Posts in Music

I don’t often come across perfect things, but here’s one. Nice to hear new work from Clark, was always a big influence.

Apparently this is set to a scene from The Holy Mountain, thanks for the tips in the comments, will check it out.

Clark – Tooth Moves

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I’ve been an ISO50 reader for a long time—long before Jakub and I put on Ghostly International Roller Hockey Team jerseys and took to a rink in rural New Jersey to embarrass the label—and so when Jakub invited me to take a whack at a guest post, I naturally jumped at the chance. (Meanwhile, does anyone want my (priceless) jersey?)

I’ve since moved to California, where I work out of the Los Angeles “Vitsoe apartment,” which is both the home I share with my wife, and a unique space where we show Dieter Rams’ 606 Universal Shelving system deployed in all ways. From straightforward bookshelves, to workstations, to room dividers, kitchen shelving, and closets, it’s pretty much all represented here (we specifically chose an apartment without any built-in storage).. As a former dj and avid collector of music, my favorite use of the system is for media storage. After all these years of collecting vinyl, I’m finally able to put it all on shelves that will not bow under the weight. Vinyl collectors: contact me, it’s more affordable than you’d think!

I thought it might make sense to do a first post about some of the songs that have been keeping me going while working out of the apartment—and since it’s a Vitsoe apartment, share some images of the shelving put to use for various media, plus the beautiful Dieter Rams equipment we listen to it all on.

Lorn – Weigh Me Down (Illum Sphere Remix).
Unbelievably beautiful reworking of one of my favorite tracks on Lorn’s new album “Ask the Dust.” I’m huge fan of his heavy hitting beats, but this is a nice change of pace, skillfully re-tooled by Illum Sphere. For a taste of Lorn’s own softer side, check out ‘Pause’ from his ‘Self Confidence Vol.2’ unfinished / unreleased / demo tracks over at the Brainfeeder site. A strange anomaly in a very dark oeuvre.

Yppah – Blue Schwinn.
I’m a huge fan of Joe Corrales’ work as Yppah, it’s sort of a shoegazy version of Bonobo, a combo that is pure win in my book. This track is from his third and most recent release on Ninja Tune, “Eighty One.” Anomie Belle’s vocals are a great addition in an instrumental sense, I love how she’s just swirling around in the background and I’m unable to make out the words.

Lost Twin – Soothing Words.
There’s no shortage of great producers in Brighton these days. I can’t remember exactly how, but I found him via Bandcamp, and to my pleasant surprise, he’s offering the whole ‘Birds’ album for free. I would have no problem paying full price (and then some) for his work. Although obviously entirely different in tone, there’s something a little Burialesque about the auto-tuned quick vocal snippets.

Dextro – Ring Cycle.
I’m not sure exactly why Dextro has stayed off most people’s radars for so long: He deserves far more exposure in my opinion. His first release was on Border Community, then the subsequent releases were through his own imprint, 16K Records. Maybe that’s why. I don’t know. What I do know is that his sound manages to successfully bring together elements of Ulrich Schnauss, Slowdive, and dare I say it, BOC. His last album, Winded, from 2009, is a real gem. I’m hoping he follows it up soon, it’s been too long.

A Sol Mechanic – [Almst(Touching)].
I’ll never tire of a good “Everything in Its Right Place” sample. In his own words “it’s less of a remix and more of a branch off. N E Ways.” That’s a good way of describing it, because after that amazing initial drop, the sample gets filtered into the background and the minimal stutter beat takes over.

Geskia! – Melamine.
Geskia’s sound is unabashedly Scoott Herren influenced, and most of his work occupies a space dead center between Prefuse and the long gone DeLarosa & Asora projects. This is a compliment, as he pulls off what so many other fail to do successfully.

