MUSIC

Album Review: Iceage – You’re Nothing

Iceage: You’re Nothing

Similar Artists: The Fall, No Age, Metz

Genre: No-Wave, Goth-Rock, Punk, Post-Hardcore

Label: Matador

Somehow, this nihilistically driven punk band made up of Danish teenagers has gotten a lot of attention in America as of late. Ever since their debut in 2011, seemingly due to their blood splattering live shows that excellently showed off the band’s raw intensity, they have been called “saviors of punk” and “the only authentic punk-revivalists”. It’s funny though, that many label this as straight up punk music, because it actually has much more in common with no-wave bands or sludgy goth-rock. Sure, there are hooks and some poppy moments, but the music should have proved inaccessible to most indie rock listeners (It hasn’t). If a change is happening regarding ugliness ever so slightly making its way into the mainstream, Iceage are leading the battle, and they certainly have enough energy and wit to do so.

Regardless of whatever astronomical alignment brought this band into the spotlight, they are surely worthy of the praise they have received. With “New Brigade” and now this, Iceage have crafted some of the most brash and delightfully sloppy rock music in recent memory. Just like some of the best hardcore albums, at fewer than 30 minutes, these two are exceedingly brief and spontaneous. There is no repetition, and each song encapsulates an impressive amount of detail. The cavalcade of distortion, grimy textures, and Elias Bender Rønnenfelt’s dogly yowl of a voice make this a difficult listen, but much like a My Bloody Valentine album, the waves eventually part and we can tell just how labored over these songs are.

“You’re Nothing” sees the band make the appropriate improvements to their sound without sacrificing any of their grit. This is a tighter record in terms of songwriting and just about everything else as well, but it still feels that these young punks are simply making music for themselves, and that they don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks. This album is certainly no overhaul in sound, and it shouldn’t be, because Iceage are mining territory that no one else is right now.

Each and every song here is worthy of analysis, but I’ll just remark on a few key pieces. Opener “Ecstacy” is the band’s brazen stomp of dirtiness that conveys the album’s heavy, anxiety led themes. During the verse Rønnenfelt sings /Pressure, Pressure, all god knows/ in his zombie drawl while we are buried by creaking gothic guitars. “Burning Hand” is a heavier piece that incorporates sludgy “Melvins” inspired guitars and dreadful vocals. In case you thought these guys couldn’t kick out a demanding and fastidious guitar riff, “In Haze” puts you to rest. The link that holds all these pieces together is the infusion of manic, sweat inducing percussion.

“Morals” might be the true highlight here, with piano chords (yes, you read that right) laying alongside exasperated vocals that cry, /to be someone like you/ which recalls “The Cure” at their self loathing best. The second part of the song continues with the painfully sung verse /where’s your morals/ which is surely to be one of their defining live moments. “It Might Hit First” is screams and dissonance, lightning fast chord patterns and incessant drumming. The last two songs, “Awake” and “You’re Nothing” are some of the most accessible. The title track in particular is very reminiscent of 70’s pop punk, and surely contains what is to be some of their most shouted lyrics at upcoming shows.

While describing this band, it is necessary to use negative adjectives (incessant, exasperated, dreadful) that you wouldn’t imagine added up to good music, but somehow it all works perfectly here. To take a quote from David Byrne “The better a singer’s voice, the harder it is to believe them”. This completely describes why so many people become infatuated with artists such as Dirty Projectors, or the even uglier Xiu Xiu. Like those artists, (Talking Heads included), Iceage is pure, expressive and wholly authentic, three traits that have always added up to make great music. They have always been the traits that I have followed in my quest of endless music discovery, and as of now, I will follow Iceage wherever they take me.

Track Listing:

1.) Ecstacy*

2.) Coalition*

3.) Interlude

4.) Burning Hand*

5.) In Haze

6.) Morals*

7.) Everything Drifts

8.) Wounded Hearts

9.) It Might Hit First

10.) Rodfæstet*

11.) Awake

12.) You’re Nothing*

Album Review: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away

by Rio Toro

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Push the Sky Away

Similar Artists: The Mountain Goats, Tom Waits, Scott Walker

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Post-Punk, Indie

Label: Bad Seeds Ltd.

