December 19, 2008

A Best of 2008 list

2008 was a pretty good year for music overall. I wish I'd dived a bit deeper into new stuff, but I have a good feeling about next year.

Favorite albums

Lindstrom - Where I Go You Go Too (absurdly good)
Deerhunter - Microcastle
Kassin + 2 - Futurismo (don't sleep on this one)
Ladytron - Velocifero
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Primary Colours (would have written a huge fawning post about this band, they are the best-sounding punk rock band of the year)
Vivian Girls - s/t
Aphex Twin - Coachella 2008 set
Don Cavalli - Cryland
Beach House - Devotion
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

Biggest disappointment

Brightblack Morning Light - Motion to Rejoin (I'm worried that BBML might have caught lightning in a bottle in 2006 and huffed too many fumes afterwards)

Reason for hope in 2009

The Skygreen Leopards - Gorgeous Johnny

Most entertaining sports clip

Manny Ramirez

December 14, 2008

Live Review: 8-Bit Breakbeats and Heartbeats [Blipfest 2008]

This past Sunday I went to the 2nd annual chiptune festival Blipfest, nestled in the newly opened Bell House in Park Slope, Brooklyn. What is chiptune, you ask? Though I have heard of it in passing conversation, chiptune is an entire movement of artists that uses videogame systems of the 1980s, such as the Gameboy and NES, as musical instruments. Regardless of the type of music you play, be it electronic, punk or classical, as long as you utilize an archaic 8-bit gaming device as your central instrument, you are a chiptune musician.

Me, my cousin and a friend of his arrived at the Bellhouse at around 10 PM, just in time to see the next act perform, Anamanaguchi. Based in NYC, the group played a high energy setlist where 8-bit sounds brawled with live guitars, bass and drums, all the while psychedelic 8-bit visuals played in the background. I was able to snap a picture, albeit blurry one, of Anamanaguchi:


The next act we saw, USK, was a real treat. From Japan, this 8-bit madman hooked up four Gameboys to a mixer and began to play high-intensity breakcore. While the music itself was fascinating, USK was even more so. Clothed for a mid-90s warehouse rave, USK jumped and danced with reckless abandon, exhibiting a hyperactivity on par with the 8-bit music he squeezed out of his tiny mixer. At one point in the show, one of his Gameboys went dead, prompting the audience to sigh in discontent. However, as a nod to early videogaming, USK pulled out the Gameboy's cartridge, blew in it, plugged it back in, and continued playing his setlist of excitable 8-bit dance music. The crowd laughed as a result, remembering how early videogaming was defined by such an action. I snagged a picture of USK in action, though it's tough for it to do this crazed man any justice:


To our pleasant surprise, USK was then joined by Anamanaguchi. What followed was an all-out chiptune ravefest filled with body surfing, headbanging and just plain insanity:


While chiptune is undeniably gimmicky and nostalgic in a certain sense, it also is damn enjoyable to listen to. Being able to blast someone to the past as well as squeeze melodies from such a limited instrument is an impressive act for any music genre to accomplish. I will certainly be back for next year's event.

December 8, 2008

The W



Wilburn explains the family tree of Ol' Dirty Bastard.


I had to get an Onion plug in eventually.

Staten Island Historians Piece Together Genealogy Of Wu-Tang Clan

December 4, 2008

Chill Kompakt [Triola]

I've been listening to a lot of Triola lately. (It's an alias of Jörg Burger, aka The Modernist) His song "In Lourdes" has been lulling me to sleep for the past 5 months or so, and now I can't stop listening to the one-track album "Im Fünftonraum." This is some older-style Kompakt stuff, it sounds a bit like KaitO but there are parts of it that could also work on Michael Mayer's Immer 1 mix.

A translation for our non-Kompakt nerd audience!: this is very "warm" ambient techno, with lots of "small"-sounding synthesizers. Sometimes there's a soft bass drum too. So it's ideal for personal or headphone listening, definitely not something to play in the club.

My tip: if you download the album, be sure to make it at least 10 minutes in, that's when the best song starts.


Triola - In Lourdes [Pop Ambient 2008, 2008]
Triola - Im Fünftonraum, 2004

December 3, 2008

New tracks from [Rainbo Video]



RVRVRV


I hope some more people start to pay attention to what Rainbo Video is up to. RV used to do high BPM breakcore stuff, but on the latest tracks that he's released he almost sounds like The Field at times, moving into a more ambient sound. Still, I am guessing that his main motivation for making music is to make people move. "To Rule the Floor" should do just that, it's a really uptempo track with a very appropriate Lil Jon sample.

Please check this out, it's brand new music that needs to be heard dammit.

Check out a couple of tracks here, or download a pack of five zipped mp3 files directly from this link.


Rainbo Video - To Rule the Floor
Rainbo Video - Tapes For Live Performance

December 2, 2008

Teh best new band [S.C.U.M.]


teh lead singggerrr


S.C.U.M. is the most exciting new band I have heard this year. This is a bunch of teenagers from London combining a bunch of dark rock sounds. They sound a bit like their sisters in acronym T.I.T.S. but with a bit more commitment to a rock beat. Either way, both bands have definitely absorbed the Liars catalog...

Who knows what will happen with them in the future, but either way they should be pretty happy to have put out such a solid single. These two songs are very very good.

Big ups to Andrew Weatherall for putting this on his first "Double Gone Radio" mix, which is also awesome.


S.C.U.M. - Visions Arise
S.C.U.M. - Second Sea

Note: mp3s are bad quality because I grabbed them from their myspace.

December 1, 2008

"Italy" by [Akron/Family]

Akron/Family have now taken on so many different styles that it's easy to forget where they started. "Italy" is the song that made me wake up and really take notice of them. It's really good, but also 8 minutes long, so settle in before you listen.


