Diplo - Mix for SwayinInTheMorning (Trap/New Release)

Diplo does not disappoint yet again with the most recent mix he did for Chicago-based radio show SwayinInTheMorning about two weeks ago. Maybe I haven't been keeping up with Diplo enough, but I'm pretty sure that he just started releasing trap tracks - usually producing moombahton and neato world music mashups. But he has bought into the mainstream at this point, and if I were to analyze this latest mix like it were a book, it would be a brilliant satire. The genre of trap itself is absurd and I believe that it exists only to get people pumped up and encourage sex on the dance floor.

The word trap actually originates from Atlanta, Georgia meaning to acquire wealth in the context of drugs. This on its own is interesting because of course trapping, beyond the slang, refers to laying down traps to catch small game. Specifically I find it interesting that the drug dealing culture would be as whimsical to adopt this term for selling narcotics. From this, it only makes sense that the genre would be very whimsical.

And although the linguistics are interesting, just listen to it and realize that you're not really supposed to think about it.

Miniature Tigers - Tell It to the Volcano (Indie Rock/Pop)

This could very well be one of the catchiest albums I've ever listened to. I've known about this Brooklyn based Indie band for a while, but it's become clear to me only recently what this band really specializes in: making catchy songs. They have a really effective formula that is to say - it's all very upbeat, sing-song, and rhythmic; the lyrics are goofy and catchy, fun to sing along with and just listen to; and its full of chromatic twists and turns that give it almost a Broadway feel. I haven't actually listened to any of their newer albums, but I'm always very intrigued when an album fills a specifically niche so perfectly. I've also found that because of simple and accessible tonalities of all the melodies that this whole album is great for practicing singing harmony.

Give it a listen, memorize the lyrics accidentally, find yourself humming it all the time:

We Butter the Bread with Butter - Der Tag An Dem Die Welt Unterging [German deathcore]

I have a suspicion that most deathcore bands don't actually take things seriously, they're just full of energy and happen to like deathcore - not necessarily depressed and evil people like some might believe. We Butter the Bread With Butter is a good example if you didn't already gather from their name alone. Originating in Lubben, Germany, We Butter the Bread with Butter combines traditional deathcore elements with melodic, electronic music characteristics. In fact, the band originally started with only two people as a joke, but gradually grew into a serious project and added enough members to make a full band. They now have several albums out, although mostly in German, there are a few Western gems like World of Warcraft and I shot the Sheriff. 

Although this probably isn't exactly an entry-level deathcore band, if you find yourself intrigued by the undeniable irony, try listening to this song Der Kleine Vampir, which means "The Little Vampire" in German and is named after a series of popular children's books.

John Cage, Infected Mushroom, and Sounds (John Cage, Electronic)

I realized something recently, in my month long hiatus of packing, vacations, and assorted activities, which is music is fundamentally about something simpler than harmony or rhythm - and that is sound. Music is, of course, the various ways of organizing various sounds, which means that any sound is musical: the sound of a car turning on is musical, the sound of clothes rustling, the sound of a door slamming, or a distant splash of water. This is where a lot of musicians that seem so esoteric and frightfully post-modern seem to draw their some of their brilliance - in the use of sound as an elementary constituent element of their music.

John Cage explicitly believed something similar - his music is all rich with various klings, klangs, beeps, and buzzes. The turning of a dial on an old radio to hear the varieties of static, as well as banging cans together and dropping various instruments into other instruments. Similarly, the Israeli electronica group Infected Mushroom uses all sorts of amazing and specially constructed electronic sounds. They work in a specially designed studio so that there is almost 0 Db of background noise; they put all their computers in soundproofed cabinets and the walls are lined with spiked foam to absorb sound. They infuse a lot of Hebrew and Eastern European melodies into already very solid electronic dance music, and then they really make it their own style by hand crafting each bass kick, lead synth, and stab etc. into a very engaging and trancey musical experience.

