Keys N Krates Share Single "Glitter" + New LP Due 2018 + Announces Tour Dates
Toronto-based live electronic act @keysnkrates are back with a new single "Glitter" featuring Ambré...
Toronto-based live electronic act Keys N Krates is back with a new single "Glitter" featuring Ambré, which sees the group continuing to expand their sound and explore new territory as they broaden their style beyond the dance world. A deep twilight groove featuring New Orleans R&B talent Ambré, Keys N Krates emerge from the darkness with "Glitter," which layers intoxicating vocals over snappy bass and warped strings for a hypnotic slowed down disco feel.
"We were trying to draw from music we love and grew up on like Jay Dilla, Tribe, DJ Premiere, as well current stuff that we love like everything from Beach House to Chrome Sparks to a lot of current rap stuff," explains the group's turntablist Jr. Flo. "We wanted to everything to sound like a sample."
The group is also announcing that "Glitter" will be the lead single to their debut album, entitled Cura, arriving in early 2018 via Dim Mak Records.
Coinciding with the release of "Glitter," Keys N Krates are also announcing a lengthy North American tour set to kick off on January 24th and running through the spring.
In other news, the group's "Dum Dee Dum" single has recently achieved RIAA gold status. Given that the song never received significant radio airplay, this milestone is a testament to the scope of the group's grassroots popularity.
Review: Yaeji's "EP2" EP
New York based producer @kraeji entertains us with her latest release “EP2”. This project is an exercise in contrast; with its delicate glowing tones, to it ear bud busting baselines and 808s...
New York based producer Yaeji entertains us with her latest release “EP2.” This project is an exercise in contrast; with its delicate glowing tones, to it ear bud busting baselines and 808s. From its intimate canary like vocals to its money tossing mantras, Yaeji has crafted a sound that is uniquely her own.
“Feelings Changed” feel like a new age therapy session with it serene semi forced cry for help vocals, and its background wind like crescendos. The meandering bass accents the song beautifully especially with the artists choice to layer the spoken word vocals with more dynamic singing on the second verse. It’s minimalist and amazing at the same time. “Raingurl” begins with a traditional house beat with slicing snares. Yaeji engages in some sensual talking in English, and Korean circa 1990’s Janet Jackson before she encourages females to float that finance. The breakdown is wonderful with its background haze like vocals, suggestive chants, and a clap that sounds like they recorded two paint cans banging together and added an effect. (In the best way) Yaeji displays some intermediate rap skills about White Russians and a distaste for family planning.
“Drink I’m sippin on” is an adventure in 808 programming and vocal sampling. The high pitch Korean crooning juxtaposed against the thunderous 808 production is great. It doesn’t matter that I don’t understand what she is saying (due to the fact that I don’t know Korean) the song is so well done that it’s just as compelling. “After That” is another one with its marching 808’s, bouncing ball like synths and damp towel snapping snares. Yaeji’s airy vocals that abruptly go from Korean to small segments of English are just pleasing to the ear.
“Passionfruit” showcases the artist’s ability to take a certain world beating Toronto based rappers song, and turn it into an auto tuned, creative 808, cresting wave sound delight. Yaeji utilization of the bass during the chorus against the word (Forgive me I do not know Korean) she chants is therapeutic.
What I admire about this project is that there is no excess. Every vocal is done well. All the production is in its right place and engineered well. It’s not manufactured or rushed. It’s something seldom said about simulated sound…it feels organic. If I had to levy any criticism at Yaeji or “EP2”, it would be that this project is like a nine-teen ninety’s bay area hip-hop legend. It’s “Too Short”.
Stream/Download "EP2" on iTunes
Lafawndah Drops New Remix of "Frontline" As Part of the Producer/Singer's Newly Released "Honey Colony" Mixtape
Check out the new remix of "Frontline" by @lafawndahmusic from her newly released "Honey Colony" mixtape...
Newly released is the new remix of "Frontline" by Lafawndah, as part of the producer/singer's newly released "Honey Colony" mixtape. Also featuring Kelsey Lu, KLEIN, and Bonnie Banane, Honey Colony is a collection of reimagined songs of her friends and allies and follows 2016's critically acclaimed debut EP Tan. Lafawndah is currently performing as main support on Kelela's sold out North American tour. Listen to Honey Colony on Lafawndah's Soundcloud here.
Kelela and Bok Bok Team Up For The "Dub Me Apart" Mix
@kelelam and Night Slugs label-head Bok Bok have teamed up for a special 25 minute mix "Dub Me Apart"...