Akron/Family - Italy [Akron/Family, 2005]

November 11, 2008

Presently, Electronic Music's Lover [Luomo]


the Present Lover

Luomo's latest album, Convivial, dropped today, and, man, does it sound good. For the uneducated, Luomo, the most successful handle of Finnish producer Sasu Ripatti, is considered by many to be one of the pioneers of microhouse, dropping his much celebrated debut, Vocalcity, in 2000. Though pertaining the same ideals as the microhouse artists of German labels Perlon and Kompakt, Luomo's sound was distinctly more lush, organic and, often, seductive.

On Vocalcity, crackled, soulful voices broke through propulsive beat/bass combinations and warm, subtle synths, often maintaining grooves that seemed endless though hypnotic at the same time. The crowning moment on the album is the 12-minute "Tessio", which is often considered Luomo at his most anthemic and epic. With his second album, Present Lover, Luomo found himself making his sound more streamlined and pop-oriented, though still maintaining the characteristics of his debut. Vocals were brought to the front and crystallized, though their ambiguity remained, often being cut up and acting as complementing instrumentation as opposed to leading.

On Convivial, Luomo's fourth album, songs still maintain the propulsive micro-grooves of the artist's previous works, though this time they follow more tried-and-true structures, containing verses and choruses and providing vocals a leading role. This is not a bad thing, though, and often the songs are wonderful, particularly "Love You All", which guest stars Sacha Ring of Apparat fame, and "If I Can't", which features Scissor Sisters' vocalist Jake Shears.

Four albums in and Luomo continues to propel his unique and completely original take on electronic music forward. In the increasingly dense and populated format of electronic music, it has become more difficult for an artist to differentiate him or herself, though Luomo's sound knows no imitators, and is one of the best electronic music has to offer (and make love to, but don't tell the kids I said that).

Luomo - Tessio [Vocalcity LP, 2000]

Luomo - Love You All [Convivial LP, 2008]

November 5, 2008

Lost summer [Gangi]


sneaky goat


Allow me to be sentimental for a minute. I first heard Gangi driving across the Bay Bridge, heading back to San Francisco after an afternoon of baseball, sun and beer. I was sort of cramped and stuffy back there, and it was a little strange to have a tape adapter hooked up to someone's Macbook, but somehow this music fit perfectly with that.

I would say these are like tossed-off, airy psych jams. The vocals are very pleasant, and the fairly lo-fi production values work well. If you're looking for some guitar-based music to score a lazy afternoon, this is the ticket.

There was a point in time where I thought I wanted to be a music critic, and in some ways this blog was a good way to see if I would actually enjoy that. But no, I don't find it particularly great to write about music. THESE SONGS ARE CATCHY. Gangi r gud!!


Gangi - Commonplace Feathers [A, 2008]
Gangi - Waiting On The Line [A, 2008]

November 3, 2008

I can be the burger, girl [Claude VonStroke]


c.v.s. coolin out with the dirtybird


Newest Hey! Student blogroll addition Embarrassment of Bitches recently posted an Essential mix by M.A.N.D.Y. for BBC's Radio One. EoB scribe JH has an axe to grind with you weak-willed American clubbers - the gist of his posts thus far is that if only the American metropolis had a streak of Berlin, we'd all be that much better off.

I'm on board with this thesis, without having experienced Berlin, or without having listened to the M.A.N.D.Y. mix for that matter (though I am downloading it as I write this, if that counts for anything, Jeff). Even so, it's not all doom and gloom for stateside clubs and DJs. To match EoB's M.A.N.D.Y. essential mix, here's an Essential mix from Claude VonStroke. It is very, very hot.

Oh and where does Claude VonStroke reside? Aww yeah, San Francisco baby.


Claude VonStroke - Essential Mix

October 25, 2008

Because we care (because you do) [Aphex remix]

Two interesting remixes of Window Licker by dirty house favorite Trentemoller.

Funny - how many times has the seminal remixer Aphex Twin been remixed himself? That's a question I'd like an answer for, as well as audio proof like the two tracks below to back it up. I welcome any fellow Hey Studenters to chime in.

Enjoy - this shit kicks.

Window Licker (Trentemoller Remix 1)

Window Licker (Trentemoller Remix 2)

October 24, 2008

"This is Iggy."



photo by Richard E. Aaron on flickr. is there anyone more photographable than iggy?


Confession - I have not listened to The Stooges. Will I now be stoned to death by outraged mp3 bloggers? Or is there a kind soul to take me aside, and calmly say, "you must listen to this"?

In any case, I like Iggy's solo stuff. There are a number of tracks I really like off of Lust for Life, and this one from The Idiot, "Dum Dum Boys," has been kicking my ass lately. All you need to make a good rock song is a good guitar line and repetition, repetition, repetition...

[Bonus Onion article on Iggy]


Iggy Pop - Dum Dum Boys [The Idiot, 1977]

October 22, 2008

Kick back + relax [Kassin + 2]


day for night?


OK, so Luaka Bop pretty much has the lock down on "good Brazilian" music in the U.S. On the evidence of, well, all their releases (except for the Beleza Tropical series which I think is boring), no one can touch them.

Here are a few tracks from their latest release, Futurismo from Kassin + 2. Kassin = Alexandre Kassin, + 2 = Domenico Lancelotti and Moreno Veloso (yes, son of Caetano). They release albums as either Kassin + 2, Domenico + 2 or Moreno + 2. GET IT????