Jai Paul – BTSTU.
There’s been a lot of buzz about this kid from London, and deservedly so. I saw a tweet from Four Tet that said simply: “that Jai Paul track,” which of course sent me into a Google frenzy. What I discovered is that there are literally only two tracks under his belt to date. It sounds like he’s in good hands over at XL, in a recent NPR spot I heard them describe how they are giving him loads of space and time to do what he needs to do, because that’s just how he rolls. He really has a grasp on the “Less, but better” approach.

Autechre – See On See (Pixelord Remix).
The thing I like about this unofficial Pixelord remix of ‘See on See’ from 2010’s Oversteps is that it brings me back to the Tri-Repetae days, when the tracks were grounded in dark emotion, and they would hit you in the gut with crisp, hard beats. They lost me long ago, but it’s nice to be brought back if even for a few minutes.

Rob Fissmer

Continuing with album design theme, here is a great set of Bulgarian Socialist era album cover designs, curated by SOCMUS.

SOCMUS is a virtual museum that presents different sections of the Bulgarian graphic design from the socialist era, 1944-1989, and is curated by photographer Nikola Mihov, and the architects Martin Angelov and Valeri Gyurov.

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Soft Metals we’re a underrated gift last year with their label Captured Tracks producing soo many good releases in the past year. I had to share this for 2 reasons and you’re going to love the 2nd one probably more: 1st. the synth choices 2nd: it’s a free download here.

Cascine seems to always find bands that sound like they make all their music in a ray from a sun burst in the clouds of Scandinavia. The vox echo in the intro ends up sounding soo good once you get into the thick of the track especially with the strings and synth piano part that comes in at 2:01.

Dntel did it, he made one of the most honest sounding tracks i’ve heard in a number of years, nothing tied to this that sounds like it was forced or rethought because others will hear it, the soundtrack to claymation from a 70s PBS cartoon, soo happy its as look as it is.

I overlooked posting this gem from Burial, everyone’s probably heard it blah blah blah but its worth the post. He probably doesn’t even look at his facebook or read what people write about him, atleast I like to think that he’s this pure yet distant soul.

Nice little side note, we made it to over 30 minutes today on 4 songs, pretty nice I have to say so myself.

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If you’re a Com Truise fan or a lover of synth music on vinyl then you’ll be happy to hear Seth Haley has 3 releases coming to vinyl this summer, his debut EP Cyanide Sisters, Galactic Melt Redux and a collection of B Sides called In Decay.

Under artists it says “Mungolian Jetset presents Jaga Jazzist vs. Knights Of Jumungus” i’ve only heard of Jaga Jazzist and that being said this is probably my favorite Jaga Jazzist song i’ve ever heard especially at 1:50 and on. So now i’m guessing its time to start digging up more about these other 2 groups for more loveliness.

Every John Maus song that leaks will be posted on this blog, its my goal, here’s a new one from 2007 on the upcoming B side release. If you get a chance order the limited run of pink vinyl and support this man genius.

Waiting for this new Marius Våreid track to drop, its a must own for what I love to hear on a dancefloor, that perfect marriage or drive and build at a pace that makes me just smirk with happiness.

Chicago is the lucky one here, the film and photos of Tim Navis + Kim Holtermand’s trip to Iceland will premiere next month along with music performance from the artists listed below. Also this trip will be coming with a soundtrack on DVD, head to the soundcloud links to get a glimpse of the sounds and artists Deru compiled.

Film Premiere & Live A/V Event in Chicago July 10th, Lincoln Hall
Outliers, Vol. I: Iceland featuring…

Deru w/ Scenic (Live A/V)
Shigeto
Loscil
Sweatson Klank

TICKETS HERE

This past October, Chicago film collective Scenic traveled to the Icelandic countryside alongside photographers Tim Navis + Kim Holtermand and music composer Deru to create a series of improvised, collaborative short films. The resulting documentary – entitled Outliers, Vol. I: Iceland – will be released in June, along with a companion soundtrack compilation featuring thirteen contemporary classical composers and electronic music producers.

