Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Les Sins

Some people in the world just have the gift of making music.  They have a natural ability to compose beats, riffs, and melodies in mass amounts and have it sound good.  Dan Snaith, the genius behind Caribou and Manitoba, apparently recorded 670 songs for his album Andorra, while Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Atlas Sound releases albums and mixtapes at an alarming pace (he recently released four "Databank Bedroom" Volumes under Atlas Sound for free here).  Although I can't seem to locate the exact article, I once read an interview where someone said that Cox "shits out music that takes others months to make".  Yes, it's unfair.  Yes, I wish I could do that.  But alas, I cannot, and therefore I will instead pitch the idea that maybe Chaz Bundwick of Toro Y Moi is emerging as one of those artists.  In early January of 2010, he released the chillwave Causers of This, and has already announced a new album Underneath the Pine to come out in February of 2011.  Meanwhile, in July he released a single entitled "Leave Everywhere", and now has released a single for his side project called Les Sins.  Needless to say, it's been a busy (and successful) year for Mr. Bundwick.  What's cool is that Les Sins is not like Toro Y Moi, but very different.  As mentioned before, Causers of This was a chillwave album, utilizing dreamy synths and glitch.  Instead of making something that I'm sure a lot of people get high to, Les Sins is all about moving your feet, not bumming out on a couch.  The single Lina includes two European disco-inspired tunes full of awesome bass hooks and beats, with a sampling of a female vocal in the first song "Lina".  Damn, is it ever catchy as hell.  The future looks promising!  Have a listen to it below:



Pick it up here.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Jonquil

As I emerged from my Thanksgiving food coma the other day, I was happy to come across the emerging British band called Jonquil.  On November 16th of this year, they released a new EP called One Hundred Suns, a fun and happy collection of songs that plays from beginning to finish quite easily.  I think one of the things that drew me to it was it's jangle pop influence, reminiscent of The Smiths and R.E.M., two of my favorite acts from the '80s.  This is a little different from their previous releases, which tend to be more folkish and dreary, not quite so pop.  Yet the different direction they seem to be taking might be working well; they recently signed with Dovecote Records (same as The Futureheads, Aberdeen City, and Bad Veins) and have played with such acts of Foals.  This EP just might be the one to launch them a little higher, I am pumped to see where they go!  Below I've posted the song "Fighting Smiles" from the recent release One Hundred Suns.  Hope ya'll like it.

 Fighting Smiles

Snag this and another track here.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Kisses

The two-person band Kisses had a good deal of buzz leading up to their debut album The Heart of the Nightlife, especially with the song "Bermuda", which is a delightful Air France sounding tropical inspired tune.  It was enough to sprout my curiosity, and finally on November 16th of this year, the full album was released.  Overall, the songs on The Heart of the Nightlife are pretty consistent with "Bermuda"; most possess a catchy Caribbean-pop beat intertwined with some definite New Wave inspirations.  It wouldn't surprise me at all if Kisses listened to a lot of bands like XTCNew Order, or Prefab Sprout, some of the more influential bands of the '80s.  Most tracks use those elements to create laid back and beach sounding atmospheres, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise considering that they're from Los Angeles, the land of cool.  I've posted the songs "Kisses" and "Lovers" for you to have a listen to.  Hope you guys dig it.

 Kisses by Kisses

 Lovers by Kisses

Pick up these and few more tracks here.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Sky Hiker

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to interview one of my favorite ambient/chillwave artists Sky Hiker about his musical background, inspirations, and ambitions.  Now, on top of being kind enough to give such great and detailed answers to the interview, he has sent me his new track to hear and post on to the blog before uploading it onto his Myspace and Bandcamp.  The track is entitled "Run, Love, Fight" and it's off of his upcoming EP called thebeat myheart willskip.  It's a very uplifting and inspirational instrumental piece with a brilliant build towards the song's climax, making it a fantastic addition to Sky Hiker's earlier EP, Underwater Colors.  The intention of it is described as a "revolution which is happening in your heart", the song being a "journey with no return" where "going back isn't an option".  With this being said, I not only think the premise behind the song is a fantastic one, but it is also accomplished beautifully.  Given his great talent, I am looking forward to hearing what comes next!  Be one of the first to listen to "Run, Love, Fight" below:


