Midnight Pump Up Sesh...

I've got Coachella fever and the only prescription is more BLOG ABOUT IT.
(wow, definitely the worst one yet! -Ed)

For reals, i don't think i'm going to sleep anytime soon and I am getting fiery about it, even though they've got the set times all fucked up...like almost enough so to make me really discouraged.

Just a couple examples:
(Soulwax v Junior Boys)
(Ghostface v Coco Rosie)
(Blonde Redhead v Justice)
(Richie Hawtin v CSS v Konono No.1)
(me v a bunch of squelchy ass electro for more than thirty minutes in the burning hot DAYTIME)
(bonus!: me v paranthesis everywhere all the time, huh)


Yeah, there's always some conflicts, but this is kind of a mess for my tastes...i might have to compensate by ramping up the drug and alcohol intake...which is daunting, considering the past couple years. I'm not trying to end up, for example, super drunk at 4pm right near the front of the stage for Roots Manuva, with the sudden urge to lay down and take a nap...the last thing I remember probably being my friend looking down and saying "Um,I'm not so sure that's a good idea, dude". He later (hypothetically!) said that I got in at least one "naw dawg, it's chilllll" plus 2-3 minutes of actual passed outedness before being kicked in the head really hard and before realizing that yeah, I WAS actually completely engulfed by people and that that sleeping there was gonna kinda suck.

I (theoretically!) woke up a couple hours later over in the Sahara Tent, shivering my ass off to the constant thud of 4/4 bass hits. I'm not sure how I got over there, but in some strange turn of fate, I did manage to randomly find some other friends in like two minutes. They happened to be rolling balls. I was offered a pill. What with me being all groggy and scattered yet really happy that I wasn't gonna end up lost the whole rest of the time, I swallowed it just before the logic train kicked in. I ended up peaking during Nine Inch Nails. Jumping up and down and singing along to every word in "Hurt" in a state of utter elation made absolute perfect sense at the time...or at least I assumed it would ::aaa-wink::

Anyway, not the circus sideshow full o' drugs that I see some of you gonzo ass motherfuckers on, but I'm semi-reformed now and not trying to get too incriminating on the internet. What else...I figured I might post some Coachella related tracks but that's way too easy and I'm absolutely sure it's gonna be done by every other "empowered music fan" on the internet.

So here's a bunch of bedroom electronic type stuff then, so there.

Nosaj Thing-Aquarium

Amazing little downtempo thumper that shimmers with all kinds of untold treasureness. It's a little bit like looking into the eyes of a new born, only it's from Atlantis. The vocal cuts also contain a certain womb-like warmth that is rarely achieved with choppy Prefuse style sequences.

This version is 128kbps low rez-ed out, though. His EP "View/Octupus" is available at Turntable Lab, or itunes iTunes

Here's more kinda idm-ish songs that remind me of being really young and new at one point. Lullatone's got a new cd out semi recently called Pajama Party Pour Vous (I think?) but I haven't heard it yet.

Lullatone- Leaves Falling

Anne Laplantine- Dicipline 7

And here's one to remind me of WHAT I'VE BECOME!!!!




Otto Von Schirach- Submarine Mammal Milk

This is definitely my go to track if I feel like making a little scene and being a subversive dick ( usually in a crowded parking lot in my car). So far I've blasted this while pretending to be asleep on my steering wheel, as well as while smoking a blunt and doing a slow motion version of that thing you do with your hands at underground hip hop shows (y'know the point at the stage and sideways wave your hand above your head thing that shows you're all about it?). Anyway, some girls looked sorta baffled. It was mad crazy, yo.

Serious though, I do think Otto's shit is cool to listen to in a sound design kind of way. You'll probably either like or hate his stuff, but it's hard to deny that he's got the most well-honed visual component for an artist that is trying to go as balls out crazy as they can (Silver medal to The Locust and Yip-Yip in this category). Much props to AS1 for doing the artwork for a good portion of his output. Seriously, if I ever get my shit together and make an album and it's dope, I'd love for AS1 to do the cover. He's responsible for a lot of old rawkus and dnb covers too, as well as a bunch of stuff for more out there electronic producers. Recent fav was the severed cow gearwork contraption on the cover of the last Venetian Snares album.



Again, AS1.




Oh, and there's lots of clips of Otto's live show all over the youtube. This one shows you what a real mash up is supposed to sound like.





Speaking of mash-ups...BurglePuft Remix? Unnnh!



