What are you currently listening to?

[Randorama]

Can I raise my hand and ask for a demo/sample? I have a deep & visceral love for early minimalism, if it can be any indication.

[vol.2]

Can I raise my hand and ask for a demo/sample? I have a deep & visceral love for early minimalism, if it can be any indication.

I always provide a link to any music I post here or elsewhere on the site. Click on the image.

[Randorama]

Oh, sorry...I cannot even see the link; I swear, China and all that jazz.
I will check later.

[scrilla4rella]

I was digging that Patrick Cowley compilation for a bit. Been meaning to check out some of his tracks for a while now so that new comp was perfect.

Also been listening to the latest from Shinichi Atobe, Love of Plastic. His last three albums have been excellent. His earlier stuff took a while to click with me (very deep dubby techno) but his last three albums have a nice warmness to them. The mastering and sound design is impeccable.

I always get a chuckle out of all the speculation about who this guy is and if he's actually real or just a pseudonym of one of the Basic Channel guys. I guess I could send some of these music writers a link to Atobe’s very public Twitter account, where he’s constantly slagging on Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party and retweeting cool MaxMSP patches, but I find it more amusing letting them wallow in the whole 'exotic mystery man from Japan' thing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkmMGj7f6Tg
https://boomkat.com/products/love-of-plastic

Edit: music writers have it tough

[Koa Zo]

latest from Shinichi Atobe, Love of Plastic. His last three albums have been excellent. His earlier stuff took a while to click with me (very deep dubby techno) but his last three albums have a nice warmness to them. The mastering and sound design is impeccable.

First listen here and I'm enjoying this, thanks, had never heard of him before.

Here's an album whose art caught my eye in the sidebar Amazon Japan recommendations. That typography should win an award. The music is equally beautiful and can take ya somewhere
Space 1.8 from Nala Sinephro, mostly mellow sound space experimental jazz

Spoiler

WARP] fell in love with the new Nara Cinefro
Jazz sensibility, harp and modular synths
The debut album that has been praised for its meditative sound !!

London-based Belgian Caribbean composer, producer and musician Nara Cinefro has released a CD of her long-awaited debut album "Space 1.8" from the prestigious [WARP].
This work was digitally / streamed in September 2021, and only a very limited number was released on vinyl, and Pitchfork was selected as [Best New Music], and all major music media praised it in a blink of an eye. It was difficult to obtain.
The album's composition, production, performance, engineer, recording, and mixing are all done by the 22-year-old Cinefro himself, who also plays a modular synthesizer and a pedal harp.
The friends she collaborated with on this album include saxophonist Nubya Garcia, saxophonist James Morrison of Ezra Collective, and guitarist Shirley Tete and drummer from Maisha, who also belongs to Nubya Garcia. Jake Long, Sons of Kemet's drum, Eddie Hick, and other leaders in the contemporary UK jazz scene are on the same page.
As the song name suggests, the "space" infused into each song was recorded in a room filled with warm light. During the production of the album, she came up with lively colors to bring out the different frequencies of each color. It is a world of synesthesia (like feeling a certain sound, color), providing it as a space where listeners can escape and immerse themselves. Each song is recorded on the first take after eating, chatting, or meditating.
The domestic CD will include a manual by Mitsutaka Yanagi (Jazz The New Chapter).

[scrilla4rella]

cool, glad you checked out some Atobe. I'm digging the Space 1.8 tunes you linked. Will definitely give it a more serious listen when I have the time and *ahem* proper accouterments for a focused listening session.

[XoPachi]

holy shit

https://youtu.be/ZVJigvTWpWA

[vol.2]

i bought bee thousand in high school and listened to the crap out of it, but then i never checked out any other GBV until last year. i got vampires on titus and propeller. happy to say that, although they are fairly uneven, there are definitely some bangers on both albums. my gold star goes to weedking. this could cross-over into the rawk, but i felt like since it's scrappy and indie it really belongs here.