And as he has mentioned in the interview, he is offering all of his music for free.  He has sent me the link, where you can download it here.  Be sure to check out his Bandcamp and Myspace for upcoming news and updates.  I'd also like to give a huge thanks to the Sky Hiker for sending me the fantastic track!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Cut Copy

Finally.  This is exactly what I've been waiting for!  Yet another Cut Copy single to tease me until February for the release of their new album Zonoscope.  If you're a huge fan of Cut Copy like I am, everything pointing towards the new record suggests that it'll be fantastic.  Firstly, the two singles that have been released so far are great; beginning with "Where I'm Going" (although they've since told us that it isn't going to be the exact version) and now "Take Me Over".  Secondly, it's being mixed by Ben H. Allen, the same guy behind the masterminds of Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, and Deerhunter.  And lastly, the band has said on multiple occasions that they're experimenting with more organic instrumentation and trying to create a different "music universe" within the album.  If anything, the new song "Take Me Over" hints that they're doing that quite well, just adding to the excitement.  Now, all we have to do is wait until February 8th........this is going to be a very long two and a half months.

Have a listen:

 Cut Copy - "Take Me Over" (Radio Edit) Premiere

You can grab it here.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Lemâitre

The Facebook page of Lemâitre states bluntly: "We is discodudes."  They're certainly not lying; with such influences as Daft Punk, Justice, Deadmau5, and Phoenix (as stated on their bio), Lemâitre offers some fresh electro-disco/electronica to the music scene.  They pull it off well, too.  Most notably their new song, "Blue Shift", which was posted on to their SoundCloud, has had me rockin' my head back and forth with its light and extremely catchy synth beat.  I wasn't surprised at all to find the duo of Lemâitre (Ketil Jansen and Ulrik Denizou Lund) are from Norway, which has developed a fantastic electronic music scene.  They've started to grow outside of Norway, though, and as stated on a Musigh interview (which is worth checking out), they'll start playing abroad in the near future.  I definitely wish them the best of luck in their travels, I am sure they put on a pretty mean show.  What's also sweet is that they offer all their music for free to download on their SoundCloud, which you can check out here.  Below I've posted their new song "Blue Shift", and an older one entitled "Come Again".  Have a listen, hope ya dig it:

 Blue Shift by Lemâitre

 Come Again by Lemâitre

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tame Impala

Words cannot express my excitement.  This Friday I'm going into New York City to see Tame Impala, easily one of my favorite bands to have emerged this year.  I just can't get enough of their late-60s psychedelic revival, it's such a breath of fresh air from so much other crap that comes out these days.  Their psych-rock sounds pretty true to the era; I recently introduced them to one of my friends who lives on my floor and he said that if I didn't tell him they were a modern band, he "wouldn't have known the difference between them and a band from the '60s."  I think that's a pretty impressive feat for a band, not everyone can do that and do it so well.  As in most instances when I'm going to see a band live, I go through a listening binge beforehand.  As I listened again and again, I couldn't help but think that their earlier 2008 EP was put on the back-burner after the release of InnerSpeaker that came out this year.  Obviously a new release of such praise as InnerSpeaker would overshadow an EP that came out two years ago, but as I was listening to the Tame Impala EP today, I figured I'd try and revive it a little bit.  If you're at all into '60s psychedelic, definitely check it out.  Below I have posted "Skeleton Tiger" from the EP; have a listen:

 Skeleton Tiger

And for anyone who hasn't heard their new album InnerSpeaker, here's a little sampling of it with "It Is Not Meant To Be."

 It Is Not Meant To Be

Monday, November 15, 2010

NazcarNation

Around two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get an interview with a guy who calls himself Sky Hiker.  Recently, I also had the privilege of being able to interview another band that I've been into lately; they call themselves NazcarNation and they hail from the great city of Los Angeles.  Earlier this year, they released their first EP called Dynazty and follow-up album of remixes from that very EP.  The EP is very promising, offering a variety of different sounds and styles.  Songs range from a short instrumental psychedelic song entitled "The Swell" to "Trust Fall", which has a dubstep-like interlude in the middle of the song.  Meanwhile, tracks like "Destiny Intro" and "Beeswax" have a laid-back, tropical, sun-inspired sound to them.  Through and through, the EP is a fantastic listen, and the best part is that you can name your price to get it at their Bandcamp, so be sure to check it out!