Paul Kalkbrenner- Steinbesser (Wighnomy Brothers Remix)

Oh and speaking of idm and sound design and movies, this sounds like an electronic score to some haunted sewer flashback scene (like a dark ass sewer or cave with like some weird glint off in the distance that you keep running towards, cause there's a little bit of "wonder" in the track too.)

Oh, I still remember part of my dream from last night! Ooooh, I can catalogue it, like a dreamlog or something. Seriously, I always want to do this and have only actually done it like 3 or 4 times.

So the part I remember was with a bunch of huge pillar towers (like Tower of Pisa style only no lean) in this big ass lake surrounded by some grand canyon style cliffs. Anyway, there was a diving board at the top of each skyscraper like tower and I got to jump off these badboys into the water way way below. Some of them even had crags and other stuff I had to avoid as I fell and it was kinda hectic but when I did hit this one time I kinda bounced off video game style so it was all good. The kicker though was that to get to the top of these towers, there was a ring shaped elevator platform and at the center of the ring was the core of the tower, which was composed entirely of shelves with all kinds of bomb ass donuts on it, like all those rippled ones, and the twisty ones, but really Willy Wonka'd out. So while I was getting transported up to base jump with no parachute, I was grabbing huge assortments of donuts like it was no thing. I think for some reason Madonna owned all this shit too...I remember seeing plasma screens on the wall with her explaining stuff. Anyway, it's always nice to have a dream that was fun and (sorta) made sense and wasn't just some jumble of frustratingly hallucinogenic and confusing crap.



Uhhhh, and on that note, midnight funzone time is over. Looks like the randomness won this round. See you after Coachella (if I can still figure out how to work the computer!) ::bicycle horn:: DOINK! ::whatever makes that a-wooo-gaaa sound:: This button turns this into a megapost

Hyped up?

So apparently my shit is on the Hype Machine now. Um, thanks guys? I guess this is supposed to mean I made it in blogworld? I'm not really sure what to make of it, but now part of me feels like I should start being super responsible free promo guy or something...which is a pretty daunting thought. If I stopped picking songs apart or denying my inner hater, I'd definitely be at a loss. So, I guess to compromise, I won't be blatantly irresponsible and do something like post an mp3 and saying it sucks point blank. I think I only did that a couple times in the past, but from here on out, everything will range from good to the best jams ever, so y'all betta get HYPE! ::insert that little keyboard build from Technotronic's "Pump the Jam" here::

Speaking of hype, I finally listened to Ed Rec. Vol 2...really not that impressive, kids. I mean, I still ride hard for Sebastian but this new showcase for the roster seems just barely above mediocre despite being the most agreed upon thing in dance music (at least for people that don't really listen to dance music). SO ME's visuals are great and this promo clip thing is really awesome and I'm stil gonna check for all their new stuff obviously...but I'm just saying shit is not the end all be all of "cool music".



Also, on a little broader scale, I think this mythical rave explosion 2.0 business no longer has me starry-eyed at the possibilities of it all...

Here's a simple way to sum up what I thought I saw coming...

BEFORE



Some nutball freakout shit where people are going animalistic while colors are erupting all over the fucking place and the everyone is on some retro burnout steez and having seizures like it's their jobs.

NOW



That, only the whole idea is blanketed and commodified by a "Oh, look at us, we're raving" hipster asshole slant, where the entertainment is about going through the motions of some "quaint" period, rather than actually experiencing and engaging something head on. Shit is already destined to not work out right because rave is "in" and "passe" at the same time, and that seems to matter more than whatever it IS that is actually happening. Also, this nu-rave stuff only engages a narrow selection of old rave really, and believe it or not OLD RAVE IS STILL AROUND, at least in the US. I still see flyers for Moonshine-era relics like Rabbit in the Moon, Ak1200, Uberzone, etc. Its not like you see those dudes blowing up the blogs or anything. So yeah, dance music, sure. Rave, not so much.

Fuck yeah, first little spike in new exposure and I start ranting my ass off IMMEDIATELY. Anyhow, here's some shit that I guess is a little more in line with what's happening on this side of the divide...or not, these are just some synthy ass jams that you need in your life.

Carl Finlow-Anomaly

First to counteract all that dirty bizness we just discussed, here's some clean ass, bouyant, simple yet effective "listening" electro from around 2003. Carl Finlow's done a bunch of good stuff under various alias's, the most known to me being Silicon Scally.

