For The Archives

We return to a familiar format this week: tunes I've discovered along the way that I'm posting to remind myself to pick up some point soon (probably when the next Bandcamp Friday happens!). I initially thought that this post would be a bit thin on the ground, but it turns out that I forgot to wishlist a few things on Bandcamp so now it's looking a lot healthier. Let's get into it.

Richard Hamilton - Archive I (1981)

First up is something that I would have sworn was in my collection somewhere, but like so many other songs and LPs over time it never did. At the time it was the peak of me being into this kind of sound - between Bibio and the other Warp crew I had a real hankering for this kind of off kilter hip-hop. The album this is from, Lucky Shiner was Gold Panda's debut - and what a debut it was. You couldn't escape this song around then if the YouTube algorithm had even the slightest idea that you liked electronic music. I distinctly remember eventually biting the bullet and saying "oh, go on then" and giving it a listen and really liking it. So how does it hold up 10 years on? Well, I still like it that's for sure, but that itch I had back then for this sound isn't as prominent as it was. I don't mean that to be too negative though, as I said it's still a really neat track - part of me is really into that frantic sample triggering style. And now would be a good time to pick it up, as it's being re-issued for the 10th anniversary with a bunch of bonus tracks as well. Better late than never, eh?



For all my love of Modeselektor I am very much unfamiliar with a great deal of their output. I have vague memories of Art & Cash, the former track of the EP being some predictably pretentious synth unpleasantness. That doesn't excuse me never checking out the remixes though (though in my defence, there are lots and lots of them!). Enter the SBTRKT remix of Art & Cash, I've been thinking a lot about SBTRKT recently - (I was thinking of doing a Retro Review post on his debut mainly, an album that still sounds real fresh to my ears but I digress) and I realised I'd never heard this remix, so I gave it a spin. While certainly different to the sound of his debut, you can still find some distinctly SBTRKT hallmarks, Sampha on the vocals for one. It's an incredible remix, turning the rolling electro of the original Cash into a much more lighthearted 2-step Garage style. I am totally loving the 8-bit style warbles throughout this one, reminding me very much of Flying Lotus' Kill Your Co-Workers from around the same time in that aspect.



And finally, a tale as old as time. Yet another holdover that I discovered way back on Grooveshark(!) and have been meaning to check out ever since. Grooveshark's recommends sent me in the direction of a bunch of artists I might not have found otherwise, tucked away on Planet Mu (μ-Ziq's label, naturally) is an album by Skyler McGlothlin under their Nautilis alias - the rhythmically pleasing to say Are You An Axolotl.

I'm not familiar with Skyler's other work, but I can tell you I fall in love all over again whenever this track comes up - it appeals to that side of me that I always struggle to pin down a good way to describe, from those times where I would stay up far too late making weird animations and watching [adult swim] bumps (and jamming to their exceptional music choices for them). And that's actually a really apt comparison for this track, Why It Got To Be So Damn Tough would fit right in as a piece of bump music, (I haven't checked but it wouldn't surprise me if it already had been used as such) the combination of the simple guitar loop backed with beats and occasionally cut up and turntable-ised is practically the distilled formula for what they'd choose for the music. Reminding me a little of Benn Jordan's work as The Flashbulb, but with a more trip/hip-hop style, I think it's an absolutely stellar choice as an album closer.



I'm surprised how well this post flows together, normally when I make a post like this is can be a bit all over the place but these three play out togteher quite nicely. Posts may still be a bit thin on the ground going forward as IRL things continue to pick up, but I plan to restore some more old posts in the meantime as well. Blogger's had a facelift which makes should make parsing the code of those older posts much easier than before, in a pinch I may re-publish some as new posts as I did in the early days of lockdown so apologies in advance for any re-runs!

And as always - Stay safe and enjoy the music.

-CVF

Spotify Monthly Selections October

Slight noise issues prevented us from recording a *full* episode of the podcast today, so we're going to pick it up again tomorrow. But that actually gave me a chance to looky at the post list and notice I hadn't posted this months spotify playlist and a rundown of my choices. So let's put it on and have us a little dance shall we?

Well, I say that like the selections don't have something in common with my podcast selections for this week. That is they lean on the downtempo side of things. It's also a bit of a nostalgia dive into what I was listening to (and what was new) when I was at university. A lot of these tracks were excellent backing for my AfterEffects animations, starting with the fantastically detuned and distorted sound of Clark's Tooth Moves. We keep it Warp for the meantime with one of my favourites from Cosmogramma after me and Adam gave our mixed opinions on the album I thought I'd at least talk a little bit possibly about it.



