Seattle Subsonic - Album Reviews
The Year In Hazy Electro-Pop (aka Chillwave, aka Hipstergogic, aka YOU DECIDE)
If there was one “scene” I watched with great intent this past year, it would be the seemingly unprecedented barrage of hazy electro-pop releases that made their way onto the internet and into people’s hearts/portable media devices. I’ve literally never listened to so much non-rock music as I have in the past 8 or 9 months. “Chillwave”, as the genre has become known, was a divisive, early year buzz topic, created and championed the year before by (those danged) writers and bloggers to the dismay, chagrin, and annoyance of many. To others, it was simply a cozy conduit by which delectable new records were discovered, enjoyed, and shared. You probably read about it on Hipster Runoff or Stuff White People Like, but I wouldn’t really know because I don’t pay much attention to that sorta BS. Someone coined the phrase “hypnagogic pop”, which was predictably corrupted into “hipstergogic pop”. Funny, but, whatever. So, much like the music itself, the definition of the fledgling genre was—and remains—nebulous at best (see this article for a cynic’s definition, or this one for an optimist’s take). The fundamental elements are these, from the first article:
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They’re solo acts or minimal bands, often with a laptop at their core, and they recall electropop from the 1980s, when synthesizers and rhythm machines sounded dinkier and less flexible. Instead of electropop’s dynamic, future-soul vocals, they have indie-rockers’ diffident voices, which are often made even more remote because they’re veiled in reverb. The songs come across like geek daydreams: half-remembered Top 40 songs and dance hits sung by guys too shy to leave their rooms.
I could probably out myself and evangelize further with some nuanced descriptors and pedantic dithering, but that’s not necessary. Plus, below. Whatever it is, though, I certainly am one of its proponents. Here I present my favorite fey electronic releases, chillwave or otherwise, from 2010, along with a standout track. If 2009 was all about Neon Indian’s Psychic Chasms, Washed Out’s Life of Leisure and Memory Tapes’ Seek Magic (albums that all still get regular playtime in my ear canals), then this year was all about these dudes:
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Fight Softly – The Ruby Suns
Sub Pop (2/15/2010)
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A portion of what I wrote back in April: “As the universe would have it, I’m unable to ignore Fight Softly, the third overall LP from the electro-trop-entranced globetrotter/daydreamer Ryan McPhun … focusing more on elastic synths, positively persistent percussion, a sky-creeping swirl of digital headspins and McPhun’s R&B-style falsetto… it reminds me of a busier, more ambitious Family or a caffeinated, wider-eyed Person Pitch.”
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Before Today – Ariel Pink & His Haunted Graffiti
4AD (6/8/2010)
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A portion of what I wrote back in July: “Pink has a tantalizing way of creating artsy, fucked up pop songs with choice smatterings of found sound … Unexpected changes, undeniable hooks, and a well-intentioned way of making the familiar sound unique. “Round and Round” may just be the jam of the year, a soft-rock groover that illuminates at the same time it teases.”
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Surf Noir EP – Beat Connection
self-released (7/6/2010)
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A portion of what I wrote back in September: “Consider “In The Water”, an ebullient dance cut that shimmers and shimmies with crystalline guitar stabs, a chopped up reggaeton beat, bleached vocals and an 8-bit bass line. A flock of seagulls welcomes you to its beachy scene, and a solar-powered synth explosion bridges the gap. I am seriously addicted. Also consider “Theme From Yours Truly” a sultry South Beach neu-disco techno tune. The first half is woozy and anticipatory, the second half is high-wattage sex-rave.”
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Causers of This – Toro Y Moi
Carpark Records (1/4/2010)
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I didn’t actually expect this album to penetrate my satisfaction as much as it has (a late push in November did the trick), but I really have come to adore Chaz Bundick’s scatterbrained R&B electro stylings. I had mixed feelings about his Chop Suey set last April, but Causers of This‘ “bubbly font of electrified disco-soul and cheerful chillwave, mixed and smeared with deep bass” is more than worth the acquisition.
