Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Cool Video Funtime #361 - Cursory Cure


Bandcamp Theme Time: "80's Sci-Fi/Horror Score"



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Recently (if not always) I have been beyond addicted to Dark-Sci-Fi oriented Synth music. I've always had respect for John Carpenter, his films and music have shaped an entire industry standard/style of DIY entertainment as well as generated quite the cult following. So many artists have followed in his foot steps, some (just a few) doing it way better too. Perturbator (ear crack) in particular (which is actually a re-post) have left quite an impression on me as well as released one of the best albums of the year (and it's FREE!). Turn off the lights, get cozy, grab a snack if you like, and let this music unfold/tell a story of truly rad/possibly corrupt future utopian civilization.

Monday, January 28, 2013

EIC's 10Q's w/ Collarbones

"..a (pitch perfect produced) tale of teenage life.."
 

Collarbones
Aberrant-Adolescent Wi-Fi

Collarbones Bio:
Adelaide's Travis Cook and Sydney's Marcus Whale met on the Internet in 2007. Over the course of several years, and divided by 1150km, they pieced together a sound informed by geographical distance but basking in the warmth of digital proximity: the electronic hum, the LCD glow, the metallic sheen of laptop culture formed the unlikely basis for a sound that embraced its digital origins. This is music made with the Internet as much as music made with drum machines, vocoders and carefully distorted instrumentation.  Since the release of Iconography the duo has spent more time (physically) together than usual, supporting and playing with a slew of international and local outfits. Collarbones explored their sound and the dynamics of physical closeness over the past year, supporting Neon Indian and Daedelus and touring with label mates Oscar + Martin as well as Ghoul, Donny Benet and The Paper Scissors. The duo were handpicked to play triple j Unearthed's Parklife slot, the inaugural Sugar Mountain Festival in Melbourne, and FBi's Sydney Sounds Like, all tightly curated affairs. Their live shows and the release of Iconography has seen them nominated for a Sydney Music, Art & Culture (SMAC) Award as well as an AIR Award (Australian Independent Record Labels Association).


Hello, how are you?
Travis: I just ate some imported Cookie Crisp cereal but we were out of milk so that was a disappointment. Life sucks.
Marcus: I just ate some almonds, they're tastier than usual.

What are you currently listening to? 
Travis: A lot of Calvin Harris lately, specifically "Thinking About You". The new James Ferraro, the new Rihanna, the new Crystal Castles, the new Scott Walker, the new Mykki Blanco, the new Andy Stott.
Marcus: Pretty inspired by New York queer rap right now - Mykki Blanco and Le1f's mixtapes especially.

Whats with the band name?
Travis: What's with the blog name?
Touche Travis. ;]

Whom or what are your biggest influences when it comes to sculpting your sound?
Travis: Someone's Darude fan site from 2001. Someone's Molly Ringwald fan site from 2002. Someone's Someone's Marissa Cooper fan site from 2003. Someone's Death Cab for Cutie fan site from 2004.
Marcus: Someone's Collarbones fan site from 2016 that looks like it's from 1998.

Care to tell us a little bit about your latest LP 'Die Young', theme, favorite tracks, etc.?
Marcus: We spent a year dredging up teen angst and putting it into songs. It seems more real than our current, drab lives.
Travis: A lot of the album is trying to capture the feeling of being a teenager and everything feeling very amplified, every thing that goes wrong feeling like the end of the world. It's the beginning of a poppier direction for us I would say. "Hypothermia" is probably the track I feel I can relate to the most.

Any plans to tour the US for said release?
Travis: Always. I haven't been since 2010 and Marcus has never been. I for one have a bald eagle draped in an American flag on my mantlepiece.

Got any other projects we should know about?
Travis: Only my life which is an ongoing performance art project. Subscribe to me on YouTube for life coaching.
Marcus: I sometimes like to make R&B with my friends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqXrG7ZZxqw  

What movie would work best on mute while listening to you music?
Travis: Heathers. If I was a funny guy I might say A Serbian Film.
Marcus: Mean Girls. A Cinderella Story. Freaky Friday.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Travis: I'd run into the forest listening to 'Colour Green' by Sibylle Baier and never return.
Marcus: It's difficult to tell what I might like in the future but I suppose 'Saturday Night Wrist' by Deftones.

Are you living your dream?
Travis: Yes. Never say never. I've realised I'm stubborn when it comes to only ever doing what I want to do.
Marcus: It's been rather lovely to be able to play shows many weeks of the year.

Thanx Tom, Travis & Marcus!

Collarbones are currently playing a few live shows here and there and (hopefully/probably) prepping their next release...

