Aurgasm

vocal // contemporary classical

Sadly, too many people only will recall “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” when they think Bobby McFerrin. Beyond novelties, McFerrin actually brought a lot of innovation to a capella and music, in general. The song below comes from his 1999 collaboration with cello master Yo-Yo Ma. In a simply divine arrangement, McFerrin’s voice and Ma’s cello weave lyrical lines together and apart, creating a sonic landscape that escapes categorization. I hear hints of Akira’s Dolls’ Polyphony in the tune (and since it was released only 2 years after the movie, I bet it’s more than coincidence.)

A master of voice and a master of string. Making sound.
Bobby McFerrin & Yo-Yo Ma – Grace
buy this cd

baroque pop // singer-songwriter

Immediately on hearing this track I thought of Badly Drawn Boy’s seminal album The Hour of Bewilderbeast. Oren Lavie has the clear, high-fidelity instrumentation I associate with the UK baroque pop scene; having string work similar to the cello I fell in love with in BDB’s “The Shining,” and a general gaiety about songwriting that respects the listener while treating them with a cute tune worth sharing. It’s a shame his album is still only released in Europe; apparently they’d rather put off us Americans with a $22.99 sale price. Silly recording industry. :-/

Warm, sunny, aural afternoon delight.
Oren Lavie – Her Morning Elegance
+ Purchase/Visit

brazilian folk // electronic indie

If you’ve been paying attention Cibelle (see-BELL-ee) has already caught your attention, I’m a little late on this but didn’t want to not post this songstress. São Paulo raised Cibelle crafts tunes that tell stories embellished by an instrumentation that won’t disappoint; ½ her album was produced by ½ of indie folk outfit Tunng. Her approach to song construction (somewhat explained on her myspace) reminds me of The Books and Psapp. You won’t hear her lovely vocals in Portuguese in the songs below, but that’s a treat, just the same.

Innovating on old-world beauty.
Cibelle – Waiting
Cibelle – Green Grass
Cibelle – London, London (feat. Devendra Banhart) (video)
buy this cd

downtempo // ambient // south african electronica

One tune to wake up to, and another to drift into sleep with.

Felix Laband – Whistling in Tongues
Felix Laband – Radio Right Now

buy this cd

electro pop // eclectic electronic

Annika Line Trost is a charming and charismatic creature. You probably know her from the Berlin duo Cobra Killer, who began as a part of digital hardcore movement. You hear her voice, her sound, and her gorgeous style as you click on play her album Trust Me (2006) lead you into the world of the urban rhythms and the most elegant darkness. Trost tells you her stories of cheap lipstick and love in three languages, English, German and French.

Be aware, she’s an addictive one.
Trost – I was Wrong
Trost – In Diesem Raum
buy this cd

vocal folk // avant-pop // irish singer-songwriter

It’s quite rare an artist is both amazingly creative, productive and has good management skills. Julie Feeney does it all: she composes, writes, sings and promotes all her songs, and it’s needless to say she is truly passionate about music. The critics immediately appraised Julie for her sparse, clean vocals. In Julie’s “Autopilot”, the xylophone sounds and the clever lyrics, frame a melody so immersing that it’s impossible not to listen to it over and over again. “You Bring Me Down” is melodic and never boring with its sweet eclecticism.

Like warm spring rain washing away the snow.
Julie Feeney – You Bring Me Down
Julie Feeney – Autopilot
Julie’s blog
Julie Feeney – Aching (music video)
buy this cd

downtempo // jazz // soul

I hate to be a label fanboy, but Brighton-based Tru Thoughts always seems to dominate in my best-of lists. Their roster is small and focused, but includes saucy downtempo heavyweights like Bonobo and Quantic. Jumbonics turns out an organic jazzy slip-n-slide, a pleasant distraction from your ruff-n-tumble day. It’s Money Mark meets Buddy Rich at the pad of Booker T and the MGs. It’s a deep soul ride.

Melody-led song-structures and a more mature soul sound.
Jumbonics – Bubble Drop
buy this cd

soundtrack jazz // hard bop // film noir

To record this soundtrack, Miles Davis stood in front of a screen, watched the movie, and played in the moment, improvising his own musical impressions of the drama on-screen. The music of this film, Ascenseur Pour L’Echafaud, helped define the sound of film noir–the slow-walking bass beats and muted, slithering horn lines miming the characters’ action and emotion. Perfect tunes for relaxing, studying, or just completely zoning out. [Thx Angad]

Nostalgia and suspicion from jazz’s finest.
Miles Davis – Nuit Sur Les Champs-Elysees (take 2)
Miles Davis – Final (take 1)
buy this cd

comic electronic // downtempo // dream pop

Running in a similar vein to the cartoony electronic duo Toy, Podington Bear delights ears in crafting accessible and dynamic dream pop. Podington is a bear from Portland, Oregon. A bear who makes a new song for every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Typically, such prolificacy would indicate the songs must be subpar, but Bear surprised my expectations. The samples and synths aren’t anything innovative, but the songwriting reminds me of producers like William Orbit and Kaskade.

Friendly and lovely tunes from an unassuming bear.
Podington Bear – Steppin In
Podington Bear – Frogs In Tuxes
buy this cd

california glam-pop // breezy electro-rock

The keytar is our first tip-off. The way its plaintive, dull-yet-sunny sound meshes with Juliette Commagere’s vocals, the electronic overlays, the rich bounce of bass, is a recipe for some very catchy pop. It’s a new-new-wave sound, shiny and nostalgic; it siphons something of Blondie and Berlin, of Latin pop and Irish ditties, and swirls the whole thing into a dance party. Hailing from Silverlake CA, Hello Stranger, formerly Vagenius, are effortlessly attuned to and enamored of LA’s decadent, chintzy, eclectic culture of Hip. Their lyrics admit as much with nonchalant honesty – that is, when they are not being all tongue-in-cheek.

Feels like you’ve been humming these melodies forever
Hello Stranger – Her In These Lights
Hello Stranger- Es Tu Vida

Post contributed by Natalia
buy this cd