NazcarNation is a trio consisting of Chris Wargo (beats, vocals), "Tiger" (vocals, guitar, bass), and Mark Balane (drums, bass).  Check out what they had to say below:

What's the background story behind NazcarNation?  How did the band come about?
Tiger:  We all worked together as a start up but in different departments.  Wargo and I started working on songs after deciding to start a band while watching Death Set over tall cans of Colt 45.  Wargo is boss at engineering and producing.  I play some instruments.  Balane is technically a badass at bass and drums but it took us awhile to figure that out since he's a quiet one.  He's also supremely stylish and we needed a rep in that department.
Wargo:  We just want to get fucked up and fuck bitches.  Being in a band was the best way we could come up with to do both ALL.  THE.  TIME.
Balane:  Sometimes I play guitar.


Which past artists/bands inspire you most when it comes to making music?
Tiger:  Joao Gilberto, the dudes from Pinback, Brian Wilson, Tears for Fears, Appleseed Cast, Bobby Caldwell, Todd Rundgren.
Wargo:  The lamb chop sing-a-long song.
Balane:  The Dismemberment Plan and Cornbread Compton.


What are some of your favorite releases to come out this year?
Wargo:  The Antoine Dodson remix, This Great Pressure by Jogger, The Lady Killer by Cee-Lo Green (I know it's not out yet but I know it will be dope as fuck), and anything from the guys who remixed our Dynazty EP (seriously).
Tiger:  I'm really digging the Electric Sunset album, the Brothertiger and Keepaway EPs, this album by a band in Pittsburgh called Mother Sun, the "Twins" (Sister and Shadow).  It's really overwhelming because there are so many amazing releases that are both catchy and abstract at the same time.  That balance has always been something that's hard to figure out.
Balane:  Warpaint's The Fool and Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.


On your remixes release you collaborated with such bands as StewRat and unouomedude, who are also making some great music at the moment.  Can fans expect any future endeavors with these groups?
Balane:  I am a big fan of anyone who takes time to remix our tracks.
Tiger:  We would be honored to work with any of those artists again.  They have a couch and a shower waiting for them in LA if they ever come through.  We booked a show with James & Evander (Oakland) when they were down here but the venue was closed by the cops a few days prior.  We ended up having them play in my basement.  Their set up is a Juno, Moog, Ableton, guitar, and a lil Casio and some effects so it allowed us enough space to pack 25 people plus the band in a 12x12 room.  Very intimate and sexy.
Wargo:  Love those guys.


Which modern music website (like Myspace or Bandcamp for example) has helped you the most in getting your name recognized and why?
Balane:  Do people still use Myspace?
Tiger:  We love the Bandcamp model, but in terms of recognition we owe it to the Tumblr blogs and recommendation sites like last.fm.  It's weird to look at our last.fm page and see a 16 year old girl in Japan listening to one of our songs at 7 AM.
Wargo:  Twitter.  The epitome of online "word of mouth".


If you could play in any city in the world, where would it be and why?
Balane:  I heard they love us out in Germany and Mexico.  Anywhere in those countries.
Tiger:  Maybe somewhere insane like Easter Island or Florianopolis, Brazil.
Wargo:  First choice Pittsburgh, must rep the roots.  Second choice, what Tiger said but my choice would be within an Egyptian pyramid or Mayan temple.


Are you in the process of writing new music?  How does the style sound in comparison to the EP?
Tiger:  Yes.  I'd say it's simpler.  We want to limit the amount of elements going on.  The most important thing is to have a good melody and phrasing.  That and an instant recognizable groove are what people relate to most.
Wargo:  I am a big fan of interesting transitions and build-ups so there should be some fresh production techniques used in those areas.
Balane:  Our new jams are way sexy.


