In the all-apologies era of constant comments, reactions, and responses in the shame-game, with scandals du jour, endless streams of sexist sycophants of the industry system, finger pointing pundits, talk-back commentators, apathetic armchair oglers, tablet philosophers, laptop dinosaurs, bandwagon bulldozers, ire instigators, prehistoric pedantics, and more — Impose’s Week in Pop cuts through the racket and rows to present a look at what’s next. But first, a quick look at everything we either missed or couldn’t escape from this week: Big news afoot as the disbanded Death Grips have allegedly finished their final, the powers that b album; Courtney love told the BBC that Billy Corgan’s best songs are about her; Ariel Pink might be writing songs for Madonna’s 2015 Diplo-produced album; Grimes called “misogyny” regarding Ariel’s comments on Madonna’s “downward” trend; Iggy Azalea versus Snoop Dogg; the ongoing Kesha versus Dr. Luke; Erykah Badu busking in Times Square; Mastadon’s weird twerking contest; Iggy Pop’s “Free Music in a Capitalist Society” John Peel Lecture; Julian Casablancas has perhaps lost that loving feeling for playing songs from The Strokes songbook of hits; while we continue to mourn Isaiah “Ikey” Owens, and Mark Bell.
Moving onward and upward, we are proud to present exclusives from Happy You, Trust Fall, Peter’s Window, Zeahorse, Drew Cooke, Ricky’s Heart, Better Off, Another Green World, co-curated by the imprint impresarios from Noumenal Loom — debuting their hotly anticipated Compilation 1, and more — in no particular order.
TRUST FALL
Virginia Beach’s Trust Fall debuts the nearly nine minute “Chron-Atlantic”, serving up more of the band’s self-styled ‘snake jazz.’ Taken from their upcoming album Secret Keeper, slated for release November 18 from Flannel Gurl Records — the band follows up the Work Hard, Play Weird, Stay Kvlt 7″ with some heavy leaded musings on the frailty of faith and the factors of futility.
On “Chron-Atlantic”, the lies perpetrated by life’s more vacuous and empty pursuits are taken to task on this gargantuan, grizzly of a song. Trust Fall entrusts no one, no belief, no dogma, and no come-down-easy cushion to break their fall. Arranging the song by book-ending the repeated shouts of “to find an answer, then get to the source”; the emptiness is acknowledged and embraced in the shrugged Atlas assumptions of, “there is no hope.” Unfulfilled answers from the questions that surround the world’s mysteries are brought to a boil, before a slow cooling in the closing that matches the song’s opening sad guitar interlude. Trust Fall cuts to the core of confusing complexities, where “Chron-Atlantic” serves as a heavy-weight reminder to the so-called know-it-alls of the world that the answers and alleged universal truths are more obtuse than the self-fulfilling questions, and prophecies of pre-decided polemics provide. John Fatigate took a moment the other day to talk to us about their new upcoming album, sharing some notes and thoughts on what’s good in Virginia Beach.
The latest from the Virginia Beach scenes?
Our homies in The Great Dismal just released a split and their songs absolutely rip. Real melodic indie rock. John joined a hardcore band called Wolfcastle as their vocalist, and Rusty is going to be jumping on as the second guitarist. Moutheater put out a hell of a record called Passing Key, which should satiate anyone looking for really riffy noisy stuff. Some other bands to check out would be Rhombus, Drawback, Stonewall, and Wandcarver.
What has the transformative jump been like for you all from your Work Hard, Play Weird, Stay Kvlt 7″ to the Dead Air Studios recorded album, Secret Keeper?
We decided to dedicate as much time as we felt necessary to write an album that was a true representation of us. No fluff and no moments that lacked confidence. We wrote something that we enjoy listening to and displays both our group dynamics as well as highlighting individual strengths. True snake jazz.
“Chron-Atlantic” is has real world turning axis about it, what’s the story behind this sludge-burner?
That song took fucking forever. We spent a year trying to write it, scrapping most of what we would write every time. John had the lyrics for about six months and a couple of the riffs for a year and a half. We finished writing it about a week before actually recording it. The song is about how searching for the meaning of life is pointless and will only leave you feeling unfulfilled.
Winter plans for Trust Fall?
Record release show in November. tour shortly afterwards. Write some more of that sweet, sweet snake jazz.
Trust Fall’s upcoming album, Secret Keeper, will be available November 18 from Flannel Gurl Records.
NOUMENAL LOOM
In the months and days leading up to the just released Compilation 1 from Noumenal Loom; all the rumors and buzz have surrounded who would make an appearance, and what we could all expect next from this label on the move. Coming in at 28 singles of contributions from some of today’s artists that think and hear their worlds differently – the Birmingham, Alabama label presents some of the best news and talents from the global fabrics of free thinking, creative spirits.
