#dj shadow sampled a song from this... magic

[dialoogid]

Jeremy's Secret - The Key to Jeremy's Secret (1983)

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Vague Plot

Vague Plot is made up of New York City avant-indie regulars, veterans of other bands, who got together to make driving, moving, long-form instrumental music a la Can and Popul Vuh during the pandemic: Zachary Cale, Uriah Theriault, Phil Jacob, Ben and John Studer. Of their debut Crying in 9 from earlier this year, Jennifer Kelly wrote, “Vague Plot’s jams shimmer like highways melting in the heat, running straight on through Kansas or Nebraska until they disappear in the undecipherable distance. Which is to say, they go on for a while, repeating the same short grooves ad infinitum, with modest changes, until the measures blow by like mile markers and the journey transcends itself.” All five members contributed picks to this wide-ranging listed.

Phil Jacob (sax/keys)

King Tubby meets Lee Perry — Megawatt Dub, 1997

In my late teens I started getting into dub, particularly King Tubby and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. It’s tough picking one album, but this is the compilation I keep coming back to over the years. My favorite Tubby track, “Termination Dub,” isn’t here, but the giddy feeling I get from “Come By Yah” and “Perfidia” has no equal. And these are some of my favorite Lee Perry selections as well, particularly “Rainy Night” and “Open the Gate”. There’s an attention to melody here that often gets lost on dub remixes, even while these two are digging deep and pulling everything apart. Every delay drop seems to happen exactly when I want it to, leaping out of the speakers. A lot of the genre classics make me feel locked to the couch in a smoky haze, but this collection pulls me into a dance of dub ecstasy.

Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band — Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller), 1978

Possibly the best music education I ever received was playing in a Beefheart tribute band. The emphasis on polyrhythms as arranged by Don Van Vliet and John French on Trout Mask Replica made me feel music in an entirely new way; that it’s best if things don’t always line up at the beginning or end of a bar, a tension I enjoy searching for. TMR does it so often and with such ferocity that it grows exhausting over the length of the 79-minute album. On the other hand, Shiny Beast manages to incorporate some of those ideas into layers and layers of infectious hooks. From the driving bass line of “Floppy Boot Stomp” to the loping funk of “Tropical Hot Dog” to the stately guitar lines of “Owed T’Alex” to the existential spoken-word closer “Apes-Ma”, every track perfectly highlights a different aspect of what makes Beefheart so unique to my ears.

John Studer (drums)

Slint — Untitled EP, 1994

When I first heard the song “Glenn,” it changed the physicality of my body. Britt Walford has an impressive skill to subtly shift around beats so they gently roll and slide over themselves. It’s as if he’s repeating the same line of poetry but with different punctuation to give it fresh meaning each time.

DJ Shadow — Endtroducing, 1996

The surprisingly refreshing choices around arrangements and samples on this album highlight their unexpected connections. Repetitive, hypnotic rhythms combine with soothing layers of instrumentation and allow every special moment to shine appropriately. Endtroducing then delicately transcends these distant connections to create an entirely new space.

Zachary Cale (guitar)

Sonic Youth — SYR 1: Anagrama, 1997

The music on SYR 1 consists of four instrumentals. The first song “Anagrama” has a beautiful winding arc to it. Over the span of nine minutes, you can hear the band searching and expanding. When I first heard it in 1997, it broadened my sense of not only what guitars could do but also the importance of listening when playing within a group. There's structure but it's extremely loose, there's playfulness but not without restraint. That's a big part of what Vague Plot is about. One thing about Sonic Youth I've always appreciated is that even though they “jam,” they never get trapped into a traditional blues or one-chord vamp freak out. It's modal. Sometimes that can lead to dissonance, but that dissonance has always rubbed against something highly melodic.

CAN — Ege Bamyasi, 1972

I once had a summer job painting dorm rooms at the college I went to. One day I found a discarded CD with no jewel case or artwork. It was Ege Bamyasi. I took it home and put it on not knowing anything about the band. I was completely taken off guard upon hearing it. I could not place it into any known quantity. The inscrutable lyrics, the infectious rhythms and the mystery and sonics of it all; it cracked my brain wide open. To me CAN’s mission was always to find the pulse, vibrate with it and then ultimately dance around it. Vague Plot uses some of that same framework in our music. A singular idea to keep extrapolating on. Now that I know more about music history I can hear Fela Kuti, Stockhausen, disparate folk music as well as 1960s psychedelic rock all mixed up in this record. CAN has always seemed genreless to me in their fearless exploration of style. That’s something we as a band all aspire to. All gates open.

Ben “Baby” Copperhead (bass)

The Staple Singers & Curtis Mayfield — Let’s Do It Again, 1975

Let’s Do It Again is a soundtrack album composed by Curtis Mayfield and performed by The Staple Singers. A few years ago, I had the honor of performing a benefit concert for Little Kids Rock. I was playing guitar in the backing band and one of the singers was Hozier who wanted to do the title track “Let’s Do It Again”. Mavis Staples was also on the bill. It was an unforgettable evening. After the concert, I bought this record on vinyl and it’s been on heavy rotation ever since. The string arrangements are absolutely magical. The whole album is a beautifully recorded masterpiece with Curtis Mayfield and his stellar band backing up The Staple Singers. What more can you ask for?

Ornette Coleman — Change of the Century, 1960

Change of the Century was the first Ornette Coleman album I bought when I was in college. I was interested in the world of “free jazz” and Ornette and his band were the pioneers. Surprisingly, all of it is incredibly melodic with bebop-style phrasing, which I wasn’t expecting at the time. All the musicians have incredible ears to be able to pull this off. Ornette Coleman used the harmolodic system which allowed contrapuntal movement during the solos to avoid a key center. Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins were masters at this and could make any soloist sound great by deep listening, feel and support.

Uriah Theriault (guitar)

Dirty Three — Ocean Songs, 1998

My first exposure to Mick Turner came through this album, which introduced me to a broader range of guitar styles than the folk music I had been listening to. Unlike Fahey’s intricate picking patterns, Mick Turner’s guitar work resonated as lyrical phrases more than prose. Often open and spare, other times stormy and erratic, his guitar created atmosphere and conveyed emotion without relying on virtuosic solos. He and drummer Jim White crafted moody mise-en-scenes for Warren Ellis's main character, and l found myself drawn to the visual storytelling more than the narrative itself. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to see Mick perform in various forms, but the tour for this album stands out due to a specific memory. During a live performance of “Authentic Celestial Music,” my then-girlfriend passed out right in front of the stage. A stranger and I caught her and moved her to the side. When she came to, her only remark was, “Great song.”

Popol Vuh — Hosianna Mantra, 1972

I was familiar with Popol Vuh only as Herzog’s house band until I heard this album, and it cut immediately. I listened religiously to this enigmatic album over the span of a few years, whenever I took a shower so that my attention was undivided. Defying easy categorization, the collection spans classical, ambient, and krautrock. The title track was haunting, calling back to the only music I knew growing up, Catholic hymns. The guitars, oboe, and harpsichord weave sinewy webs of harmony — more chamber music than rock bravado, more conversation than monologue. The ecclesiastical tenor of the Hosianna Mantra (Hosianna, or "please save") sits uncomfortably amongst its dancy krautrock contemporaries, but the slow-burn nature of this album is anything but stiff. If deep attention is akin to prayer, as suggested by Simone Weil, then to me, this album is a dozen rosaries — penance not required.

[concerthopperblog]

Soul Coughing Play the Songs of Soul Coughing Again: Live at The Eastern

Soul Coughing is an alternative rock/electronic band from New York City that has been active during the timeframes: 1992-2000, 2024-present.  Soul Coughing is comprised of Mike Doughty (vocals/guitars), Yuval Gabay (drums), Mark Degli Antoni (keyboards/sampler), and Sebastian Steinberg (bass). Soul Coughing has released three (3) LPs, six (6) singles, one (1) compilation, and six (6) live albums. I remember the first time I heard Soul Coughing; the song was “Blue Eyed Devil” off their debut album Ruby Vroom (released September 27, 1994). A friend had turned me on to them because he knew I was a fan of some eclectic musical genres. Soul Coughing’s debut album, Ruby Vroom, was ahead of its time in my opinion. Artists like DJ Shadow, Massive Attack, and Portishead were already incorporating unique samples and jazz influences with some world music thrown in for good measure. Add some inventive lyrics delivered by the tender yet grainy vocals of one Mike Doughty. And lest we forget the incredible mix of jazz, hip-hop, and drum and bass beats by multi-talented drummer and producer Yuval Gabay. This is Soul Coughing. I was fortunate to see Soul Coughing perform live in 1996 at the now-defunct venue Cotton Club in Atlanta, Georgia. And a few years later in 1998 at the Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.  

Soul Coughing took a pause in 2000, only to reunite nearly 25 years later to the delight of fans across the globe. Let me tell you that this was a shock to most fans of the band since the breakup was deemed to be unreconcilable based on the agonizing details in Mike Doughty’s autobiography, “The Book of Drugs”. So fast forward to 2024, Soul Coughing had a mostly sold-out tour in September and October 2024 and even made a live television appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform “Super Bon Bon”. Unfortunately, this tour did not come close to the Georgia area. But on December 10th, 2024, Soul Coughing announced Soul Coughing Play the Songs of Soul Coughing Again Tour during April 2025 that would come to The Eastern in Atlanta on April 12th.

For the first time, Soul Coughing took the stage at The Eastern in Atlanta, Georgia. It was their first time back in Atlanta since their last tour date on August 5th, 1999, at Heaven @ The Masquerade (R.I.P. to the original location). A fun fact about Soul Coughing tour dates that took place in the city of Atlanta, is that the band performed at my Alma mater Georgia State University on November 14th, 1994, which incidentally, was their first time performing in Atlanta. This show at Georgia State University featured songs off their debut album, Ruby Vroom, like “Bus to Beelzebub”, “White Girl”, “Is Chicago, Is not Chicago”, and “Sugar Free Jazz”. Fast forward to tonight’s show, I had high hopes to hear Soul Coughing perform a few of the songs previously mentioned live tonight at The Eastern on their Soul Coughing Play the Songs of Soul Coughing Again Tour.

Since this evening had no opening support, I felt confident that Soul Coughing would perform numerous hits from their albums Ruby Vroom, Irresistible Bliss, and El Oso. Starting the night, Soul Coughing performed “Sugar Free Jazz” from their debut album and, one of the songs I was hoping to hear performed. And then went right into another crowd-pleaser, “Blue Eyed Devil” from the same album. I could tell from the crowd of fans who were rail riding during the first three songs they were ecstatic and on cloud nine during this performance. With a nearly sold-out crowd, it made me wonder how many of the attendees had the chance to see Soul Coughing during their first tenure as a band. And how many of the attendees were getting to see Soul Coughing for the very first time? Either way, this evening was magical for both camps of fans. Witnessing Mike Doughty smile between songs and seeing how well the band engaged with each other as they performed sent chills down my spine.

The first half of this set also included some of my favorite songs off Irresistible Bliss like “Soft Serve”, “White Girl”, “Soundtrack to Mary” and “The Idiot Kings”. But once Sebastian Steinberg plucked the bass lines from “True Dreams of Wichita” and Doughty sang “Signal got lost to the satellite/Got lost in the/Rideup to the/Plungedown”, the crowd let out some cheers knowing what was coming. Unbeknownst to everyone attending, the next few songs on the set list would get the crowd moving and grooving across the venue. Hearing “St. Louise is Listening” and “Down to This” back-to-back was quite exhilarating. For some of us, this night was a religious experience getting the opportunity to jam out to Soul Coughing songs that we either grew up listening to or for those of us who may have just heard of these songs since their breakup post 1999.

Right before the “last song” of the night, “Screenwriter’s Blues”, Doughty explained to the crowd their intention to bow out after the end of this song, but only to come back out on stage after the crowd lets them know that they want more. And of course, Soul Coughing was gracious enough to come back to perform not one, but two songs for their encore performance. Taking a song from their first two releases, “Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago” and “Super Bon Bon”, both songs, in my opinion, encapsulate the intricate, yet delicate sound that has made Soul Coughing famous. After all the past heartache and pain that the band endured, seeing Soul Coughing on stage now performing their songs for a nearly sold-out crowd at The Eastern proved that in the end eventually friendship and love wins out.

Check out this unbelievable career-spanning setlist from The Eastern (04/12/2025) below:

·         “Sugar Free Jazz”

·         “Blue Eyed Devil”

·         “I Miss the Girl”

·         “Soft Serve”

·         “White Girl”

·         “Soundtrack to Mary”

·         “Bus to Beelzebub”

·         “Misinformed”

·         “The Idiot Kings”

·         “True Dreams of Wichita”

·         “Mr. Bitterness”

·         “St. Louise Is Listening”

·         “Down to This”

·         “Collapse”

·         “Moon Sammy”

·         “Casiotone Nation”

·         “Disseminated”

·         “Circles”

·         “Screenwriter’s Blues”

Encore

·         “Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago”

·         “Super Bon Bon”

 There are still some dates left on Soul Coughing Play the Songs of Soul Coughing Again during the following dates below. Make sure to check out the VIP upgrades at each selected tour date:

 Apr 18, 2025

Longhorn Ballroom

Dallas, TX

VIP

Tickets

 Apr 19, 2025

ACL Live at The Moody Theater

Austin, TX

VIP

Tickets

 Apr 22, 2025

The Majestic Theatre

Detroit, MI

VIP

Tickets

 Apr 23, 2025

House of Blues Cleveland

Cleveland, OH

VIP

Tickets

 Apr 24, 2025

HISTORY

Toronto, ON

VIP

Tickets

 Apr 25, 2025

Water Street Music Hall

Rochester, NY

VIP

Tickets

 Apr 26, 2025

The Capitol Theatre

Port Chester, NY

VIP

Tickets

 You can support Soul Coughing by browsing their official online store and maybe preorder Soul Coughing Live 2024, their brand new live 21-track double LP estimated to ship sometime this month (April 2025).

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as 25 Years of Noise: Silverstein Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Big Show Tour: They Might Be Giants Live at The Eastern, Lore 10th Anniversary 2025: Elder Live at The Earl, Killswitch Engage Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Savage Imperial Death March Part II: Napalm Death & Melvins – Live @ The Masquerade (Atlanta), AmericanaFest 2025, Soul Coughing Play the Songs of Soul Coughing Again Tour – Live @ The Eastern (Atlanta), Meshuggah w/ Cannibal Corpse & Carcass – Live at Coca-Cola Roxy (Atlanta), LCD Soundsystem Tour 2025: Live @ Coca-Cola Roxy, Asking Alexandria Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Squirrely Years: Ministry w/ Nitzer Ebb & Die Krupps Live at Coca-Cola Roxy, Dinosaur Jr. + Snail Mail Live at Tabernacle, It’s A Nice Day To… Tour Again!: Billy Idol & Joan Jett and The Blackhearts Live @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre (Tampa), The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour: Disturbed Live at KeyBank Center (Buffalo), KROCK Presents: Papa Roach & Rise Against: Rise of the Roach Tour – Live @ Empower Stadium (Syracuse), The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour 2025: Trivium & Bullet for My Valentine Live @ Coca-Cola Roxy (Atlanta), The Double Life Tour: Our Last Night Live at Town Ballroom, Yonder Mountain String Band, Daniel Donato, & Railroad Earth Live at Tabernacle, and My Morning Jacket “is” On Tour: Live at The Fox Theatre by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[iamdotwav88]

The Legend, the Assassin and the creative visionary who helped change my perspective on life…

It was winter of 2022 and I was laying on my sofa, listening to 90’s hip-hop and other underground tunes, when I came across a Kool G Rap song titled “Real Life”. The song was incredibly catchy, sexy and reminded me of a summer night cruising through the city while looking at the skyline and smoking some good herb. New York hip-hop has been my top selection ever since I can remember when I first developed a love for underground rap and hip-hop. I’d put Nas, Kool G Rap, Wu Tang Clan, MF Doom, Mobb Deep among other artists on shuffle but lately, I’ve sparked curiosity for artists from the West Coast and the South- so that definitely enabled me to expand my horizons musically. I had OutKast and UGK incorporated into a random hip-hop playlist I compiled together, then PUTS, The Pharcyde, and Dilated Peoples were added along with other artists- Alchemist making an appearance and the playlist began to expand. I immediately delved into the song “Real Life” and decided to watch the music video and research who produced that song. I discovered two men in the video who looked very familiar to me and it began to click, Cypress Hill was in that music video with Kool G Rap and I looked up the group members of Cypress Hill soon after, seeing that the same producer of Real Life was a man named DJ Muggs. Sure this was a recent discovery for me but it was magical. There he was - he piqued my interest not only physically, but as soon as I kept on listening to more of Cypress Hill, I discovered that he produced a plethora of songs over the course of 30 + years and eventually, I became enamored by his music and persona. He created an entire musical Collective called Soul Assassins well outside of just his Cypress Hill fame. He has worked with artists from many different genres of music over the decades and has even scored music for several films. Incredible. He even acted in a Soul Assassins movie that is being released soon. I have never seen any other music producer really go beyond their own limits like Muggs. Coincidently, DJ Muggs is originally from Queens, exactly where Kool G is from so he decided to incorporate New York sound into some of his productions while switching back to Latino-influenced hip-hop fused with dark, hazy beats that he sampled from other genres that essentially was Cypress Hill’s identity. I noticed that Muggs has been currently working with another Queens-based rapper, Meyhem Lauren, who slightly reminds me of a cross between Biggy and Kool G Rap. It’s refreshing to see this creative dude tap back into his NY roots.