[To Far Away Times]

Went to the vinyl shop last weekend and picked up a few classics:

Steely Dan - Can't buy a thrill

Frampton comes alive

Deep Purple - Machinehead

[vol.2]

those are all tried and true

[Randorama]

+1 for Steely Dan. Listening to most of their catalogue feels like hugging my own Linus' quilt.
Sometimes I even find myself suckling my right thumb, when I play Rikki don't lose that number or Aja.

One song I need to listen to, at the end of a working week (i.e. Friday night, after midnight and before going to sleep), is The New Frontier (ok, from Fagen's The Nightfly).
When I was a younger lad, I would go out for a late night car ride around the mountains just to listen to this song while driving (bonus feelings if the weather was cold and cloudy).
In the back of my mind, that will be the song that I will play when I will know that my time has come.

I went to see Steely Dan at Sydney's Opera House when I was studying there, and to this day it remains an absolutely amazing, breathtaking experience.
Especially getting a signature from a very drunken Donald Fagen

[To Far Away Times]

I'll be seeing them live in a few months, so that's good to hear.

[vol.2]

oh man. he played in baltimore in january and the tickets were like $110. couldn't do it

[vol.2]

So this is fucking amazing. This is some obscure Swedish psych from the late 70s. It's like what if PF decided that Ummagumma and MORE were the best things they ever did and just rolled with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSE8i_H ... l=RichardW

[Ed Oscuro]

Biggoron - Obsidian Mile. A remix of a classic tune by Graeme Norgate for Blast Corps. It needs some love!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tozKS0k7SyA

[Steamflogger Boss]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2j2gGqRXxI

[BIL]

My mans WEIRDVERSIONS has honed his PEDOCORE to the sharpness of MANY-FOLDED NIPPON STEEL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6tuH1vK9jg

Like alchemising mush-mouthed subhuman garbage into Sir Paul he very self Enjoy catchy tunes while simultaneously putting a shoe into Lorne Armstrong's misshapen dome!

[BurlyHeart]

I gave up alcohol 4 months ago, and with the money saved I've been able to buy 8 albums (2 a month), 4 books, and a comixology subscription.

The albums I bought and listening to these days:
Coriky - Coriky
Home is Where - i became birds (bargain price)
Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart
Drive Like Jehu - Bullet Train to Vegas + Yank Crime
Big Black - Atomizer
Unwound - Fake Train + New Plastic Ideas
Nation of Ulysses - Plays Pretty for Baby

Loving them all, though slightly disappointed with Unwound. They were recommended to me given my love for Fugazi - I was told they were even better, so maybe my expectations were too high. Though I haven't heard their supposed masterpiece, Leaves Turn Inside You as yet.

[OmegaFlareX]

Big Black - Atomizer

Wasn't Big Black Steve Albini's band?

[vol.2]

uh huh. along with rapeman

[BurlyHeart]

Big Black - Atomizer

Wasn't Big Black Steve Albini's band?

Sure was. He's currently in a band called Shellac, which have some decent records, though I've yet to listen to them. I'm sure you know, but just for posterity, he's more well known for recording bands.

uh huh. along with rapeman

Terrible name for a band. I'm not super well-versed on his career, but I believe he's done a few things that he has gone on record as regretting.

[BIL]

Atomizer is bangin'. I like it even more than Songs About Fucking. In fact, I'm pretty sure I recall Albini himself warning on SAF's cover that it was, indeed, not as good as Atomizer.

uh huh. along with rapeman

Terrible name for a band. I'm not super well-versed on his career, but I believe he's done a few things that he has gone on record as regretting.

It is indeed a shame they jumped the gun on "Jordan, Minnesota." Punishing tribal intensity with an unfortunately spurious premise. I like to believe the song gains a second meaning: these things do indeed exist, but verification is critical, and proceeding without it can prove disastrous. (I wonder if Albini was a bit sheltered, given his younger self's apparent gusto at "exposing" depravity, as if there were anything less depressingly mundane...)