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7AM – Teengirl Fantasy
True Panther Sounds (9/13/2010)
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Teengirl Fantasy’s 7AM is a ominously blissed-out discotronic blur of an album, perpetrated by a couple of American dudes currently twiddling away their best years baked in Amsterdam. Are they stoners? Who knows, but if a nostalgic turntable dance record with a healthy back(bass) bone were to be slowed to a sagacious, syrupy speed like 7AM is, you’d really have no choice but to believe they were.
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Settings – Tanlines
True Panther Sounds (3/9/2010)
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Electronica and tropicalia become one to form the elusive electrotrop sound in this EP with a big bright positive vibration. I gotta give props to my buddy Ty for turning me onto this little-heard-about gem, which has no doubt inspired a multitude of mai tais to be gulped across the globe. Similar to the Ruby Suns record, this is pretty fringe-y when it comes to “chillwave”, but also like Fight Softly, you’d be crazy not to feel utterly overjoyed with life after all that tribal percussion and those brazen, blazin’ shimmering synths.
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Unrecognize - Cock & Swan
Dandelion Gold (3/30/2010)
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A portion of what I wrote back in April: “Johnny Goss and Ola Hungerford are the sidekicks behind the sounds and the two make fine use of soporific, squiggly synths, blurry and beguiling vocals, lonely guitar pluckings, patchwork electro touches, and the omnipresent ghostly undercurrent … cozy and eerie all at the same time.”
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Glass EP – Glass Vaults
self released (6/16/2010)
Listen/download the entire thing here
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This eerie EP from a couple of mates in the Kiwi art enclave of Wellington keels more towards the hauntological aspects of electronica, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight it here. Celestial, intangible, spiritual: however you want to define it, there is a certain otherworldly spookiness to these tracks, all which pulse with the very real sensation of human folk. Also, it might remind you of a cross between Radiohead and Animal Collective; SORRY.
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Does It Look Like I’m Here? – Emeralds
Editions Mego (6/8/2010)
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I only heard this record for the first time a few weeks ago, but I’ve already allowed it to seep deep into my cerebrum. A bit more “heady” than some of the other stuff on this list, this full-length from a Cleveland (of all places) trio will have you gazing at the stars and contemplating your own filthy demise in no time. It’s got a beautiful, instrumental creepiness to it that can burrow itself like a sonic weasel (or Hedgehog, if you prefer) and sojourn to the darkest digital depths. Headphones required.
Make Sure You Download OCnotes' Doo Doo, It's Probably The Best Hip Hop Album To Come Out Of Seattle This Year
I snagged this album from local producer OCnotes (originally from Maryland) a few months back in August when it was released, but it’s Dilla-esque density and spacified rabbit-hole experimentalism has only begun to sink in. That is to say, it’s probably the best hip hop record to come out of the Rain City this year. It ain’t Mad Rad, it ain’t Shabazz, it ain’t even THEESatisfaction (3 groups I highly respect/recommend), but it is 21 digable tracks of contemplative, patched-up soul, hip hop and R&B. A lo-fi electrofunk stream of consciousness Madlib would be proud of. His unearthing gets bonus points for sound bites of George Jetson’s car and the late great Vincent Price.
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Need some go-to tracks? Hit up “Joy”, “Lover”, “Retro-Grade Motion”, or “You Can Never (Break My Heart)”. You can grab the entire thing for free over on his bandcamp page. Or just hang out here and listen. Want some cookies? Somethin’ to drink? How ’bout a big fat bowl to burn while you let this record get in ya head?
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The Cold Jungle: What Seattle Sounds Like
There’s a small note at the end of the spacey, black and white photocopied insert that comes with the physical copy of Cairo‘s recent compilation album, The Cold Jungle, that reads “This is what Seattle sounds like to us.” As someone who is often listening to local music that no one around him is, I beamed a big smile upon reading this. Reading through the list of artists, and before I even heard the songs, I knew I was going to be nodding my head in agreement. Of course, all of us local music obsessives have some sort of personal interpretation of this particular statement, whether it be the hip hop scene, or the punk scene, or even the dreaded so-called “beard rock” scene. The songs Cairo pulled together, however, really do represent a unique little enclave of artists, in the here and now, making more adventurous and altogether more fascinating strains of sonic satisfaction.