And lastly, what is the timetable for fans to expect your first full-length album?
Wargo:  When someone pays for us to record it in a legit studio.
Balane:  After we tour with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. in the "Indie 500".
Tiger:  We are all about the "donut holes rather than donuts" approach.  Probably just more EPs, remixes, singles, and the like.  If we were to ever do a full-length album, we'd need to quit our day jobs, move to a remote area and create some epic concept album with an overture and motifs.  In other words, a donut you don't get sick of by the end.


I've posted the songs "Destiny Intro" and "Beeswax" for you to listen to.  Hope you guys dig it, and remember to check out their Bandcamp to pick up the EPs.  And of course, thank you to NazcarNation for taking time to do this!

 Destiny Intro

 Beeswax

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Radio Dept.

These guys are on a roll.  Starting with the album Clinging To A Scheme earlier this year, The Radio Dept. followed up with the single "The New Improved Hypocrisy" and have now released an EP, Never Follow Suit.  I have been loving everything these guys have released recently, and so far this year it has been a fun ride following them.  Still, it surprises me how little recognition they get over in the States, especially considering how popular they are in Europe.  Their website claims that 200GB of Radio Dept. music is downloaded daily on the internet.  I am just short of 11,000 songs on my iTunes and I don't even have 60GB....200GB is a lot of fucking music!  I can only imagine how many downloads bigger bands like Vampire Weekend or (even bigger) The Red Hot Chili Peppers get...but I digress.  Anyway, here's a fantastic song off the new EP, it's called "On Your Side".  If you've liked any Radio Dept. this year, I'm pretty sure you'll like this too.

 On Your Side

You can get it here.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Family of the Year

Last year, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros was one of the indie folk bands to make a name for themselves.  Now, just about everyone is familiar with their song "Home", which was a terrific throwback channeling the true hippie days of old.  Also, they are from California, which I imagine is quite appropriate considering the music style.  Now I wonder, is it possible Family of the Year could be following in Sharpe's path?  They're from Los Angeles, just like Sharpe, and also have a fantastic folk pop sound.  The sextet has slowly been making progress, starting to travel longer distances and play more shows outside of their native California.  They've also released an EP entitled Through the Trees earlier in the year, which was very well received.  My favorite song off of it is called "Chugjug", which bears a resemblance to "Home" with it's play between male and female vocalization.  It'll be sick to see what these guys have in store next, it's not every day a band can pull off some old-style folk.  Gotta love me some '60s!

 Chugjug

Get it here.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Hard 2 Obtain

When people refer to the "golden age" of hip-hop, it's hard to stamp an exact definition of it.  Some will associate the beginning of the "golden age" with the development of Run-DMC in 1986, while others can argue that the movement really started to gain momentum with the release of The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest in 1991.  Some say it ended at the start of the new millennium, while others disagree and say it was sooner.  Either way, I think it's safe to take the middle ground and state that the years between 1992-1996 saw some pretty damn good hip-hop albums, all of which probably fall within the "golden age" era.  1994 was a particularly good year for the east coast hip-hop lovers, where we see some amazing releases from some of the greats; Nas, Notorious B.I.G., Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Gang Starr, Beastie Boys, Redman, Method Man, Organized Konfusion, Jeru the Damaja, O.C., Digable Planets, etc.  Point being...there was a lot.  So much so in fact, that so many hip-hop groups go under the radar.  Many of these guys who went unnoticed tended to release an album and quit, perhaps seeing the immense successes of Nas and B.I.G. and going "well....shit."

The trio Hard 2 Obtain (H2O) was one of those groups that had a one-and-done type album called Ism & Blues.  Unfortunately, they never got the credit they deserved and were overshadowed by much of the other stuff going on.  Ism & Blues has a lot of the ingredients that make up east coast hip-hop in 1994; a fair share of jazz samples, focus on lyrical finesse, and organic percussion.  It's too bad H2O didn't take off, cause their creativity is pretty evident, and it would've been real cool to see what they could've accomplished in future ventures.  For now, though, they'll just have to remain deep in the annals of east coast lore.  Check out "Heels Without Souls" and "L.I. Groove" from Ism & Blues below.