Inspired by the live club sets they performed together around the Cut 4 Me mixtape, Kelela and Night Slugs label-head Bok Bok have teamed up for a special 25 minute mix Dub Me Apart. Featuring edits of Take Me Apart songs including "Truth Or Dare", "Bluff", "LMK" and using beats by Steve Gurley, Terror Danjah, Sweyn J, NA, Buddha Bless, Uninamise and Leonce, you can hear the mix exclusively on Kelela's Soundcloud below.
In an Unprecedented Move, Run DMT Releases Three Albums Back to Back
U.S. dubstep producer @therundmt started a production journey earlier this year to release his first full-length LP in a number of years...
U.S. dubstep producer Run DMT started a production journey earlier this year to release his first full-length LP in a number of years on his label, Kill Your Ego. The Revolutionaire album of original tracks came out in August and Revolutionaire Re-imagined vol. 1 and Revolutionaire Re-imagined vol. 2 followed in September and October, respectively. How are these all related? To rock or newer EDM fans, it can get a bit confusing.
Remixes are a huge part of the EDM and rave worlds, with almost any popular song having many and sundry remixes. In some genres like drum and bass and dubstep, where Run DMT resides, remixes are so prevalent that fans can go years without knowing who the song’s original author actually is. Even producers will remix their own tracks, normally known as “VIPs”. This system gives audiences a chance to see all the many ways a track can be imagined as well as giving artists a chance to show their diversity or, in Run DMT’s case, show the diversity of talent on his label and in the dubstep, halftime and drum and bass genres at large.
If it hasn’t become clear by now, the two Revolutionaire Re-imagined albums are, in fact, remix albums. Run DMT had the idea while drafting the original Revolitionaire to create two album which were mirror-images of the original with all the songs in the same order, and all of them either remixes by other artists, VIP mixes by himself or instrumental versions. DBWS reviewed the original Revolutionaire, - it was heavy on dubstep since most of the tracks were done by Run DMT himself - which also had a number of tracks which were collaborations with artists who would later come to remix on the future versions.
Said future versions have now come along and as promised. Both vol. 1 and vol. 2 of Revolutionaire Re-imagined have all the same songs in the same order as the original album but done completely differently by different artists. This is where it can get confusing. To wit: “Gamma Ray”, which is possibly the hottest track off all three albums, originally featured UK halftime producer Vorso in a collaboration with Run DMT. The remixes on the Re-imagined albums were done by Keota and Vegas-based Zaiaku. Vorso appears again in a different place, however, as he’s remixed “Tesseract” on Revolutionaire Re-imagined vol. 1. Newcomers to the EDM scene will have a heck of a time trying to untangle all this, but it really is academic.
As with any track, album, genre, etc., the important thing is the quality of the music and Run DMT is known for his very high quality production. This is something that can be seen across all three Revolutionaire albums. Again, “Gamma Ray” is a real highlight. Not technically dubstep but more halftime, the original “Gamma Ray” is heavy and heady. Keota’s remix on vol. 1 lightens things up a bit with some vacuum synths and jazz in the intro, while Zaiaku’s mix on vol. 2 goes completely nuts, technically.
Another track which shows how remixes can be as diverse as the artists want them to be and which has also been a three-time hit off the Revolutionaire series is “I Saw a Light”. This liquid, melodic track was one of the few drum and bass tracks on the original album and was also a bit of a switch in the hard-hitting, high energy vibe of the rest of the album, not to mention the spread of all three albums. On vol. 1, Run DMT’s fellow Dallas producer Vectorwolf took the track in a completely different direction, creating an 80s synth vibe. On vol. 2, San Francisco heavyweights Bachelors of Science took the track back to drum and bass but added even more esoteric elements like Middle Eastern vocals.
And so it goes for nearly every song on Revolutionaire. When looking at a body of work like this one, a listener simply cannot take for granted that the remix(es) of the original tracks will sound anything like said originals. It was a bold and very labor-intensive feat for Run DMT to take on and remix each of these tracks twice, and what audiences should remember is to give them all a good listen. No matter what they think of one of the versions, they may feel completely differently about the other two. Each track is, after all, technically by a different artist.
Revolutionaire and Revolutionaire Re-imagined vols. 1&2 are out now on Kill Your Ego Recordings and can be streamed on Run DMT’s Soundcloud page, where purchase links are listed below each playlist.
Tiësto Releases Volume Five of His “Clublife” Series, This Time From China
With each “Clublife” mix, @tiesto says he’s expressly picked that live performance because he wanted to highlight the particular city or region he was in...
Tiësto, as many music fans both in and out of the EDM scene know, is one of the most famous, longest lasting and highest grossing DJs and producers in history. He’s played massive live sets all over the world many times over, so it should be no surprise that he’s captured some of these live sets and released them. Enter the “Clublife” series.