I would get lost in some of his songs. His music touched me so significantly in unique ways that nobody’s music has ever had the same effect on me- not even some of the DJ’s I grew up listening to, such as DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Herbie Hancock and more. I began to watch his interviews and listen to more of his music. A few songs in particular, including General Principles featuring Wu Tang’s talented GZA the Genius, was on repeat and got me through some incredibly melancholy, dark and fucked up thoughts that made me reevaluate where I wanted to go with my life. Where I’ve been, isn’t it. Call it an outlet, it doesn’t matter. It helped me not want to throw myself out of a window. My apologies for anybody that is triggered seeing this, but I have to be sincere. I’m over those thoughts now, please rest assure.

Going back to the topic of Wu Tang Clan, seeing the game of chess incorporated into hiphop music especially how much of it is spoken about in Wu’s lyrics, was so refreshing to see. Reminded me of my childhood when I used to play chess, but I wasn’t any good. I even began to appreciate Cypress Hill more and discovered that B Real is also a chess player. I can honestly say that Cypress Hill is one of my all time favorite music groups aside from Muggs’ production. I love B Real and Sen Dog’s chemistry and lyrical flow. I like Eric Bobo’s drumming style. Where have I been all these years? Speaking of years, S/O to all of the other artists you’ve worked with throughout the years.

There is something about you that just draws me in. But I feel dejected that my efforts have lead me to nowhere. What entices me the most about you, is that raw energy that you bring to the table, your unapologetic and brash nature yet how subtle and humble you are. You always remain somewhat of a mystery to your audience and I can’t help but feel excited to listen to one of your songs.  You’re so versatile that you can work with any music genre besides hip-hop. You don’t necessarily like to conform but try to stick to maybe more of that and not really focusing on what your male listeners care about - half nude women in music videos. You’re much better than that with extraordinary talents in music and the visions you have. Who can forget your “Muggstep” phase back in 2011-2013? So incredibly cute. Trust me when I say, that’s the side of you that arouses me. You intimidated me but in a way, if I spent enough time with you, I’d feel comfortable around you. Your dark complexion, aqua colored eyes, rugged and distinctive features are only a small portion of what’s attractive about you. The way you spin around 180 degrees on the turntables, just like you did during the DMC competition during your youth, nothing changed and I love that about you. You’re full of life. You even hold up gang signs like it’s a fashion statement and look mellow yet assertive doing so — the confidence you exude, the way you effortlessly put together melodies in such a harmonious way. You even did backup rapping for Cypress Hill back in the day, I remember that. There is nothing you cannot do musically even if you took up a new instrument. Your talents are unparalleled. Your rebellious nature is unwavering.

Aside from your music, even though I don’t know you on a personal level, I tried to achieve that and failed because I was anxious and scared shitless. I don’t know if you realize that. I only know what I have seen on the surface level but I'm mostly a blank canvas to you. I think you may be genuine and you actually are loyal and care about your fan base. You have probably had an overwhelming amount of fans and groupies try to win your over attention but my goal hasn’t even been that. I care more about your life, upbringing and what made you continue being passionate about music. Your wealth, popularity and fame hasn’t been important to me. It’s just you as a person, but I don’t want to get into semantics and I’ll just leave it at that for now.

Either way, I would apologize because you didn’t do anything wrong - that was my bad. If I could take it back, I would. You’re someone who I value even if we don’t personally know one another. It’s not as though I can easily communicate with you, it’s not really feasible thus I’m going to try to once again— leave it alone for now. It’s too fresh. If you happen to see this, I hope you know that you are unique, you are a visionary, you are creative and you are someone I would probably never get bored speaking with. Unfortunately, my anxiety and nerves interfered and you did not see the positive sides of me when we did briefly meet. I hope that I’m not overstepping anything but if I could get another chance to see you and maybe speak to you, I’d do it in a heartbeat, under different circumstances that is. Thanks for making incredible beats and being generous to your fans. Thanks for pushing weed legalization and getting on the SNL stage 30 years ago, lighting that joint and not giving a damn. You made a statement. You’re bold, never afraid to push the envelope, are hardworking and unlike any music maker out there.

For any haters who don’t support you, they have poor taste and fail to understand you. You think I may one of those people but I wouldn’t be writing this entry in my blog if that was the case. I’ve always supported you until I became bitter and upset. So I want to try and know you better, not just on the surface level. I haven’t taken any of this lightly and I broke down because sometimes, I don’t know what I’m even doing truthfully and it’s an unsettling feeling. To meet someone important to me and have it backfire, was not my intention. My life isn’t at all where I want it to be but I won’t get further into that now. What I can say, is that you’ve indirectly inspired me to write more about music, create content and do different things that I never envisioned myself doing. I’m becoming more fearless now, am starting to take better care of myself mentally and physically and am finding ways to get out of my comfort zone. I’ve learned how to stand my ground and no longer put up with anybody’s shit thanks to you. I wish I could forget all of this and move on, but I don’t think I’ll be able to. In the interim, I don’t have much of a choice. I have to handle a lot of important matters but you’re definitely still on my mind. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t pursue your music or your life story sooner but you’ve indirectly done a lot for me through your music.

Our families are both European immigrants. We’re 20 years apart. Dali is one of my favorite artists and I was the Dali museum in Florida. Fell in love. There are many layers I want to peel away if you allow me to.

I’m giving credit where credit it due. Never forget how rare you are. You will influence so many other artists for years to come, however, nobody will be able to replicate you. It’s just a generational thing. The way you grew up listening to your uncle’s classic rock records and the street environment you grew up in — helped shape your music style. It’s simply engrained in you. So in general terms, someone either has it or they don’t. You were simply born to make music.

Take care of yourself. You have my respect.

Good times | Bad times

Till later.

-z xx

2000

1997

2021

2022

1987 -1988

1991

2005

1997

2009

1999 or 2000?

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 335: A Vision of Panorama

When I think of the modern balearic sound, one of the first things that comes to mind is Mikhail Khvasko’s A Vision of Panorama. Across a handful of 12”s, EPs, and LPs on Aficionado Recordings, Music for Dreams, Mellophonia (run by the artist himself), and Chit Chat Records, Mikhail has perfected a soundworld as evocative as his project’s name…a fantasy space evoking lagoons shrouded in rainbow mist, palm jungles overflowing with colorful flowers, caverns carved from ocean cliffs of ruby and emerald, schools of tropical fish dashing through forests of seaweed, speedboat cruises across sparkling expanses of blue, and open-roofed cabanas next to white sand beaches, where dancers move in ecstasy with hands raised towards the stars. Though I’ve featured many of Mikhail’s tracks across this blog, this is the first time I am getting to write about his music in detail, and it couldn’t come at a better moment, for Sentimental Coast sees A Vision of Panorama working with Cala Tarida Musica, a newly established label run by Adam Warped, DJ Nova, and DiBo, three generous souls and trusty sources of new music who have done much to spread the balearic spirit around the world. And for their debut vinyl release, they’ve set Mikhail free to explore his singular world of seaside fantasy, wherein basslines awash in acidic future funk and rhythms touching on boogie, electro, disco, and b-boy breakbeat sit beneath subsuming vistas of new age and jazz fusion majesty, as keyboards constructed from coral crystal and glowing ocean glass solo joyously amidst mermaid choirs and pads that move like a sea of starlight.

A Vision of Panorama - Sentimental Coast (Cala Tarida Musica, 2020) Aquamarine wavefronts waver at the outset of “Atlantic Dawn” while flowing walls of sound are layered with pixie dust. Pressurized drums generate a balearic bounce, with rounded kicks pounding, hypno-clap patterns pushing the body into a sunrise sway, and virtual flutes scatting in celebration. Cracking claps barrel us down further into a disco boogie paradise, with house chords quivering in orgasm and zany slapbass lines slithering into a funk fusion fever dream. Angel breaths carry satellite tracers into the mix and at some point, we erupt into a mesmerizing Rhodes solo, wherein crazed cluster leads alternate with crystalline jazz runs. The rhythms are hyperactive and sometimes push towards amphetamine mania, but the seaside keyboard layers and textures of new age wonderment smooth out the boogie jam intensities. As fusion solo pyrotechnics continue to rain down, synthesizers made from melted glass solo alongside the pianos and pan-pipe pads sing like seabirds while prismatic electronics refract rays of sunlight into smears of feedback. Mikhail revels in heady start/stops and sometimes, every instrument seems to lock in for syncopated fusion descents. And during a beatless outro, brass pads flutter hesitantly, silvery startrails chime across the stereo field, and tide pools overflowing with gemstones sparkle in the light of the titular dawn. Next comes “Mediterranean Tribal” and an intro of tremolo Rhodes romantics and noir synthesizers singing tender songs to the sea. A downbeat break delivers boom bappin’ balearic perfection, with dusty jazz snares cutting up the air and bit-crushed hi-hats smearing into a sunbaked machine hiss. Arpeggiated bubble clouds and feedback tracers arc across the mix until the groove settles down, with the breakbeats cracking beneath sunset atmospherics sourced from floaty tremolo pulsations and dreamy jazz chords. At the track’s center, bleary-eyed leads snake through mystical motions and mediterranean fusion dances, with the filtering and resonance tuned towards shadow. And though layers of oceanic blur obscure the details of Mikhail’s nimble keyboard dances, laser-light leads and space-age spirals occasionally shine through the darkness.

"Sentimental Coast” features pianos like submarine sonars, with agitated note clusters and radiant runs flowing through a new age paradise. Laser oscillations move across the mix, oceanic pads float the soul, and sometimes, the track mysteriously pauses before rushing back into a kosmische wonderland. Ceremonial bass pulses support siren serenades while crickets chirps and Floyd-ian organs swell and eventually, we drop into a stuttering boogie break, with sampled drum hits splayed across the spectrum and hi-hats hissing nervously. Much of the rest of the track proceeds undeterred…the swelling synthscapes and cosmic energy tracers continuing to waver and glide...though the pianos now work through shades of mystic jazz and twilight blues. Elsewhere, orchestral strokes and siren strings reach out into physical space while subdued chord progressions stoke dreamtime body hypnosis. And at some point, the track reduces to smashed drums, insectoid space fx, and a beguiling keyboard performance cutting the difference between new age and free jazz. “Vibechos” begins with fractalized keyboards moving through mad-scientist delays, blurred brass chords opening into solar flares, and a sense of swaying anticipation that eventually releases into a panorama of stick clicks and tom-tom brush strokes. Shakers and idiophonic sunshowers add a narcotic jazz energy until suddenly, one of the best boogie beats of recent memory explodes onto the scene, resulting in the kind of fat-bottomed and future-soaked electrogroove magic you hear coming from Napoli’s West Hill. The whipcrack bass squelches move with a sexualized funk energy, Leslie organs swirl, and vocal pads mimic a sad blues revery sung by mystical sea spirits while elsewhere, chord patterns transmute into a wind of glass while blazing piano leads spiral into earworm fusion hooks and multi-layered waterfalls. Synthesized woodwinds are rendered in soft-focus and a sketchy scratch effect pushes the boogie-soaked electro rhythms towards dancefloor overdrive…the energy anxious while always staying locked in, especially as gemstone riffs descend from the sky to drop funkadelic licks and tropical disco scats.

(images from my personal copy)

[selfcallednowhere]

March 6, 2018, Eugene, OR

Pictures

This was my first time going to a show at this venue, which is to be expected since it was my first time being in Eugene at all. It was all right--smallish, which can be nice.

The initial banter when they first came on stage was also about the venue. Flans said that because they've been touring for 30+ years he always has trepidation when saying they've never played somewhere before, but he was pretty sure they'd never played here before. He said they had played in Eugene before, but the last time they did they were touring in an Econoline van. He said they did a college show and were "doing eightballs of cocaine and heroin."

They once again opened with "Pencil Rain," followed by "I Palindrome I," both of which were cool to see again. Then John picked up the contra-alto clarinet, and Flans said they wanted to remind people that the show was going to be featuring it. John: "'Remind' is a strong word. Notify." Then Flans informed us that it was not the contra-alto clarinet that could be seen on signs put up by the local high school saying one was missing.

JF: We don't even know that custodian! JL: I did take one of the pull-tabs with the phone number to say that I don't know where it went.

Then Flans said the thing again about how they'd be playing two sets, and we should treat them like an opener and hold our applause till the second set. "Talk to your friends about how we're like They Might Be Giants but not as good."

Then he said the thing he also keeps saying that makes me so sad about how they'd be playing new songs and we should just pretend we like them. Then he said Joe Franklin had told them "It's all about sincerity, and if you can fake that, you can do anything." Then they played "All Time What" and then "Damn Good Times" (both fantastic as per usual).

Then they were starting to play "James K. Polk," and John was talking during the intro. He said that on the album he mispronounced the name of this state. "But I'm here to make amends. That's why we're here." He pronounced it correctly as he sang (like he normally does, so it was only notable because of him calling attention to it) and people cheered. Afterwards Flans said, "Well played. They were buying it." John said again that he said it wrong on the album, and then said it the incorrect way, and people booed. "Yes, let's let the dirty laundry air." Flans said that when people ask them how to get to Houston St. (pronouncing it like the name of my hometown and not the name of the street in Manhattan) they just tell them where it is, and John said they give them directions to Texas. Then Flans said that's a New York joke that doesn't really work here.

Flans asked John how his day was, and he said he went to a coffee shop that he couldn't remember the name of. Flans said he went to a bagel shop where the wifi password was "bagelbagelbagel," and John said he would've guessed only two "bagel"s. Then Flans said he'd tried to go to some shoe store called Shoeaholic but he got there just as they were closing, and that he'd wanted to beg them to let him in by telling them "I've hit my rock bottom." John: "I think you've bought enough shoes, John Flansburgh."

Then Flans said they were about to play two songs from their new album, and that before the show they'd been "doing shots of truth serum" and so he could tell us that it's "so much better than it has to be." Then he said this is their 20th album, and when they were making their 18th they'd looked at the list of other bands' 18th albums on Wikipedia and found a surprising number of good ones, but he thinks this one stand alone as the only quality 20th album.

The two new songs they played were "Mrs. Bluebeard" and "I Left My Body," both of which were great (I suppose at this point I don't even need to note the fact that John did mess up the lyrics on the former though).

After "Your Racist Friend," Flans said that he wants to "dedicate my performance to the people standing directly next to my amp. I have a lot of dreams, and one of my dreams is to never have to stand directly next to my amp. I don't want to leave a permanent memory on your left ear. And I noticed you were having a conversation, which seems impossible. I'm making a dedication to long-term hearing loss."

Then Flans was introducing Curt, who was standing at the back of the stage. John said it makes him feel self-conscious when people are standing behind him, cos it feels like they're looking at his hands as he plays his keyboard. "Am I folding my thumb under the right way? Is my total ignorance of technique that obvious? The answer is yes." (Awwwww John, I'm sure you're fine darling!)

Next they played "Turn Around," YES YES YES. There was some quality JL spazziness adding to the usual amazingness of the song.

Next they did "Spy." During the part where they were just playing the song normally (before the improv section I mean) John kept lifting one arm up into the air after he played something--I'm not really sure why, but it was cool. He played the "Here Comes Santa Claus" sample during the improv part when he was conducting again.

Afterwards, Flans was complimenting how well we did the part of the song where he directed us to cheer. "That was nimble. Sometimes it's like directing a dinosaur in hospice. That was delicious."

