I apologize for the delay this month. I wanted to have this one out two weeks ago, but I’ve been extremely busy. Nonetheless, there’s a bunch of great stuff from last month to revisit. The Frankie Rose track “Know Me” is exceptionally catchy, as is Bryan Scary’s slice of rock-opera “Ziegfield Station”. Rocket Juice and the Moon sound exactly what you’d expect from a Damon Albarn supergroup with Slash and Tony Allen. It’s a tightly-wound funk fusion set to appear on their fun debut. Erykah Badu’s vocal role is an extra positive. New material from old friends The Explorers Club, Andrew Bird, and Cats On Fire are all great as well. Explorers Club’s new album, Grand Hotel, was particularly notable — read the review here. Albums from them, Silver Swans, and Lambchop were a few of February’s best releases.

Some familiar faces like Grimes, Arctic Monkeys, and The Cribs also returned with fun material, as did Ross Fish with his excellent “Puzzles”. I wrote about his first album in 2010 and, while that was enjoyable, his new material sounds like a big step forward. Other under-exposed talents like Reuben Bullock, Koko and the Sweetmeats, and Marie Lala also deserve some attention. In my opinion February was a stylistically diverse and all-around great month in music. With several of these tracks on upcoming albums, there’s plenty to look forward to.

01. Rocket Juice and the Moon – Hey Shooter (post)
02. Frankie Rose – Know Me (post)
03. Bryan Scary – Ziegfield Station (post)
04. Cats On Fire – A Few Empty Waves (post)
05. Andrew Bird – The Crown Salesman (post)
06. The Explorers Club – Anticipatin’ (post)
07. Ross Fish – Puzzles (post)
08. Lambchop – Gone Tomorrow (post)
09. Grimes – Angel (post)
10. Silver Swans – Around You (post)
11. Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine? (post)
12. Marie Lalá – Mrs. Sleepyhead (post)
13. Moonface – Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips (post)
14. Reuben Bullock – Avails of Loneliness (post)
15. Koko and the Sweetmeats – Love Song to Make Us Millions (Side A) (post)
16. The Cribs – Chi-Town (post)
17. The Neat – Hips (post)
18. Deerhunter – Curve (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>> (104 MB, .RAR)

Mirror Download #1 (Mediafire) >>>

The post Obscure Sound: Best of February 2012 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

“Angel” is a bonus track off Grimes’ new album Visions, released yesterday by 4AD and Arbutus. Amazon offered up the extra track to celebrate the release, which is already #16 for Amazon MP3 albums this week after nabbing a bunch of glowing reviews.

Our review of the album is on the way, but you can check out coverage of her past material here and there.

Facebook / BUY

The post MP3: Grimes – “Angel” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

#50 to 41                   #40 to 31                   #30 to 21                   #20 to 11                   #10 to 01

————————————————————————————————————————————–

30. Russian Circles – Empros

Russian Circles’ fourth album, Empros, improves upon their past efforts’ renowned technical displays and daring mood shifts. 2009’s Geneva was the first indication of the group’s new-found emphasis on songwriting over performing, and Empros improves upon it in every form imaginable. Russian Circles’ first few albums offered incredible virtuosity on every instrumental front, but excess would drown out blossoming moments with potential to carry a song. The missteps involved one overly voracious instrument drowning interplay between the others. This caused any semblance of a transition to sound either too forceful or not audacious enough. Whereas those early albums occasionally resulted in a same-y sound and sounds that meshed too much, Empros is beautifully varied. Each track builds off the previous one, yet without resorting to a sound bearing a split image or incompatible opposite. For instance, “Mládek” is scorching with nostalgic fury, its dexterous metal-influenced monophonic solos combining with thrashing waves of chord-based destruction and distortion. Vicious guitar-led arpeggios provide many of the lead melodies and serve prominent roles as transitional tools. Ominous yet substantially thicker guitar tones accentuate the rhythm with every whole and half note. They assume quicker pace in the final three minutes. The thunderous “Batu” is arguably the most varied on the album, with roaring guitars and vigorous percussion eventually transforming into a solemn, organ-led interlude. A single drone wavers for about a minute before additional organ and synth layers provide subtle accompaniments. It’s an appropriate entry point to the beautiful finale, “Praise Be Man”. As one of few Russian Circles tracks featuring vocals, it progresses from an acoustic-laden tropical lullaby to a starry-eyed conclusion with gauzy waves of distortion. After the furiously brilliant forty or so minutes that preceded it, one thing is clear: Empros is one of those rare albums that could rock you to sleep gently with pounding streams of distortion.

MP3: Russian Circles – Mládek

Russian Circles – 309

Official Site / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

29. Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972

A sinister drone akin to a jet engine on the verge of exploding is the first sound heard on Ravedeath, 1972, the six full-length from one of the geniuses in drone and ambient music. This album is easily one of Tim Hecker’s most impressive, a fascinating triumph that incorporates more melodic whimsy into his beautifully infused samples and concocted soundscapes. These are delicate constructions that evolve from barren compositions to those breathing and producing life. The opening track, “The Piano Drop”, is a microcosm of this. By the time the work evolves into a warm fluttering synth arp, the ominous beginnings of the jet engine drone are all but forgotten. A playful and spacey melody has taken its place, and from here one would expect the usual synth-pop toppings. But as the trilogy of “In the Fog” shows by entering with the sound of a stalling garbage truck, Ravedeath, 1972 revolves partly around the concept of beauty through an unconventional source. The album is constantly stunning, and it’s not like it takes much digging to witness this. Drone isn’t widely accessible by any means, but this is an ideal entry point for those interested in find the best from the genre. Some tracks, particularly those with multiple parts, feel like rugged and lost photographs. The brooding cathedral setting of “Hatred of Music II” arises from the lightly piercing woodwinds of its first part, a very delicate piano melody and low horn-like modulation being the only source of sound. These sharp contrasts in pitch and instrumental involvement are frequent throughout the two or three-parters, specifically the beautifully bouncy closer “In the Air”. The first act is pure airy build-up, the second full of scraggly distortion and excitable keys, and the last a gorgeous come-down. Overall, it’s the most stunning track on an album full of beautiful experiments. The rest of Hecker’s discography is exceptional as well, but Ravedeath, 1972 is one of his most memorable and meticulously crafted.