A Number of Names-Sharevari

Such a jam, from like detroit 1981 or so. The vocals are inimitably dope. This type of stuff is kind of blowing my mind right now. Here's a video of local dance show called "The Scene"



I should say I heard this jam on the sickest mix I've heard of other electro, italodisco type stuff, I-F's Mixed Up in the Hague Vol.1 It's from 2000 or so, and I probably heard it around 03 and now that this stuff is blowing up, I've listened to a bunch more and it still is number one in my book. Pure heat. Cybernetic Broadcasting System all day. Also it features Mr. Flaggio's Take A Chance, which has gotta be one of the sickest songs of all time...Fuck it, I gotta post it.

Mr. Flaggio-Take A Chance

This is from that actual mix, it's the only trace I've ever been able to locate of this song so if anybody has a 320k version of this track recorded clean from vinyl, dude, PLEEEAAAASSSEEEEE hook it up.

Black Devil Disco Club-I Regret the Flower Power

On the retro synth tip, I only just recently heard Black Devil Disco after Rephlex put out the EP 28 After. It's supposed to be a collection of unreleased old space disco stuff that was found at a carboot sale or something, but this shit sounds WAY too absolutely fantastic to be recorded back in the late 70's, in terms of quality of the recording (lot's of low end, etc), so I am very skeptical. Still, one of the best things I've listened to this year, every song is worth purchasing.

Black Devil Disco Club- H Friend

Here's one of the real authentic ones made way back when. The same amazing song structures and haunted disco spacechants are there, but you can tell it's recorded on OG equipment.

Bernard Fevre-Pendulum

This is some solo stuff from the last surviving BDD member, Bernard Fevre. It's a lot more Tomita-fied then Morodor-esque. Still, way way ahead of it's time.

Pole-Tanzen



The I-F tip got me thinking about the good ol' days, buying all kinds of crazy European cd's and compilations back when I first started really getting excited about exploring music. I heard his "Space Invaders are smoking grass" on these Freestyle File comps that !K7 used to put out towards the end of the 90's. That reminded me of Pole, another distinctly different artist I found out about through those comps. He used a broken Waldorf 4 Pole-Filter (hence his name) to generate all the blips and crackley minimilism on his dub inflected beats. Nowadays that kinda clicks and cuts type deal has been done to death, but back then it was pretty striking. Anyway, he just put out a new album too. While not ground breaking like back 98, he still is pumping out jams like Pferd, so much respect new and old.

Pole-Pferd

--------------------------
So there you go hype machine, you have been fed some no nonsense jams, don't go imploding on me now, y'hear? This button turns this into a megapost

My mental space is soo the result of an overabundance of technology...

Serious though. The limitless excess that is internet world has forever altered my ability to be stimulated by conventional means...

Not to sound redundant...but seriously. That being said, I absolutely love how hard my tastes have splintered over the years and i get the feeling that the bird's eye view of the whole thing must look like some sort of hydra-fied rainbowblob...y'know, with little close quarter scrubbers sweeping the well trodden areas diligently, while the long bioluminescent probes are busy lugging in pieces from the deep, pulling them in closer to the core for a more thorough inspection...anyway, here's a small peek at some of the recent haul.

edit: Cease and Desisted y'allz..., how do you do the line through the text thing

CocoRosie-Rainbow Warriors

CocoRosie-Raphael

Kookiest dames in the game are back. Way more awesome sound effects(standard lo fi and more distinct ones too), and noticeably less of a "actually, we are trust funded out our asses but we made an album one day while we were tripping balls" vibe (which I guess is my way of saying that they sound like they are actually delving into themselves, rather than reveling in the comfort of their smokescreen of oddities?). The new album, The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn is out today on Touch & Go. It is similiar to their older stuff but at the same time, very different. Definately worth checking out if you dig their quirky/eerie brand of fractured beauty.



Here's the video for the best song on their last album, Noah's Ark. I wouldn't be surprised if the treatment was just a crumpled piece of paper with "Gwen Stefani+way more drugs" scribbled on it.

UGK-Player's Anthem featuring Three Six Mafia

It's been awhile since I posted some rap so here it is. Goddamn, when southern tracks have those amazingly soulful old samples (Willie Hutch, baby...so necessary) strapped to that super quantized style of boom bap, my ears get pleased on so many levels. Crime Mob's Circles is another great new example with the same feel. UGK's new album, Underground Kingz, got pushed back to May. This will tide me over.