It seems to me that the successes of these two, among which I have to cede Cage as the superior, is due to their attention to sounds at the start. And, especially in the case of Cage, how this can be an almost philosophical statement about music. So the next time you hear something you think is pretentious and stupid, think about how those pretentious hipster snobs actually created all those random boings and chongs and you'll perhaps find something worth listening to in that.

http://grooveshark.com/#!/artist/Infected+Mushroom/2590 - Check out anything on Army of Mushrooms
http://grooveshark.com/#!/artist/John+Cage/5422 - Take a look at any of his Constructions

My trends in music

Today happens to be my 365-day non-death anniversary, so in honor I'll share some of the various new things I've been listening to a lot lately. Generally, I like to plunge myself into another world of music until I really, fully understand it, and consequently, enjoy it to the fullest.

So right now I've been listening to a lot of math rock/DJ entstep, pop and punk from the 90s, and American folk music from the fifties.
The first is a fast paced genre based on metric modulation, complex harmonic structure, and death metal. Often involving algorithm-based drum patterns, it's a very cool genre to me because it combines the pop-like qualities of regular progressive rock with a Bach-like precision that makes it very fun to listen to. I recommend bands Uneven Structure, Chimp Spanner, The Algorithm, and Circles.

The next is sort of a nostalgia trip for me, but I've been attempting to remove the music from nostalgia and see what it's all really about. Specifically, I've been listening to Aaron Carter, Blink-182, Simple Plan, and N*sync, as well as a few other similar such musicians.

And the last is really just things from this page http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/2691/folkessential1.jpg (thanks /mu/ essentials). My favorite has got to be Odetta, a black woman with an amazing voice. Just listen.

Special Features - You and Me (House)

Just another solid house track, comin atcha. Special Features is a London-based house and electro producer who has somewhat recently started pumping out tracks. I like this one in particular because I think that house tracks with a female-vocal lead are somewhat overdone, and this one replaces that standard, if it can be called such, with a groovy synth solo. You just can't go wrong with something this simple.



You can also download it here by giving him a like on Facebook

Star Wars: Main Theme - Dave Matthews (Funk/Soundtrack)

The funkiest hunk of junk in the galaxy, this track is seriously one of the coolest and funkiest things I've ever heard - and it isn't funky just because that's the genre, funk, but because it's also an extremely unique and odd rework of John Williams' Star Wars: Main Theme. It's almost an homage to Williams, demonstrating how strong of a backbeat he incorporated into the original classical version that only needed a little encouraging to reach this god-like funk level. In addition to just being mesmerizingly well done, it also has one of my favorite drummers, Steve Gadd, keeping time and just rocking out as well as keyboardist and arranger David Matthews (no, not Dave Matthews) who also worked with artists like Nina Simone and Ron Carter in the 70s. All around it's simply an all star team doing a lot of justice to one of my favorite soundtracks and I just had to share it.

Bela Bartok - 27 Two and Three Part Choruses, for Children's and Female Voices (Choral/Classical)

Bela Bartok is an extremely interesting Hungarian composer who is considered to be one of the most important composers of the 20th century. He was invested in folk music, which I think is very cool and beneficial in any musician, and although I know him more for his full Orchestral works, he actually also wrote a BUNCH of two and three part choruses for children and female vocals and they're pretty cool. I expected them to be somewhat atonal or harmonically unconventional, but surprisingly they have a sort of classical feel to them. Try listening to just one: Bolyongas, and if you like it you can find a pretty good recording of the rest here on Grooveshark.

Audio Bullys - We Don't Care (House/Electronic)

This one is a big blast from the past for me. Audio Bullys is an electronic music duo from London that began in 2003 with their debut album Ego War. They released another popular album in 2010 called Higher than Eiffel, and in 2012 announced that one of the two (Thomas Dinsdale) had left the group. Nonetheless, this particular track has that early 2000s, Fatboy Slim feel, and it was featured on the SSX 3 soundtrack (where I first heard it). It's a pretty good song, and the SSX games all had a pretty killer soundtrack if you feel like checking them out. Here's We Don't Care (there's a music video too, but embedding is disabled by request).

