James Blake, the young english heavy bass mellow electronic musician released his second album, "Overgrown" yesterday. His first album, "James Blake," was wildly successful, especially in the indie/ underground music scene. The reason he hit such success was because he developed a new sound. Mellow electronic music has been around just as long as the ability to make electronic music has. However, it's never really been done quite like this. James Blake, takes extended synth melodies and gently layers a strong back beat, usually ranging from 120-140 bpm and playing it in triple time, creating a very trap style drum line. Where, it stands out however is in his bass. James Blake, when he goes on tour, actually brings his own subwoofers with him because most venues do not have strong enough speakers. The bass, is subtle enough that you would not be able to recognize or appreciate the fine levels of music editing through most earbuds, headphones and speakers. It's the kind of bass that makes your entire body vibrate, the kind that isn't obnoxious when played louder than necessary. It's very tasteful, if it were food, you could enjoy it with a fine red wine. The single that has been blowing up is Retrograde, the entire album is worth listening to just for this song. Musically, it's one of the single most impressive pieces of musical interpretation i've heard in a long time. However, the most under rated, and in my opinion most pleasing song on the record is the song which the album is named, Overgrown. With a lot of clear influence from other music styles, it fits any occasion, setting the mood back to a relaxing "fuck being stressed." Also being the first song on the album, it sets the tone for the rest of the record. While the rest of the album is well balanced, the other songs just come off as filler. While there are definite highs and lows to the album, its still enjoyable as a whole. Check it out.
In October 2012, the Neo-Psychadelic band, Tame Impala, released their second album, Lonerism. Needless to say this post is incredibly late. Tame Impala really picked up interest when they released their single, Solitude is Bliss, in 2010. Since it's release in 2010, they had been leaking hints and sounds to the media making it clear that they were working on a whole new album that would make Innerspeaker, their first album, look like a joke. They have certainly followed through. The band isn't different, and it still has the same electronic, 70's psych appeal, but they have brought up their game tremendously. The singles from Lonerism, which were dropped weeks before the official release of the album are still on the top charts of music blogs everywhere; singles such as Elephant, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, and Apocalypse Dreams. However after listening to the album countless times over, it seems as if the highlights of the production are in the lesser known, shorter songs. Music To Walk Home By, is one of my favorite tracks and it rarely gets any mention anywhere. The strong point of this album are in the music's production. The vocals complement the instrumentals perfectly, however the reason why it stands out is because the actual skill involved in playing the instruments is uncanny. Tame Impala incorporates the usage of a huge pedal board for a wide array of effects, making each performance sound like your first acid trip over and over again. Even if trippy post protest rock isn't your thing, this album is absolutely worth a listen.
Now that we've all seen the end of March and the very beginning of April, I'd like to take some time to reflect on what some of my favorite/most listened to songs have been over the past month. Through some quick retrospective musical analysis, I've conjured up a personal playlist of the month and narrowed it down to 10 songs (in a sort of countdown style). And while this certainly doesn't include every important/relevant song that's either been released in March or has recently seen a rise in popularity, I think that this list should sum up the past month in music pretty nicely.
10. Alesia & DJ Snake- Bird Machine
Hot off the Mad Decent music distribution machine, Alesia & DJ Snake's "Bird Machine" offers what, in my opinion, is the most unique EDM track to be released so far this year. With a drop featuring a sample of chirping birds and a hint of dutch synth, it sounds unlike anything else I've ever heard, really.
As a side note, it was surprisingly one of the more played songs at Ultra Music Festival this year.
9. Dinosaur Jr.- Entertainment (Phoenix Cover)
Back in February, Phoenix released "Entertainment" as the first single off their upcoming album Bankrupt! Strangely enough, Dinosaur Jr. has taken it upon themselves to give the world their take on the new track. Their version of "Entertainment" features some serious guitar solos and scruffy vocals from J Mascis. No synths or drum machines here. This cover has taken a fast once-fast and upbeat track and slowed it down to something more melancholy and serious. Love it or hate it, it's a really interesting listen.
8. Smith Westerns- Varsity
"Varsity" was released as a sort of preview for Smith Westerns' upcoming album Soft Will (out June 11), and it's yielding some good signs that we will not be disappointed. They've certainly come a long way from the lo-fi bliss of their self-titled debut album, and have increased their production value by incorporating some electronic elements into their new single. However, the lighthearted ambience of their music is one thing that appears to be here to stay. Because of that, "Varsity" just might be the feel-good song of the season.
7. Drake- 5AM in Toronto
From listening to his most recent single "5AM in Toronto" we can gather that Drake is beginning to show his rougher side. Not having a chorus, this track showcases Drake's true ability to maintain his flow from start to finish while still dropping boast rhymes like, "Bitches love my drive, I never give it a break...That's why every song sound like Drake featuring Drake." Some are skeptical of the new path he's taken to change his image and style, but I think I like the new Drizzy.
