I would like to refrain from making any self-conscious statements, programs, or apologies of the sort that I have often done in these pages, and instead say simply that I honestly don't know how bearable life would be without music, either inside or out.
So for those of us feeling weathered, here's a little something.
Thought I would round off and bring clear focus to the sound found in these two older posts (here and here). Dont worry, no o.c.d'ed attempts to start a series this time :)
I will leave it up to you discover the artists below if you hear something you like.
My brief intro is this: Over the past 4 years a sound has emerged that has more recently been picking up momentum and therefore attention. Inspired by Burial's epic emotive genre-evolving [dubstep] Untrue LP and The Knife's edgy-yet-melodic Silent Shout LP, this sound-now-genre is best described as 'ghostly slow-moving electro-pop', but has come to take on a few other handles, like 'drag', 'witch house', or even 'haunted house'. The term 'drag' seems most relevant, but only for its historical import as it was the word used to describe the screwed, chopped and syrupy hip-hop style of DJ Screw and others in Houston in the 90's. Salem, seemingly the first band to bring attention to this slow and dark electo-pop, used this name to describe their sound because they were making twisted and chopped hip-hop but with heavy, spooky synths and creepy vocal samples. So in spite of the sound now being a kind of pop, it more closely resembles hip-hop, Houston hip-hop, but with the added elements of dub, goth, electro, ambient house, and contemporary pop. Interestingly, its twisted, drudging and druggy poppy hip-hop sound is creating a global non-local scene that is independent of the indie scene and is connecting and building through the internet. And for some ephemeral reason through the music the dissenting and scattered bedroom community is palpable and generating a kind of warm nostalgia for the halcyon days of the genre's underground and subversive beginnings that were intimately and seemingly innocently 'tied to [cough] syrup abuse' and budget mixtapes.
The take home point here is that, at present, this genre is populated by just a handful of artists, Salem, OoOoOO, Balam Acab, White Ring, Creep, and Fostercare, all of which (except for Salem) have started up in the past year and all of which (including Salem) have come from different musical backgrounds and influences. These previously unconnected beginner producers provide the genre with a refreshingly varied musical soundscape in spite of the fact that all are working from the same dark, thick and twisted aesthetic. The one thing that is obvious in the sound is the thing that in my mind ensures the artists and the genre relative longevity - the artists love and respect for music of almost any genre.
Balam Acab - See Birds EP (fs) "fear, nostalgia, bliss, sadness, euphoria, beauty, peace, dreams, loneliness, longing, i want you to get lost..." See Birds by BALAM ACAB
Pink Priest - Tell Me Something Awesome Before I Go to Sleep (Balam Acab Remix) (right click save as here here)
BONUS: Salem - Streets of Philadelphia (Springsteen cover) (right click save as here) Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Philadelphia (fs) (Official Music Video)
Arcade Fire are one of my favourite bands still evolving (indie) rock. They come from Montreal, Canada - a city that didnt quite make it for electronic music, but has been nonetheless steadily producing fine indie rock for a while now. Arcade Fire is a case in point. They are a 7 piece indie rock band fronted by Win Butler and his wife Régine Chassagne. They formed in 2003 and made a self-titled demo Ep they sold at shows (fans called it Us Kids Know Ep). They were quickly singed to Merge and in 2004/5 they released their debut album 'Funeral'. To this day it is one of my favourite front-to-back albums. It was nominated for a Grammy and was on the top of everyones end of year lists. At first it was a hipster thing, then wider audiences came around and they got real big real fast... so maybe you've heard of them?!
If not, 'wake up'
They bought a church outside of Montreal and turned it into a recording studio where they recorded 'Neon Bible', released in 2006.
the Neon Bible pre-release parody promotional video.
Although it was not as good as their near perfect 'Funeral' (how could it possibly be?!), it was still a hugely successful album, full of hits and deep cuts.
...hits like the Springsteen sounding 'Keep the Car Running'
(which they actually ended up performing with Springsteen himself
)
...and 'No Cars Go'
.and deep cuts like the epic 'My Body is a Cage'
...and the politcal 'Windowsill'
And just for kicks, here's Arcade Fire and Springsteen doing 'State Trooper' (I know there are better quality versions of this song up but this one is special with the commentary and slow intro and Win's solo melody :)
In the UK the first single released will be 'We Used to Wait' and it will be out Aug 2.
onethirtbpm brought to my attention the news that the b-sides to the singles surfaced.
'Month of May' and 'The Suburbs'. Liking this one alot.
They are touring this summer and likely in the fall so check their website for dates and go see them live. If you are in Berlin, they play August 31 at Tempodrum.
BONUS: check out the full 15 min (basically-one-take) clip of Arcade Fire preparing for the elevator shot, playing 'Neon Bible' (which you saw above) and then walking out into a crowd and play 'Wake Up'. Nice.
