Ambivalence Avenue = Warp FTW

Don't let anyone try to tell you that music labels are dying. It's simply not true. The correct declaration should be that dumb (i.e. large) music labels are dying, but smart ones are thriving. Just because the business model changed doesn't mean it's impossible to succeed. The smart labels, like Merge and Stones Throw, are the ones who keep growing, steadily adding high quality music to their artist rosters. Perhaps the best of the crop is London-based Warp Records.

Already home to legends like Aphex Twin, Autechre, Boards of Canada, and LFO, Warp has more recently given us Grizzly Bear, Gang Gang Dance, Flying Lotus, and Jamie Lidell. One of the lesser known of the bunch is England's Bibio (aka Stephen Wilkinson), whose forth album is one of the best I've heard this year.

To say Ambivalence Avenue is 'atmospheric' (it is) would be an inadequate description on so many levels. Yes, the music tends to borrow from elements in nature, but those are used merely as a canvas for Bibo to splatter his more complex and detailed colors. Sometimes the result is along the lines of post-modern space Hip Hop, such as the the J. Dilla-esque "Fire Ant", or the plodding hypnosis of "Sugarette". Still, at other time it takes the form of Summertime pop (the title track, "All the Flowers") and Electro-Folk ("The Palm of Your Wave", "Haikuesque").

There's layers and layers of live instruments, samples, sequencers, programming, and studio trickery found in every song, yet none of it ever sounds indulgent. Every little bleep, scratch, strum, beat, and echo has it's purpose and the result is usually more than the sum of its parts. This album demands you immerse yourself inside it's fantasy world in order to respect the intricacy of how it was created. Two minutes into the title track, I was giddy in my eagerness to oblige.

Bibio - "Jealous of Roses" (from Ambivalence Avenue)


Bibio - "Fire Ant" (from Ambivalence Avenue)
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Song of the Day - Primal Scream: "Can't Go Back"

Primal Scream is one of those bands that I haven't really thought about in years, yet whenever I pick up one of their albums I'm almost surprised by how good it sounds. Not because I expect not to like it, but rather, I forget how good this band can be.

I have no idea why that is, considering they gave us three of the best albums to come out of the UK rock scene in the last 20 years. Screamadelica was simply a masterpiece of electronic ecstasy, every bit as important as any album produced by the "Madchester" scene of the early 90's. While 1997's Vanishing Point explored the darker underside of dance music better than most by leaning heavily on dub and trip hop influences. Then in 2000 they hooked up with Kevin Shields to create one of the heaviest albums I've ever heard. XTRMNTR was a mash-up of industrial noise and anti-establishment political fury that tested the limits of my speakers (and eardrums) while I was in college more than almost anything else I listened to.

Yes, there's been a few clunkers in-between (1994's Give Out But Don't Give Up, and 2002's Evil Heat), but at least you could never accuse Primal Scream of complacency. As they released their ninth studio album, Beautiful Future, last month I was reminded once again how good these guys can sound when they stay focused on their strengths.

On "Can't Go Back" all of them are on display in spades. In short, it's a high-octane mix of punk guitar sonics, dance grooves and pop rhythms that sounds like a (slightly) less intense version of "Accelerator." It bears similarities to the "Nu-Rave" (I hate that term, BTW) sound of Klaxons, which makes sense considering they wouldn't exist if it weren't for the strong influence of Primal Scream's earlier work, but it's refreshing to hear someone who helped originate this sound recapturing the glory (even for a moment) without even trying (seemingly).

Primal Scream - "Can't Go Back" (from Beautiful Future) >>>Continue reading "Song of the Day - Primal Scream: "Can't Go Back""

I Felt Inadequate For Not Owning Any Silver Apples Music Until Today. So Should You

Photo courtesy of Flickr user bradleyloos

Silver Apples is one of those bands that seems to have been put on this Earth solely for the enjoyment of music snobs. Their career was brief (two albums in two years before seemingly vanishing off the face of the Earth for 30 years), their albums sold poorly, and the music was often far too abstract for the vast majority of the music-listening public. Of course, this means in the 40 years since their debut, Silver Apples has had (and continues to have) an immeasurable impact on contemporary music.