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Cairo, you’ll recall, is a quaint, somewhat spartan gallery/thrift boutique/venue/silkscreen studio on the corner of Summit and Mercer on North Capitol Hill. I’ve not spent a great deal of time there (for shoppers, it’s not a necessity; you can view 90% of its contents from the front door), but they do have a wonderful habit of turning their space into raucously friendly elbow-to-elbow music venue. I took some photos of Stephanie and YellowFever last time I was there that you can view here. The independently curated Cold Jungle boasts 10 original tracks from more recognizable acts such as Flexions, U.S.F., Stephanie, LoVe TaN, and Big Spider’s Back, as well as local up-and-comers like Mongrel Blood, Witch Gardens, M. Women, Wet Paint DMM, and Secret Colors.
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While all the songs are rather choice, my immediate favorite was the nocturnal subway tunnel light chaser from Big Spider’s Back (aka Yair Rubenstein), “Pyramids at Night”. I can’t stop spinning it, it feels like one of those sped up film scenes with bars of light whizzing by and breakneck turns. The music itself breaks no necks, but instead induces an addictive calming effect. Oddly enough, this is one of four instrumental jams featured on the collection, alongside Flexions’ “Half Pint Shuffle”, U.S.F.’s “Lunar Halo”, and “Cruisers” from Secret Colors. “Half Pint Shuffle” sees Flexions perfecting their Clinic-esque jazz punk, now with the added benefit of a live drummer (Tyler Swan of Truckasauras, etc.), who does a fair non-guitar impression of Hendrix’s “Machine Gun” with his snare. I prefer their music with vocals, but this is a welcome substitute.
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“Fuzzy Grave” is another bonus highlight, courtesy of the Craig Chambers-led LoVe TaN. You might remember Chambers from his more popular outfit the Lights and being one of this city’s more under-appreciated rock guitarists. “Fuzzy Grave” is an exhilarating, punkish no-wave moaner that might just hit your devilish sweet spot. Mongrel Blood, Spencer Moody’s newish band, also has an interesting song here by the name of “Oh, Sister”. It sounds like a song the Lights might’ve written if they were calmer or one Flexions might’ve recorded if they weren’t so interested in Miles Davis or world music. Moody drunkenly wails (like you know he can) over sinister guitar and bass. Witch Gardens’ boisterous steam punk sing along “Baby Got A Haircut” is another must listen: a little juvenile, a little carny-rock, and a whole tub of monkey-barrel fun.
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So maybe this isn’t what Seattle sounds like to you, but it sure as hell does to a lot of us. Perhaps this should be your holiday gift to yourself? Hmm? Get the 12″ vinyl here, or at Cairo itself (duh).
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The Icarus Kid Is Here To Slay
For the generation of males lucky enough to be born in time to enjoy the Golden Age of video games (roughly ’76- ’85), Nintendo’s flagship console—the NES—is perhaps the most revered. Sure, there are Atari uber-enthusiasts, Sega megalomaniacs, and, heck, even ColecoVision has it’s corny collective. But it’s the NES that best evokes vivid basement memories of mythically bizarre heroes methodically working their way through “worlds”, powering up along the way with plants, potions, and a panoply of weaponry, all in an effort to save a damsel or defeat an overlord. The games were fantastical Choose Your Own Adventures of incredible 8-Bit proportions that were every bit as addicting as the Four Loko these brainless kids are ingesting nowadays. The music, of course, was much more than a toothless soundtrack, it was a score. A score you remember to this day as if it was a lullaby, a careful composition of dazzling digital sounds from Japanese composers that highlighted and enhanced the on-screen shenanigans. I mean, hearing it now, that shit takes you back.
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Reverence often fails to avoid pastiche, however, and the last thing we need is to hear the music of the Mushroom Kingdom’s underworld appropriated by creative-less jerks. It would seem no one understands this better than local (via Kentucky) producer Dan Crowdus, aka The Icarus Kid. The man has turned his (and our) childhood memories into an astonishing homage to the cartridge giants: the Mario Bros., Link from Zelda, Samus Aran of Metroid, and many more. Amazingly, no samples from his adopted namesake, Kid Icarus, made the cut. Outside of Mario and the nameless astronaut from Section Z, Pit was my hero of choice. I played so much Kid Icarus that I had all the codes memorized, the sections inscrutably mapped, bargaining power with the black market and a healthy number of victories against the dreaded Medusa. Oddly enough, I almost never play video games any more. It just doesn’t interest me the way it used to, aside from the occasional ass-whuppin’ I lay on my buddies in Mario Kart 64 (braggart!).