Tim Hecker – In the Air III

Tim Hecker – Hatred of Music I

Official Site / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

28. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

Even with it sounding very similar to their first, Helplessness Blues manages to be a completely new experience due to a variety of sweeping epics and superficially pretty ballads. “Battery Kinzie” was the second single released for the album, and for good reason. It’s a display of what Fleet Foxes do best: combine folk music with sweeping baroque arrangements and choral instruments. Things slow down a bit with “The Plains / Bitter Dancer”, a track that builds up for the first three minutes before breaking down into a multi-vocal verse led by a marching snare and seductive flute. Still, “The Shrine / An Argument” takes prize as the longest and most sweeping track on Helplessness Blues. Unlike most of Fleet Foxes’ material, it highlights a slightly more unrestrained Robin Pecknold who allows his vocal range to be expressive beyond sultry folk whisperings. This song takes a turn for the better as it switches gears from “The Shrine” to “An Argument”, a movement introduced by Fleet Foxes taking more risks. That’s not to say familarity isn’t a strength as well. Old school Fleet Foxes again comes out in abundance on “Lorelai”, a song that feels it should be played by mystical creatures in a thicket deep within a magical forest. Lightning has indeed struck twice for Fleet Foxes, a band who has succeeded in creating two stellar achievements which are simultaneously similar and unique. Helplessness Blues presents Fleet Foxes at their creative best. Instead of churning out a dismal second album one year after the first (see jj no. 2 & no. 3), Fleet Foxes took their time to craft a marvelous follow-up and succeeded in so many ways. Review>>>

Fleet Foxes – The Shrine / An Argument

Fleet Foxes – Battery Kinzie

Official Site / MySpace / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

27. Timber Timbre – Creep On Creepin’ On

Taylor Kirk’s voice would sound good enough on its own, even without his alluring tales of darkness and despair. Like a Nick Cave or Tom Waits, Kirk touts a deep bellow that reverberates with the soft thumping bass surrounding it. Bass and keys are the driving instrumental building blocks throughout Timber Timbre’s fourth album, Creep On Creepin’ On. The route to classic-rock nostalgia isn’t far as a result, especially on a catchy doo-wop throwback like “Woman”. Here, Kirk sits at a table in the late ’50s and plays poker with Elvis and The Everly Brothers, even packing a quivering delivery typical of the era. Other just as successful efforts seek a more contemporary appeal. The animalistic vocal yelps on the rollicking “Too Old to Die Young” recall the idiosyncratic exuberance of Jarvis Cocker, and what he did with “Acrylic Afternoons”. The forlorn string swipes solidify the comparison. It isn’t all doom and gloom though. The final two minutes contain one of Timber Timbre’s most beautiful pieces of songwriting, where Kirk proclaims “I’m givin’ it all up” over ethereal strings that both flutter and hold on one note. Between this, the similarly throwback “Woman”, and the trickly tremolo-based “Lonesome Hunter”, you’d expect Timber Timbre to follow The Walkmen in creating a tribute album to Harry Nilsson. Their sound isn’t too distant from his, even in reference to hits like “Without You”.  Timber Timbre’s hooks are as beautiful, fragile, and enjoyably forlorn as someone in the ilk of Nilsson or Emitt Rhodes. Some efforts don’t come close to either, opting for an instrumentally ambient route. The cinematic “Obelisk” sounds like a cut from Jonny Greenwood’s There Will Be Blood score, and the anxiously brilliant “Swamp Magic” recalls the ruminating complexities of Stravinsky, of all people. Timber Timbre has taken great strides since being featured three years ago, becoming a more atmospheric group in the process. I wouldn’t be surprised if they score a film in the near future. Although some tracks should leave more room for Kirk’s voice, there is not one piece of filler on Creep On Creepin’ On.

MP3: Timber Timbre – Too Old to Die Young

Timber Timbre – Woman

Official Site / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

26. Grimes & d’Eon – Darkbloom

Claire Boucher recorded the first two Grimes albums, Geidi Primes and Halfaxa, with a cheap computer microphone. Her first song with an actual recording interface, “Crystal Ball”, was recorded just last year. It was her poppiest effort yet, especially in light of how the first two albums rode heavy on goth-industrial backgrounds and slick sampling. Her split EP with Chris d’Eon, Darkbloom, shows that “Crystal Ball” was an indication of Grimes’ future sound — more polish with brighter hooks and a generally more effervescent sound, though not without a few dark ambient works (see: “Urban Twilight”). It was just as some hoped. Stylistically, Grimes falls somewhere between originators of goth-pop stylings (post-punk) and exotic electro-pop in the vein of Björk and Kate Bush. She produces music not too distant from Animal Collective’s sample-laden psychedelia and The Knife’s icy electro-pop, but with the idiosyncratic presence of a singular songwriter. Even when her often placid songs pick up a notch in intensity, one of Boucher’s trademarks is her repressed vocal delivery. Much like Beach House’s Victoria Legrand, Boucher portrays an image of efficient suaveness as she shows no signs of rushing or underestimation. She recognizes this strength and often relies on little more than that; a one-measure bass line repeats itself only to allow Boucher to let herself go over bizarrely modified samples, ranging from lost ’60s soul cuts to stars of commercial pop. Her voice is high-pitched to the point of sounding like a child or – depending on the backing – a full-blown diva. She channels her inner Diana Ross on “Vanessa”, where she lets her vocals go wild over a stringy assortment of synths. Boucher’s delivery is never conventional, and always invigorating; she uses her voice as an instrument on the dank “Urban Twilight”, her array of high-pitched vocal backings being maneuvered like a synth pad. Technically EPs don’t qualify for this list, but split EPs can tiptoe in if they’re this good. d’Eon’s material is decent enough, but this ranking is admittedly for Boucher’s material.