It is in this context that I have always heard the name mentioned. It isn't uncommon for me to read a review of an album I love and see a Silver Apples comparison being made. This was quite apparent when reading the many reviews of Portishead's Third, an album that readers of this blog know I hold in high regard. On several occasions critics would reference Silver Apples while praising Portishead's triumphant return to greatness, so finally I decided that I would put a stop to my ignorance and pick up one of their albums already.

For stuff this old and obscure torrent sites are usually a bad place to look (unless you have access within the guarded walls of Waffles.fm, or other private trackers), but luckily Amazon had the debut self-titled Silver Apples record available for download. I figured if these guys were as great as I kept hearing then the least I could do is pay for their album.

Within five minutes (counting download time) I could see their massive influence as plain as day. Silver Apples was released in 1968 (one year before Monster Movie, the first album by German musical geniuses Can) but within its 18 tracks you can hear elements of Portishead (Third is basically a darker, more bleak incarnation of Silver Apples), Suicide, Spacemen 3/Spiritualized, Kraftwerk, Stereolab, NEU!, and many more that originated on this album. The most influential element of the duo's sound was undoubtedly lead vocalist Simeon's mastery of a nine-oscillator instrument of his own invention, dubbed (appropriately enough) the "Simeon".

This instrument provided Silver Apples with the ability to manipulate and refine tones with more precision and quality than anything ever heard before. The result was an interesting (to put it mildly) interpretation of pop music, which was definitely light-years ahead of its time. It also helped usher in an era of musical experimentation with electronics (Krautrock, Brian Eno, David Bowie, etc.) that reshaped music dramatically for the next 40 years. I'm not kidding around, Silver Apples were that far ahead of the curve.

Listen to the comparison below to see what I mean:

Silver Apples - "Oscillations" (from Silver Apples)


Portishead - "We Carry On" (from Third)

>>>Continue reading "I Felt Inadequate For Not Owning Any Silver Apples Music Until Today. So Should You"

Song of the Day - Goldfrapp: "Happiness"

  Since Spring is finally upon us (at least here in Los Angeles), I feel the time is right to post a song that conjures up images of sunshine and happiness. And since I finally picked up Seventh Tree, the latest album from English duo Goldfrapp, I wasn't short on songs that match the Spring feeling I am looking for.

Appropriately titled "Happiness", this song is exactly the kind of thing I want to hear as I drive down the coast on a gorgeous weekend, or walk along Griffith Park with my dog as the sun shines off the grass. At first glance it may sound like a trite love-makes-you-happy little ditty ("Time stops still/when you've lost love"), but "Happiness" is actually an ode to philanthropy ("give us all your money/we'll make it better/we're here to welcome you") and its fulfilling qualities. Musically, it's a pretty simple formula; a toe-tapping beat, some brightly colored poppy synth hooks and a catchy chorus ("Happiness/How'd you get to be happiness/How'd you get to find love/Real love"). It's indie-pop with electronic flavoring. It aint rocket science, but it's something that Goldfrapp manages to pull off rather prolifically. For the rest of the season you can bet music like this will find a home on my iPod in heavy rotation.

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Video of the Week - Bomb the Bass (Ft. Fujiya & Miyagi): "Butterfingers"

I stumbled upon this gem while browsing The Daily Swarm (as must-read for me everyday, btw) yesterday and imagine my surprise when I read the words Bomb the Bass under the section that showcases new music. Bomb the Bass? Are they even still around anymore? I mean, their last album came out 14 freaking years ago! Where the hell have they been all these years?

Actually, the name Bomb the Bass may have disappeared over all that time, but Tim Simenon, the brains behind the operation, has kept himself busy running his own record label (Electric Tones) and with producing/remix duties for many well-known artists. In late 2006 he dropped a note on his MySpace page announcing a new Bomb the Bass album was being record, which went largely unnoticed. Then, in January a name was revealed (Future Chaos) and a release date (sometime in May) was announced. Now comes word the first proper single is about to be released, which is a collaboration with Fujiya & Miyagi called "Butterfingers."

