The time has come! Summer is upon us, and for me, as a blogger, it can only mean one thing: Time for the annual summer mix! However, this year's will be quite different from the previous ones, hence its appearance here instead of the main blog. This time around, I made it with a clear theme in mind: To create a soundtrack for a fantastic summer getaway fantasy. Exotic locales, improbably blue skies, palm trees & white sands... steel drums. You name it all. Summer Getaway is a concoction of [...]
My obsession with Japanese songstresses making beautiful noise is at an all-time high. Be prepared, because over the span of the next few posts, this will be a recurring theme. The first lady in line is Caroline Lufkin. She was born in Japan, but currently resides in LA, Her sister, Olivia, is a J-pop star in Japan, and Caroline herself had her fair share of working with a mainstream label there. However, due to creative differences, she left the label and ended up being signed to Temporary Residence Limited, after emailing her demos to them. Caroline's music can be best [...]
I was first introduced to Astrud's music through the remixes on the Verve Remixed series. My natural assumption was that she's Bebel Gilberto 's mother. Apparently, even though she was once married to João Gilberto, Bebel's father (hence the surname), Bebel was in fact the offspring of João and another bossa nova singer, Miúcha. Either way, it all runs in the family. I'd been meaning to delve deeper into Astrud's discography, but wasn't sure where to start, for she rose to prominence as a legendary Brazillian bossa nova singer in the '60s. I decided to just pick the latest [...]
Walk of solitude. Night lights. Strangers passing by. Sounds from the nineties seeping into your ears. Simple kind of bliss. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (Instrumental) (Single, 1991) Mono - Life In Mono ( Formica Blues , 1997) Sneaker Pimps - 6 Underground (The Umbrellas Of Ladywell Mix #2) ( Becoming Remixed , 1998) [...]
Talk about music living up to the band's name. 'Song For Marie and Elise' is 6 minutes of glistening aural bliss. Think: an instrumental Sally Shapiro or Kleerup track. A very good debut from the Belgian duo Lullabies In The Dark . For now, it's available on 12" vinyl and digital only, alongside a pulsating, more dancefloor-friendly remix by Aeroplane and a quite good b-side called ' Code 7429 '. A promising start for an electronic band you'll possibly be hearing a lot more in the future. Lullabies In The Dark [...]
Talk about music living up to the band's name. 'Song For Marie and Elise' is 6 minutes of glistening aural bliss. Think: an instrumental Sally Shapiro or Kleerup track. A very good debut from the Belgian duo Lullabies In The Dark . For now, it's available on 12" vinyl and digital only, alongside a pulsating, more dancefloor-friendly remix by Aeroplane and a quite good b-side called ' Code 7429 '. A promising start for an electronic band you'll possibly be hearing a lot more in the future. Lullabies In The Dark [...]
Hird is the alias of the 24-year-old Christoffer Berg, who hails from Gothenburg, Sweden. Honestly, I wouldn't discover him if it weren't for the fact that Yukimi Nagano, who happens to be a childhood friend of his, lent her vocals to some of his best tracks. She's one of my favorite vocalists, you may already have heard her phenomenal works with Koop. Speaking of Koop, Hird's music is not drastically different from them. Easy-breezy electrojazz . Relaxing, atmospheric deep house . Music that's best served chill. If you're a fan of that vibe, you're gonna like [...]
Hird is the alias of the 24-year-old Christoffer Berg, who hails from Gothenburg, Sweden. Honestly, I wouldn't discover him if it weren't for the fact that Yukimi Nagano, who happens to be a childhood friend of his, lent her vocals to some of his best tracks. She's one of my favorite vocalists, you may already have heard her phenomenal works with Koop. Speaking of Koop, Hird's music is not drastically different from them. Easy-breezy electrojazz . Relaxing, atmospheric deep house . Music that's best served chill. If you're a fan of that vibe, you're gonna like [...]
The thing about netlabels is that they don't find you. You have to find them yourself. So once I settled down with a decent label I can trust, the next sensible thing would be checking out the links section and have a look at the other possibly like-minded labels. That's exactly how I discovered this lovely compilation, courtesy of German netlabel Aerotone . The premise is as self-explanatory as its title: to "combine acoustic music with electronic bits and pieces". And the contributed tracks lived up well to the label's proclaimed statement: 'we love melancholic music'. It's a subtle, [...]
The thing about netlabels is that they don't find you. You have to find them yourself. So once I settled down with a decent label I can trust, the next sensible thing would be checking out the links section and have a look at the other possibly like-minded labels. That's exactly how I discovered this lovely compilation, courtesy of German netlabel Aerotone . The premise is as self-explanatory as its title: to "combine acoustic music with electronic bits and pieces". And the contributed tracks lived up well to the label's proclaimed statement: 'we love melancholic music'. It's a subtle, [...]