Pick 'em up here.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Teen Daze

With a name like Teen Daze, we can already assume a lot.  The play of words will probably leave many people believing that the music is hazy, nostalgic, and youthful.  In the case of Vancouver's Teen Daze, these people would be absolutely right.  Teen Daze has been one of the better dreamscape artists to come out with an EP this year, his quality and purpose much more defined than others who have released stuff similar to his.  I guess this shouldn't be a surprise, with such a band name the intention of the music is pretty clear....just as it might be pretty easy to guess what kind of music a band like Septic Flesh would play.  Also, Daze's EP Four More Years was well-planned, being released July 27th near the peak of summer, a perfect time for a college student like me to pick it up and give it a listen.  Since this, Teen Daze has gone through a decent run of song remixes (remixing such bands as Twin Sister, Young Man, and Local Natives), collaborations (with bands like Houses), and as of a few days ago, has a new single.  It's called "Watch Over Me", and it's got all the goods that helped launch his previous works: dream synths, soothing vocals, and a call to the teen days.  I've posted "Watch Over Me" below, along with "Four More Years" from the EP.

 Watch Over Me

 Four More Years

You can download the new single and a few songs off the EP here.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Lay Bac

Earlier this year, the band Lay Bac came out with an album that kind of freaked me out.  The album felt all over the place, infusing lo-fi guitar jams with indie club sounds and covering it all up with walls of static noise.  It was experimental to say the least, and in many ways it was haunting...almost creepy.  In my eyes, it was a musical enterprise gone awry.  Regardless, it generated a good deal of buzz.  I would imagine this is due to its attempt at originality and creativity, which as I've mentioned before, seems to be a desired standard of a lot of new music (an example I've mentioned before, folk artist Sufjan Stevens being praised with his recent glitch songs).  With that being said, when I heard Lay Bac was releasing a new single, I was skeptical.  Yet, as music proves time and time again, it can surprise the hell out of you.  The recent single, "Stay Out Tonight", is nothing what I expected...and since Lay Bac has thrived on being experimental so far, why not throw a curveball?  Instead of a daunting and fuzzy song, the instrumentation is cleaner (with exception of the vocals, which are echoed), and the track is given a dose of '70s disco influence.  Instead of dark, it's actually very uplifting, reminiscent of a summer beach track.  It's quite addicting, and I'm kind of hoping this is more the path they're going to take in the future.  I've posted "Stay Out Tonight" below, feel free to give it a listen.

 Stay Out Tonight

Download it here.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Sky Hiker

Recently I've gotten into the pattern of putting in my headphones as I'm laying in bed about to go to sleep.  A lot of the music at the late hour consists of the chillwave genre, usually intertwined with a lot of laid back instrumental ambient works.  As much of that kind of music is intended to do, it helps me unwind and relax.  One such artist who I have found myself listening a lot to is the emerging talent called Sky Hiker from Brussels, who is gaining more and more buzz.  So far, he has released one official EP under his name; a 3-song gem entitled Underwater Colors.  One attribute that really caught my attention in the EP was the variation and experimentation that went into each song.  Whereas one song may toy around with a clean, yet atmospheric, guitar riff, another will sample vocals from "Feeling Good" and cover it with some fuzzy, reverbed grooves.  Also, the music seems to match the aura behind Sky Hiker, which can be seen on his sites.  His sincere love of music really seems to shine through on Underwater Colors, which is really neat to see.

Out of interest towards his music, I thought it would be cool to try and contact him and ask him a few questions.  I was hopeful that I'd be able to then post the questions onto the blog.  I was surprised and excited to see that he actually responded!  Throughout several e-mails back and forth, I was not only able to retrieve an interview, but was able to get an idea of the man behind the music.  He was great to talk to, and he responded to my questions with equal enthusiasm as the first e-mail I sent him, which was great.  Below, I have posted the interview for your viewing.  I hope you find it interesting, as he gives some great insight into his musical process and future plans.  Be sure to check out his Bandcamp and Myspace for more info.

What's the background story behind Sky Hiker?  When did you decide that you wanted to pursue music?
Well, to answer that question I need to go back a few years. In 2007 I started computer graphic study after high school, and I wanted to create a graphical project for my personal account. I needed a name and finally came up with "Sky Hiker" which reflected perfectly my state-of-mind back then (and still today). In the end, for multiple reasons, the graphical project Sky Hiker is now on stand-by. Music has always been a huge part of my life, and when I bought my first guitar in 2006 I started to play my own stuff. Listening to music wasn't enough anymore to satisfy my musical appetite. Finally, in 2009, the idea to record and put online some stuff came up. Once again I needed a name & thought Sky Hiker could be a revival or something. Since then I'm writing music under that name and share it to everyone who'd be crazy enough to listen to my records!

