Music

Brian Eno’s Windows 95 startup sound, slowed down 23x

/ David James / Leave a comment

Oh wow. This is suddenly wonderful.

Today at work, the Mac OS startup sound was mentioned, and I offered that I always liked the original Windows 95 sound, created by Brian Eno. Besides; I associate that sound more with Wall-E than my office computer. It’s true; the godfather of ambient music has been in more ears than even the biggest pop stars. Searching youtube for the clip, however, brought me this little treasure.

I hope you’ve already hit play.

There’s really nothing much to say about this other than: listen to the massive difference that a simple, yet drastic change of tempo can to do a song. Suddenly we’re in echoing-angel, gossamer synth territory, and it feels great.

I hope some of my friends see this and get the same kick that I did.

win955

에프엑스 – Red Light music video

/ David James / 5 Comments

fx_1404219753_af_org

I’m new to k-pop but I’ve often enjoyed what little I have heard in the past, far more than American counterparts in the sugary pop game. Other than Taylor Swift, there’s nothing currently on Top 40 radio that I’m remotely interested in. I like to hear pop that crackles with audacity.

This brings me to the earworm-worthy tune below: Red Light, the first song I heard by Korean pop stars 에프엑스 – aka f(x).

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Seashore (DJ Sprinkles Ambient Ballroom)

/ David James / 1 Comment

DJ Sprinkles

“It’s so easy to be confused.”

DJ Sprinkles (Terre Thaemlitz) has made it a mission to reclaim house music from the blandly hedonistic masses. As we’re reminded on the opening to 2009’s insanely perfect Midtown 120 Blues, “the house nation likes to pretend clubs are an oasis from suffering; but suffering is in here, with us.” His (Terre is “she” and Sprinkles is “he”) dreamlike house undulations evoke a distinct melancholy while oozing comfort and acceptance.

This track is a beating heart at the center of what people mean when they say emotional dance music. It can destroy anyone who’s paying attention, but it’s also incredibly addictive, a spiked dopamine drip at the center of my nervous system for 12 consecutive minutes.

Listen here:

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CFCF – You Hear Colours [incredible video]

/ David James / Leave a comment

“This seems really poppy/upbeat for you. Of course I’m always imagining you listening to weird post breakbeat Croatian footwork jazz with Russian metal and Japanese house influences”

The above works were spoken to me by a friend as I shared this fantastic video for an old CFCF track.

While the artist has evolved into something far more weirdly specific and perfect for my tastes (see his last album and Night Bus mixes, which have obviously influenced my own mixtapes), this is the song that started it all. I was immediately hooked and never looked back.

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I don’t really have anything else to say. Ed said it best. Enjoy!

Aphex Twin’s new, free music: a pair of favorites so far

/ David James / 3 Comments

Basically, I feel like turning everything into craziness. It’s off, it won’t ever match, it’s.. what?

This is perfect.

I meant the music; this is one of the most perfect moments so far during my journey through all 110 freely shared Aphex Twin (as user48736353001 on Soundcloud) songs. The couplet of 4 Red Calx[slo] and luke vibert spiral staircase [future music competition] [afx remix] stands apart in a menagerie of music that already consists of some of the best stuff I’ve heard all year. Completely given away for free.

Red Calx is an aural lullaby in hushed, ambient tones. Ultra-minimal construction, with merely a small, undulating melody slowly evaporates into fog, it’s gorgeous in a highly specific way. Brian Eno would have sold his soul for this little riff. There’s nothing much to it, but what is there is undeniable.

The second track races through a laser forest over a wobbly synth rhythm and noodly ray gun melodies, a perfect counterpoint to the meditative calm before it.

Those words at the beginning? The remnants of trying to blog drunk from my phone, apparently. I found an unpublished post that I don’t remember starting. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

aphex_twin_smoking

If you’re an Aphex fan and haven’t already done so, get to the user48736353001 page and click Download on everything. Absolutely everything. This is great music by one of the most important artists alive today, and it’s free. You can also simply listen to it streaming, but there’s no guarantee this music will remain in perpetuity.

Here’s a Reddit thread where people have been collecting the files into single downloads. And having Reddit discussions, so be careful.

Edit: Even cooler, here’s a direct link to an ever-updating single download! This may not remain live; I’ll update as needed.

Don’t Watch The Superbowl

/ David James / Leave a comment

Seriously, you don’t have to.

Instead, check out Billie Holiday pouring her fucking soul into Strange Fruit, a mere five months before her untimely death.

Possibly the saddest rendition ever of the classic song about the lynching of two black men. This won’t make you happy, but it will feed your soul.

billie-holiday-6YT7_o_tn

God, she’s amazing. Also, this photo sums up my reaction to everyone watching fucking football today.

!!! – Get Up (incredible Nate Dogg cover)

/ David James / Leave a comment

Turn the volume up really fucking loud and let yourself get loose.

This song would be a guilty pleasure if it didn’t bang so fucking hard and noisy.

So this is !!! turning Nate Dogg’s party anthem Get Up into a frenzied maelstrom nearly matches prime-era Can in pure, swaggering trance rocking. This kind of thing toss-off brilliance doesn’t happen often. In fact, I can’t recall any other tranced-out funk rock covers of hip-hop that outlasted novelty status. Or really any others at all.

If you’re into fun at all, you’ll probably like this. Listen now, and prepare for it to hear it on repeat in your mind until tomorrow.

weirdparty

Here’s a weird picture to accompany the tune.