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So, naturally, I was all ready to hate on this self-titled record from The Icarus Kid. But Crowdus’ incorporation of NES sounds and music into his own high-flyin’, beat-thumpin’ techno mixes resists, for the most part, any hackneyed interpretation of these revered aural memories. At times, it actually kinda slays. “Benny & Clyde”, for instance, is an icy cool break-beat rampage where break dancers would need 6 legs and 6 arms just to keep up. Crowdus uses the artificially spooky music from The Legend of Zelda in the high-climax nu-goth sleepwalker “Dodongo”. His touch is delicate, often letting the samples provide the intensity, such as in “Hammer” which uses a Wrecking Crew sample to perfection. Other times, he surrounds a few simple sounds with his own tripped out cyborg symphony (“Muramasa”). His most motley—and thus best—track is the Mario Bros.-infused “Albatross”, which feels like 8 harrowing levels of multiplex computer fantasia all in itself.
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Is every track an invincible Starman or gold coin? No. And if you can’t stand the hypnotism and spoon-fed velocity of strobe-lit innominate club hits, this probably won’t tickle your joystick. But if your appetite is for slickly integrated Nintendo-born techno-tronic, slap on that Power Glove and hit start. Actually, Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-A-B-Select, then Start.
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Albatross [super mario bros. & defender II]
Dodongo [legend of zelda]
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RootMusic BandPage by The Icarus Kid
Dark Light Is The Labor Of Lovers
From my little knothole, music intelligence seems to flow quite freely between PacNW hubs Seattle and Portland nowadays. Bands from each city frequently pogo back and forth for shows. Blogs and weeklys situated in one cover the scene of the other, and extensively. Musicians commonly relocate from one to the other. All this is to say that very few bands fly under the radar anymore. Except for some; and one I bet you might’ve overlooked in your failed quest for a four leaf clover is the art-electro balladeer triumvirate Lovers, currently heating up the PDX scene. For a band who’ve named themselves after the penultimate human emotion, who carry love as a central lyrical theme, and hail from a town that’s refreshingly simple to love, it’d be a shame not to focus on that one HUGE aspect of their music.
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Originally the brainchild of songwriter/vocalist Carolyn “Cubby” Berk, Lovers has evolved to also include drummer Emily Kingan and synth-maestro/back-up vocalist Kerby Ferris. Dark Light (Badman Recording Co.) is the band’s first release as a trio and its weighty, electro-based love songs will dig right into your heart, powerfully pull the strings, and then stick around long afterward to comfort your pain or conjure your spirit. The phrase ‘dark light’ is one of both hope and despair, and this album balances those two feelings well. The song compositions are protracted and multi-textured, the lyrics are dense, yet still Dark Light manages to be incredibly infectious: the conventional understanding of “catchy” has been completely challenged. This is not a record of dude-centric party-rock, simple pop ditties or even mindless nu-rave—conventional examples, I guess—but an intense emotional roller coaster set upon a warm, oscillating current. It’ll make you sweat, not from glossy dance floor high jinks, but from the goosebumping pinch to your nerves.
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Much of this emotional intensity comes from Berk herself. The group’s main singer is a clever wordsmith (“I make alliances / with the appliances”), a sage storyteller, and an enchanting vocalist. Ferris is her right-hand woman, peppering and painting a harmony-laden, digitized backdrop to Berk’s thought-provoking musings. The triangle is complete with Kingan filling the space using subtle skin strokes, mid-tempo rhythmic structures, and an impressive robotic fluency. Dark Light‘s first track, “Barnacle”, is reminiscent of the Postal Service follow up that never happened, particularly when those hand claps and drum clips catalyze the chorus. “You hold on, dear / like a barnacle on a ship of fears”, Berk imagines over a delicate, hovering keyboard syncopation. “Figure 8″ might be the hit single of the bunch, a real blood-rusher that hearkens back to the dark discos of decades past. Buoyed by Ferris’ MicroKorg rubber band undulation, Berk slyly pokes at religious bigots: “They try to shame us outta lovin, darlin’ / but they don’t pray as hard as I ache”. I guarantee you’ll ache right along with her.
