Recently got round to seeing Helvetica at long, long last. One of this inspired documentary's many delights is a tasty soundtrack that includes LMYE favourites Four Tet (new 4-track EP Ringer coming next month...), as well as sometime enthusiasms Battles , Caribou & The Album Leaf , & no doubt shamefully late in the day discoveries [several of them from the Thrill Jockey stable] El Ten Eleven , Motohiro Nakashima , Sam Prekop , Kim Hiorthøy & Chicago [...]

I'm a pretty big fan of instrumental music. I find it to be good music to listen to while doing homework or reading and I've been doing a lot of that recently so I've compiled a little playlist of some of my favorite instrumentals. I'm mostly focusing on "indie" types of instrumentals ranging from folk to electronic. Some songs are from bands that are exclusively instrumental while others are just one of the few instrumental songs that a band has (many are aptly named "Instrumental"). Sometimes I like to let the music speak for itself and in this case that's [...]
El Ten Eleven is a drum and bass duo from LA. They move between sounding like The Album Leaf, Tortoise to a chiller Death from Above 1979. Bassist/guitarist Kristian Dunn plays a double neck bass/guitar which is badass. El Ten Eleven - Jumping Frenchman of Maine El Ten Eleven Myspace El Ten Eleven

February 4th Philip Glass - Glassworks MP3: Philip Glass - Opening MP3: Philip Glass - Facades February 5th The Decemberists - 5 Song EP MP3: The Decemberists - Oceanside MP3: The Decemberists - Apology Song February 6th My Morning [...]

Yup, you guessed it; these guys make "experimental" music. El Ten Eleven is an LA-based instrumental duo that I was exposed to through watching the surprisingly interesting documentary, Helvetica . It would be too easy to just compare them to other instrumental acts like The Mercury Program. They remind me more of Pinback, Bloc Party and the Jazz June (all bands with a strong vocal presence). It's as if there is a singer but the microphone isn't turned on. Anyhoo, this track [...]
Stumbled across these guys after recently watching the fantastic documentary Helvetica . You'd expect a full length feature about a font to drag, but the combination of compelling interviews and beautiful photography with a standout soundtrack made it one of my favorite documentaries of the year. Kristian Dunn, of Los Angeles-based instrumental duo El Ten Eleven (and also a member of SoftLightes) is responsible for putting together the soundtrack which features familiar names like Battles, Caribou, Kim Hiorthøy, Sam Prekop, Four Tet and The Album Leaf. The real surprise however are the nine offerings from El [...]

I'm sure this will end with me being accused of treason of some kind, but just to settle... I really do love Christmas and I love you all. Aside from being the time of the year where fantastic deals heavenly praises flood suburban malls Earth-other than being a time to look to the age-old decorations of pine and tinsel to remind us of desire generosity-Christmas has some economical historical significance too. It recalls a very special time... You don't hate [...]

post-rock // instrumental While post-rock fans have been enjoying El Ten Eleven 's textured, atmospheric instrumentals since their 2004 self-titled debut album, it wasn't until I saw Helvetica , which heavily features tracks from 2007's Every Direction is North , that I discovered this creative duo. The music meanders and crescendos, calms and invigorates, adding layer after layer to an emotional journey. You can't help but want to go along for the ride. Double neck bass guitar, electric drums, and effects [...]

El Ten Eleven - Living on Credit MP3 Radiohead - Reckoner MP3 Psychic Ills - Killers MP3 Baby Boy H - Running Blind MP3 Winterpills - Brocken Arm MP3 Pretty Girls make Graves - Magic Hour MP3 Objekt: Joseph Beuys

If there's any sort of positive that can be found from spending my morning traffic jamming on 480 F*ckin West, it's that I had plenty of time to get myself acquainted with Every Direction Is North, the new disc from LA's El Ten Eleven. In between coffee and cigarettes and moving a few feet a minute, I took out the ole Moleskine and wrote down some notes: F*ck this traffic jam. F*ck 480. F*ck this job that got me in this f*ckin traffic jam on f*ckin 480 West. El Ten Eleven [...]
El Ten Eleven - Living on Credit Blues. It was a lonely winter night in Los Angeles when I first found El Ten Eleven.That must have been back in 2005, which I guess isn't all that long ago. Dual-necked Bass/Guitarist Kristian reached out to me, and I think I posted the mp3 before he even found a stamp to mail me a copy of the CD. It's no secret that they're one of my favorite bands, and easily one of the most interesting bands in Los Angeles right now. In between then and now, the two fellows in El Ten...

Sunday, June 17th: El Ten Eleven @ The Scene Bar Bad ass two piece instrumental rock, it's not all ambient and delicate, nor is pounding or pulverizing, it's rough and jagged and happy. Happy? Yes, happy is how I feel listening to this. El Ten Eleven - Living on Credit ( mp3 ) Monday, June 18th: Dan Deacon @ Pehrspace Dan Deacon is a sort of mad scientist composer that uses an array of cheap electronic keyboards to achieve [...]
Well, that was a busy week. What with CD release shows, SXSW official announcements, Ozzfest becoming a freefest, and Van Halen joining Crowded House and The Police on the reunion bandwagon, it finally feels like 2007 is in full gear. This week should be a piece of cake... The genius that is David Garza shall be re-explored tonight at Largo by most likely all of us who think he's one of the

I know I said regular posting would resume yesterday but I am a liar. Though, not technically because I did plan on posting until I found out that I was going to Indiepopalooza , which I did not know about until I was about halfway through my workday. I got some great video and photos though and I have a nice recap planned for later today. I'll say this though: I have never had more fun at a show before(and I've never danced so much either!). [...]