Tag Archive for Instrumental

Oddisee – Beach Dr.


Washington D.C. artist Oddisee has been a big favourite of mine over the past couple of years. He makes music that is both articulate and funky, a potent mixture.

He has had a very prolific 18 months, releasing to excellent albums (Rock Creek Parks, which this is taken from as well as The Carter Baron which I posted earlier in the year and People hear what they see) and Odd Renditions, a mix tape full of interesting mash ups (such as the Aretha Franklin/Bon Iver number which I also posted a couple of months ago).

I really like this track, it is simple and mellow which was exactly what I needed as I recovered from my excesses on Thursday evening (just about there now).

/RjK

21st October 2012

Aphex Twin* – Alberto Balsam

I caught up with regular guest contributor Matt over the weekend who is my main man for all things minimal and mellow having introduced me to Grouper, who has subsequently become a blog favourite.

Mellow is definitely what I like to aim for on Sunday evenings and this certainly fits that mould well. Richard D. James who is better know as Aphex Twin is a prominent DJ and maker of ambient music. Matt also pointed out that there is a pretty good steel band version of this track.

/RjK

*Artist #540

10th september 2012

Shlohmo – Rained the whole time

LA DJ Shlohmo has been a fairly recent discovery for me but I certainly like what I have heard. His washed out sound is a perfect, mellow way to end a hectic Monday. Also, the title of this track is particularly apt given the downpour of biblical proportions earlier today in Dublin.

/RjK

9th August 2012

Shlohmo* – The way U do

I persevered today and this is being written via my phone so please forgive my brevity!

I first heard of this guy through a remix of the LOL Boys track I posted last week. I really like it’s mellow, washed out sound.

RjK

*Artist #501

9th July 2012

Vatican Shadow* – Bin Laden’s corpse

The first thing that struck me about this song was it’s name – Bin Laden’s corpse (taken from the album Washington Buries Al Qaeda Leader At Sea) might be the strangest title (and album name) I have encountered. Despite this, the more I listened to it the more I enjoyed it.

It’s sparse and hypnotic and soothed me through Monday morning. I don’t know too much about this artist beyond: “Minimal synth industrial project of Dominick Fernow concerning the Muslim Middle East and America’s involvement therein.” from Last FM.

RjK 

*Artist #480

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Max Cooper* – Raw (Marc Romboy’s Sub Attack Remix) (NAT)


This is most definitely not the kind of thing that normally speaks to me. However, I have been unable to get enough of it over recent days. There is something compelling about it’s nagging, insistent sound. 
If his Wikipedia page is to be believed Max Cooper is from Belfast and completed a PhD in computational biology before focusing on music full time. It makes me wonder where it all went wrong for me?
RjK
*Artist #420

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Sigur Rós – Samskeyti

Sigur Rós are Icelandic chill out heroes. As usual, I was striving for something soothing for Sunday night and this did the trick. It is taken from their splendid, if esoterically named () album.

London has been somewhat arctic over the past week and especially the last 24 hours. I walked home last night through the first big snow storm of the winter. Somehow, not having to get up and brave it on my way to work the next morning made it a lot more tolerable.

RjK

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Cherokee* – Take care of you

Just back from a cultural evening hearing Alain de Botton speak about his new book Religion for atheists. The talk was stimulating without being over intelluectualised, a very unusual (for me anyway) and enjoyable Monday night.

Cherokee soothed me through the usual jarring beginning to the week that is Monday morning. It has been said that there is a lack of chilled out electronica featured in the blog. That is mostly because I find a lot of it to be a little bland for my taste. But there is the rare occasion (like the song highlighted by my father) that moves me. It is usually a case of the right song at the correct time. Monday morning is usually that time, and this is no exception. 

RjK

*Artist #379

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Air – Alone in Kyoto (CJK Guest Post)

Colin Kenny, Rob’s Dad and originator of the cassettes-in-the car-to-play-on-long-holiday-road-trips that Rob refers to. Electronica/chill-out/instrumentals are sadly lacking in the blog thus far, so this track from Air’s album Talkie Walkie goes some way to righting that wrong.

 
The music by the hip French duo is used in a short scene from the film Lost in translation. Like a lot of contemporary films we are expected to suspend disbelieve – that if you were married to Scarlett Johansson you would abandon her in an hotel in a foreign city for a week. She and Bill Murray share an edgy friendship as both battle jet lag and culture shock. The extract from the film where the track is used captures the feeling of alienation perfectly, with the music acting as an ideal compliment.

CjK

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Jóhann Jóhannsson – The Cause Of Labour Is The Hope Of The World 

This is an epic recording of a brass band playing live in Durham Cathedral (the most impressive building I have ever been in). It was recorded for a BFI tribute to coal miners.

It is soaring yet soothing at the same time. I have listened to it several times in a row now without getting bored of it.

/RjK