Orbital Video Diary Documents Making Of New Album (2011) :: Video

Orbital
P&P share making of new album through video diary, updates on Facebook and Twitter

The brothers Hartnoll are back in the lab working on a new album, and this time they're sharing their progress with fans through periodic YouTube video diary uploads, Facebook posts and Twitter updates.  In their first charmingly sheepish video posted back in mid-February, we are introduced to "the map", a large scribbly thing looking something like a synthesizer schematic that is said to be a visual representation of their plans for the album. The Map hangs on the wall above their workstation, and though we can't decipher much on it, it shows us how much further along the guys are in their process.  My favorite bit in this video however is the brief live performance of one of their new tracks - it's sounding great!  Though they just put out the banging double-single Don't Stop Me / The Gun Is Good in 2010, their last full length Blue Album was released way back in 2004, so needless to say I am well excited for a new one.

Orbital - Video Diary Part 1 (16 Feb 2011):


Orbital - Video Diary Part 2 (18 Feb 2011):


Orbital - Video Diary Part 3 (4 Mar 2011):


Orbital - Video Diary Part 4 (14 Mar 2011) at Valencia gig:


Orbital - Video Diary Part 5 (25 Mar 2011):


To be notified of future video diary entries:

Connect with Orbital :: YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Official Site

Golden Girls - Kinetic (Lone Remix) :: Review

LONE.
Golden Girls - Kinetic (Lone Remix)
[R&S Records :: 2011]

Free Download

I love LONE. His lush and sparkling EDM gives me the same happy, carefree feeling I get from listening to multi-layered '90s ravey house from artists like Orbital and FSOL without the guilt of being stuck in an era long gone.  The UK artist has decided to give out a remix to prep everyone for his first R&S Records release Echolocations EP (due out April 11, 2011) and Lone-and-behold, it's an updated rework of the classic early-nineties warehouse techno single "Kinetic" by Golden Girls, a Paul Hartnoll (of Orbital) side project from the R&S archives.  It retains the emotional loveliness of the original while giving us everything we love about a LONE. track including upbeat dancey drum machine rhythms and warm, warbley synths.  Just beautiful.  Listen / download below.




Download Golden Girls - Kinetic (Lone Remix) :: .MP3


Pre-Order Lone - Echolocations EP (2011) :: R&S Records | Boomkat

Buy Lone - Emerald Fantasy Tracks (2010) :: Amazon | Boomkat

Connect with LONE. :: MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud

The Carrier Wave - Rich and Strange EP (2011) :: Review

The Carrier Wave
Rich and Strange
[Complex Sound Sagacity :: 2011]

Review + Free Download

If Her Majesty The Queen listened to acid, she would listen to The Carrier Wave's new EP Rich and Strange.  That might be a loaded statement, especially considering that The Carrier Wave, aka Christopher Westphal, is actually from the United States, however the sophistication and elegant restraint displayed in these 5 tracks combined with slick production and a surprisingly apropos touch of classical strings make them fit for a royal garden party or a day out on the yacht.  The American President would discover this EP too eventually, though the scene wouldn't ever catch on in his country, forcing him to stay up to date on various internet forums and swap files with his online friends from across the pond, but I digress.

Despite The Carrier Wave's debut EP Live Takes Vol. 1 emerging just 2 and a half months ago, Rich and Strange reveals a noticeable evolution of style as the Chicago producer combines his love for analog drum machines, modular synths, and of course, acid, with orchestral training from his earlier years.  He's managed to find a unique and magical sweet spot where these things all meet because I literally cannot stop listening to it on repeat.  "Funky Deschanel" opens perfectly, picking up where he left off with vintage Roland percussion at a medium pace topped with slicing pads and some really smooth 303.  Before you know it however, the artist eases some upbeat violin plucks into the mix, and suddenly you're listening to acid classical electro.  The integration of said strings is subtle in track one, perhaps as an intentional gesture to gradually introduce the listener to the idea and prepare them for the assault in track two.  "Prim, Proper Acid" starts out like a straight-up chamber piece with an entire string section bowing out an austere melody in unison, but soon a rogue contrabass (or is it cello?) brings in a funky bassline and a swingy electronic beat follows, pushing the track into head-nodding action.  The recording of the strings in this one is so clear, I swear you can hear rosin grinding on horse hair.  "Bass Spatz One" is a bit of a wildcard and switches things up with even funkier acid, acoustic drum sounds and bass guitar work mean enough to turn Squarepusher's head.  "Spade Cruise Lines" is a bouncy, rubbery good time that features a cool "talking" synth simply oozing with luxury, and closing track "So Long, Lefty" is truly the sound of an oceanic vessel of titanic proportions slowly disappearing on the horizon as we raise our martinis and cheers to high society black-tie acid.