REVIEW: Collarbones - Die Young

8.5 out of 10

There are a lot of bands out there dabbling in "Nu R&B" these days; Jamie Lidell (the king), James Blake (the prince/saviour), The Weekend (the radio friendly), How To Dress Well (the dark horse but still radio friendly) come to mind. There a lot of imposters in this genre unfortunately, but I am fond of said sound, I am just extremely picky on who makes the grade. 'Die Young' may (or may not depending on whom you ask) be one of the (if not THE) best releases in recent years that properly represents this "new sound's" re-birth/explosion.

Although (still) going slightly unnoticed in the states (so far) Collarbones are a young "up and coming" band whom create music via the internet machine. If you go to their site, you'll see they've got a decent size discography (most of which is free;), 'Die Young' is actually Collarbones' (Sydney/Adelaide duo) second official LP (the album where the duo have truly found their niche). 'Die Young' is a (pitch perfect produced) tale of teenage life. Starting with a small drone and then instantly bursting into a club banger of a beat, Collarbones certainly know how to start an album proper. Immediately I am reminded of Elite Gymnastics (which is a good thing), then the vocals come in (which brings to mind Jamie Lidell/James Blake); this is not your average "Nu R&Ber", this is something completely different with keeping the same aesthetic arrangements in-mind. Collarbones have perfected this sound in my opinion. It may be a bit more dancey/beat oriented, it may even be more slick (I think so), it really is something special; 'Die Young' has something for every future obsessed music listener out there. Catchy is underselling the instant addictive bond you will have with Collarbones.

Highly --highly recommended --ended (x58).

Standout Tracks: (love 'em all, especially..) Hypothermia (Feat. Guerre), Die Yong (Feat. HTML Flowers), Missing, Teenage Dream, One Day, Losing, Red (perfect ender)

Sunday, January 27, 2013

EICV7" No. 35 - Sideways Heart



"The heart hid still in the dark, hard as the Philosopher's Stone." ~Paul Celan

Next release comes out February 10th.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Check into (x2) Downstate and Sádon..


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Downstate resembles Arca (whom EIC loves) only slightly more perverse-Ambient meets Glitch Hop. Make sure you listen to (track #3) "S I H C" and/or "Why Th F#ck?". Sádon is slow-growing Post Gaze Pop (kind of sounds like the mail-equivalent to Grouper) music that creeps it's way under your skin and leaves distorted blissful messages throughout. Listen to (track #3) "Little Maple" and/or (track #5) "Sacrifice".
I'd like to thanks both of these artists for making my Saturday that much nicer;]

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Check into Aches..


Aches is alternating Post Dub Step meshed with dark pulsating Indie Electronic-Gaze.. Perfect for a midnight drive.

Monday, January 21, 2013

REVIEW: Jared Fairfield/Afraid - EMF

8 out of 10


On this split "debut LP" between Jared Fairfield & Afraid the duo give us a sneak peak into a (not so) distant future filled with all sorts of luscious-dark sounds. Both of these artists are a shining example of underrated/overlooked talent. This release was/is severely overlooked, and not nearly enough people are talking about it.. a shame really. I have a feeling this is all about to change though (especially as more and more people talk about how great this release truly is;).

Jared & Jakob (Afraid) compliment each other perfectly on 'EMF'. Jared's sounds are somewhat "Balam Acab-y meets Post Drag/Trance meets Ʌ", whereas Afraid's sound are more Dark/Gothic Electronica (can't think of a comparison at the moment, although..maybe "Radiohead Drag" comes to mind, also Ʌ). The general tone of this release as a whole is "mournful Post Dub/Trance Drag Step". There's enough variance here to suite a lot of moods, overall though it's atmosphere is best suited for slower more cumbersome-melancholy days infused with a small lining of post-hope. What "EMF" means we may never know (I guess it's a secret), it doesn't really matter though. You will be so intrigued by this release that it just doesn't matter what it necessarily "represents/narrates" (side note: this is only the first album of many in the "EMF" series..II is on it's way soonish I believe). Come up with an acronym of your own, I think you'll feel/agree with what these two artists were going for when they put this piece of art together, you'll also agree with me when I say "I need moar NOW (please?)".

Highly (good enough for this list = good enough for you.) Recommended.

Standout Tracks: Fair Skin, The Mountain, It Doesn't Bother Me, Tearing The Tongue, Sissy, All F#$%ed Up (Forever)(on repeat)

EIC's 10Q's w/ Afraid

"..there are two rules to having a good time.."
 
(Photo credit: Ryan Eyestone)

Afraid
Nebulous Drift Drag

Afraid Bio:
Portland, ME-based smoky bedroom sounds. Gravebaby shiv. Est. May 2011.
Go HERE to download everything ever for free....