Flans introduced "When the Lights Come On" by saying it's "relentless," which is a good description. He also reminded us that "Dan Miller's fingers never leave his hands." The song was rockin' and terrific as usual.

Afterwards, people were smoking pot (annoying me as it always does, not because I have any problem with pot in itself but I just hate the smell). Flans: "The pot smell begins. And once the pot smell begins it will never end." He said it smelled like cheap pot, and "this is the HiFi. There are standards." Then he told that one story that's immortalized in the one TMBG Unlimited recording, about how there was a time when they kept smelling cheap pot at their shows but then one member of their crew left and they suddenly stopped smelling it.

Then he said that it reminded him of the next song, and he wanted John to introduce it. He asked John something about making a Laugh-In reference and John said he didn't want to. Then he said that they're older than the rest of the band and they've gotten into fights with them about whether Laugh-In was funny, and that it's like being a parent and defending something you don't really believe. Flans said that it was like saying George W. Bush wasn't really that bad, and that he was, it was just easy to forget, like a scar on your hand is easy to forget. Then John said that he did remember the Laugh-In reference he was supposed to make. Flans: "Jesus christ! Show business professional!" John said he was just confused from all the pot smoke, and he was struggling to find oxygen molecules. Then he said the next song was from a TV show that was on before Laugh-In. The song was "The Mesopotamians" (as expected, since I'd seen him do this joke before).

Before they played "This Microphone," Flans was talking about the percussion thing Marty plays during it that looks like an orange. He said that it was a real orange, and Marty had lanced it with a drumstick and replaced the pulp with magic beads.

Afterwards Flans said that for being a sold-out show in a small venue it was surprisingly comfortable, and that usually at this point in such a show they were puddles on the floor begging for the A/C. John said some people want to see that, and Flans said they were trying to change their reputation of just being puddles.

They once again closed out the first set with "Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had a Deal" into "Birdhouse in Your Soul." TOO MUCH ROCKIN'. I CAN'T HANDLE IT. No seriously it is an amazing way for them to end the set, but I'm not kidding about all the excited boppin' around and really really enthusiastic singing along I can't stop myself from doing on both those songs having an intense physical effect on me. I guess I should just be grateful I then got the whole between-sets break to recover.

So then after the break they came back for the Quiet Storm, opening with the contra-alto version of "Older" as per usual. Afterwards, Flans said that even though this was an acoustic set Marty had "opted in with the limitless noise potential of the electronic drums." Then he made him play whatever that bit of that Phil Collins song he keeps making him play is.

After that they played "I Like Fun," then Flans started to introduce "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." He said the hostility of the song is "comforting," because it means people being that way now isn't new, and that things suck right now, but they will get better.

Before "Shoehorn with Teeth," Flans said that Marty was "abandoning his electronic drums manifesto of the last five minutes and returning to his vaudeville roots." He also said that the bell Marty was playing came from the same high school that had put up the signs for the missing contra-alto clarinet.

Then something really funny happened. Flans said John should move over cos he wasn't in the light enough (which he wasn't). John said it's hard to light him when he has his accordion on, because it creates shadows on him. Flans: "The accordion is like Dracula." Then some girl (not me, I swear!) yelled "IT'S SEXY" and John said "No it isn't," which was the part that amused the hell out of me because of course he was DEAD WRONG. Then he said "But thank you for saying that" but did not exactly seem sincere--I think he was rather uncomfortable honestly so that made me feel bad for him, but yeh I was still really amused. But I did also have this feeling of wishing it hadn't happened at a show I was at because I figured anyone who knew about it and knew I was there would figure it was me and I would never do that (I had the same feeling a time I was at a different show and some girl threw her bra at him).

So then they played "A Self Called Nowhere" and y'know, the usual--really really intense and emotional for me, the best part of the show, etc etc.

Flans introduced "How Can I Sing Like a Girl?" by saying it was "about being in chorus."

Next they did "Istanbul." During the crazy jam part at the end, John spent some time playing (using the word "playing" loosely here) his keyboard with both his fists and also with both his hands entirely vertical.

Flans introduced "Bills, Bills, Bills" by explaining how the AV Club Undercover thing works. He said that they'd given them a list of songs "that should never be recorded or even talked about again." He said they'd first done "Tubthumping" but they weren't going to play that tonight. "It's too exciting. It's too exciting for our crew. It makes them burst into tears." Then he said after that they'd covered a Destiny's Child song, which forced them to grapple with the fact that Destiny's Child is a much more popular band than they are. He said they'd considered becoming a band whose entire act was just performing this one single Destiny's Child cover. Then he said they were going to keep performing this song both cos they'd taken the trouble to memorize it and cos it always spreads joy.

So they played that one and then "Particle Man." Then:

JL: We spent our formative years in the greater Boston area. JF: I don't know if you've ever played lacrosse. I've had lacrosse played at me. JL: You've been played by lacrosse. JF: Lacrosse is like it's the end of days and civilization has broken down, and there's still an organized way of killing people. That's basically what lacrosse is like. JL: That's basically what the greater Boston area is like.

So then they of course played "Wicked Little Critta" [insert swooning over all the video closeups of John's hands on the Kaoss Pad and his keyboard here], then "New York City." Afterwards, some guy yelled "THEY MUST BE GIANTS!" Flans was amused--he repeated it and thanked him for saying it. Then he said that sometimes when shows are ending they're getting ready to leave and they'll hear the owner of the club come over the PA and ask everyone to give another hand for "Ain't They Giants," and they realize he cares less than anyone else there.

They closed the main set with a run of familiar but still always very fun songs: "Number Three," "Twisting," and "Doctor Worm."

When they came back for the first encore, John said they'd come back sooner than it had taken them this time. Then he said that next they were going to play a quiet song, and it was "inappropriate because everyone is all hopped up." The song they played was "Dead," which I was most certainly not going to complain about seeing, quiet or not!

I was hoping they were going to play "Don't Let's Start" next since that was the second encore song for almost all the shows I'd seen so far, but instead it was "Fingertips," which I know is always a big hit live, I've just seen it many, many more times than I've seen "Don't Let's Start" so yeh not as exciting for me at this point.

They closed the show with "The Guitar," which is definitely one of the all-time best show closers!

So yeh great show overall, and I had some personal excitement afterwards too--Marty gave me a setlist!!! This was my first time managing to snag one in an exceptionally long time. I also managed to get the show poster that had been hanging in the venue's front window, which also rarely happens and featured one of the new promo pictures I'm quite fond of, so that was also thrilling!

The all-important JL wardrobe report: For the first set he was wearing the same black long-sleeved shirt he wore the previous two nights (he always wears the same things over and over, but the same shirt three nights in a row is a bit much even for him), and then for the second set he was wearing that red-and-blue stripey t-shirt he really loves, which made me happy because I really love it too and think it looks fantastic on him.

[huahsu]

YEAR OF WHAT HAPPENS ON EARTH STAYS ON EARTH

[longer version of what I contributed to the new yorker’s year-end package. you can read that here, and listen to the accompanying megamix the video team made! links to previous year’s lists at bottom.] I did not grow up going to church, and I am not a particularly religious person. A few days after the inauguration, I wandered into a nearby church and took a seat in the back pews. I’d gone there right after the election. There was some time for anyone with anything on their mind to stand up and speak. If you need others to pray for you, just let us know. A middle-aged black man in a leather jacket got up and began telling us about an argument he was having with a friend on Facebook. It was about the election, but it was actually about the intractability of racism. He was getting frustrated while describing it to us, in part because he seemed to value being the cool and level-headed one. Plus he was describing the kind of argument millions of people were having on the Internet. “I just hope he finds peace,” the guy said. He paused, then put his hands on his chest. “On a lighter note, today would have been Jimi Hendrix’s seventy-fourth birthday.” He opened up his leather jacket to show everyone his Hendrix t-shirt. “I just wanted to say that, because he was just awesome.” So I returned here, the day after marching through Manhattan with a poster that said “HOLD ON, BE STRONG.” I needed to be in a room that was powered by something other than hate--to be reminded of vision and purpose, even if they weren’t mine to claim. To listen to wisdom gleaned from a book I’ve never read, and pick and choose what I wanted. To hear others pour themselves into songs I never, ever sing along to. I wanted to steal their vibes.  Instead of a hymn, they passed out small pieces of paper with the lyrics of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” This is not the type of church people come to for the music. The pianist started playing, and I remember thinking about how it felt like magic when I learned how to play those chords as a kid. I couldn’t believe we were doing this. We sang, tentatively at first, as though we could not believe these words in this space. Picture it: singing of “no heaven” and “no religion, too,” with humility and hope, inside a house of worship. It was like an admission that faith was inadequate. All we had was one another. “Imagine” is a song I’ve heard millions of times, the type of song that is so ubiquitous that we rarely bother scrutinizing its words, its vantage point, the possibility that someone wrote these words because he actually believed them. I sang along with a room of strangers, and we looked at one another, and, for the first time in months, I began to cry.   TWO LYRICS THAT REMINDED ME OF POLITICS EVEN IF THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS "Wrote this shit January 21″ “Take me back to November / Take me back to November” “I’M AN ANGRY TEENAGER” Novelist, “Street Politician” ONCE THEY START, I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE END Jim O’Rourke’s recently unearthed cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” Kanye’s sitcom-length remix of “Bed” THURSDAY NIGHTS ON NBC Ross from Friends’ very Madchester guitar-y Boiler Room set DJ Seinfeld, Time Spent Away from U Nino Man, Jadakiss and Styles P, “Friends”

IN ANOTHER YEAR FULL OF NIRVANA/KURT COBAIN REFERENCES (DID YOU SEE JAY:Z’S JACKET?) MY FAVORITE SONG, PROBABLY: this Trippie Redd snippet

SOME VERSIONS OF THE NINETIES THAT WILL NEVER COME BACK THE WAY GRUNGE ENNUI HAS, BUT WERE SO POSSIBILITY-RICH TO ME BACK THEN Kicking Giant, This Being the Ballad of Kicking Giant, Halo: NYC/Olympia 1989-1993 Helium, The Dirt of Luck/The Magic City LIKE MANY WHO LOVED “A STORM IN HEAVEN,” I OVERLOOKED THEM AT THE TIME Acetone, 1992-2001 A REALLY GOOD BOOK ABOUT ACETONE, LOS ANGELES, DREAMS OF GREATNESS Sam Sweet, Hadley Lee Lightcap WOULD HAVE LOVED THIS IN 1994, 2002 OR 2017 Big Thief, Capacity CREDIBLE AND DOPE EARLY NINETIES R&B HOMAGE, SAX AND ALL Joyce Wrice, “Good Morning” SPEAKING OF THE NINETIES, LEECH MADE A MIXTAPE OF JUST THE FLOATY/DREAMY PARTS TAKEN FROM CLASSIC GOOD LOOKING/MOVING SHADOW SINGLES Leech, “Just the Liquid” FOR THE COMEDOWN, DARK-ASS STUFF ASSEMBLED EXCLUSIVELY FROM SLIPKNOT SAMPLES Croww, Prosthetics NOSTALGIA, ULTRA (UK GARAGE/BASSLINE EDITION) tqd, ukg SUMMERTIME ‘SECOND SUMMER OF LOVE’ VIBE Opus III, “It’s a Fine Day (Burt Fox remix)” UNEXPECTED BURIAL SUMMERTIME VIBES Monic, “Deep Summer (Burial remix)” NO REISSUE OR  tk ANNIVERSARY TIE-IN, JUST SOME OLD SONGS I RE/DISCOVERED THIS YEAR Active Minds, “Hobson’s Choice” El-B, “El-Brand” Kamal Abdul Alim, “Brotherhood” Spiritualized in Reykjavik  U2, “Numb (Soul Assassins remix)” U2, “Mysterious Ways (Massive Attack remix)”

SAME, BUT TAIWANESE INDIE ROCK EDITION Chocolate Tiger, “Piecing Together” REISSUES, OR: PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WEIRD AND SPACY#, OBSESSED WITH NATURAL BEAUTY## # Planetary Peace, Synthesis # Pauline Anna Strom, Trans-Millennia Music ## Pep Llopis, Poiemusia La Nau Dels Argonaut REISSUES, OR: WHEN I WAS A CHILD THERE WERE NO BETTER SONGS THAN THE ONES THAT PLAYED THROUGH TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE AND FOR SOME REASON THIS JOYOUS EP REMIND ME OF THAT SHEEN, THOSE HOOKS, THE PERFECT, THEATER-SIZED ECHO Om Alec Khaoli, Say You Love Me BEST ALBUM-LENGTH METAPHOR FOR THE CITY, ITS LIMITATIONS AND POSSIBILITIES Wiki, No Mountains In Manhattan SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE IT WAS DESCRIBED, JAMAICA VIA OUTER SPACE Equiknoxx, Colon Man I NEED TO GO OUT MORE Jex Opolis, “Mt. Belzoni” KH, “Question”

I LISTENED TO THIS ABOUT TEN TIMES, MY SENSE OF ENCHANTMENT GROWING AND GROWING EACH TIME, BEFORE REALIZING THERE WERE BARELY ANY DRUMS ON IT Mr. Mitch, Devout SERIOUSLY THE MR. MITCH ALBUM WAS REALLY MOVING AND FANTASTIC Mr. Mitch f/ Denai Moore, “Fate” CRAZY WISDOM MASTER Vince Staples, Big Fish Theory C’MON AND RAISE UP Rapsody f/ Kendrick, Lance Skiiwalker, “Power” SO ICEY Zomby, Mercury’s Rainbow ECHO PARTY Demen, Nektyr Evy Jane, “Give Me Love” THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Vic Mensa, The Autobiography DUNGEON FAMILY, EVEN IN DARKNESS Earthgang f/ J.I.D., “Meditate” FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY Lee Gamble, Mnestic Pressure Pessimist, s/t NOT SURE HOW THIS BECAME THE DIWALI OF 2017 BUT OKAY French Montana f/ Mariah, Rae Sremmurd, PNB Rock, Belly, Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel, J Balvin, NORE, Wizkid, “Unforgettable” HOW ARE THIS MANY PEOPLE ON A FOUR MINUTE SONG? GOOD VIDEO THOUGH A$AP Mob f/ A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Quavo, Lil Uzi Vert and Frank Ocean, “RAF” I LIKE IT WHEN FERG’S VOICE GETS ALL NAGGY Ferg, “Plain Jane” METRO BOOMIN MADE A BEAT THAT REMINDED ME OF RADIOHEAD Post Malone f/ Quavo, “Congratulations” THE MARIACHI VERSION IS PRETTY SWEET Brian Imanuel, “How I surprised Post Malone with a mariachi band” ”IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR LYRICS, IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO CRY, IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO THINK ABOUT LIFE...” JonWayne, Rap Album Two CORNBALL PIANOS AND THEN THAT SYNTH DRAGS, AND THEN THE DRUMS KICK Tee Grizzley, “First Day Out” “BUT WILD/WITH MY MONOTONE STYLE” 21 Savage, “Bankroll” Kodak Black, “Candy Paint” Rich Chigga, “Glow Like Dat” ANNUAL SPOT RESERVED FOR LA MUSICA DE HARRY FRAUD French Montana f/ Pharrell, “Bring Dem Things” WHEN LAETITIA SAYS HER OWN NAME ON “EMBERS” Vagabon, Infinite Worlds WHEN JESSIE LEANS INTO THE WORD “FUCK” Jessie Reyez, “Figures” THAT LIGHT MISTING, THAT CASUAL SPRITZ OF SYNTHS Lanark Artefax, “Touch Absence” A GOOD ANTI-DJT THING THAT CAME OUT EARLY THIS YEAR, WHICH FEELS LIKE EONS AGO Lushlife + friends, My Idols are Dead + My Enemies are in Power THE BABY, THE FLUTES, PIERRE’S OBNOXIOUSLY LONG TAG, THE JESSE LINGARD DANCE Playboi Carti, “Magnolia” ILLEST SHIT I SAW THIS YEAR, BABY-RELATED A child at a restaurant watching an iPad and an iPhone at the same damn time “[FREE] PLAYBOI CARTI TYPE BEAT” YBN Nahmir, “Rubbin off the Paint” GUNS N ROSES, BEFORE ONE OF THE WEIRDEST BEEFS OF THE YEAR Trippie Redd f/ 6IX9INE, “POLES1469″ SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE YOU CAN SING, AND DO IT WITH CONVICTION, AND I WILL LISTEN Trippie Redd, “Rack City/Love Scars 2″ ALL THE BACKGROUND NOISE/ECHOED-OUT ADLIBS MAKE THIS BlocBoy JB, “No Chorus Pt 10″ SMERZ HAS FUN DESPITE THE AWKWARD OF IT ALL Smerz on NTS IT SEEMS REALLY EASY TO MAKE A GOOD-SOUNDING SONG THESE DAYS Global Dan, “Off White” OF ALL THE DOPE SHIT THAT FUTURE APPEARED ON THIS YEAR, THE MOMENT I WILL REMEMBER IS That tiny pause before he sings “I need fresh air,” when he seems happy and content IS THAT A GEORGE MICHAEL SAMPLE? Mozzy, “Prayed for This” THE FIX C Struggs, “Go to Jesus” "IT’S COOL, BUT IT’S NOT...END ZONE” Lil Uzi Vert, “XO TOUR Llif3″ AN ALBUM BOOKENDED BY TOTALLY DIFFERENT KINDS OF COLIN KAEPERNICK/TAKE A KNEE REFERENCES Miguel, War and Leisure IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR Brockhampton, Saturation I-III SZA, Ctrl SPEAKING OF SZA: WHAT A GREAT TITLE, BESIDES IT BEING ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF THE YEAR Kingdom, Tears in the Club THE KELELA ALBUM WAS LOVELY, AS ARE THESE Kelela x Bok Bok, Dub Me Apart A RANDOM YOUTUBE COVER THAT I ALSO LIKED, BECAUSE IT CAPTURED HOW MELODIC THE ORIGINAL ACTUALLY IS Kathleen Nguyen covering Kendrick and Zacari’s “Love.” DAMN. WAS GOOD Almost as good as “The Heart Part 4″ LIKE A DE LA SOUL ALBUM, SOMETHING THAT I KNOW I WILL CONTINUE ENJOYING/UNDERSTANDING ANEW FOR YEARS TO COME Tyler, the Creator, Flower Boy ”BLONDED RADIO” MADE ME JOIN APPLE MUSIC Frank Ocean, “Chanel” Frank Ocean, “Biking (solo)” Tyler and Frank, “Where This Flower Blooms” MACH HOMMY MAKES GOOD MUSIC THAT’S HARD TO ACCESS “x Earl Sweatshirt” EP ty Soundcloud IT’S A WEIRD TIME B/W THIS BEAT IS SO DEMENTED Tay-K, “The Race” PROBABLY MY FAVORITE PHARRELL BEAT Kap G f/ Pharrell, “Icha Gicha” MAYBE THE GREATEST MUSIC EVER MADE, REISSUED Pharoah Sanders