The beginning of Compilation 1 begins with the DARK WEB lord of Giant Claw’s soda-commercial sounds on “Sentimental Special (Only 4 U)” where Keith Rankin keeps pushing the conceptual and the comprehensive universal understanding of audio identity and response theorems. Caroline Says contribution with “Untitled” is the sound of what kind of beautiful textures that await the follow up to 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong, before the Eastern crystal vase pop collection of keys on Jasper Lee’s “Plateaux of Easy Feelings”, and the gorgeous folk-spun possibilities unbound on Itasca’s “Possibility”. Les Halles drop more experimental electro with an ear leaning eastward, while Bonglestar indulges in ascending and descending fun scales on “Be Me”, before Ptrkmgrw switches up the chill-abstract spaces on “Dread a.d.”, before the moon-melange from Select All’s “Earth Metro”. LBTV™ lends a little some for that down-tempo chill beat on, “Don’t Know”, before the unveiling of Jimmy Turturici who offers the sax and synth seas of sentiment on “Dancing by the Radio” — a non-album track from his November 25 slated LP, Lost Encoded Memories.
With Noumenal Loom keeping the joyful sounds spinning on silk wheels; Euglossine’s “Super Orphism” redefines 80s-technologies that couples adult contemporary with production adventurism, before DJDBK keeps things mellow and down via, “Wanna Be Down 2014”, to the alterior passages found on Foodman’s “Bandaiman”, the synth and mental bug life ambience of “For Insects” from Imperial Topaz, the original found-sound-collage from Sumbu Dunia’s “Hollow”, to understated aura found deep within Elephant Race’s “Faux Fatale”. Surprises can be hear everywhere on Compilation 1, like Wes Tirey’s “O, Annihilator”, the little industrial atmospheric underground from Former Selves’ “I Have My Underground”, with more ambient works that unfurl on Braeyden Jae’s “Washed Feeler”, the sparse piano noted majest from Seth Graham’s “Depression” (fresh off the release Goop), before kicking it even deeper into the abstract on Sebastian Wolfe’s “If You Should Fall”, the dial glitch from Bataille Solaire’s “Talea”, the epiphany like audio arts on Babexo’s “Gospel For S”, to the even deeper space terrains of synth sophistication on Bastian Void’s “Real Talk (Versicolor Controller Mix)”. Reaching out from the digital cage comes Aloonaluna’s “Human Cycle”, the understated aesthetics from Piyojo’s “Wodentags”, the distant dissonance and grace found on Ant’lrd’s “Betrothed”, before leaving you with the ten and a half minute experimental-maximalist epic, “Brittle & Celestial I”, from Sharp Veins. Like the Orchid Tapes compilation Boring Ecstacy released earlier this year — Noumenal Loom’s Compilation 1 is essential listening for those interested in the next realms to be discovered from the communities of bedroom cassette pop. Garrett Crosby (aka Holly Waxwing) and Isabel wrote us the following foreword on their compilation, collection of love:
Noumenal Loom’s first compilation is a combination of musicians we have worked with, are going to work with, and others we have not but are really into. We invited specific artists to submit tracks and the rest is an assortment of surprises we selected from an open call for submissions. We are very excited by the array of music submitted because we want Noumenal Loom to be a space where discrete styles can interact in novel ways. Eventually we hope not only to release music, but also publications and interdisciplinary art works.
Compilation 1 is available now from Noumenal Loom.
PETER’S WINDOW
A division of Great Valley(tm) Inc; Peter’s Window is the latest outing from DIY fringe commander, Peter Nichols. With his new solo album offering, Last Summer on Earth + Grapey Day on Feeding Tube Records, check out the warped and twisted digital weirdness, on the premiere of the semi-lyrical video for, “Staying Home”. From one of the creative minds behind Great Valley, these are part of the oddities that dwell in even stranger spaces, and at-home environments.
Whether it’s an extraterrestrial exploration of an “Outerspace Garden”, or a DIY tunnel of love like, “Ride Across the Moat of Love”; “Staying Home” has all the weepy, weird, and warped action, and emotion-for-attention of an epic night in. The chorus of “baby you got me staying home” transforms what would be an ordinary date night into a would-be quiet evening into a tearful, testimony to cabin fever, or the conflicted desires of a true agoraphobic. Peter Nichols opens up a portal into his own spontaneous world through the vehicle of Peter’s Window, where like in the self-made video gives a cartoon-ish, twisted effect of home comforts, from his pet dog, home studio, awkward close-ups, and computer graphics made on a budget that helps further prove the hunkered down hysteria and tragic heroics at play.
