There was a time, we suppose, before the term "laptop folk" existed, back when artists strummed guitars or pounded the ivories with just the basic instrument and a microphone at play. A one man band might have involved putting cymbals between your knees and maybe a harmonica bridge around your neck, but that was about it. Now we have DJs as well as artists from KT Tunstall to Imogen Heap, plugging in iPods or iMacs to the sound board, manipulating beats and instruments with a keystroke or two. Whatever we're harnessing creatively from this is still up for debate but [...]

Sorry guys, I've been too busy watching Cheaters , being a fatty, and promoting this stuff to post much lately.... but re-adjusting to the so-cal lifestyle is getting less taxing, so you can expect that once I find a place to live and buy some groceries I'll be giving you your Daily Bummer's, Flashback Fridays, and Fantastic Picks once again. Here's a brief one for the moment: Folktronica artist, James Yuill . Do people really use the term "folktronica"? I have qualms with it, especially in this circumstance cause this isn't really all that [...]
In the last year, Highland Park's Seasons has become one of the more ubiquitous bands in the L.A. scene. Their 7-member core group, which in recent months has been occassionally augmented to nine with Don from Don's Music and Matthew Teardrop from Manhattan Murder Mystery, is not only known to be one of the best bands coming out of the HLP, but also one of the most supportive. This band truly

by Bill Pearis DOWNLOAD : The Answering Machine - Another City, Another Sorry (MP3) DOWNLOAD : James Yuill - No Surprise (Operators Remix) (MP3) DOWNLOAD : The Answering Machine - Lightbulbs (James Yuill Remix) (MP3) The Answering Machine You've got two chances next week for a double bill of two up-and-coming UK artists: The Answering Machine and James Yuill [...]

Moshi Moshi Records has been preaching to us about folktronica master James Yuill for many months now but it wasn't until his performance at last night's Moshi/Wichita Christmas party that I realised just how awesome he really is. His debut album Turning Down Water for Air was released on October 13th and according to Moshi Moshi, it "fuses sweet and innocent acoustic melodies with some darkly introspective electronic magic." That's a pretty accurate description and predictably almost everyone seems to be labeling him the new Postal Service . However, there's more to [...]

Much as I love a bit of faux punk outrage and sub-electroclash nonsense from well brought up kids, every now and then I find myself yearning for something a little less synthetic and bleeding edge that isn't afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve. The last week or so the new Prince Language mix of LCD's 'Part 12 has been filling this role admirably. Probably my favourite track of the past couple of years, I was a little unsure as to how you could improve on perfection, but somehow P Lingo has managed [...]