What's on the virtual jukebox on Planet Niche Quitte?
Clouds as Skin: “Glass Eyelids” (the Gossamer Sessions).
“Glass Eyelids” has an aching tenderness, combined with a truly otherworldly quality, in the midst of simple beauty. Vocals start off sounding like a lament from beyond the grave, only a mic and an electric piano. This is truly haunting stuff, and not to be missed. “Wish You Could See” has a folksier vibe, again, just a guitar, with that haunting voice. A mention should also be given to Clouds as Skin as being one of the best artist monikers I’ve run across in a long time, after The Wax Girl. The music is very impressive and left this reviewer wanting more. Clouds as Skin’s Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/127089867 The Wax Girl “Between Screens.” “Between Screens” from Toronto’s The Wax Girl is angelic, dreamy ambient music, with just a hint of some industrial sounds. From the very first track, ‘Rift,’ you are transported to a snowy landscape. The mountains of Russia beckon somewhere off in the distance. ‘Conflict’ is like the factory scene in ‘Metropolis,’ meets a city scene in ‘Blade Runner.’ The chains and rotors of heavy machinery can be heard against the backdrop of twinkly synths and waves of sound. The rest of the album is pure reverie. Again, not to be missed. For more, go to their Bandcamp page: https://thewaxgirl.bandcamp.com/ Fifi Rong, “Next Pursuit.” Out of London, England, Fifi Rong is the next big thing. Trust me on this. Impressive vocals, catchy pop music, and stunning visuals all merge in her video for “Next Pursuit.” I’m noticing a trend, with double exposure film, and I like it! Her look also reminds me of a cross between a Japanese geisha and Siouxsie Sioux, and I have to say, it’s beautiful! SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/fifirong Itunes Website: http://fifirong.com/ |
|
'Vert' is anything but 'green.' It's pure, otherworldly goodness. Shadowy Lines review, by Maya Garcia
I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t know a great deal about either ambient music or skateboarding. But I do love music, and I know when I hear something special, something different from what I’m used to, or what has made an impact on me. Like a good film or a good book, it can sometimes move, challenge or inspire me, and I will think about it for days, months, or even years afterwards. The latest album from Shadowy Lines might just fit into that category.
The new album ‘Vert’ by Shadowy Lines, an ambient music project by Nathan Stack, is envisioned as a soundtrack for skateboarders, according to the official press release. 'Vert' hits you with an onslaught of feedback from the very first notes of ‘720,’ the opening track. It’s brief, but it tells you the story of a dystopian scene that’s about to unfold before your very eyes. You’d half-expect to see that alien ship you swear you can hear off in the distance by the end of the track.
In ‘Airwalk’ you feel like you’re already in space, floating inside a giant snow globe on the surface of the moon. It’s both magical and slightly dark as well. There’s something slightly sinister behind those twinkly stars, but you don’t care, because you’re too busy floating through space in a giant snow globe. Perhaps it’s the ever-present awareness of the danger that will ensue once you hit the ground again. But maybe a little bit of danger is what makes life worth living.
‘Madonna’ is anything but a nod to the pop princess; it’s church music for the space age. It starts out with an expansive organ sound, followed by a chorus of bells and a kickass, quirky space orchestra. Like ‘2001’ meets ‘the Man Who Fell to Earth’ in a giant cathedral, if you can imagine how that’d sound. There’s even a vaguely choric effect. You may need to light a few candles whilst listening to this one.
‘Stalefish’ is Air meshed with ‘lightsaber’ sound effects, electric piano and…I don’t even know what else. It’s the music you’d be listening to in the Star Wars’ jazz bar, having a drink after you've pulled Excalibur from the stone.
‘Mute 540’ is a dark, moody and gothic orchestra, pulled through a tunnel, and it’s amazing, pure and simple.
‘Rocket Air’ is the most challenging song on the album to describe. The sound is akin to how a chainsaw thrown through space, floating at zero gravity, switched on, would sound. It’s that soundscape, recording whilst the organ from the ‘Phantom of the Opera’ plays a reel in the background, and a Druid’s chorus sings along.
‘Japan Air’ is much more Zen (pun intended) in the beginning, until that ‘tunnel of voices’ hits you, from a passing helicopter, followed by a wistfully-beautiful symphony.
‘Judo Air’ is like the soundtrack to a 1930’s futuristic film noir; it sounds both old school horror film and space age, but how space age sounded in times of yore (think ‘Metropolis’).
‘Just Your Basic Backside Air, I Guess’ is like plunging into the big blue ocean and kicking your legs out for a while, weaving in and out of currents. You can almost hear the whale song as you’re swimming below the surface.