REMINDED ME OF PHAROAH, WHEN IT WASN’T REMINDING ME OF BON IVER Joseph Shabason, Aytche AND I ENJOYED AYTCHE FOR SIMILAR REASONS I LIKED ZONING OUT TO Tom Rogerson and Brian Eno, Finding Shore ANNUAL SLOT RESERVED FOR MUSIC I LOVED THAT FEATURED HARP Alice Coltrane, World Spirituality Classics Vol 1

SAME, BUT FOR HARP STUFF THAT ALSO SHOUTS OUT WAWA Mary Lattimore, Collected Pieces ANNUAL SLOT RESERVED FOR TASTEFUL VIBRAPHONE Jenifa Mayanja, “Warrior Strutt” YOU TRYING TO GET THE PIPE, TO PLAY IT, OF COURSE, AS PART OF AN EXPERIMENTAL COMPOSITION? Mary Jane Leach, Pipe Dreams THERE’S A MOMENT DURING THAT BAD BOY DOCUMENTARY CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP WHERE IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT EVERYONE WHO WORKS CLOSELY WITH DIDDY EVENTUALLY TURNS TO GOD, AND IT WAS LIKE THE STRANGE OBVERSE OF Jay Z et al, 4:44 footnotes 2016, BUT I SAT IN THE MET BREUER AND WATCHED THIS OVER AND OVER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR Arthur Jafa, “Love is the Message, The Message is Death” I WANT TO WATCH THE FULL FOUR HOURS OF THIS Dev Hynes talking to Philip Glass TRICKSTERY BUT KINDA MESMERIZING! Klein, Tommy Lolina, Lolita EP Hype Williams, Rainbow Edition “NOT ANOTHER GOT MORE SEOUL, UNLESS YOU KOREAN” (CHILLWAVE REMIX) Mogwaa, Deja Vu “THE TING GOES SKRRRAHH, PAP, PAP, KA-KA-KA/SKIDIKI-PAP-PAP, AND A PU-PU-PUDRRRR-BOOM/SKYA, DU-DU-KU-KU-DUN-DUN/POOM, POOM, YOU DON’ KNOW” Big Shaq, “Mans Not Hot” IBID., BUT “PERKY” Drake, More Life I WANTED TO LIKE THE WIZKID ALBUM MORE, BUT THIS WAS AWESOME Tiwa Savage f/ Wizkid and Spellz, “Ma Lo” LISTENED TO THIS QUITE A FEW TIMES SIMPLY BECAUSE ”BREAKING NEWS: WILD GOAT ON THE LOOSE” IS A WEIRD LINE Lancey Foux f/ AJ Tracey, Kojey Radical and Jevon, “Wild Goat” UNITED TIL I DIE BUT AJ TRACEY’S TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR KIT LAUNCH FREESTYLE HAD ME BUZZZZZZIN AJ Tracey, “False 9″ DIFFERENT TIME OF DAY, KINDA LEFT ME SPEECHLESS Grouper, “Children” Colleen, A Flame my love, a frequency Kara Lis Coverdale, Grafts Ryuichi Sakamoto, async LEFT RYUICHI SAKAMOTO ENVIOUS Metaphors: Selected Soundworks from the Cinema of Apichatpong Weerasethakul FROM OMNI TRIO TO THIS, A PRETTY VISIONARY CAREER Robert Haigh, Creatures of the Deep A SONG THAT FEATURED TWO PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE PRETTY BIG IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS DJDS f/ Amber Mark and Marco McKinnis, “Trees on Fire” LIKE, THIS IS GREAT Amber Mark, “Lose My Cool” AWESOME YEAR FOR POTIONS Social Lovers, “Drop Me a Line” Boss, “Song for Gods” WHISKED ME BACK TO MEMORIES OF the enormous room Joakim, “Samurai” Calvin Harris f/ Frank Ocean and Migos, “Slide” Amp Fiddler, “I’m Feeling You” Chaos in the CBD, Accidental Meetings LIKE FALLING ASLEEP ON THE SUBWAY, OR A TRUCK HITTING A POTHOLE AND SPITTING OUT A RECORD COLLECTION, OR HEARING A NANOSECOND OF BRAND NUBIAN THROUGH SOMEONE’S HEADPHONES AS YOU PASS THEM ON THE STREET, IT’S A VIBE Standing on the Corner, Red Burns MIKE’S A SAVIOR Mike 1. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THIS YEAR THINKING ABOUT THE STRENGTH, ELASTICITY, FRAGILITY, GRAIN OF THE HUMAN VOICE AND SOME OF THIS WAS TOTALLY NECESSARY AND SUBLIME Deep Throat Choir, Be Ok Diamanda Galas, All the Way Moses Sumney, Aromanticism 2. SO ACHINGLY GOOD AND INTIMATE, ESPECIALLY THAT FAINT CROAK IN THE FIRST CHORUS Rostam f/ Kelly Zutrau, “Half-Light” 3. OF COURSE THESE WORLD-MAKERS TOO Bjork, Utopia Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, The Kid Valerie June, “Astral Plane” 3a. A STRANGE PROPOSITION THAT I ENDED UP ADORING KAS covering Sade’s "By Your Side" THE BAY AREA IS JUST DIFFERENT Droop-E, Trillionaire Thoughts Lil B, Black Ken THE “BUILD YOU UP” VIDEO WAS FUN AND ALL BUT I’M REALLY GLAD THIS WASN’T THAT Kamiayah, Before I Wake THE BAY TO L.A. AND BACK AGAIN Mozzy f/ G Perico, “Blammatory” G Perico f/ Mozzy, “What’s Real” GYEAH MC Eiht, Which Way Iz West OUTRUN THE BEAT SOB x RBE, “Lane Changing 2″ BANDS THAT ALWAYS SOUND LIKE THEMSELVES, IN WAYS THAT I FIND COMFORTING the xx, I See You King Krule, The Ooz SAME AS ABOVE, MIDDLE-AGED DIVISION The Feelies, In Between Slowdive, “Star Roving” SOMEONE WHO SOUNDS LIKE NO ONE ELSE Jlin, Black Origami THE NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM Dreezy f/ 6LACK and Kodak Black, “Spar” I LOOKED UP EACH TIME THIS CAME ON THE SHUFFLE Shanti Celeste, “Loop One/Selector”

PROBABLY MY FAVORITE SONG GoldLink f/ Brent Faiyaz and Shy Glizzy, “Crew” OR MAYBE Jorja Smith x Preditah, “On My Mind” THIS WAS SICK TOO GoldLink & Co. covering Outkast’s “Roses” MAYBE THE BEST SONG J Hus, “Did You See”

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER YEAR WHERE MY FAVORITE RELEASE WAS PROBABLY FROM YAEJI, THE “GLASSES FOGGING UP” LINE WAS VERY RELATABLE Yaeji, EP2 THE SONG OF THE SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER   I MEAN, IT’S WAYNE’S WORLD, WE JUST LIVE IN IT ### SIKH DEVOTIONAL MUSIC :: 2016 SPOOKY BLACK :: 2015

[grimelords]

Hello I forgot to post my July playlist when July ended so here it is now! It turns out it’s incredible easy to write 1500 words when you’re writing about songs you love so sorry about that. Four hours of top quality bops that range from russian choral music to classic !!!, please enjoy.

Signs Of Life - Arcade Fire: Everyone hated the new album but in my opinion it's not only not bad, but Signs Of Life is one of their best songs yet. Also the video is incredibly good. The Man - The Killers: The Killers are back and they're making good songs again! This song sounds like the bicep emoji! Hung From The Moon - Earth: Accidentally listened to this album a lot in July and kicked off a drone thing that has lasted through august. Elevation - Television: Everyone always talks about the guitars in Television but nobody ever talks about how good the rhythm of the chorus in this song is. Taman Shud - The Drones: Good song to yell along to and the only song I know that uses the word 'inchoate' Mountain Of Air - Ellen Arkbro: I really can't recommend this album enough if you like the sound of having a dream made of brass. South Point - Grizzly Bear: Grizzly Bear are a prog band. Apache (Jump On It) - The Sugarhill Gang: Not only groovy, but racist too. There's a good part where he explains that maize is just corn. What’s A Girl To Do? - Bat For Lashes This is a good song and a great music video Glass - Bat For Lashes: Bat For Lashes does better worldbuilding in this song than most novels. Offering - Cults: I may be the only person in the world who is absolutely gagging for a new Cults album but thank god they're back. Return Of The Mack - Mark Morrison: THE song about being back on your bullshit. Baller Of The Year - ESG: If you play this in your car it automatically starts ghetto swerving AND you start crying. You Know I Wantcha! - Devin The Dude: Incredibly gross song about being very horny by yourself in a strip club for you to listen to. Crawling After You - Bass Drum Of Death: After all this time, this song may be the only thing I love about GTAV. Bad Liar - Selena Gomez Maybe the only Selena Gomez song I've ever heard and it's so SO good. Seven Eight Nine (Part 2) - Kenny Wheeler: I developed a bad habit of listening to ABC Jazz when I couldn't sleep but thankfully I found some real gems doing it. Fine Di Cobb - Originale - Stelvio Cipriani: Yet another fantastic find from spotify's Best Of Eurocrime playlist. A Fifth Of Beethoven - Walter Murphy: It is so funny that Beethoven wrote one of the biggest disco hits of all time. Between this and Wendy Carlos' Switched On Bach there's a very funny history of classical music causing a big stir. The Lighthouse - Amon Tobin: It's crazy that Amon Tobin's best album was the soundtrack to Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory but he really elevated video game music as a whole with this one. If The Brakeman Turns My Way - Bright Eyes: The concept of an opium den with a periscope is very nice to think about. Hold Music - Architecture In Helsinki: Places Like This is an all time classic that nobody respects because people think Heart It Races is a novelty song instead of a masterpiece. I Found A New Chapeau - Jo Jones: "The world's greatest jazz drummer Jo Jones!" goes absolutely off for nine minutes against an organ that sounds like farts. It's Real - Real Estate: [beckons you closer and whispers] it's real real estate Obvs - Jamie xx: In Colour was truly the album of the year cause baby it is simply breathtaking start to finish! Blue Train Lines (feat. King Krule) - Mount Kimbie: I hope King Krule joins Mount Kimbie as a full member because they have such a good thing going. This song took a while to grow on me but now I really cannot wait for their new album. The video for this one is also extremely good even though it required me to read an artist's statement from the directors and a whole wiki article to understand it. Six Days Remix - DJ Shadow: Last month I attended a 17 hour Fast And Furious marathon that has permanently affected my brain chemistry (which I've been meaning to write a long post about) and at the end I was certain of only one thing: the Six Days Remix was the best thing about Tokyo Drift by a country mile and it's easily a top 5 DJ shadow song. Nandi - Jlin: I can't say enough good stuff about this album and this song is an absolute standout. 3 Freaks - DJ Shadow: Everyone's always saying 'oh it was such a mistake for DJ Shadow to abandon his sound after making two critically acclaimed albums pushing sample based music in a new direction and make a hyphy album that everyone hated' but consider this: Turf Talk And Keak Da Sneak Fight For Peace - Frank Klepacki: I developed a brain parasite this month that forced me to become completely obsessed with the 15 year old RTS game Command And Conquer Generals, and then I found out that the soundtrack was on spotify. Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits: Everyone's always talking about Mark Knopfler being good at guitar or whatever but for my money the drummer is the real mvp of this song, and the part where he just goes ham for like half a bar at about 4:20 really cracks me up. Strangest Thing - The War On Drugs: Literally every song The War On Drugs have released from their upcoming album so far I have absolutely loved and I cannot wait to hear the whole thing. Kyanite - Jlin: Jlin baby!! This is like traditional music from an alien civilisation or something, it's incredible. Sophisticated Lady - Art Tatum: Speaking of music from another planet I firmly belived Art Tatum was touched on the brain by God. Romance Without Finance - Tiny Grimes: Please enjoy this 70 year old song about not dating broke girls, the backing vocals really make me laugh. All Is Written - Matana Roberts: Matana Roberts is a very specific feeling but if you're in the mood for confrontational experimental jazz please get into this whole album. Start with Coin Coin Chapter One if you want the full experience. Time For Us - Nicolas Jaar: I love when Nicolas Jaar does funny voice. In the world I dream of this song is a dancefloor classic. Blanket Me - Hundred Waters: I love Hundred Waters and this song make me so emotional to the point where i'm almost afraid to hear their new album. When The World Was At War We Kept Dancing - Lana Del Rey: Lust For Life is incredible and hearing Lana sing 's it the end of an era? is it the end of America?' is like.. directly targeting my brain stem. I cannot describe how much I instantly fell in love with this song when I first heard it. Jane - Jefferson Starship: The new season of Wet Hot American Summer reminded me how good this song is. I spent like half an hour reading the wiki article about Jefferson Airplain, Jefferson Starship and Starship and how they came to be to my girlfriend this month and let me tell you: she hated it. Take You On A Cruise - Interpol: The instrumentation in this song sounds so much like the xx's first album it is insane. Vegas - Polica: I feel like I have a new favourite Polica song every week they are honestly the best band in the world. Woody's Roundup - Riders In The Sky: Hello, I woke up with the Woody's Roundup theme song from Toy Story 2 in my head one day this month and so I put it on my playlist. It's a good song, highly recommended thanks. All Night Vigil, Op. 37: No. 3, Blessed Is The Man "Beatitude" - Sergei Rachmaninoff: Accidentally got very heavily into this russian orthodox christian choral music this month. Magic Arrow - Timber Timbre: My friend texted me out of the blue saying how good this song is and he's absolutely right. Timber Timbre's self titled is an album i've continually returned to for years now, it's truly something special. Don't Say I Know - Tera Melos: Tera Melos are finally, finally back! And they're making incredible impossible music that's catchy as hell again! Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire: Had a very intense moment with this song this month, listening to it on repeat and convincing myself that it was coming for me too. Hocus Pocus - Focus: Baby Driver is a good movie! And this song and scene was a real highlight. How Long - Out Hud: Thankyou to @popculturediedin2009 for introducing me to this great song from a !!! side project I never knew about and thankyou to the Lindsay Lohan film I Know Who Killed Me for introducing it to them in the first place. I Can't Turn You Loose - Sly & The Family Stone: The guy making noises into the microphone right at the start is really, really funny and I can't believe it's taken me this long of watching The Blues Brothers pretty regularly to look up the original version of this song. Oh Yeah - The Subways: Rediscovered this album this month after singing Rock And Roll Queen about 20 times in a row with my friends thanks to a Singstar glitch and remembered how I had an absolute breakdown about this song when I was about 19, listening to it on repeat for hours and fretting that I was going to die because I would no longer be a teenager soon. Me And Guiliani Down By The School Yard - A True Story - !!!: Bring back mid-2000s dance-punk we need it now more than ever!

