RQ laji-2 - Bad Future Bullshit (2014)

I remember when I was younger, putting my shitty Radio Shack (r.i.p.) microphones up to computer speakers and recording music from Commodore 64/128 games. There was something in those tunes that blew my prepubescent mind.. to the point where I'd load the games just to hear the music. That crunchy, 8-bit sound... that others of my generation first heard in Atari and some earlier Nintendo games, has been seeing a bit of a renaissance lately, specifically in a slew of retro games coming out for smart phones (check out The Incident).

It's a sound that may escape most generations pre- or post-ceding my own. I imagine the home video-gaming console craze didn't exactly sweep the attention of those born in the 1960s... and as technology progressed with those systems, so did the music quality... and the 8-bit crunch was lost to, eventually, actual orchestral scores... so kids born in the 1990s might not have the same connection to it either.

Ren Queenston, the Canadian composer/songwriter behind this and buttloads of other releases, I would guess is, of or around, my generation. The music here could easily be outtakes from a strange Atari game that never saw the light of day. As robotic voices sing to you about piñatas and about how they want to drink your juice, visions of pixelated venus fly traps and knife wielding Speak and Spell machines may spring to mind. Yes, it's a little menacing. But the marriage between glitchy '80s video game music and creepiness speaks volumes to my mind which, these days, seems to be impulsively grasping at those melancholic days of youth (where I played a lot of video games and watched a lot of horror movies).

I suppose that happens when one is in the midst of a midlife crisis. Life expectancy is only early 70s people! At 35, I'm feeling it. Time to buy a DeLorian, or whatever car it popular with the balding class these days.

RQ laji-2 - Bad Future Bullshit

Yorkshire Fields - Dummo (2013)

The 80s are back you say? Then why don't I see lines of coke at every club? I can't stand the stuff personally, but it did provide ample opportunity to taste the fairer sex.

Yorkshire Fields from Louisiana owe a lot to the synth/electro culture of the 1980s, but this is not a project built entirely out of retro-resurrection. After the funky pop of "Light Leaks," the band charts a path closer to the fuzzed out electronic indie rock than anything resembling Culture Club. My favorite track, "Did We Get Old" rests just off the coastline of my imagination with its buzzing guitar licks, calling me to swim at night even when I know sharks are out there waiting to take a bite. I saw Kisses play at the Soda Bar in San Diego last night, and these kids would have fit well on that bill.

No physical release (yet), but it is a free digitally, so grab it before they run out of free-downloads.

Get it here:
Yorkshire Fields - Dummo (2013)

EP Grab Bag vol. 41

Marc Neibauer – Don’t Fall Apart (2013)

I have been in a twinkly guitar kick lately. Might be that my band is finishing up a few new releases, and we definitely leave the twinkly guitar licks out. Doesn’t mean I don’t dig that type of thing, and Marc does it well. This surprisingly polished work does evoke some of the prettier Sonic Youth and Pavement tracks from the 90s,  this is bedroom pop from someone who knows their way around an 8-track. Very enjoyable stuff, and free to download to boot.

 

The Swapsies – Another Game on Saturday (2013)

Producing pop-rock in Liverpool must be tough. A lot to live up to and all. Does the city permeate with Beatles nostalgia, or are young musicians free to create without the burden of excellence crushing their creative energy? The Swapsies may not live up to that aforementioned band’s skill, but they make some great clap-along pop jams. They even throw in a healthy dose of clapping with the recording to accompany the male/female vocal back and forth. It is fun, to the point, and need not be tethered to the past.

 

Springtime – South Hill (2013)

I love Fugazi. Not only is the band great musically, they continued to champion and articulate what a DIY ethics could be in music to the betterment of the world at large. Springtime come from Virginia, and there is little doubt they have also borrowed a great deal from the Dischord sound. Heck, they have a Fugazi cover on this 7 inch, which is great as far as I am concerned. Phat chords powered by Marshall amps and throaty vocals that don’t sound like high-schoolers trying to sound tough.