Peter Nichols wrote us the following insights into his solo outfit,
Peter’s Window started after an experience I had listening to The Very Best of Tommy James, it serves sort of a grouting purpose in the project of expansion in many directions at once — I mean it fills in the cracks where Great Valley can’t go — and it’s also a kind of document of obsession — I mean it’s like a therapy I invented to exorcise emotional suffering in more and more demented layers of pop music and here is the by-product. Side B is collected from a slightly later body of work I made after an experience listening to Jane Siberry’s album, No Borders Here. This song “Staying Home” is the saddest love song on the album, so I made this video slow-panning on some blurry shapes.
Peter also informed us that an extended rendering of “Grapey Day” (side B) was just released on cassette from Hidden Temple Tapes.
HAPPY YOU
Back when we debuted “Canyon” from Happy You’s upcoming album, Giggle, we warned you that one of the best things you might hear all year was on the way. The Brooklyn based band has a sound soaked in the tropics where summer lasts for all seasons, and power pop anthems are amped up by DIY orchestrations and arranged in the element of surprise. But again this cannot begin to summarize, nor encapsulate the genuine feeling of bliss that Giggle has to offer, and we present you with the following exclusive album stream.
“La La La Summer” takes out all those memories of summer’s past that you kept wadded up on in shoebox, for the kind of eternal seasons that remain in the heart long after the solstice has turned. The motif of time, place and holidays keeps on with the flannel worn that questions whether the feeling will remain long after “New Years Day” has passed. Keeping the passion alive is the weekend waning flicker and glow of, “Sunday”, that mesmerizes between the pointed fuzz guitar sections, to the restrained emotional areas of song. Keeping you on your toes, expect the unexpected on songs like “MN, Nice” that throw in different sections and styles that mix an earnest effort with an eclectic variety. Returning to the single “Canyon”, the gorges, ledges, mountains, and basins stand and sit like markers of memories that make future plans for further gatherings, combined with lush orchestra pit atmospheres. Weather reports and wild winters are celebrated on “Anniversary” which marks the calendar, and checks it twice in a song that sings one out over a few pints and power ballad toasts to getting toasted.
Happy You keep their listener’s constantly guessing what musical trick they’ll pull next, presenting the experimental controlled cacophony on, “Blood Blood Blood”. After that jam commences, the title track “Giggle” delivers more of the band’s power fused balladry that keeps the smiles and laughs beaming through their sound, where the harmonized, scuzzy melodies remain tight where brass remains a welcomed addition to the mix. Finishing up the album’s run of sentimental songs, “Chummy” keeps everything held close, and leaves you with rays of sunshine that will stir about your soul even as the fall and winter days limit the natural light enjoyed by day.
Without further ado, it’s the Happy You album you have waited all summer long for; Giggle:
Happy You made us the following mixed media piece to commemorate the making of Giggle:
Happy You’s album Giggle will be available October 21, and the band will also be playing October 24 at a house show in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill with Conveyor on October 24.
ZEAHORSE
Sydney, Australia’s Zeahorse released their Pools EP on Dine Alone/HUB Records, and we present you the premiere for their “Tugboat” video filmed live. Currently on tour and about to take CMJ by storm, the Aussies invite you to sail the seven plus seas of the world in a naval craft of their own skronked out design.
Zeahorse further solidifies the energy that seems to naturally radiate in magnetic fields of wild forces between Sydney and Melbourne make music that not just runs— but breaks the gamut. Few other regions seems to have the whole electronic by garage rock connection down, where every instrumental gift and/or tool is used to create the most maximal effect possible. Watching assembled live footage of Zeahorse whle rocking out to the electric riot rage and roller, “Tugboat”; the hurled lyrical slam, loud offense of ogrish amplified instrumentation meshes into a debaucherous live setting of crowded quarters that would make a fire marshal faint. Following the “Tugboat” video, read our interview with Zeahorse.
First up, there is always something rad happening in Sydney, what has been happening lately that has you all excited?
We’ll lately there’s been a lot more attention to heavier music, more so for Australia as a whole. This is rad because there’s been way too much attention toward weak pop music in Australia over the last 10 years. Bands like Violent Soho and The Laurels have been slogging it out for years and years and it’s only now that they’re getting the recognition they deserve.
I like to think that this isn’t a trend because this kind of music has been around in Australia for a very long time, I think its more of an industry thing. A prime example of this is The Hard Ons, who have come in and out of popularity but are still the same amazing band who work they’re asses off regardless of industry attention.
How did Zeahorse first form, and what’s the story on swapping the ‘s’ for a ‘z’?
We all met on the North Coast of Aus at Lismore University.
All studying but as the band began to grow our studies took the back seat and we eventually all dropped out and moved back to Sydney where 3 of us still reside excluding Max (the baritone guitarist) who lives on a weird island called Tasmania.
Our name comes from a gift which was given to one of our friends, by a homeless man in Amsterdam. Our friend (who likes to remain anonymous), spent a very cold European night under a bridge with said homeless man and in the morning was given a broach. He called the broach a Zeahorse and gave it to our friend as a gift for his company.
