listen. relax. enjoy.
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Isbells - Baskin'
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Isbells - Baskin
Listen to this song before you go to bed tonight and you will have an amazing sleep.
The guitar chords reminds me of The Shins’ track Things to Come while the hushed vocals are evocative of the timeless music of Nick Drake and Iron & Wine. The Belgian group have only been performing as the Isbells since 2009 but they have alread recorded two albums together. This song is from Stoalin’ which came out in March this year.
I think the group have improved their songwriting since the last release and I’m really looking forwards to giving the album a proper listen soon.
Enjoy.
Download - Baskin (control-click & save)
(via wheniflysoloiflysohigh)
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Neat Beats-Graffiti on a Tuesday Night
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Neat Beats - Graffitti on a Tuesday Night
Woah! This song is amazing!
Mellow piano and guitar instrumentation and some fat hip hop beats as well. Just to even things off, Neat Beats (aka Alvin Fenner) also includes vocal samples from NASA(?) and an old learn-to-speak-French recording .
Honestly, this song just blows me away. The music is so fluid despite so many contrastive elements. Graffitti on a Tuesday Night further proves my point that quality sampling is underrated in modern music.
Check out more Neat Beats on his Bandcamp. I definitely recommend listening to the album in full for a more cohesive sound. I’d also recommend listening to Australian duo Fishing if you are a fan of experimental sample based music.
Download - Graffitti on a Tuesday Night
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Stay Ups
The Most Serene Republic [Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.] |
The Most Serene Republic - Stay Ups
The Most Serene Republic are definitely in a class of their own. Their unique, highly experimental approach to music is evident in every song.
Stay Ups would be one of my favourite tracks from the Canadian band. It starts gently and builds to a pretty epic crescendo. In particular, Emma Ditchbum’s vocals accompany the piano so beautifully. I was sad to find out (a few years late) that she no longer plays in The Most Serene Republic. What a bummer!
I’d recommend fans of this to check out the group’s second album Population which is full of fun, chilled, experimental indie rock.
Enjoy.
Download - Stay Ups (control-click & save)
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Charleston
Set Sail [Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.] |
Interview with Set Sail
Set Sail are a band based out of Sydney who have an irrepressible upbeat sound to their music. The trio are known for their city busking shows and their combination of violin, guitar/uke and makeshift percussion at such performances. Set Sail are on the verge of releasing their debut mini-album on June 15th and have just premiered the lead single Charleston today. I had a quick chat with Josiah from the group.
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Q1: I understand you’ve been busy gallivanting around Europe. What have you been doing over there?.
Josiah: Hey! We got back from Europe and the US last September actually, we had a mad time over there travelling around filming guerilla shows. Played in an old spy base, under the Eiffel Tower, on a plane, heaps of places. Super budget trip (we ate rice for a solid month haha) but great fun.
Q2: You are working on your debut album. Tell us a little about it.
Josiah: It ended up just being a mini-album, it’s got a much more developed and less radio-pop sound than the last one. We wanted to explore some more classic sounds and arrangements for some of the songs, definitely has some Beach Boys influences on some of the songs. The process has been hectic, we started demoing last December and have been working solid since then, we’re very excited to finally be releasing it!
Q3: Do you have any favourite songs on the new record?
Josiah: I quite like ‘Kids’
Q4: I’ve seen videos of you playing on the streets in Melbourne and Sydney and there seems like there’s a lot of positive energy at your shows. Do you prefer playing in venues or outdoors to unsuspecting crowds?
Josiah: That’s a tough question, the vibe is so different between them. I’d have to say I love doing both, it’s mad fun hanging out at the street shows but the energy of the shows at places like Oxford Art Factory or the HiFi in Melbourne is pretty incredible as well.
Q5: What 5 artists have you been listening to lately?
Josiah: Grimes, Balam Acab, Django Django, Broken Social Scene & Calvin Harris
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Thanks again to Set Sail for the interview and keep an eye out for upcoming shows and their mini-album Hey! which will be released June 15th in Australia.
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Ain't No Sunshine [Feat. Joe Gil]
Opus Orange [Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.] |
Opus Orange are an indie-surf-pop band based out of California. Fronted by music producer Paul Bessenbacher, the group make unmistakably catchy music that resonates with you after just a single listen. Their latest single is a contemporary rendition of Bill Withers‘ Ain’t No Sunshine that showcases Paul’s knack as a producer. The sustained keys and haunting backing vocals create a cloudy atmosphere while Joe Gil’s smooth vocals sprawl the cool bluesy mood that is also present in the original. Paul had a chat to us about his musical projects and shed some light on Ain’t No Sunshine.
