There are different kinds of drone music. Some sound warm and pleasant, others nostalgic and deeply melancholic. Chicago-based trio Kwaidan again plays drone music that will makie you feel uncomfortable and paranoid. Their Sunn O)))-inspired and noise driven sound would be perfect to soundtrack any The X-Files episode or horror movie. Those amongst you having a weak stomach probably shouldn't listen to this, especially not when you walk home all alone in the dark. Everybody else though may enjoy technically well-produced drone with a deep and dense atmosphere. Big respect to Zelienople's Mike Weis, who is doing a great job [...]
Chicago's Kwaidan is comprised of drone specialists Mike Weis (Zelienople), André Foisy (Locrian), and Neil Jendon. Beyond the pale of drone, the trio slip into percussive trances that would sooth a yogi were they not accompanied by terror notes. Take Kwaidan's "Gateless Gate", which rustles up a tribal ambience, teetering on the verge of zen and a haunt. They know the darkness they've created and embrace it with the album title Make All The Hell Of Dark Metal Brigh...
Chicago's Kwaidan is comprised of drone specialists Mike Weis (Zelienople), André Foisy (Locrian), and Neil Jendon. Beyond the pale of drone, the trio slip into percussive trances that would sooth a yogi were they not accompanied by terror notes. Take Kwaidan's "Gateless Gate", which rustles up a tribal ambience, teetering on the verge of zen and a haunt. They know the darkness they've created and embrace it with the album title Make All The Hell Of Dark Metal Brigh...
Following on the progressive creep from the shadows on Horrorism , Lee Noble returns with a new album for Bathetic that's locked into a tape scratched corner of the subconscious rife with unease and ennui in equal measure. Its good to see that someone's tending to the light flickering behind the curtain on hypnogogic pop these days as Ruiner floats in on photo album dust and creeps its way through the negative space between haunted synths and beds of echo bent guitar shoved through enough pedals to make them resemble little more than iced breath by the [...]
Angel Olsen & Marissa Nadler "Frisco Depot" I haven't been able to get the Angel Olsen & Marissa Nadler cover of Mickey Newbury's "Frisco Depot" out of my head since I first heard it four days ago. The soft plucks leading into Olsen's powerfully quiet vocals as she effortlessly grabs a hold of the listener before Nadler comes in with her equally beautiful voice at [...]
dopo essersi già fatto molto apprezzare nel 2011 con il suo primo lavoro Horrorism , torna Lee Noble con il nuovo album Ruiner , in uscita a fine Aprile per Bathetic Records.
Lee Noble is a marvel. One of the few truly unique figures in contemporary underground music, his unassuming compositions could count as the essence of left-field American pop in the post-chillwave/hypnagogic landscape, but one might suppose that it's his own reticence and knowing aloofness that keep the LA artist from seeking the larger audience his work would actually deserve. Seeing him perform at Neukölln's grubby Loophole recently, completely immersed in his shambolic setup of keyboard, tape player, and a bunch of effect pedals, delivering his set in a curiously academic manner as if sitting at a library table, it [...]
The most notable element of Angel Olsen 's sophomore release, Half Way Home (2012), is her distinct voice. And on this element she capitalizes throughout the album, playing down the instrumentation to an almost inaudible level. This doesn't mean Olsen can't pick things up. "Lonely Universe" stands out on Half Way Home with actual percussion and a hint of electric guitar. In a way it can be likened to early work by Sharon Van Etten. The same can be said about "Tiniest Seed", the album's phenomenal [...]
Maybe it's the flowers on the album art, maybe it's the holiday today, but Dan Svizney sounds positively romantic on "Cross," a song from Cough Cool's upcoming release on Bathetic Records. "You hold your heart, I'll hold your hand," he warmly sings. A surprising turn of events! But not too much of a turn, since ... Continue reading
Angel Olsen isn't a household name yet, but once you hear her unforgettable voice and her skill at manipulating it in unexpected ways, you may find yourself playing the role of the town crier making sure everyone knows her name. The Chicago-based songwriter is entirely self-taught and she has earned some ardent fans for her charming voice, including Will Oldham. In fact, she’s part of the Cairo Gang that performed on Bonnie "Prince" Billy's recent records, and has toured with him, too, although her extraordinary vocal talent means she hardly blends into the background when accompanying Oldham. When she’s [...]