Give us the scoop on what the process of recording Pools was like for you guys.
We recorded the album in a tiny town called Whain Whain which is west of a famous town called Nimbin (mostly known for its dope culture). Our friend and all time legend Steve Law has a big house on a mountain and within it is his studio, Sunroom Studios.
Camping whilst recording is by far the best way to make an album and by the end of the two weeks we we’re well and truly in the zone.
I think Pools was an honest representation of the band at the time, mostly because of the fact that we’re all living together for the recording process. Studio sessions definitely bug us out.
Is there a full-length in the works, and can you all divulge any details on that?
There sure is. We’ve been demoing new material for over a year now and are hoping to record early 2015. There’s a few people in the states who we’d love to approach but still have to make sure all the songs are 100% finished before we contact anyone. This next record will be our most challenging because everything we’ve done in the past has been with friends. This time around we want to work with someone new who can challenge us a bit more within the studio environment.
That live “Tugboat” video is pretty rad. Any fuzzy, rowdy memories surrounding that shoot that you all care to share?
Ha ha, it was pretty wild and now thinking back on it, pretty bloody dangerous too. There’s a lot we’d probably rather not share but there was a ton of nudity which didn’t make the final cut. Wizard grog was another reason why things got so out of hand and FYI, wizard grog is Tequila which has had a habanero sitting in it for a week, its rough, very rough. My throat was burnt for a week after that weekend.
Aussie artists that deserve to get more attention in the music press realms?
Absolutely and glad you asked.
Here’s 5 bands from down unda that you must know about if heavy music is you’re thing:
Narrow Lands, Roku Music, Wicked City, Dead and The Nuclear Family.
Zeahorse’s Pools EP is available now from Dine Alone/HUB Records.
October
17 W. Asheley, SC at Tin Roof
18 Roanoke, VA at Strange Matter
25 New York, NY CMJ – Aussie BBQ
25 New York, NY CMJ – Carrol Place (Official Showcase)
RICKY’S HEART
Cleveland’s Ricky Hamilton recently debuted his cassette imprint Quality Time Records, and today debuts the shamble-pop video for “Let’s Dance in a Plastic World” from his solo handle, Ricky’s Heart. The look and style he goes for is a D.A. Pennebaker on the dole, where minimalist one-take-style electric guitar guides along Hamilton’s British accent affectation and odes to superficial self-idolatry.
The b/w film gives a timeless quality, like an uncovered art flick that features 16mm weirdness from the anachronistic underground. The answer to observation, understanding and general reckoning exists perhaps in the shapes seen underneath the lids of eyes squinting at the suns beneath shades, and the interior existences that we all create as our own abodes that we reside in from within. So join Ricky, and dance through a world of plastic, while entertaining a world of pure imagination.
Listen to more from Ricky’s Heart via Quality Time Records.
DREW COOKE
New Orleans’ own Drew Cooke debuts the wonderful and manic brilliance of, “Meant For This”. Having soaked up much of the Louisiana traditions and band conventions, Cooke combines these learned traits from his travels abroad to and from everywhere conjure up his own take on the one-man-band idea. The result is an amalgam of syrup synthesizer that chirp along with marching move drum sequenced patterns, where everything is built around the earworm chorus, “I can see what’s meant for me, how can the world disagree.”
“Meant For This” also has a lyric that goes, “Let’s all be enlightened”, that centers the song’s mission of self-motivation and meaning. Cooke practically says his spoken verses as quick as he can as if they were pulled from the ever-generating stream of thought where everything is a miracle, and everyone is miraculous. With the chorus stuck in mind, Drew Cooke spoke to us a bit and elaborated on the marching band rhythm of the song, and Mardi Gras parade inspirations.
I’ve always been into all types of music and New Orleans kinda gave me a license to mix it all up, since that is what we do with music, food, how we talk, whatever. Earliest music memories are of marching bands at Mardi Gras parades blasting Michael Jackson and Madonna songs so I put that in my playbook, even got a few songs on the upcoming EP that have a few drum samples from marching bands but dropped in a totally new way. “Meant For This” grabs my roots from pop, punk, hip-hop and such, trying to bring them all together without forcing it. The upcoming Circles N Cycles EP will be more of all this collage-type tunes, the sound finally working tight, pretty excited about the whole thing.
BETTER OFF
Kicking up some dust is the big bright Southern punked out pop of Better Off, giving us a listen to their upcoming single that shouts down the the synthetics on, “Meth Head”. Available October 27 from their new home at Equal Vision Records; the production stays strictly tightened up while the out-pour is uptight. The roaring downward spiral of addiction gripped turbulence takes hold through acerbic downpours of a delivery that burns from a ferocious place. Guitarist and vocalist Luke Granered joined for an interview, dropping some words on Nashville, Saves The Day, and more, featured after this track.