‘900’ is the most rock n’ roll sounding piece of ambient music I think I've ever heard. It’s pure feedback, set against eerie-sounding synths. Suddenly, you’re taken into a zero gravity chamber, and it’s all fun and floaty feelings again. No moon boots here though, space cowboy!
In summary, this album is even more enjoyable than 2014’s “You Can’t Count on Anyone to Remember. I won’t bore you with the typical comparisons to Eno, Radiohead (‘Kid A’ era,) blah, blah, blah, because, this album is unlike anything I've heard to date. Just go and listen to the album, loudly, with headphones on. You can say, “I heard that groovy sound before space age chainsaw buzz ran through a pipe organ became wildly popular and on every new album known to man."
I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t know a great deal about either ambient music or skateboarding. But I do love music, and I know when I hear something special, something different from what I’m used to, or what has made an impact on me. Like a good film or a good book, it can sometimes move, challenge or inspire me, and I will think about it for days, months, or even years afterwards. The latest album from Shadowy Lines might just fit into that category.
The new album ‘Vert’ by Shadowy Lines, an ambient music project by Nathan Stack, is envisioned as a soundtrack for skateboarders, according to the official press release. 'Vert' hits you with an onslaught of feedback from the very first notes of ‘720,’ the opening track. It’s brief, but it tells you the story of a dystopian scene that’s about to unfold before your very eyes. You’d half-expect to see that alien ship you swear you can hear off in the distance by the end of the track.
In ‘Airwalk’ you feel like you’re already in space, floating inside a giant snow globe on the surface of the moon. It’s both magical and slightly dark as well. There’s something slightly sinister behind those twinkly stars, but you don’t care, because you’re too busy floating through space in a giant snow globe. Perhaps it’s the ever-present awareness of the danger that will ensue once you hit the ground again. But maybe a little bit of danger is what makes life worth living.
‘Madonna’ is anything but a nod to the pop princess; it’s church music for the space age. It starts out with an expansive organ sound, followed by a chorus of bells and a kickass, quirky space orchestra. Like ‘2001’ meets ‘the Man Who Fell to Earth’ in a giant cathedral, if you can imagine how that’d sound. There’s even a vaguely choric effect. You may need to light a few candles whilst listening to this one.
‘Stalefish’ is Air meshed with ‘lightsaber’ sound effects, electric piano and…I don’t even know what else. It’s the music you’d be listening to in the Star Wars’ jazz bar, having a drink after you've pulled Excalibur from the stone.
‘Mute 540’ is a dark, moody and gothic orchestra, pulled through a tunnel, and it’s amazing, pure and simple.
‘Rocket Air’ is the most challenging song on the album to describe. The sound is akin to how a chainsaw thrown through space, floating at zero gravity, switched on, would sound. It’s that soundscape, recording whilst the organ from the ‘Phantom of the Opera’ plays a reel in the background, and a Druid’s chorus sings along.
‘Japan Air’ is much more Zen (pun intended) in the beginning, until that ‘tunnel of voices’ hits you, from a passing helicopter, followed by a wistfully-beautiful symphony.
‘Judo Air’ is like the soundtrack to a 1930’s futuristic film noir; it sounds both old school horror film and space age, but how space age sounded in times of yore (think ‘Metropolis’).
‘Just Your Basic Backside Air, I Guess’ is like plunging into the big blue ocean and kicking your legs out for a while, weaving in and out of currents. You can almost hear the whale song as you’re swimming below the surface.
‘900’ is the most rock n’ roll sounding piece of ambient music I think I've ever heard. It’s pure feedback, set against eerie-sounding synths. Suddenly, you’re taken into a zero gravity chamber, and it’s all fun and floaty feelings again. No moon boots here though, space cowboy!
In summary, this album is even more enjoyable than 2014’s “You Can’t Count on Anyone to Remember. I won’t bore you with the typical comparisons to Eno, Radiohead (‘Kid A’ era,) blah, blah, blah, because, this album is unlike anything I've heard to date. Just go and listen to the album, loudly, with headphones on. You can say, “I heard that groovy sound before space age chainsaw buzz ran through a pipe organ became wildly popular and on every new album known to man."
Singles: Eureka! Strange and Primitive beauty. Review by Maya Garcia
'Eureka' is the debut single from Toronto-based Strange and Primitive. What can I say? I was instantly blown away.
It isn't the first time I've heard falsetto singing, or fuzzy guitars, groove-laden back-beats, but it's put together beautifully nevertheless, and it's a sound that's currently missing from the music scene, much to its detriment.