[offbeatmusicuk]

Albums Of 2019

Here we go again. Another pretty strong year. Full disclosure I haven’t had as much time to listen to these albums this year as usual so my mind may be changed (possibly immediately) but here’s my list as it stands at the mo.

Before that though... an honourable mention of an album which I decided wasn’t eligible for the list because technically it’s a soundtrack album, even though it sounds like a new album from the band, and a strong addition to their discography....

Biffy Clyro  “Balance, Not Symmetry”

And now the bonus 30 albums that didn’t quite make the top 50 but couldn’t go unmentioned.

Lindsay Schoolcraft / Sigrid / Talla 2XLC / Ladytron / The Anix / While She Sleeps / Calva Louise / HANA / Ivy Crown / Lacuna Coil / Hante. / Puppy / Stanton Warriors / Moonlight Haze / Perfect Son

Idiot Pilot / Port Noir / Above & Beyond / Eat Your Heart Out / Potty Mouth / Lupa J / Papa Roach / Starkill / IAMWARFACE / The Anix / MC Lars & Mega Ran / Snow Ghosts / J Majik / Estiva / GIRLI

And now the big five-oh

50.

Dinosaur Pile-Up  “Celebrity Mansions”

Dinosaur Pile-Up have been gaining praise for their 4th album, and it’s not hard to see why. Spikey, catchy rock and punk, about touring the USA, some sounding like Foo Fighters’ heavier moments. Fun stuff.

49. Foals  “Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1″

The experimental indie band released 2 albums in 2019, both parts of the same project, and though Part 2 certainly has merit, and a few cracking tracks, Part 1 is the more consistent, full of varied and surprising music.

48. Forever Still  “Breathe In Colours”

The Danish hard rockers fronted by Maja Shining, deliver their 2nd album of aggressive, melodic rock and alternative metal.

https://foreverstill.bandcamp.com/album/breathe-in-colours

47. Cold Kingdom  “Into The Black Sky”

Debut album from the Minneapolis hard rockers, their first release with new singer Elissa Pearson.

https://coldkingdom.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-black-sky

46. Hatchie  “Keepsake”

Aussie Hatchie brings us her debut album of shoegaze-y, shimmery, dreamy, electronic indie-pop. One to float away with.

https://hatchie.bandcamp.com/album/keepsake

45. UNKLE  “The Road Part II / Lost Highway”

A serious case of double album syndrome with this one. Disc 1, aside from a weak cover of a terrible song as its last track, is absolutely amazing, and if it was released like that it would be top 10 for sure. But the whole thing has to be considered and disc 2, though far from bad, is just a bit dull, especially comparatively.

44. Doll Skin  “Love Is Dead And We Killed Her”

The ladies from Phoenix are back with their new album, once again a great collection of catchy, upbeat, alternative rock and punk. 

43.

Only Shadows  “Brothers”

Epic, catchy indie rock. They are very American sounding but they come from Nuneaton. Good stuff though.

42. Driftmoon  “Remember The Night”

Though it is a live recording of a DJ set, Driftmoon insists that this is his third artist album. Fair enough - it is all his music, though there are many collabs and his remix of John O’Callaghan & Audrey Gallagher’s classic “Big Sky”, but aside from an instrumental version of a track that featured on his last album “Invictus” it’s all previously unreleased. He wanted to switch it up and make the ‘live performance’ the first way these tracks were heard. And like many a DJ set, more often than an album, the biggest and best tracks are in the last third of the album, and there are some mammoth tunes here.

41.

The High Priest  “Dream American”

Formerly of excellent bands Diphonia, Global Police Force and Dark Science, The High Priest continues his solo journey with his new album. And it’s a good ‘un. His website describes it best - “Dark brooding sonic rock music and atmospheric soundscapes”. Class.

40. Feeder  “Tallulah”

Feeder’s tenth album continues their run of quality records. It’s no wild departure, but you’ll like it if you’re a fan. “Fear Of Flying” stands up against many of their classic tunes.

39. Furious Monkey House  “Love, Scum & Dust”

Spanish indie-rock young-uns Furious Monkey House release their 2nd album. And it’s an excellent collection of catchy upbeat tunes, mostly in English but with some native Spanish in there too. Great stuff.

38. Nemesea  “White Flag”

5th album from the Dutch band. They’ve moved through symphonic metal and gothic rock in their career, and this album includes a handful of the best songs they’ve ever done. 

https://nemesea.bandcamp.com/album/white-flag

37. Fever 333  “Strength In Numb333rs”

Agressive rap-metal, with massive riffs and huge melodic choruses. Touches of electronics and Trap are dotted throughout.  Sounds like the middle ground between Rage Against The Machine and early Linkin Park. 

36.

The Dark Element  “Songs The Night Sings”

Former Nightwish vocalist Anette Olzon and her Dark Element partner Jani Liimatainen deliver their second album, and it’s another quality, catchy collection of symphonic metal tunes.

35. New Years Day  “Unbreakable”

Huge, jittery riffage, paired with pop style songwriting and melodies, with powerful vocals. Reminiscent of “Blood” era In This Moment, but less sleazy.

34. Blood Red Shoes  “Get Tragic”

Blood Red Shoes bring a new sound with their 5th album. More electronic, almost synth-pop, but still with a rock band at the core. Some of their most original and catchy tunes yet are included here.

33. Maraton  “Meta”

The Bandcamp page describes this album perfectly - “MARATON pushes the boundaries between pop music and progressive rock, mixing machine like drums and roaring bass groundwork with shimmering guitars, ethereal keys and sacral vocal performance. The band has sought to create a style of music which combines the rhythmic heaviness from bands such as Mars Volta with the pop aesthetics of Muse.”  Check them out.

https://maratonofnorway.bandcamp.com/releases

32. Ankor  “White Dragon”

Accessible metal with a prog sensibility, the melodies are catchy, but musically it will keep you guessing throughout.

31.

Liquid  “Spacemonkey”

Old school hardcore rave stylings from scene legend Liquid on his 3rd artist album. A breakbeat bounty.

30. As December Falls  “As December Falls”

Straight to the point, catchy pop-punk from this Nottingham four-piece on their debut album. Fans of early Paramore, early Tonight Alive or We Are The In Crowd etc would do well to check this lot out.

29. Blink-182  “Nine”

2016′s “California”, the first album to feature Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba replacing original member Tom DeLonge, was a huge return to form for the band, and “Nine” continues the revitalised Blink with another massive collection of pop-punk tunes. They broaden their sound palette here too with sampled drum loops and heavier riffs in places.

28. Rebecca Lou  “Bleed”

There’s a shoegaze-esque vibe to the production on this collection of raw, catchy, rock ‘n’ roll tunes from Denmark, and it gives just the edge of uniqueness that makes this album special.

https://rebeccalou.bandcamp.com/album/bleed

27. Sleep Token  “Sundowning”

On paper Sleep Token, a mysterious, masked unit of unnamed musicians, who worship an ancient deity called “Sleep”, would make you think they made incredibly sinister black or doom metal. But that isn’t the case. There is a metal heaviness and some mountainous riffs, but only in parts - often kicking in as songs build to their climax. For the most part though they are bewitching soundscapes, often minimal, with huge melodic vocals, and electronic touches. Worship.

26. Within Temptation  “Resist”

Less orchestras, more electronic touches and more influence from other styles of modern music, but still unmistakably a Within Temptation album, “Resist” brings the band back from the brink after some serious writers’ block almost ended them. Bombastic and revitalised.

25. Solarstone  “...--”

The final part of Solarstone’s “One” album trilogy is once again an epic journey through his ‘pure trance’ sound.

24. We Are The Catalyst  “Ephemeral”

Third album from the alternative-metal Swedes, full of huge choruses. Fans of accessible metal with melodic female vocals should check this out.

https://watcofficial.bandcamp.com/album/ephemeral

23. Lamb  “The Secret Of Letting Go”

Five years on from their last, Lamb unleash their 7th album. Ethereal, magical, and special, as they do so well.

22. Polynation  “Igneous”

A cinematic, sweeping, atmospheric album, blending many facets of dance music, ambient, techno, IDM. A wordless, groove laden, goosebump inducing journey.

21. Grum  “Deep State”

Grum’s much delayed second album finally lands on Anjunabeats. It’s a kinetic mix of sounds incorporating trance, progressive and deep house elements, and creates some huge anthems. In particular the incredible “Stay”.

20. False Advertising  “Brainfreeze”

Mancunian grunge / noise-pop trio deliver a fizzing album of 90s influenced rock. Cracking, energetic tunes throughout.

https://falseadvertising.bandcamp.com/album/brainfreeze

19. Cold Blue  “Winter”

Slowly but surely building his status and honing his craft over the last decade or so, and in recent years gaining a reputation as one of the best producers in the trance scene, German Tobias Schuh finally unleashes his debut album. It is an epic, progressive journey through uplifting trance, slowly building and revealing its treasures, avoiding being too formulaic and predictable. One to get lost in.

18. R+  “The Last Summer”

Rollo returns, with a little help from his sister Dido, and long time production partner and Faithless teammate Sister Bliss, giving us a blissful, Balearic sounding album. The whole thing sounds like a love letter to Ibiza. Lovely. 

17. Pumarosa  “Devastation”

Pumarosa deliver their moody second album. A bit more electronic (with elements of trip-hop and drum & bass seeping in), a bit darker, still brilliantly adventurous. A very exciting band.

16. Luttrell  “Into Clouds”

I’ve been following Eric Luttrell’s superb, progressive blend of deep house and melodic techno for a couple of years, and now he unleashes his debut album. It doesn’t disappoint. Widescreen, beautiful, upbeat, catchy and excellently produced.

15. The Beautiful Monument  “I’m The Reaper”

The Aussie quartet deliver their second impressive long player. Huge riffs, huge drums, huge melodies, in their blend of post-hardcore, pop-punk and metal.

https://tbmofficial.bandcamp.com/album/im-the-reaper

14. The Thrillseekers present Hydra  “Altered State”

Despite releasing his first music in 1999, and releasing a steady stream of singles since, Steve Helstrip only delivered his debut album as The Thrillseekers in 2016. For this, his 2nd opus, he's decided to release under his Hydra alias. And what a beauty it is. Mostly instrumental, apart from a new reworking of The Thrillseekers classic "The Last Time" with vocals from Fisher, it is a masterclass in sublime, chilled, Balearic trance. Reminiscent of the first couple of Chicane albums, and makes you feel like you are blissed out on a beautiful, sunny beach.

https://thethrillseekers.bandcamp.com/album/altered-state

13. Jimmy Eat World  “Surviving”

"Surviving" is Jimmy Eat World's 10th album. There are little touches of an expansion to their sound, but if you are familiar with their brand of American rock, then you'll know pretty much what to expect. This is undoubtedly a Jimmy Eat World album. It is, however, a very, very good one. One of the strongest they've ever done in my opinion, probably only with "Bleed American" as any kind of competition.

12. Age Of Rampage  “Empire City”

Age Of Rampage deliver a plethora of breakbeat stompers on their debut album. Their love for acts like The Prodigy would be evident even without the first track sampling a Keith Flint interview, but the old school is delivered with relish here. If you love 90s breakbeat acts such as The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, The Crystal Method, Freestylers etc, this is a very worthy listen. Such a shame Russian breakbeat label Criminal Tribe don't do physical releases.

https://criminaltribeltd.bandcamp.com/album/age-of-rampage-empire-city-ctr035-18032019

11. Hands Off Gretel  “I Want The World”

Hands Off Gretel are an effervescent blend of punk and grunge, led by the fierce Lauren Tate. A love of 90s rock is evident. "I Want The World", their 2nd album, is packed full of killer tunes.

10. Dido  “Still On My Mind”

I’ve loved Dido’s voice since the early days of Faithless, so when she started releasing her own music I’ve always liked it to varying degrees (loved some of it, some of it a bit meh). This is her best album since “No Angel” in my opinion. It’s chilled, ethereal, and rather beautiful, and has been one of my most listened to albums in 2019. The title track is absolutely one of my favourite tracks of the year. I’m surprised it is top 10, but it had to be.

9. Wislov  “Madness From Paradise”

Kniteforce Records and their sister labels have been a driving force in the old-school hardcore (or ‘rave’ as many early 90s compilations would call it) revival. Most of their releases are new music, just done in the old style, with fresh touches. Wislov is one of, if not the, greatest talent in this scene, and after a bunch of EPs and a slew of great tunes, this debut album is unleashed. And it’s a cracker. If you love that old-school sound you will find much to love here.

8. HÆLOS  “Any Random Kindness”

Mesmerising, utterly beautiful, electronic tunes, with lush vocals. Picking up where their 2016 debut album “Full Circle” left off, but stepping up a notch. There is a heavy rave influence, but this is definitely made for the post-party, the comedown, the chill out time, the blissed out euphoria after the full on euphoria. Every time I hear this album I discover something new, and love it more. Wonderful.

7. Yonaka  “Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow”

Yonaka may veer to the poppier end of alternative-rock, but they know how to write a hell of a tune. Many of them in fact. 11 feature here on their debut album, released after a string of quality EPs and singles got them some exposure over the last couple of years. Hooks aplenty, huge choruses, riffs and electronics.

6. Anavae  “45″

Fans of Anavae have been waiting a long time for this. The debut album many thought may never come. 8 years on from their debut single and 7 years after their debut EP “Into The Aether”, and following a bunch of EPs and singles in the interim, it is finally here. And I’m sure very few will be left disappointed. Rebecca Need-Menear and Jamie Finch deliver a typically varied alternative-rock album, veering at times into poppier territory, and others into moody trip-hop-esque tracks. Other times they stick to simple, yet epic, rock tunes like on the massive “High”. If you don’t know this band, check them out.

5. Dream State  “Primrose Path”

Dream State progress in sound and technical ability with each release. From 2015′s debut EP “Consequences”, through last year’s excellent “Recovery” EP to this, their debut album. And it’s a pretty epic affair. Chunky riffs, pounding drumming, powerful vocals (both in aggressive and melodic turns from CJ Gilpin) with a massive, widescreen feel to the production. The Welsh 4-piece are often classed as post-hardcore, but that is far too limiting a description for a band with such obvious ambition. Class.

4. Machineheart  “People Change”

Lush, shimmery, ethereal alt pop from this L.A. quartet fronted by the fabulous vocals of Stevie Scott. A cracking album from start to finish but a particular mention goes to upbeat (almost breakbeat styled) track "Overgrown" which is one of the best tracks I've heard all year. If you like bands like London Grammar or HÆLOS, give this album a spin.

3. Black Futures  “Never Not Nothing”

Black Futures are a genre meshing riot. They've been called "Anarchic Electro Psych Punk Noise", "industrial noise-punk" and label themselves as "Future Punk". They have the sensibilities of a punk band and a dance band simultaneously. There's Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream guesting, as is rapper P.O.S. More than once have they been described as a mix of Death From Above 1979 & The Chemical Brothers. It's a future party, a post-apocalyptic riot. Give it a listen.

2. Dallas Kalevala  “Dallas Kalevala”

Dallas Kalevala hail from Finland and have been called fierce subarctic pop music. Whether they called themselves this I'm not sure. What it sounds like to me is a brilliant, varied pop album, slightly camp, with fantastic electronic production and some full on pounding dance beats. 9 brilliantly written tracks, that all sound different, but somehow sound like they come from the same band and belong together. There is a feeling Dallas Kalevala would be somewhat polarising.  There's no way they'll be everyone's cup of tea (which suggests they are doing something right), but those that get them will love them a whole lot.

