Four Tet - Unspoken (original version)
Unspoken originally contained a sample of Tori Amos. But because Four Tet could not get the sample cleared, he had to change the original version so it could be released on his sophmore LP Rounds.
Today (ten years after Rounds was released) he tweeted a link to the original 9 minute version along with a download link. What a champ!
Download - Unspoken (original version)
Emancipator - Minor Cause
Elegance and exotic soundscapes lather Emancipator’s new album Dusk to Dawn.
Nowhere is this more true than on the stunning opener Minor Cause. The music begins slowly and builds before blossoming into a fully recognised orchestral, electronic masterpiece. The strings alone make this song worthy of a listen, but Emancipator’s technological prowess transforms Minor Cause into a piece to be reckoned with. Highly recommended.
Download - Minor Cause
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Cutup Piano And Xylophone
Fridge |
Fridge - Cutup Piano And Xylophone
Four Tet has a pretty large fanbase nowadays, but not many fans of his music would know that before building his reputation as the godfather of folktronica, he made music in a trio called Fridge.
The group was pretty prolific in the late 90s, early 00s, producing four albums in five years. The very descriptively titled Cutup Piano and Xylophone is taken from their third full-length effort Happiness. It blurs the line between sampling and live instrumentation in a fresh, unconventional way.
Download - Cutup Piano and Xylophone (control-click & save)
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Cirrus
Bonobo |
Bonobo - Cirrus (radio rip)
Bonobo has a reputation for being one of the premier ambient / electronic producers in the world. This is a reputation that has been building for several years and there are more and more fans anticipating the man’s next move.
Thankfully, three years after releasing his last original album Black Sands, Bonobo has returned with Cirrus, premiering the tune of Giles Peterson’s BBC Radio 6 show and rumour has it that he is due to release a new album in 2013.
The track features complex percussion and predominantly live instrumentation that has been masterfully mixed to create a minimalist tune. The end result is Cirrus. One listen to this song will induce the same brain wave frequency patterns as mediation. Unfortunately that state of mind will be broken by Giles Peterson talking over it.
Keep your ears peeled for the legitimate copy when it is released later this year.
Enjoy.
The xx - VCR (Four Tet Remix)
Four Tet has won my admiration and I am always keeping an eye out in case he releases a new song or a remix that might fly under the radar.
He released one of my all time favourite remixes in 2010 when he adopted minimal vocal samples from The xx and made the song completely his own. The track extends almost 9 minutes and always manages to make me relax. Only 3 artists come to mind when I think of DJs who can control progressive downtempo on the same level as Four Tet - Emancipator, Tycho and Bonobo.
These artists are truly in a class of their own and easily stand apart from your house or nightclub DJ.
I’m sure after listening to the song you will echo the sentiments of Romi, hoping the music “don’t stop, don’t stop…”
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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Brace Brace
Bonobo |
Bonobo - Brace Brace
Bonobo has just released a remixed version of his highly acclaimed album Black Sands from 2010. The UK DJ largely takes the backseat as guest producers reinterpret some of his unique brand of folktronica.
While I am a huge fan of Black Sands, I’m not sure I enjoy the guest remixed tracks as much as the originals. My personal favourite from the new album is Brace Brace, a rare Bonobo original that was previously only available on the Japanese version of Black Sands.
The track has been included among the remixes and it is a classic Bonobo orchestral arrangement with emotional subtlety, a donwtempo pacing and smooth instrumentation. Enjoy.
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Black Lake (Emancipator Remix)
Emancipator |
Emancipator - Black Lake (Emancipator Remix)
American trip-hop producer Emancipator released a remix album earlier in the year and this song won me over as a fan. The Black Lake remix reminds me so much of Bonobo’s music that it is uncanny. I guess it can’t be too much of a coincidence since his first live performance was in support of the British DJ back in 2009.
At 2:39 the bass comes in and it changes the dimension of the track. The exotic instruments take a back seat and the organic feel of the remix evolves into more traditional trip-hop.
Click here to download an mp3 of the song and head over to Emancipator’s Bandcamp page to purchase more of his music.