I have almost nothing to say about this, it's just a really great mix of what you might expect when you think about "Brazilian music" but with unexpected sounds. These guys are doing a brief tour of the US in December, short enough to reproduce here! (but after the files, so you know why it's worth going ok)


Kassin +2 - Mensagem [Futurismo, 2008]
Kassin +2 - Quando Nara [Futurismo, 2008]
Kassin +2 - Tranquilo [Futurismo, 2008]


Selective highlighting based on geolocation of known concentrations of H!S readers:

December 6, 2008
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn, NY

December 7, 2008
Museum of Fine Arts
Boston, MA

December 9, 2008
Yoshi's
San Francisco, CA

December 10, 2008
Hotel Café
Los Angeles, CA

December 11, 2008
Cedar Cultural Center
Minneapolis, MN

December 12, 2008
Lula's Lounge
Toronto, ON

December 13, 2008
Old Town School of Folk Music
Chicago, IL

October 20, 2008

For G-bear fans [Department of Eagles]


cold chillin


If Department of Eagles sounds quite a lot like Grizzly Bear, that's because it includes a couple of their members. On the whole, it's pretty hard to tell their songs apart from their ursine cousins, but that's not a bad thing - when was the last time you heard a new Grizzly Bear song? Wouldn't it be good to hear another one now?

I also want to give a shoutout to DoE's official site, which includes some nice photography. In the press clippings you'll see that they had a huge piece in the New York Times, so we've definitely been scooped already.

When I first heard Yellow House it was impossible to get out of my head for a few months, and I'll be listening to the two tracks below for quite a while too.


Department of Eagles - Phantom Other [In Ear Park, 2008]
Department of Eagles - Teenagers [In Ear Park, 2008]

October 6, 2008

Justice Doc Trailer -- A Cross The Universe



NSFW, briefly.

And if you haven't heard it yet, here's one of the remixes of D.A.N.C.E. that doesn't sound like the other 8 million out there, courtesy of Jackson And His Computer Band.

Justice – D.A.N.C.E. (Do The J.A.H.C.B.)

October 5, 2008

A play in three acts [Mercury Rev]


"Much more of a trip rather than band"

In coordination with their recent performance at the Stone, Mercury Rev released their new album, Snowflake Midnight, this past week.  Saccharine title aside, this is officially Mercury Rev's third phase in a long and winding career. A breakdown of the group's three acts:

Act I: Volatile Beginnings
Yerself is Steam (1991)
Boces (1993)
See You on the Other Side (1995)

Predominantly centered around former frontman Dave Baker and his volatile personality, the first two Mercury Rev albums were characterized by noisy psych-rock that was tumultous though pierced with moments of absolute beauty.  Structurally, these albums were more experimental and jam-oriented, and compositions could either wind on and on with extensive solos and sonic freakouts or be short bursts of sound.  Standout tracks include "Chasing a Bee" (Yerself is Steam) and "Something for Joey" (Boces), which was complemented by a video featuring infamous porn star Ron Jeremy.

Mercury Rev - Chasing a Bee [Yerself is Steam LP, 1991]

Mercury Rev - Something for Joey [Boces LP, 1993]

Act II: Reinvention Leading to Stagnation
Deserter's Songs (1998)
All is Dream (2001)
Secret Migration (2005)

Searching to reinvent themselves after See You on the Other Side, the Rev began channeling their psychedelic leanings from Act I into more concise, song-oriented albums, starting with 1998's Deserter's Songs, arguably the group's best output, to date.  Coupling standard instrumentation with more rare instruments such as theremins, bowed saws and mellotrons, the album had the distinction of being routed in traditional americana while having a more whimsical and dreamlike feel.  All is Dream continued this newfound sound, though was more widescreen and cinematic, as exemplified by epic tracks like the "Dark is Rising" and "Me and Hercules".  Unfortunately, Mercury Rev had exhausted this dream-pop sound by the time Secret Migration was released, which proved to be the group at its most saccharine and, strangely, adult alternative.  Consequently, this is the group's worst album, to date.  

Mercury Rev - Opus 40[Deserter's Songs LP, 1998]

Mercury Rev - The Dark is Rising[All is Dream LP, 2001]

Act III: New Sonic Discoveries 
Snowflake Midnight (2008)
Strange Attractor (2008)

Released simultaneously, Snowflake Midnight and the purely-instrumental Strange Attractor represents the group's new direction, which is more focused on electronics and far less structured than the Rev's previous three albums.  In a way, this Act is promising in that it takes the jam-oriented and more structureless works of Act I while borrowing from Act II's more dream-pop approach.  It remains to be seen how this Act plays out, but it sounds promising.  In any event, the Rev are no strangers to change, and their ability to evolve on a dime is the greatest compliment a band can receive.  Cheers to one of America's finest rock groups to emerge in the last two decades.

Mercury Rev - Senses on Fire[Snowflake Midnight LP, 2008]

October 3, 2008

I-I-I-I need you [Annie]

No, wrong "Annie"

New Annie.  This shit is hot.
Annie - Two of Hearts

October 1, 2008

Bedroom Music.



I was recently bopping around Myspace when I came across this video. In it, Bangers and Cash discuss their Top Ten Songs To Do It To. They are:

10. Anytime, Anyplace::Janet Jackson
9. Joga::Bjork
8. My Neck, My Back::Khia
7. Roni::Bobby Brown
6. Be My Angel::Mazzy Star
5. Turn Off The Lights::Teddy Pendergrass
4. Half On A Baby::R. Kelly
3. Come Undone::Duran Duran
2. Doin' It::LL Cool J
1. Go Bye Bye::The Blind Dates

Needless to say, this little video got me thinking about my own list.

And so I went to work. Initially, I considered a list with lots of M83 and Sigur Ros, but I soon realized that 1) you most likely have those songs already, and 2) it can actually be pretty difficult to live up to those folks and their epicness, whether making love or elsewhere. Rather, I felt the Hey! Student community might benefit most from a few delightful slow jams. Without further ado:

10. Send For Me – Atlantic Starr
9. Slow And Easy – Zapp & Roger
8. Ballad de Melody Nelson – Serge Gainsbourg
7. Rock Wit'cha – Bobby Brown
6. Ageispolis – Aphex Twin
5. Between The Sheets – Isley Brothers
4. Your Body's Callin' – R. Kelly
3. Knockin' Da Boots – H-Town
2. Kid For Today – Boards Of Canada

aaaaaaaaaand, drumroll.