(Update: I knew I'd heard this before. Project Pat used that same beat on Choose You from his 02 album, Layin' da Smack Down. Anyway, this new one's tight. Fuck that Andre 3000 version. 3 stacks, just cause you're one of the greatest ever, doesn't mean you don't have to rhyme on beat. I know it's on purpose cause you're crazy like that, but c'mon, you know syncopation is naturally more pleasing to the ear. That's cop out innovatin')

Paul Wall-Bangin' Screw

Paul Wall's new shit is already out and it has some bangers on it too. The two singles are fiery, I'm hoping "I'm throwed" blows up because I am in need of some new heat (that people will actually appreciate if I throw on). This is the sleeper hit of the album though, that 4 bit ringtone sound is awesome. I bet whoever produced this heard about how Timbaland got caught biting that chiptune track straight up for that Nelly Furtado song (google it if you don't know the story) and realized that that type of shit sounds great with 16 note high hats cutting it up. That clean ass organ sound is ill as well.

edIT-Southern Belle

So this dude edIT comes from an idm/drum n bass background but has been doing a crazy sliced and diced version of southern rap and crunk for a minute now as well as rocking parties as part of the Glitch Mob (I posted a link of his mix for Hefty many moons ago, it might still be up). He has an album, Certified Air Raid Material, which has been held back for what seems like forever now, but I'm assuming it'll sound like a combo of all these things. However, this song, off a comp called Morrow Choral Orchestra, is some bubbleworld goodness with no trace of southern swagger.


Peter, Bjorn & John-Young Folks (ORtzRoka Remix)

This sounds nothing like the original outside of a similiar chord progression and some dubbed out vocals, but it's the best remix I've heard of it yet. Side note(aren't they all?): I DID hear a Baltimore Club version out the other night and I had to bury my face in my hands for a minute (while a couple assholes were geeked on it, like it was some amazing concept at this point...). Basically, as soon as I heard it start, I knew exactly how the whole thing was gonna sound, and I found that to be pretty depressing. Stop people...just please, stop.

La Bionda-Wanna be your Lover

I love that I am still hearing jams of this caliber being unearthed from the timefog that is the 80's. Popcorn synths, retro spaceship talk, voxed out foreign male/female vocals, and then a killer little synth solo as a hook. Fuck irony, this is just good music.


Smokey Robinson-Responding

Ahh, Smokey. No need to say anything except that it's not my birthday but when I throw this on it feels like it is...and I JUST realized (after trying to place it for FOREVER) that it was Nightmares on Wax that sampled the awesomely optimistic string line back on OG favorite, Smoker's Delight. A great song and one less itch to scratch for me.

------------

Here's to soaking it all in...I hope this makes perfect sense in your own little world as well. This button turns this into a megapost

F(n) = F(n−1) + F(n−2)

So I had this idea about going all Fibonacci with the posts by having each new one combine elements of the previous two to form a semi-relevant jumping off point. Then I realized this idea would appeal to approximately nobody (including myself), and more importantly, it would require even more effort then regular effort takes. So that idea gets scrapped, along with any other semblance of structure...but I still kinda figured out how I would want to jam this together at least once, so here you go...

Thinking about Amy Winehouse's surprisingly enjoyable and respectfully updated hommage to doo wop, as well as the stark, wind weary tie between the songs in the post before that one led me here...

Ekkehard Ehlers-Ain't No Grave
Ekkehard Ehlers-O Death

All I'm gonna say in regards to this is that it's from a white German artist whose work is heavily steeped in academic philosophy and theoried approach and that I tend to avoid stuff like that like the plague because it usually acts as mere justification for loads of intrinsically boring, overly pretentious "sound art installation" bullshit. However, these tracks hit home with visceral authenticity while being tastefully augmented by the modern studio trickery.


-------------------------------------------------------------

Yeah, those tracks are definately awesome, but a couple more posts like this and I'm just gonna end up hammering square pegs into round holes. Oh and uh, please pay no mind to how I too developed a bogus theory just to present this guy's stuff...or even how I start breaking out the wordage when I'm merely tryin' to drop some blogs on dat azz...cause that'll just cause more unnecessary confusion on everybody's end....unless you are straight postulatin' that the real conceptual adhesive here might be the search for an honest middle ground between sensational and cerebral enjoyment? Eh? Ehhh? Yeah, way lofty...

For now, i guess you're just gonna have to be content with a couple of mp3s from yet another self reflexive asshole (with exceptional taste). This button turns this into a megapost

Totally had some baller ass tangent going in my head...

...while sitting here all by my lonesome, but as soon as that "Hot dog! This stuff is gold!" light came on, said train of thought must've decided to nonchalantly coast back into "not thinking about thinking" zenmaster world. Fuck dude, fuck. Now all I can come up with is "hey, well then why not post a Switch remix!".