The video is also impossibly cute; an animated, claymation production, featuring a love/hate story between a spaceman and a robot. There's a certain childlike wonder to both the song and the video, something else that there's just not enough of in the world, as far as I'm concerned. So far, so good. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing more from these guys!
I'm not going to dissect this one any further, just enjoy it, and check out the video while you're at it:
Eureka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3unSNu3cvSA&feature=youtu.be
And check out Strange and Primitive’s site for more music:
http://www.strangeandprimitive.com/
'Eureka' is the debut single from Toronto-based Strange and Primitive. What can I say? I was instantly blown away.
It isn't the first time I've heard falsetto singing, or fuzzy guitars, groove-laden back-beats, but it's put together beautifully nevertheless, and it's a sound that's currently missing from the music scene, much to its detriment.
The video is also impossibly cute; an animated, claymation production, featuring a love/hate story between a spaceman and a robot. There's a certain childlike wonder to both the song and the video, something else that there's just not enough of in the world, as far as I'm concerned. So far, so good. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing more from these guys!
I'm not going to dissect this one any further, just enjoy it, and check out the video while you're at it:
Eureka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3unSNu3cvSA&feature=youtu.be
And check out Strange and Primitive’s site for more music:
http://www.strangeandprimitive.com/
|
Wonderbitch ‘Loves You’: Do you love them back? By Maya Garcia
Well…I like Wonderbitch. And liking is the first stage of the relationship, isn't it? I hear definite strains of Pink Floyd, with a strong groove-based backing. There’s also an undercurrent of funk (‘Trophy’ especially has a Roxy music-style groove that almost morphs into early Pulp, Ala ‘Babies’). It's early 70’s psychedelic-infused rock/pop, with a dash of ELO. Dreamy notes are akin to ‘Lamb Lies Down’-era Genesis, especially on ‘Rain’. It’s not earth-shatteringly-new, but it is pleasant listening, nevertheless. And the message throughout the lyrics is a good one; unconditional love, post-materialism. Rock on! It’s music to listen to on your commute, when you need something to chill out to, tap along to. It’s not the kind of music that’s going to send you off into too much of a reverie, so that you spin your vehicle out on the highway or miss your bus stop. My verdict: Wonderbitch is worth checking out!
Wonderbitch music:
http://www.wonderbitch.com/
Well…I like Wonderbitch. And liking is the first stage of the relationship, isn't it? I hear definite strains of Pink Floyd, with a strong groove-based backing. There’s also an undercurrent of funk (‘Trophy’ especially has a Roxy music-style groove that almost morphs into early Pulp, Ala ‘Babies’). It's early 70’s psychedelic-infused rock/pop, with a dash of ELO. Dreamy notes are akin to ‘Lamb Lies Down’-era Genesis, especially on ‘Rain’. It’s not earth-shatteringly-new, but it is pleasant listening, nevertheless. And the message throughout the lyrics is a good one; unconditional love, post-materialism. Rock on! It’s music to listen to on your commute, when you need something to chill out to, tap along to. It’s not the kind of music that’s going to send you off into too much of a reverie, so that you spin your vehicle out on the highway or miss your bus stop. My verdict: Wonderbitch is worth checking out!
Wonderbitch music:
http://www.wonderbitch.com/
Reviews: Don't Count on Me, by the Controversy. By Maya Garcia
The Controversy have been following me for awhile now on Twitter. I like the Eurthymics-inspired, androgynous aesthetics of their cover photo. But what finally got my attention was taking a moment to listen to their music. It's dreamy, techno-laced synthpop, with exquisite vocals. I'm hearing elements of Kraftwerk (not surprisingly,) but with a 'real surreal feel' that's intriguing. Echoing, melodic vocals, on tracks such as 'Fly,' with almost industrial-sounding grooves keep the listener interested. 'Luna' is a more dreamlike song, that sounds a little like the inside of a music box, with beautiful, Spanish lyrics. As the Controversy are a Los Angeles-based band, it's hardly surprising that there's a Latino influence in the music. It blends an even more melodic appeal to the synth-driven pop, inflected with Spanish guitars. Apparently, one-half of the duo are from Spain as well, so it all comes full-circle, and it shows in the music. There's a Danish influence too, and presences of bands such as Mew can be heard reflected in songs such as 'Thirty Horses Gently Weep.' Side note: I'll do a feature on Danish bands shortly, there's quite a music scene going on in Denmark!
But getting back to the Controversy, check them out- It's good stuff!