Describe for us life prior to recording and releasing (I Think) I’m Leaving, and after. What has changed for you all, creatively, personally, perception wise, etc?
Touring has been significantly different. Before we released (I Think) I’m Leaving, we had been hitting the road in support of a 4 song EP that was just thrown together. We just wanted to do something fun. Then we started taking things more seriously, recorded the LP, and touring became more self sufficient. It’s been about three years since we actually wrote the record, so, creatively speaking, we know how to develop ideas into something more interesting.
How has that experience impacted your follow up Equal Vision 7″, plus what was it like working with Saves The Day’s Arun Bali, and how did his presence affect the recording? Releasing the first LP just made us excited to do it all over again, and hopefully better. The 7″ is just a placeholder for whats to come. We are so excited for the next full length. Arun is THE MAN. Initially, I was definitely intimidated by him. He’s an incredible guitar player and is in one of my favorite bands of all time. But once we all got comfortable with each other, his excitement to create something new put a whole new excitement in our band.
Favorite Saves the Day album or single?
I grew up listening to Stay What You Are. But my two recent favorites are Sound The Alarm and Self Titled. Favorite song is Anywhere With You.
Can you give us the sum of the gritty and gnarly anecdotes that perhaps gave inspiration for “Meth Head”?
The title is inspired by Breaking Bad. I had been watching the show non stop while we were jamming this song, and loved the parallels of the White family with my own. The song is about self destructive behavior (in any kind of setting, not just a family setting) and I wanted a title that might make the listener uneasy or curious. Meth addiction (or any addiction) represents all self destructive behavior and the motivation behind that behavior.
What can you tell us about a possible upcoming follow-up album to (I Think) I’m Leaving?
I can tell you that we have enough songs to record the follow up right now, but we’ll keep writing until a schedule is in place. I can also tell you that we want to write riffs that sound like they should be played in arenas.
Everyone has their own take on Nashville, but what have the scenes been like to you all, how are you possibly influenced by your surroundings, best things about Nashville?
The most influential aspect of Nashville is the musicianship. There are so many unbelievably talented people. It’s inspiring usually. Sometimes its annoying. But it definitely drives you to get better.
Best Nashville bands that not many folks are hip to yet?
Cove, Nest, Mother Adam, Courtesy Drop, Daisyhead, Free Throw, Diarrhea Planet. The list goes on forever.
Better Off’s Meth Head 7″ digital single will be available October 27 from Equal Vision Records.
ANOTHER GREEN WORLD
Alec West pays homage to the legendary Brian Eno solo album under the moniker, Another Green World, while making music that attests to the rippling shockwaves from said modern LP marvel. Dealing in the DIY dream scheme sound game, West wowed us with the song “Snow” from the October 21 slated album, Memorial from 80s Ladies Records. Although based in Memphis, the hazy-glaze guitar to vocal relationship is remarkably resembling the west coast home brewed dream tapes zapped with spinning synth twist that are peppered for precision guided weirdness. Alec talked with us about inspirations, Memphis, and more, following the listen.
How has your home-base of Memphis inspired your music?
It hasn’t as much as you might think, but the legacy of the music in Memphis compared to what’s coming out now is crazy. Memphis still has great music, some just slips between the cracks. Blues and soul are still huge with very minimal scenes in shoegaze or electronic music.
Like the title of your audio vehicle Another Green World, when did you first get into Brian Eno and how has music affected you creatively?
Bryan from Soft Lighting showed me the album Another Green World when I was 18, and I was hooked. It kind of broke down a wall of what music could be to me. I started experimenting a lot with instruments, song structure, and more.
Favorite Eno album, (anything from Roxy Music, solo, collaborative, producer credits, etc)?
It would have to be AGW. I can listen to it anytime. I also really like Here Come The Warm Jets, My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts (an album made with David Byrne) and of course his work with David Bowie and Slowdive.
“Snow” is a blissful track that is just in time for winter. Favorite memories in the snow, or winter related items that have contributed to this song?
Songs have feelings and moods when I hear them, and that’s basically where the title came from. It just feels like a winter song. I grew up in Kansas City and it snows a lot there, so I’d say it’s definitely reminiscent of those old visuals and moods lurking in the back of my head.
What has the process of writing and recording Memorial been like?
I started last November and recorded in my home studio. I demoed out over 25 songs in total and then slowly narrowed them down as I fine-tuned them. I had a very specific production sound I was going for, sort of Martin Hannet’s Unknown Pleasures meets Disintegration by The Cure.
Favorite things from the Memphis scene that few outside of town know about?
There are some great bands. Some great blues/soul styled bands like Dirty Streets and Hazy Skies, as well as some good electronic acts like The Deathless and The Pop Ritual.
