Tube strikes in London, whether you agree with the issues or not, are incredibly successful in causing the complications and disruption that every protest should. They are yet to resort to storming Millbank Tower and throwing fire extinguishers from the top and this is perhaps the only aspect in which the majority of Londoners support the RMT.
They are indeed irritating but I've found there are two ways to deal with travel chaos;
1) Push and shove your way onto your chosen mode of transport, huffing and complaining about the terrible service and cramped conditions.
2) Put on some calming, serene music followed by a deep breath and just go at your own pace. It's scary how few people have control of their emotions and when minor complications occur their stress levels will rise and begin to act irrationally. No wonder so many man days are lost per year to stress.
I have a calming playlist on my iPod especially for such occasions, when things are getting hectic I put the playlist on shuffle and my stress levels subside for long enough to realise that it's all kind of irrelevant. One staple on this playlist is the Aphex Twin remix of Falling Free by Curve.
Curve were an early 90's band mixing elements of shoegaze and electronic rock to create a sound that was a wash of distortion and reverb heavy vocals but kept driving guitar lines and electronic drums to ensure the songs did not slip into nothingness.
Falling Free originally appeared on the '97 EP Horror Head and featured the same distortion heavy guitar and reverbed vocals mentioned above. The track is menacing and powerful combining four to the floor bass drum and layer upon layer of distorted guitars which smother your ears as the vocals sit in the background creating another layer as opposed to offering anything to grab hold of.
However, where the track really lifts off for me is Aphex Twin's sublime 'remix'.
Aphex takes a snippet of that original dreamy vocal and brings it right to the front as it provides a haunting melody to hang his skittery drum pattern around. The whole track is a master-class in production too with layering of complex beats that don't interfere with each other and add a wonderful sense of depth to a track that is obviously sparse and cold sounding. The detailed and intricate drums act as a candle through an the broody atmosphere, providing a reliable element to return to as your mind explores the dank corners of the track.
It may not motivate you particularly but it is certainly a wonderful piece of music, as 99% of Aphex's output is.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Let England Shake
Just a quick one, in case you hadn't heard, Polly Jean Harvey is to release her 8th studio album next Valentine's Day on Island Records.
Taken from her website:
"Recorded in a 19th Century church in Dorset with long time collaborator Flood who co-produced the album with PJ Harvey, John Parish and Mick Harvey. Let England Shake was also mixed by Flood."
This is of course thrilling news, PJ Harvey entering on the 'slightly mental' end of the JTS List but fully deserving her place there none the less, my first Glastonbury could potentially be corking, despite in my opinion lacklustre headliners.
Taken from her website:
"Recorded in a 19th Century church in Dorset with long time collaborator Flood who co-produced the album with PJ Harvey, John Parish and Mick Harvey. Let England Shake was also mixed by Flood."
This is of course thrilling news, PJ Harvey entering on the 'slightly mental' end of the JTS List but fully deserving her place there none the less, my first Glastonbury could potentially be corking, despite in my opinion lacklustre headliners.
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
You Are Here
I'm preparing something special for the end of 2010. It's been a rollercoaster of a year for me with lows that still bring tears to my eyes, highs like I've never felt before and nowhere near enough middle ground. I suppose that makes it more like a lift.
Oh well, writing has never been my strong point, anyone that reads this can attest to that.
This blog has been a safe haven for me this year however, a place to come and spill my thoughts and organise them in front of my eyes, a place to escape from those very thoughts by talking about anything but them and sometimes a mix of the two. As my life moves on in new and exciting directions, a sense of normality is finally returning and with it, my burning passion to thrust music onto anyone that listens has returned too.
There are some incredible new sounds filling my ears at the moment, a conversation this morning reminded me that though guitar music for me personally is on a bit of a fall, it has been compensated for by a surging rise in all kinds of wonderfully deep and interesting electronic music that inspires and comforts in the way any guitar band used to.
One of the most obvious signs of the progression in electronic music at the moment is the number of artists who almost deny classification as journalists scramble to discover what to call artists and what the artists are calling themselves. Mount Kimbie say they are influenced by dubstep but what does dubstep even mean anymore? Mount Kimbie are clearly not dubstep and because of their smoother silkier textures are often given the term post-dubstep, akin to post-rock. As 2010 will be seen as dubstep's expansive year, it is encouraging that it can also be seen as the beginning of it's more mainstream explorations too with artists such as Scuba, Joy Orbison and Darkstar all rising to prominence for releasing music that is not only forward thinking but encourages all the artists around them to raise their game.