Stream "Rich and Strange":


Promo Video featuring "Spade Cruise Lines":


Download The Carrier Wave - Rich and Strange EP :: .RAR (MP3, 320kbps) | Label Page

Connect with The Carrier Wave :: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | MySpace

The Carrier Wave has residency @ Gravity Halo Rotations Blog through January 2011

Monarch - Aesthetic Anesthetic (2010) :: Review

Monarch
Aesthetic Anesthetic
[Broken Records :: 2010]

Who is The Monarch?

We all know what an amazing tool the internet can be for unknown artists to get their music heard by more than just their mates, and with the help of netlabels, social networks, and blogs, everyone has a fair chance at being discovered by the right set of ears.  But sometimes all it takes is 1 simple link. Case-in-point: The Monarch.

I don't even know how I ended up there, but while browsing the interwebz I stumbled upon an odd, one-off, semi-serious article in the form of a Wordpress blog on the topic of "a&d" music, an umbrella term being used to identify electronic music made with actual analogue and digital hardware, versus entirely within a DAW (digital audio workstation) on a computer. The article cites artists Aphex Twin and Ceephax as prime examples of a&d, but it is within the article's comments that someone posted a link in perfect context to an album on iTunes accompanied by a simple message:

"check this guy out
monarch
funky mono-synth acid"

Monarch - Aesthetic Anesthetic is exactly that; funky, synth soaked acid composed with vintage hardware including classic Roland drum machines and keyboards.  "Melo Velocet" kicks the album off with funk for sure, and right off the bat displays excellent pattern progression, build ups, break downs, and smooth production that would get any braindancer up out of their seat.  Surely this can't be the work of a newcomer?  As track 2 "45" kicks in I'm starting to realize Monarch is using a Roland TR-727 drum machine, the 707's less popular Latin cousin, and it's totally grooving.  Suddenly the synthy bassline in "Siamese" sounds really familiar and I can't help feeling a small suspicion creeping in that perhaps Monarch is a side project of someone we already know and love.  This of course is pure speculation and the album is great fun regardless of who the artist actually is, but I can't help but notice a similarity of styles as well as a few clues left behind in the comments of the above mentioned a&d article.  Monarch appears to want to remain anonymous as there is no official site, Facebook page, Twitter account, blog mentions or even a search result to be found, so I'll refrain from saying who I think it is.  As an aside, the album's metadata lists the artist as "The Monarch", perhaps to avoid confusion with a few other bands and musicians going by the same name.  You be the judge.

Excluding the horribly generic album art, Aesthetic Anesthetic is a solid album chock full of quality tangible "a&d", and if funky basslines, clever melodies, upbeat tempos and attentively programmed percussion is your thing, I recommend you grab it.  Highlights for me include the modulated bassline in "Quest To The Off Start End", the Plaid-esque bells in "Tea", the drum machine solo at the end of "Network Cycle How" and the eerie, dissonant feel of "Tricaclaic".   Despite have no internet presence whatsoever, Monarch is now in my collection and on my radar, all thanks to one simple link in the comments section of a random article on the internet.




Buy Monarch - Aesthetic Anesthetic :: Amazon | iTunes

Connect with Monarch? :: MySpace?

Automatic Tasty - World Wide Web (2010) :: Review

Automatic Tasty
World Wide Web
[Acroplane :: 2010]
Free Download

9/10

Incoming Transfer... "World Wide Web", the latest packet of sound bytes served up by Irish electronic music composer Automatic Tasty is worthy of your bandwidth. 

This is a very cohesive album in sound, flow, skill, progression and vibe.  Its strict, analog electro sound contains hints of Accelerator-era F.S.O.L. syncopated basslines, Kraftwerk-like minimalism, the razor sharp beats of Adult., and a smidge of AFX Analord influence.  Every track is titled in theme, such as "Privacy Settings", "Oh Network of Networks!", and "Remote Access (Vertical67 Trojan Mix)", which really resonates the consistency of this collection of songs.  "ISDN Romance" and "Embedded Images" utilize a bit of a nu romantix bassline but capture the dance-ability without the cheesy pop aspect.  Tasty brings the tempo down a little bit on the moody "Come Down On Uploads", but keeps things interesting with warm synth tones and subtle pitch-bends.  These tracks are skillfully executed in both drum machine programming and overall song composition as they always contain a good balance of squelch and low end, interesting melodies, perfectly placed accents, and progress in all the right places.  From start to finish, "World Wide Web" maintains a deliciously braindancey feel and a memorable theme that will have you coming back to it again and again.

All that's left to say is...
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Automatic Tasty - World Wide Web
[Acroplane :: 2010]
12 tracks



FREE DOWNLOAD: 320kbps | VBR

Release Page @ Acroplane.org

Connect with Automatic Tasty :: MySpace | Soundcloud

While you're waiting for your download to complete, read this:

(click to enlarge)