Clublife has almost become a second brand for Tiësto, as he’s named his weekly podcast and his SoundCloud thus, and he also uses the hashtag #clublife quite often on his social media. It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg story as to whether the album series came before the podcast or vice versa, but what is certain is that the first “Clublife” mix album came out in 2011. It was a live recording of his mixed set at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. Just like most of the things Tiësto does, “Clublife Las Vegas” was so popular that is sparked an entire series based on the same premise.
There have been four more “Clublife” mixes from various locales to-date, and they are so sought after that each one has its own Wikipedia page. With “Clublife Volume 5: China”, Tiësto has begun putting the mixes on streaming format for free. This one appears on YouTube as well as Tiësto’s SoundCloud.
With each “Clublife” mix, Tiësto says he’s expressly picked that live performance because he wanted to highlight the particular city or region he was in. For the China mix, he wanted to shine a spotlight on how the country has been making strides in electronic music, catching up to and even surpassing the west in many ways. “The collection celebrates the rapid growth of the electronic and dance music culture in China, a country with energy, creativity and originality,” he said of the new mix.
This mix is also unique because it features another DJ John Christian, also on Tiësto’s record label, Musical Freedom. It’s full of Tiësto tunes, from classic jams to new big room mixes he crafted especially for the China set. “Clublife Volume 5: China” can be streamed on YouTube for free or streamed and downloaded via pay platforms by clicking here.
Yung Lean Shares Short Film + New Single + New Album "Stranger" Out Friday
Swedish innovator @yungleann has released a short film named "Stranger", sharing the same name of his highly anticipated third album...
Ahead of the release of his highly anticipated third album Stranger, Swedish innovator Yung Lean has released a short film sharing the same name. The film, directed by Suzie and Leo, shows Lean as a fugitive following a massacre who goes through transformative experience from a fugitive into a demon, then he becomes a sad clown, and finally we see his return to a man. The Western short is heavily inspired by the films of Takeshi Kitano as well as satirical comedies and features snippets of songs from Stranger the album.
The short film follows a big week for Yung Lean as he prepares to release his third album Stranger. On Monday, album track "Metallic Intuition" was premiered as Zane Lowe's World Record on his Beats 1 radio show. Yung Lean also spoke about Stranger in an interview published this week by Dazed. In the piece he says: "It felt like me, GUD, Sherman and White Armor were a band. The process of it was, like... I can't even remember it, 'cause it was just having fun, basically. We were just creating, kinda like jamming, and then out of nowhere we had 14 songs."
His most precise record to date, Stranger features the infectious tracks "Red Bottom Sky" and "Hunting My Own Skin," as well as recently shared hard-hitter "Skimask." Truly cementing his place as an inimitable pioneer of electronic and hip-hop music, Stranger will be released on November 10th via YEAR0001.
Yung Lean will celebrate Stranger's release with an exclusive in-store show at London's Rough Trade East on November 15th. On January 16th, following a European tour, Yung Lean will launch a 19 show North American tour.
Watch the Stranger film, hear "Metallic Intuition" and pre-order Stranger, and see below for full tour routing, and details on Stranger.
PRE-ORDER: Stranger -
https://yunglean.lnk.to/YLStranger
Upcoming Yung Lean Tour Dates
Connect with Yung Lean: Twitter
Seoul / New York-Based Producer Yaeji Releases New Project "EP2"
Seoul / New York-based producer @kraeji new release "EP2" is a must cop...
Seoul / New York-based producer Yaeji is one of 2017's true breakouts. Her voice is unmistakably her own - a hushed whisper sliding in and out of English and Korean, so present yet barely there at all. Yaeji's self-titled debut came out this past Spring to wide-eyed praise from Pitchfork, Fader, Boiler Room, Resident Advisor, and the New Yorker.
Yaeji has just dropped EP2, the follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut. First single "drink i'm sippin on" was a bold step forward and proved to be a breakout hit, clocking in over 2 million plays in just a few weeks. Since the announcement of EP2, Yaeji has been profiled by Pitchfork, where she was dubbed "house music's most exciting new voice," and shared a new mix for DAZED.
Her hybrid CDJ performances at MoMA PS1, Boiler Room, and Hot Mass this year have been sweltering crowd-inclusive revelries, featuring Yaeji singing her own songs over the sounds and records that inspire her.
Check out EP2 now on iTunes and Spotify and see below for what the press is saying about Yaeji.