Angel Olsen is an artist that did not get nearly enough attention last year, including by us, with her release Half Way Home . You may be familiar with her for her collaborations with Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Olsen, recently, put out two gorgeous new 16mm videos for album track "Tiniest Seed" and a new song "Sweet Dreams". The latter will be appearing on a her new Sleepwalker 73 due out January 15th on Sixteen Tambourines . You can read more about the [...]
One of 2012's more underrated releases, Angel Olsen's Halfway Home is a stirring collection of gut wrenching modern folk. Included in the LP is the standout single "Tiniest Seed," which has an equally stirring new video. The video was shot using a 16mm camera, with work from four separate filmmakers working in tandem in Chicago and Vienna, Austria. As an added bonus, Olsen released her newest single "Sweet Dreams," which has a new video too. Check out both videos below and grab Olsen's Halfway Home LP [...]
Angel Olsen "Some Things Cosmic" From Strange Cacti Label: Bathetic Records
Resident Philly fuzz-popper Dan Svizeny, who had gone dub when we last heard from him, just posted a new track to Soundcloud under his Cough Cool moniker, and its a return to the chug-a-lug pop tones of Lately, the excellent LP he released earlier this year on Bathetic Records. This track, however, comes from 29, ... Continue reading
A track from Half Way Home , which is the latest album from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Cairo Gang cohort Angel Olsen. It's a pretty wonderful tune, too. It well-sung, emotive, and I love the desperate romance coming from the lyrics as well. The bass and drums are pretty modest, but there are some pretty sweet background vocals and harmonized guitar leads that give this song some sweet personality. Let's be honest, though: The real grit is coming from Angel on this track. Grab this new record of hers on Bathetic.
Angel Olsen - Acrobat I’m actually writing about this out of regret that I haven’t previously written about it. Angel Olsen ’s latest album, Half Way Home , is a bit of a departure for me, but has ended up being one of my most listened to albums of the year. And here I am realizing I’ve never once mentioned it on the music blog I run to share music I love… Angel’s music captured me almost instantly. A minute into Acrobat , and I was in a trance. The [...]
Angel Olsen's sophomore, Half Way Home , goes way past your standard set of earthy Folk Blues. The Chicago-based musician has a voice to die for and a set of songs that bleed with soul. We hooked up with Angel to talk words, music and inspiration. Bowlegs: Half Way Home is such a great sophomore record – do you hear a progression between this and your debut? If so how do you think this has come about – are there certain moments/experiences that have had a defining effect on you and the way [...]
In the wake of the CMJ overload, we caught up on our correspondences, stomached a third round of polemic clap trap from our dualling plutocrats, while watching the Giants' Zito, Sandoval and company riding into the World Series on fuggin' unicorns. There has been news of Lil Wayne suffering a 'seizure' on his private jet that made an emergency landing in Texas, ex-Girls frontman Chris Owens released the solo track "Here We Go" with the anouncement of a solo album in Jan...
In the wake of the CMJ overload, we caught up on our correspondences, stomached a third round of polemic clap trap from our dualling plutocrats, while watching the Giants' Zito, Sandoval and company riding into the World Series on fuggin' unicorns. There has been news of Lil Wayne suffering a 'seizure' on his private jet that made an emergency landing in Texas, ex-Girls frontman Chris Owens released the solo track "Here We Go" with the anouncement of a solo album in Jan...
We caught Angel Olsen performing this gem in her kitchen last summer, and now comes the studio version 14 months down the road. Having been taken with that live take, it's a treat to hear how the Half Way Home version opens up to buoyant bass, harmonies, and percussion while retaining the sparse and intimate apartment vibe of its younger days. Even amid such an upbeat palette, "The Waiting" somehow still cuts into murkier emotions - a testament to Olsen's stirring vocal approach. The whole 11-song set, available now via Bathetic [...]
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Noteworthy (Stream): Kanye West – Black Skinhead (SNL Performance)
Watch Fred Armisen’s SNL farewell with Carrie Brownstein, Kim Gordon, J Mascis, Aimee Mann