CHLLNGR - "Datter" Yalls Remix (Dub/R&B/Electronica))

CHLLNGR, Copenhagen based producer, has been rapidly rising through the ranks of producers with a slew of remixes and a debut EP entitled Haven released in May of 2011. He has a mellow and somewhat haunting sound and uses a lot of mournful samples and heavy synths layered on top of one another to produce a unique, murky feel. But to be honest, I'm posting this remix because of Yalls: I really like Yalls. Dan Casey comprises the whole of this funky, pop, ambient electronic band from Berkeley, California, and I recommend you peel open those heary things on the side of your head to both CHLLNGR and Yalls.

Armin Van Buuren ft. Ana Criado - Suddenly Summer (Heartbeat Remix) (Trance/Uplifting)

If you don't know who Armin Van Buuren is, you'll be surprised to learn that he's one of the most well known DJs in the entire world; he was #1 in DJ Magazine's top 100 in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and was second in 2011, and he hosts one of the most popular radio shows in the world A State of Trance with about 15 million weekly listeners. I was certainly surprised. Of course he's also Dutch because every mega famous DJ and their grandmother comes from Europe.

Anyways, he recently released a pretty solid track that I gave a listen. I always like these European super-DJs because they consistently produce really solid jams - there's no big cheesy hook, the songs dont revolve around some massive "uber-stinky" bass drop, and they're really designed just to rock out to for hours on end. If you listen too closely though you might become a little fed up with the female vocals - drop - plateau formula, but try not to listen to closely. Here's Suddenly Summer (Heartbreak Remix):

 

Rural Alberta Advantage (Canadian Indie Rock)

This is a very guilty post for me. I hadn't even heard of Alberta Rural Advantage until today, when I heard them on the radio, plebeian I know, and there was nothing unique from the average Canadian indie rock (sorry), but I was strangely attracted to it. That's what music is all about right? Enjoying yourself? Well I enjoyed this song.

The chord progression is simple, somewhat overused, but compelling nonetheless. The vocals are mostly lazy and soft, but sometimes bore that little Creed-esque edge that fills in some emotion to the track, and the lyrics are relatable but not overpoweringly present. Lay back and listen to In the Summertime, and be not ashamed.

Rural Alberta Advantage - In The Summertime

Little Women - Throat (Avant Garde/Contemporary)

So this album has a lot of people GOING CRAZY in the music world. Some people hate everything about it and ardently posit that anyone who listens to Throat is a pretentious fuck, and some people champion it's complete and smashing brilliance in all aspects and how it'll change your life after one listen: just take a look at this, or this.

Little Women, the men behind Throat, are a quartet from Brooklyn and are the self-proclaimed weirdest band in the world, but I am simply not moved one way or the other. Yes, this music is very weird, and it is also very cool as avant-garde goes, but at the same time it honestly sounds like it could have been completely improvised - you may be surprised what trained musicians can pull out of their butts when put on the spot. But apparently a LOT of people think this album is one of the greatest they've ever heard.

And history has seen a lot of this phenomenon: Anthony Burgess said he wrote a Clockwork Orange in only two weeks trying to pick up some extra cash, and it's hailed as one of the greatest books of all time. I'm not saying it's a bad book, I'm saying that just because it's weird and different doesn't mean it's genius. And if you've read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, you'll recognize this social pattern immediately. In the novel, the main villain takes control of a major media outlet to promote avant-garde writing and music, similar to Little Women,  as "only for the most advanced and infastidious citizen," and people completely buy into it, which drives the overall standard for art into the ground (the villain was a communist, by the way). I feel like that's happening here, people think they're really smart and advanced for liking this sort of music, and the more they praise it, the more people will respect them for their extraordinary musicality.

Personally, I don't buy into any of it. You can check out the album on Grooveshark, because I don't have it on my computer anymore.

Hope and Social - Sleep Sound (Indie/Alt Rock)

In perusing through the musical blogs of music that I peruse I noticed a little influx in new indie rock tracks; and I listened to all of them; and I decided they were all somewhat underwhelming. But they did all, however, remind me of this 4 year old, England-based band, Hope and Social, that I think deserves a little more publicity (not implying my blog counts as publicity).