 

Nora and the Janitors – Girls Just Want to Have Gun (2013)

We don’t get many releases from North Dokota, and we rarely get someone name dropping Gorgias the Greek and Albert Camus the absurdist either. That can’t help but perk my interest, and thankfully the band’s sound is just as grand. Seamlessly crafted post-rock, these kids don’t let their literary repertoire get in the way of infectious music. “Banister” is my favorite track off this record, and while it is free to download, these folks are Kickstarting a vinyl release if you are inspired to pitch in.

 

Moduli – I Want to Kiss Your Girlfriend (2013)

I will be the first to say I don’t know much about the electro-pop scene, especially the vibrant scene in Europe. I generally like the music sonically, but the vocals leave me feeling wanting. This group from the Netherlands is about the same. If they worked on the vocal delivery, this could be some very enjoyable stuff, but as it is, most of our readers will probably skip over this single.  

 

 

 

Bataille Solarie – Documentaries (2013)

I have been a fan of the Oakland label Constellation Tatsu for nearly a year, and they put out some great collage centered electronic experimentation. These people take this stuff seriously. This is not throw away music or attempts at pop music that turned out too messy to release. These are full-fledged ideas and rhythms that have captured my attention and appreciation even on my third listen this evening. Highly recommended stuff.

T.E.A.M.S - Sierra City Center (2013)

Sense of beat: troubled
An Epic distant reverb 
To build peace and bliss

Get it here:
T.E.A.M.S - Sierra City Center (2013)

EP Grab Bag vol. 13

Here a whole mess of EPs I've gotten over the last several weeks. Sorry about the delay if you sent it in a bit ago. However, there's a certain efficiency to waiting for them to stack up and be dished out all at once.

To be had here:

The Band in Heaven - HoZac 7" (2012)

As the name says, this is a 7" EP on HoZac Records by South Florida garage rockers (like yesterday's Jacuzzi Boys), the Band in Heaven. Droning, warped garage punk leaning toward the heavier side of the genre. Sounds like a mucky march through a swamp of guitar and drums and echoing vocals, which is to say I loved it. Can't wait to hear more of these fellas. Digital is $4, vinyl on Hozac, two tracks are downloadable for free and naturally all is streaming.


Preludes - The Swan EP (2012)

Some may recall Preludes previous EP, The Moth, which was on a earlier volume of the Grab Bag. Well, clearly enough there's a new one that carries on with the mellow, sweetly-sung dream pop. Unlike much of what I post up here, this is heavily centered around the lyrics, so maybe straighten up and listen, at least for one go. Bet you'll fancy it if you do.




Secret Motorbikes - This Is Not A Hostel (2012)

Honestly can't figure out where I got this from, I think I was sent a link via email but I can't seem to dig it up so I might be poaching this off another blog. Anyhow, this is more garage rock, of a straightforwardly catchy variety. These guys are from Glasgow if their bandcamp tags aren't misleading. Worth getting for lo-fi rock fans.




Almost Free - In/Out (2011)

I saw these guys play a couple of shows in Detroit recently and they were nice enough to give me some of their albums. It is lo-fi rock/pop done with a healthy degree of swagger. It is quick and features some really neat guitar playing. I can attest they do a solid live gig, and can excellently cover Dick Dale if they fancy.




The Happy Medium - All Smiles (2011)

Based out of Sacramento the Happy Medium plays lo-fi rock that reminds me Jeffery Novak and the Love Language in some ways. The EP moved fluidly between distorted vocals and guitars and something more baroque. Quite compelling, it is the sort of music that I reckon gets more texture and enjoyment from repeated listens.




Covered Faces - LObiep.EP (2011)

Out of Basque Country, Spain comes Covered Faces. Face-paced electro-punk that is like Adult., Simian and Eero Johannes. Tons of crazy electronic effects and creative composition made up of eerie and invigorating tones. The singing especially reminds me of Adult., which is a good thing. Most certainly the sort of thing that'd make a great show in a dark hall with wild lighting.




The Janitors - Worker Drone Queen EP (2012)

Last but not least, a shoegaze act from Stockholm. Dark wall-of-sound with influences like the Jesus and Mary Chain and Spacemen 3. I must imagine fans of Suicide, Singapore Sling and My Bloody Valentine shall easily dig these guys. Personally I found their gloomily reverberated sound to be most refreshing. The soundcloud link is .wav files so I put up a mp3 version as well.