Another reason for the rise of electronic music in 2010 has been the influx of new artists with something credible to offer. Circa 2004, guitar bands were spiky, energetic and though often borrowing from earlier sounds, were generally pushing guitar music away from the Oasis' and late 90's pop punk and offering something new, especially on behalf of British guitar bands. However, 6 years later and those same bands have disappeared or released mediocre follow ups and are now taking a step back. This cyclical nature of music leaves a whole which electronic music is now filling quite nicely. Only a year ago, it seemed that Folk was here to save the world but with anything, overexposure leads to backlash however much people loved the original product. Now it is all things electronic that fill blogs, critics and my ears.
What's the point of all this? There isn't one really. I'm not trying to say Electronica is new, Kid A was 10 years old this year. I'm not trying to say there's no good guitar music, Warpaint and Foals are arguably two of my favourite albums this year. There is a change coming though, the dynamic is shifting and as someone that loves to listen to new music and be just a little snooty about it, that's a wonderfully exciting time.
At the end of 2010, I'll post a mix that I'm working on of my favourite electronic music, of all genres. Some of it you'll have heard to death, some of it you might not.
Either way, it'll hopefully highlight what a fantastic year 2010 has been for all types of electronic music and hopefully what 2011 has in store...
Oh well, writing has never been my strong point, anyone that reads this can attest to that.
This blog has been a safe haven for me this year however, a place to come and spill my thoughts and organise them in front of my eyes, a place to escape from those very thoughts by talking about anything but them and sometimes a mix of the two. As my life moves on in new and exciting directions, a sense of normality is finally returning and with it, my burning passion to thrust music onto anyone that listens has returned too.
There are some incredible new sounds filling my ears at the moment, a conversation this morning reminded me that though guitar music for me personally is on a bit of a fall, it has been compensated for by a surging rise in all kinds of wonderfully deep and interesting electronic music that inspires and comforts in the way any guitar band used to.
One of the most obvious signs of the progression in electronic music at the moment is the number of artists who almost deny classification as journalists scramble to discover what to call artists and what the artists are calling themselves. Mount Kimbie say they are influenced by dubstep but what does dubstep even mean anymore? Mount Kimbie are clearly not dubstep and because of their smoother silkier textures are often given the term post-dubstep, akin to post-rock. As 2010 will be seen as dubstep's expansive year, it is encouraging that it can also be seen as the beginning of it's more mainstream explorations too with artists such as Scuba, Joy Orbison and Darkstar all rising to prominence for releasing music that is not only forward thinking but encourages all the artists around them to raise their game.
Another reason for the rise of electronic music in 2010 has been the influx of new artists with something credible to offer. Circa 2004, guitar bands were spiky, energetic and though often borrowing from earlier sounds, were generally pushing guitar music away from the Oasis' and late 90's pop punk and offering something new, especially on behalf of British guitar bands. However, 6 years later and those same bands have disappeared or released mediocre follow ups and are now taking a step back. This cyclical nature of music leaves a whole which electronic music is now filling quite nicely. Only a year ago, it seemed that Folk was here to save the world but with anything, overexposure leads to backlash however much people loved the original product. Now it is all things electronic that fill blogs, critics and my ears.
What's the point of all this? There isn't one really. I'm not trying to say Electronica is new, Kid A was 10 years old this year. I'm not trying to say there's no good guitar music, Warpaint and Foals are arguably two of my favourite albums this year. There is a change coming though, the dynamic is shifting and as someone that loves to listen to new music and be just a little snooty about it, that's a wonderfully exciting time.
At the end of 2010, I'll post a mix that I'm working on of my favourite electronic music, of all genres. Some of it you'll have heard to death, some of it you might not.
Either way, it'll hopefully highlight what a fantastic year 2010 has been for all types of electronic music and hopefully what 2011 has in store...