1. The Chemical Brothers  “No Geography”

To make their 9th album The Chemical Brothers returned to the equipment they used to make their first two albums. And though "No Geography" doesn't sound like "Exit Planet Dust" or "Dig Your Own Hole", it feels like them. Consequently it is arguably their best album since them, but it is definitely their best since 2002's "Come With Us". It feels a bit old school, but also fresh and new. Tracks flow into each other seamlessly making the album feel like a complete body of work rather than a collection of tracks, and it is utterly brilliant throughout. Joyous.

Well there you go. I’ll leave you with the following, for your listening pleasure:

Spotify playlist - a countdown of the top 50 (50-1), minus a couple of things that aren’t on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05F3PPwKO7NkwpD4eTJBiP?si=O8bO2JYDSqa3Kz-SzQ8D4Q

And a YouTube playlist counting down 50-1, but a completely different tracklist to the Spotify playlist (and different vids for the top 5 than are embedded here).

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSWMYBJKcPo0tJGbPDFw8QAdZlb1BWj3H

[enlightenedrobot]

Hey guys, I have a new mashup project I’m working on, and I’ll put in more details about it under the cut, but before any of that, I want to try out an experiment.

I wanna see how many people can guess which pop songs I used to make this section of my mashup. I’ll put up a few hints.

Most of these samples come from mainstream pop songs, with the exception of two of the samples. Most of them should be recognizable to some extent.

One of these non-pop songs is actually from a youtube video, specifically by a reviewer on That Guy with the Glasses. As of this post, this is one of his most recent re-uploads.

The other sound effect comes from a popular animated sitcom.

The bassline should be fairly easy... its the bridge to an indie hit about youth.

The guitar comes from a pop song whose music video was once controversial, despite it all being made in good fun. More recently, this artist’s actions have become legitamately controversial.

One of the drum loops used was also sampled by Neil Ciceirega on Mouth Silence.

The other drum loop comes from a hip hop song that sampled a Daft Punk song. The Daft Punk song is not directly sampled here.

The piano song is used in a lot of commercials, though most people might recognize it for its use in some commercials for the iPad.

The answers are below the cut. If enough people respond to this, I’ll make an update post talking about the results.

The samples are:

Todd in the Shadows The Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 1991(I sampled his breath, sighs, and gasps ad used them as percussion)

The Jetsons Theme Song (I reversed the first three notes. Its the weird sound effect at the very beginning)

MGMT Kids (This sample is the most obvious. I just pitched the bridge down and added a little bit of a lowpass filter to make the bassline.)

Miley Cyrus Party in the USA (I chopped the opening guitar into 3/4 time)

Milli Vanilli Don’t Forget my Number (Pitched and chopped to the proper time signature)

Busta Rhymes Touch it (Pitched, chopped, and bitcrushed. I kept some of the synthes as well)

Yail Naim New Soul (I rearranged the chords to make it sound a bit sadder. I also added some reverb to it. Its almost unrecognizable. Almost)

The project file that I’m working in is currently set at 192 bpm at 6/8 time, that way I can sample songs written in 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8.

Anyways, my next mashup project is going to be called Magical Boy. With luck, this’ll be one of my most ambitious projects to date. Its inspired by a search for identity when its so easy to get lost in the identity’s of others. The funny thing about mashup artists is they kind of fade away behind the artists they sample... when you’re listening to Girl Talk, you’re listening to The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, and many others stacked on top of one another. This is fine for an extended DJ mix, but the DJ isn’t likely to be recognized as an auteur. When you mix pop songs, the result is still going to be a pop song. None of this is bad, of course, but when so many DJ’s wanna be Girl Talk, things begin sounding the same. 

Ideally, this mix will be about making a new sound out of the old and familiar. The idea’s kind of broken, admittedly, and I’m sure by this point I sound a bit pretentious, but hear me out. Why can’t a DJ be an artist, and why can’t an artist be a DJ? What really separates the Mozarts from the David Guetta’s of the world? Food for thought. So what do you guys think of the idea? How many samples did you guys guess? How pretentious do I sound?

[theghostsalontapes]

Time Goes Backwards

So late Friday night, I went for a bite with a good friend I hadn’t seen in awhile. We hoped to dodge any drunken Cinco de Mayo foolishness by avoiding Mexican fare altogether, but when we arrived at the greasy spoon off the Highland Strip that was one of two places still open at that extreme hour, a DJ blasting salsa beats at top volume ended up driving us outside into the unseasonably frigid (for Memphis in springtime) night. We parked ourselves at a rickety metal table and continued the long, long talk we’d begun earlier in the evening; said friend is a musician whom I greatly respect, so I was eager for his opinion on a few matters. Among other things, we talked mixing challenges, DIY workarounds for lo-fi limitations, and of course this new album I’m working on. I vented my frustrations about having made less progress than I’d hoped thus far. And it helped, for whatever reason, as simply talking often does. Last night’s recording went much smoother than that of the previous weeks, and resulted in the first piece I’m considering actually putting on the album (For the time being, I put it in a folder marked ‘Definites?’). It’s a pretty good little piece, it achieves exactly what I set out to do, and hopefully this is a sign of even better results to come down the line. I feel encouraged by the considerable progress made.  The piece is a little over two-and-a-half minutes, likely to end up an interlude of sorts if it does end up making the album, and built around a gently-swelling bed of reversed, clean guitar chords, curling and echoing across the stereo field, lightly reverb’d and Dual Tape Deck’d. On this bed I built a few interlacing lead lines, added some delay, and maxed out the ‘Flutter’ tape simulation plug-in I love so much. I ended up recording one of these lines back to tape, and fed it back into the DAW, warbling in real-time with the pause button, letting the notes gleefully go off-track and lag behind the rest of the guitar sections, like a machine with broken gears and pulleys coming to slow and buzzing rest. A little dusty vinyl noise, some light EQ’ing, and that’s pretty much all she wrote. The real basis for the track is a dialogue sample, though, which runs the entire length of the piece. As I told my friend the other night, it’s difficult at times to make a dialogue sample match sonically with the music in a track, even if the content pairs well thematically. This time, I fed the sample through my trusty Izotope Vinyl plug-in, turned up the ‘wear’ controls to full wear, and set the age parameter to 1950, the RPM to 78. It aged the sample to the point I think it meshed well with the music of the piece, taking center-stage as intended without overpowering the guitars. The music and words play off each other well. We’ve used a great deal of samples and found sound/field recordings in Lost Trail, and in Nonconnah thus far. Sometimes they simply fill a space where vocals would go in a traditional song, and sometimes they significantly add to the emotional core of the music by saying something at just the right moment, over just the right sounds. One of the themes I repeatedly find myself fascinated by is that of passionate belief, especially unusual or extreme belief systems. Before I became a fairly devout Quaker in 2012, I was agnostic bordering on atheist my entire life, and joining the Friends only deepened my interest in the more radical side of religious mania. The Satanic Panic of the eighties and nineties, where parents and fundamentalist groups really threw themselves a field day blaming all sorts of social unrest and violence on heavy metal, horror cinema, and the occult, especially when it came to teenagers, is a subject of great fascination for me, an interesting (and thankfully fleeting) time in this country’s history that makes me think of the Puritans and their assumption that the great forest spreading beyond their isolated villages was populated by untold throngs of demons and witches. I don’t believe in a hell, nor demons, but I have always had a sense of another shadow world lurking beneath the surface of this one, barely glimpsed at times through the thin-stretched fabric of our decaying age, of the reality we construct over the real nature of forces at play beneath. I think passionate zealotry and extreme devotion to an ideology is a product of that tension, and Satanic Panic is a fearful example of people willing themselves to believe in a bogeyman, in something, anything, to blame for their teens being teens...whether it be that loud newfangled music or those gory movies. I find myself returning to this subject in my art time and time again. So this sample is a true gem, from a multi-part lecture series I found on YouTube concerning ‘signs of Satanic abuse’. There’s a real dichotomy between the soothing tones of the woman’s narration and the imaginary fantasies she’s enumerating. The section I used concerns the concept of ‘backwards programming’, i.e. spiritual brainwashing of a subject to encourage belief in opposing reactions to stimuli or perception. Up is down, left is right, pain is pleasure, time moves backwards, etc. This lecture goes to some really wild places - implantation of a ‘backwards room’ through ‘magic surgery’, the latter phrase tossed off in passing and never explained...it’d be funny if people didn’t actively persecute others using such outlandish and paranoid beliefs; we’re not far away from West Memphis, Arkansas, after all, where three innocent young men were jailed for the murders of a group of children based on zero evidence save for- ‘they look evil, and there’s rumors of Satanic cults around here.’ So for now I’m calling this little song ‘Magic Surgery’, because I find that phrase both hilarious and very haunting. This sample’s even given me a working title for the album, one I think may line up nicely with all the themes I hope to cover - For now, this album is called ‘The Backwards Room.’ ZC 

Listening to: Forest Swords - COMPASSION Reading: Rick Moody - GARDEN STATE Watching: FIVE CAME BACK, Netflix

[oltnews]

