Machinedrum, Shigeto, SVIIB, Wolf + Lamb
One of the things I enjoy most about the design work I’ve been doing in the music industry over the past couple years is seeing people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet, work with, and even befriend, as they release their music to the delight of listeners. The fanfare and positive regard you can see at shows, in reviews, and most importantly, forming in your own mind as you listen to the songs, it’s an encouraging feeling. Each of today’s fresh new selections has had such an effect on me, hopefully you’ll find something you like and delve deeper.
Machinedrum – Carry The Weight – Many Faces
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is hot off a tour that started in Europe and ended in the US, named after his latest release on ‘s Lucky Me imprint, Many Faces. As if the response he received at Sonar in Spain or in cities like Paris and Berlin wasn’t convincing enough, the slew of material I’ve heard from him that I sadly cannot share more of with you all (yet) has made a true believer of me. Considering the fact that he also just released the killer Love Pressure debut EP as one-half of Sepalcure, and also actively records as to stand with the likes of and , it’s tough to dispute the impressive conclusion: that it is indeed possible for someone who cut their teeth on Merck to bounce back from relative irrelevance into not just one, but many of today’s very relevant labels and find himself among the minority ranks of electronic performers who can actually make a career of what they do. Now, about your TPS reports…
Shigeto – After She Smokes – What We Held On To (Free EP)
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Shigeto played at Ghostly‘s A/V Showcase series in San Francisco and LA earlier this month, and between lives sets across the country as Shigeto and playing live drums for School of Seven Bells, along with an almost prophetic dedication to making dope beats on a daily basis, it’s almost hard to believe there would be any room for a free EP…but that’s not even what makes this EP so worth your download. What you have with the What We Held On To EP might be Shigeto’s most accessible release to date. And when I say “accessible,” I don’t mean “watered down,” I mean downright catchy. The ultra sleek clang of swords in this track amidst a dreamy, psychedelic-60’s-rock-esque vocal had me at hello. Check out the rest of these textured bits of hip-hop meats future-jazz, and keep an eye out for his full length LP, Full Circle later this year. Also, Shigeto now has a tee shirt, sweet!!
School of Seven Bells – Bye Bye Bye – Disconnect From Desire
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released their latest full length recording this month, another one on Ghostly. The album is called Disconnect From Desire, and it might feature what I think is some of the coolest art direction I’ve seen all year. What struck me about their sound this time around is the evolution…perhaps everything evolves in life, but only that which evolves to survive continues to see the light of day. Surely, if we found SVIIB in the same place as they were when Alpinisms was released, there would be a lot of questions to be sure. That’s not so say the beautifully cryptic nature observed just below the pristine and pop-friendly surface is without questions of its own, like how can a post-Shoegaze band get away with a song entitled, “Bye Bye Bye,” that sports blast beats rarely heard outside of the metal scene, while still coupling pleasantly with the intoxicating vocals of the Deheza sisters? Best not to get raveled up in the mystery and just enjoy…actually, I take that back, go ahead and get raveled, it’s worth it this time.
Wolf + Lamb – Want Your Money – Love Someone
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Wolf + Lamb was mentioned a couple posts back, referring to the production duo Gadi and Zev who run the eponymous label, just released the debut LP, Love Someone I was talking about earlier. There’s something truly astounding about the precision inherent in each of the releases W+L, Gadi especially, have put their name on. As a production duo and a record label, as well as a setting for the happenings at the illustrious Marcy Hotel, the activities of this scene and the corresponding scenes that ennervate the world’s latest-night deepest-hazed corner of House music, all come together like the unfolding plot of an intricate mystery novel. Everything seems to make sense once we hear it, “Ohhh,” we tell ourselves with a faint sense of Deja Vu, as if we could hear the clues in prior releases, like pieces of the puzzle falling into place.
One Response to “Machinedrum, Shigeto, SVIIB, Wolf + Lamb”
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on 27 Jul 2010 at 10:28 am # Ian
Totally agree with what you said about School of Seven Bells. I always have liked them, but not really fallen in love with any of their tracks until now. Bye Bye Bye is a perfect evolution of their sound, and definitely a top track for me so far this year.