MP3: Grimes – Crystal Ball

MP3: Grimes – Vanessa

Arbutus Records / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

25. Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Wolfroy Goes to Town

This feature just referenced Timber Timbre and their narrative comparisons to Nick Cave and Tom Waits, namely their penchant for dark tales about ordinary people. Will Oldham has been doing much of the same for over two decades, releasing haunting folk narratives about hidden American treasures — some fictional, others not — under a variety of monikers since the early ’90s. You almost get the sense that, like many great songwriters, Oldham wishes to assume the role of many of his characters, and at several points already has (both in music and film). Whether under a Palace alias or simply Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Oldham has played around with plenty of different arsenals; these include dark brooders with escalating strings, minimalist folk, and direct variants of Americana and country. Sometimes a cut-and-paste approach is applied, as successfully on The Letting Go or Lie Down in the Light. Listeners are weary of his prolific discography for a reason. They just don’t know what to expect. To the delight of the intimidated, Wolfroy Goes to Town is one of Oldham’s more straightforward releases, sounding quaintly folk-western but without the emotive darkness that entraps many Oldham albums. Part of this is because he relies so much on guest vocalists, who add vibrancy to Oldham’s creaky voice, which even when singing optimistic lines contains a tinge of despair. It also helps that two instruments — guitar and bass — are responsible for a large bulk of the album’s arrangements. The intimacy and overall brightness of Wolfroy Goes to Town is impossible to overlook. Fans of 2009’s grandiose Beware may be disappointed in the lack of intricacy, but this is a solid if understated album that captures why Oldham will forever maintain a cult following that hangs onto every one of his words. He crafts his own storybook with each release. It’s best described with a line from the standout “New Whaling”: “Years have come on, and I live like a king / Like a monarch who rules over all that he sings.”

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Quail And Dumplings

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – New Whaling

Official Site / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

24. The Black Keys – El Camino

The Black Keys return to form with El Camino. This album presents everything Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have built as The Black Keys, just exemplified more; the blues are bluesier, the guitar solos are more energetic, the minimalism is more precise, and the lyrics are more carefully chosen. El Camino is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s an album that feels like the next step in the Black Keys’ growth as a band, while still paying homage to their already diverse discography. This is most apparent on “Little Black Submarines”, a song nearly as double-sided as the entire album. The first half saunters about with a simple acoustic/tambourine melody; it would be a fantastic song if stretched to a full four minutes. As it stands, the two-minute mark sends the band into a powerful and heavy riffs typical of their more accessible material. “Dead and Gone” and “Gold on the Ceiling” evoke a Magic Potion-era sound, heavier on the distortion and murky guitar work overlaid with multi-track vocals. The latter could be the spiritual successor to “Your Touch”, a song that the Keys have lent out to a plethora of worthy other media. Another highlight, “Nova Baby”, recalls the Keys’ love of Buddy Holly, as evidenced by their cover of “Dearest” for Rave On Buddy Holly!, with a jaunty melody that’s smoothed over to emulate the feeling of a late-‘50s recording. The album closes with “Mind Eraser”, a fine track that finds the Keys exploring their soulful side. While soul has always been one of their influences, “Mind Eraser” sounds more akin to a Sharon Jones track than anything from Brothers or Attack & Release. If anything on El Camino is clear, it’s that Auerbach and Carney have found a formula (and producer in Danger Mouse) that works for them. The continuous fruits of that formula are evident with each new release. El Camino is the best Black Keys album in the past five years, and possibly their best to date. Review>>>

The Black Keys – Run Right Back

The Black Keys – Lonely Boy

Official Site / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

23. NewVillager – New Villager

As a video, “Lighthouse” is perhaps best served as a dessert rather than an appetizer. The production features ten characters, each representing a song on New Villager. The concept proves especially interesting after becoming familiar with the album. Yet alone as a song, there are no prerequisites for enjoying “Lighthouse” – even as the album’s lengthiest track. After it begins with perky string staccatos, upbeat squiggly synths, and an assertively low-pitched chant, the first verse surprises by revealing itself as a lush ballad-like entry, somewhat comparable to the lush post-punk of Twin Shadow or Wild Beasts. Well, it begins that way. Rapid snares and xylophone-range key tremolos then kick off the chorus, which is as bouncily brilliant as any on the album. The vocals during this section are one of many theatrical impersonations; the variation of vocal pitch and delivery is abundant throughout the album, making the cast of colorful characters in the video that much more apt. About the underrated NewVillager? They’re a Brooklyn-based duo comprising Ross Simonini and Ben Bromley, as adept in the visual arts as they are in the audible spectrum. Their ability to seamlessly incorporate various vocal stylings into their song structures brings us to the album’s production, which is generally faultless for the group’s energetic style of pop. Their rhythmic and vocal patterns are frequently inspired by Afro-pop in a form that recalls Paul Simon rather than recent emulators like Vampire Weekend, who don’t quite emphasize as much the style’s percussive dexterity and structural flexibility. Evidence of the duo’s strong songwriting is evident throughout “Say the Code”, one of the year’s catchiest tracks. New Villager touts obvious standouts like “Say the Code” and “Cocoon House”, the latter sounding like TV on the Radio jamming with Man Man and The Knife. NewVillager’s debut is a fantastic and compellingly fun release that should propel the duo to dizzying heights, along with the many characters they possess. Review>>>

