Bleep is a column focusing on varying degrees of electronic music news, videos and MP3s. In this post, Bibio shares a brand new single in advance of his new album, Soulwax remixes Pulp for a special Record Store Day release and Disclosure finally discloses some info on their debut album.
When Bibio released “À Tout À L’Heure,” it was hard to get a sense of where the English producer was headed on his seventh studio album Silver Wilkinson. With the arrival of “You,” the second single from the forthcoming album due May 14th on Warp, Bibio once again throws listeners for a loop, trading the rather breezy sound of “À Tout À L’Heure” for a massive, dance floor ready beat. Both tracks feel like the natural extension of The Avalanches or other sample-heavy artists, turning the assumed into something revelatory.
“Pop music shouldn’t always get a bad rap,” says Top Pops!, a recurring selection of pop music highlights across a selection of styles, updated throughout every month to bring you the best of the funk.
Dutch Uncles – “Bellio”
Vocally one part Bear In Heaven and one part Field Music, Dutch Uncles have a lot of fascinating things going on as far as the world of pop music goes. Cascading instrumentation, unforeseen breakdowns, and minimalism in occasionally suitable points make “Bellio” a track that may not be initially mind-blowing, but shifts here and there into a rainbow-clad Battles. Their upcoming record, Out of Touch in the Wild, will be released on Memphis Industries on April 2nd, and is a busy-body piece of work that will dazzle some and overwhelm others.
Kisses – “Huddle”
Kisses’ verbal simplicity often infuriates me to no end (note their band name and generic song titles galore), but in my humble opinion, they repeatedly redeem themselves with their tried-and-true methods of stripping down pop songs to only their catchiest necessities. With the release of “Huddle” and last month’s “The Hardest Part”, Kisses miiiiight be giving away all of their best tricks prior to the release of their next full-length, the again obnoxiously-named Kids In L.A.… but whatever gets them (and you) in the door, I guess.
This month, Circle Takes the Square awaken from an eight-year slumber and Sweden’s gothic masters Ghost return from their spectral hideout, plus tracks from KEN Mode, Kvelertak, and Shai Hulud.
Eight years ago, the Savannah, Georgia screamo/thrash/post-hardcore outfit Circle Takes the Square dropped As the Roots Undo on this mortal world , andpopulations of head-banging enthusiasts went nuts accordingly. The dual shrieks of vocalists Drew Speziale and Kathy Coppola over guitars centered in thrash and drums focused on grind elements were enough to make CTTS the new saviours of hardcore, bringing new relevance to the ill-titled ‘screamo’ genre and really just delivering a critically flawless ass-kicking to the ear drums of anyone who wanted to take part.
And then it turned out that Circle Takes the Square were merely human beings, since it’d been close to eight years since the band put out any new material. They sure as hell toured in-between, but their “reported” second full-length was starting to sound more and more like Chinese Screamocracy, an oft-mentioned holy lore of music more suitable as a reference in the newest Indiana Jones film than in reality.
But weary no more, treasure seekers — because Circle Takes the Square is finally back. They started a very successful Kickstarter campaign, and the final product, Decompositions, has finally seen the light. The entire album is up on the band’s Bandcamp page at a name-your-own-price steal, and the vinyl is expected to be pressed and available in early 2013. Lets hope that doesn’t turn into early 2021…
“Partnering hip-hop artists with charitable causes is nothing that I made up… but they’re infrequently covered by the media, perhaps, unless they’re related to a tragedy.” – Dessa
“Pop music shouldn’t always get a bad rap,” says Top Pops!, a recurring selection of pop music highlights across a selection of styles, updated throughout every month to bring you the best of the funk.
James Blake – “Retrograde” James Blake is back with Overgrown on April 8th. Embedding this is a tricky feat — as the last time I embedded a James Blake track with the following review, UMG scolded us and demanded the video’s removal — but nonetheless, here it is, for all of your soulful listening desires. Slight electronic texturing still exists here — he hasn’t given himself up completely, certainly — but this is as soulful as we’ve ever heard Blake, and this track is most definitely a slow-burner and a grower, grower, grower.
Psychic Twin – “Strangers” (Polyvinyl Records) Psychic Twin seem to constantly deliver on impressive one-off tracks, and “Strangers” from their upcoming Polyvinyl-released 7″ is no different. Upbeat synth frolicks and fancy fleeting vocals delight while entering the noggin hypnotically. Polyvinyl is really chasing the dance pop tip lately, and I’d personally say that Psychic Twin are one of their most exciting prospects. Unfortunately, these tracks can’t be embedded right now, but you can enjoy “Strangers” via Soundcloud or hear additional Psychic Twin tracks we have posted here. They will be playing at our SXSW 2013 show; announcement coming Monday.
Aural Devastation is a regular column about heavy music. Here are some favorites from 2012, beginning with relatively structured songs and descending into the chaotic.
Baroness – “EULA” from Yellow & Green + ENTIRE RECORD STREAM
As the last song on the Yellow Album, “EULA” had an interesting job, as it needed to take the listener from the harder sounds of Baroness into the more straight-up progressive rock edge of Green Album. Baroness knocked it out of the park with their attempt, as “EULA” is one of the better songs in their entire catalog. - PETER WOODBURN
Black Breath – “Feast of the Damned” from Sentenced to Life
The opening track off of Black Breath’s mind-mashing 2012 album, Feast of the Damned showed exactly how Black Breath was taking their music — harder, faster, louder. - PETER WOODBURN
Burning Love – “Hateful Comforts” from Rotten Thing to Say
The guitars are fierce, the drums unrelenting, and the vocals snarling. Burning Love put forth a perfect blend off rock and roll and hardcore with this effort. - PETER WOODBURN
Converge – “Trespasses” from All We Love We Leave Behind + ENTIRE RECORD STREAM
This song opens and closes with more noise than anything out there. Its spastic interior showcases the madness that is the Converge flurry trying desperately to explode out. - PETER WOODBURN
Downfall of Gaia – “In The Rivers Bleak” from Suffocating the Swarms of Cranes + ENTIRE RECORD STREAM
Downfall of Gaia released one of the best metal albums of the year, and this is probably the best song off of the album. It’s got some great post-metal, sludge metal, black metal and straight up metal moments that make the eight minutes pass by in two. - PETER WOODBURN
Pig Destroyer – “The Diplomat” from Book Burner + ENTIRE RECORD STREAM
“The Diplomat” is the first song on Book Burner over two minutes long and shows why Scott Hull is the best metal guitarist on the planet. The song is all Pig Destroyer in their never-ending quest to brutalize eardrums world-wide with absolutely punishing riffs. - PETER WOODBURN
Propagandhi – “Note to Self” from Failed States
“Note to Self” contains some nice lyrical play to open the song, but really contains the best moments of Propagandhi’s conversion from punk-rock into punk-thrash. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better final minute in any song this year. - PETER WOODBURN
Swans – “Avatar” from The Seer + ENTIRE RECORD STREAM
Michael Gira is a musical genius. The way he makes “Avatar” grow while chanting, “Your life is in my hands” makes you really feel like it is — and Gira is the last person you want to take control of your destiny. He hardly has control over his own; and that is half the fun of this ride. - PETER WOODBURN
Torche – “Walk It Off” from Harmonicraft
To listen to Torche is to try to figure out what you are listening to. Is it sludge? Is it metal? Is it rock? I say a bit of all three, and they are the best bands blurring that line right now. “Walk It Off” shows Torche at their finest, with crazy guitars and constant drums. - PETER WOODBURN