Monday, 22 November 2010
Crystal Castles - Not In Love
Originally a single by 80's new wave Canadian band Platinum Blonde, Not In Love was taken from their 1983 album Standing In The Dark. The original is a stereotypical new wave/glam rock track with the distinctive 80s snare drum sound, a twinkly guitar line, smoke filled stages and incredible hair do's.
I often admire people who cover tracks that are far from prominence, Bon Iver's cover of Your Love by The Outfield (UK chart #86) was inspired as lyrically and sonically the track slots into his relatively limited repertoire.
There is a definite skill to covering a popular track as it takes skill to wrestle someone's affections away from the original and transform it into a new track with new life. Though re-imaginings such as Not In Love do not have the difficulties of changing preconceptions, they must breathe life into a track that was a flash in the pan first time round.
Crystal Castles inclusion of Not In Love transformed the original into a much more driven and club-friendly piece (as is to be expected by Crystal Castles input). Robert Smith's vocals on the single version bring his usual desperate and contemplative voice to a song that is drenched in sadness and the chorus is lifted by dense bass and, mirroring the guitar from the original, twinkly distorted chorus synths.
Hear the album version here, featuring Ethan Kath on vocals
This is going to sound huge at our Soulwaxmas christmas party too.
Oh and since I know you're dying to know, Friday was fun. Like unbelievable, life changing, still feeling both tired and the buzz Monday morning kind of fun. The kind of gig that you will never forget, despite drinking too much and dancing way too hard.
The kind of perfection you were always going to get from that line up
I often admire people who cover tracks that are far from prominence, Bon Iver's cover of Your Love by The Outfield (UK chart #86) was inspired as lyrically and sonically the track slots into his relatively limited repertoire.
There is a definite skill to covering a popular track as it takes skill to wrestle someone's affections away from the original and transform it into a new track with new life. Though re-imaginings such as Not In Love do not have the difficulties of changing preconceptions, they must breathe life into a track that was a flash in the pan first time round.Crystal Castles inclusion of Not In Love transformed the original into a much more driven and club-friendly piece (as is to be expected by Crystal Castles input). Robert Smith's vocals on the single version bring his usual desperate and contemplative voice to a song that is drenched in sadness and the chorus is lifted by dense bass and, mirroring the guitar from the original, twinkly distorted chorus synths.
Hear the album version here, featuring Ethan Kath on vocals
This is going to sound huge at our Soulwaxmas christmas party too.
Oh and since I know you're dying to know, Friday was fun. Like unbelievable, life changing, still feeling both tired and the buzz Monday morning kind of fun. The kind of gig that you will never forget, despite drinking too much and dancing way too hard.
The kind of perfection you were always going to get from that line up
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
This Friday: Four Tet, Caribou, Nathan Fake, James Holden, Rocketnumbernine
I know right? That doesn't even sound like a real line up, it sounds more like a dream.
It's real, it's happening and I'm there. To be honest, I'd be excited if this was just another chance to see the wonderful Four Tet again. The fact he's curated the night and has put on two other incredible DJ's, one of the makers of album of the year in Caribou and the first signing to his label in Rocketnumbernine tells you just how strong and varied this line up is. Props to Eat Your Own Ears for letting this happen, whatever it's costing you, it's going to be a MASSIVE night.
Here's a beautifully shot video from the first time I saw Four Tet, earlier this year at The Dome. If you ever have a chance to see him, I cannot emphasise enough just how much you need that experience in your life. Even if you're someone that knows next to nothing of his back catalogue, you will be blown away by the textures he builds, his choice of sounds and he gives a masterclass on how to build atmospheric and absorbing pieces.
It's real, it's happening and I'm there. To be honest, I'd be excited if this was just another chance to see the wonderful Four Tet again. The fact he's curated the night and has put on two other incredible DJ's, one of the makers of album of the year in Caribou and the first signing to his label in Rocketnumbernine tells you just how strong and varied this line up is. Props to Eat Your Own Ears for letting this happen, whatever it's costing you, it's going to be a MASSIVE night.
Here's a beautifully shot video from the first time I saw Four Tet, earlier this year at The Dome. If you ever have a chance to see him, I cannot emphasise enough just how much you need that experience in your life. Even if you're someone that knows next to nothing of his back catalogue, you will be blown away by the textures he builds, his choice of sounds and he gives a masterclass on how to build atmospheric and absorbing pieces.
