lots of swirling synths, plucky pseudo-strings, and deeeeep, warm bass.
- It is my new favorite thing.
I can't get enough of this one. I'v'e been playing it on repeat, I've been singing it to myself as I do chores, I've been pretending I know how to drum and endlessly beating out the rhythm section on my steering wheel. Colours are an Australian band who I can't find much information about. I was tipped off to their song Sundown via Twitter via Solar Bears. Sundown is a slightly psychedelic, fuzzed out piece of driving indie rock. You know I'm all about summer jams, and this is no exception. More importantly though, this song shows serious promise from a fresh new crop of Australian rock talent (Can't let Tame Impala have all the fun, right?). It's appropriate.
Sundown is currently available for free download as part of a single package from Beko DSL. Grab it there and be on the lookout for more info about the band as I hear it. I've got my eye on these guys.
In addition to psychedelic disco, Leno also makes some psychedelic doodles.
When I first heard Leno Lovecraft, I wasn't quite sure what to think. Well, besides "What the hell?" Take for example the track Princess, the first single off Leno's debut EP, out today on Paris' Maman Records. What starts off as gay (I mean homosexual) italo disco--complete with the lyrics "I'll be your Princess, sleeping on your spaceship made of crystal"--launches into the sunniest, bounciest chorus this side of Jupiter. It might be a bit bizarre at first listen (hence the previous expletive), but it ends up being pure fun. His entire debut EP adheres to that formula--an initial uncertainty followed by the inevitable succumbing of your judgement and your body to the pure, bright, joyful (albeit perhaps a bit strange) work of Leno. This is disco for those of you with a sense of humor and a penchant for fanfare. It's completely unlike anything else out there right now and sees Leno is carving out his own psychedelic, technicolor niche. It's the type of music I'd expect to be playing as I frolicked in a field of luminescent flowers on some distant moon. Wait, did I just use the word frolic? And did I really namecheck that scenario? Check out Leno Lovecraft, and you'll understand why.
Stream Princess on the player, then be sure to go buy the EP HERE.
Cover Artwork (which I don't usually feature but this is so good) by Datahowler himself. Such a Renaissance man.
Happy 420. Or 204, if you're in Europe.
I don't smoke anymore, but everyone I know still does, so this ones for you guys. (It's also for everyone who just likes good music.) You should all be familiar with Datahowler by now, he's the Dallas-based spacey-psychedelic-electro-hip-hop producer (jack of many trades, as you can see). He's just released a live album, recorded at his first show at Club Dada in Dallas on January 15th, and he's giving it away for free on his bandcamp. As we've come to expect from him, it's lush, swelling, occasionally trippy, and always enjoyable. Preview the song Watchtowers below and then head over to his site to download the album a.k.a. your 420 soundtrack.
*If you're in Dallas or thereabouts, be sure to catch Datahowler tomorrow night, playing live at the Granada Theater with Yelle and French Horn Rebellion. For sure a show not to be missed.
It's Monday, which means it's time for our Monday Mixer--a weekly, multi-blog themed playlist for your listening pleasure. While the Mixer started over at Metropolitan Jolt, recently it's been on the move, with hosting rotating between various members of the Mixer crew, and this week, it's landed right here at LOOSE L!PS. This week's theme deals with the drearier side of spring: April Showers. I thought this would be appropriate seeing as it's April, and although we've been extremely lucky weather-wise thus far, it's just a matter of time before cloudy skies descend. The Monday Mixer crew has you covered for when that happens, with a playlist of 11 songs that should see you through even the dreariest days.
You can stream all the songs right here courtesy of this 8tracks player, while you read about what each track means to us, below. All the links (in blue and bold) are available for download, just right-click like normal.
*Sidenote: If you are a music blogger, scroll to the bottom of this post for a message.
Ian from 1146 Miles Letting Go - Israel Cannan
Sometimes on rainy days, it's more about the mood than the weather. I think that's why I love that there's a bit of defiance that builds up over the young Australian's song. It's fighting the down urge and it's a pretty cathartic release once it climaxes. Letting Go is off of Israel's debut album Walk.
Chris from Daily Beatz Sylvia - The Antlers
Music for a rainy day is almost always sad and depressing, but I sort of prefer there to be a little beauty too, and nobody seems to capture depression and beauty in one neat package quite like The Antlers. Their 2009 album Hospice was undeniably depressing and beautiful at the same time and quickly became one of my favorite albums from that year.
Mikayla from LOOSE L!PS (me) I Don't Know What I Can Save You From (Royksopp Remix) - Kings of Convenience *screwed this link up, click normally instead of right-clicking
Royksopp and rainy days are unequivocally synonymous for me. Their lush production style perfectly compliments my lazy days spent cooped up inside sprawled on my huge white sheepskin rug. Here they remix fellow Norwegians Kings of Convenience’s beautiful I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From. They take the original acoustic number and add an ethereal quality to it, with delicate whirls and trills, it’s almost tropical, but the kind of tropical that reminds me of laying on a placid beach while the sun is setting: the perfect counterpoint to the cloudy skies outside my window.
