Tag Archive for Current

Linnea Olsson* – Dinosaur

An old friend was in Dublin over the weekend. Given that he is a fellow musical obsessive I wanted to take him to see a gig. I consulted The Nialler9 Gig Guide and spotted this lady was playing. When I read her description as a “Swedish fantasy-pop cellist” you might say I was rather intrigued.

Despite a healthy dose of skepticism on both our parts I have to say it was rather great. There was perhaps the largest difference between expectation and reality for any gig I can remember. She really brought it! One particular highlight was an excellent cover version of Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack.

Interesting video here, it has a little of Darwin Deez about it.

Linnea Olsson:

Linnea Olsson1/RjK

*Artist #620

Julianna Barwick* – Pacing

This is perfect for a Monday morning. I had a great weekend which was filled with excellent music (more of that later in the week). This is helping me to recover from those endeavours and soothing my racing mind.

Julianna Barwick is a Brooklyn-based artist with an ambient, experimental sound that reminds me a bit of other blog favourites Grouper or tUnE-yArDs which is pretty solid sonic company to keep.

Julianna Barwick:

Julianna Barwick

/RjK

*Artist #619

Russ Chimes* – Midnight Club EP (Part 2: Tertre Rouge)

Guest Blogger Dom Ayliffe has his finger on the pulse of the dance scene…

Russ Chimes is one of my favourite music producers. I’ve seen him bring his brand of 80’s inspired up-tempo electro dance to grateful club revellers on dance floors large and small, from London to Ibiza. He’s a guy who really knows how to use the tools in his belt to work a beat under your skin and get you moving. A master craftsman of the remix and second to none, in my opinion, at working up to a multi-layered, high-energy ‘drop’ that makes you feel as if you’re dancing on the wings of an aircraft taking off.

I also think this video has a really cinematic and creative vibe about it. ‘Memento’ meets ‘Drive’. This is part 2 of 3 – check out 1 and 3 if you like what you see and hear.

Russ Chimes:

Russ Chimes

/DA

*Artist #618

The Unthanks* – Here’s the tender coming

I have to confess I don’t really know too much about this track or band. I spotted they were playing in Dublin at the weekend and I had never heard of them so I thought I would check them out. Wikipedia tells me they are a band from England’s North-East featuring two sisters.

Whilst perhaps the song is a little lightweight I have been unable to shake it all day. There is something about the sheer simplicity that has completely captivated me. I am sure this will pass soon (as it always does). There is also something about singers with strong accents that I find interesting, and I detect more than a hint of Geordie here.

Also, is it just me or do family groups produce perfect harmonies? I am thinking here particularly of The Beach Boys and The Bee Gees who were/are both spectacular in their own ways. Are there any other examples that you particularly like which I am forgetting?

The Unthanks:

The unthanks/RjK

*Artist #615

Grouper – Living Room

Grouper, which is a solo project of Portland, OR singer Liz Harris, make music for Monday mornings. It is fragile if often rather inscrutable but I always find it soothes my racing mind as it adjusts to the jarring reality of being back to work.

This is taken from her recently released album, the cheerily titled The Man Who Died In His Boat. I have found lately (much to my shame) that I struggle to have the requisite attention span to listen to a whole album but what I’ve heard so far I enjoyed.

Grouper – The Man Who Died In His Boat:

The Man Who Died In His Boat

/RjK

John Maus* – Keep Pushing On

Don’t let anyone tell you John Maus is good live. He’s not. His abject, anguished karaoke routine is down there with the worst live acts I have ever seen. But his 2011 album, We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves, is worthy of your attention. Its dark, vaguely deranged, yet joyful sound turns a half-hour commute into a seaside ghost train, and leaves you better than it found you.

This video, for one of its floatier moments – Keep Pushing On, might hurt your eyes. Full-screen it to be sure.

John Maus:

John Maus/jusk

*Artist #613

Foxygen* – San Francisco | (NAT)

I have to give it up to fellow bloggers Far from Cyan for this discovery. The track is so fresh and infectious. It has been playing on a loop in my head for the past week or two.

Foxygen are a Californian duo who make 60’s influenced indie pop. They sound like they were meant for a different era. This is taken from their recently released We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic album which was released on the JAGAJGUWAR label.

The fact that the song is ostensibly about my favourite city in the world does it no harm but there is more to it than that. I love the retro, somewhat irreverent sound.

I left my love in San Francisco. 

That’s okay, I was bored anyway…

Foxygen:

Foxygen

Foxygen

/RjK

*Artist #611

Blur – Under the Westway

While gorging myself on 90’s music over recent weeks Blur were that a band I came back to over and over.

During the heyday of Britpop the big question was – Blur or Oasis? I have to confess at the time I came down on the side of Oasis and their more substantial sound.

However, as time’s gone by I can’t help but admire Blur’s evolution. They have gone from the cheeky scallywags who made the pop classic Girls and Boys to opera writing, cheese-making middle-aged purveyors of high culture.

This track was one of my favourites of 2012 and I really like the more mature, almost wistful sound.

Blur – Under the Westway:

Under the Westway

/RjK

High Contrast (featuring Tiësto and Underworld) – The First Note Is Silent

Guest blogger Dom Ayliffe on Drum’n’Bass collaboration

This is not my favourite Drum’n’Bass track, or even my favourite High Contrast track – not by a long way; BUT, what it prompts me to think about is how inspiration from the different corners of the dance music spectrum can be pulled together and spawn something beautiful, something more than the sum of their parts.

Many fans of the Hospital Records label hollered in disgust at a collaboration with House/Trance mega DJ –  Tiesto. However I like the idea of moving beyond musical tribalism – this is my music, this is your music – I stay here, you stay there…  Says who?! I also love the storytelling and observation in the video, directed by Mr High Contrast (Lincoln Barrett) himself – hope you enjoy!

/DA