He owned up to it fairly well, I think. Dunno how I'd feel if it was named after my hometown, admittedly. Always the risk of overstepping the line with this sort of music. Enjoyed at knowing distance from whatever lyrical foibles it possesses, it's a killer record.

She had what they call~
A passing complexion~

^^^ Arf arf! Coulda been a song about my grandma!

I gave up alcohol 4 months ago, and with the money saved I've been able to buy 8 albums (2 a month), 4 books, and a comixology subscription.

Nicely done. It's good to think in the long term with consumables, imo. Kicked booze entirely in my 20s and most of my 30s for similar reasons. I'm from a large family of committed beer lovers, so I inevitably have a few whenever we get together nowadays, but my old man always counseled moderation similarly.

[OmegaFlareX]

I'm sure you know, but just for posterity, he's more well known for recording bands.

Right, I know of him due to In Utero and Failure's Comfort. I did finally listen to Jesus Lizard's Goat last week (as it was one of the reasons why Failure sought out Albini), well some of it. It was very much Not My Thing.

FWIW, while In Utero is probably Nirvana's best-sounding album, Comfort didn't fare so well. Failure is a shoegaze-adjacent band, and Albini's extremely dry production (lack of effects) doesn't fit well with that style. Drums sounded good at least!

[BurlyHeart]

It is indeed a shame they jumped the gun on "Jordan, Minnesota." Punishing tribal intensity with an unfortunately spurious premise. I like to believe the song gains a second meaning: these things do indeed exist, but verification is critical, and proceeding without it can prove disastrous. (I wonder if Albini was a bit sheltered, given his younger self's apparent gusto at "exposing" depravity, as if there were anything less depressingly mundane...)

He owned up to it fairly well, I think. Dunno how I'd feel if it was named after my hometown, admittedly. Always the risk of overstepping the line with this sort of music. Enjoyed at knowing distance from whatever lyrical foibles it possesses, it's a killer record.

I was going to mention Jordan, Minnesota in my previous post actually, but I was at work and didn't fancy doing a deep dive into the subject on a work PC. I do like the song. Kerosene is another dark and quality tune.

Nicely done. It's good to think in the long term with consumables, imo. Kicked booze entirely in my 20s and most of my 30s for similar reasons. I'm from a large family of committed beer lovers, so I inevitably have a few whenever we get together nowadays, but my old man always counseled moderation similarly.

Thank you. There was no special reason. One weekend, I just decided I didn't want to. Then the same the following weekend and so on. Now, if I want a drink, I think about the albums & books I've bought and how much happier I am having listened to or read them. The urge quickly passes. I've nothing against alcohol though, and would happily have a pint with the right company. However, I definitely have zero interest in getting drunk again.

Right, I know of him due to In Utero and Failure's Comfort. I did finally listen to Jesus Lizard's Goat last week (as it was one of the reasons why Failure sought out Albini), well some of it. It was very much Not My Thing.

FWIW, while In Utero is probably Nirvana's best-sounding album, Comfort didn't fare so well. Failure is a shoegaze-adjacent band, and Albini's extremely dry production (lack of effects) doesn't fit well with that style. Drums sounded good at least!

That Jesus Lizard album is actually one of my next purchases. I do like the sound Albini gets, and his ability to record drums are legendary. Mclusky Do Dallas is a perhaps lesser known album he recorded, but I think it's his best work. I have heard it suggested he focuses more if he likes the band (unless its Fugazi - he had a recording session with the band, but they ended up going in a different direction. Albini admitted he dropped the ball, possibly because he was too much of a fan.)

[TransatlanticFoe]

Mclusky are a good example of Albini's sometimes hit and miss production, because he did the follow up to Do Dallas and it reminds me of how he fared with another band around the same time, yourcodenameis:milo. It quite literally sounds like he straight up recorded the band play in a box and done - it's too loud and lo-fi, and sucks some of the energy away. Do Dallas is so much clearer, it almost sounds like a different band. But I know people who loved the production I hated, funny how that goes sometimes.