Frank from Lost In The Sound Huit Octobre 1971 - Cortex
I have to admit that I probably never would have heard Cortex's Huit Octobre 1971 had it not been sampled by the likes of MF Doom (One Beer), Wiz Khalifa (Visions), and Odd Future's Tyler, The Creator (Odd Toddlers). The song begins on a rather dark, melancholic note before transitioning into a more jazzy, upbeat song. It pretty much embodies the whole idea of "April showers bring May flowers."
Ben from Metropolitan Jolt You and I - Washed Out feat. Caroline Polachek
This track really embodies the melancholy vibes I get when rain keeps me inside. Caroline Polacheck added combined with Washed Out creates this amazingly relaxing tune. It's hard for me to put my finger on why I like it so much. On one hand, its melancholy feeling almost gives me a twinge of depression when I listen to it. But on the other hand, maybe it is that extreme emotional reaction that generates my appreciation for the track.
Marc from Mostly Junkfood Bill Withers - Can We Pretend
Obviously Ain't No Sunshine might be the more obvious pick from Bill's catalogue, but this song stands out in my mind as a quintessential rainy day track. The guitar and his vocals shine on this track, but my favorite part is the lyrics. "Paint a portrait of tomorrow with no colors from today." This song sounds like looking out the window and being optimistic about the future regardless of what you see. And that's why I love it!
Confusion from Pigeons & Planes River Man - Nick Drake
Rainy days trigger depression for me, but sometimes it's good to bask in a brooding state of mind. People that are happy all the time are obnoxious. They remind me more of simple animals like fish or chickens - things that are far separated from humanity and more fit for mass consumption. When I'm feeling down, Nick Drake is one of the artists that I always revisit. His haunting voice and heart-string-tugging melodies are perfect to pair with grey skies and the pattering of little drops.
David from SFCritic Summer Rain - Carl Thomas
More and more I'm realizing there is so much music of my past that in the needless urgency to find NEW music, I've strayed from the gems I used to love such as Carl Thomas' Summer Rain. In pop'est of pop, Summer Rain is Thomas' calling for a love regardless of rain or shine--as long as she comes back. What? There's nothing wrong with being a pop romantic.
Cory from Silence Nogood Stonyridge Terrace - Ian Pooley
Other than maybe music to rage to, music for a rainy day are my favorite! There's nothing I love more than relaxing outside on a rainy day and vibing off a chill, downtempo tune set against the sounds of a delicate storm. I have a whole playlist for this very occasion, but if I had to choose just one, it would be Ian Pooley's Stonyridge Terrace. You can best forget about everyone else's - this is the tune y'all have been looking for ;) But seriously, tell me this isn't the most tantalizing guitar playin you've ever heard? Go stick yourself out in the wilderness, wait for the rain (find shelter) and enjoy this track for a calm stormy weather.
Marc from Umstrum Brutal Hearts (ft. Coeur de Pirate) - Bedouin Soundclash
I have to say finding a song for his week's playlist proved more difficult than I thought. Not that I don't have "rainy day music", but I wanted to find a track that's more than your usual downer song, a track that makes you feel nostalgic and hopeful at the same time, just like "April Showers". Well, I think Brutal Hearts does just that: it creates this kind of cloudy atmosphere of longing but almost lets you see the sun reappearing on the horizon.
Owen from Wine and Bowties It’s the Chemicals (feat Scarub) - Inspired Flight
Did you know it's just that chemicals in our brain that cause us pain?" Wow, discovered this song a week ago and it's been on repeat ever since. The idea that "it's just chemicals" definitely resonates. It's like, yes this is all meaningless and arbitrary and that can be sad, but it's also great and beautiful because you are free. I dunno. It reminds me that things always be how I want and I dig it. I'm realizing that imperfections are crucial. They make something real, taking out the ego. I'm getting kinda philosophical, but essentially this song makes me want to make a fire with someone and look out at the rain.
*We're looking to add more people to the Monday Mixer ratpack. If you're a music blogger (it doesn't matter if you're big or small, rap or rave, crowded or minimalist) and interested in contributing, please email Ben from the Metropolitan Jolt, me, or really anyone on this list. We want you.