MP3: NewVillager – Say the Code

MP3: NewVillager – Lighthouse

Official Site / MySpace / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

22. Cass McCombs – Wit’s End

The first and more superior of McCombs’ two albums this year, Wit’s End is a natural progression. His early material showcased an infatuation for intricately produced psych-rock, never becoming indulgent enough to be fetishized because they were presented in a distinctive singer/songwriter format. His songs have always sounded alarmingly personal, even if the degree of distortion and pounding hooks prevented his lyrical content from becoming the dominant focus. With Wit’s End, he is echoing the trademarks of idiosyncratic one-man shows like Robert Wyatt and Elliott Smith. The somber efforts on the troubled yet talented Dennis Wilson’s classic debut Pacific Ocean Blue also come to mind here; delicate pianos in a minor-key sway with gentle anticipation over his half-gravelly, half-youthful vocals. The emotions would almost come across as ambivalent if you weren’t paying attention. When it gets down to the root of depression, when someone simply doesn’t care, these type of songs can be particularly meaningful. Moving onto dual strengths of beautiful musical accompaniment and heartrending lyrics, “Buried Alive” and “Memory’s Stain” serve as the album’s strongest. The latter is one of McCombs’ best tracks, period. His voice here resembles both George Harrison’s nasally psych-pop zeal and Elliott Smith’s hushed melancholy, with the beautifully haunting chorus re-affirming this. After a barren piano, subdued bass, and subtle crash cymbals establish the opening, the chorus appears with invigorated life. What sounds like a harpsichord envelopes over McCombs’ ghostly voice, with an accordion lamenting in the distance with a magical subtlety already inherent in the restrained percussion. The track continues the theme of lost love’s imprints, much like “The Lonely Doll” and the bleakly soul-inspired “Saturday Song”, a rain-drenched cross between Tindersticks, Tom Waits, and Mark Kozelek.  Wit’s End values consistency on all fronts, but not without the dose of artistic variation that makes McCombs one of the most promising singer/songwriters today. He seems to keep building toward a masterpiece of some sort, and in many regards Wit’s End is an excellent beginning to fulfilling such deserved expectations. Review>>>

Cass McCombs – County Line

Official Site / MySpace / BUY

————————————————————————————————————————————–

21. Washed Out – Within and Without

Ernest Greene’s early material showed plenty of promise, but it certainly wasn’t the epitome of consistent stylistic direction. Some tracks, like the highly memorable “Belong”, recalled shimmering key-led elements of Afro-pop and Adult-Contemporary lite-pop, while others like “Get Up” were more adventurous practices in sampling. His voice is rarely the dominant factor, often placed masterfully under the rich electronic mix similarly to Noah Lennox. Greene’s compositional skills and production tendencies – from starry ballads to clinics in choppy sampling – were certainly unique; it often resulted in some of the most caressing and intricately layered sounds one would hear from any artist within the “chillwave” categorization. Within and Without is a continuation of aspects touched upon throughout Greene’s early EPs, but with a steadily rising emphasis on infusions of trip-hop – hence more use of percussion that isn’t nearly as stiff or automated as the loops present before. Sampling is also severely minimized, with the exception of small snippets like the female vocal clip in “Before”, which adds a Jet Set Radio/blurring neon lights in Tokyo sort of feel. Cibo Matto on (more) drugs, perhaps. The sampling is rarely an essential factor in the songs, making Within and Without the clearest example of Greene’s songwriting to date. That’s not to say it’s a no-frills release; the production reaches several moments of utter grandiosity, like the stirring strings throughout “Far Away”, the devastating synth build-up in “You and I”, and the twinkling anthem-like appeal of the highly accessible “Far Away”. They are simply accomplished with more naturally instinctive pop smarts.

Standout “Echoes” is led by a bass line with plenty of swagger and appeal, approaching hip-hop schematics in its structural repetition but also dance in its actual simplified melody. This bass hybrid is better perfected on “Before”, a gorgeously crafted gem with chirping and arp-led samples that best define Greene’s recent fascination with trip-hop. While the mid-section of the album boasts a wide array of infectious appeal, the first two tracks – “Eyes Be Closed” and “Echoes” – tend to focus more on atmospheric introductions. It wouldn’t be unnecessary to compare the fragile bursts on “Eyes Be Closed” to resemble the New Age sounds of Enigma and ERA. This style presents plenty of easy-listening and atmospheric preparation, but its idleness begins to poke at the listener by mid-point. Even as the fade-out and fade-in occurs after the three-minute mark to introduce an explosive verse of sorts, the effect is not nearly as effective as when done toward the end of “You and I”, an effort more indicative of Greene’s multiple stylistic strengths – particularly the infusion of Afro-pop into areas of dubstep, lo-fi rock, and synth-pop. Within and Without is a very strong album led by efforts like these. The mid-section of the album is near-flawless. Review>>>

MP3: Washed Out – Far Away

Washed Out – Before

Sub Pop / MySpace / BUY

The post Best Albums of 2011: #30 to #21 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

This EP is excellently done, and every song except the title track is a wonderful, drone and glitch-filled pop delight. Delicate and graceful melodies slip between the cracks of digital wreckage, or sometimes emerge from the careful piling of glitch and drones.

There is an arc to Mario Gonzalez’s Lindsay Lohan Likes Blood EP. Gonzalez takes the listener from an epic track built almost entirely on non-intuitive distractions and odd emergence toward what might be considered fairly straightforward grunge-inspired pop, warping perspectives on each with subsequent disruption. In glitch-pop he sees escape from the limiting norms of verse-chorus-verse song structure, in traditionally expected norms of production and instrumentation. Gratification isn’t just delayed; it is questioned and made much less seemly and comfortable than years of Top 40 radio and even alternative rock records have taught us was true. Soaring choruses such as the one which dominates “Guns, Cocaine & Deftones” still feel good, but we just don’t feel nearly as good about feeling good about them.