A tune I made the mistake of animating a show-reel to, I can now just again appreciate SBTRKT's Never Never however many years after I've graduated, I'd completely forgotten about that incredibly deep bassline for one. Sampha's vocals in combo with the production make for a deliciously smooth package that I've fallen for once again. I remember writing a review of Moderat's II when it was released, and I distinctly remember immediately being head over heels for Let In The Light. Admittedly you all know I have a massive weakness for distorted vocals of any kind, but lately I've been all about those thunderous drums.

Similarly another album I reviewed at the time, Squarepusher's Shobaleader One d'Demonstrator (which actually got a follow up not too long ago finally). It received mixed opinions at the time but man I will always adore that intro track. Once again, full disclosure I love me some vocoder/talkbox goodness but hot damn talk about establishing an aesthetic effectively. I've seen a lot of comments comparing the album to Daft Punk oddly, I can see similarities to bits of Discovery sure but even then that's a stretch, I much prefer the descriptor I've used since a few weeks after the review: Space Jazz.

Which somehow made me think of Ladytron's Destroy Everything You Touch, one of the standouts from Witching Hour, with Marnie's vocals on point as usual. Another dive into my University listenings with the beautifully laboured strings and beats combo of Apparat's You Don't Know Me, and the surprisingly downtempo Green Light Go from Modeselektor. Rounded out with a random pick of a Tokimonsta tune I like (reminder to me to actually pick up some of her stuff finally). Rounded out with the absolutley crushing Amarillo from the Gorillaz's slightly underrated album The Fall, a fantastic sound if the "mostly composed on an iPad" tale is to be believed.

-Claude Van Foxabt

Ilictronix Wingman: Breakup Edition.

Autumn, the days aren't as long, the leaves are turning brown and dying and your summer romances are coming to an end. We have brought you a couple of wingman posts and hopefully you all found that special someone. But its time to look at the other side of things and make a killer list to listen to when that knot becomes unfurled leaving you more hollow than a jack-o-lantern.

 Lets go with the obvious pick first, The xx - Sunset. We talk about The XX a lot on this site and it would be easy to post Coexist in its entirety but due to copyright reasons and not wanting to bum you out too hard we will just do one of the standout tracks.

"I always thought it was sad The way we act like strangers After all that we had We act like we had never met."

Oh yeah that's right, embrace those feels. You might still see her at the grocery store or at Starbucks getting her Soy Latte, but she doesn't even acknowledge you. She probably got a new haircut too, symbolizing that she is now a different person and there is no room for you in her life anymore.


The next track is off SBTRKT's newest album "Wonder Where We Land" and features vocals from Sampha. A sad and haunting piano ballad kills the vibe on the album but is perfect for this list.

 "Would I lie to myself just to be close to somebody else" 

You probably changed for her didn't you? She said she loved the Smiths and I'm sure you agreed and said you loved her Morrisey tattoo. Its ok, we've all been there, she isint coming back though so sell those Arcade Fire tickets you bought her for Christmas and be thankful that you don't have to go anymore. We all know Reflektor was a disappointment but you lied to yourself and got the vinyl anyway.



The best way to get over someone is to spend time with a new fling. FKA Twigs should fill that void for you.

"Was I just a number to you?"

The dizzying beat and the her breathless cry's are perfect sounds after you find out that your dream girl was blowing her tattoo artist while you both were together. Yes you were just a number to her. You think she really cares that your drinking canned wine crying about her? Clean yourself up man, you'll be ok.

One of the best benifits to being dumped is that you are allowed a free pass to listen to and love Coldplay.

"Late night watching TV

Used to be you here beside me

Used to be your arms around me

Your body on my body"

Yeah, unfortunately she wasn't "getting breakfast with friends" once a week while you were at work. What did you expect though? She cheated on her boyfriend at the time with you, what makes you think she wouldn't do the same thing again? Hey look on the bright side, you don't have to watch Pretty Little Liars anymore, I mean she didn't even like Hannah! Now you get to sit in your boxers and watch Modern Family and know you will never have that. 

Finishing off this list is something a bit more left-field from Keyshia Cole.

"Can't say I'm not hurt

I'll be damned if I'm broken

What we had is now hers

Let her know she can have it"

When you first met she told you she was a Christian and a born again virgin but you knew better, she even had a kid. She tells you that she drank too much moonshine and had a 5 man train run on her a week after you spend Thanksgiving with her family in Ohio.   Some people never change.

So get a new haircut, buy some fresh threads, hit the gym and keep being incredible, thinks will be ok for you in the end!