"one of the most fascinating vocalists to appear in house music of late"
- Pitchfork
"therapeutic techno"
- The FADER
"one of the most interesting artists out right now"
- Pigeons & Planes
"Yaeji's contemplative club music is bringing people together"
- DAZED
"Singing in both English and Korean, Yaeji spotlights her heritage
while deftly crafting a sound that's both futuristic and atmospheric"
- NPR
"Beautifully hypnotic"
- Gorilla vs. Bear
Little Dragon's High Tour - Our Favorite Little Dragon Music Videos to Date
You know that type of music that just nourishes your soul? @littledragon manages to manifest that feeling in every one of their tracks, and their music videos are no different...
You know that type of music that just nourishes your soul? Little Dragon manages to manifest that feeling in every one of their tracks, and their music videos are no different. The Swedish electro-soul/r&b group came out with a hypnotizing, percussion-rooted single called “high”, and are following it up with their first North American tour in two years. The tickets go on sale February 17, and to celebrate, we compiled a list of our favorite Little Dragon music videos (because they’re somehow as aesthetically creative as they are sonically.)
Strobe Light
Strobe Light’s video matches it’s strident beat. Using South Africa as her inspiration with beautiful voguing men in sombreros, pastel capes and septum rings, this is a fever dream that we never want to wake up from. Pure fashion and a thing of art.
Peace Of Mind
This soulful hit came out less than a month ago, and the video is a moodily lit story of the song’s recording, in-studio, with Faith and Yukimi (the band’s front woman) pouring their hearts out into the mic. Raw, flawless talent doesn’t need overly fancy talent sometimes.
High
And of course, the highlight track of the year and the reason for Little Dragon’s kick-off tour! This mesmerizing single and video have us so hype for the rest o the album - we love the hazy harem/ayahuasca vibes.
Crystalfilm
This anthem is one of the best LD beats in our opinion. It’s more profound than effervescent, and we can easily say the same for the music video. A little girl goes through an intense journey only to realize that you can’t run from your demons. You will probably cry after making it through this vid.
Paris
The vocals and strong, bouncy beat almost remind us of Pat Benatar, in the best way possible. And we love that the cam is mostly focused on Little Dragon’s gorgeous heroine Yukimi, and the band’s Scooby Doo van. One of their quirkier, more playful pieces - to cheer up from all their sad pensive music.
Sunshine
The mountain landscape against the low afternoon sun fits the track “Sunshine” perfectly. Graceful tango dancers make some rogue appearances in the arid, dirt-filled surroundings. When will a nature vid ever be bad?
Experimental Electronic/Alternative Duo Aurganic Releases "Distant Echoes & Close Encounters" Album
Electronic rock duo Aurganic has released their new album “Distant Echoes & Close Encounters”, which contains an enormous amount of emotion and expression, intelligent, well written lyrics, and packed with experimental...
Aurganic is a window into a collaborative thought and emotion of two individuals who dedicate most of their time to the craft of music and sound creation. Separated by distance and connected by technology Aurganic was one of the original online collaboration projects to appear last decade. Rooted in friendship, the project proved its longevity with four independent releases to date.
Aurganic is an experimental electronic/alternative studio project of two long-time friends Michael Kossov and Leo Pisaq. Originally high school classmates, they were members in a number of local punk rock bands until life and distance separated them for a number of years. They reconnected musically in 2010 finding a lot of common ground. This time it was electronica, art rock and jazz that dominated the ideas. The reunited duo recorded instrumental sessions in New York and worked on their completion via internet resulting in a self-titled EP. They soon discovered how well they complimented each other with Leo's strong production skills and Mike's compositional ideas.
Taking the project to the next level, Aurganic released a self-produced full-length album entitled "Life as a Canvas" in March of 2012. The album included multiple vocal and instrumental guest appearances from local Toronto artists. As a result, the new material emphasized the introduction of song writing to the duo's sound. "Life as a Canvas" was well received by the public, praising the clever mix of live and electronic instruments as well as pristine technical execution.
The sophomore full length "Deviations" followed in September 2013. On this album Aurganic had fully switched to the songwriting approach, having only one instrumental track. The effort includes familiar vocal guest appearances found on "Life as a Canvas", as well as vocal work by Aurganic. The sound has a strong emphasis on mood and atmosphere. The electronic elements are subtler and tend to complement the live instruments. The album was featured on major publications such as Examiner.com, Huffington Post, IX Daily, Absolute Punk and Indie Shuffle Blog. The music from "Deviations" was licensed to MTV series "MADE" and Sundance Channel series "Push Girls".
In September 2017 Aurganic came back with the third full length release "Distant Echoes & Close Encounters". Joey Aguirre was recruited to handle drums and Michael laid all the vocals on the record. The album was completely self-produced giving unlimited creative and production freedom. While overall songwriting is similar to Deviations, post rock and synth rock influences permeate this record from its beginning to an end.