Or do we feel better? Does the insistent drone, screech, and refusal to conform to even matching rhythms or tempos in “Boards of Fame” grant us a sense of entitlement, of having earned such a soaring chorus, which then removes the inherent guilt in the frivolity of popular music? I’ve listened to this EP five times now, and have come to that moment feeling both ways quite strongly on different spins. One little dig at a time, Gonzalez is tearing apart preconceptions and automated thoughts on the subject, quite ironically for a record so built around traditional tones of automation.

Initial notes for this review were longer than the review itself, a rarity for these pieces. Expectations are confounded at every corner; “Wither” does anything but. Military drums temper what could be a melody from some lost early ’70s soul jam, or a Mirah song. Gonzalez captures that wonderful tension of trying to keep getting in the signal of a favorite song by twirling the radio antennae around. Download the album for free on his Bandcamp.

Gonzalez has conjured the sound of something blandly and lovely decaying. It is disturbing, yet transfixing. The Lindsay Lohan reference is fitting.

RIYL: Grimes, The Fall, Radiohead, Tim Hecker, Stars of the Lid, Fennesz, Aidan Baker, Loscil

Mario Gonzalez – Wither

Mario Gonzalez – Guns, Cocaine & Deftones

Bandcamp

The post Mario Gonzalez – Lindsay Lohan Likes Blood (2011) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Contemporary interpretations of rhythmically inclined genres, like R&B and soul, have remained a continuous trend. Quality predecessors have already shown the style to appear timeless, so that is one attributing factor, but its abundance today in independent music circles is more indebted to its seamless maneuverability in sampling. That is not a reference to straightforward cut-and-paste samples, but rather the ability of R&B and soul classics to cohesively take on different forms when tempo and sequencing is altered and cross-bred with original ideas.

Combine this with the accessibility of home recording and you find a likely source for a movement that contains names like How to Dress Well, Avey Tare, El Guincho, Toro y Moi, and James Blake. Some of these artists have fallen somewhat lazily into the “chillwave” tag, which fails to render an all-encompassing categorization despite the attempts of some bloggers. There is no need to lump How to Dress Well and James Blake into the same category despite some shared characteristics; they each tout similar influences, but deliver with such different approaches – of varying levels of intimacy, sampling, and structural maneuvering – that any newly concocted genre tags are unnecessary and somewhat insulting to the artists.

Autre Ne Veut (“I want no other”) is a fine example of an artist following in the footsteps of these aforementioned influences, all while sounding completely different from them. It’s a one-man project with virtually no other information; the frontman remains elusive and anonymous – much like Burial, Neon Indian, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra in their earliest phases. He has a voice that resounds with the flamboyant swagger of Scissor Sisters, Erasure, and Hot Chip – combined with a nasally confidence reminiscent of CYHSY’s Alec Ounsworth.  Backing him up is a swanky, grimy, and absurdly infectious swarming of vibrating ‘80s-inspired synths, pulsing drums, and subtle moog bass. On his wildly impressive Body EP – which follows up last year’s acclaimed eponymous full-length – Autre Ne Veut offers up four memorable songs that showcase a dizzying variation of his R&B-meets-swanky-electro-pop sound.

Deliveries on the EP range from the sexy yet straightforward electro-pop of “Your Clothes” to the brilliant sampling of “Not the One”, which repeats She Wolf’s anxious clamoring over an exotic and invigorating composition that only fully stands alone during the final minute. This is easily the song’s best moment after such a climactic build-up; it keeps the listener wanting to delve more into Autre Ne Veut’s clearly impressive songwriting abilities, even if his tendency to write concise pop songs can get the better of him. Instances like this, though, show just how great of an atmospheric builder his compositional skills can be. “Just Return” is highly reminiscent of The Knife, complete with shrieking synths that stab at the listener with a futuristic fury that also takes cues from Kraftwerk.

Perhaps the most notable is opening effort “Sweetheart”, which evolves from a ghostly synth pad and ambulance siren to a full-on anthem with extraordinary dance floor appeal. Expect this one to get a boatload of remixes, hopefully most of them quality. “Sweetheart don’t think we’ll make it out,” he sings before the burst of whirring synths. You can hear glimpses of Of Montreal’s swagger, Cut Copy’s electro polish, and Grimes’ darkly omniscient progressions – but overall Autre Ne Veut is a singularly unique accomplishment bound to make waves.

RIYL: How to Dress Well, Avey Tare, El Guincho, Toro y Moi, James Blake, Scissor Sisters, Erasure, Grimes, Cut Copy, Hot Chip, Of Montreal, Kraftwerk, Burial, The Weeknd

Autre Ne Veut – Sweetheart

Autre Ne Veut – Just Return

Autre Ne Veut – Two Days of Rain (from eponymous release)

Official Site / MySpace / BUY

The post Autre Ne Veut appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

It is not surprising that Benji Schneider grew up on a lake. Michigan’s Lake Huron, to be exact. Most of Schneider’s press photos and album artwork depict him and a body of water in the background, or just the latter. The serenity of water’s flow and grace alone allows us to guess this is not some metal or noise-rock outfit. But it’s not some constrained acoustical act either. Schneider has blended aspects of various sea-aligned genres, where blue waves and sunny 80-degree weather seems to be the inspiration. It is difficult to get specific when describing how Afro-pop, tropicalia, or chillwave comes to best describe this audible seaside allure, but listening to artists like Lord Huron, the name of Schneider’s project, makes it apparent in more ways than one.

