Clammy echos

Two musical items for which you should take note; both of which are featured in post's mixture.



Firstly: Echo Gardens-

These are some foreigners that have soft melodies that are easily digested by the ears. Nothing complicated. Just nice easy listening. Ironic enough the couple songs I put in this mix are basically their most poppy songs. But hey, they're fun and harmless and they still maintain some of that dreamy texture that characterizes the rest of their music. In short, I'd say they are Zero7 meets Múm meets OK Computer.



Secondly: Clams Casino-

This guy is just your friendly neighborhood beat maker. Originally I rode him off because his choice of rappers was so poor. (I'm sorry but ASAP Rocky? Who likes that crap?) But I later heard the music he makes without the MC's, and me likes. Me gusta muy mucho. I love the lo-fi samples he chooses, the wordless vocals he utilizes, and the overall nostalgic feel of his songs. They are really simple, but so deep at the same time. Perfect for cloudy days. And partly cloudy days. And partly sunny days. And sunny side up eggs. This particular track I have listened too about 100 times (seriously, I have a high tolerance for tracks I like) and have concluded that should I have any say, I'd like to be listening to this song when I die.



Now for specifics, here's the track listing:

Echo Gardens - Step 0:01
Clams Casino - I'm God (instrumental)1:50
An Alien - Monologue 6:17
Echo Gardens - Intro 6:47 /Purple 8:51
Steve Hauschildt - Batteries May Drain 12:17
Radiohead - Staircase 14:20
Professor Penguin - Pilot (Wrigglesworth PSB Edit) 18:10
Stumbleine - Ember (Sorrow Remix) 22:52

Top 5 of 2011

Fresh out the box.
Stop!
Look, and watch.
Ready yet?
Get set.
It's moooore music!
 
(High fives if you know what that is.  Double dream hands if you don't...)
 
These little ditties are a good time for all.   Nujabes is one artist who made music that is pretty well universally appreciated.  With a plethora of instruments this boy was no synth-only composer,  he did well to sample many'a'flavors over some of the dopiest beats.  Piano, woodwinds, strings, exotic fruits, and the like, he makes about anything flow in these rich, smooth, and supple compositions.
 
And if you're not sure how 'supple' can describe music, you are not alone.  And if you wonder how beats can be dopey, you are not alone.  But if you don't like Nujabes on some level, there is something seriously amiss in your person. 

Spiritual State came out this year and will be his last LP.  (Unless his record label wants to release a lame remix album to make a buck, which is likely.)

Dude was undeniably talented and will surely maintain his underground fanbase long after his death.  There are certainly undertones of nostalgia in these trademark upbeat major-keyed tunes.  (Maybe I'm reading into them though the lens of my experience with Nujabes music...)  This album as a whole is good front to back, I've included just a few my fav's.
 
Enjoy.
 
Please. 
 
And thank you.





And (a couple weeks late) I have the best (in fact, not opinion) albums of 2011 in this particular order:

#5. Spiritual State by Nujabes

#4. Bless the Self by Geotic

#3. King of Limbs by Radiohead

#2. Drive by Tycho

#1. Tamer Animals by Other Lives


These may not have won any of MTV's "Idiot Music for Pop Society" awards, but they're the type of albums you can put on repeat, listen to them for hours on end, and still want to listen more the next day.  At least that's my experience with them.  They are probably in Bethany's list of "most overplayed" of 2011, which may hold some weight, but not really. 
 
Get these, people.  Get them all.  Play them back to back to back, over and over and over.  You don't have to be a rocket surgeon to appreciate them, but it may help.
 

Addendum: accepted.

Pleasant surprise today, Radiohead emailed me. They just wanted to say thanks for buying their last album, and were like, "oh by the way, here are a couple bonus songs that we couldn't make fit on the album." That's what I call quality follow up.

I'm not sure why they didn't put them on the King of Limbs, they seem to fit in my opinion, but hey, they make their own rules these days. What's amazing is that these aren't b-side quality tracks, they're just as good as the rest of the album.