Stream/Download "Distant Echoes & Close Encounters" by Aurganic on iTunes
Interview: MYA Project Talks About Her Debut Album "MK"
@myaprojectmusic aka Dalila Mya is a Los Angeles based artist whose sound blends electronic and acoustic...
MYA Project aka Dalila Mya is a Los Angeles based artist whose sound blends electronic and acoustic music, as well as Trip-Hop, World Music, and Pop Rock. She's not just a singer, but also an accomplished songwriter, violinist, synth player, sound engineer and director. MYA Project recently dropped a visual for her song "Something That Good", which appears on her debut album "MK", so it's only right that we connect with her for an exclusive Q&A.
We really enjoyed the visual for "Something That Good"; it was very artistic. Who directed it and how did you come up with the treatment?
All done by Dalila Mya... yes - a multi-talented artist, I told you so...
The men behind the cameras are actually two amazing video makers - Eric Smith from San Francisco and Dave Hudson from the L.A. Film School. The script, storyboard, editing and post production were all done at MYA Project Studio in L.A., with the help of professional software, such as Final Cut Pro, Avid and Pro Tools :-)
Yes, women can do this besides dancing with that "erotic barbie-doll style" in a music video. Give us a chance.
Talk about your time working as a live sound engineer for artists like Tool, Depeche Mode and Massive Attack and as studio sound engineer. How did those experiences impact you as an artist and producer?
I learned to be humble. The greatest artists I worked with were always extremely humble, professional and nice.The mediocre ones need to fulfil their ego with pretentiousness.
I learned how to develop my problem solving skills. When you're working on stage during a concert, every second you spend fixing a problem is a big deal.
I learned that good music is made by sacrifice, commitment and passion, and very often a lot of money invested in good equipment. That's the recipe for quality music, and that's the reason why I'm always broke!
If you had to describe your music to a stranger in three words, which words would you select?
Disclosing - there is a lot of information hidden within the lines, and the title itself refers to the MK Ultra mind control program - still in use since WWII.
Independent - no major music label's telling me what to do - (thanks Milky Bomb!)
Secret - Many attempts were made to give a meaning to my lyrics, but like a David Lynch film you can find a different meaning every time you play a tune!
Congratulations on your release "MK". How long did the project take to write, produce and record? Were there any songs that you recorded that didn't make the cut? If so, why?
Thank you!
It took a year to produce and record the album, although some of the songs were written many years ago, as far as 2006.
A few songs didn't make the cut - I guess because they didn't have that quality which I call "delivering the message". I'm an extremely prolific writer but I'm also extremely picky with my works.
What are you most proud of with "MK"?
The time, effort and sacrifice involved with the production of this album. Part of the production took place while I was dealing with a serious spinal cord injury. That didn't stop me from sitting in my studio and mixing. Coping with pain - and weed, which luckily is legal in California.
The Top 10 Indie Songs 2000-2009
“Indie” is a big word. It’s hard to define, and, as you’ll see from our top 10 Indie Songs of 2000-2009, it doesn’t necessarily have a distinct style...
“Indie” is a big word. It’s hard to define, and, as you’ll see from our top 10 Indie Songs of 2000-2009 below, it doesn’t necessarily have a distinct style.
It’s more of an ethos than anything, and all of the tracks below have tons of it. When you think about indie at the beginning of the 21st century, these are the tracks that encapsulate what it was all about.
10. Sleater Kinney – Jumpers
At this point, Carrie Brownstein might be better known for Portlandia than for her band, Sleater Kinney, but just listen to “Jumpers” for one of the finest pure indie rock songs of the aughts.
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps
This song has become iconic since its release in 2004. Included in the video game Rock Band, covered in live sets by The White Stripes, Radiohead, Ted Leo, and scores of other musicians, “Maps” is perhaps the perfect indie song.
8. The Kills – Last Day of Magic
With its dissonant guitars, industrial beat, male/female vocal harmonies, “Last Day of Magic” blends punk, indie, and pure pop into an unforgettable track.
7. The Decemberists – The Mariner's Revenge Song
Who can turn a steampunk, 8-minute song about being eaten by a whale into an epic tale that begs to be listened to on repeat? The Decemberists. There’s an entire novel buried somewhere in the lyrics of this track.
6. Feist – 1234
This is what pure love sounds like, especially the last 40 seconds of the track.
5. Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies)
From the very first seconds of “Rebellion (Lies),” you have a driving bass line and kick drum which signal that something epic is coming. Then the song slowly but surely builds to one of the best choruses ever written.
4. The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatrist
The Avalanches took sampling to new heights on Since I Left You (2000), perhaps most so on the track, “Frontier Psychiatrist.” It also led to one of the most absolutely bonkers music videos of all time.