Another Green World’s Memorial will be available October 21 from 80s Ladies Records.
Returning to Glasslands November 6 for a performance with Boy/friend, and Aquarian; the elusive and face-effacing band recently switched up the sequence of things with “Lower”, a singles compilation for free download — return with the sentiment smasher, “I Will Save You From Love”. In the senses that the Gang has spent the past year plus redefining the post-industrial, post-hip hop, post (choose your favorite electronic-ish medium here) concepts; the baggy-Madchester war of Roses-derivitaves transforms into what sounds like appeals and auditions for Mogwai, Inspiral Carpets, etc, to uprooting the evil heat of the UK modern mainstays with an electric twist. Follow all of our coverage here.
Vesuvio Solo’s Favors is out now on Atelier Ciseaux, and you are invited to indulge yourself in the deep water blue wave pop worlds on the Waterfront Property Remix of “Avion” Ft. Marlene Brando. These beats bop as if those beams of sun rain down like the elemental bodies of their opposite force and form.
With Weyes Blood’s album The Innocents available October 21 from Mexican Summer, get a sneak listen to the full-length here. Natalie Mering is part of the twenty-first century movement to bring back the old mystic element of fringe folk tales put to rural song. Mering presents a wisdom cut from the cloth of the collective consiousness fibers of all who have arrived before and those that have yet to make their mark in the world. Psychic, intrinsic crafts for only the most exquisite of ears, minds, and haunted spirits.
Toronto’s Weaves dropped the catchy as all anything track, “Shithole”, available October 20 from Buzz Records before they play the following CMJ dates beginning October 22 at Trans-Pecos with Beta Frontiers, October 23 at Shea Stadium with HSY, Mexican Slang, The Beverleys, before hitting up M for Montreal November 19-22. The blessed noise that singer Jasmyn Burke and guitarist Morgan Waters make on this single alone takes the entire second and third wave power-pop movements and makes it look easy while mixing sung words of woe and wildly blazing guitar chords of pure power.
As they get ready to take on CMJ, peep Adult Jazz’s video for “Am Gone” directed by Samuel Travis, and starring UK’s Suren Seneviratne, aka My Panda Shall Fly that carries about the top half of a pilory through the fields and forests of the world. With Gist Is available now from Spare Thought; catch them on the following CMJ dates on October 22 at Pianos for the Crack In The Road Showcase, October 23-24 at Rough Trade, NYC for the Rough Trade Showcase, and October 25 at Brooklyn Bowl for the Windish Agency Showcase.
Anderson Paak’s single “Miss Right” has been laying on that thick after eight pm vibrato, but it’s the Jay Ahn video that has been getting everyone feeling strange with some surreal futuristic fetish funk that you got to see to understand. Venice will be available October 8.
And now while it’s cool to be on that Stockton hype, our friend Shiloh is still turning your asphalt boom-bap into next corner kind of level. What we’re talking about – of course – is pictochat’s make.
St. Louis duo Hawthorne Headhunters are the talents of Black Spade & Coultrain), giving a conscious kind of civil disobedience and attention to current issues surrounding authority and the relationship with the people they’re supposed to protect, via “Rebel Tonite (Strange Pigs)”. Their Grown Kids Radio EP, Off The Beaten Tracks, is currently underway via a fan sourced Indiegogo campaign.
Fullerton, California’s dudes who live life to the fullest—Audacity busted out the date- and time-ticking, “Counting The Days” A-side single from their upcoming 7″ available December 2 from Suicide Squeeze Records. Days, minutes, and moments are taken into account, expressing the anticipation of things to come with a tinge of home sick blues that every touring artist and band can understand and appreciate.
Valery Gore sent us the video for “S.O.”, off her Idols In The Dark Heart LP, that mixes her sparse organ expressions with visual arrangement-inspirations that are informed directly by the 1921 film, Rhythmus 21 from Hans Richter. Read our interview with Valery here.
Elisha, aka Totoake took us to the “Otherside”, with chords that traverse different roads and directions that take you to familiar places. Hear what the buzz and fuss is all about, and experience it for yourself.
Hitting up Brooklyn on October 24 for the CMJ festivities; Lazyeyes gives us the apartment drawn DIY designs from their single “Adaptation”, from their forthcoming Islip EP. The band talked to us a few weeks back, and you can tune into the golden garage gravy and chord gears now.
Off their Cross My Heart Little Death album slated for release November 18; Bugs in the Dark dropped the track, “Red Lines”, that crosses the lines in the sand, dirt, and asphalt, committed to do “whatever it takes” to move on down the crooked and winding lines in life’s rough highway roads.