To celebrate the release, Scenic will join Deru onstage for a live, multimedia A/V performance inspired by the journey. Soundtrack contributors Shigeto (Ghostly International), Loscil (Kranky), and Sweatson Klank (Alpha Pup) will perform full sets, and the first 200 ticketholders are invited to an exclusive live screening of the film and Q&A session with the artists in advance of the show.

SHIGETO

DERU

HEATHERED PEARLS

GOLDMUND

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Windsor. has the appeal of what James Blake or John Talabot bring to the table but has hints of Berlin’s slower techno charm and has this catchy vocal loop I can’t stop listening to once it settles in.

Chillwave died off as a genre name maybe but it was a good thing, it got rid of the trendy bashing and now the music can live under different names or better yet hybrids of future ideas and even better than that let the music be what it was originally just slow catchy pop, D I A N A just drops one of the best summer tracks i’ve heard all year and i’m just sitting here amazed.

You want the highest quality of Yacht Rock Balearic Nu Disco that will put your dad’s Alan Parson’s LPs to shame? then watch out for and collect all the Windsurf releases.

With a heavier dose of Arp, here’s something to drop in the laps of Drive Soundtrack fans that will stomp that soundtracks head in, pure delight from Marbeya Sound.

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“Start your engines and drive thru the 8 bit dirt in Excitebike” thats what the intro sounds like to me in this older single from Koreless and then the looped vocal comes in and adds that human connection and becomes a sugary fun track that bubbles and like a UK hip version of Pogo.

Sorcerer! who does your guitars? you? I love them, download this one here.

I missed this Jamie Xx track, what an intro, who would have thought that we would listen to this much steel drums in 2008 and on from Ratatat, The Knife and now this.

Here’s the semi pop effort of getting slow disco in front of a larger audience, sadly I think it might be a tad bit too slow, also vox could sit a little better in the mix, I love Poolside, I only want to see them do well.

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As I keep my eye on 2 screens, 1 being the UEFA Euro 2012 game and the other on scavenging soundcloud, I keep the soccer sounds off and let these cuts from to ride over and over. My roommate probably hates me being I like to listen to songs over and over that i’m going to post here.

This Mushrooms Project is close to Balearic perfection, almost a 12 minute piece of melting sky over your Blade Runner themed yacht party that only serves tall glasses of Arnold Palmers on a sweat soaked dancefloor thats been occupied to capacity for over 14 hrs now, daybreaks and you don’t even blink twice about the thought that you haven’t had an urge to rest your head.

Park your floating darkstar back onto the moon and connect with this crawling heavy hitter from Om Unit, a fusion of disco, techno and UK’s ever evolving beat scene, this cut just keeps going and fades off like an eclipse on the horizon.

A defining good song in this sea of indie rock that denies The Smiths as a big influence because its just not hip to name drop them anymore. I can’t ever hate Twee, it just has too much honest emotion in it, cuts deeper than any pop song ever could and makes any moment feel more important then it is 10 fold. On a side note, I love this song.

I don’t understand why this record is on Slumberland, it should put a flame under some asses of the whole girl vocal roster on there. These girls are good, I just hope they don’t go the whole NYLON meets Best Coast marketing route with a goth twist, that horse has been beaten, dragged, cut open, photographed and posted all over tumblr and retumbled more times than the word “like” is said at an employee meeting at Urban Outfitters.

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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: I’ve been waiting for a glimpse of the debut Holy Other LP, it has this perfect shuffling and sway to it, really easy to get lost in it in a quick amount of time.

An oldie from Daso, let the melody come in, reminds me of the good old days when Tech House was about beauty.

More from 6th Borough Project, this was just released on a 3xLP, the compilation is full of solid edit, each and every single one is perfect. This is how great disco vocals are done, don’t overdue it, no gospel or overpowering divas, let it sit with the rest of the song.

Probably the rowdiest song i’ve ever posted on ISO50, feels classic though, just popped on shuffle and put a smile on my face.