His songs concoct an actual atmosphere, with sound effects usually ushering in his songs like the splash of a wave precedes it slowly creeping along the sand until it reaches your toes. Schneider enjoys keeping this appearance up for only a short while though. His sweeping melodies and harmonies always emerge triumphantly over these atmospheric samples, which are more than just supplements. They fit cohesively within the gorgeous melodic layers of sound, recalling a Beach Boys-y vibe that should also bring many comparisons to recently released singles by Panda Bear. Lord Huron’s sound is not the most ambitious considering many of his peers are attempting the same thing, but Schneider is able to pull it off better than most.

“Mighty” begins with a mixture of what sounds like raindrops, gurgling radio frequencies, and sitar-driven propulsion. The melodic component of the track emerges subtly, as the lazy pad that floats in the beginning integrates itself into a series of reggae-like bass lines, tropicalia percussion, and slickly tropical guitar licks. The vocals are reminiscent of Panda Bear. A swift transition around the minute-mark throws away extraneous background effects for a crisper melodic delivery, bringing to mind Vampire Weekend (but with more tolerable vocal stylings). The slow trickle of water around the three-minute mark begins the procession of some eerie effects, like a soft keyboard arpeggio that conflicts with tribal-like coos. The percussion-less demeanor of this part is extraordinary in context of what came before, bringing listeners back to the initial prickly rhythm to tidy up the bookends. It sounds like music originated from some far-off land, but with enough clever melodic jabs to remain in the realm of convention.

Another notable effort off of Mighty, a four-track EP serving as Lord Huron’s second release, is “Son of a Gun”. The gentle guitar arpeggio that begins the track with graceful flow is shortly complemented by urgent acoustical strums and sporadic bass pushes. “Oh there was a time when she lie in the grass and imagined the places she’d never go,” Schneider sings, revealing a more poppier and conventionally structured track than “Mighty”. The track really begins to pick up around the two-minute mark, when his howls resonate gently against a backdrop of glossy guitars and slowly whirring synth pads. The sound effect of trickling raindrops loves to make appearances throughout Mighty, and it serves a great purpose here in affirming the anthemic vigor present just before the three-minute mark and then beyond that. “Son of a Gun” is less than four minutes, but every thirty seconds to a minute there is a subtle transition present in Schneider’s voice or music that creates a beautifully stirring moment or hook that is lost to many artists attempting to perfect this sound. Lord Huron has produced a truly gorgeous release in Mighty, which houses four ravishing efforts that will appeal to fans of Paul Simon, Animal Collective, or any other talented pop artist that pushes the boundaries of world music by aligning such fusions with familiarly beautiful pop music.

RIYL: Panda Bear, The Beach Boys, Paul Simon, Bon Iver, Pentangle, Fleet Foxes, Sun Airway, Grimes, Coma Cinema, Sunglasses, Candy Claws

Lord Huron – Mighty

Lord Huron – Son of a Gun

Lord Huron – When Will I See You Again

Lord Huron – “Into The Sun” 7″

Official Site / Bandcamp

The post The Mighty Lord Huron appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

It is getting to that point where serious consideration for the year-end feature must be done. This year’s top 20 or so is relatively easy for me to make; there are so many quality albums that could fit. It is the actual ordering of them that becomes tricky though. November is essentially the last month where submissions for 2010 albums are made, as 2011 releases begin to surface most abundantly by next month. As far as the final stretch goes, it should be just as satisfying as the rest of the year, which has been arguably the best since this site formed in 2006. For this month’s compilation, long-awaited albums by Avey Tare, Magenta Skycode, and Sufjan Stevens lived up to expectations. Others like Warpaint, Grimes, and Ben Talmi continue to further their recognition with excellent showings, while brand new acts like John Nagle and Status Green are jump-starting their careers with great material. This past month was a diverse showing of artists at different points in careers. They all maintain outstanding standards of quality, and whether or not stylistic differences – like the chilly electronica of Grimes or the flourishing indie-pop of Magenta Skycode – floats your boat is part of the fun. Enjoy.

01. Warpaint – Bees (post)
02. Avey Tare – Oliver Twist (post)
03. Magenta Skycode – Night Falls on the Rifle (post)
04. Grimes – Crystal Ball (post)
05. Sufjan Stevens – Too Much (post)
06. Ben Talmi – Scales of a Fish in the Sky (post)
07. John Nagle – China Town (post)
08. Status Green – Denver After Dawn (post)
09. The Divine Comedy – Your Daddy’s Car (live) (post)
10. Jeremy Fisher – Come Fly Away (post)
11. Adam Haworth Stephens – The Cities That You’ve Burned (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>> (55.9 MB, .RAR)

The post Obscure Sound: Best of October 2010 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

In my first feature of Grimes, I made the point that the music of Claire Boucher resembled conceptual art. With gauzy layers of synth that embed themselves into post-punk rhythms reminiscent of Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control”, theatrical art-pop hooks that resembles the likes of The Knife and Björk, and subtle sampling to the effect of Kraftwerk and Burial, her music does not confine itself to one influence or genre. Instead, one experiences a meshing of several different components that combine for a sound that – while occasionally bizarre or puzzling – is thoroughly fascinating in its delivery. Boucher’s engrossing tendencies does not stop at the appearance of her style though, as her pop tendencies are present in each song. Unlike the absurdly pretentious conceptual art that offers an interesting delivery but no substance, Grimes plays like an infectiously majestic series of stylistic concoctions. Boucher makes her music align with her artwork and photos, which feature abstract shapes (usually of body parts) and a wide array of colors that give off the initial appearance of spontaneous disarray, only to reward the attentive viewer with beautifully cohesive formations that take effort to spot – but not too much to the point of becoming frustrating. Like her artwork, Grimes’ music has plenty of unconventional surprises.

