Howard Hello – “Television”
Howard Hello
This self-titled debut EP endures as one of my absolute favorite albums, and one of the most compelling arguments that much good music exists between established genres. It most closely resembles a sort of organic electronica, but its hypnotic tone and beautiful female vocals propel it beyond most of its genre-mates. I almost always listen to this entire album straight through.
Sybarite – “The Fourth Day”
Nonument
Sybarite is one of the electronic crossover bands that sometimes is a little too downtempo for me – like Arovane’s Tides, much of Nonument fades into the background. But “The Fourth Day” is a great song that has compelling melodies and quite a lot of layers. One part Four Tet sound collage, one part Savath + Savalas murmured melodies, and then a bit of Sybarite’s own excellent sense of rhythm.
Fred Astaire – “Steppin’ Out With My Baby”
My “getting ready” music. If I could have this playing in my head on every night I wear shiny shoes, I’d probably be a lot more smooth.
Dan Deacon – “Build Voice”
Bromst
This is a really, really weird album. But it has a completely unique sound which is amazing as often as it is frustrating. Deacon’s penchant for high-pitched cartoon voices basically ruins a few songs, but ones without, like this first track and the next, “Red F,” are must-listen. It takes about a minute to really start so have patience.
Real Estate – “Beach Comber”
Real Estate
I think this album has generated some hype; I saw it here and there and it’s easy to see why. It’s very infectious, fun, and jangly stuff. This first track strikes me the most, but I’ve really only given the album a couple listens. Good bouncing around getting stuff done music.
Tarantula – “Rail”
Tarantula
If you’ve ever listened to Esmerine, you probably have a good idea of what Tarantula sounds like, though they certainly have their differences. They both, however, are sort of chamber music unbound – cello and violin and glockenspiel mated with drumming and guitar. “Rail” is a good introduction, but hardly all that’s worth listening to from this self-titled album.
Sleep Whale – “Summer Sick”
Houseboat
Mostly into instrumental post-rockish stuff, yet not falling into the usual traps of that sort of music, Sleep Whale is the rare post-rock/organic electronica band that creates something that is both original and listenable. Good instrumentation, good rhythm, and being perfectly happy to just make something nice and beautiful makes for good music.
Mice Parade – “Logic (Parts 1 & 2)”
Ramda
Mice Parade has always been a bit difficult to nail down. More recently, Adam Pierce (of whose name Mice Parade is an anagram) has been collaborating more and creating more easily palatable music, but it still has a lot of the old feel to it. Ramda, Mokoondi, and The True Meaning Of Boodleybaye will always be my go-to albums for him, though. “Logic” definitely starts out slow, but let it build and form itself the way it’s obviously meant to. I find it has a nice payoff if you just let it do its thing.
tarentel_03_ursa_minor_ursa_major
Tarentel – “Ursa Minor, Ursa Major”
From Bone To Satellite
My favorite Tarentel song, from before they got really, really weird (We Move Through Weather). This nearly 18-minute epic has some of the best guitar tone I’ve ever heard – those first few plucks at the strings send shivers up my spine every time. And of course when it blows up, it’s beautiful and huge. Goes on for a bit after that, but it’s more expansive and ambient. (buy)
Colleen – “I’ll Read You A Story”
The Golden Morning Breaks
When I reviewed it earlier, I called it a mermaid’s music box. That’s about right.