The Controversy's album, "Don't Count on Me" is on both Bandcamp and Soundcloud:
http://thecontroversyband.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/thecontroversy
One to Watch: Reviews- Hein Cooper EP by Maya Garcia
Quite by accident I discovered Hein Cooper's music, via the fabulous Indiependent music blog, and on a whim decided to check out his EP 'The Art of Escape.' Wow! The most eloquent word I can come up with right now. First of all, what a voice! My ears are still ringing from both the sheer power and alternating sweetness of his lilting vocal range. Second, while the EP starts out with fairly straightforward folk music, there's elements of dreamy pop, electronic and even a touch of ambient sounds laced throughout. I hear bits of trip-hop ('The Real'), r n' b grooves (the Tora remix of 'The Art of Escape) and jazz. It's labeled as 'indie, but it's so much more!
The video for 'The Art of Escape' is also super-cool: the entire video is edited and shot using a photography style that I'm personally quite partial to, the double-exposure technique.
I went from being a complete neophyte to Hein Cooper's music to damn near starting a fan club. So thank you, Indiependent, for introducing me to this exceptional talent, and I can't wait to hear the upcoming album!
Check Out Hein Cooper's EP on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/heincoopermusic
http://www.heincooper.com
Quite by accident I discovered Hein Cooper's music, via the fabulous Indiependent music blog, and on a whim decided to check out his EP 'The Art of Escape.' Wow! The most eloquent word I can come up with right now. First of all, what a voice! My ears are still ringing from both the sheer power and alternating sweetness of his lilting vocal range. Second, while the EP starts out with fairly straightforward folk music, there's elements of dreamy pop, electronic and even a touch of ambient sounds laced throughout. I hear bits of trip-hop ('The Real'), r n' b grooves (the Tora remix of 'The Art of Escape) and jazz. It's labeled as 'indie, but it's so much more!
The video for 'The Art of Escape' is also super-cool: the entire video is edited and shot using a photography style that I'm personally quite partial to, the double-exposure technique.
I went from being a complete neophyte to Hein Cooper's music to damn near starting a fan club. So thank you, Indiependent, for introducing me to this exceptional talent, and I can't wait to hear the upcoming album!
Check Out Hein Cooper's EP on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/heincoopermusic
http://www.heincooper.com
Featured Video: 'Weatherman,' by Dead Sara.
Cause and Effect: How Lyrics and/or a Video Can Draw In a Consumer: Aldrey and The Unlikely Candidates - by Maya Garcia
So the fun part of this 'job' is discovering new talent based off of recommendations. Thanks to the worldwide Twitter community, I've made some fun discoveries recently. First is the Latin pop singer called Aldrey. I'll be the first to admit, I know very little about Latino music, much to my chagrin (bad Mexican, I know, I know!) However, I was introduced to a pop singer called Aldrey, thanks to a savvy Twitter follower, and I watched his video for "Causo Y Effecto" ("Cause and Effect," for our English-speaking viewers.) Honestly, though the music is catchy, and the video is appealing enough to grab one's attention, the cleverness of the lyrics would've been completely lost on me if there wasn't the handy use of English subtitles. The lyrics are what drew me in. They're surprisingly profound, and in alignment with my own views about life, fate and how the universe works in often mysterious ways. It also reminded me of another favorite song and video, "Do You Believe in Shame?" By my favorite band, Duran Duran. Ironically, Aldrey also uses dominoes as a metaphor for the "Causo Y Effecto" of events, similarly to how Duran Duran used them, back in the late 80's. In other words, one thing leads to another (Yes, that was a deliberate reference to the Fixx). So thank you, @emmapombolupe2, for finding my blog out there on the Tiwitterverse, and recommending Aldrey. My life is just a little bit richer for seeing that video!
Here is the video for Aldrey's 'Causo Y Effecto:'
_http://youtu.be/8VOPDXyVyXk
And in another Twitter-related twist of fate, a band called The Unlikely Candidates introduced me to their music via adding Niche to their list of 'favorite' tweets. I was impressed with the video and song 'Howl,' which tells the story through words and pictures (hello, right up my alley) of a would-be cowboy. This cowboy starts off looking like the star of a Top 40 country music video, and somehow ends up riding a plastic horse at a supermarket. The video appeals to me greatly, with its childlike sense of wonder about life, and love. I like artists who don't take themselves too seriously, and the video gets points from me for its simplicity and sense of fun. The song's pretty catchy too, and I like the slide guitars. Check out 'Howl' right here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-fT_DqiJxkM