Boucher’s additional talents in the visual arts were shown off wonderfully on her debut Geidi Primes, which featured songs that were as apt for artistic cinema as they were for caliginous electronica venues. I noted that a track like “Sardaukar Levenbrech” would be a great choice for inclusion in the next film by Hirokazu Koreeda, who is able to combine traditional Asian music and contemporary electronica to riveting images of resignation, loss, and isolation. Then there were efforts like “avi” that followed more catchy dance, with its reverbed percussion, pulsating bass, and gleaming of strings creating a dark but soothing atmosphere among Boucher’s flexible vocals. Her voice alternates between a subdued murmur of sorts and high-pitched flashes of enthusiasm, showing no hesitance to hold a shrill note if it sounds appropriate over gushing synth pads and austere percussion. We are merely a few months after the release of Geidi Primes, and apparently Boucher is discontent in having just one album to compete for a spot in the Top 50 of the year. Her new album, Halfaxa, was released in typical under-the-radar fashion, and it stands just as strong as its predecessor released earlier this year. To my delight, Boucher has not alternated her sound much, which she describes primarily as “goth-pop”, but with a heavy influence from “Medieval organum, R&B and hip-hop.”

Halfaxa represents, in several ways, the beginning of a transformation period for Boucher. All the songs on Halfaxa are recorded like on Geidi Primes, in DIY fashion directly through the microphone on Boucher’s computer. Change is on the horizon though, at least in regard to studio methods. It would be difficult to spot this based on the quality of her material, but quality songwriting and production always shine regardless of the medium. Ironically, directly after she wrapped up Halfaxa, Boucher realized how to record things through an interface. As a result, “Crystal Ball” – which was recorded using his new interface – did not make it to the album, but Boucher said this likely represents her “new phase”, which she looks forward due to the elimination of MIDI and the prospect of recording her synth straight into the computer. The result is not nearly as dark as her previous material, but with an optimistic glimmer that translates into a more upbeat and overall infectious effort. The percussion pattern follows post-punk as usual, with the click-clacking of minimalist percussion resembling the ominous shuffle of Joy Division. Boucher’s voice is crisper and more expansive than usual though, the variation between her high-pitched and lower vocals combining for some clever hooks. Her methodologies remain the same as various vocal melodies overlap for a sensational melodic turn-out, but “Crystal Ball” suggests we should expect a more accessible output from Boucher in the future. Regardless of whether or not “Crystal Ball” is on the album, I feel it is great enough to catch on like fire regardless. Expect to see this one posted on a bunch of blogs by the end of the year.

Moving on to cuts that actually made the album, “sagrad …” . Boucher’s ooh-ing complements a harp-like progression guided by a single snare, with the ooh-ing eventually serving as an additional synth pad as her lyrical verses emerge. The harp/mandolin-like qualities are eventually phased out in favor of an effervescent synth pad that begins to recall fastidious dance-pop in addition to the initially prevalent dubstep, a style that is present more often than not in the percussive additives alone. The structural route this song takes is extremely spontaneous, perhaps a bit too much for some, but the beauty of the track speaks volumes. The bursting effort “Dream Fortress” may appeal to those who like their structures a bit more accessible, as Boucher expands a string-drenched intro into a bouncy hustle of delicate synth whole notes. Her vocal melody here initially resembles the fantastic “avi”, but that is before the track incorporates additional string elements that border on the avant-garde. The squealing samples contrast with the strings around the two-minute mark quite remarkably though, and especially when the percussion kicks back in there is little to doubt as far as the track’s innovative appeal goes. The conclusion greets the listener with the same delicate chord progression from the beginning, albeit this time with a clanging yet fitting arpeggio that allows the song to end with its feet still on the ground.

Many of Boucher’s songs are so spontaneous and visually stimulating that length is not an obstacle. In fact, there are several five-minute tracks on here that I wished would go on longer. Tracks like “world ? princess” and “sagrad …” contain a multitude of memorable moments that bear repeating before a transition comes on too abruptly. What follows is always entertaining, but there are some greater ideas than others and it is evident that Boucher is still learning to identify these and capitalize upon them. “Weregild” does not suffer from this at all though, standing as one of the better efforts on Halfaxa in regard to mood, tempo, and general infectiousness. Like “Crystal Ball”, this should spread rapidly among fans of moody electronic music. This one specifically recalls Depeche Mode, a band that Boucher is not hesitant to express her respect for (check her shirt in the second press shot). Of course, Boucher’s voice is extraordinarily unique here as usual, and her exploitation of the various pitches she is able to emit is awe-inspiring. Check out the retrospective push of billowing synth sequences around the 02:30 mark and try not to be swept away. Most songs on Halifaxa are just as inspiring, and Boucher is the only artist I am aware of in 2010 who has released two full-lengths worthy of year-end mentions.

RIYL: The Knife, Björk, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Kraftwerk, Marissa Nadler, Forest Swords, How to Dress Well, Prince, Black Dice, Hildegaard von Bingen, Cocteau Twins, Twin Shadow, Julian Lynch, Wild Nothing, James Blake, Autre Ne Veut, CEO, Avey Tare, Glasser, Gold Panda, Small Black, Blackbird Blackbird

Grimes – Crystal Ball

Grimes – Weregild (mirror)

Grimes – Dream Fortress

Arbutus Records

MySpace

BUY

The post Grimes’ Halfaxa appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Bill Baird treats his fans well. He maintains a dedicated following that, if his new album Loveshines But The Moon Is Shining Too is any indication, should increase exponentially shortly. Baird appears quite kind to fans as well, as his tireless work ethic and dedication caught my attention in 2008, when he released two full-lengths in the span of five months. The quality of those two albums, Bright Blue Dream and The Glowing City, led me to the official release of Pink Clouds. Its first incarnation was as a cassette Baird had given to about 100 friends. But after one copy leaked, the band’s work ethic and dedication came out when they decided to re-release it in its true form. Their small but dedicated following deserved the best, at least according to the members of then-named {{{Sunset}}}. Baird and the rest of that group have been hard at work since then, dropping the ‘{{{‘ and ‘}}}’ from their name and sounding even better.