3. M.I.A. – Paper Planes
This track only becomes better known with time—having been in the films Slumdog Millionaire, Pineapple Express, and Hancock, performed by scores of rappers, punk bands, and other artists, and featured in video games, “Paper Planes” is M.I.A.’s best known work to date. You only need to listen to the chorus once before it becomes forever stuck in your head.
2. Explosions in the Sky – Your Hand in Mine
Perhaps the finest post-rock track of all time, “Your Hand in Mine,” is, quite simply, one of the most beautiful instrumental pieces ever written. It is stark, uplifting, and immensely powerful–perhaps made even more so from its association with various incarnations of Friday Night Lights.
1. Wilco – Jesus, Etc.
Just the lines “tall buildings shake/voices escape/singing sad sad songs” alone can effectively summarize post 9/11-era America–an especially daunting realization when considering the song was recorded before the attacks (though released after). All of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a masterpiece, but this track specifically is one that will forever be associated with the era.
Skrillex Remixes Kendrick Lamar's "Humble"
Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” is one standout track, and its accompanying video is even more memorable. Skrillex has decided to get in...
Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” is one standout track, and its accompanying video is even more memorable. Skrillex has decided to get in on all the hype by dropping an official remix of the DAMN cut. Some remixes like this have the power to make listeners like the song even more, while others come off as a hijacking into the EDM-sphere.
For Skrillex, this track seems neutral. Because it sounds like the fan in him just wanted to play around with one of the most talked about tracks of the year. He probably had an audible vision of what this remix would sound like when he first heard “Humble”.
And that audible vision is now a reality with the original piano being swapped with a screechy-sounding bass, “hold up little b***h” in a lower pitch, and all the other bells and whistles (both literal and figurative) that are usually heard on a track of this genre.
Listen to Skrillex’s remix of “Humble” below.
Review: Get Along's "Let My People Go" EP
Nick and Cara are the married duo @getalongmusic who have just released their EP "Let My People Go" (2017), a unique and captivating collection of five tracks that incorporate...
Nick and Cara are the Colorado based Soultronic Anti-Pop married duo Get Along who have just released their EP Let My People Go (2017), a unique and captivating collection of five tracks that incorporate a wide variety of musical stylings and genres. If you happen to find yourself in Denver on September 22, the couple will be kicking off the release of the new project with a “Golden Calf Party” release show at Syntax Physic Opera with Turvy Organ and Ghostpulse.
"Death Of A Death Metal Band" is track number one on the EP and immediately catches your attention with a deep electronic styled monologue that carries a seemingly ambiguous message. The feel of the song changes completely 46 seconds in with Nick's vocals, half singing and half talking over an almost hip-hop type beat. The track changes for a third time with Cara's powerful vocals over a rock and roll riff, portraying jazz instrumentals and heavy drums. The song continues to change and switch up throughout the four minutes and eighteen seconds in various patterns of the above styles, proving for a very interesting and diverse introduction track.
The second track on Get Along EP proves to be much softer and alternative, opening with Cara's sweet and melodic vocals. Though it does become a little heavier and harder towards the chorus, this track is generally easy- listening and flows perfectly.
"Let My People Go I" and "Let My People Go II" are the third and fourth tracks on the EP. Both songs start out with a more acoustic feel, only to build and layer as they carry on. Cara's voice really stands out in these two tracks, and the listener can properly get a feel for how strong and diverse her vocal range actually is. She uses both raspy and ambient vocal tones, creating a very unique dynamic and allowing a wide array of styles- which is both impressive and brilliant.
The 5th and final song on the project is titled "Exodus", and uses a warm piano chord progression to compliment Cara's melancholy yet smooth vocals. This was definitely picked wisely by Nick and Cara to close out the EP due to the track's exiting and "finale" vibe. It is for sure the most chiller song on Let My People Go and can be played if the listener is feeling more on the sentimental side.
We definitely recommend you give Get Along's newest masterpiece a listen. It's clear the duo understands music to an impressive extent, and even though the EP only has five songs, the diversity and portrayal of multiple styles and genres is just ridiculous- in the best way possible.
Stream/Download "Let My People Go" by Get Along on iTunes
Interview: UK Electronic Musician Curxes Discusses Her New Single/Video "In Your Neighbourhood" and Upcoming Album "Gilded Cage"
We are extremely siked to present our next exclusive interview with @Curxes, an Isle of Wight, UK based electronic...
We are extremely siked to present our next exclusive interview with Curxes, an Isle of Wight, UK based electronic musician who recently released her latest visual "In Your Neighbourhood", directed by Rob Luckins. Curxes will soon be releasing the follow-up to her very DOPE last album "Verxes" on October 20th, so it is only right that we touch base with this talented creative to pick her brain about her creative process in making music, how the next album "Gilded Cage" differs from the last, and much more.