1. Do Me Baby – Prince [Controversy, 1981]

I challenge you, fellow Hey! Studenters: let's see your top ten. Judging by the quality of my sex, there must be a better list out there.

Here is my mix, zipped.* Please use it responsibly.

*I tried to write a pun about this word for seven minutes.

September 29, 2008

DISCO DEVIL [Lee Perry]



Matt's already posted about Lee Perry a couple of times, once to show him hanging out in the studio with Andrew W.K., and again to run down a live show.

Lee Perry was in San Francisco about a month or so ago, and the show was great. Matt said it before, but at 72 years old he's still full of energy. At some points he was literally trying to lead the crowd in group exercise: "Hop! Hop! Hop! Now jog!"

This song "Disco Devil" is one of Lee Perry's older jams. It's seriously great, super dubbed out with great backup singing.


Lee Perry & Full Experience - Disco Devil

September 28, 2008

[Brighton Port Authority]




Fatboy Slim, David Byrne, Dizzee Rascal.

Is there more to be asked for in this life?

[Kid Sis]


I've got a secret. I LOVE DAVID BANNER.

Summer's not over yet, friends.

Kid Sister f/David Banner – Family Reunion [Dream Date, 2008]

September 27, 2008

i love kompakt so much [Superpitcher]


MEINE NAME IST AKSEL




Saw Superpitcher last night. It was fantastic. Many future Hey! Student bloggers and commenters saw him a few years ago in Chicago, and this was just as good. I love how he rocks out on the mids so much... I can't resist this track.


Superpitcher - Fieber [Speicher 6 12", 2002]

September 26, 2008

September 25, 2008

The best wake up song ever [Cornershop]


lead dude




Woooo we're back after some file issues. After the break I want to give a shoutout to Justin's last post highlighting Death From Abroad artists, because the two tracks there are super hot.



Today I am just throwing up a track by Cornershop, this is the first track off of the When I Was Born for the 7th Time album. You know, the one with "Brimful of Asha"! I bought Cornershop's second album a few weeks ago but I couldn't really dig it. This track is essential though, if American audiences were ready for "Brimful of Asha" (something that still baffles me) then this track could have been a hit too. In my mind at least.




Cornershop - Sleep on the Left Side [When I Was Born for the 7th Time LP, 1997]

Live Review: West Meets East [Calexico]


Victor Gastelum, Calexico's Artist of Choice

In effort to escape the public hysteria over the slow train wreck that is the U.S.'s economy, I took some time yesterday to see in concert one of my favorite bands, Calexico, at NYC's Webster Hall. For the uninitiated, Calexico is one of the more interesting and talented musical acts today, and to witness their live shows is something of an event.

The group, founded by John Convertino and Joey Burns, is what I like to think as a musician's band. Incredibly technical though organic, Calexico breeze through multiple music genres to craft consistently beautiful and well-textured music. Though much has been said about the group's unique blend of mariachi, country and spaghetti western film scores, Calexico have recently over the last five years evolved into something greater. Much of the Calexico's recent work, starting with 2003's Feast of Wire, has channeled the group's now complex and expansive musical palette into the traditional song format, creating music that can balance the substance with the expansive style. The group's latest album, Carried to Dust, could be their best, and I've included the opening track, "Victor Jara's Hands", below for download.

Back to the show. Prior to last night's show, I had seen Calexico twice (2004 and 2006), both times of which I had been put in a complete trance. This time was no different. The group opened with "Roka", a Spanish/English vocal faceoff paced to slow, steady horns and percolated piano work. I quickly snapped a picture as I listened and watched:

Much of the setlist was drawn from Feast of Wire and Carried to Dust, though the group also played concert staple "Alone Again Or", a fantastic cover of a Love song of the same name, and the rambuctious "Crystal Frontier", a song that closes out a majority of Calexico's concerts. I've included both below for your downloading pleasure.

In watching and listening, I realized the tightness of Calexico's performance is unmatched. Every musician was in perfect communication with each other, and the best part is that the group has an absolute blast when doing so. In addition, Calexico has become truly international, as nationalities from around the world were represented on stage. What was once a Tuscon, AZ-based side project of the alt-country group Giant Sand has now evolved into a world act, now including members from Berlin, Munich, Madrid and Nashville.

The group is on tour now, so do yourself a favor and see them live, even if you've never listened to their work. A testimony from one of last night's patrons: "that was one of the happiest moments I ever had in New York." Take it from me, you'll likely feel the same.

Viva Calexico!

Calexico - Victor Jara's Hands [Carried to Dust LP, 2008]

Calexico - Alone Again Or [Convict Pool EP, 2004]

Calexico - Crystal Frontier (Widescreen Version) [Even My Sure Things Fall Through EP, 2001]

September 20, 2008

Live Review: Trip Over the Light Fantastic [Mercury Rev]

On September 10, I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Mercury Rev's "Trip Over the Light Fanstastic" at the Stone in NYC.

First off, before entering into a discussion of what the show was, I'd like to point out that the Stone is literally a box, seating no more than 20 people and tucked away at 2nd street and avenue C. The Stone is not-for-profit music space run by avant-garde musician John Zorn, and hosts a variety of atypical music performances.

Mercury Rev is one of my favorite bands, and I've followed them ever since their release of Deserter's Songs, an album I believe is one of the best musical pieces to come out the 1990s. Comparisons to the Flaming Lips are multiple, as the two bands are led by singers with similarily high-pitched wails, though I always thought Mercury Rev was always a little more out-there, if that's possible.

Back to the show. As I entered the Stone at around 9:40 PM, I immediately went directly to the front row, and found myself literally a foot-and-a-half away from the microphone of Rev's lead singer, Jonathan Donahue. A scene before the performance:

Then, at around 10 PM, the band came out in a very "un-rockstar" entrance, crawling over patrons that were sitting on the ground and nearly tripping a couple of times. People around me were asking me if they knew what was going to happen, for which I gave a big ol' shrug. One guy to the left of me thought it was going to be a full-blown concert, but I knew that wasn't the case, given the setting.