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The album’s centerpiece is the slow-paced groove “Peppermint”, Kingan displaying her hauntological drum skills while Berk offers an alternative to the traditional sense of spirituality: “Redefine god / as something that you want”. As any agnostic can attest, this is a very liberating and moving idea; Berk is fully convinced in her proclamation. The left to right “laser” during the intro sears the ears and is one example of the top notch production bestowed by Badman label owner Dylan Magierek. The ramble of “Boxer” rumbles along, portraying lovers as vagabonds and drifters: “Boxer, don’t knock me down / Writer, don’t write me out / Stranger, let’s not stay estranged / Lover, are we goin’ separate ways? / And don’t I get a say?” Chillwavers will rejoice with “Shepherd of the Stray Hearts”, the one song with a guitar and a killer crescendo. I really have fallen for this album and these ladies, and I see no reason why you won’t too.
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Lovers will be embarking on a US tour this week, and the Seattle stop is this Sunday, October 24th, at the Sorrento Hotel (of all places). It’s free, all ages and will provide quite the glamorous backdrop for these DIY popsters from Portland. It’s okay to be square, just as long as you’re there.
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The Dilemma With Arcade Fire
Today, I’d like to ruminate on a personal issue that I hope some of you can relate to. You might have noticed, if you peruse the music headlines now and again, that Arcade Fire‘s third album The Suburbs hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart the week it debuted (8/10). Number one! For all I know, it’s still sitting there (I don’t subscribe to Billboard, thankfully). It also hit No. 1 in the UK, Canada, Ireland and Portugal. The band’s second album, Neon Bible, reached as far as No. 2 on that same chart back in 2007, so upper echelon territory is not necessarily a new thing for the orchestral popping Boss-rockers from Montreal.
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But what—in my mind—began back during their initial Funeral tour in 2004, the popularity of Arcade Fire has only escalated with each new album at an alarming rate. They’re playing at Key Arena in a few weeks for chrissakes. And, in the grand scheme of non-LB things, that’s a good thing: a talented band on an “independent” label making meaningful music that the masses can’t get enough of. It’s a small slice of Utopia. But when I boil it down to my personal biases regarding bands and their popularity and my subsequent perception of them, I run into a predicament. A predicament I’ve had a tough time reconciling.
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Let me explain. I have this internal switch that’s triggered the moment (or moments) a band I’ve invested emotionally in “gets big”. I actually don’t like to admit it sometimes, but an appearance on TV or inflating record sales can often be a turn off for me. A “new, streamlined sound” with “pop sensibilities” makes me cringe. Ever the loyal Taurus, how is it that I can turn my back so frivolously, so casually, so flippantly? I write about musicians I like, so shouldn’t I be happy when they finally reel in that bigger paycheck? It happened with Modest Mouse. It happened with the Shins. It might be happening with Interpol.* In my eyes, these bands altered their MO to appeal to a larger audience, to transform in such a way that more people would hear them. As it is, I’m not exactly cool with that, as is probably the case with most diehards.
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You see, I’m not a big huge fan of Neon Bible. Never was. Oh sure, it’s a fine, authoritative testament, but it had nowhere near the impact on me that Funeral had. I thought it anticlimactic and a bit heavy handed. I expected less out of the band going forward, and with their fame skyrocketing, I did what any stilted, overly sensitive music fan would do. I shrugged myself silly and said, to no one in particular, “Good luck with that.” But when I come to The Suburbs, my problematic trigger switch fails to fire. I honestly don’t know if I can say that Arcade Fire “altered their MO”—maybe they did, maybe they didn’t—but perhaps they’ve somehow transcended this imaginary tipping point I’ve invoked. Because as luck and the universe would have it, The Suburbs is an exceptional, moving record, despite the fact that it’s currently blasting out of Best Buy speakers all over Manitoba. It’s graceful and intense and brooding and raw and rollicking and flawlessly composed. In fact, I can’t stop listening to it.