After reading our Q&A with Curxes, be sure to follow her on Twitter, Instagram, etc and check out her website below. If you have not seen the "In Your Neighbourhood" visual or heard Curxes's last album "Verxes", you now have your chance. Enjoy!
We really love your new song and visual "In Your Neighbourhood". Who produced the song and who directed the video?
Thank you, I’m glad you like it - it was a real group effort. The video was directed by Rob Luckins (www.welcometothedarkslide.co.uk), who has overseen virtually every video since ‘Further Still’ in 2013 and designed both the album artwork for ‘Verxes’ and ‘Gilded Cage’ based on loose visual concepts I put forward. There’s a real collaborative element to how we work and for ‘In Your Neighbourhood’, we shared puppeteer and animation duties as well as the planning aspects of the video. I tend to take on the smaller practical elements though, such as finding filming locations, making little instruments and, more often than not, rummaging around for props, whilst Rob concentrates fully on the cinematography, based on our shared appreciation of TV shows such as Fargo and The Americans. Where I actually write resembles a kind of prop storage closet with shelves and a cabinet full of rainbow junk, so for the production side of things, I swapped my cluttered room for the University of Brighton and enlisted the help of friends Deluxe Flamingos, comprising of Mike James, P.J.E. Davy and Matt Horn. We produced the album together and it’s wonderful to have a working dynamic where no musical angle or influence is ridiculous. Everyone has a uniquely valuable perspective from which to make suggestions about sounds/effects and that helped to shape, or in some cases cement, the overall project. Currently, Mike and Matt are on tour as half of punk band Horseflies and P.J.E. Davy is constructing some sort of sound art installation, so hopefully too, you can hear the DIY, lo-fi and the conceptual amongst weird songs about being sucked into space and disappearing forever.
Tell us about your upcoming album "Gilded Cage", for which "In Your Neighbourhood" is a part of. Would you say that "In Your Neighbourhood" is a representation of what we can expect from the album from a thematic standpoint?
Thematically, I’d say it’s representative but sonically, ‘Gilded Cage’ is a mixture of gloominess interjected with humour, vulnerability and intentional menace, which incidentally, would be my main ingredients for a Tinder profile, if I knew what Tinder was.
In terms of external factors, unwanted change, femininity, prejudice, displacement, loneliness, creative freedom, financial restriction and observing the ongoing battle of good versus evil in relation to nostalgia, all of those aspects play a significant role throughout the album. Other than that, it’s quite lighthearted.
How did you get your start as a musician and who are some artists who have provided inspiration to you?
I desperately wanted to play the saxophone when I was a child, having watched The Simpsons religiously, but rather embarrassingly I didn’t have the muscular physique of Tim Cappello to be able to lift it up, so I was advised to attend a recorder club, which was somewhat disheartening. Whilst there, I saw an advert for electronic organ lessons and was in a fortunate position to be able to go to a local music shop and learn with other kids. It’s frightening how much things are changing for children now in that respect, to the point where they may not be afforded such an amazing opportunity years from now. That kind of exclusivity shouldn’t exist. Everyone from my school teachers and music teachers to my college lecturers gave me a lot of encouragement and it wasn’t until much later that I was exposed to things like sexism and classism in the music industry.
Regardless, somewhere between then and now, I started listening to electronic music, soundtracks and post-punk. Anyone who has or had good videos was an influence, because it illustrated to me that those artists could present an idea in multiple ways and that it wasn’t just something that existed within the confines of three and a half minutes. Pet Shop Boys, Aphex Twin, Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode always had great videos when I was growing up and St. Vincent and Björk give a lot of consideration to their artistry through videography with breathtaking results. They conjure up new universes and invite the listener in, to experience and feel involved. It’s like a short holiday, you can just wander into these colourful parallel worlds and sit inside them until you work out how to build your own.
How would you say that "Gilded Cage" is different than your last album "Verxes"?
‘Gilded Cage’ is far more subtle in tone than ‘Verxes’, which sounds extremely confrontational to me now, but not in the way I’d like it to. I feel that there’s greater authority in ‘Gilded Cage’, even with a different approach to the vocals and it’s more nuanced in terms of the sounds used. Additionally, I had some financial help to get it mastered and pressed on vinyl from an independent arts fund called The Mike Howley Trust on the Isle of Wight where I live, so for that reason, even though ‘Verxes’ was the actual debut, this feels like the first proper, uninhibited release.