The song itself is very simple, with a heavy reliance on Minimoog synths and syncopated blips and bleeps, but its impact is greatly enhanced by the accompanying video. Produced by Perish Factory, "Butterfingers" depicts an animated Minimoog anthropomorphized into a living organism as it plays the song 'live' exactly how it would be played in real life. Watching the knobs twist, the keys get pressed and the buttons light up in perfect smiling harmony goes a long way to illustrate the impeccable timing and rhythm that goes into making such a seemingly simple song. 

Apparently, this is a taste of what the remainder of Future Chaos has in store for listeners, as Simenon has described its sound as "basically a Minimoog album with vocals on it." If their prolific past is any indication, that description hardly paints a clear picture of how good the music really is.

Bomb the bass - Butterfingers
Uploaded by le-pere-de-colombe

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Aphex Twin Added to Coachella. Suck on That Bonnaroo!

As predicted, additions have been made to the lineup for the Coachella Music Festival. Analog synth God Richard D. James, more commonly referred to as Aphex Twin, has decided to come out of hibernation and join the fun in the Desert for his first US appearance in over 6 years.

Along with Goldfrapp (who was also added this week), Hot Chip, Simian Mobile Disco, Holy Fuck, Kraftwerk, Justice, Sasha & Digweed and Fatboy Slim, the addition of Aphex Twin makes this one of the strongest years in the festival's history for electronic acts. If you like your live music with tons of button pushing, knob twisting and laptops, then this edition of Coachella is a dream come true.

While Mr. James and Goldfrapp aren't enough a draw to cause a significant uptick in ticket sales, they do add an element of 'must see' appeal to the festival. Especially since James is notoriously so reclusive from live performances. Having him make a triumphant return to the US should go over well with the rabid message board users who request his presence on the lineup every year. Now, all Paul Tollett has to do is coax the even more reclusive Boards of Canada out of exile to cement his God-like status to the message board faithful.

I, for one, would be the first to organize a celebratory parade for Tollett if he could pull off such a feat, but I am realistic enough not to expect such fantasies. For now, Aphex Twin is more than enough to raise my level of excitement through the roof.

>>>Continue reading "Aphex Twin Added to Coachella. Suck on That Bonnaroo!"

Song of the Day - Dragonette: "I Get Around" (Van She Vocal Mix)

I don't know very much about Dragonette, other than they are from Ontario, Canada and sound like a teeny-bopper hybrid of Ladytron and Metric. If that sounds like a disastrous combination to you then you can skip listening to their MySpace page if  you hope to be proven wrong. But if there's one thing redeeming about derivative electro-pop like Dragonette it's that it makes great remix material.

Sydney's Van She, themselves an unremarkable blend of 80's new wave revivalism and electro-pop, illustrate this concept with their take on Drangonette's "I Get Around." Whereas the original version sounds like something you would hear inside an obnoxious clothing store like Hollister or Forever 21, Van She's Vocal Mix would fit in nicely on the decks of some of the better dance DJ's around the world. That's because they gave this mix some serious techno beats and stripped away the annoying guitar riffs of the original. What results is a song that doesn't merely suggest you dance (like the original single), but instead smacks you on the back of head and demands you get your ass on the dance floor.

>>>Continue reading "Song of the Day - Dragonette: "I Get Around" (Van She Vocal Mix)"

Video of the Week - Hot Chip: "Ready for the Floor"

The first Video of the Week of 2008 comes courtesy of London's Hot Chip and it totally has me excited for the release of their new album Made in the Dark (out February 5th). If you are already familiar with this band, you know that their music is nothing but a big heaping bowl of fun. If not, then go buy The Warning and listen to it NOW. Don't worry, I'll wait around until you are done.