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Of course I can’t, with the band’s popularity higher than ever, with me and my shrugging and my non-expectant poo-pooing. My blatant adoration for the band has utterly been reinstated in the face of prolific record sales and my quandary is again at hand. But how can I shun a band whose music I hold so dearly? How can I ignore such a poignant, persuasive, well-arranged record? The answer is, I can’t. I CAN’T. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I HAVE TO LOVE A REALLY, REALLY POPULAR BAND. And for once, that’s just fine and dandy.
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* I’ll refrain from any nuanced stories about how these bands disappointed me. I still “care for them”, by and large, but the relationship broke somewhere along the line.
Drew Grow and The Pastors' Wives Make The World A Better Place
Last night at the Columbia City Theater Drew Grow and The Pastors’ Wives had their vinyl release show. Thats right vinyl, not CD (more on that in a bit).The Crowd went silent as they took the stage, most people there had seen them perform before. Some had even come prepared with extra tissues to wipe their eyes. Seeing Drew Grow and The Pastors’ Wives play is seeing a band bare their soul on stage. I find it hard to put into words what their live show is like, its just very personal. Every song comes from the heart. To have a Seattle crowd just shut up and listen just shows you how they move their audience. Playing mostly songs from their new Self titled release while sprinkling in a few old favorites they never missed a beat, and kept everyone there wanting more. The highlight of the evening was Drew’s solo performance of “Premonition”(see an Iphone video of that HERE). He never sang into the microphone during the whole song he just belted out the lyrics, and the crowd sang right back at him for the back up lyrics. It was truly one of the most moving moments of this year in music for me. Also during the set the stage was graced by Kelli Schaefer and Shenandoah Davis, Kelli came in to sing back up vocals on a few songs while Shenandoah brought her accordion and played piano on a few songs. They were a wonderful added bonus to the nights already stellar performance.
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So as i mentioned before, they were celebrating the release of their new record on vinyl. The limited Self Titled album that was released on Amigo/Amiga records, which is Jeremiah Haydens label (he is their drummer), came on White vinyl. It is a beautiful record. As of this time there are no plans (to my knowledge) to release it on CD though the vinyl does come with the digital download card which also comes with two extra songs. Having the album only on vinyl might turn off some people from buying it, but it shouldn’t. This is the best way to listen to this record. Most of the tracks were recorded in Drew’s home studio aka his basement/living room/kitchen. The way it was recorded and put out into the world really speaks to the music itself. Their gritty rock and gospel sound, I would like to think of it as “Epic Alt Gospel” are made that much better by the quality of the vinyl. This is an album you want to listen to on high in your headphones. You can order a copy HERE.
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If you missed this show and want to see them play, they are doing another album release show in their hometown of Portland,OR on September 24th @ Mississippi Studios, Opening that show will be The Head and The Heart and Fences. This is a show really worth driving down to Portland for. More info and to get tickets to that show go HERE
This Beat Is A Connection
On a recent sojourn to Sweden, I didn’t listen to very much music. I decided it was time to unplug, forget about the internet and the daily grind for awhile, enjoy the world and soak in some Scandinavia. I caught up on books and sleep and museums. And yes, I’ll admit that music is part of that daily “grind”, despite how much I love it. Scouring blogs and music sites and listening constantly are activities I pursue freely and by extension not things I feel compelled to complain about. However, I do feel the need to ignore once in awhile. Brains need a break, from whatever it is that occupies them.
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But, of course, I wasn’t able to completely ignore my digital music player. With two 10-hour plane rides, a few multi-hour train rides, and hotel rooms with no music source to speak of, 100% abstinence would’ve been foolish, if not downright inconceivable. Without question, the source I immediately went to in an indulgent moment of weakness was Surf Noir, a two-month old EP from local electro-jammers Beat Connection. The duo is Jordan Koplowitz and Reed Juenger, a couple of UW students who’ve crafted one of the better electronic releases this year, hands down. You’ve probably heard “In The Water”, “Sunburn” or “Silver Screen” on KEXP, if you’re into the radio thing. If you enjoyed Seek Magic from Memory Tapes, Settings from Tanlines or In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy, chances are high that you will dig on Surf Noir as well.