Mr. Donahue stepped to his mic, but then he put on this strange headset, which was hooked up to all sorts of machinery, and then sat down in his chair. Alex Chechile, a Brooklyn avante-garde artist that accompanied the Rev, brought along a hand-built electroencephalograph, or EEG, along with a computer program that was used to modify music in real time according to one's own brain activity. Like something out of a movie, Alex had hooked up Jonathan to this machine, and the band began to "play".

"This is the sound of my brain" cooed Jonathan, as loud though rhythmic thumps emanated from the Stone's crackling speakers. In the background, two individuals touched two light beams to create a strange visual that I won't try describing, but maybe this picture does:


As Donahue manipulated brainwaves, Grasshopper, Rev's guitarist, played percolated riffs and noise, which was also sonically manipulated through his computer:

The show was a good 45 minutes, and though it wasn't a typical Mercury Rev performance, it wasn't what I expected, which is refreshing coming from a band that's been on the circuit for two decades. Even after all these years, Rev is still keeping their experimentalism alive, confirming the notion that this is one of the great American bands to have surfaced in the last twenty years.

September 13, 2008

Euro meets Americano [DFA + Supersoul]


Leap-frog

We here at Hey Student! are not shy in expressing our love for German house and techno.  Already numerous articles have been written on household names Kompakt and Bpitch Control, and in keeping with that theme, take a gander at the new compilation released by DFA's sub-label Death From Abroad, Nobody Knows Anything.  Compiling the works of upstart Berlin-based Supersoul Recordings, this compilation kicks, containing hot dance tracks and sensitive bangers that encompass the best elements of acid house, euro-crunk (a la Modeselektor), detroit techno, electro and minimal techno.

With this release, DFA has helped in bridging the gap between the always dynamic European techno scene and dance-rock of the U.S. underground.  I hope DFA continues to release compiliations like Nobody Knows Anything, not just because the music is killer, but also to expose American listeners more to techno.

Two tracks are posted below, which could not be more different from each other.  The first one, "Deuteronomy Brown (l-f Edit)", is an absolute dance-floor grinder, while "Stropharia" is a sensitive banger, more suited for 5 AM rides home from the club.  Kick it.

Walter Jones - Deuteronomy Brown (l-f Edit) [Nobody Knows Anything Compilation, 2008]

Max Brannslokker - Stropharia [Nobody Knows Anything Compilation, 2008]

September 12, 2008

Artist: [Flying Lotus]


Flying Lotus

Say hello to Flying Lotus, the newest addition to Warp Records. His sophomore album, Los Angeles, is a slow-grooving, Tricky-like delight that I'd describe as perfect for the bedroom, were I ever able to play music there with a woman present. The first track, Parisian Goldfish, is the only uptempo thing on the record, but works nicely, and should completely destroy your brain at approximately 1:50. The second, Camel, is more representative of the album, and seems like it may have borrowed the beat from that Beck song, Missing. An exciting record indeed.

Flying Lotus – Parisian Goldfish [Los Angeles, 2008]

Flying Lotus – Camel [Los Angeles, 2008]

September 11, 2008

Flaming Lips, 90210


Onion AV Club: How did that Beverly Hills, 90210 thing come about?

Wayne Coyne: ...I think it was more just a matter of convenience and luck, and us saying, "Hell, yeah, we'll do it!" I think people expected that we would be so guarded and above it all that we would smirk and say, "We'll never do bullshit like that." But as soon as you get the opportunity, you jump right for it.

O: Did Ian Ziering really think you guys "rocked the house"?

WC: Um, no, not at all. They said all that stuff long before we played. It was at the end of a long week of shooting for them; we got there on a Friday, and it appeared to me that they usually wrapped it up around 7 o'clock. And at about quarter to seven, they started shooting our segment. You could just see the yawns and complaints and, "When the fuck are we going home?" We knew, then, what real TV is all about.

September 8, 2008

Computer Fairyland


Little Boots

Little Boots Mixtape. Discovered on Sasha Frere-Jones' wonderful TNY blog.

If the bass line at 15 minutes doesn't make you want to dance, I don't know what to tell you.

Little Boots - Computer Fairyland Mix

September 7, 2008

Mental sweep [Buffalo Daughter, Monster Island Czars]

Over the past week I have been listening to two songs at least once per day. They're pretty different.



#1) Buffalo Daughter - "Mirror Ball": I really did not know that Buffalo Daughter was this into repetitive jams. It's always impressive to hear how much noise three people can create, I really like the bass line of this song. It's kind of long but there's a good payoff. I need to listen to more Buffalo Daughter, this song is very Kraut-sounding but made with a clean, alternative rock sound.



#2) Monster Island Czars - "Escape From Monsta Isle": This is a track produced by MF DOOM, featuring his posse. The beat is great and the rappers are actually really good, even though most B-team posses are lame. How's that for a backhanded compliment?






Link to another Buffalo Daughter track.

September 6, 2008

Holla Atcha Boy! [Hollertronix]

Already his reputation infamous on Hey Student!, Diplo perhaps did his best work as part of the DJ duo Hollertronix, based straight out of Philly.

Much in the vein of the previously discussed I Like Turtles mix, Never Scared, Hollertronix's seminal piece, is a sample-heavy clash of musical styles, ranging everywhere from Dirty South rap, punjabi, 80's electro and, of course, Bjork. When the Clash literally "clash" with Missy on the track provided below, the musical moment is so golden it may bring you to tears.

Summer can still live on, despite it being September. This shit is mad decent!

Hollertronix - Never Scared [Never Scared LP, 2003]

August 22, 2008

Variations on a theme


Dr. Wesley Pentz

Three songs. One break.

