The Monkees - Porpoise Song
It was last sunday: Don Draper sitting depressed in the darkness in front of his TV and this song played (Mad Men, Season 6, Episode 12). I took a slap too. This song from The Monkees, a band formed for a popular TV show between 1966 and 1971, is probably the best they have ever done. It is part of the soundtrack from their crazy psychedelic movie Head.
Rien - V
“Rien” means “nothing” in french, but when you listen to the progressive-rock/krautrock of this band from Grenoble, France, you are far away from nothing. Rich melodies and compositions, variety of instruments, if this is nothing, then “nothing” means “everything”, like this track extract from their last work known – the EP 3 on L’Amicale Underground in 2010 – proves it. After 3 years of hibernation, Rien plans to come back with a new album for the next autumn and even with some tour dates. So keep your ears open.
50 years old rapper and mustache-man Kenny Davis is about to release a damn good LP with 11 beats produced by Odd Nosdam, to be released on Anticon. “Words War” veteran hasn’t lost anything of his talent from the early 1990’s era, when he used to appear on Jive Records. Era where Shaquille O’Neal mocked Kenny’s mustache, which resulted in a cheeky revenge…
—Remember 2011
This track has followed me during my entire trip in Australia, and of course it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t share it with you. Marie Dior is not a charming french female supermodel who also makes amazing music. No, his name is Diogo Correia, he lives in Berlin. But he makes more than amazing music: on his last release for Aural Sects, every fucking beat makes you move your bottom like Alexis Texas. Or better said: highly recommended.
Boards Of Canada - Reach For The Dead
Yes, I’m on holiday, and yes I have said that there will be no slap before june. But I’m waiting like you the next album of BOC and last night (here in Australia), Warp has finally posted an extract of the upcoming album Tomorrow’s Harvest. As expected, it’s darker, unheard but still 100% Boards and beautiful, with a perfectly matching video by Neil Krug. Not sure that there will be more to hear before the 10th of june, so enjoy it. Cheers from Sydney.
AOKI takamasa - Rythm Variation 05
Give your cheeks a break. I will be in Australia for the next 4 weeks, meaning that there will be no slap anymore before approximately mid-june. So least but not last, here is one great minimalistic video of the upcoming album RV8 of AOKI to be released on the 20th of may on Raster-Noton. Enjoy his unique funky minimalistic beats and be sure to get your copy on time!
You could believe that Ensemble Economique is one of these rare wonderful french bands. But Brian Pyle is everything but French. Born in Chico, he now lives in the “lost” Humboldt County, in northern California. In these landscapes who remind us of planet Endor, he finds the inspiration for his atmospheric post-rock, mixing feelings of melancholy and contemplation of nature. Started in 2007 when he was still playing with Starving Weirdos and now with releases on Not Not Fun, Hands In The Dark (check out the amazing split LP “Motion Forever” with Lee Noble) and several live acts around the world, he has finally released a full solo LP on Shelter Press two months ago, already critically acclaimed. Of course, it’s a big slap, but a very emotional one.
—debb
Such a long time I didn’t hear anything about David Madson aka Odd Nosdam aka Clouddead, one of the best “cool beats” producer ever. And just last week, I discovered that he has a Bandcamp. So he is still alive and has a lot of archives for you.
Hanni El Khatib - Family
You probably know the original censored clip of El Khatib’s new big song “Family”. So for your dirty eyes and your demanding ears, here is the uncensored version, directed by Nick Walker. And don’t forget to get your copy of his brand new album Head In The Dirt.
Just a small update for those who don’t want to enter the very long code on BOC’s website. Here is the video trailer of the upcoming album.
Here it is! After one week of a massive treasure hunt that started with two mysterious vinyls, and Radio 1 NPR, a commercial on Cartoon Network, etc. WARP did put the next album from Boards Of Canada for pre-order. Its name: Tomorrow’s Harvest. You better pre-order it now, possibly in Vinyl AND cd (like me) and until the 10th of june, you can watch, re-watch and re-re-watch the trailer announcing a really ambient-ish and dark atmosphere album on BOC new website: http://cosecha-transmisiones.com/ (cosecha meaning harvest in spanish). The password is the combination of the 6 codes revealed on different medias during last week: 699742628315717228936557813386519225.
Enjoy and be patient!
This is not a fake! This could be here the biggest slap, not of this year, but of the last ten years. Since their wonderful EP Trans Canada Highway, in 2006, the brothers Marcus Eoin and Mike Sandison alias Boards Of Canada remain completely mute, letting their fans waiting for some new material totally hopeless. And suddenly, two days ago, the video above was analysed here: it’s a single-side vinyl released by WARP. But you know BOC, and it would be too easy to release a simple EP on the Record Store Day. That’s why there are only 6 of these vinyls around the world, every of them contains the similar 20 seconds (only) BOC-esque soundscape and a robotic voice saying a code-number. And on every of these 6 releases, the code-number is different… (a second video has been posted last night with a different code) I would say: a tradition for these crazy math-addicts.. So, what do they mean? What do they want to tell us? What does this mysterious black release announce? I’d like to tell you, but I have to satisfy myself with this short clip first.
—How to Leave Earth and Influence People
Due to a lot of work, I haven’t been able to post regularly in the last weeks. Don’t know if it will better in the upcoming weeks, that’s why I prefer to give you a big slap on the monday that could eventually remain for the rest of the week. And Cult Cosmos is for sure one very heavy slap. Solo project from Tallahassee, Florida, it has apparently released quite a few works on his Bandcamp, all of an excellent quality. The cover of the album Octopus explains everything: an incredible aquatic trip through space, mixing all influences possible. This is absolutely amazing to experience. And that’s why it’s here today.
I have to admit that I don’t follow Ed Bangers that much but when Arpanet produces a remix for Mickey Moonlight’s project Hypnolove, I try to make an effort. And as usual with Gerald Donald aka Heinrich Mueller aka Dopplereffekt aka Arpanet, I never regret.
Prodigy - Firestarter (Death Grips Remix)
It just arrived last night. Death Grips remixing Prodigy. Do I really need to comment something?
