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Here’s a sweet little tune I’ve been digging on lately from Portland, OR’s Small Sails who, as far as I know, has gone quiet over the last several years. Apparently they used to play under the name Adelaide, and were/are deeply loved in Oregon. This one’s from their 2007 ep Similar Anniversaries, which can be streamed here or purchased here. Would love to hear more from these guys! |
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It’s been awhile since we’ve had a post in the realm of ambient music, so here’s a dusty one for you. This is the ‘98 debut album of Erik Kowalski (aka Casino Versus Japan). At 22 tracks (over an hour of total play time), the album is broken into four main movements, each one different from the one before it. Sometimes it leans more towards instrumental shoegaze, and at other times it’s full-blown ambiance in the key of Brian Eno. For fans of the genre, you need to listen to this album all the way through to fully appreciate it. And for those who are new to the genre, I can’t think of a more perfect introduction to ambient music. The album was re-released digitally this past January, and you can get your copy at Boomkat or Amazon. |
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Artist: Casino Versus Japan Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Song: Blue Vacation (Pt 1).mp3 |
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We did a post on Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk back in October and since then they’ve been working on two upcoming full lengths titled Skeletor & Me and Know Yr Molars. They’ve also re-released their Puppycat EP as a 3″ CD, available on the CD-R only label Edition 59. Here’s the video by George Demoura for the instrumental “Fort Porkchop” off of Puppycat. Enjoy! |
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Often The Thinker is the ever-evolving studio project of Drew Lundberg, and their first release, History, is an extremely engaging collection of instrumental-shoegaze euphoria. |
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It has taken me close to 30 minutes to start typing this post out, because every time I start to listen to “The Midwestern” (go ahead and hit play while you’re reading this, it’s streaming below), I get so drawn into the music that I have to stop and listen so that I can truly enjoy and appreciate everything that my ears are hearing. The best way to describe this song (and it’s extremely fitting by the way), is that it’s like a tumbleweed, constantly taking shape and expanding as it picks up speed for the final payoff around 6:26. And a good majority of this album gives off that same vibe, sort of a finely-tuned jam-session type thing, while other songs have a more defined shape to them. This album reminds me a lot of Mercury Program’s A Data Learn The Language, only less guitar-heavy with more depth and overall musicianship. Definitely devote some time out of your day to give this album a good listen, it will certainly grow on you. There are multiple ways to obtain it mentioned in the “About” section of the group’s Myspace page. Be on the lookout for more to come from Often The Thinker, as Lundberg and Co. are currently working on new material with aspirations of an early 2010 release date. |
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Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Artist: Often The Thinker Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Artist: Often The Thinker |
| Son Green is a musician and producer based in Malmö, Sweden. This is his latest song, “The Soon Future.” |
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| So I’ve decided that from now on I will be dedicating my Monday posts to rare/undiscovered electronic music. Last week was Ghosthustler (rest in peace); Today’s artist is Son Green, coming to you all the way from Malmö, Sweden. Son Green’s brand spanking new tune is called “The Soon Future,” and it’s only been public for about a week now. This 4 1/2 minute song takes several unsuspecting turns that puts it, in my opinion, above your standard, run-of-the-mill electro-instrumental songs. It’s got killer vocal melodies & a great guitar line to finish it off. Enjoy! | |
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 Last year’s 4 by Swedish psych-rock group Dungen (pronounced DOON-gun) is a solid, wonderfully warm & grungy record with a heavy ’60s/’70s vibe. |
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| Last summer I read a blog on the Fleet Foxes Myspace posted by Robin Pecknold that had a couple bands that he had been digging recently. One of them was seasoned experimental duo Department of Eagles, who just recently released the beautifully strange & dark In Ear Park. The other band was Dungen. Their 2008 release 4 is an album that’s just begging to be played on vinyl. Upon hearing the first two tracks, I thought for sure that Dungen came straight out of the Woodstock era. If you’re a fan of Can’s Tago Mago, Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow, or if you’ve ever taken a little stroll by the sea to pay a visit to Puff the “magic dragon”, chances are you’ll really dig these guys. What I enjoy the most about this album is the many instrumental tracks (five out of the ten) that fit in snuggly with the rest of the tracks. Quiet, brushy drums & jazzy piano melodies lead one track while accompanied by heavy bass lines & wailing, fuzzy guitar picking in another. The songs with lyrics are sung entirely in Swedish, & though I have no idea what they’re singing about (do you speak Swedish? Yeah, me neither), 4 is so lush with ear-candy that I’d almost rather not know. I trust that the lyrics are just as carefully crafted and satisfying as its instrumental counterparts. | ||
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Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Artist: Dungen |