1. Brew Barrymore. See what Diplo can do!

2. Electric Relaxation. I don't want to say the best Tribe song ever, but between the sample and lyrics, it's definitely up there. I shan't repeat the song's best lines here, because this is a family blog, but I will hint that I have a soft spot for any and all puns on the now-defunct chain store, Seaman's Furniture. I am particularly sad that people just discovering this music now won't be able to catch the reference.

3. Mystic Brew: the song that started it all. Grinding, funky organs and lots of tasty vibes. Ronnie Foster was 22 when he wrote this song! Shame on all of us.

Diplo - Brew Barrymore [?]

A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation [Midnight Marauders, 1993]

Ronnie Foster - Mystic Brew [The Two-Headed Freap, 1972]

August 19, 2008

New Lindstrøm


nickname: el girafa




See how long that fool's neck is? I saw Lindstrøm (love those funky Norweigan characters) a year ago and the whole time he was bent over his synth-pad, moving his head/neck in time with the music. It was pretty hypnotic actually, it seemed like his head was entirely detached from his body or something. As a side note, Lindstrøm sounds great live, don't miss him if you get the chance.



Anyway, Lindstrøm has a new record out, and it's great. There are only three tracks, and here's the first one which clocks in just under 30 (!) minutes. There's a lot of styles in the mix here, and it comes out sounding fantastic.




Lindstrøm - Where I Go You Go Too [Where I Go You Go Too, 2008]

August 17, 2008

DJ Mujava



Warp is hyping this track, by DJ Mujava from South Africa, a lot. I only listened to it once but this will serve as a bookmark to come back and see if it grows on me.

August 16, 2008

New Black Devil Disco Club

Black Devil Disco Club, and all of Lo Recordings actually, has been one of my favorite discoveries of the past year. With all the talk of "Space Disco" it's good to see someone step up and put out releases that I think will have some staying power.



The cover of this Black Devil Disco Club (who I think is no longer pretending to be a long-lost disco producer from the 1970s and instead content to be a French person making electronic music) release proclaims that it is "the holy grail of space disco." Okay. I feel like if something is going to be the "holy grail" of anything, I shouldn't be able to pick it up at my local CD store, but maybe that's an issue I should take up with the marketing department of Lo Recordings.



These tracks are all really good! New Black Devil!!




Black Devil Disco Club - With Honey Cream [Eight Oh Eight EP, 2008]

Black Devil Disco Club - Never No Dollars [Eight Oh Eight EP, 2008]

August 12, 2008

I'm gonna gun you down



Two minutes of brilliance from Jamaica, 1969.




The Ethiopians - Gun Man

July 27, 2008

Quick Pitchfork recap

I will have some pictures to post but they're nowhere near ready yet. It may be a while before I have them so I want to get down some quick thoughts about a few of the bands that I saw.



Boris



I've not heard much Boris before this, and I haven't listened to very much metal of any kind, but this was really entertaining show. The drummer would hop out from behind his kit and yell at the crowd ("wooooooooaaaaaa!") with this crazed look on his face, like we were all on a roller coaster or something.



Health



Saw these guys by accident because we thought it was time for King Khan. After Boris' polished rock attack, it was pretty disappointing to see these LA boys jump around stage and try to act hard. When the dust settles on all this new noise music people will see how wide the influence of Liars will have been - but they've moved on to chase other sounds of course. Health sound (and act) like they wish they had thought of They Were Wrong So We Drowned... but they didn't. Read on for more on their general lameness.



King Khan and the Shrines



A good performance, the highlight was King Khan asking the crowd to wave dollar bills in the air for "Welfare Bread." I'll have a picture or two of that, KK jumped into the front and started throwing/ripping/eating bills. I saw the bassist later and he commented, fairly, that KK + Shrines are "not a festival band," but even performing at 3pm it was still a great time.



Spiritualized



This was a totally epic performance. I wish that Spiritualized was the headliner so they could have played at night with a real light show, but it was still beyond great, and there was pale twilight on them. I was way up front, it was SO LOUD but I didn't mind. They played "Shine a Light" and it was beautiful. At the end of the show Jason knocked over the mics with his guitar, destroyed an amp and threw his guitar at the drumset before stamping off stage. I think he was pissed off about the sound, at one point the whole PA cut out and at the end something went wrong with the guitar I guess. This was by far my favorite show though, well worth the price of admission by itself, and Jason came out after the band finished up the song to thank the crowd. Watching Spiritualized live is *actually* like being on a roller coaster. From the beginning, the sound they create is so powerful, but it seems so effortless to create on stage that when they really start to hit the next gear, you're really taken along with it. My stomach was in my mouth for all "Come Together," although maybe that was also because it was one of the loudest things I've heard in my life...



Dinosaur Jr.



I enjoy Dino Jr. quite a lot. They're super old by now but they sounded great.



Bradford Cox + King Khan



I guess Cut Copy were late for their gig or something, but as I was on my way out of the festival I noticed that these guys were up on stage playing random punk songs. It was pretty great, but there must have been a bunch of Cut Copy fans who were not amused, because at one point Bradford Cox said something like "hey, I wish Cut Copy were here too, you didn't choose us and we didn't choose you either, so let's just make the best of it." I think someone backstage must have just asked them to play some music to entertain people during the delay. Jay Reatard came on and played a song with them, the keyboardist from the Shrines got on the bongos, and someone else was on drums. At one point the lead singer from Health wandered on stage (to give B Cox a bottle of water or something?) and King Khan turned to him with a microphone and said 'hey man you want to sing a punk song?' It was pretty clear that he was giving him a challenge, but the dude walked off as if he hadn't heard him. REALLY LAME.

July 24, 2008

Sludge Rawk [Part Chimp]

Part Chimp:




  • Used to be on Mogwai's label, Rock Action
  • Titled one of their albums Chart Pimp
  • Play really loud rock that sounds kind of like Mogwai
  • Are way more punk rock than Mogwai
  • Are one of those bands that it takes shuffle for me to listen to actively
  • Rock really hard


End of post!