6. Wavves- Demon to Lean On
Wavves have showed a nice progression in their sound with their new LP Afraid of Heights. They've expanded on their signature surf-rock sound and seem to be moving away from their noisier sound that was so prevalent on King of the Beach. This particular track is receiving a lot of attention, and for good reason too. It's pleasant, guitar-driven vibe makes it easy to listen to, plus it shows their lyrics have taken on some more serious subject matter. Overall, it's great song to take with you into the later spring months.
5. Trinidad Jame$- Females Welcomed
Yes, Trinidad Jame$'s album Don't Be S.A.F.E. was released back in late January, but I think this track is still on it's way up the hip-hop/rap charts. After you listen for the first time (if you haven't already), you'll most likely feel urges to walk around, chanting the chorus repeatedly. But the memorable chorus isn't the only great feature of this song. About halfway through, the beat takes a dramatic turn and plunges into a dubstep ballad of sorts, featuring vocals from Reija Lee. It's almost like two songs for the price of one!
4. Vampire Weekend- Diane Young
Earlier this month, Vampire Weekend surprised us by releasing two new songs ("Step" and "Diane Young"), and while they both exceed expectations, "Diane Young" is the one that really stuck with me. I was skeptical the first couple of times I listened to it, but I learned to love it. It's upbeat, throwback-style guitar riffs make it a really fun song to listen to.
Even Steve Buscemi is digging it
3. Major Lazer- Watch Out For This (Bumaye)
I know that I've posted a lot about Major Lazer recently, but I can't help it. The hype is just too big to handle for their upcoming album Free The Universe. Early in March, they released this moombahton track to satisfy their patient fans, and I haven't stopped playing it since. It's catchy horn section and dancehall vocals (provided by Busy Signal) make for an interesting combination of sounds that works really well.
2. The Strokes- 80's Comedown Machine
Of all the songs on The Strokes' new album Comedown Machine, I'd have to say that this one stands out among the bunch. It has a sense of genuine sincerity that's not very common in the band's typical sound, showing that their soft side is alive and thriving. The Strokes have gone full-on mellow with this one.
1. Rihanna- Stay (Branchez Bootleg)
This is, with out a doubt, the most addicting track I've heard all month (maybe even all year) and it seemed to pop out of nowhere. After hearing it in a couple of different DJ mixes on BBC Radio 1, I couldn't get it out of my head and had to download it immediately. The way that Branchez speeds up the vocals and adds a stronger snare to the track makes this remix even more heartfelt than the original song in a way that I can't quite understand. But I like it. This one will definitely be on repeat for awhile.
¡¡¡SPOILER ALERT!!! Before you read this, understand that this article will dive into the conflict and plot of the newly released album Wolf, in detail. So If you want to figure it out for yourself, this may not be the right thing to be reading. Wolf, Tyler's third album is confusing. Bastard (His first album) set the tone for Tyler's career, a "Fuck the Rest" mentality. Then, he released Goblin (His second album). Goblin was genius, released with several singles, the listener followed one of Tyler's alter egos, Sam, through his therapy sessions with Dr. TC. It had a direct story line and the eerie conversations between Sam and Dr. TC matched his content. Wolf is different.
Welcome to camp Flog Gnaw! Camp FG is where the album takes place. Dr. TC, Sam's old therapist from Bastard and Goblin re-appears as no longer a therapist, but rather the camp counselor. The main conflict is between Sam and Wolf. Wolf is Tyler and the majority of the album is walking through his consciousness dealing with issues of love and loss and specifically growing up without a dad. It's not the first time we hear music about Tyler growing up without a father (one could argue his first album, Bastard, was entirely about that) but this is the first time we see him argue about the conflict back and forth between characters. Since most of the characters that appear in this album are products of Tyler's own mind (exceptions being Jasper, Earl and Domo Genesis) we see this conflict from several points of view. Much of the arguing however, is over Sam's alleged girlfriend Salem. Wolf starts hanging out Salem, and Sam, who sees this as a threat, reacts violently. In an attempt to scare away Wolf, Sam kills Earl. Then briefly after, the album closes with Dr. TC talking to Wolf about Sam. Dr. TC tells Wolf that Sam is looking for him, and Wolf says if he saw Sam, he would kill him. Perhaps a strong statement on his own personality? Having the character that most strongly represents his own self say that he resents another product of his own mind could be a hint at the idea that as much as Tyler hates this product of himself he has no control over it. If he did, he would finish it. That's why this album is here, it's a platform for Tyler to argue with himself over conflicts of his own that he cannot express from just one side. By ending the album on such a strong and direct comment, it leaves the listener on a huge cliff hanger, maybe to be tackled in later work. Regardless however, whether you are listening to the album for the story or not, I would absolutely recommend at least listening to the album. The complicated drum lines, and masterful beats influenced heavily by jazz roots are enough to be listened to alone. The fact that they have the odd future collective rapping over them only adds to the experience.