Thanks for that "Thank you" pic with the black cat for our feature on "In Your Neighbourhood"; we were honored that you took the time to put that together. That was very creative. Speaking of creativity, tell us about your creative process when it comes to songwriting and choosing production.
You’re very welcome and I love making things!
I tend to look at music like a photographer, even though the majority of the pictures I take are blurred. I find the notion of macrocosm and microcosm to be interesting in relation to creating strong imagery and feel that the same principles of magnification and reduction should be applied to sound. ‘Uniseum’, the song used in the album’s video trailer, is probably the best example. I wanted it to be recognisably influenced by horror soundtracks, by the likes of Popol Vuh or Italian soundtrack masters Goblin, to seem as if it was bellowing from a huge abandoned church somewhere in the distance but simultaneously creeping up behind you whilst you lay in bed. The eerie background sounds are very simple household objects, intensified and made unfamiliar whilst the complex sounds are brought up close so as to be intimate. Apart from that, I don’t really give much thought to how it might be received or whether it should be produced a certain way, it’s just satisfying to create something which can be unnerving and strangely triumphant at the same time.
Stream/Download "Verxes" on iTunes
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The Top 10 Indie Albums of 2000 – 2009
The internet was the great equalizer for indie music, which is why our list of the top 10 indie albums of 2000-2009 features a handful of Canadians, a British rapper of Sri Lankan descent...
The beginning of the century saw a boom for indie music, brought about by the interconnectedness of the internet, which made the act of discovery, of sharing, easier than it had ever been in history.
For those who craved for music outside of the mainstream, before the ease of checking out your favorite music blog for what’s new, there was trekking down to the local record store and talking to the clerk or there was college radio–but the quality and availability of these stations varies greatly from region to region.
The internet was the great equalizer for indie music, which is why our list of the top 10 indie albums of 2000-2009 features a handful of Canadians, a British rapper of Sri Lankan descent, and a collaboration between two of Hip-Hop’s best known underground artists. Indie music, once local and regional, had become global.
10. Feist – The Reminder
As a part of super group Broken Social Scene, and with her earlier release, Let it Die, Feist had already made a name for herself when she released The Reminder in 2007. But with tracks like “1234” and “I Feel it All,” this is the album she is best known for, and for good reason.
9. Arcade Fire – Funeral
Before the Arcade Fire had won a Grammy, had shared a stage with David Bowie, and had become one of indie’s best known groups, they were a relatively unknown Montreal band formed by husband and wife songwriting duo Régine Chassagne and Win Butler. Within a few years, they had earned the praise of David Bowie and their breakout debut full-length, Funeral, earned them a spot in indie music’s pantheon.
8. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
I remember first hearing Vampire Weekend on Myspace. They had a few tracks on a simple page, before their self-titled album was even released, and someone had emailed me the link. I remember returning to that site day after day and noting that the number of listens was skyrocketing. Anyone who sang about Oxford commas in such a fun, upbeat, an unabashedly nerdy way, was likely to find legions of fans in dorm rooms across the nation, and that they did.
7. Iron & Wine – The Creek Drank the Cradle
Sam Beam took Americana, slowed it down, and packaged it up into the lo-fi, whispery masterpiece that is The Creek Drank the Cradle. Anyone who doesn’t feel something when
listening to “Upward Over The Mountain” doesn’t have a soul.
6. Madlib – Shades of Blue
Madlib’s perfect blend of hip hop and jazz, a love letter to the deep history of Blue Note Records, is a work of genius. There’s no other way to describe it, and even if it is at times dissonant, or even abrasive, there is no other way to listen to it.
5. M.I.A. – Kala
Within a span of three years, M.I.A. released three outstanding albums, working with Diplo and other artists to seamlessly blend the sounds of the entire world into unforgettable beats, starting with Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 (2004), followed by Arular (2005), and culminating with her magnum opus, Kala (2007).
4. Explosions in the Sky – The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
Perhaps the finest post-rock album of all time, The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place makes one feel exactly what the title suggests.
3. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot it in People
Broken Social Scene sounds like joy. Their elaborate lineups and collaborations, their friendship and camaraderie, the harmonies, the blending of so many sounds into something beautiful, all of it comes through in their work. You Forgot it in People, from beginning to end, just exudes love. It is easy to become wrapped up in, and totally worth doing so, again and again.
2. Madvillain – Madvillainy
Fragments, interludes, songs—who can tell what is what on Madvillainy? It doesn’t matter. Just listen to one of the greatest hip hop releases of all time.
1. Panda Bear – Person Pitch
Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox already had considerable indie clout when he dropped his solo album, Person Pitch, under the name Panda Bear. Blending Brian Wilson-esque harmonies with masterful production, if one album sounds like the culmination of a decade’s worth of indie music, this is it.