Which past bands/artists inspire you most when it comes to making music?
Oh there are plenty, but if I had to say one name, it would be Muse. They are my own (muse) since they write music back in the late 90's. But of course a few other bands influence me every day such as The Strokes or Phoenix that I listen to a lot, and bands such as Union of Knives (which split up now) or Ghinzu (Belgian band). Though when I'm writing music, many other names help me through the writing process such as Jon Hopkins, Trentemøller, Aphex Twin, Royksöpp, Goose, Elvis Presley, the composer John Murphy, Massive Attack, Rage Against the Machine, The XX, ... I could give you hundred more!

What are some of your favorite releases to come out so far this year?
I'd go for "Into the Great Wide Yonder" by Trentemøller, "LP4" by Ratatat and "Something You Might Like" by Puggy as we speak about a full length album. But there are some tunes such as "It's the Chemicals" by Inspired Flight, "Crave You" by Flight Facilities, "What You Know" by Two Door Cinema Club or "Warp 1977" by Bloody Beetroots that have made me swing a lot this year! And looking back to the future, I hope Marty McFly loves the new The Strokes album coming up next year...

Which modern music website (like Myspace or Bandcamp for example) has helped you the most in getting your name recognized and why?
Well, you'd be surprised but that it’s music blogs like yours that help me the most actually. A few other blogs wrote some kind of review about my EP and it's a great help for multiple reasons, probably because it gives you a wider range of potential people who'd like what you do, because they generally like what the blogger writes in his/her music blog. MySpace doesn't help anymore nowadays, I simply use it because it's a popular platform that every one knows and it gives me another support to upload my music. On the contrary, Bandcamp is the future on the Internet for music makers like me. It really brings you new listeners. Simple fact is that I never did anything to promote myself and still every day people download my EP. How did I get the pleasure to answer this interview? Well you probably found me on Bandcamp and I didn't do anything to get you there. So yeah, according to me Bandcamp & music lovers around the world are the best help you can get!

Speaking of Myspace, yours says that Sky Hiker will "always be a spontaneous outburst".  What exactly does this mean in your approach to making music?
I was secretly hoping someone would ask me that someday!  I had to write a few lines about Sky Hiker to fill in my "description" on websites so I took the time to think about it. Actually the idea of a "spontaneous outburst" came to me quite late, when I realized that making music is a pleasure or a hobby, you can call it whatever you like, but it should never be an obligation. I write music because that's what I like to do, but I will never force myself to write some new tunes because it's been 3 months and I haven't released anything and people are waiting for a remix or whatever. Inspiration, motivation and will have to come naturally, it's basically what the "spontaneous outburst" is about. I don't have any schedule about Sky Hiker. Maybe the story will be over in six months, maybe I'll release a full-length album on a physical support through a major label (doubt it though, haha). Sky Hiker will always be spontaneous. That's also why it will always be fully free to download, because it's something made for your own pleasure. There are no trade-offs with Sky Hiker, just enjoy it as I enjoyed writing it.

Your song "The Beaver Jam (Interlude #1)" is an interesting take on the song "Feeling Good".  What influenced you in making the cover of it?  I imagine you're a fan of the song?
Oh well, yeah of course I love that song. I discovered that tune through Muse's cover in the early 2000. Actually, I did this this summer. I was lazy and chilling with my guitar.  This simple riff came out of my fingers and I found it groovy. At first I wanted to do a full cover with full lyrics then I thought it was quite a dangerous thing to do, 'cause there are thousands of people who attempted to cover Feeling Good, and it's really hard to make something that would sound decent. So I decided to remix the voice of Nina Simone to make a quick groovy cover, nothing huge, not a big deal, just for the fun. It was more of a jam or a short interlude in my writing process (that explains the name) like, you know, a band in a studio recording for 4 hours straight, sooner or later you go insane and play something that has nothing to do with the rest of your music, but you just have fun. It took me maybe 45 minutes to complete this. It's the perfect example of the spontaneous outburst I was talking about!