You might remember Datahowler from a couple months back. If you don't (you should), he's the Dallas-based spacelectro (space + electro, get it?) master who is helping put Texas electronica on the map. This week's Monday Mixer [the weekly, multi-blog playlist started by Metropolitan Jolt that we contribute to] theme was 'Local Artists.' When I heard the theme I immediately thought of Datahowler, and shot him a request for a song. He went above and beyond and was kind enough to send along an exclusive, unreleased LIVE recording of his two sister songs Of Stars and From Suns. Though on his debut album, Slowdrifter, the two songs are separate, his live show fuses the two in a mist of twinkling keys, blissed-out guitars, and warm bass. This is a perfect representation of Datahowler's range of artistry (he did, after all, play every single one of the instruments on his album). Not only is this a killer live track--the fusion is seamless and silky--but the style incorporates everything from funk to lounge to psychedelic at parts. It's exotic and yet comforting, like a big sandy beach and a just-hot-enough sun.
Dr. Dog played at the Loft last night here in Dallas, but unfortunately I was too busy to see them. It’s a shame, because I’ve been trying to catch them live for the better part of 3 years, and it just never seems to work out. In honor and remorse, here’s a song of theirs that I’ve been holding on to for quite some time just waiting for the right opportunity to post. For those of you unfamiliar with the group, they’re a bit Beatles, a little Neil Young, and a whole lot of spunk; with a plethora of 4-part harmonies to boot. In my opinion they’re far too underappreciated. Yeah, they may sound like every other psychedelic pop outfit that came out of the 60’s, but the novelty is that they are capturing that sound so perfectly now. Where’d All the Time Go? sees the band reflecting on missed opportunities and lost loves, accentuated by scaling strings and rounded off by a killer guitar solo in the last 30 seconds.
Here’s a little story about serendipity. I have this random record that I picked up on a whim. It’s a compilation of songs recorded during the Brazilian psychedelic rock movement from the late 60s and early 70s known as Tropicalia It features some of the most influential players of the scene, and showcased songs from the movement ranging from rowdy experiments in guitar reverb to trippy Asian-influenced psychedelic acid rock. I couldn’t tell you the name of a single artist on the record, but I can assure you that it’s good; it’s perfect background music for whenever I’m feeling a little weird. This past weekend I went to Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin. The Saturday lineup featured a band I’d never heard of called Os Mutantes. I gathered from the other festivalgoers that they were a) Brazilian b) Kind of a big deal, so I decided to watch their set on a whim. Halfway through I recognized some familiar, buzzy guitar chords. As I wracked my brain for a connection, the band launched into the chorus and it hit me: “THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG OFF THAT RANDOM RECORD!” Sure enough, Os Mutantes are ‘kind of a big deal’ to modern psychedelic rock like Willie Nelson is ‘kind of a big deal’ to modern country music. Which would explain why the band members looked so old.
I have been waiting waiting waiting for the album release so I could buy and post this song. I guess I could have always posted the video or the soundcloud, but it’s so much more satisfying to have a song tucked safely away in your iTunes versus streaming it on the vast world wide web.
Anyway, here’s a song by Crystal Fighters, a band comprised of very attractive hippies hailing from Navarre, Spain (an area I’m currently studying about for my European Culture midterm). Their debut album, "Star of Love", was just released on October 3rd. If you dig the following song be sure to pick the entire album up HERE. Crystal Fighters are unique not only because they’re Spanish (can you think of any notable Spanish bands? I can’t), but also because their music is a certifiable hodgepodge of what seems to be a thousand different genres. They draw inspiration from everything from flamenco to folk, from dance to dubstep. However, rather than get lost in a sea of competing influences, Crystal Fighters are able to strike the delicate chord between paying homage to their predecessors and creating a unique sound all their own. Follow is a bouncy psychedelic rock number with a dose of flamenco. I guess the contest for my affection was over before it started, as anything with even the slightest Latin influence gets me every fucking time. Regardless, it’s delightful.
Big things are coming for Loose Lips. A lot of things are going so terribly right in my life right now that it’s almost scary. One such thing is the opportunity for exposure that is coming my way for this little blog. Consequently, I’m planning a massive relaunch of this site in a month. New address, new formatting, new logo, new style, new writers, everything. Oh and I’m going to actually start advertising outside my group of friends. In the meantime, I’m not going to have time for too many new posts. I’m busy HTML formatting the new site! Let me tell you, it is not a fun process. Here’s a little something to keep you satiated though.
Tame Impala are a psychedelic rock outfit from Australia. They sound like a combination of the Beatles at the height of their acid area with just enough shoegaze to draw comparisons to the Verve. Their debut LP was released in late May to rave reviews, and deservedly so. I haven’t bought a full album in a long time (the internet and the availability of singles is definitely to blame for that, how hypocritical of me), but this is one that I made sure to purchase in its entirety. I’m so glad I did, because the entire album is a gem and works best when listened to from beginning to end. Though every song is excellent in its own right, Solitude is Bliss is the most obvious single. It’s warm, fuzzy, dreamy rock powered by a golden guitar hook around which all the song’s other elements serve as colorization. The best part is, it’s all about the joys of being alone. Listening to this song, I’m perfectly content with that.