Q1. Could you explain how the band came to be called Opus Orange?
PB: Frederic Chopin’s “fantasie impromptu”, Opus 66
Q2. Does living in California contribute to the beachy sound in much of your music or is it coincidence?
PB: Living in California must somehow contribute to the beachy sound, but yes, it is a coincidence. Since picking up a ukulele for backpacking in the woods (due to it’s light weight and small size), it became quickly apparent just how inherently “beachy” sounding it is, wherever it might be played (like at the top of mount whitney, miles away from any beach). Though the ukulele initially helped color the sonic palate for the early songs, its energy is still evident in its absence (like in Crystal Clear or That Is To Say).
Q3. Ain’t No Sunshine is a classic. Could you tell us about what it means to you?
PB: While we’re on the subject of California, it seems the sun is almost always shining here. This song captures the fact that it can still be clouded by someone’s absence. The lyrics help this resonate in their simplicity. when covering such a gem like Bill Withers’ classic, it’s essential to look at it from a different perspective than the original, while still giving it the reverence it deserves. Joe Gil’s voice is a great fit for this song, and we wanted the track to let it shine through.
Q4. Any plans to release a full length LP in the future?
PB: While a full-length LP would be an incredibly fun project, we’ve been excited about producing music in smaller singles and EP’s. Often longer projects can get bogged down with overthought (not really a word, but it should be) and overproduction. So to always keep creating and pushing our sound while still releasing cohesive projects, we have found it creatively liberating to keep the projects smaller. Our next four song EP (currently being mixed) is completely tracked to 2-inch analog tape. It will hopefully be released within the next few months. Also with producing other artists, like Joe Gil, Emy Reynolds, and Eleni Mandell, it’s really great to have a sort of tunnel vision to make a single song the best that it can be with that particular artist. That being said, we definitely hope to someday have the time to do a full-legnth release.
Q5. Who are 5 artists you’re listening to at the moment?
The Walkmen
The Pixies
Radiohead
Richard Buckner
Thanks to Paul for the interview. You can listen to and buy music from Opus Orange via their Bandcamp website. Ain’t No Sunshine will be made available there in the very near future.
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Yeasayer - Henrietta
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Yeasayer - Henrietta
It has been a while since we’ve heard new music from Brooklyn avant-garde psychadelic rockers Yeasayer but they’ve released this new track and it’s everything you’d expect and more from the outfit.
Henrietta starts with synth sensibilities and a radio friendly melody. Things intensify around the 1:30 mark and the track breaks off in to a bit of an instrumental plateau. The vocals return at 2:30 as we hear the band lament, “oh Henrietta, we can live on forever.”
It’s both sinister and romantic and Yeasyer transform the mood with these lyrics driving the rest of the track. The darker second half of Henrietta is a far cry from the start of the song.
Yeasayer continue to push the conventions of song structure by preferring an experimental approach to their music rather than opting out for mainstream accessibility. This will not be everyone’s cup of tea but fans of the group will appreciate their innovative, creative and unique approach to songwriting.
Enjoy.
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emma louise - Boy
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Emma Louise - Boy
Emma Louise is a Brisbane songwriter who only released her debut EP last year. She is most known for her track Jungle which featured on the TV shows The Slap and Grey’s Anatomy. After collecting a host of awards, she is back with Boy.
The song begins with frosty keys, but things warm up quickly when Emma begins singing. If her voice had to be likened to a drink, it would have to be Baileys: it goes down smooth, warming you up and leaving a thick, rich aftertaste that lingers on long after listening.
As is customary for an emerging Australian artist, she is heading off to England to tour and promote her music to a wider fanbase in a much smaller proximity. Boy certifies Emma Louise’s position as an artist with a bright future. Fans can anticipate, with relative certainty, an amazing debut album in the future.
Enjoy.
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Ghost To Me (Daytrotter Session)
Youth Lagoon [Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.] |
Youth Lagoon - Ghost to Me (Daytrotter Session)
Youth Lagoon is the pseudonym of 22 year old Trevor Powers (with a name like Trevor Powers, who needs a pseudonym?!) He is a bedroom musician based out of San Diego, California, who is equally as competent performing live as he is playing in his homemade studio.
This track was recorded live and is available for free download below. Ghost to Me is an introverted, contemplative song that shares a similarity with Porcelain Raft’s A Dream I Had. Both songs have keys and a dreamy, enchanting sound to them. The subject matter in A Dream I Had is surreal and paints (as the name might have suggested) a dreamscape, whereas Ghost to Me deals with presence felt through absence.
Porcelain Raft and Youth Lagoon are worth checking out and both have made standout songs in their own right.
Download - Ghost to Me (right click & save)