Friday, 12 November 2010
A quick heads up
Check out what's happened to Luke Lewis, Deputy Editor of the NME.
http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&p=9392&title=thank_you_for_the_venom_my_chemical_roma&more=1&c=1
I'm not going to pass comment when I haven't read the article but it's a shame when a journalist can no longer write an article without risking the abusive and vitriolic attacks he has received. Sure, what he said was perhaps a bit unnecessary but hasn't this week shown that people need to lighten up a little on what they read and stop taking everything so seriously?
And honestly, calling Luke Lewis names is clearly no better than him calling your beloved MCR guitarist "podgy".
It's this kind of behaviour that puts people off Twitter. Sure, social media is great at being able to connect with people like this whereas before, NME chose which letters it printed. However, sending death threats and threatening to storm his building is just incomprehensible. Why do people feel that because they can hide behind a twitter username, it allows them to hurl any abuse at anyone.
It's childish, unnecessary and disappointing.
Have a good weekend folks and think about standing up for yourself in an adult way for once
http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&p=9392&title=thank_you_for_the_venom_my_chemical_roma&more=1&c=1
I'm not going to pass comment when I haven't read the article but it's a shame when a journalist can no longer write an article without risking the abusive and vitriolic attacks he has received. Sure, what he said was perhaps a bit unnecessary but hasn't this week shown that people need to lighten up a little on what they read and stop taking everything so seriously?
And honestly, calling Luke Lewis names is clearly no better than him calling your beloved MCR guitarist "podgy".
It's this kind of behaviour that puts people off Twitter. Sure, social media is great at being able to connect with people like this whereas before, NME chose which letters it printed. However, sending death threats and threatening to storm his building is just incomprehensible. Why do people feel that because they can hide behind a twitter username, it allows them to hurl any abuse at anyone.
It's childish, unnecessary and disappointing.
Have a good weekend folks and think about standing up for yourself in an adult way for once
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Feeling a little sore today, danced pretty hard to LCD, endured what felt like a 10 hour journey home and finally crashed out (after another cheeky beer of course).
As expected, LCD Soundsystem were spectacular. A brilliant light show, incredible energy and a perfect setlist with only one notable exception and they did mention hitting a curfew.
Picking my favourite song of the night would be too hard, there are too many songs I don't remember them playing for a start and as epic as All My Friends was, there's nothing like a bit of dirty techno to get my blood pumping.
If you don't know Yeah, give it the full 9 minutes of your attention it deserves. Turn it up, nod along to one of the best bass lines, find yourself slowly repeating "yeah yeah yeah" and I promise by the time this song reaches it's climax of insane percussion and disgustingly dirty synth , you will be losing your shit wherever you're reading this.
Foals tomorrow. Time to rest up and do it all again.
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Dancetastic
TONIGHT IM GOING TO DANCE UNTIL MY FEET FALL OFF.
LCD Soundsystem. Hot Chip. Alexandra Palace. I actually only like 1 of those three things but I'm so bloody excited that the other two are getting free passes for today. I've put a fair amount of LCD on here before, explained my love affair with New York, I Love You and the wonderful video to Someone Great but today's featured track is Losing My Edge.
An 8 minute monster of a track, Losing My Edge contains everything that make LCD a band to sit up and pay attention to. From the simple but burrowing synth line, the fantastic disco drums and Murphy's scathing and self-deprecating lyrics, all hung around a simple hook that explodes as quickly as it disappears again. This is a quintessential LCD track as each part has it's place and relinquishes attention when it's not necessary giving the track space to breathe.
Check out the real version here or watch a typically impassioned performance at Coachella below.
If that's not enough, Foals on Friday. In Brixton. SHIT IS GOING TO GO OFF
LCD Soundsystem. Hot Chip. Alexandra Palace. I actually only like 1 of those three things but I'm so bloody excited that the other two are getting free passes for today. I've put a fair amount of LCD on here before, explained my love affair with New York, I Love You and the wonderful video to Someone Great but today's featured track is Losing My Edge.
An 8 minute monster of a track, Losing My Edge contains everything that make LCD a band to sit up and pay attention to. From the simple but burrowing synth line, the fantastic disco drums and Murphy's scathing and self-deprecating lyrics, all hung around a simple hook that explodes as quickly as it disappears again. This is a quintessential LCD track as each part has it's place and relinquishes attention when it's not necessary giving the track space to breathe.