Part Chimp - 30 Billion People [Chart Pimp, 2003]

July 23, 2008

Artist: [Spank Rock]




So, Spank Rock. These guys are the best bunch of music-makers to come out of Baltimore maybe ever. Wonderfully danceable, cut-up rap over huge, enormously huge electro beats. In short, a really really really good time.

Before I dispense with the music, however, I want to discuss something. These guys taken some flack from some quarters for their, er, fairly sex-obsessed, lady-insensitive lyrics, and if possible, I'd like to take a moment to address this point. For one, the only reason Pitchfork gave them a 6.5 and not a 9.9 was due to reservations about this very issue:

Moving bodies is as worthy a goal now as it was when Little Richard sang, "Good booty, if it don't fit, don't force it". But Spank Rock's unspoken nihilism-- or, more pointedly, chauvinism-- has been getting a pass.

Here, friends, is where I must contest: It's (very likely) high-octane satire! Yes: I may just be rationalizing here, but I can't help but find myself in the 'its ironic so just enjoy the party!' camp. Just look at the Bangers & Cash album cover and say it ain't so! To be fair, the Pitchfork critic accounted for this outlook in his review:

You may be thinking, "Rap writer comes down on innocuous, possibly ironic good-time MC for sexism, continues ignoring Interscope artist's crimes." Fair point.

Fair point indeed. So: I say: when you hear them using the b-word, and the h-word, and various other generally objectifying terms, I ask you: take these folks with a few grains of salt, and try to realize: the songs are too smart to have been composed by a bunch of idiots.

In the end, Like the Pitchfork reviewer, I realize I may be wrong to take this stance, and I am open to differing opinions on this issue (i.e., satire perpetuates the beliefs it purports to skewer by giving them more oxygen). Please let me know if you feel I am a dum-dum. In the meantime, however, pleasepleaseplease enjoy the party.

Spank Rock - Put That Pussy On Me (Diplo Tonite Remix) [2008]

Spank Rock - Put That Pussy On Me [Spank Rock EP, 2006]

Spank Rock - Backyard Betty [YoYoYoYoYo, 2007]

July 19, 2008

Moderately good Argentine rock [NerdKids]




Hey, expectations need to be set low here from the nation that gave us Los Ratones Paranoicos. Although I will say that 'Sigue Girando' can sometimes enter my head when I least expect it. Look at that totally gratuitious mp3 link! I will DEFINITELY be monitoring the stats on that one to see how many people it infects.



Down to the business of NerdKids. I know some of this audience lives in or around Silicon Valley, so let's take a quick step back and say: in a lot of places in the world, such as Argentina, people don't go around calling themselves 'nerds.' So major props to the band for naming themselves NerdKids, and for naming first track off of their album "Este es el tiempo de los chicos raros," or "This Is The Time of Strange Boys." (It's worth pointing out that there are 2 girls in the band but chicos refers to them all)



According to this press clipping, they say:

"We're strange boys. We have to do with what makes up the nerd part of society: comics, movies and books. We're neither heterosexual nor homosexual: we're sexual. We're in the future and we have to leave aside a whole bunch of primitive ideas.


This is a breath of fresh air in the almost universally stale world of Argentine rock: at last, an idea! So does the music live up to this rhetoric? Yeah! This rock is really good at sounding like it's from the 1990s. It's nothing ambitious, and I can totally tell that this band idolizes the Smashing Pumpkins, but I did too so that's not a problem. This is 'emotional' rock in the way that Dinosaur Jr. is... the singer's lyrics are pretty pathetic, although there's more hope here than with Dinosaur Jr. I don't know of any other frontman of an Argentine rock band who is willing to suffering without sounding fake.







NerdKids - Videos+Discos [Bubbleglam, 2006 <--start here]

NerdKids - Este es el tiempo de los chicos raros [Bubbleglam, 2006]


NerdKids - Estaciones [Bubbleglam, 2006 <-- 'epic' rocker]

July 18, 2008

Yet another musical piece to accompany your summer [Aaron Robinson]







During my younger, more freewheelin' days at college, when "responsibility" was more of an idea than actual practice, a friend of mine passed along this great electronic music DJ mix by a man named Aaron Robinson. Smooth transitions abound and filled with killer electronic tunes, this mix is another perfect complement to a hot summer day. Full mix below!

Aaron Robinson - March 2006 DJ set [don't let the title fool you - it's pure summer!]

July 16, 2008

Sorta old school stuff that came up for me on shuffle

One day I'm hearing Naughty by Nature on shuffle, the next I'm again pleasantly surprised by how much I like Treach:







How dumb is it that I had to convert this Naughty by Nature song from a WAV into an MP3?




Naughty by Nature - Let the Ho's Go

Rakim - The Punisher

Showbiz and A.G. - Party Groove (Bass Mix) [Runaway Slave, 1992 - i want to reward people searching for this, if you want the album just ask]

July 15, 2008

King Khan and the Shrines at The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, 7/11/08



Fair warning: this post is kind of NSFW






kk + four shrines




This is the summer of King Khan and the Shrines for me, as I'll be seeing them three times over the course of a month and a half. At a certain point of this show, I had to put my camera away because I was having too much fun. I don't have anything to say about this concert, hopefully the pictures explain why. I'm gonna shoot more at the next two shows - Pitchfork this weekend, and the free Black Lips/Deerhunter/King Khan concert in August. (in nyc, duh)

































The first three tracks from King Khan's album What Is?! follow.




King Khan and the Shrines - (How Can I Keep You) Outta Harms Way [What Is?!, 2007]

King Khan and the Shrines - I Wanna Be A Girl [What Is?!, 2007]

King Khan and the Shrines - Welfare Bread [What Is?!, 2007]

July 14, 2008

Guilty pleasure #178 [Cicada]


Electronicpoptastic

I don't know how this got to the bargain bin, but it's a crime it did. July 4 weekend I was out In San Francisco with Dan, and as is customary with a trip out to California, I went to Amoeba Records. When skimming through the electronic music section, I came across a little gem of a group called Cicada, which produces some poptastic electronic similar to contemporaries Mylo and Spektrum.