To me, they are a breath of fresh air in the indie rock world as they generally stray away from the generic chord progressions you find in a lot of the radio-alternative anthems (I-V-vi-IV). In addition, they use a lot of different vocal styles, from full choruses to five part harmonies; they don't shy away from introducing new instruments to each track; and they infuse a healthy amount of that PunchBrothers/Mumford&Sons folk feel to create a relaxing new flavor. Check out their website hopeandsocial.com, and listen to my favorite song off of their first ever album Sleep Sound below:

Hope and Social - Sleep Sound

Joey BadA$$ ft. CJ Fly - Hardknock (Hip Hop)

Instead of trying to fit in the with electro-trap, hipster-hop trends popping up in new hip hop, Joey Badass takes us back to a more old school feel. Featuring production from big names like MF DOOM, Lewis Parker, and J. Dilla, Mr. BadA$$ maintains a 90s and early 2000s feel, and I really dig it. There's no yelling, no growling, no booties, just a beat that sits way back in the pocket and decent lyricism. If you like the song below try his mixtape 1999.


Joey BadA$$ ft. CJ Fly - Hardknock

Surkin - Never Let Go (House/Jam)

Just one post for today so I'm making it count. This song filled a little bit of a hole in my heart; like when you have a penchant for certain kind of music, a certain feel, but you don't know what it is and much less where it is. Surkin (Benoit Heitz - French house and electro DJ) sated my desires with his song Never Let Go Ft. Kevin Irving. It's a really solid jam that feels neither like straight electronica or like it's acoustic; and it just vibes as a single, solid piece of music, which is always a treat. The vocals are tight, the 80s-style bass is tight, the switching from cut time to double time is tight, the 80s drums are tight, the seagull sounds are tight, everything is just really tight, and it makes me want to dance. Give this song, and the rest of the album USA, a listen if you so desire.

Surkin - Never Let Go (Ft. Kevin Irving)

Diplo - Enter the Beat Portal Mix (Moombahton)

Diplo (Thomas Pentz) is a man in the electronic dance music industry I really respect. He has the brazen tenacity to pump out track after track after track working with people I've never heard of, producing tracks that always have something new, and just generally making his listeners want to get naked. He started his own record label called Mad Decent and has worked with a lot of celebrities with production or mixtape projects, and I'm sure we'll be seeing much more good stuff from him in years to come.

About two weeks ago he released a Beatport exclusive mix, which I will simply link and hope that you check him out - he lists a lot of tracks, and it would be arduous for me to plug them all here, so just shuffle your little butt on over there. He describes his intentions writing, "[For] The first half of this mix I wanted to highlight the lasted and greatest in moombahton while showcasing some of the classics. The second half is all bangers featuring tracks I've been playing to crowds all over the world."

Check out Diplo here: http://mixes.beatport.com/mix/1018

Noisia - Imperial EP (Drum and Bass)

A little more than a month ago, Noisia, a Dutch electronic music trio, released Imperiali, and it really lives up to Noisia's standard. Their Split the Atom is still one of my favorite drum and bass albums, and they continue the tradition of uptempo excellence here. They collaborated with German drum and bass producer Phace as well as with New Zealand DnB duo The Upbeats, which gave the cuts some nice, juicy variation, but it's still very much hardcore drum and bass with that busy, electro-style Noisia spin. I'd give it a listen.

Noisia & Phace - Imperial EP

Noisia - Tryhard

Noisia & The Upbeats - Dustup

Noisia - Containment

Krewella - Play Hard EP (Dubstep/House/Electro)

Krewella is a relatively new (at least to me) EDM trio from Chicago. Their music has kind of blown up in the past year since releasing Killin It, and they've just released another EP entitled Play Hard on which is a re-release of Killin It. They provide a very wide spectrum of electronic dance music genres, which I always respect in an artist, and they do each one fairly well - from house/trance anthems to more traditional pop-dubstep to moombahton - probably due to they're so-called virtuoso producer Kristopher or "Rain Man." Normally I don't like the overly harmonic "screamy" basses, but Krewella offers some great new material to the mix and are worth checking out.