-Adam 

Lets Talk About Young Turks: A Newbie Guide

Unless you have been living under a rock, Future Garage and Future R&B are in right now. Unknown to most, a small imprint of XL Records is putting out some of the most groundbreaking and forward thinking Future Garage music right now. It's only a matter of time before things hit critical mass. That imprint is Young Turks, and believe it or not your probably are already familiar with some of the work they have put out already.

I should'nt need too give much detail about XL Records, let's just say if you've listened to Adele, The White Stripes, Thom Yorke, or Vampire Weekend, you know who XL Records are. With an impressive parent label, Young Turks takes things even further with big names that release remix's and side projects and acts that will make it big tomorrow. Now, lets talk about the biggest things to ever come out of this imprint and dig our way more "obscure"

Yes, this Drake track is produced and heavily sampled from Jamie XX's and Gil Scott Heron's "I'll take care of you".



Speaking of Drake.....


The vocals are from the talented crooner Sampha, who is also on Young Turks. Sampha also worked with imprint mate SBTRKT,




Oh snap we are going down the rabbit hole but lets come up real quick for another heavy hitter "The XX"




One of the biggest names to come out of the imprint this year is FKA Twigs, I don't mind FKA Twigs, LP1 and LP2 have had heavy rotations from me, and she put on amazing performance at Pitchfork Festival this year. I'm the only one with this opinion but it really doesn't suck me in like everything else that Young Turks is putting out. Don't worry I'm sure I'll change my mind and post a gushing post about their next album. For now though I get why its popular, but maybe I'm having a Weeknd deja vu. Fingers crossed she doesn't put out a "Kiss Land"   EDIT: Shit bangs in the right ways possible, everyone listen to LP1 all week, I was wrong, I'm hooked. Sorry.



FKA Twigs - Video Girl [click to download] |HTML5|


You might be thinking that you have their "sound" down, but really no, because also on this imprint is "Holy Fuck" Yes, thats one of the worst names of all time but man that music grooves. They have perfected this kind of live, chaotic hardware set sound that would fit nicely on something like DFA Records.




Maybe this EP found me at the right time or maybe it's the sudden cold front thats hit Chicago but this release from Quirky might be my new favorite thing out of this imprint.

Quirke · Quirke - We Landed

Quirke · Quirke - Break a Mirrored Leg

Quirke · Quirke - Acid Beth

With releases like that its not fair to write off Young Turks as a "Small Label'. They have had so much success that they recently started another imprint named "Whitites". Here is their first release.



 OOOOH yeah thats the stuff...


-Adam

10 albums from 2011

I finally made up my mind about that top 10 so here it is.

#10 Andrew Bayer - It's Artificial





#9 R/D - Liquid Heart Keeper





#8 Ill Skillz - Nectar And Ambrosia Ill Skillz - Memorizer



#7 Alecks Awklr - Believer

Alecks Awklr - Harps At Ease

Alecks Awklr - ESC Rope

#6 Childish Gambino - CAMP

Childish Gambino · Heartbeat

Childish Gambino · Sunrise

#5 Rustie - Glass Swords





#4 Surkin - USA





#3 Modeselektor - Monkeytown





#2 SBTRKT - SBTRKT





#1 Mondkopf - Rising Doom







-Here

2 EPs 1 LP

Hi there, back from my vacation and I have a little something in my backpack for you guys !

First, 3 songs released by Alecks Awklr to make us wait as he's working on another LP ! Alecks is keeping his nice sound, very calm downtempo, so refreshing these days.



These two other releases are not really new, but still.

The Glitch Mob throwed a three songs long EP, and I simply can't decide which ones to post because they all are impressivly good. If you enjoyed their LP :Drink The Sea, you will definitely love these.

So here they are.

The Glitch Mob · The Glitch Mob - We Can Make The World Stop

Remember how I think violins are more than great when nicely used in electronic music ? T H I S.

The Glitch Mob · The Glitch Mob - Warrior Concerto

The Glitch Mob · The Glitch Mob - Palace Of The Innocents

Our long time readers might remember SBTRKT (pronounced subtract), we talked a bit about him back in the beginning of 2010. He released his album this year, and it's been praised everywhere, for obvious reasons, as it is simply amazing.

So who is SKTRKT except a guy with a tribal mask ? If you ask me is an Ambient/Jungle/Dubstep prodigy with a bit of Hudson Mohawke on the side, as you'll hear in his track Ready Set Loop. His style is hard to explain but easy to recognize, isn't that what's best ?

I obviously won't post the whole LP, but here are my favorite tracks and the music video for Wildfire.











Enjoy!
-Here