I Am Robot And Proud is the one-man-band moniker of Shaw-Han Liem, who resides in Ontario, Canada and makes little nuggets of chirpy instrumental laptop pop. Adjectives I would use to describe his sounds are: fun, playful, bubbly and delightful. The kind that I'd love to play during study time. He has released 3 full-lengths and is currently in the works for a new album, so look out for that. For now, check out 3 tracks from his most recent album, 'The Electricity In Your House Wants To Sing', and one bonus from a re-issue, 'The Catch & Spring [...]
I Am Robot And Proud is the one-man-band moniker of Shaw-Han Liem, who resides in Ontario, Canada and makes little nuggets of chirpy instrumental laptop pop. Adjectives I would use to describe his sounds are: fun, playful, bubbly and delightful. The kind that I'd love to play during study time. He has released 3 full-lengths and is currently in the works for a new album, so look out for that. For now, check out 3 tracks from his most recent album, 'The Electricity In Your House Wants To Sing', and one bonus from a re-issue, 'The Catch & Spring [...]
oto (previously mentioned here) is back with new materials, albeit this time with new members and a different name, soto . Brand new 4-song EP, self-titled, and totally guilt-free, released by netlabel Creation Centre. More blissful, cozy, texturally rich daydreaming tunes to warm you up. If you enjoy their previous effort, you'll feel the same with these tracks. Remember, in case you dig the two tracks below, feel free to go here and download the rest (and learn more about the band). Happy dreaming. [...]
oto (previously mentioned here) is back with new materials, albeit this time with new members and a different name, soto . Brand new 4-song EP, self-titled, and totally guilt-free, released by netlabel Creation Centre. More blissful, cozy, texturally rich daydreaming tunes to warm you up. If you enjoy their previous effort, you'll feel the same with these tracks. Remember, in case you dig the two tracks below, feel free to go here and download the rest (and learn more about the band). Happy dreaming. [...]
The Berlin-based producer-slash-musician's third album "Goodbye" was released back in June, and for me, it's another fine record of his trademark dreamy, ambient shoegaze electronica. His music has always been more about creating an atmosphere, a surface for listeners to float on. Close your eyes, ease your mind, and let your imagination take you to non-existent landscapes. My verdict: 3.5/5 stars. Ulrich Schnauss's currently on tour with vocalist Judith Beck. Ulrich Schnauss - Goodbye Ulrich Schnauss - A Song About Hope [...]
Bebel's the daughter of Brazillian guitarist João Gilberto, and she's been making a name of her own, too. Her latest album, 'Momento', also her third, was an essential summer record of mine. Her music is pretty much what you might expect, breezy bossa nova with acoustic guitars, Latin tones, and electronica flourishes. And she has quite an angelic, smooth voice to deliver those tunes in both English and Portugese. The best place to listen to the records is probably by the beach at a full-moon night. 3.5/5 stars. Bebel Gilberto - Night [...]
Bebel's the daughter of Brazillian guitarist João Gilberto, and she's been making a name of her own, too. Her latest album, 'Momento', also her third, was an essential summer record of mine. Her music is pretty much what you might expect, breezy bossa nova with acoustic guitars, Latin tones, and electronica flourishes. And she has quite an angelic, smooth voice to deliver those tunes in both English and Portugese. The best place to listen to the records is probably by the beach at a full-moon night. 3.5/5 stars. Bebel Gilberto - Night [...]
The other day I decided to watch Spirited Away, one of my all-time favorite animated movies, again, but this time I chose the English dubbed version. I remembered someone once said to me that Japanese is the cutest language ever, and I think in this case, that is aboslutely right. Though the voice actors did a fine job, it appeared that the original Japanese voice cast was part of its charm. Anyway, this time around, I paid more attention to the score, and it intrigued me enough to go look it up and found out that the composer is Joe [...]
Susumu Yokota is a well-respected Japanese ambient composer with works spanning over a decade, and though that pic above, shown on his homepage, might indicate that he has a sense of humor, his music tends to be on the more serious side. 'Love Or Die', his most recent album, was my first proper introduction to him. Experimental, yet not so unreachable, the album's a collection of ambient/electronica/post-rock tracks with lengthy, albeit descriptive titles. It's typically what you would normally expect from a Japanese name like his, something zen-like and vaguely melancholy, which is quite fitting for the winter weather. Play [...]
Eluvium - Repose In Blue ( Copia , 2007) Why: It has fireworks sounds (fireworks!) embedded from around the 5:34 mark. Happy new year, everyone! It's a brand new beginning...all over again...
The Bamboo Orchestra
Download: James Blake Live Album (Unofficial)
Lana Del Rey - Without You (Kill Paris Remix) [Dubstep]
My Funny Valentines
Miike Snow - “Paddling Out” Jacques Lu Cont Remix (MP3 Stream)
Iron & Wine and Patty Griffin
