Some Musical Treats

Here are some musical treats that have been brightening my days as of late.
Noriko Tujiko
Noriko Tujiko

In line with the past few posts where I’ve raved about various movies I’ve recently seen, here are some musical treats that have been brightening my days as of late. Sadly, I can’t get any real reviews written until my computer is repaired — I’m currently using my roommate’s PC while he’s out of town — so this will have to do for now.


1 Mile North — Minor Shadows

The first time I heard a song by these guys, I broke into a wide grin. It had been a long time since I heard music that pulled me in so completely. 1 Mile North creates some of the most gorgeous instrumental music since Labradford’s Mi Media Naranja, but with a sense of nostalgia and melancholy that one might normally associate with 4AD (or perhaps even some of Projekt’s stable, such as Soul Whirling Somewhere). I probably shouldn’t be listening to this at the beginning of summer; 1 Mile North’s sparse-yet-endless guitar notes, lush synth-work, forlorn trumpets, and haunting samples create a sense of longing that seems more at home when set against a grey autumn sky, as the last golden leaves are slowly drifting to the ground. But I’ll take music this lovely anytime during the year.


Out Hud — Street Dad

Most of Kranky’s releases make me want to hole up in a dimly lit room, close my eyes, and drift off (but in a good way). Okay, I’ll admit to tapping my toes to some of Pan-American’s more rhythmic moments, and I even rocked out on occasion to Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada (blame it on the music, man), but Out Hud is the first Kranky artist that ever made me want to get up and dance! Street Dad is similar to !!!‘s brand of indie funk (the two bands share members), but Out Hud’s sound is far more adventurous and successful, blending dubby rhythms and atmospheres with whacked out programming and jittery, razor-thin guitar riffs. “Dad, There’s a Little Phrase Called Too Much Information” is simply one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard this year, something I never thought I’d attribute to a Kranky release.


Sweet Trip — Velocity: Design: Comfort

I first heard Sweet Trip’s Halica several years ago, when I began delving into Darla’s “drum n’ bliss” catalog, along with artists like Junior Varsity KM and Color Filter. After that, however, the band seemed to drop off the face of the earth. 4 years later, they’ve returned with a new album, and it’s a welcome treat. Valerie Reyes’ dreamy vocals just float amidst frantic breakbeats, shoegazer-esque guitars, and the sort of programming that you’d get if Autechre actually set out to compose a song, rather than just assault the listener with their laptops. It’s nothing incredibly novel, but that doesn’t make it any less lovely or delightful to hear.


Matt Elliot — The Mess We Made

A few years back, Matt Elliot dropped the Third Eye Foundation moniker after he became a new father. Not that I blame him. Third Eye Foundation’s punishing drill n’ bass and creepy ambience are too intense for most adult listeners. I shudder to think of their effect on kids. So what does Elliot do instead? He turns around and delivers The Mess We Made. While certainly not as confrontational as Third Eye Foundation’s work, The Mess We Made is still pretty bleak, even elegiac at times. And, not surprisingly, it’s as lovely and captivating as ever. Elliot uses his own vocals to great effect, sounding as broken and haunted as his atmospherics, even when he’s in the midst of a bunch of drunken Russian sailors (“The Sinking Ship Song”). Definitely a release I’ll be savoring in the days and weeks to come.


Noriko Tujiko — Hard Ni Sasete (Make Me Hard)

I don’t actually have this album, but I downloaded 6 of the songs from Mego’s website, and they’ve been filling my head with dense, wondrous sounds ever since. At first, the comparisons to Bjork are unavoidable, due in large part to Noriko’s child-like vocals. However, the whimsical, hallucinatory soundscapes that Noriko creates are far beyond anything Bjork has ever done. It’s pointless trying to identify the individual sounds that make up Noriko’s collages. Doing so would be like trying to appreciate a stained glass window one colored fragment at a time. The real beauty comes when you sit back, slip on the headphones, and take in the whole of Noriko’s sound at once. Or try to.


Blanketship — Threeps

As the title implies, this full-length is comprised of 3 EPs, all released between 2001 – 2002 on CD-R and cassette. Musically, this collection of electronic pop is all over the place, from devious vocal collages to distorted breakbeats to jazzy downtempo atmospheres to a handful of new wave numbers that sound like they’re from the soundtrack to the greatest undiscovered 80’s film ever. Listening to Threeps reminds me of when I first listened to Sufjan Stevens’ Enjoy Your Rabbit. I was initially overwhelmed and confused, but bit by bit the album began to reveal its little quirks and charms, each time pulling me further in. I suspect that I’ll still be discovering new things in this album when I listen to it 6 months from now.


Pallin — Far From Yokohama

Very beautiful instrumental music from Sweden that’s in the vein of The Dirty Three, but with jazzier, less morose mood. Exceedingly pleasant stuff that works very well when you’re staring at your roommate’s computer at 2:00am. At times, I found myself wondering if Stina Nordenstrom’s gorgeous voice would make an appearance, as Pallin’s music would make a perfect backdrop for her. The album’s sleeve art consists of the band’s photo slowly growing more fractured and abstract as you go through the sleeve. That’s the complete opposite of the music, which just seems to grow lusher and lovelier as the album continues.


Viva Voce — Lovers, Lead The Way!

Between this and Sufjan Stevens’ latest, Asthmatic Kitty is definitely a label to keep your eye on. On this, the band’s second full-length (and first that I’ve heard) the band throws quite a lot at the listener, from punchy, noisy pop songs (à la The Breeders or a less fuzz-obsessed Morella’s Forest) to long, sprawling psych-rock numbers. I’m a bigger fan of the more psychedelic, orchestral moments, as the pop songs (while decent), tend to break up the mood a bit too much for my tastes. However, when the band lets their sound drift around out there somewhere, as on songs like “Red D-Lish,” “Brightest Part of Everyone,” or the stunning “Let’s Bend Light,” you can practically hear Wayne Coyne and Jonathan Donahue turn green with envy.


Jute — A Violent Narcotic

With its hypnotic beats, sensual vocals, and dark atmospheres, A Violent Narcotic is probably what Massive Attack’s The 100th Window should’ve been. The group is definitely up on their downtempo skills, but the album’s otherworldly feel also displays an affinity for the ethnic and spiritual sounds of Dead Can Dance. Julie Axis’ vocals often take on a chant-like feel, while the band’s lush instrumentation swirls around like incense. At times, the ambience almost be suffocating, but the effect is so intoxicating that you probably won’t mind.

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