Now, when I first moved to NYC I constantly hit up this great dance music store called Satellite Records, which tragically shut down this passed Winter (vinyl is even less profitable than CDs these days). While shopping there, I came across this record by Cicada called "Cut Right Through", which though was pretty standard fare, had a phenomenal remix that I would constantly spin on my tables at home.

Flash forward to this past Sunday. Cicada's debut album, which includes "Cut Right Through", is sitting in the electronic music section at Amoeba for a mere $5 (markdown from $18, and this is an import, for crying out loud!). I had to buy it, and so I did. While there are some duds, there are fair amount of absolute electronic pop screamers, including "Electric Blue", and a track with moderate fame, "The Things You Say", which are posted below for your listening pleasure.

Cicada - The Things You Say [Cicada LP, 2006]

Cicada - Electric Blue [Cicada LP, 2006]

July 11, 2008

Serge x Herbert


caption




I got in to "Bonnie and Clyde" after downloading some Gainsbourg comp. I'm pretty sure I've heard it somewhere before, but I'm very much more in to it now. This Matthew Herbert remix of the song is excellent.


Serge Gainsbourg - Bonnie and Clyde (Herbert's Fred and Ginger mix)

Serge Gainsbourg - Bonnie and Clyde [this is an m4a, sorry]

July 10, 2008

Balearic bounce [Studio]


"Life's a beach"

Summer grooves continue here at Hey! Student with the positively fluid sounds of Studio. Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, Studio churn out intricately composed space disco grooves with percolated guitar work, a variety of airy synthesizers, big piano sounds, and [gasp!] steel drums, all of which perfectly accompany a summer sundown or ride home from a raging party at 5 AM.

West Coast, the group's proper full-length, is well-paced with only six tracks, though each one is epic in sound and production, ebbing and flowing so beautifully that you feel as though you're living in slo-motion. In particular, the album's first track, "Out There", is a 16-minute magnum opus that twists and turns and is filled with so many differing musical themes that keep you guessing all along the way.

In many ways, West Coast is very similar to a Hey! Student stalwart, Out Hud, and there debut album, S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D., which also has few tracks, but each one is an elaborately composed instrumental work with unique musical story arches. However, while Out Hud recall the No Wave movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s, Studio is steeped in Italo-Disco sounds and the Balearic dance movement of the 1980s. Either way, both are engaging listens, and for your listening pleasure (and next summer freakout), check out "Out There", posted below and sure to get you all in a twist.



Studio - Out There [West Coast LP, 2007]

July 9, 2008

Letting commenters inspire posts

ryan has left a new comment on your post "AFX Coachella set [Aphex Twin]":


I never seen Aphex live, but this image reminds me of a CMJ show I heard about in 1998: Merzbow vs. Alec Empire. I was actually in town seeing the Grand Royal showcase (bis, buffalo daughter), but I can't imagine the pain that must have gone on for those that were there (at CBGBs)


I've been meaning to post this Buffalo Daughter song for so long, because I love it. Back at WNUR I used to enjoy pulling it from the stacks because it was pressed on yellow vinyl. Wild! Anyway it it's finally the right time to post it, Justin can bear witness to this. I like how I've managed to incorporate my two most lame topics into this post, namely the weather in San Francisco and the halcyon days of college radio.



As for the Atari Teenage Riot song, I was really in to this in the seventh grade or something like that. Not that I was into anarchy, I just liked the song.



How will other Hey! Student readers inspire future posts?




Buffalo Daughter - Cold Summer [a 7" on yellow vinyl, sometime in the 90s]

Atari Teenage Riot - Atari Teenage Riot [who knows/cares anyway]

July 8, 2008

Mad decent [Diplo]


"I like turtles"

In keeping with fresh sounds for the summer, feast your ears on Diplo's hot I Like Turtles mix. While Jackie Mittoo's warm reverberated keyboard work is a perfect complement to a relaxing summer day, I Like Turtles will surely get your booty shaking and your body perspiring during those endless summer nights. Filled with tongue-twisting reggae, baile funk, crunktastic hip hop, smooth electronic and lots of tracks from Diplo's former muse, MIA, this mix slowburns and blazes all at once.

My advice: throw on some Jackie Mittoo at your next BBQ. Then, as the day becomes night, and a steady stream of alcohol is coursing through your fellow party cohorts' veins, do a 180 and kick things into high gear with the two tracks below. People need to sweat during the summer, and what better way to do so then to get people dancing and crazy? This shit is mad decent!

Diplo - I Like Turtles, Track I [I Like Turtles (A Diplo Mix) LP, 2007]
Diplo - I Like Turtles, Track II [I Like Turtles (A Diplo Mix) LP, 2007]

July 7, 2008

How to enjoy your summer [Jackie Mittoo]


The "keyboard king"





This weekend I made myself feel like a functional member of society by walking into a record store and buying a bunch of CDs. Now I can be more OK with distributing mp3s on my blogspot. (SEO yall!!)



Here are two songs off of the Jackie Mittoo album "Featuring Winston Wright at King Tubbys." Honestly I've picked them randomly, they all pretty much sound the same, i.e. great. I recommend this for summer, if you have that, i.e. if you live somewhere in this hemisphere outside of San Francisco. Jackie Mittoo is a great keyboard player, and although King Tubby didn't actually produce this album, it was recorded at his famous dub studio. This is all instrumental, so just put it on at your BBQ or something and enjoy. We'll have those in October out here.




Jackie Mittoo - MPLA Rock [Featuring Winston Wright at King Tubbys, 1970X]

Jackie Mittoo - King Girls [Featuring Winston Wright at King Tubbys, 1970X]