Japanese Telecom - Virtual Geisha (2001)

There was some fair amounts of downloads of Auto-Biography by Le Car that I posted up earlier in the month. This got me to thinking that some people might enjoy here some more of the less renown, but still very admirable, electro acts of Detroit. Japanese Telecom is just such an artist. These electronic musicians from Detroit love to use monikers that shroud them in a degree of facelessness, such as Dopplereffekt, AUX 88, and Ectomorph. Unless I am mistaken Japanese Telecom one of the two men that were the electronic act called Drexciya, who made a significant impact on the Detroit techno scene and beyond. As with most anything related to techno music, this stuff has the dance-floor in mind, however that is not required for enjoyment. Personally, being a fan of some more IDM and 8-Bit artists, Virtual Geisha is not that far off the mark from what is appealing with those genres. Almost feels like the older brother of the cloying chiptune of Japan and Sweden I believe I shared in the past. Oddly enough, despite being established in the Detroit techno circles, this moniker was only used to release two albums, with this one being the only CD issuing (the other was exclusively vinyl). Perhaps this album's weakest points is being a bit esoteric and slightly dated, yet you're not hearing on the radio for any lack of talent.

To be had here:
Japanese Telecom - Virtual Geisha [192 kbps]

Le Car - Auto-Biography (2000)

One of the most positive aspects of Detroit is the music that the city produces. Le Car is one of many electronic acts that the Motor City has spawned in the last few decades. I remember finding this CD in my brother's stuff years ago when we lived near Highland Park. Now, my terminology when it comes to electronic music isn't quite up to snuff, so please forgive my generalities. Auto-Biography is collection of mostly lo-fi, danceable tracks that have a rather cheerful tone to them. It places a not quite explainable smile on my face. Something of note about this duo made up of Ian Clark and Adam Miller is they are not limited to Le Car. In fact Miller is more renowned for his current band, ADULT., and Clark's main project is called Perspects. I could have sworn that I uploaded similar Detroit artists like Japanese Telecom and Ectomorph, but I could just as likely be fooling my myself and mixing up recommendations I gave out at parties. Anyhow, if this give some positive response I'll probably post some other stuff like this.

To be had here:
Le Car - Auto-Biography [192 kbps]

Casino Verus Japan - Casino Versus Japan (1998)

The first album released by the electronic / ambient musician Erik Kowalski, or Casino Versus Japan in 1998 which has become notoriously to find hard copies of. While I see his later works as more electronic music with ambient influences (similar to BoC) this 4-section album is far more ambient and minimal in nature, and for me, is much more emotionally evocative. This, and the rest of Kowalskis' discography is an often overlooked existence of songs that any fan of atmospheric or ambient music should get excited about. I really clicked with this album the second or third time I really listened to it, and it continues to be a huge influence on the way I approach loop-based, vignetted or ambient timbres.

DOWNLOAD: Casino Versus Japan - S/T Part 1
DOWNLOAD: Casino Versus Japan - S/T Part 2

Sleep In - Pyramid (2009)

It was a long time that I didn't share my e-mail through my blogger profile. Because of this I'd never receive bands requesting me to review their albums. I actually never even thought somebody would even want me to, seeing as I am giving them out and my reviews aren't anything amazing. Nevertheless, I was proven wrong and here is a fella that asked me to share his album with you. Now, I don't want to set a precedent that'll post on anything I'm sent, for I am way too lazy and far too big an asshole for that shit. Moreover, believe you me if it sucked I'd tell you and most likely would not even bother sharing it. However, this guy really did make some pretty damned good music. It is an eclectic album to say the least. At first I thought it'd be folktronic and then a few minutes later I thought I was listening to metal guitar and then it went into drone-like electronic rambling. The artist described it was electronic shoegaze and I do suppose that is as accurate as anything I might come up with. You're just gonna have to trust me that I'd have shared this even if it wasn't sent to me.

To be had here:
Sleep In - Pyramid [192 kbps]