Let's declare some winners. Photo-Illustration: Vulture, Maschine Masters / YouTube and Crooklyn Reactions / YouTube In just one month, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s Verzuz The Beat Battle series has gone from a new event that connects the past and present of hip-hop to an exhilarating excitement in our inner spring, joining DJ sessions from D-Nice, Questlove and others, as well as the unpredictable Ontario artist Tory Lanez. Quarantine radio like remote viewing but essential live for rap and R&B fans while live shows and festivals are shelved by COVID-19. Verzuz reinvents the DJ battles of the beginnings of hip-hop for the set "one gotta go". The premise is simple: two eminent producers (or singers or songwriters) join live on Instagram and compete to decide who has the best catalog. The rules met on the fly by trial and error. As it stands, each battle is fought over 20 rounds, each competitor making a move and hearing a rebuttal. Verzuz is fun, simple and wide open - maybe a little too wide open. The public is mainly in charge of the rating, and there is rarely a consensus on the points. Regional biases and generational schisms are increasing. Playing a deep cut makes you lose the point almost flatly, even if it's one of the greatest songs of all time. There's nothing wrong with a slugfest, but it's exhausting to hear people throw out timeless classics. You can be a legend with decades of success and lose the crowd too far from the radio. You can be a veteran who changed the game forever and get smoked in the public eye because someone else's music is fresher in everyone's shared memory. You can score points with records made primarily by someone else. If you have cultivated a relationship with a leading artist, you are almost guaranteed to win. Despite these minor problems, Verzuz makes dull weekends more enjoyable and gives the game a spirit of friendly competition. It also teaches fans how many heads it takes to make a record. You could hear the same song in three different battles: once from a producer, again from a co-producer, then again from a songwriter who helped refine the melodies or flesh out the lyrics. That said, the repetition of the hits also highlights the need for more variety in the casting of candidates, a concern that Swizz and Timbaland seem to address in programming in the future, as the boom bap giants RZA and DJ Premier recently teamed up for one for ages and revenge between the 80s and 90s. R&B veterans Teddy Riley and Babyface are in the works after a failed first try. Verzuz needs talent from different regions and times, and desperately needs women. Until we know what will happen next, let's review what we have seen so far, ranked from best to worst to absolutely doomed. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcM3MKN92O0[/embed] -> What is the summary? When Babyface first postponed its battle with Teddy Riley this month (while R&B born Kenneth Edmonds took the time to recover after being tested positive for coronavirus) asked who would fill these shoes on Easter weekend. Wu-Tang RZA's brain and Gang Starr's DJ Premier intensified. The native of New York built his legend on grainy tones and samples of funk and kung fu, shoveling a pile of metro soil on the threshold of traditional hip-hop in the early 90s with classics like Enter the 36 rooms, Liquid swords, and Only built 4 Cuban Linx. Premier, a renowned New York hip-hop venue via Houston and Boston, is a platinum assistant capable of creating new melodic lines from pre-existing records. While RZA made a splash on Staten Island, Preemo made magic with Nas, Biggie, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep and more. Their competition was a clash of rap titans that will go down in history. The duo played cat and mouse through 20 legendary street rap spins, then blessed us with a long, successful bonus round in which they forgot to participate in the main battle. Who won? Preemo was the favorite in the days leading up to the battle, but RZA was armed with good records by Method Man, GZA, Ol ’Dirty Bastard and Raekwon. He was too close to hang on to the score. The winner is anyone connected to hear the story of New York hip-hop song by iconic song. (That said, I'm on the side of RZA.) Strong points: Decades of hip hop royalty have camped in the comments, RZA arriving in a sleeveless vest and gloves with Afro Samurai playing in the background, the Prime Minister calls Wu-Tang's ugly hit "Gravel Pit" a pop song and follows with "Ain't No Other Man" by Christina Aguilera, RZA chasing the hot song by Biggie diss "Kick In the Door ", off 1996. Life after death, with "The Long Kiss Goodnight", another diss track from the same album. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H_l_Mzh3EI[/embed] -> What is the summary? Swizz was a 17-year-old boy from the Bronx when he started making beats for DMX and the Ruff Ryder clique in the late 90s. Virginia Timbaland's innovator was the other benchmark of the time. If you didn't have Swizz or Tim or the Neptunes involved in your major label album, you were spoiled. It was the case of Jay-Z Flight. 2: Hard Knock Life at Drake Thank me later and beyond. The depth of the catalog made this battle a war of attrition; these are guys who can go song for song, artist for artist. The two clashed on records from Jay, Drake, Missy Elliott, Kanye West, Aaliyah, Justin Timberlake and dozens of others. The first Verzuz the battle is the longest and most difficult to call. Timbaland is the most convincing musician; there are wilder things that happen to a Timbo beat than a Swizz seven times out of ten. But Swizz is a joker ready to take on roles that no one would dare better. Run away from Jay-Z's “Jigga My Nigga”. The melody is meaningless. It's hard like nails! Who won? I give Timbo the advantage for having encouraged Swizz to play R&B and to stay strong when his opponent's (killer) reserve of the 2006 Beyoncé classics has run out, revealing his opponent's shortcomings while highlighting its own strengths. Strong points: The Jay-Z War at six songs where we could hear classic cuts from the In my life albums, every time Swizz played DMX and Timbo joked, "You play your artist." Trash conversation is the key. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i18yHuizwc[/embed] -> What is the summary? Lil Jon and Teddy Paindergrass are the yin and yang of mid-2000s hip-hop radio. (Peace to the Ying Yang Twins, however.) T-Pain has made Auto-Tune the rap wave almost alone based on records like "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin ')" and "Can't Believe It" "and produced most of it himself. (Another time, let's talk about the imposing synths of "Drank" and "Chopped N Skrewed" which are just as instrumental for the massive sound of hip-hop from 2005 to 2008 as DJ Toomp jams like "What You" by TI Know " and "I Luv It" by Jeezy or "What Up, What's Haapnin" by Drumma Boy on Tip and "Put On" by Jeezy and Kanye.) Jon brought turbulent and crunk music from Atlanta to the masses and produced for everyone from Usher and Ciara to Pitbull and, yes, T-Pain. Who won? The back-to-back bangers and lively jokes of these two made this battle less of a war and more of a club night. It was too close to call. This time, the winner was us. Strong points: Lil Jon reminding T-Pain that "Buy U a Drank" borrowed its hook from "Snap Yo Fingers", T-Pain dancing and singing with live performances of his hits until Swizz said, "What do you think, Essence Fest? ", Jon scary the crowd with anti-vax conspiracy theories, all hell was unleashed when T-Pain played the remix of "I'm a flirt" by R. Kelly. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9xRjR8iz9c[/embed] -> What is the summary? Babyface writes majestic and masterful love songs for a long list of clients, including Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men and Ariana Grande. His solo albums Tender lover, For the freshness in you, and The day rank among the best R&B of all time. Teddy Riley, with producers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, brought a new swing to the masses in the 80s and 90s, mixing hip-hop drums and R&B melodism for famous collaborators like Bobby, Whitney, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson. Riley's groups of singers Guy and Blackstreet have scored classics in "Piece of My Love", "Groove Me" and "No Diggity". The main event on Saturday evening drew the pre-game excitement of a Tyson fight for the adult and sexy crowd. Unfortunately, the battle lasted as long as an Iron Mike match, sinking into chaos early on when technical problems emerged at the end of Teddy and sabotaged the first hour. He was trying to perform for his website while broadcasting the battle on IG Live, with a room full of staff, while Babyface directed his end of the feed alone in headphones. We heard about six songs in the first quarter hour, after which Riley asked for 20 more minutes to work on the sound, and Babyface quietly escaped and promised to reschedule the already rescheduled battle. Saving this lower ranking battle is Monday night's rematch, which went off without much technical difficulty or really no glare by Teddy Riley. After a few hilarious minutes trying to figure out how to pin a comment on IG Live, the duo settled in, played a bunch of classic records, talked about trash, cast shadow and reminded everyone why we considered them to be R&B greats. Who won? You could say that Babyface won the first night after entering the scene with two Bobby Brown classics and remained a good sport while Teddy's entire group, hype, staff and film crew fumbled with microphones and speakers, trying to stream live on two separate platforms and drown a deadly echo that Riley swore at one point came from the other guy. The rematch went to Babyface, and it wasn't close, although Teddy got some good rebuttals, reminding us that the new classic of the Keith Sweat "I Want Her" jack swing is (almost) as good as "Every Little Step" by Bobby Brown. " Strong points: Toni Braxton on the way to war Twitter, Mariah Carey and Adele make jokes, Babyface playing "Change the World" on acoustic guitar while Teddy understood the sound on Monday, Raekwon in the comments talk about stealing people from Babyface songs, Riley's team trying to fix the microphone problems by bringing in even more microphones, Babyface leaning a bit on social distancing while Riley sank in a room with what appeared to be ten heads present but no masks in view the SAME. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJPMKL_qTV0[/embed] -> What is the summary? The third Verzuz the battle re-established order when the successful R&B songwriters Ne-Yo and Johnta Austin matched the goods. The two artists are masters of tasteful love songs with hot sequences that last from the middle to the end. Ne-Yo's successes like "So Sick", "Because of you", "Miss Independent", "Irreplaceable" by Bey, "Take a Bow" by Rihanna are fluid R&B classics. Johntá's catalog - see: Bow Wow and "Like Mine" by Ciara, "Run It!" By Chris Brown "Can't Help But Wait" by Trey Songz and "We Belong Together" and "Shake It Off" by Mariah - fill the picture of a bygone era of health 106 & Park countdown and contemporary radio rate paced without worries. Who won? The two songwriters selected their best material, for the most part, although Johntá could have applied pressure with a few Mariah joints in platinum. Ne-Yo finally won, although it is better appreciated as a two-and-a-half hour nostalgia playlist from the 2000s than a formal beat battle. Strong points: Johntá sipping wine in a suit and looking quietly disturbed, Ne-Yo offering a gentleman's trash speech, The-Dream appearing in comments wondering why he couldn't have such a civilized battle. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EznbRsGAhw4[/embed] -> What is the summary? The second Verzuz event associated two hitmakers who have had an impact over the past ten years. Mostly known for drums exploding like bombs, the West Coast rapper and producer Hit-Boy composed songs by Jay, Kanye West, Bey, Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj. The Toronto Boi-1da has worked with Drake since its first mixtape in 2007, Room for improvement. "Miss Me", "Headlines", "0-100 / The Catch-Up" and "Over" - all him. The catalog also includes the Eminem Hot 100 “Not Afraid” topper and scorchers with everyone from Rick Ross to Rihanna. It seemed to be an equal match until everyone realized how infinite the Drake Boi-1da classic pool is. Hit-Boy put pressure on big radio records like "Feeling Myself" by Bey and Nicki and "Backseat Freestyle" by Kendrick, but Boi-1da had an answer for almost all of them. Who won? Trying to push Boi-1da out of his comfort zone was a solid strategy that ultimately backfired on Hit-Boy. He pulled out too much of his biggest hits too soon, and it cost him in the back half of the battle, when Boi-1da locked himself in, playing ten years of Drake successes. It was a little bit like the people who fire fireballs in street fighter: It's rude, but if you can't beat him, you can't beat him. Strong points: Hit by drawing his Rihanna card with the Anti banger "Woo" but then catching "Work", Boi-1da presenting with a drop of Drake saying: "I should continue to sign with Hit-Boy because I had all the success, my boy", on " 0-100, "the two producers preview the unreleased music by Nipsey Hussle, Nas, Drake and Roddy Ricch. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN1dGTHR-wo[/embed] -> What is the summary? Mannie Fresh is a southern rap hero best known as the architect of his Cash Money. In the 90s, he produced the first albums of Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Big Tymers, B.G. and Hot Boys, creating beats essentially from scratch. The streak continued over the next decade with TI's "Front Back" and "Big Things Poppin" Scott Storch started out as a member of the Roots and became one of the must-have beatmakers and session players of the artists , working with everyone from 50 Cent and Chris Brown at Paris Hilton and Brooke Hogan. Storch's story is complicated in a way that Mannie Fresh is not - by 2010, Storch's career had become a cautionary tale about addiction and over-spending - but regular customers like Brown and more recent stars as 6ix9ine and Russ have been looking for in recent years, as Fresh's relationship with Lil Wayne has led to good investments on Tha Carter V and this year Funeral. In battle, the two producers played classics alongside a few more recent songs, but the age gap in the crowd was palpable. Verzuz largely satisfies nostalgia; the successes of 99 and 2000 are not always as good. Who won? People swear it was a rash in favor of Storch, accusing Mannie Fresh of having a sound too specific to its time and region. It's a riot, because Storch's taste for eccentric synth sounds, hand claps and Americanized ragas screams as much as "Back That Azz Up" in 1999. But Storch finally took this one. Strong points: Storch smoking fat dulls all the time and lights them with a portable torch, Jadakiss laughs in the comments when his collaboration with Mariah Carey "U Make Me Wanna" took effect, Storch slipping "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake in the mix on the technicality that he is credited as the song's key player in the Justified album cover notes. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K0-O0YFYB4[/embed] -> What is the summary? New York rym French Montana is a trap artist whose real gift is the hooks; the catalog of tubes on which it is presented is surprisingly deep. According to the song, Tory Lanez is either an R&B singer using rap rates, or a rapper with an attentive ear for the melody. (The nose Quarantine radio combines the steamy humor of a radio jock with a steady stream of famous guests like Megan Thee Stallion and Drake and a long line of fans ready to twerk in front of the camera. It's the spring hit, attracting an average of a quarter of a million heads each time.) It sounds like a quirky match until you play a lot of their songs back to back and see the common threads. Who won? Tory Lanez has chops, but French has relationships. In a field where the biggest success always takes precedence, songs like "Stay Schemin" and "Pop That" will always demolish "Ferris Wheel" and "K Lo K", even if these are all good songs that share aesthetics . The French have won a mile. Strong points: Lanez playing "Kika" by Tekashi 6ix9ine Day69 but refusing to recognize who it was, the French nonchalantly smoking hookah, Lanez being a good sport to lose. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpGZ86i310I[/embed] -> What is the summary? The scandalous confrontation between Atlanta-based hitmakers The-Dream and Sean Garrett is the reason Verzuz now has basic rules. Dream - who contributed to the creation of many successes, including “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” by Beyoncés and “Touch My Body” by Mariah Carey, and created his own memorable songs in “Falsetto” and “Rockin 'That Shit' - was cordial and timely in his Sunday evening scrap. Garrett is best known by people who do not read the lining notes as a guest in Nicki Minaj's "Massive Attack", but known to those who know him as the co-author and / or co-producer of singles like "Yeah !, "by Usher Ciara's" goodies "and Yonce's firecrackers like" Ring the Alarm ". That said, he showed up late, shaking the camera lasciviously and letting the recordings topple over for too long. (That's why contestants are only allowed to play a song until the first chorus now.) Antics ate most of the first hour, where Dream released a steady stream of solid songs, and Garrett played random songs, digging Blueprint 3- Will be songs by Jay-Z and unpublished first solo. But the scales were rocked, and the fight became good when Garrett pulled it together and started matching Dream song to song. Who won? The crowd swore that Garrett was smoking Dream, but what really happened was that he shot a Rocky. He ate shots through the opening laps and swayed towards the end when his opponent withdrew. But it's not boxing. There is no KO. It is important that Sean blew up the first hour. It is also important that Dream lets slip a comfortable lead, giving up too many points while leaving too much heat on the table. Sean won ... but it was close. Strong points: The-Dream playing mini-golf in front of the camera as Garrett appears slammed and makes impromptu opening remarks, Dream showing the demo version of Jay-Z's "Holy Grail" with himself instead of Justin Timberlake, Garrett scary the crowd with faces of love, famous spectators like Big joe, Kelly Rowland, and Rick Ross get tired and act in the comments. https://oltnews.com/all-verzuz-instagram-battles-live-ranked-vautour?_unique_id=5e9f3fce8833d

[airadam]

Episode 129 : Wheel And Come Again

"I don't wanna be a playa...I just coach the team."

- Lord Finesse

I had a new experience recording this episode - making an error which meant I had to re-record the whole thing again! Still got it out on time, and so we have our annual tributes to the catalogues of J Dilla, Big L, and Big Pun - alongside some other heavyweight picks. We open proceedings with something fairly topical...

Twitter : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Ice Cube : Chase Down The Bully

The recent march in Washington DC by masked white supremacists (with a police escort, at that) put me in mind of the Charlottesville rally in 2017, which is sampled in the intro to this track from "Everythang's Corrupt", and made this a fitting opener for the month. Ice Cube may be running a basketball league and making family films now, but he can still bring the righteous fire on the mic whenever he chooses. Beau James' beat has the kind of heft needed to match, although I think the little breakdown on the second half of each verse could have been swapped for more of that heavy main loop!

J Dilla : Jay Dee 37

I don't think I've played this one before - with so many Dilla beat compilations created over the years, filled with tracks with no real titles, it's easy to make a mistake! This is taken from the 2016 "The King of Beats" release, and it's a neck-snapper for real - doing the most with just bass, a simple drum pattern, and a few keys. 

Jay Dee ft. Frank N Dank : Pause

If you're a fan of the man's work to any substantial degree, you'll know this one - a favourite at every tribute night and on mixtapes for sure. Frank N Dank grab the mics and swagger all over this one with the kind of lyrics that make the whole crowd join in! This banger was a clear standout on his solo LP "Welcome 2 Detroit", which was the first of the "Beat Generation" releases on BBE. There's a specific reason why that LP was first - many of the other producers signed up were so intimidated by the total free rein they were given, they let Dilla go first to see what he'd do!

D.I.T.C. : Stand Strong

If the lyrics sound familiar to some of you, that's likely because this is basically a remix of the Show & AG track "Dignified Soldiers" (as you can hear in the hook), done for the crew's self-titled LP. I think the original does have the edge, but I wanted to play this for those that may have missed it, and of course for everyone who wants to hear lyrics from the late Big L!

Marco Polo ft. Supastition : Heat

I somehow overlooked this one for quite a while, despite the fact that pretty much any Marco Polo beat is worth your attention, and Supastition is never one to bring a weak verse. Don't sleep - make sure you give "Port Authority" from 2007 a few good end-to-end listens for some straight-up Hip-Hop.

Big Pun : Leatherface

The title may be a reference to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", but the sample on the hook and outro tie this one firmly into the infamous motel scene in "Scarface" (actually, doesn't show as much as you remember). This version is from a white label 12", but you can easily find the uncut raw on Pun's second LP "Yeeeah Baby", with the same production by Arkatech Beatz (known elsewhere as Infinite Archatechz). 

Mix Master Mike : Rebel Enforcer

The "Anti-Theft Device" album by one of the founders of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz probably had more straight-up beats (rather than cuts and juggles) than many would have expected before hearing it, and it certainly set out that Mike has a well-rounded skill set. This was a nice inclusion with a few samples heads will immediately recognise alongside others that aren't obvious at all!

Sean Price & Lil Fame : Center Stage

Given the aggression of the lyrics you can actually hear, I can't even imagine what the censored material was! "Price Of Fame" (genius!) is a major Brooklyn team-up of the late great Sean P and Lil Fame of M.O.P, who not only contributes the hook here but also produced the raw beat. His use of the "Brownsville" vocal sample is a perfect, inspired addition! Great video too - worth watching just for the puppet version of Jill Scott :)

DJ Shadow : Walkie Talkie

A producer I know was commenting recently how different DJ Shadow's catalogue has been since "Endtroducing", which is the work that brought him to prominence. That's definitely true, but this track from "The Private Press" has a touch of the energy of something like "The Number Song", as Shadow pieces together pieces of vocal to go braggadocious in his own way over an abrasive beat.

Inspektah Deck : City High

Dug this one out on a mixtape and realised I didn't have a good copy, so digital purchase came to the rescue as I grabbed it from the "The Movement" album. Deck is in solid form describing the grind of trying to come up in NYC - though it's a tale that could fit many other places. Production is by Phantom of the Beats (aka Haas G), whose catalogue has tracks as varied as "Apollo Kids" and "Magic Stick"! This one is soul-sampling crispness from the era when producers were leaving the vocals in and letting them run through the verses; notably in this one, the sample isn't actually saying "city high", but I'll leave you to find it...

Busta Rhymes : Show Me What You Got

One of my favourite Dilla beats gets an outing here, highlighting the fact that the work he did with Busta Rhymes is still probably the most weirdly-overlooked part of his overall production catalogue. The drums lazily skip over a late 90s sample - bearing in mind that this is from the 2000 "Anarchy" album, so this was an unusually contemporaneous sample source - that is guaranteed to move your neck or shoulders!

14KT : Down The Street From Peace

Skills to pay the bills...for everyone on the street. The Michigan native coming out of LA with the ill jazz styles is an absolute wizard on Maschine and this track gives you just a taste. This track is a great example of the work on the "For My Sanity" album, which often throws tradition structure and bar counts out of the window, and embraces freedom and experimentation.

Away Team ft. Nervous Reck : Look

It's been a very long time since we visited the "Training Day" album from the heyday of the extended Justus League crew out of North Carolina, but it's never too late to go back. Khrysis is on the boards with the heat ;) and Sean Boog joined by Fayetteville's Reck, who strides along next to the beat just daring it to say something!

Black Moon : Look At Them

Only partially chosen as a thematic companion to the preceding track, this was from a strangely overlooked LP from last year, the long-awaited return of Black Moon on "Rise Of Da Moon". With Buckshot's slithering flow, 5 Ft giving contrast, and Evil Dee on the turntables and the beats, how could you go wrong? If you've not heard the album yet, do give it a shot.

J.Chambers ft. Koro Fyah : Escape The Kingdom

New single from a Manchester MC who continues to grind on the underground and work on his craft. With the recent resumption of deportations of British Black people to Jamaica, this reggae-fused track is right on time. The Rastafari vocalist Koro Fyah is the perfect addition on the hook for this short and pointed piece.

Gang Starr : Beyond Comprehension

This isn't the first track that comes to mind when I think of the "Step In The Arena" LP, but it's a low-key smoker. Guru's ability to use his monotone style at slow tempos was solidifying in this period , and Premier's scratching fits the beat perfectly.

4Hero : Les Fleur

This is a beautiful cover version of the classic 1970 song by the legendary Minnie Riperton - not an easy act to follow by any stretch! Nonetheless, Carina Andersson does a praiseworthy job vocally over the production from Marc Mac and Dego on a song just made for the springtime. The 2001 "Creating Patterns" LP is the source for this one, an album which has aged very well.

Royce Da 5'9" ft. Cee-Lo Green : Politics

We finish the month with a great track from the time after Royce had build something of an underground audience, but long before much of the wider world had caught on to what he was bringing. This standout from the 2005 "Independent's Day" album is a great collaboration - Nottz' beat is gritty, but is shepherded into a bluesy feel courtesy of Cee-Lo's voice and re-interpretation of an old Spooky Tooth lyric for the hook. Perhaps despite the curses, this track for me definitely fits into the category of "Tracks That Could Play At The End Of A Series Of 'The Wire'"!

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

Check out this episode!

[easytravelpw-blog]

Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/festival-review-sziget-budapest/hotels/

Festival Review: Sziget, Budapest

(c) Sziget Festival

I was excited to return to Óbuda Island in Budapest for the third year running to attend the Sziget (9-16 August 2017) for seven days of sunshine and spectacle.

As well as more than 10 music stages, Sziget promised a varied programme including theatre, dance, traditional Hungarian craft workshops and even an interactive games area focusing on helping people with disabilities.

Who goes to Sziget Festival?

Diversity is the heart and soul of Sziget Festival, with over 100 countries represented on the island. As well as Hungarians, who tend to purchase day tickets, the festival attracts hoards of ‘Szitizens’ from the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, the UK, and beyond. There were more than 1,000 Australians at Sziget this year: quite a journey to make for a festival!