Ready? Good. Now you can watch this video and put some faces to all that wonderful music. The first thing you'll notice is that Hot Chip could not look any dorkier than they do in this video. It's not an act. When you see these guys live (as I had the pleasure to do last year) it looks like the high school math team putting on a talent show. Except these nerds are way more talented than you (or I) are and they could not possibly be enjoying themselves more. It makes them more endearing and more "cool" than most hipster bands I've seen. I wish more bands looked as happy to do their job as these guys.

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The 20 Best Albums of 2007 - Various Artists: "After Dark"

8. 2007 was a wonderful year for Disco music thanks in large part to the output of a small Jersey-based label called Italians Do It Better. Now, I could've placed the debut albums from label mates Chromatics or Glass Candy on this list, both of which were deserving, but it was too hard to narrow it down so I decided the democratic thing would be to place this compilation on the list instead.

After Dark serves as an excellent primer to the recent revival of Italo-Disco, painting a picture of city life that makes the album's title fitting. The pulsing synth drone and haunting vocals of Chromatics' "Hands in the Dark" and "In the City" put you right in the middle of a cold and lonely night in any urban metropolis. Mirage's fantastic remix of Indeep's "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" adds signature Italo synths, making the song sound as if it slipped itself a Quaalude during a trip to the bathroom.

There are many more gems throughout this compilation's 70-plus minutes, with each one providing a different take on the familiar Italo dreamy two-step beat. After 35 years and countless dance/electro trends that have come and gone, After Dark proves the staying power of Italo-Disco still has plenty of life left.

>>>Continue reading "The 20 Best Albums of 2007 - Various Artists: "After Dark""

The 20 Best Albums of 2007 - Klaxons: "Myths of the Near Future"

11.  NME, Q and Mojo have written so much about the "Nu-Rave" movement (whatever the hell that means) that the inevitable wave of hype caused many people stateside to feel burned out on the genre before they heard any of the music. Surely this affected the reception of the anticipated debut album of Klaxons since it turned out (surprise!) not to be the transcendental marriage of dance and rock music the British press promised it would be.

Instead, Myths of the Near Future is simply a collection of tight pop hooks, dance-inspired rhythms and precision production (courtesy of Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford). There's  certainly nothing wrong with that and it would be foolish of any music fan to punish any band that failed to live up to unrealistic expectations they never placed on themselves in the first place. I, for one, prefer to focus on what I can observe with my own two ears. And my ears tell me Klaxons have a gift for creating pop music with an energy and pace that never seems to let up. We can sit here and criticize it for not being "revolutionary" all we want, or we can simply shut the hell up and give in to the fact that it is damn fun to listen to.

>>>Continue reading "The 20 Best Albums of 2007 - Klaxons: "Myths of the Near Future""

Richard D. James is More Talented Than You or I Will Ever Be

After a prolonged absence (sorry, but the Sox are in the ALCS and lots of things in my life suffer when that happens), I have finally made some time in my life to share some wonderful musical nuggets with you people. First on the list, my 'discovery' (in that, it is new to me) of an electronic music "duo" named The Tuss.

Now, I put "duo" in quotes because it seems plainly obvious to me that The Tuss is in fact an alias for Richard D. James, otherwise known as Aphex Twin (or AFX, Analord, Power-Pill, Blue Calx, The Dice Man, Polygon Window or many other monikers), and not, as the story goes, comprised of Cornish brother-sister combo Brian and Karen Tregaskin. Even if there is no official confirmation of this, the breadcrumbs all lead to the same place. For one, both of their releases are on Aphex Twin's Rephlex Records label (not to mention, they share the same publisher), there's the heavy reliance on rare analog synthesizers (including the Yamaha GX-1, of which James owns one of the 50 ever made), and also the fact that "tuss" is a Cornish slang for an erect penis (James is Cornish). Of course, the most compelling piece of evidence to support this "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" theory is the music itself.

