What moved Jonas Reinhardt to title his album Powers Of Audition (Kranky) is an interesting one: “the human capacity to audition sound and fill in blanks where the composer leaves space for interpretation.” For some, that is a great way to listen to music and/or improvise as a musician, to take it to other levels unknown.
Powers Of Audition, his second album, continues on with his minimalist exploration of electronic music, somewhat nostalgic but very much of the now and the future. It sounds like music you’d hear on a television show you’re not sure you’re really watching because it’s 2:42am and you’re in that zone. This album, in a more alert state, will bring you to another state without you having to leave your easy chair.
Vinyl and CD can be ordered individually from Kranky.
The Beat Broker already has a healthy discography, and he now adds a new one to it with his new 12″ EP, Deep Sleep (Sentrall. There’s a heavy 80’s influence on this, sounding like everything from music from the Zang Tuum Tumb empire to classic soundtracks like Blade Runner.
You can order Deep Sleep by clicking to the Sentrall website, limit of 5.
The vinyl pressing for Autechre’s forthcoming album, Oversteps, is very impressive. The double-LP is described as such:
Double heavyweight 180gram vinyl, each disc packed in its own printed inner and outer card sleeves
900mm x 600mm double-sided poster printed on Offenbach ultra fine stock, folded within its own card sleeve
Housed in printed and debossed rigid slipcase
It looks like a deluxe box set. You can see different perspectives of the packaging by clicking to the Warp Records website. Warp has March 23rd listed as the release date.
If you’ve pre-ordered the album (LP or CD) from Autechre’s website, you are now able to download the album right now for free right now. You’ll be able to download it as high quality (320kbps) MP3’s), or as WAV files, either as 16bit/44.1kHz (standard CD audio) or 24-bit/96kHz (hi-resolution DVD-Audio quality). It’s nice to see that a band cares so much for the music and the packaging equally.
Simon James and Matt Ford are the two men behind the UK duo of The Simonsound,who are about to drop their debut album in May, with the vinyl pressing to be released on First Word Records. It’s not the first time the duo have released vinyl, their debut single (“It’s Just Begun” b/w “Bad Love”) was released as a 7″ 45 along with a digital release in both MP3 and lossless forms.
While the group is making an effort to release their new album on vinyl, the CD will have two bonus tracks that the vinyl does not (I suggested it should’ve been the other way around, give vinyl buyers an extra incentive.) However, the vinyl version promises to come with a code to download the tracks.
The two are fans of analog synths, but merge it with a modern mentality so if you liked their first two singles, they plan on exploring the sound of The Simonsound even more
Woodhands are an electronic duo from Toronto, Canada whose instrumental focus consists of keyboards and drums.
That’s it.
What they do with it however is a very energetic mix of powerful vocals and motivating lyrics that has already pushed audiences over the edge at venues. The group’s 2009 debut album, Heart Attack, was praised by a number of critics but they’re ready to surpass that and take critics fans over that edge again with their new album, Remosecapade. Like their last album, Woodhands worked with Paper Bag Records for this one, and the label will do what it takes to make people become Woodhands devotees. The album has already been released digitally in Canada, and will hit the U.S. MP3 circuits on Tuesday, February 23rd. For those who prefer hard copy, the vinyl and compact disc will present themselves on March 23rd, you can pre-order your copies directly from Paper Bag by clicking here. Samples of songs from Remosecapade can be found on their MySpace page.
Woodhands are Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt are ready to meet you and/or your of-age daughters, because they know love is a battlefield. Meet them halfway.
Danny Krivit is a legendary club DJ who has been providing music to people for years, and 718 Sessions is a mere sampling of the kind of music people come to him to hear and dance to.
If you don’t know Krivit’s history, do a Google search or check Wikipedia, but we’re talking a vinyl and music junkie who not only loves music, but also knows how to select them and what will move people at any given time. In this case it’s music selected for a compilation CD, which means a different sense of structure but he still gives his all with a well-selected collection of dance tracks that work greatly even outside of the club. Songs on this include “That’s What Love Is” by Louie Vega featuring Sara Devine, a Sting International Controversy Mix of Roy Ayers’ “Brand New Feeling,”, and even a bit of B.T. Express with the use of the classic “Peace Pipe.”
What I also like about this compilation is how the music program is set up, for it feels like it was created with the club in mind. The first few songs are the entrance way into the Krivit experience with powerful beats, a hint of funk, and luxurious female voices to pull you in almost as a means of comfort. It’s as if to say “this is home, it’s time for you to get loose and familiar.” Vocalists like Monique Bingham (who sings with Shake The Dog for “Run”) and Alexis Simmons (for Steal Vibe’s “Selene (The Goddess Of The Moon)”) help bring the listener in and want to stay in, even as the music celebrates life and the world, and in many ways one another. It may be a CD of various artists, but it’s also a tribute to Krivit as a tastemaker and mood enhancer. If you put faith in the DJ, the DJ will give you all that you want and more, and 718 Sessions (Nervous) is not only a testament to Krivit as a DJ, but also the power of music that can move you to let loose and be free.
The last I heard of Clutchy Hopkins was with the album he did with Lord Kenjamin, Music Is My Medicine (which I reviewed over at Okayplayer.) Mr. Hopkins is back with what he calls The Story Teller (Ubiquity), and the mysteries about this audio wizard continues to grow.
Someone asked me if I was Hopkins, and sadly I had to say no, but I’d love to collaborate with him or her. Until that happens, the new Hopkins album will be released on CD and the trusty vinyl format on April 13th. You can have a brief hint of the album to come by downloading “No Contact…Contact” (5.82mb).
Phonat is a dance music machine, but in truth Phonat is from the mind of one man, Michele Balduzz. Check out his website for many mixes and exclusive tracks, and if you need a push towards his domain, take a look and listen to his new music video.
He creates a wide range of sounds, so this is just a sliver of the Phonat experience.
What makes Lymbyc System a great listen is that one can imagine them having a room full of random sounds, records, CD’s, external hard drives, and instruments, but what they want to do with it is not create the usual. Shutter Release (Mush) is not the usual. It’s not quite a dance album, although you could dance to it. It’s not rock, soul, folk, or really anything that you can pinpoint. It sounds like incidental music from a production library, or the kind of sound that Danger Mouse has always been playing around with. Or think of this: you spent a summer finding and listening to some of the best electronic music albums of the last 50 years, and you enjoy the textures of analog and how different things sounded back then. Then you take that, give it a modern perspective and add in the technologies of the now, and then feed it chips. This is Lymbyc System.
Remasters of the first four 808 State albums were promised in 2008 (on 08/08/08 as the promotional campaign had promised), but the distributing label that were to release them went out of business, putting things on hold. If you didn’t experience these albums the first time, you’re now able to. If you haven’t heard them in awhile, you can enjoy each one again, with each album coming with a bonus disc of extra goodies compiled by 808 State founder Graham Massey.
The albums in question are 808:90 (released in the U.S. on Tommy Boy as Utd. State 90), ex:el, Gorgeous, and Don Solaris, all of which went through the maniacal electronic music/electronica wave of the 1990’s and made its way through, at the same time moving dancers, music fanatics, and fellow musicians to create music on their own. The reissues will hit stores on March 22nd, with expanded and restored album artwork, extensive liner notes,
The group will be going on tour in the UK and Europe later this year, no word yet on if they’ll do any shows stateside.