Krewella - Play Hard

Krewella - Killin It

Krewella - Can't Control Myself

Krewella - Alive

Krewella - One Minute

Krewella - Feel Me

Dirty Projectors' Film "Hi Custodian" (Indie Rock)

You're really missing out on some good stuff if you've never heard the Dirty Projectors before. Led musically by singer and guitarist David Longstreth, the indie band consists of three female vocalists (two of which play guitar and keyboards), a drummer, and a bassist. And let me tell you, these girls have some truly angelic voices; coupled with David's uncanny musical prowess, Dirty Projectors provides unique harmonic structure, metric modulation, vocal polyphony, and is my favorite indie rock band.

"Hi Custodian" is a Dirty Projectors film directed by David himself that features the Dirty P's upcoming album Swing Lo Magellan. They released a preview for such a movie through PitchforkTV's Youtube page, and they will premier the movie through that page as well. Check out the teaser below:

And if you've never heard the Dirty Projectors before, try out my favorite song, too:

Dirty Projectors - Remade Horizons

Comus - First Utterance (Progressive Rock)

So Comus is a pretty cool "British progressive rock/folk" band (if you're into the Wikipedia symantics). Within you will find a theremin, acoustic guitar, mindblowing female and male vocals, bongos, a violin, mandolin, flute, and a handful of other instruments. It's one of those rare musical experiences where you can't discern when the album was made because the music is timeless, unique, and transcends genres. Other then that I don't have a lot of words for the album besides that it is relatively strange and dissonant at times, but it's great for expanding your musical horizons.

Comus - The Herald

Kitty Pryde (Hip Hop)

No, not the Marvel Kitty Pryde - this is the ex-hipster girl turned rapper. My friend recently showed her to me and I really honestly don't know how to feel about her. Her shows are akin to a poetry slam, and I don't know WHAT Riff-Raff is doing next to her, dick out, raging Skrillex haircut. Her lyrics are just like a teenage girl's diary entry, and I think that's what she's going for. It's like, too cute, or too something, like she just woke up one morning and with a bubbly scree grabbed the nearest cat to her and said "I'm gunna be a rapper mr. hutchkinsons!" Anyway, here's a music video: make of her what you will.

 

Speaking of live shows, I still think one of the most raging live shows is provided by the young men over at OFTWGKTA. The music itself isn't unbelievably brilliant or anything, but I feel like people straight up get naked and contract rabies at these shows. Keep an eye out for the two random dudes who just decide to stage dive like a pair of kings.

If Kitty Pryde had a show like this she'd be in very great danger of sexual intrusion to say the least.

Darude - Sandstorm (Candyland's OG Remix) (Trance/Trap)

So I first heard this song at Bonnaroo when Mimosa dropped it in his set and it basically broke my brain. You hear the beginning of Sandstorm and you're all like, "Oh jeez man what's going what sneaky trickery is Mimosa about to pull," and then out of NOWHERE is a tidal wave of trillest purplest most dank kush nasty swag jam. Thanks to Candyland, California producing duo, for concocting this crazy creation.

If this doesn't make all your groove molecules have a aneurysm then turn it up, please.

Darude - Sandstorm (Candyland's OG Remix)

Tuvan Throat Singing (World Folk)

One of the most interesting forms of folk music I've encountered hails from Tuvan people of Siberia. It involves several traditional instruments as well as throat singing: a variant on the practice of overtone singing, which many ancient cultures across the globe use in their music. In general, overtone singing involves altering the way air resonates before it leaves a singer's mouth so that a listener hears both the root note and one or more overtones, which the singer can adjust by adjusting their mouth, pharynx, or larynx.

Tuvan folk music is deeply rooted in their animistic beliefs; songs will usually have a few verses of chanted poetry followed by long boughs of throat singing or khoomei. Singers are said to be communicating with spirit masters and making appeals for protection by imitating sounds from nature. But what's really cool is that singers will sometimes make long treks into the Siberian expanse to find a sweet place to throat sing. And if you've never seen Siberia, it's beautiful.

Check out Huun-huur-tu for some down and dirty Tuvan folk music - it's pretty fucking mesmerizing.

Huun-huur-tu - Tuvane International

Huun-huur-tu - Karagyraa