Sziget Szitizens enjoying the festival (c) Andrew Moss

Accommodation

I opted to avoid camping at the festival and instead rented an apartment with a group of friends. This allowed me the opportunity to return home each night for a shower and a decent night’s sleep, and also meant I could catch the Sziget boat to the island each morning: a truly lovely way to start the festival each day.

The simplest way to rent an apartment in Budapest is through Airbnb, and if you book enough in advance you should be able to rent a lovely, air-conditioned apartment for peanuts. Our base was only a 10-minute walk from Sziget boat and housed 14 people, at the cost of £15 a night – bargain!

You can also book an inexpensive hostel in the ‘Pest’ side of the city. If you go down this route, make sure you check there is air conditioning in the bedrooms.

You can, of course, camp at the festival and there are plenty of shady spots to pitch your tent. There is also a VIP camping option, but if you’re willing to spend the extra cash I recommend you book an apartment or hostel in the city instead.

Food and Drink

During my previous trips to Sziget, the food was disappointing. There wasn’t that much variety and what was there was greasy and salty. This year there was a definite improvement, especially in the area near to the Hungarikum Village. I sampled some delicious Goulash Soup as well as a Russian dish called pelmeni: mixed pasta stuffed with beef and pork with sour cream and vinegar. The food options around the main stage were fairly uninspiring so I recommend branching out from the centre of the festival when you get peckish.

You can’t take in your own alcohol to Sziget. A beer or plastic cup of wine costs less than £3 while one of the festival’s signature cocktails is around £5.50. As with previous years, Sziget’s alcohol policy allows for a very jolly atmosphere without creating too many alcohol-related casualties.

Sziget Beer Drinkers (c) Andrew Moss

At Sziget you don’t use cash to buy food and drink. Instead, you pre-load money onto a Festipay card and this can be used to pay for everything at the festival. There are several booths dotted around Sziget where you can top-up, and you can protect your money by downloading the Sziget App and registering your card. If you lose it, you can cancel the card and reimburse the money on a new card. Very nifty.

What’s the music like at the Sziget Festival?

We arrived at the main stage on the first day mid-way through a fun and energetic performance by Bosnian group, Dubioza Kolektiv. Taking inspiration from reggae, ska, alternative rock and Bosnian folklore, the band whipped the crowd into a joyful frenzy. This is what makes Sziget so special: the opportunity to discover bands from across the globe who would otherwise never enter one’s consciousness.

The music line-up was, admittedly, a mixed bag. The seven headliners absorbed over half of the festival’s €20m budget, yet they weren’t the big hitters of rock and pop that I’d become accustomed to.

Sziget Revellers at the main stage (c) Andrew Moss

I really enjoyed P!nk’s fun and fiery performance on the first night, but confess I was less thrilled by the prospect of Kasabian, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Major Lazer. Tamás Kádár, CEO of Sziget Cultural Management, admitted to us that the line-up was weaker than usual, in part because some of the acts are asking for 50-60 per cent more money than the previous year.

This has become a serious issue for festival organisers around the globe. Fortunately there were some excellent performances by lesser known artists on the main stage including a feisty set by The Kills and a beautifully sweet performance by English rose, Birdy. The closing act on the main stage, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, was also a surprising sensation.

British-American indie rock band The Kills (c) Andrew Moss

There was also plenty to see away from the main stage. My personal highlights included DJ Shadow and Crystal Fighters at the indoor OTP Bank Stage by A38. USA born DJ Shadow put on an exceptional show with the best backing video I have ever seen. Striking images of wildlife, landscapes and abstract shapes burst on the screen in perfect timing to the music. The bass was so intense it made my shoes vibrate and my nose tingle. Crystal Fighters put on a jubilant performance inspired by the Basque heritage of one of its members, Laura Stockley. This band really should have had a prime spot on the main stage and I think Sziget missed a trick here.

The World Music Stage hosted a brilliant set by Orkestra Mendoza, who made it totally impossible not to get up and dance. This performance was particularly memorable as the final song coincided with Sziget’s 25th birthday party. Sziget staff members ran around the festival presenting a random selection of Szitizens with birthday cakes and party hats. My friend, Hannah, was one of the lucky recipients and her pure joy at being presented with a cake was one of my happiest memories of the festival.

What else is going on?

My advice for Sziget is to make sure you don’t just stick to the main stage and really make time to explore every area of the festival. There is much to discover, from Sziget beach to the Luminarium: an 800m2 inflatable sculpture with a labyrinth of rooms to explore. There is also the travelling funfair, cardboardia tent, Sziget comedy tent and Magic Mirror which hosts a colourful array of cabaret, drag shows and talks by the LGBT community.

Walkabout performers The Herd of Mechanical Creatures (c) Andrew Moss

One of the most widely talked-about acts this year was Anima Ardens by Belgium Compagnie Thor, which features 11 male dancers who are totally in the nude. I joined the huge queue outside the Fidelio Theatre and Dance Tent and managed to get a seat at the back. While I applaud their grace and boldness, I am afraid this performance was too arty for me. The interpretive dance aspects went completely over my head!

There were some stellar circus performances this year at Cirque du Sziget. The organisers doubled the capacity of the indoor tent this year, which was a savvy move. The outstanding performance for me was Machine de Cirque, where five Canadian blokes performed a mix of comedic sketches and extraordinary feats of acrobatics using a large, wooden seesaw.

Machine de Cirque from Canada (c) Andrew Moss

Another highlight of the festival was the colour party, where festivalgoers throw bags of multi-coloured paint at each other. This year, it was postponed to the final day due to high winds on Saturday. My friends and I made our way into the centre of the action and managed to get hold of few bags of bright pink powder. Then followed an explosion of luminescent dust and we all threw our arms up in pure joy and asphyxiation (thanks to the clouds of powder).

Verdict

Sziget 2017 was for the most part, pretty fantastic. The festival had a carefree and jovial atmosphere and I was in an almost permanent state of euphoria. Yes, the main stage line-up was a little disappointing, but this didn’t really matter when there were so many other things to see and do.

Colour Party Revellers (c) Andrew Moss

TIP: If you are planning to visit Sziget in 2018 allow some time to explore Budapest. It’s a vibrant and beautiful city with a fascinating history. You can purchase a 13-day Sziget Citypass during the festival, which allows you to use almost all forms of public transport around the city, including the boat to the festival.

⇒ Top 10 things to see and do in Budapest

Fact File

How much: Festival tickets are reasonably priced, from around £230 for 7 days. Book early to avoid price increases.

Getting there: if you arrive by car, check the parking options listed on the Sziget website. Parking spots are limited and once you leave your car, you can only return one time unless you are willing to pay for another ticket.

There is a taxi station on the island and you can also catch a taxi to the festival entrance from the city. Sziget’s official taxi partner is Citi Taxi, and they can be reached on +36 12 111 111.

The easiest and cheapest ways to reach the island are by train and by boat. The Sziget boat runs every day between between Jászai Mari square and Sziget Festival Port. Alternatively catch the HÉV suburban rail no. H5 to the Filatorigát stop, leaving from Batthyány square or Margit Bridge every 10-15 minutes.

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#travel #airlinetickets #airtickets #cheapairfare #planetickets #travelinsurance #travelquotes #travelblogger #traveller #travelling #travelocity #travelodge #vacation

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 246: Philipp Otterbach

Though Philipp Otterbach has been active for years, both as a foundational resident of Salon des Amateurs and more recently as producer and DJ in Berlin, I only came into contact with his music last year via a spellbinding rework of DJ Normal 4’s “Aeo,” which I described at the time as a "mysterious spaghetti western smothered in gaseous cosmic clouds.” Now in 2019, Otterbach continues his singular artistic journey with the release of The Rest is Bliss on the Amsterdam based Knekelhuis. It’s a sorcerous collection of spectral psychedelia, paranoid IDM, surf guitar shimmer, ghostly post-rock, drug-dub mesmerism, and balearica beamed in from an alien universe and the only signposts that come to mind are Grails’ Black Tar Prophecies Vol. 1, 2, & 3 and the mystically freaked out Naked Light EP by Basses Terres.  And this post-everything amalgam of far-out braindance sonics and morphing ambient tapestries helps to further establish Otterbach as one of the most adventurous artists currently working…a musician and conceptualist who moves beyond all stylistic limits and genre borders by following an instinctual dream logic, which in turn leads to immersive melodic paradises and dark worlds of vibratory energy.

Philipp Otterbach - The Rest is Bliss (Knekelhuis, 2019) “Interlude” sees pounding drum rituals moving through a valley of darkness and bleary distortions wafting above electro-bell tones while reverb clouds and hovering voices crash against the mix like waves of ether. Smoldering guitar chords revel in cinematic desert magic as the arcing drone streaks, smashing drums, and swelling bass tones generate a drunken sort of rhythm and all the while, scratching steel string atmospherics and surfadelic slide guitars bring vibes of 60’s psych exotica…as if a spaghetti western soundtrack has been deconstructed and reformed into a shadowy miasma. “Dark Side of the Møn” follows with insectoid rimshots and IDM cymbal paranoia while glowing bodies of static pan in slow motion. Distorted bass pulses and bit crushed drum patterns sit beneath bending tones of steel; sonar ping and satellite communications swim through heatwave string mirages; and velcro tones rip through the sky…all while the kick drum is compressed into a fucked up and speaker shredding mess. Dub-echo snare cracks give the beat further shape and sub-sonic basslines suck air out of the skill as Otterbach weaves fog-obscured footwork futurisms into a tapestry of drugged up braindance weirdness. Gurgling throat drones, alien frog croaks, and outer-dimensional bird calls join a mix already overwhelmed by anxious rhythmic energy and as the track progresses, heady pauses and ambient breakdowns add layers of psychosomatic drama.

At the center of The Rest is Bliss sits “The Weak Song” and its primordial kosmische sequencing moving through hypnotizing filter motions and resonant blasts of spacey acid. The background is suffused by the fluttering sounds of uncountable insect wings and marbles made of electronic crystal pan across the spectrum while a depressing voice sample speaks out over the ambient void. Swimming vortices of reverb and delay create a glorious aquatic landscape wherein streaks of light reflect off of coral reefs and vapor clouds of every color escape from underwater vents. Feedback tones evoke the conversations of whales and dolphins as harmonizing basslines replace the psychedelic sequencing, which then leads to a passage of pure post-rock perfection reminding me of early work of Labradford, with the song giving off a similar sort of romantic minimalism and heartworn beauty. Later, galactic winds blow through the spectrum and the squelching acid line resumes its psychedelic crawl, though now it’s all somehow more vaporous and ghostly than before…as if reduced to a shadow of its former self before eventually fading away completely. And as the track ends, we find ourselves immersed in a coda of obscured chamber orchestrations and downer voice soliloquies.

“The Roamer” proceeds across two parts, with the first being dominated by atmospheres of low slung heroin dub (and featuring Sebastian Lee Philipp and Björn Bauermeister). Subterranean synth wobbles join a murky merging of acoustic and electronic drum textures as they lock into a black hole skank while haunted voices surf on tremolo waves and smeared out g-funk melodies spiral through the air. There’s a moment where the rhythmic elements cut away, leaving behind starshine arpeggiations, twinkling guitar webs, and wavering hues of pale gold. But the beatific float is soon disturbed by sinister sub-bass textures…as if some ancient spirit of darkness is stomping through a smoke-shrouded wasteland. And as the mountainous sludge riffs return, dubwise drums lock into a stoner doom stomp while the background is increasingly colored over by squiggling guitar scratches, overlapping currents of resonance, sickly music box cycles, and new age panpipes subverted into horror movie droning. The second part of “The Roamer” opens with unintelligible voices swirled around by cloudforms of pink and white noise. Watery melodies, diamond liquids, and aquamarine filter streaks splash above a downtempo jazz glide constructed from abstracted snare and cymbal patterns. Sea-spray leads intertwine for moments of beautiful sci-fi balearica and eventually, the swooning tropical vibe is pushed further out by a massive kick drum leading a spacious breakbeat zone out. Imagine an Ibizan sunset classic, only stranger…more alien…as if filtered through an otherworldly haze that slows time, bends light, and causes sounds to waver and shimmer in ways that defy logic.

(images from my personal copy)

[sfjazz]

DJ Kid Koala presents his puppet, film, stage robot mashup in SF - SF Chronicle

http://www.sfchronicle.com/music/article/DJ-Kid-Koala-presents-his-puppet-film-stage-11748062.php

By Andrew Gilbert

August 10, 2017

Like many a writer working on his first book, Kid Koala, the Montreal DJ, graphic artist and dauntless sonic spelunker, figured he should stick to what he knows.

Back in 2000, the fuzzy-costumed Kid Koala, whose real name is Eric San, made a powerful first impression with “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome” (Ninja Tune). The dexterously handcrafted, slyly grooving album wove together hundreds of sampled LP’s and came with a comic book he drew, inserted to serve as liner notes.

He then ended up opening for global acts like Björk and Radiohead, and before long Toronto’s proudly indie ECW Press approached him about publishing a book on any topic he wanted — “which was the worst thing you could tell me,” says the 42-year-old, speaking from his home in Montreal.

“I thought maybe I’d write a handbook about touring as a DJ, about how to rent a turntable and do laundry on the road. I got two paragraphs in and realized this is the most horrible book ever. What did I get myself into? My default was to go sit in a diner and draw all over the place mats, and there was this reoccurring robot character.”

Conceived while San toured with Dan “the Automator” Nakamura’s Lovage project, the robot became the central character of his 2003 graphic novel “Nufonia Must Fall,” which has evolved into the singular puppet-show-cum-live-film that opens a four-night run at SFJazz’s Miner Auditorium on Thursday, Aug. 10. Created in collaboration with K.K. Barrett, the Academy Award-nominated production designer of choice for Spike Jonze, “Nufonia” is like watching a masterly magic show that’s all the more breathtaking because the sleights of hand are readily visible.

Told via 10-inch puppets on meticulously detailed sets, “Nufonia” tells the simple story of a besotted robot, out of work after being replaced by a more advanced machine, attempting to woo a brainy young woman who works in an office. The audience can watch the puppet story unfold onscreen, strikingly rendered with the deep shadows of film noir, while also viewing the cast of puppeteers, known as the Afiara Quartet, and production crew creating the film in real time.

Since premiering in Toronto in June 2015, the production has become increasingly intricate, with more than 40 puppets, five cameras and 20 distinct sets. And like the graphic novel, “Nufonia Must Fall” eschews language. It’s a cross between a sci-fi fairy tale and a coming-of-age story “about a robot who can’t sing trying to write authentic love songs,” San explains. “He ends up using some old technology and sound effects records.”

If the synopsis sounds like the backstory of a certain cutting-edge turntablist, San admits that “Nufonia” is fairly autobiographical with an emotional core gleaned from a case of “heavy college heartbreak.” But the vehicles he employs to tell the story draw on earlier sources of inspiration, including his childhood obsession with Jim Henson’s Muppets.

“If you go further back, I remember the first time I realized watching Charlie Chaplin that what I’m seeing onscreen is a magic trick,” San says. “He’s not really climbing up the wall. The cinema allowed him to create this fantastic world.”

San’s affinity for film put him in the thick of the action in the recent hit movie “Baby Driver,” where he supplied the mixtape soundtrack for actor Ansel Elgort’s get-away specialist. When writer/director Edgar Wright approached him about creating the titular character’s self-made tapes, in which Baby Driver remixes conversations he’s surreptitiously recorded, “I told him, ‘You’re describing my high school existence,’” San says.

“Once the weekend came, I’d work with my four-track deck literally until dawn, making weird mixtapes, finding disparate spoken words things and Frankensteining them into these pieces that would crack me up,” he continues. “It was very much part of my introspective youth.”

As an adult, San has found little trouble turning skills honed in solitude into musical camaraderie. He might be best known in the Bay Area for his work with Deltron 3030, the influential alt-hip hop triumvirate with Del the Funky Homosapien and Dan the Automator, created in 1999.

Nakamura, who watched “Nufonia” evolve from a doodle to a graphic novel to a show calls it “truly amazing.”

“We were rooming together during the Lovage tour when he was drawing the book, and it’s great to see how he pulls together the live puppetry and music so impeccably. It’s high tech and old timey at same time,” Nakamura says. “Basically, the robot is Eric. Emotionally, they come from the same place.”

Andrew Gilbert is a freelance writer.

Kid Koala: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 10-13. $25-$55. SFJazz Center’s Miner Auditorium, 201 Franklin St., S.F. (866) 920-5299. www.sfjazz.org