I've developed an obsession for Japanese underground music scene lately. Japan is quite a land of diversity, isn't it? All the Ayumis, Utadas, and Namies can battle for the number one spot on the national charts, and still there are plenty of undiscovered fields for those avant-garde, experimental artist to conquer. Gutevolk is the moniker of Hirono Nishiyama, whose latest album entitled 'Tiny People Singing Over The Rainbow' (kawaii!) was just released in February this year. Her music is a blend of so many different genres that it becomes unclassifiable. It's folk-tinged, it's dream-pop, it's shoegaze, it's ambient, [...]
Like most people, the song that introduced me to Pink Martini was 'Sympathique' (and the clever educational video of it). I immediately fell in love with them, and seeked out for more. The Portland-based 12-piece band, with lead vocals of China Forbes, play this kind of big-band, loungey, classical, Latin-influenced cabaret music. Hard to pin it down, but it's all very soothing and easy listening. Their latest album, 'Hey Eugene', got a 3.5/5 from me. Though the fun is still there, I still felt as if something was missing, and I didn't really look forward to [...]
Like most people, the song that introduced me to Pink Martini was 'Sympathique' (and the clever educational video of it). I immediately fell in love with them, and seeked out for more. The Portland-based 12-piece band, with lead vocals of China Forbes, play this kind of big-band, loungey, classical, Latin-influenced cabaret music. Hard to pin it down, but it's all very soothing and easy listening. Their latest album, 'Hey Eugene', got a 3.5/5 from me. Though the fun is still there, I still felt as if something was missing, and I didn't really look forward to [...]
Another late night mix, best to be listened to alone in a dark, void room filled with a stark silence. Five downbeat, meditative instrumental piano pieces. The first two is lingering, airy ambient. German-born composer Max Richter mixed piano and string arrangements to make a piece that deserves to be a movie score, and Craig Armstrong provides one that's already in a critically-acclaimed movie. To end the list is the Grammy-winning instrumental track from songstress Sarah McLachlan's landmark album in 1997. Enjoy. Eluvium - Prelude For Time Feelers (Copia, 2007) [...]
Another late night mix, best to be listened to alone in a dark, void room filled with a stark silence. Five downbeat, meditative instrumental piano pieces. The first two is lingering, airy ambient. German-born composer Max Richter mixed piano and string arrangements to make a piece that deserves to be a movie score, and Craig Armstrong provides one that's already in a critically-acclaimed movie. To end the list is the Grammy-winning instrumental track from songstress Sarah McLachlan's landmark album in 1997. Enjoy. Eluvium - Prelude For Time Feelers (Copia, 2007) [...]
Epic45 is Ben Holton and Rob Glover. Their latest album, 'May Your Heart Be The Map' was out earlier this year on the UK indie label Make Mine Music. Their music is mostly-instrumental glitchy electronica fused with acoustic sounds, a tad experimental yet accesible, with quite illustrative track titles. Definitely a record for the morningtime. A lovely way to start your day/your season of falling leaves. 3.5/5 . Epic45 - The Stars In Spring Epic45 - Winterbirds Epic45 - We Grew Up [...]
Epic45 is Ben Holton and Rob Glover. Their latest album, 'May Your Heart Be The Map' was out earlier this year on the UK indie label Make Mine Music. Their music is mostly-instrumental glitchy electronica fused with acoustic sounds, a tad experimental yet accesible, with quite illustrative track titles. Definitely a record for the morningtime. A lovely way to start your day/your season of falling leaves. 3.5/5 . Epic45 - The Stars In Spring Epic45 - Winterbirds Epic45 - We Grew Up [...]
Readymade FC is the one-man band of French multi-instrumentalist/producer Jean-Philippe Verdin. Though his sophomore album 'Babilonia' was released back in Jan 2006, it was only today that I had the chance to listen to it in its entirety. His music is impossible to pigeonhole. Electronic textures? Check. Folky acoustic guitar? Check. Baroque pop? Check. Feist collaboration? Check. With so many influences and sounds wrapped up in one, it's an amazing album that's enjoyable from start to finish, one that I can be sure I will revisit for weeks to come. I dare you to listen to 'The Only [...]
