Posts from 2005

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Mig

Sunday, November 20th, 2005 by Paul Irish

vocal downtempo // trip hop // eastern influence

I don’t know how it happened, but I swear my music taste is far more European than American. Music from Reykjavik, Copenhagen, and Brighton excites me much more than another band from the US – and I fear it’s not the innate exoticism of foreign entertainment. I suppose there may be different goals – music that aims to be beautiful, music meant to express thought, music to shake your ass to. Each culture exudes music that reflects it. I was introduced to Mig by my favorite Frenchman, Garrincha from Orchestrated Rise To Fall. The french group creates a warm sound that blends eastern elements and western sophistication, highlighted nicely in these tracks. They mix together wistful Nelly Furtado-like vocals and a soulful body of sound: naked acoustic guitar, synthesized electronic accoutrements, and a round bassline.
Morcheeba in the Middle East.

Mig – Concrete Jungle
Mig – Au nord de mon enfance
buy this cd

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Reflex Reaction: The World in Autumn

Monday, November 14th, 2005 by Paul Irish
I want your reaction, here. Leave a comment and for any/all of the songs, write your reaction to the song – keep it brief! (5-15 words, extra points if you hit exactly 10) After a few days, I’m going to publish the most evocative/impressive/amusing comments here. Be sure to leave your name!
Ready?

UPDATE! The best reactions follow:
improvisational // minimal african
Postal Workers Canceling Stamps At The University Of Ghana Post Office (1975)
(Many of you were curious– though I know many who heard this in music courses, my introduction was through Audiography.)

  • This track is dripping imagery of khaki hats and sunshine on the savannah…~toshi
  • First heard this in ethnolomusicology class; still unbelievably creative and energizing.~courvidae
  • I sent this along to a friend whose husband is Ghanain. Her comments: “My husband was really pleased by this! He said he remembers seeing the postal workers doing this in another city, Oda. He said the post office gave training in the cancelling to do it that way. And the post office hired a drummer to accompany them. You can hear the drum briefly in the clip.”~Doctor Doom

    • laid-back tropical // lounge
    Quantic & Nickodemus – Mi Swing Es Tropical (2005)

  • Soundtrack to a Wes Anderson film about eccentric american expats in Central America~Keith D
  • if archie bell and the drells woulda had latin fever.~technoprayer
  • to enjoy: consume high gravity beer and don’t really listen~MT

    • electro-rock // garage-dance
    Tom Vek – C-C (You Set The Fire In Me) (2005)

  • ClassiC-eleCtroniC Carrying Creator’s Chords aCross Chasms, ColleCting Crucial CritiCism.~leonm
  • Catchier than I’d like to admit, actually.~Matthias
  • i’ll admit to turning this song off after ten seconds~jen
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    Antje Duvekot

    Wednesday, November 2nd, 2005 by Paul Irish

    singer-songwriter // acoustic folk

    Acoustic starlet Antje Duvekot has been captivating the ears of East Coast audiences ever since she came over from Germany as a teenager. Why, precisely? The girl can write. She placed both 1st and 2nd in the prestigious John Lennon songwriting contest and was also a finalist in the USA Songwriting Competition. Her song “Judas” first hit my own ears from local Boston radio station WERS. Part of the allure is making the religious familial (a la Christopher Moore), part is the unexpected lyrics, but the bulk of my attraction is the uplifting melodic lines that make listening such a joy. And before you go tell people about her, you’ll want to know the proper pronounciation: On-tyeh Doo-ve-kot.
    Well-excuted songwriting: thoughtful, delicate, and sublime.

    Antje Duvekot – Judas
    Antje Duvekot – Dandelion
    buy this cd

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    Reflex Reaction: Halloween

    Thursday, October 27th, 2005 by Paul Irish
    I want your reaction, here. Leave a comment and for any/all of the songs, write your reaction to the song – keep it brief! (5-15 words, extra points if you hit exactly 10) After a few days, I’m going to publish the most evocative/impressive/amusing comments here. Be sure to leave your name!
    Ready?

    Up close, Mr Angry is on the left and Mrs Calm is on the right — move back six feet and they switch places!
    UPDATE! The best reactions follow:

    dub // vocal jazzy reggae
    Joe Dukie & DJ Fitchie – Midnight Marauders

  • Boyz II Men for the tight striped sweater and black-rimmed glasses set.~Ratrick
  • Rising from the “Dust”, vocal soul soars inna dub stylee.~Captain Planet
  • It sounds suspiciously like the kind of music I used to play on the recorder in sixth grade.~Aarika

    • broken beat // afro-beat
    Bugz In The Attic f. Wunmi – Zombie (Part One)

  • Like when Joe samples Pharcyde’s “Passing me by” in his craptacular “Stutter”. Femi: show these children how it is done.~Ian Shaughnessy
  • Frenetic Fela update – the master would be proud. Broken grooves for broken politics.~David R
  • Fela Kuti sans testicles, chopped up Scott Herren-style.~Ratrick

    • vocal downtempo // electronica
    Coldcut – Autumn Leaves (Irresistible Force Remix)

  • Got violins? (let me throw up for a second…)~Séverine
  • this joint is what, like 10+yrs old! reminds me of spacing out in chill out rooms at raves as a teen.~Marco
  • that rare beast – an electronic rehashing of a jazz standard that actually works.~Jez

    • cuban // son
    Barbarito Torres – La Calabaza (The Pumpkin)

  • Rolled R’s and Spanish guitars, move your feet, ha cha!~Katie
  • compare it to the others – a great demonstration of the superiority and emotiveness of real instruments over electronic wizardry.~Jez
  • Roasted pumpkin stuffed with cumin-dusted free range chicken breast, wild rice, and grilled zucchini, drizzled with a garlicky-jalapeno mojo.~Ratrick
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    Hanne Hukkelberg

    Friday, October 21st, 2005 by Paul Irish

    norwegian eclectic // vocal

    From bicycle spokes to banjos, wineglasses to wash brooms, and accordions to wurlitzers, there seems to be no limit as to what Lady Hukkelberg might bring to the studio. And what she brings isn’t limited to instruments – on her album Little Things, she brought in fellow Norwegian musicians from Jaga Jazzist, Kaada, Shining, and Aurgasm fave Xploding Plastix. You’ll hear vocal similarities to Emiliana Torrini, but her music has quite a bit more quirk. “Ease” works itself in with calliope and clarinet–Hanne’s friendly voice relaxes you, giving way to a synchopated sampled dreamscape. [thx Julija!]
    Adorable childlike spirit beset by mad-hatter instrumentation.

    Hanne Hukkelberg – Ease
    buy this cd

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