Ok not really, but I can totally get away with posting this Junior Boys/Hot Chip collabo with out feeling like I'm from hypeland USA, cause this shit is very necessary for your ears.


Junior Boys-In the Morning (Hot Chip Remix)


This really is one of those majestic displays of combined awesomeness that works just as well in theory as it does on paper. Hell yeah. Starts off on some Audion type hypnotic bleepfest, then all the sudden the ground gives way and you are carried off in a gush of slow motion stardust and cascading wonderfalls. Only complaint would be that it is a little too drawn out, but if you are a dance dj and you can get away with playing all 10 minutes of this ballad of ballads, then damn dude, you are on some next shit. Teach me.

Hmmm, ok, so now is this the part where I post some new Ed Banger? Oh, you can find those jams everywhere else ever? Oh ok , well then here's some older electro covers from EVEN BEFORE the time that you claim you started to be "all about electro". No shhh...don't worry, it's cool...I know you actually kinda did privately like Daft Punk back in high school. That has to count for something to someone!

Product.01-Heart Ov Glass

Not sure how hard this knocks on a huge system, probably a a little bit too idm-y to sweat it out too, but still it's got glitch in spades so if you like you some Sebastian or Mr. Oizo, and some Blondie (is it possible not to?) then this is a no brainer.

Simian Vs Aaliyah-Try Again

Found this on some old Simian Mobile Disco mix that was also pre-hypestorm. Again a little bit chintzy with the dynamics, but i've got a good feeling you rock everything through your stock computer speakers anyway, so it's worth a go...if only to hear that little squiggly flute-y synth do the hook for this song. Always gotta rep a well down tremelo, not to mention some catchy ass 909n'.

Kosh-Funeral March

Dubstep rocks my face. Seriously, on a good system, my little babyface will actually physically get juiced up with intense kinetic motion (kinda like that old stereo ad with the paid-looking sunglasses guy in the chair, only a lot more goofy I assume). Anyway, this jam's got 16-bit Genesis flashback written all over it. Golden Axe-Death Adder themesong 2007, mothafuckaz! This, a trip to Ahhs!, and a throne made out of skullz and subwoofers are all I need to fulfill my destiny. (Update: So I heard this on this Belgian guy's blog, BUNZERO, and the mc started doing an atonal "Pass the Dutchie on the left hand side" and it made me go "oh yeah, huh!" Thought I'd share...plus this guy is way up on his dubstep, so check out his mixes if you like this stuff)

BTW, I guess this is as good a time as any to tell the internet that I still kinda resent the backlash against drum n bass in popular opinion. Just cause the market is completely watered down and the majority of the shit sounds super contrived and I barely listen to it anymore, DOESN'T mean that nobody is making tight shit...Counterstrike, Ewun, Spor, etc. are still making intensely heavy angerfests that are great in the proper context (for example, when you want to drive really fast or like, when you hate the world). But as a forward minded dude, I feel I gotta to prioritize with the new hybrid bass styles. Keep switching it up guys! Serious, you dubstep producers have to make a conscious effort to innovate at this point because everybody still remembers how dnb ate itself.

Oh I just remembered one little piece of the thought process that sparked me to get on the 'pute and let loose!

I am kinda stoked that Amy Winehouse is getting shine. She's waaaay waay better than weak ass Lily Allen (I'd hit it though) and even though she is riding on a lot of sell points with the "look how well I can do mo-town for a jewish girl" thing, her shit sounds damn good. However, I'm really curious if my opinion of "Rehab" is gonna swing as drastically as it did with "Crazy" last year? I guess it depends on how big it is, but since everybody and their mother is on some tabloid generation bullfuck these days, I can see myself legitimately hating the droves of drunk chicks that will spew out wobbly eyed requests for this 6 months from now...but had you mentioned this song last October and you were a semi coherent female, I probably would have instantly had a secret crush on you. Strange, huh? Right now, you'll still get a genuine smile and a "sure!", so get 'em in before the weight of it all crushes my spirit once more (or request he could only hold her..that's the real jam of jams).

K, that wasn't nearly as amazing as I thought, just kinda paints me as the overly opiniated music guy that I really am, but honestly, the real deep shit that I think about every OTHER second of every day somehow got lost on the trip from my bed to the computer...uhhh, but hey that last post was awesome by the way, even if I decided to do it in magical wispy indy dude mode. No ambivotext to muss it up, y'know? Anyway, I hope you listened, whoever you are... This button turns this into a megapost