The lead cut from the, Off The Beaten Tracks EP; hear some of the future vibes and textures from tomorrow courtesy of Ohmega Watts feat. Catalina Bellizzi with “Out of the Ordinary”. Grown Kids Radio’s Indiegogo campaign still has about another week to go, showing support for Hawthorne Headhunters, B. Lewis, Miles Bonny, Starship Connection, Aaron De Le Cruz, and more.
Mike Watt with friends Andrea Belfi and Stefano Pillia, aka il sogno del marinaio, released their second album, canto secondo, on Clenchedwrench Records this past summer and now give us the video for “Nanos Waltz”. The band’s tri-fecta of fusions gets accompanied by various antiquated toys that provide a tranquil meeting between the mechanics of nature, humans, and anything else these three could get their hands on for the video.
Bear Hands’ Distraction is out now on Cantora, and Com Truise just re-tricked to the single “Agora” with new key choices and synthesizers that move in horizontal and diagonal lines like emulated strings. The add Truise keys encase the original with a new feeling of home for agoraphobics and extroverts alike to inhabit. Find Bear Hands making their way to a town near you soon, no doubt.
Chicago’s Gemini Club “Empty Bed” drummed up the energy drink juiced cut “Empty Bed” off the forthcoming End of Your Life EP available in early 2015 from Red Bull Sound Select. A synthed-out super pop song about strangers, alienation, amor, and drifting apart; the energy goes between soda commercial surfaces to the allure of the bright big lights.
D.C.’s SmCity releases the album Empire FallsDecember 3, boasting appearances and cameos from Harry Fraud, DJ Toomp, Statik Selektah, Cookin Soul, and more, featuring a listen to the new cut “Homeland” featuring production from !llmind.
Take a look at Jahzel’s heavy Asa Davis directed video for, “Wake Up!”, from the Chicago emcee’s forthcoming album of the same name, available in early 2015 from The Black Key Collective. The grittier side of life on the edge and margins of society is given a wake up call cause for a new state of consciousness; rising from up off the curb, and striving for the stars.
Bad Cop busts some skulls, pops some cap-guns on the raging, fast-paced forward cut, “Shotgun”. Look for this dive bar-destroyer on the Nashville thrashers’ upcoming Wish You Well…and Goodbye EP available October 28 from Jeffrey Drag Records.
Milán counts the years behind while looking ahead on the piano tinged “25”. Outlooks of the exterior with inner reflections are given gentle electronic applications to mark the passage of time.
et aliae has remixed Kero Kero Bonito’s single “I’d Rather Sleep”, and now the London producer zeroes in on Lemonade’s “Come Down Softly” from their Cascine album, Minus Tide. Killing the tempo and tension ever so softly; the come down here is the sweetest hangover that no one wants to get over. The way the keys unfold like orchid pedals are spaced between tuned-vocal stems that are encrusted in rubies, diamonds, pearls, fine metals, and other rare materials that entice, and delight at first bite.
In further alchemy from Montreal; artist Catherine Debard — aka YlangYlang — released the understated psychic sense of feeling by utilizing production like a seance session on, Am I being overdramatic? from the Johnstown, Pennsylvania imprint,Ailanthus Recordings. From the onset of the eye and mind awakening, “Million Eyes”, to the ambient treatments that run through the “Le ventre du coquillage”; make some time this autumn to experience this wonder in full.
Honey Wild are dropping their self-titled EP October 14 from Shorewave, but first sending you a slice of Bushwick, Brooklyn “Home” that gives a little taste of what making it in NYC on your own can feel like; filmed at the Shorewave Records Haus last August.
Following up the ever popular Wormfood; Jamaican Queens are going to release their “Bored + Lazy” single November 4 from Freakish Pleasures, and we got an advance listen for you right here. The super zapped vocals are accompanied by synth-percussion rhythm systems that stir up that idle ennui into a sparse but effective whirlpool of digitally turned tricks.
NOUMENAL LOOM’S WEEK IN POP
Having just premiered Compilation 1, we asked Garrett “Holly Waxwing” Crosby and Isabel from the label Noumenal Loom to co-curate Week in Pop, and here are their multimedia selections, divided by old, new, and so forth:
Holly Waxwing (Garrett Crosby)
Old
Moto Grosso Feio
One of my favorite Jazz albums, he has such a great sense of space and timing.
Pegion Rock, “Sister Nancy”
One of the greatest voices in reggae, to me. I also wanted to include an instrumental track from King Tubby’s Two Big Bull Inna One Pen, but couldn’t find it online; It marks a really cool transition when computer production/electronics were making their way into dub.
Susumu Yokota, “Blue sky and Yellow Sunflower”
Symbol is a really special album to me and a huge influence on my first album Goldleaf Acrobatics. So glad he’s not afraid to use recognizable samples prominently in his work — he re-contextualizes them in such lovely ways. I would highly recommend downloading Symbol, Grinning Cat, The Boy & The Tree and Zero if you’re new to his work!