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Consider “In The Water”, an ebullient dance cut that shimmers and shimmies with crystalline guitar stabs, a chopped up reggaeton beat, bleached vocals and an 8-bit bass line. A flock of seagulls welcomes you to its beachy scene, and a solar-powered synth explosion bridges the gap. I am seriously addicted. Also consider “Theme From Yours Truly” a sultry South Beach neu-disco techno tune. The first half is woozy and anticipatory, the second half is high-wattage sex-rave. That escalation at 2:27 is a thing of beauty, the beat tantalizing until it’s upon you, a pure connection. DAMN, a shadow repeats. SO CRAZY, a sexy voice echoes. It might remind me slightly of J Lo’s “Waiting For Tonight”—I’M SAYING THAT’S A GOOD THING. Beat Connection’s composition, of course, has a depth and complexity that that song lacks (in addition to the stunted singing career of una diva latina). The remainder of the tracks are worth checking out as well, especially “Sunburn” and “Silver Screen”.
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Thanks to the band (and Bandcamp), you can download the whole EP for zero dollars. I’ve embedded the player below, so you can sample it first. I can’t recommend this enough.
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Beat Connection plays at the Vera Project with Magic Kids and Candy Claws Thursday, September 9th.
Titans of Industry EP
I gotta give some props to Seattle band Titans of Industry (aka Titans’ve Industry) I just checked out their latest EP, LMNO EP, and Im really digging it. They have this sound that is a perfect mesh of catchy and sophisticated.
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The EP starts out with the attention grabbing These Cold Hands, with the piano keys making you want to move. On the third track, Millionaire Station, emerges a beautifully orchestrated composition that I did not see coming, completely catching me off guard on the slow intro moving into the harmonized crooning “Fuuuuck you baaaaaby.” Which, I gotta say, was a quite enjoyable.
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So I checked into the situation, formerly called Miniature, this is the Titans of Industry third EP. And a strong EP it is. Things that I really enjoyed about it was the mixture of style. There was only four songs to enjoy on this EP and each one of them had their own flavor going, and yet I would say that each one was catchy and sophisticated. This leads me to believe that the Titans of Industry have carefully crafted their style over the past few years and have emerged with their sound, heavy on the keys, with a little pop in the step. Its good mood music for sure. Check out These Cold Hands from the EP below. Then you can roll over to Mars Bar in Eastlake on Thursday, Aug 19 to catch the Titans of Industry in action.
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These Cold Hands
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Autolux New Album Out August 3rd
LA based Autolux second album, Transit Transit, comes out Tuesday on TBD Records. And for those of you who have been waiting patiently since 2004, when their first album, Future Perfect, came out don’t worry, the wait was worth it. Like a fine wine, this bands fermentation did not change their over-all style and sound, however, it did mature it. (Yea, you like that analogy) The stand out aspects of the band’s sound from Future Perfect to Transit Transit is really the progression of the manipulation of sounds. Its bolder and has more of a dynamic sound that sets Autolux apart from the other shoegazing bands that are usually listed amongst their genre peers.
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Transit Transit has a real dreamy quality about it. I would put this album on in the background for some nice ambiance or I would listen to it in the foreground when I was looking to be in a certain mood. I appreciate the simplicity of the three member line-up but each having their own standout ability. You can hear each instruments progression separately, yet in the collective and it works so well together like perfect harmony. I got so much from each song, I wanted to draw comparisons from all across the board. My favorite was, of course, the well known Audience No. 2, in which I felt a kindling to Sunny Day Real Estate. Another stand-out track is the opener Transit Transit. It is a perfect opener for this album, it sort of guides the listener slowly into what the album has to offer. I’m not sure how this band pieced together this album, but I would assume that this was a strategic placement, and perfectly done.
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Check out the album on Tuesday. I highly recommend it. Then you will be ready to see Autolux live at Neumos on the 14th. They have a full tour ahead of them so I am thinking this will be a great show.