Check out the real version here or watch a typically impassioned performance at Coachella below.
If that's not enough, Foals on Friday. In Brixton. SHIT IS GOING TO GO OFF
Monday, 8 November 2010
Monday Motivator - Soul Control
"Music should be more than a job. It should be a passion. It should be something you don't even see as work".
Theo Parrish, Interview with RA, April 2008
Theo Parrish, Interview with RA, April 2008
Friday, 5 November 2010
Friday Eargasm - The Keeper
Little to say this week, I've been working so bloody hard that I like a bit of a husk at the moment, my brain's burning out and my feet are always aching. It's cool but I feel like I should be building up to a big holiday when all I'm building up to is more work.
Still, I'm not complaining, better to have something than nothing and all that jazz.
Soothing music is dominating my ears at the moment, to ease me into the early starts and to wind me down after the late finishes. I hate that feeling of being completely exhausted and lying down in the dark whilst your brain continues to whirr away. Easily one of the best artists to melt away troubles is Bonobo whose release Black Sands was a standout of 2010.
After returning to London, electronic influences have crept back into his work creating a wonderful mould of live instrumentation and deep and soulfoul electronica. Bonobo has always offered forward-thinking music and the inclusion of one of the rising stars of 2010 in Andreya Triana has further cemented both his and her status' in their respective scenes.
Black Sands is a wonderfully balanced album with tracks such as Eyesdown offering the husky crackled electronics to compliment the more live based Animals. The album is also beautifully paced, never peaking too high to clash with the extremely mellow ending of Animals and title track Black Sands. Often with instrumental music such as Bonobo's, the attention of the listener is difficult to retain; by it's very nature this is music to wallow in and relax to. However the remarkably deep construction of Black Sands allows this album to creep into your consciousness without forcing it's way in and provides great rewards for your attention.
Anyway, I pick any track from Black Sands for today but as a standout memory of his performance at Big Chill, listen and enjoy Stay The Same.
Have a good weekend.
Stay The Same on Spotify
Still, I'm not complaining, better to have something than nothing and all that jazz.
Soothing music is dominating my ears at the moment, to ease me into the early starts and to wind me down after the late finishes. I hate that feeling of being completely exhausted and lying down in the dark whilst your brain continues to whirr away. Easily one of the best artists to melt away troubles is Bonobo whose release Black Sands was a standout of 2010.
After returning to London, electronic influences have crept back into his work creating a wonderful mould of live instrumentation and deep and soulfoul electronica. Bonobo has always offered forward-thinking music and the inclusion of one of the rising stars of 2010 in Andreya Triana has further cemented both his and her status' in their respective scenes.
Black Sands is a wonderfully balanced album with tracks such as Eyesdown offering the husky crackled electronics to compliment the more live based Animals. The album is also beautifully paced, never peaking too high to clash with the extremely mellow ending of Animals and title track Black Sands. Often with instrumental music such as Bonobo's, the attention of the listener is difficult to retain; by it's very nature this is music to wallow in and relax to. However the remarkably deep construction of Black Sands allows this album to creep into your consciousness without forcing it's way in and provides great rewards for your attention.
Anyway, I pick any track from Black Sands for today but as a standout memory of his performance at Big Chill, listen and enjoy Stay The Same.
Have a good weekend.
Stay The Same on Spotify
Monday, 1 November 2010
I said I was having a slow monday but this news that I hazily remember reading at some point this weekend makes me extremely happy.
Garbage are coming back
Garbage are coming back
Monday motivator
After a weekend which was spent almost entirely horizontal; a good party Friday night, Paper Mache dinosuars on Saturday and hours of Fifa and Little Big Planet on Sunday, waking up on a Monday morning to head to work was a mammoth task.
Though technically we gained an hour longer in bed with the clock change, this morning just felt like cutting a lie in short. I'd stayed in bed longer than I normally would on a weekday but not long enough for a weekend. This has left me feeling decidedly groggy, time seems to be slipping backwards with each minute taking longer than the last.
Long story short, watch this amazing Beastie Boys performance for The Late Show with David Letterman and marvel in their constantly energetic and engaging performances.
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