Tak Shindo, “Skylark”
Tak Shindo combines exotica, big band and pop standards in his album Brass and Bamboo — great music for cooking with a boo or friend.
Electrelane, “Bells”
Isabel and I really wish we had a release planned with them :’)
New:
Wishdasher, “P 0 Π Ԍ”
So much excitement and anticipation for this project…also
Wishdasher, “#4102 – Bounce: 2”
Piyojo, “Li river )avec bb pigeon(”
Amazing flute jam from Piyojo.
Motion Graphics, “MG – Anyware”
Motion Graphics played at the Break World/Hoss/Adhoc festival that I performed at a couple of months ago. It was a pretty magical show, I have no idea what he was doing with his MIDI keyboard or what was assigned to what. Love the Steve Reich feel on this song.
Tredici Bacci, “Carina Botto”
Beautiful 70’s/80’s Italian horror film score styled music from a band directed by a member of Gorilla Toss. Think Riz Ortolani, Nino Rota and Franco Micalizzi. This is one of Isabel’s and my favorite tapes this year.
A. G. Cook, “Beautiful”
:~) :~) :~) :~) :~) :~) :~) :~) That’s all.
Artwork
Brenna Murphy has created an extensive universe to explore between this site, her installation work throughout the world (eager to attend an opening), and interdisciplinary music/visual project with Birch Cooper as MSHR:
MSHR, “Liquid Hand”
Aidan Koch is one of our favorite illustrators. We’re so happy to have collaborated with her in the past and to announce that she will be illustrating the j-cards for this year’s winter solstice batch.
Sabrina Ratté, “Habitat”
Is this quality of light even possible? I would highly recommend downloading this beautiful series of videos, entitled Sightings, from Sabrina Ratté I’m also very honored to announce that she will be creating a music video for my newest single, “Chalant,” this spring!
Tumblr
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A really beautiful image curation from Sara Ludy. Her newest video piece, “Dream House,” is also highly recommended!
Really stunning, and often funny, super imposed 3D creations from Birch Cooper.
Amazing instagram account of Aoto Oouchi
3D video creations from Vince McKelvie.
Isabel
I’m really into textiles at the moment, to looms and all things that weave. One of my dearest friends is sending me photos everyday of her weavings and I find the patterns and colors to be so intuitive and comforting. I’m excited by the weaving of sound, light, and texture… hence Noumenal Loom. Also, on another note, Garrett and I really want to get into fabric design. I’m into beach forests, dune foxes, and harp seals. We were in Cape Cod last week, so all of these things are present with me at the moment. My mom tells me that my music sounds like whale music and Garrett’s like dolphin sounds; sometimes I wonder if this is what brought us together ;`^)
I found some jewelry and objects designed by Lara Knutson in a shop in Provincetown, Mass. last week. She uses a reflective glass fabric, basically the threads consist of microscopic glass beads, so when the light hits the jewelry from certain angles the beads glow and look like tiny glimmers of electricity. These subtle shifts are stimulating to me, whether in jewelry or in sound design.
Old:
Arthur Russell:
I’m hesitant to mention my love for Arthur Russell…his music is such a constant for me that my interest in him must be getting old to some friends! But, I will always return to Arthur Russell and cannot deny his influence. His music just makes so much sense to me. It’s the perfect combination of intuition, emotion, and thoughtful composition. Not to mention it’s mixed with joy and funk and melancholy and love. His experiments and driftings on the cello are very moving.
Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention
Denny: The North Star Grassman and the Ravens
Fairport Convention: Unhalfbricking
I always return to these albums. I listen to them almost every winter and have been listening to them since I was 16. Denny’s voice is so strong and leads so well into the rolling guitar parts and drums. “Next Time Around” on the Denny solo and “Autopsy” on Unhalfbricking are timeless.
New:
Bonglestar, “Be Me”
Bonglestar kept me company on the plane back to Alabama last week. They have an exceptional sense of timing. “Be Me”, the track on the compilation, is a perfect example of this. It quivers in all the right spots.
Holly Herndon, “Chorus”
The best live music performance I’ve seen in the past two years was Holly Herndon in September 2013 at Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, NC. Her vocal and electronic experimentation, combined with her love of house music, and new visual and music technologies were very intelligent and beautifully alien. Akihiko Taniguchi wrote an interactive visual program for her performance ~ I recommend checking out his work.
This week I’ve been listening to Les Halles’ beautiful upcoming album which we’re releasing in our 2014 winter solstice batch, a little Geoffrey O’Connor, George Harrison, and yes, Arthur Russell.
Also, we’re both really looking forward to Kayla Cohen’s (Itasca) Unmoored by the Wind LP coming in the mail soon!
Keep up with Noumenal Loom on Facebook, and check out Compilation 1 available now.
