posted by Loren on February 17, 2012
There is beautiful solace to be found in nature, organic development and a sense of what life in its purest form is truly like. In Japanese heritage, plants and shrubbery are manipulated into ornate designs in an effort to control something man has never been able to. When I listen to Evenings and the elusive tone within each sample, the subtle diligence of each chord, I am reminded that despite nature, there is so much brilliance in the exactitude of what we can control. The sound (and yes when you listen to the lyrically absent endeavors of Evenings this is the only syllable that comes to mind) is enticing, on the tip of your tongue until he couples another keyboard or snap or snare and you are impressed all the same. Evenings art works are just that; lacking detail or background, instrumentations boldly named and that are held close to the heart. We reminisce in the artist’s voice, the music, and create dimensions of our own led along simply by a name (Chesapeake and Babe) and the intrigue of a sound.
The elements in Evenings’ repertoire design your pallet, not guide it. When I hear “Chesapeake” I envision Nathan in Charlottesville in a dorm behind a soundboard, lost in his headphones creating metaphors and myths. In college we all seem to be wondering who we are and what we’re doing, and North Dorm for me is that expression. It is putting life together, sound-by-sound, anecdote by tribulation, and coupling them into an appreciation. Evenings hires life to run its own trajectory, and make the poetry from this empiricism dance. After all, life is just one moment standing on the shoulders of the last. Just like the sound of Evenings.
I should mention that North Dorm EP is coming up on two years old and not the most recent work to date (Lately was released this past year). Although I do enjoy the rhythm and storytelling off the latest releases, “Lo-Vélo” is awesome; I just liked these tracks a little more. “Babe” was released on North Dorm and “Chesapeake” is a single release.
Evenings – Chesapeake (Downloaded 195 times)
Evenings – Babe (Downloaded 210 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Chillwave • Instrumental • Synth • With Bleeps & Blips
(11 votes)
Loading ...posted by Patrick on December 4, 2011
“Austra is an island on the border between Nord-Trøndelag and Nordland counties in Norway. The 88-square-kilometre (34 sq mi) island is shared between the municipalities of Bindal, Leka and Nærøy. The highest point is the 588-metre (1,929 ft) tall Romsskåla.” (Wikipedia)
Austra is also a band. Hailing from the equally cold, if somewhat more cosmopolitan, Toronto, Canada, Austra has perfected a sound defined by contradictions: remote but intimate, clinical but warm. That’s due in large part to the offsetting influences of lead singer Katie Stelmanis, a classically trained opera singer, and the band’s chilly, dance-inspired electronic backing. Stelmanis’ voice soars and lingers, while the music pushes forward with a driving beat. It’s an unlikely combination, but when it works, as on ‘Lose It,’ the results are stunning. And when Stelmanis performs ‘Lose It’ with only a piano and her voice, as in the video below, the song is completely transformed, and even more compelling. As a beat addict, I prefer the electronic version, but I can’t deny the video’s power. Perhaps Paper Bag Records can release them both?
In some ways, Austra reminds me of Phantogram. Austra’s lead singer has a wider vocal range, and is less reliant on effects and reverb, but both combine heavy beats with dramatic vocals to create a cinematic sound and feel. If you like one, try the other and let us know how they compare.
Austra – Lose It (Downloaded 286 times)
Austra – The Choke (Downloaded 286 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Amazing Voice • Driven • Electro • Female vocal • Orchestral • Synth • With Bleeps & Blips
(15 votes) Loading ...posted by Patrick on September 18, 2011
Mathieu Santos of Ra Ra Riot has just released his first solo album, the oddly named Massachusetts 2010, and it’s honestly a mixed bag. There are some excellent nuggets of melodic electro pop, along with a song or two that might have been best left in the studio. But when Santos hits his mark, he really nails it, and both of the tracks below are simply addictive (and addictively simple). “I Can Hear the Trains Coming” features Santos’ falsetto voice against a sing-song harmony that evokes hazy summer days and sweetly addled memories. “Northern Melody” sounds completely different and is less catchy but more interesting. If Massachusetts 2010 is an experiment in musical styles and textures, these tracks represent opposite ends of Santos’ spectrum, and perfection lies somewhere in between. Santos should get there, eventually; he’s too talented not to.
Mathieu Santos – I Can Hear The Trains Coming (Downloaded 276 times)
Mathieu Santos – Northern Mentality (Downloaded 256 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Ambient • Bedroom Band • Catchy • Experimental • Male vocal • With Bleeps & Blips
(6 votes) Loading ...This is certainly Amazing! Many thanks.
posted by Michael on August 15, 2011
You close your eyes. Like roaring sirens on the horizon, a melancholy synth swells up through the darkness. The air is thick with anticipation. You feel a cold bead of sweat break past your ear. Drums crash through the neon tainted wind, ushering in a storm of throbbing beats and grinding synths. Windows shatter, and glass like rain invades the asphalt. The city surrenders under such immensity of sound. The clock strikes midnight; you awake. I imagine a similar scenario might have compelled Anthony Gonzalez, leader and founder of French band M83, to write “Midnight City.”
Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (out October 18th) is M83’s sixth record to date, marking an ambitious return after nearly two years of absence. “Midnight City” is stuck between a daydream and a nightmare, mixing delicate vocals and jarring electronics, alternatively haunting and catchy. The track opens with a deceivingly simplistic melody; two fluctuating synths soon merge to form a chorus. The drums then intervene, building to an infectious crescendo that evolves throughout the song, growing to mimic the very beat of a thriving urban jungle. The vocals glide effortlessly above the instrumentation, with lyrics presenting a dreamlike description of a common night out. The saxophone finale is a climactic moment of pure magic, adding a distinctive retro touch to an otherwise flawless modern classic.
M83 – Midnight City (Downloaded 1233 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Catchy • Dischordant • Electro • Psychedelic • Synth • With Bleeps & Blips
(24 votes) Loading ...
December 11th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
We had a fun interview with Austra and would like to share it with you guys:
http://nightdrivemiami.com/2011/11/01/austra-interview-ticket-giveaway/