Delicate Steve's reputation precedes him. Described in a now-famous press release as a "hydro-electric Mothra rising from the ashes of an African village burned to the ground by post-rock minotaurs" (you should really read this entire thing), one expects nothing but excellence. While he's not quite "My Bloody Valentine, minus the guitars", his music is something special. For starters it's all instrumental, but without being boring. It's like if Ratatat decided to strip down their sound after their second album and focused on simplicity and sensibility, instead of pumping so much production and layers into some pieces that they leaned towards being disingenuous. Not Steve. Steve, as shown in the jamming, fretting, Afria Talks To You, focuses on substance over style. The man proves that you don't need top of the line studios to create great tracks. And sometimes even, the tracks made in bedrooms are better.
Delicate Steve's two LPs are available on his bandcamp, and his third is to be released any day now. He and his band are currently on tour, so check to see if he's coming through your city.
Bonjour!
Soo it's been a bit more than a month since the epic-ness that was Lollapalooza 2011, and I've been super busy with life. I'm studying in Paris for the semester, and it hasn't been as easy as I expected. The whole foreign-culture-different-language thing is quite an experience so far, but I'm making progress. Anyway, I've been slacking hard on posting, so here are some recent favorites I listen to on the Metro every morning.
Kicking off with the LA duo Jogger, Master and Student shows how experimental electronic can still be catchy and quite melodic. I also really enjoy their application of the guitar in their music, which is more evident in some of their other songs, especially Nephicide.
Next, let Pogo take you back to your childhood with one my favorite Disney remixes, Oyster Dreamland. It's really amazing how he can piece together movie dialogue, music and sound effects to make a song truly representative of the film (in this case, Alice in Wonderland).
Visioneers is a self-proclaimed "studio project" that infuses hip-hop and jazz into their songs. I love the sound of these guys, do yourself a favor and download their album. Great reworkings of classic hip-hop including The Pharcyde and Nas.
Little People is one of my favorites I've come across recently. Defining himself as downtempo electronic, Little People creates appealing, electronic infused hip-hop beats that I can't stop listening to. Gravitas is my favorite of his tracks, showcasing his sampling, electronic sounds with a killer drum/piano hook.
Blue Bossanova is an overall phenomenal song. Don't know much about the band Bossanova other than the hail from Vancouver. Only one release so far to their name, but I love the guitar work. Simple and repetitive riff with nice layering, it keeps me coming back again and again.
Enjoy, I'll be coming back next month with a playlist Francais.
Au revoir mes amis.
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I have a thing for instrumental music. (By 'instrumental' I mean music without any discernible or intelligible vocal track.) I know that not everyone shares this fondness; some people can't really get into a song unless there's some lyrical message glaring them in the face, and that's ok. But for those of you that do share my love, and like said tracks a bit on the experimental side, I have quite treat for you. At least, I've had it on near-constant repeat for the past few days.
It's my pleasure to introduce you to Antwerp, a new British producer by way of Italy, who crafts luscious experimental, ambient house. Equinox, the standout track on his debut self-titled EP, out July 27 on Make Mine, is a twisting, beeping journey through electronic soundscapes, grounded by a steady kick propelling the otherwise ethereal piece along at an assertive 125 bmp. At speeds like that, this can't be considered anything other than a dance track, yet this is probably the most intricate and unlikely dance track I've heard all year. Note: that's a really good thing. Whatever genre it falls under, it's beautiful, and if dancing on alien planets to soaring ambient electro is your thing (or really wish it was), this is going to be the tune of summer for you.
Download Equinox below and be sure to pre-order Antwerp's EP over at Rough Trade.
I've been meaning to post this song forever, all the while somewhat expecting it to blow up as the hot new thing on the blogosphere while I was biding my time. However this hasn't happened, and today, nearly three months after its release, Rough Patch remains a criminally under-appreciated jem of an electronic slow jam. I'm trying to remedy this regrettable lack of appreciation with this post, the return of regular Comedown Sundays, and the declaration that this is definitely one of my favorite songs of 2011 thus far.
Rough Patch is by New York producer Slow Hands. Slow Hands was my least favorite Interpol song of all time (and considering Interpol was my favorite band for almost a decade I think that says a lot), whereas Slow Hands the producer is anything but a letdown. In fact, he's fantastic. Not to mention extremely attractive. Rough Patch is comprised of a number of elements that shouldn't work together--tropical steel guitars offset by haunting, deep vocal samples; percussive snaps overlaid by synthetic strings; a mournful mood propelled along by a striding 112 bpm--but end up being gloriously symbiotic. With all its contradictions, its a song equally suited for solitary reflection or intimate moments. One thing is certain: it's possibly the sexiest seven minutes you'll hear all year.
Rough Patch is available the Wolf + Lamb vs. Soul Clap DJ-Kicks compilation EP, available on !K7 here.
* Note from Mikayla: Everyone, I'm beyond excited to announce the addition of a new writer here at LOOSE L!PS. Meet Russ. He should be popping in from time to time (hopefully regularly) to tackle the indie rock side of things. There are two things about Russ that you should know. First, he is a dude. Second, he doesn't really listen to electronica. So while we are similar enough to be friends in real life, our take on music is bound to be distinctly different. This bi-gendered, bi-genred dynamic should hopefully serve to help bring you a more balanced, multi-faceted, and awesome LOOSE L!PS. Here's to new beginnings. xo
There are a lot of bands out that I feel have overstayed their welcome. Ten years ago they may have put out an awesome record or two, changed the way people felt about music, or even redefined a genre. Then there’s the sound change, the new direction or the inability to live up to all that early success. I’ve learned to take caution when I see a release from one of these bands – disappointment is something I’ve grown accustomed to as of late. Surprisingly enough, one of these bands that I was sure jumped ship in 2008 may have discovered what made their 1997 release Young Team so damn good.
Glasgow’s Mogwai has teamed up with original producer Paul Savage for the awesomely-titled Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, which will be released in the U.S. next month on Sub Pop. I cannot stop listening to the record as a whole, but more so it’s the album’s opener White Noise that I can’t get enough of. There’s something about the song that makes me want to just drive around endlessly and aimlessly. The multi guitar-layering, classic Mogwai wall-of-sound feel is totally there, but there’s also a more confident, mature sound that makes it more refreshing than the slew of mediocre of albums (except 2006's Mr. Beast, that one was good!).
In the post-rock, heavily instrumental genre comprised of bands like Mono, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Explosions in the Sky, I find myself either easily bored by 16-minute tracks or bogged down in too much noise, too many layers, and a lack of any real hook. White Noise is a fairly simple, melodic song that manages to deliver that gratifying, chill-inducing buildup without feeling too long or overly experimental. It's a song that packs enough atmosphere to hook some new fans as well as appease those who aren't quite ready to give up on the noisy Scots.