Also, you may say its unrelated, but I just have to include a couple of my new favorite things...

For the listener

Weyll weyll weyll, what have we here...

...more unsolicited music! But this time you need to be excited, because ... I said so. Let's be honest anyway, I primarily started this blog for the aspect of having a musical outlet, otherwise this junk is exuding out of me with nowhere to go.

But seriously though, THIS playlist is my favorite! Why you ask? I answer: because it fits perfectly with a couple of my most favorite things, rainy days and falling asleep. Whats that you quibble? It is neither raining, nor are you about to fall asleep? Let me analogize: Beer goes great with pizza, but beer is not exclusive to accompany pizza consumption. Same idea here. Or perhaps you are not one to listen to music as you drift to asleepy place, wherefore I propose you haven't tried sleeping to these tunes. Whats that you say? You didn't know you could converse with my blog? Well, I believe you stand corrected.

And do not be fooled by the initial seemingly upbeat impression you're hearing; for, henceforth every song you listen to will be sleepier than its predecessor. And I confess in all sincerity that each one of these tunes fondle my emotions in some uniquely charming way, enough so that I've employed the awkward verbiage 'fondle' to describe it.

1. LORN (Cherry Moon)- is superdope. This is my favorite track of his and after about 100 listens, it remains three minutes of my day well spent.
2. Henrik José (Energy is for Henrik)- Originally when I heard this song I was not impressed due to it being essentially uneventful. But upon the third and fourth listen I realized that I love it... very much. I'm again not entirely sure why, besides it giving me that unique happy/sad sensation that only this kind of music can achieve.
3. Radiohead (Separator) - This new song off 'The King of Limbs' is flawless in my book, and if you have not yet acquired said album I must give thee a firm rebuke.
Rebuke: COMMENCED

... aaaaand rebuke complete.
Believe me, it was for your own good. You may think you have better ways to use your hard earned dollars, but I contend that to be most unlikely. Furthermore, due to the nearly inexhaustible nature of their music you get your $9 worth many times over. They have always produced solid albums, and this one follows that trend. (Beit only 37 minutes)
4. Moths (Heart) - This song has a subtle beatific element strung over a pronounced 'heart'-like beat which transitions nicely into...
5. Darkstar (Dear Heartbeat) - I have no idea what this guy is singing about and nowhere can I find the lyrics (any help?), but I dig forth the presence of melancholia in his tone; very Röyksopp meets Air.
6. Jon Hopkins (Light through the Veins) - This song is very Ulrich Schnauss-esque and every time I listen to it it evokes profound elation. And I am not one to suffer from unchecked emotions, but this one does it. If you don't have the patience to let this track do its job via audio aesthetics alone, try incorporating your conscious intellect by reading Romans 8 with the music in the background. (That's right, folks, techno to the glory of God.)
7. Memoryhouse (Lately) - Solemn and nostalgic; makes me miss everyone I love simultaneously (with gusto).
8. Radiohead (Codex) - More (unfiltered) excellence.
9. Shlohmo (Ghosts pt.2) - Love these piano loops and strong slow beat. Tip-top trip-hop.
10. Geotic (Find Your Peace) - His whole album "Mend" is the best ambient work I've come across. I just had to cherry pick a couple of my favorites which fit nicely in the flow of this playlist.
11. Halogen (Length and Brecht) - This song has a lot of way peaceful textures floating around and making it uberdreamy (moreso than Justin Bieberboy).
12. Geotic (Get Held) - If you're not asleep by now, this lil' lullaby oughta do it.
13. A Setting Sun (Raspberry) - Another great ambient track with seamless layers of natural soundscapes and thrumming synth chords.

WELP, there you have it, an hour of bliss. I know most are not willing to listen and will not get to take in the rapturous experience offered you. But as a music junkie, I cannot bear the responsibility of having such excellent musics and not using this blog as the obligatory proxy between them and your ears.

All to say, I have taken your proverbial horse to water...