Month: March 2016

Bullion – Loop the Loop

/ David James / 1 Comment

Bullion - Loop the Loop

Sometimes I fall so hard and so fast for a new artist that, when their meager output has been exhausted, I don’t know what to do. The sound is perfect, but there’s only so much of it. This is what happened with beat scientist Bullion. How do I keep up with a guy who may or may not release something in the next year, next few years? The honest answer is that enthusiasm wanes and I start to forget.

But it all comes rushing back the moment I hear there’s new material: the hunger, the excitement, the unabashed shouting from the hilltops for all to listen. This just happened again.

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What I’m Into This Week (3/13 – 3/19)

/ David James / 1 Comment

The Lobster Movie

This week was very, very good in music. First, one of the only artists I’ve enjoyed since my teenage years had a quietly triumphant return. Next, I saw an incredible film called The Lobster. Finally, a couple big surprises hit me. Sure, a lot of hours were spent with the Underworld back catalog, but there was plenty of time to discover new stuff. I heard the incredible rebirth of an artist I’d forgotten about, and had my perceptions blown away by another.

Let’s go over the good stuff:

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Teebs – SOTM

/ David James / 2 Comments

teebs-4.10.2014

Teebs is one of my favorite artists ever. The guy makes singularly utopian music that I can vibe to for days at a time. The sound is so unique, it’s like a medium itself that the artist simply plays in. I could hear one second of a tune and know it’s his.

Today, I realized I really want to get a friend into his music. This is where I hit a conundrum: which song makes a great introduction? Despite the homogeny of his sound world, there are hooks for the uninitiated, landmarks to guide. I found a good one:

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Brian Eno & John Cale – Spinning Away

/ David James / 5 Comments

EnoandCale

I’ll admit it: I first heard Brian Eno’s greatest pop song as a cover on 2001’s The Beach, starring Leonaro DiCaprio. Director Danny Boyle may have worked with Eno and John Cale in the past, but for this soundtrack, the song was covered by none other than Sugar Ray. Yes, that Sugar Ray.

Funny enough, it’s the best Sugar Ray recording by a landslide. This is because it’s an almost exact reproduction of the original tune, completely redundant. For the real real, just press play on the original:

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Underworld – Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future

/ David James / 2 Comments

Underworld - Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future

Underworld may finally be settling down, but it’s the most radical thing they’ve done in well over a decade. Instead of reaching to stay one step ahead, the duo of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith sound relaxed and happy to explore their surroundings for once.

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What I’m Into This Week (3/6 – 3/12)

/ David James / 3 Comments

Solaris

This week brought one surprise obsession that pretty much everyone I know is into, plus a handful of real gems. Yes, I’m spinning the new Kendrick Lamar as much as anyone, but I’ve also been pressing a pair of incredible electronic albums you’ll want to hear. One brand new, one stone cold classic. During my usual detour into the past, I even watched one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. Hint: it’s pictured above.

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CFCF – On Vacation

/ David James / 6 Comments

 

cfcf-onvacation

One of my many talents is the ability to be surprised, I guess. Because it seems to be happening more and more often lately.

As the news of a Grammy nomination were swirling around CFCF, aka Michael Silver, I noticed a message slipping in: he’s got more music coming soon. Very soon. Like, there’s a full album out right now. It’s called On Vacation.

And so it goes.

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