If you could play in any city in the world, where would it be and why?
Oh dude, if I could choose I'd play in New York City. I've never been there though, but the Big Apple has always attracted me since I was a kid. Definitely I'd play there. Moreover, I heard Daft Punk really likes to make appearances there when there's a big show, I cross my fingers!  More seriously, it would probably be just magical to play in a small café in NYC just to people who love my tracks.

Are you in the process of writing new music?  How does the style sound in comparison to the EP?
Yeah, I recently started writing new stuff.  I took a break since the end of the summer to do other things but inspiration & motivation came back to me and I hope to write maybe 3 or 4 new tunes during the next few weeks. I don't know yet how it's gonna sound actually, but it will probably be darker and deeper. I really want to mix up guitar riffs and synthpop sounds with an electronic touch. I'm also considering a voice for one or two tracks, I don't know yet. To reveal it all, I'll probably release one, maximum two new songs on the Underwater Colors EP but that's it. I want to release something new, another EP with a whole new atmosphere and new sounds, I hope people will like it. I also have a really rock/dancy tune with an agressive guitar line that I want to release but it has nothing to do with what I did before, so I don't know yet how I'll release this!

And lastly, what is the timetable for fans to expect your first full length album?
I don't know yet if I'll be able to release a full length album. For now I'll release EP's with 4 or 5 songs on each and each EP would have its own universe, so in the end, people could pick the one they like and make their own selection. Though I'd be lying if I was saying I don't want to release a LP eventually. It could really happen next year in 2011 and it would probably be half old songs (that could also be found in the EP's) and half new "exclusive" songs for the album. Until now, the next step is still to complete the Underwater Colors EP and start a new one before the end of this year! But I can already assure you that the LP would be totally free, the same way Radiohead did with "In Rainbows". You can give money if you're deeply in love with it, but you get it for free anyway.

I have posted a song from the EP below, it's a fantastic instrumental ambient track called "Sunset In Your Eyes".

 Sunset In Your Eyes

If you've read the interview, you know that the tracks are completely free.  I've posted a quick link to download the entire EP here.  I've also posted a quick link to his Myspace, where you can view an unofficial track called "Shine A Light", here.  Hope guys dig it.  And of course, thank you to the Sky Hiker for taking time to answer the questions!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Wild Nothing

Have you ever listened to a band that just seems to pump out music that fills all your musical needs?  One that makes good song after good song after good song?  I am going through this kind of phase with the band called Wild Nothing, where I am loving everything that's coming out.  I mentioned them in an earlier post about Craft Spells and I noted how they were one of my favorites, and that was even before I heard their new EP that came out on October 12th called Golden Haze.  Well, I have had my listening binge, and I couldn't resist writing about it.  One reason is due to the fact that the founder of the band, Jack Tatum, is achieving everything at the age of 21.  I find that incredible.  I can't imagine myself releasing two EPs and an album over the course of a year being that young (not taking into account the fact I can't play an instrument, of course).  On top of that, he's being written about on such websites as Pitchfork, Stereogum, and Drowned In Sound while touring the world.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.

What I also like about Wild Nothing is that the music can be hard to categorize; it sounds unique.  It's obvious that Tatum listened to a lot of '80s music, since there is a lot of that fuzzy dream pop influence on his tracks.  Yet, there are also a lot of modern synths tailored with the current indie pop trends.  For example, it wouldn't be too outlandish to consider Wild Nothing as "chillwave", a lot like Blackbird Blackbird.  Either way, the music has some of my favorite guitar rhythms, like the title track "Golden Haze" on the new EP.  I love how it fades in, introducing the catchy guitar riff just like "Live In Dreams" comes in on their earlier album Gemini; it's a welcomed continuation of the great stuff Tatum has been releasing.  Below I've posted "Golden Haze" and "Take Me In" from their new EP, Golden Haze.  Hope you guys like it as much as I do.

 Golden Haze

 Take Me In

I've posted these and few more from the new EP here.  If you like any of these, I highly recommend checking out the album Gemini, released earlier this year.