Readymade FC is the one-man band of French multi-instrumentalist/producer Jean-Philippe Verdin. Though his sophomore album 'Babilonia' was released back in Jan 2006, it was only today that I had the chance to listen to it in its entirety. His music is impossible to pigeonhole. Electronic textures? Check. Folky acoustic guitar? Check. Baroque pop? Check. Feist collaboration? Check. With so many influences and sounds wrapped up in one, it's an amazing album that's enjoyable from start to finish, one that I can be sure I will revisit for weeks to come. I dare you to listen to 'The Only [...]
Bitter:sweet are Shana Halligan & Kiran Shahani, based in Los Angeles. Sultry, sexy and hip-swaying, that's the sound they aim for. I can imagine their songs playing in exquisite lounges, full of glamorous-looking, martini-sipping women in designer dresses, and well-groomed, nicely-suited businessmen. In fact, they wouldn't sound out of place at all in a Bond movie, or some '60s spy films. Or as background music in a cocktail party. Their debut 'The Mating Game' was released in April 2006 by Quango. Try one or two of the first tracks and if you dig them, just grab the rest. They're all [...]
Bitter:sweet are Shana Halligan & Kiran Shahani, based in Los Angeles. Sultry, sexy and hip-swaying, that's the sound they aim for. I can imagine their songs playing in exquisite lounges, full of glamorous-looking, martini-sipping women in designer dresses, and well-groomed, nicely-suited businessmen. In fact, they wouldn't sound out of place at all in a Bond movie, or some '60s spy films. Or as background music in a cocktail party. Their debut 'The Mating Game' was released in April 2006 by Quango. Try one or two of the first tracks and if you dig them, just grab the rest. They're all [...]
Toy is a Norway-based duo that makes playful, whimsical instrumental electronica. They use toy instruments and household item sound effects to create a childlike, cheery surroundings that ought to make you feel all jolly inside. Even the titles sound like those of colorful pop-up books. Fun bedroom music for both adults and children, or that child still hidden in you. Their self-titled debut was released in 2006 on Smalltown Supersound. Check out two tracks below. Toy - Rabbits Pushing Mower Toy - Golden Fish In Pool (Toy, 2006) [...]
A themed mix, designed for those in-flight time you spend looking out of the window plane. Put these tunes on your headphones, relax, and let them put your mind at ease. Here we have an otherworldly, gorgeous hymn from Goldfrapp, one of the best tracks of her entire career, a short, soothing groove from David Snell, a tune from French shoegaze masters M83, The Books' sample-laden track, and the title track from German Ulrich Schnauss' latest offering. Enjoy. Goldfrapp - Pilots (Felt Mountain, 2001) David Snell - International Flight [...]
Hooverphonic's a renowned Belgian electronic outfit whose music I only discovered earlier this year. They were part of the '90s trip-hop scene, right up there with the likes of Massive Attack, UNKLE, Tricky... I have only listened to two of their albums, 'Blue Wonder Power Milk' and 'The Magnificent Tree', and on each of those two is a totally outstanding song that overshadowed the rest, though there are indeed other fine moments. 'This Strange Effect' is a classic of its genre. So grandeur and hypnotic it is that I can't believe that nobody has put up [...]
I never learnt how to make a proper first post. Never really did. I couldn't even choose the right picture, so I just doodled something for 10 seconds and uploaded it here (as I can see now, it looked quite craptacular). I don't know what to say either. Maybe something about why I start this, when I've already got another to handle, I suppose. Well, here it goes. Over the last two years, I've been exposed to a whole new horizon of music, one that was previously unknown to me. As I go on, more and more keeps finding its [...]
The Bamboo Orchestra
Bison - Quill
Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
Shinichi Osawa – Big Beach Mix 2012