Also, did not expect to see a mention of Mclusky here because they were always fairly niche even within the UK rock scene at the time. They're playing again as a proper band at the moment and recording new stuff. The frontman's follow-up band (same drummer Mclusky ended with) Future of the Left is worth checking out too.

[BurlyHeart]

Mclusky are a good example of Albini's sometimes hit and miss production, because he did the follow up to Do Dallas and it reminds me of how he fared with another band around the same time, yourcodenameis:milo. It quite literally sounds like he straight up recorded the band play in a box and done - it's too loud and lo-fi, and sucks some of the energy away. Do Dallas is so much clearer, it almost sounds like a different band. But I know people who loved the production I hated, funny how that goes sometimes.

That's a good point which I agree with. The follow-up album certainly lacked the energy of Do Dallas and I wasn't a huge fan of it when I first heard it. It's somewhat grown on me since. I don't think Albini was credited on the follow up, so I was never sure if he actually did the recording. Mclusky did mention they were sick of questions form the media about Albini, so it's possible they wanted to leave him off.

Also, did not expect to see a mention of Mclusky here because they were always fairly niche even within the UK rock scene at the time. They're playing again as a proper band at the moment and recording new stuff. The frontman's follow-up band (same drummer Mclusky ended with) Future of the Left is worth checking out too.

I would love to see them live, but I doubt they will travel to my neck of the woods. Might pick up the live DVD tho. They're in my top five favorite bands, I think.

I never really got into Future of the Left, even though I've seen them live. I'm not sure why. Will have to give them another listen.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Boards of Canada - Geogaddi

This song is so dope. Wish I knew about some more stuff that sounds like this.

https://youtu.be/-6th_CqdjXc

[TransatlanticFoe]

Discogs credits him, I'm away from my copy to be able to check the liner notes though. Wouldn't be surprised if they were unhappy and left the credit out, the stuff they play off it is so much better live. I recommend the DVD, I was at the London show on it

Future of the Left - there's a sizeable gap between the first three albums (an artier Mclusky) and the rest (heavier, more experimental and dirtier). His wife, a bass player in various hardcore/metal outfits previously, joined for the third record but had a bigger impact on the sound of later albums. So maybe try the other side of what you last listened to? He's got a solo project, Christian Fitness, which is worth checking out for how nuts some of it is!

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Harold Faltermeyer's "Darkstar" and "Tally Two / What's the Plan / F-14" from Top Gun Maverick.

Those two themes are very epic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi70pzW_l7k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHs2QFcDK_8

[vol.2]

Boards of Canada - Geogaddi

This song is so dope. Wish I knew about some more stuff that sounds like this.

https://youtu.be/-6th_CqdjXc

yes. excellent album. not quite MHTRTC, but it's a stellar release nonetheless.

I guess if you haven't heard it, there is of course Squarepusher. Would recommend starting with the Big Loada EP, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2crQ2o ... sherCorner

And please make sure you have heard Autechre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKI_swZ ... l=msc12msc

It's more house than IDM, but you can't can't go wrong with Carl Craig's Paperclip People project. It's House music's answer to IDM in the 90s and every bit as amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOK421U ... nnel=Bstep

I can go on, or dig deeper for you if you have heard all these before.



Recently been revisiting some of my old cassettes I broke out of storage. Really enjoyed some late 80s Psychedelic Furs. The album Books of Days suffers from about half mediocre filler material, but the overall vibe of the band on the album is incredible. It's still totally recognizable as the band that did Pretty and Pink, but it's morphed into something new that sounds a lot like what the recent crop of post-punk revivalists are trying to conjure. It's somewhere between late 70s CBGBs and 90s indy-grunge ala latter day screaming trees.