So far only two releases bear The Tuss moniker: the Confederation Trough EP and the Rushup Edge LP, but all of the music is unmistakably Aphex Twin. Or, at the very least (to entertain the idea that The Tuss is in fact not Richard D. James), a flawlessly executed imitation of Aphex Twin. Either way, each song features a careful craftsmanship of analog beats, loops and samples that are sequenced together with the kind of impeccable timing that only an electronic prodigy like Richard D. James could pull off. There's an attention to detail here that is hard to articulate with so many sounds pulsating and swirling throughout the nine tracks that comprise the entire recorded output of The Tuss. Much of it builds upon the exceptional work James did on the Analord series, with some elements of Acid, Ambient Techno and IDM mixed in to ensure that it can't be boxed into the confines of any one genre. Basically, if it were possible for something to 'tickle' your synapses, then I supposed it would sound like this.

"Alspacka" from The Confederation Trough EP


"Rushup I Bank 12" from the Rushup Edge LP
>>>Continue reading "Richard D. James is More Talented Than You or I Will Ever Be"

Too Poor to Buy Records and/or Go Out To Clubs? Listen to Beats in Space

For someone like me, who has a limited budget and only so much time to scour the Internet and record shops for new music, podcasts have become a godsend. Since most of what is on local radio completely blows (with the exception of KCRW, KXLU and KPFK), I primarily learn about new music through the Internet. While there is no shortage of blogs that discuss and share indie rock and hip hop music, information about the vast world of electronic music isn't as prevalent. I guess the info is out there, but since so much of that culture is driven by obscure white label singles, imports and vinyl only remixes, it can often get confusing. Luckily there's someone like Tim Sweeney making things a little easier on me.

Sweeney is a New York-based DJ who hosts Beats in Space every Tuesday night from 10:30PM to 1:00AM on WNYU 89.1 FM. Each week he brings a taste of the NYC club scene to a worldwide audience as he mixes together tracks from all over the dance music landscape. On most weeks Sweeney will invite a special guest to take over mixing duties and spin for an hour or so. Judging by the list of past guests, which includes James Murphy, The Juan Maclean, Carl Craig, Hot Chip, Plaid, The Avalanches and Simian Mobile Disco (among many others), Sweeney carries major street cred throughout the various scenes that fall under electronic music's wide umbrella. But even without the special guests Beats in Space would still be required listening for anyone who loves dance music and wants to stay current on who is shaking asses in clubs accross the world.

Subscribe to the Beats in Space podcast here (requires podcast software) or here (link will open iTunes)

Photo courtesy of flickr user Studio JFISH
>>>Continue reading "Too Poor to Buy Records and/or Go Out To Clubs? Listen to Beats in Space"

Song of the Day - Simian Mobile Disco: "Hustler"

In the interest of full disclosure, I know this song has been floating around for several months and that Simian Mobile Disco have generated a tidal wave of buzz over the last year due to their exceptional DJ skills and remix work for artists like Bjork and Klaxons, but since their debut album Attack Decay Sustain Release was officially released yesterday I have a sufficient enough reason to post it as the Song of the Day. Also, the song just kicks ass.

The duo behind Simian Mobile Disco, James Shaw and James Ford, do an excellent job of capturing the best parts of the dance club scene (mainly, the galvanizing effect a catchy hook and an infectious beat can have on making you move your feet until your tired and sweaty) without allowing their music to sound overwrought with production bells and whistles. Credit most of this to Shaw and Ford's insistence on only using analog recording equipment (sorry, no Pro Tools magic here) and their ability to keep their songs direct and to the point (and therefore under five minutes). On "Hustler", perhaps my favorite track on the album, you get everything that is great about Simian Mobile Disco in one small 3:42 package. There's the sampled chorus that hooks you in, a driving techno beat and synthesizers that borrow a page from the Detroit and Chicago House heydays; basically the perfect recipe for some ass shaking.

Another thing that I love about this song is how the vocalist sings about being too poor to afford records, so she steals them. While I would never do this in real life (and I'm sure Simian Mobile Disco isn't condoning theft), it does speak to the dilemma many music-starved people have when going to the record store. With so many good records out there and a limited bank account, how do you narrow down your choices? Wouldn't it be easier if you could just take whatever you wanted?

