Here is a quick round up of some things I’ve been into lately:
- Kraftwerk 1
One of three albums in their “lost” period before Autobahn, this is more akin to Popol Vuh and Ash Ra Tempel than the ‘man-machine’ electronic pioneering sound they’re known for. Alternating dark drones and punchy pysch hairiness, it pairs well with my pitch black coffee and readies my day for the noise ahead.
- Machinedrum – Room(s)
I sort of liked this when it came out last year. I wasn’t excited for it, I wasn’t into high speed clipped vocals and juke rhythms, and I was probably just into something completely different at the time. When I brought it back out on a whim a couple months ago, Room(s) already felt fresher – then I made a copy for my car. Now it’s become a favorite driving accompaniment and sounds exponentially better with volume properly cranked. Hell, I included its moodiest track in the Shadow Piece mixtape. It’s fast and reveling in footwork colors and properly alien to first-time listeners, but there’s a depth and range of feeling here that doesn’t often crop up on dance albums. It’s this emotional tug that keeps it spinning and my interest pegged.
- Ryan Teague
This guy just released Field Drawings and it’s been floating me for weeks. It was actually the first new album I heard after my mother passed and felt like it was piercing my dark world with a bit of much needed light. I’ll have more to say about this in another post. Just listen to the intro track above.
- This handsome devil.
This is Tres, my cat’s cat. He was third in his litter, hence the name. Not everyone is a fan but to me, this is the most affectionate animal I’ve known. He’s a needy little bastard and seems nervous despite his unapologetic laziness. He is a bit out of shape but he’s spry. I think he’s allergic to pollen. He’s sitting on my lap as I type so I thought I’d share.
Optimistic Underground 