Hello, how are you?
Doing much better than I have been in the past six months. Coming out of a bad spell, y'all.

What are you currently listening to?
Tricky's 'Pre-Millenium Tension' album. This Mortal Coil's 'It'll End In Tears.' Also, lots of old soul. Garnet Mimms, Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson, Ben E. King. Other than that, I've been listening to Grouper for a couple hours here and there laying in bed, looking out the window.

Whats with the band name, is there something specific you fear?
I once recorded a version of Nico's "Afraid'" with a very certain girl in my life. We were going to be Afraid together. The girl left, but the name stayed. It still feels appropriate. 'Desertshore' is one of my secret favorite records of all time, and I think it shows through in places in my music if you know where to look. I'm just waiting out here on the Desertshore to meet up with Nico one of these days…

When did this project come about?
May of 2011. I recorded "Tearing The Tongue" and sent it to some close friends. It was over a year until anything was released though (EMF, 9.10.12.) I had to take some serious time to figure out what the fuck I wanted to be doing. Lots of fiddling with knobs and tuning ladies' voices down in audacity.

Care to tell us a little bit about the album you did with Jared Fairfield titled 'EMF', theme/meaning of acronym, how it came up/how you know Jared, etc.?
We sort of promised not to give the meaning away ever. But, you can see on the cover of the album that Jared has an 'EMF' tattoo. We spent a lot of time in that very same room on the cover, doing just what you see there, fucking off and drinking profusely and tattooing each other and our friends occasionally. We watched a lot of Rihanna videos on local access music video television and decided to make a split record, since we were both making electronic music for the first time. The title and the image just came to me. There are maybe three or four different meanings, but a couple hold sway over the others. One day we might share. In the meantime, we both need to cracking on EMF II, as we plan to do a whole string of these things.

Any plans to tour for said release?
No plans to tour at the moment. One of the only things I know for sure that I want to do in life is to tour with Afraid. I just haven't finished putting my live crew together yet. I need friends, people who are on the same wavelength. I can't use any old dummy. No hired hands. No local goons. Big purple lights and lots of strobes, fog machines, many many speakers. All of this needs to come together first.

Got any other projects we should know about?
At the moment, no. I'm married to Afraid.

What movie would work best on mute while listening to you music?
Boogie Nights. I actually put this on mute while I was messing around with my MicroKorg the first time I got it. So yes, Boogie Nights. "I'm a star, I'm a star, I'm a big big star." Put on "All Fucked Up (Forever)" from EMF and watch the cocaine dealer scene, I think that would work nicely.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Spacemen 3's 'Forged Prescriptions.' If I can only have one record for the rest of my life, I'm going to take the one that sends me floating off to heaven every time. Thank you Spaceman. Thank you Pete.

Are you living your dream?
No. If one day I wake up and I can miraculously make music all day, and play shows and record all morning and night, then I will be living my dream. I have never been able to tell if this dream is ludicrous or worth chasing, so instead I have learned to focus solely on the work at hand, and to live inside of it. This is all I ever want to do, anyways.

Thanx Jakob!

Afraid recently released the 'French Braids/Dead Friends' single, check that out NOW. He's also currently working on his upcoming "debut" LP, look for that sometime soon (as well as one other surprise;])..

Sunday, January 20, 2013

EICV7" No. 35 - Sideways Heart ..coming soon!

EverythingIsChemical Virtual 7" No. 35 - Sideways Heart comes out January 27th!
 
  

"Flowers grow out of dark moments." ~Corita Kent

(hopefully you checked out the last v7"?)

Saturday, January 19, 2013

[[EIC Mixtape: № 9 - February '13]]


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1. Karelle - Visite Écourtée
2. Tazmanian Tiger - Softly And Tenderly - Interlude
3. MedicineHat - Late Nitez
4. Mosh - Leopold
5. Pro Era - Last Cypher
6. Cry Guy - Gumdrop Wishes
7. Kučka - Polly (Serialkillersundays)
8. Photay - Moon
9. Mosh - Misbehavior
10. London Bridges - Players Ball (Stockz)
11. Tazmanian Tiger - The Last Winter
12. Trip The Light - Nebula
13. Spaceghostpurrp - Swervin
14. Sea Camp - Patterns In Y
15. Gabe Catanzaro - Nothing To Lose (Genevan Heathen & Oliver Screwed Mix)
16. London Bridges - Falling
17. Julia Losfelt - Mojo So Dope (Kid Cudi Cover)
18. Sweet Valley - Lee & Kirby
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Thanx for listenin';]

Cool Video Funtime #359 - B 4 Sure