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Video of the Week - Justice: "D.A.N.C.E."

Happy VMA Day!! Oh wait, I forgot, the Video Music Awards stopped being fun and spontaneous years ago. I think I will be watching the season premiere of Curb Your Enthusiasm instead of waiting on pins and needles to see if the 'rumors' are true and Britney Spears really is opening the show. I know the suspense is nearly unbearable.

Anyway, since it would be too easy (and lazy) to sit here and write about how much MTV sucks, I will now give MTV some credit for doing something right. Amongst pop chart champions Kanye, JT, Rihanna and Jay-Z, and Beyonce, French electronic due Justice sits as a nominee for Video of the Year. Yes, there's a minuscule chance the video that actually is the best will win the award. Of course, I am not holding my breath, but I am definitely content with Justice merely being nominated. Now, if Britney actually pulls off a flawless performance, then I will concede defeat and admit that Hell is indeed freezing over.

>>>Continue reading "Video of the Week - Justice: "D.A.N.C.E.""

Song of the Day - Chromatics: "In the City"

Today's Song of the Day was inspired by an excellent compilation of Italo-Disco revival music titled After Dark, which I just picked up yesterday and already have listened to several times. While I would love to talk about the entire collection of songs found on this record, I will instead focus on one of my favorites from Portland, Oregon trio Chromatics (not be confused with Nashville's The Chromatics).

"In the City" is such a simple take on disco that it is easy to dismiss simply because it isn't the kind of song that would tear down the dance floor (which isn't to say it is a difficult tune to dance to). But the wonderful thing about this song is that it tells a story in a very deliberate and methodical way. Instead of hyper-paced fanfare about euphoria and love (like most popular Disco in the US), "In the City" paints a dark picture of metropolitan life against a backdrop of a plodding, hypnotic beat and a basic two note keyboard loop. Vocalist Ruth Radelet's dreamy tone brings everything together as she conjures images of crime, violence and desolation, but in a way that doesn't make her sound frightened. If mainstream disco is the soundtrack to late night partying and hedonistic indulgence, then "In the City" is what plays in your head as you take that sketchy walk back to your apartment.

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Song of the Day - Underworld: "Crocodile"

Remember back in the late 90's when "Electronica" was supposed to be the next big thing in music? Bands like The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers seemed to be everywhere you looked and many mainstream rock acts (David Bowie and U2, among others) collaborated with producers who infused their sound with influences from the European dance club scene. For about a two year span the conventional wisdom among rock critics was that this scene was going to take over America and change the face of popular music. Of course, that never happened and before you knew it most of these artists retreated back to the club scene that made them famous in the first place.

London-based trio Underworld (now a duo) fit into this familiar narrative nicely. Once considered a major force in pop music after the critical and commercial success of the single "Born Slippy" (thanks to it being featured on the enormously popular Trainspotting soundtrack), Underworld never again duplicated the commercial appeal of that single. With the hype machine in full effect, the 1998 release of their third album Beaucoup Fish failed to meet the lofty commercial expectations placed upon it, despite the positive reception it received from most critics. Since then Karl Hyde and Rick Pierce have been doing what they do best; playing live and immersing themselves in the club culture that never abandoned them.

Their newest single, "Crocodile", is an indication that maybe their latest effort, Oblivion With Bells (release date: sometime in October) is a back-to-basics effort reminiscent of their earlier work. Anchored by a deep techno backbeat circa the days of "Dark and Long" and "Mmm Skyscraper I Love You," this song has everything fans of Underworld love. There's sparkling synth loops in the background, multi-layered effects that amplify the celestial tone of Karl Hyde's vocals and neat little keyboard solo that sounds straight out of the New Order greatest hits catalog. "Crocodile" is fun, but not disposable; pulsating, but not trancey and it sounds like it could become another crowd favorite amongst the many club anthems the band plays during their legendary live shows. I can't wait to see how they pull it off on stage.

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