The shifting lineup that is Sunset appears to be in constant variation, but there are never signs of rustiness. Baird released a Sunset album last year entitled Gold Dissolves to Gray, but to me it sounded like a jumbled point of indecision between playful psychedelia and stabs at atmospherically-bound electronica. It sounded pretty and graceful, but pop hooks represent one of Baird’s most pronounced strength and there simply were not enough of them throughout Gold Dissolves to Gray. His fifth full-length, Loveshines But The Moon Is Shining Too, is different though. Baird’s grasp on delicate pop is still there, as his vocals never escalate with great authority despite emitting harmonious bliss, but the music benefits more from elements of pop that coincide with his twinkling vein of neo-psychedelia and folk. Experimentation is present but not to the extent of his previous effort, where fascination ad intrigue occasionally prevailed over common sense.

Loveshines But The Moon Is Shining Too gets on the right track immediately with opening “Heavy Light”, a track the combines the wintery, echoey key-laden allure of The Walkmen with the slick guitar-key harmonic collab that ’70s pop artists like Electric Light Orchestra perfected. Baird’s unique voice is as present as ever, shifting through an array of infectious coos and grunt-like tones that resemble both Neil Hannon and Beck, depending on the verse. Comparisons to other artists may be more evident here than on other Sunset releases, if only because Baird is less consumed with crafting an entirely unique sound and more focused on writing excellent pop songs. This is seen especially on tracks like “Heavy Light” and “Late Night Dawning”, the latter of which stars Crystal Fulbright and Red Hunter on vocals in a touching performance that really plays on Baird’s repeated use of tremolo. The accompaniments behind it, both on vocals and strings, are extraordinary and fully representative of Baird’s compositional prowess.

Seeing as how the original version of “Loveshines” was a song that I enjoyed and posted, it is no surprise that the original catches my attention as well. Its sequel though, “Loveshines II”, is even better. Baird slams on the keys with vigor, allowing the pulsating tremolo to eventually become engaged in a wonderful chorus that hearkens back to The Beatles’ psychedelic ballads in its outstanding use of strings. It sounds mysterious and enjoyably vintage, yet remains crisp enough to fit within Sunset’s arsenal of indie-pop and psychedelia. Baird has accomplished great things here, and it is certainly worth hearing.

RIYL: Electric Light Orchestra, Beck, The Walkmen, Brazos, The Bitters, Still Corners, Golden Ages, Grimes, Family Portrait, Pill Wonder, Tennis, Pearl Harbor, The Mantles, Pepi Ginsberg, Twin Sister, Summer Camp, Happy Birthday, Golden Triangle, Pure Ecstasy, Aska, The Delta Mirror

MP3: Sunset – Heavy Light

MP3: Sunset – Late Night Dawning

Official Site

Autobus Records

BUY

The post A Sunset, A Shining Moon appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

These two weeks, in addition to the two prior to Christmas, are always the busiest of the year for me. Finals are not even here yet and I already have a significant load on my plate… last night I finished writing 5000 or so words on parental incarceration. An interesting topic, for sure, but it is difficult to write about the effect of maternal incarceration on children at 4AM. Loud music and caffeine are always reliable in these instances, and while the ‘Best of April 2010’ includes some acts that sound hyper enough to elicit a sugar rush (Sleigh Bells and Gogol Bordello, namely), it is primarily a collection of more subdued material from artists specializing in the recent chillwave (!) movement, in addition to those like Slothbear and Librarians that are making great summer-friendly indie-rock.

I posted about Ariel Pink at the beginning of the month, mainly because I believe his introduction to be essential toward a recent stylistic trend that many consider irrelevant or are entirely misinformed about. He epitomizes, at least to me, the value of songwriting within a movement that is particularly wound up in vintage production. Many artists looking to follow suit just want to “sound” like artists like Pink and Washed Out, appearing indifferent to the qualitative factor of hooks or ambition that these artists so effortlessly display. Its glossy, reverb-heavy presentation is what has given chillwave its name, but those who will remain in this category are ironically not those who will continue to rely on this replication of past production. Instead, it will be shimmering pieces of songwriting like “Let’s Build a Campfire There” that have the potential to mark one of this decade’s first trends in independent music.

Bands like Secret Cities, Grimes, and Librarians present a similar ideology to that of Pink, with each of the bands’ songwriting shining with potential that has been illustrated by their unanimously positive reactions on this site. They are excellent examples of the movement’s flexibility, to which many relegate as restrictive due to limited types of production. With their innovation and precision though, in both their songwriting and presentation, artists like these are excelling with plenty of deserved attention. The tracks from Ariel Pink and Slightly Stoopid are both a few years old, but still are relevant (the latter solely for its summer vibe). Two other new acts, Sleigh Bells and Slothbear, received an extremely impressive reception on the Hype Machine.

Additional thanks to Jay Mattson, Max Fishkin, and Lauren Tischler for their contributions the past month. I am looking forward to reading their future material, as I hope you all are. Summer is almost here and it should be a great one.

01. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Let’s Build a Campfire There (post)
02. Sleigh Bells – Ring Ring (post)
03. Secret Cities – Pink Graffiti, part 1 (post)
04. Grimes – avi (post)
05. Slothbear – Don’t Taunt a Tiger (post)
06. Slightly Stoopid – Nobody Knows (post)
07. Gogol Bordello – My Companjera (post)
08. Librarians – So What? (post)
09. The Mynabirds – Let the Record Go (post)
10. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – For Kate I Wait (post)
11. Librarians – Cranberry Palace (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>> (46.5 MB, .RAR)

The post Obscure Sound: Best of April 2010 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.