How many people can say they truly know Nick Cave? I certainly can’t, and I don’t think I would want to either. He is a perplexing artist whose ideals have stretched his work far beyond that of any of his so-called peers. His extensive discography with the Bad Seeds alone has been consistent enough that each new release has presented the band’s signature style in a freshly drawn light. Despite their increased age, these folks have never lost their edge as musicians, and the material they are putting out nowadays is arguably as great as its ever been. However, and this is a big however, if you are a newcomer, there is a time consuming process involved for full enjoyment.

If you aren’t familiar with this band’s previous work, it is quite essential that you start at the beginning, with 1984’s “From Her To Eternity”, or better still, you can start with Nick Cave’s highly influential goth-rock group “The Birthday Party” in 1980. So this is undoubtedly a lot of music to listen to, and taking the plunge will likely put you out of listening to anything else for about a month, however, the process is crucial because of Nick Cave’s constant progression upon past ideas and his use of “inside jokes” that only the closest-knit fans will comprehend. Missing out on even one album can be detrimental to your view on the band’s universe as a whole. If you are a hardcore music nerd like me, you shouldn’t allow that for yourself.

Still, despite having listened to the entirety of this band’s music, I can’t say I have digested all of it, especially when speaking of lyrical content. True lyrical insight here requires focused listens, preferably accompanied by a lyric sheet – but any fan will tell you it is worth the extra time. Much like Tom Waits or John Darnielle, Cave has created a dense mythology around his work. Encased in these albums are several novels worth of picaresque characters, interesting scenarios and fantastical settings; all of which revolve around Nick Cave’s black sense of humor and irresistibly sardonic tone. Nick Cave is not simply trying to be the coolest person in the world; he is also trying to be the most interesting and intelligent.

This is his 15^th album with the Bad Seeds, and alongside “The Boatman’s Call”, “No More Shall We Part” and “Abbatoir Blues”, it is among his most somber and least rock & roll. Only on “Jubilee Street” are we greeted to anything resembling a traditional rock piece. Assumingly inspired by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ film scores over the past few years, this is music of the cinematic variety. All the tracks here are accompanied by some sort of orchestral element. The production values are high, as we are now used to with this band, but the instrumentation is all used tastefully to prevent any bombastical splurging.

We have heard orchestral before from these guys, so what really sets this album apart from previous work is its lack of percussion. This lack of a beat gives the album a buoyant, dream like feel, and is best represented with the mesmerizing opening and closing tracks – which are peerless when concerning any of the band’s previous sounds. With that said, you certainly won’t be mistaking this for any dream pop band, it is still Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, but now they are wearing a highly glossy new shed of skin.

Some songs, such as “Finishing Jubilee Street”, are clearly about dreams, but with the bizarre imagery laid throughout I wouldn’t be surprised if the entirety of the album was culled from nocturnal fantasies. There are some truly head scratching lines here, like when Mylie Cyrus and Hanna Montana play roles in a song that clearly has nothing to do with them/her, or a reference to Wikipedia being heaven. Similarly, the spelling of the first track, “We No Who U R”, seems to reflect that the band is poking fun at an earlier generation. Previously, most of Cave’s lyrics have been enrooted in the past, so this new, very modern approach of spawning lyrics from random internet searches seems all the more grasping (and of course, hilarious). It is a nice change of pace for the band, as many of the lyrics seem more open to interpretation and impressionistic, yet still containing Cave’s knack for storytelling.

So if I haven’t made myself clear already, this is a great album, and one that has its own spot in the group’s discography. After the high octane rush of “Dig, Lazarus, Dig” and the Grinderman side project, we needed something more mellow. This is the perfect antithesis of those records and shows yet another, just as worthy side to the band.

Track Listing:

1.) We No Who U R*

2.) Wide Lovely Eyes

3.) Water’s Edge

4.) Jubilee Street*

5.) Mermaids*

6.) We Real Cool

7.) Finishing Jubilee Street

8.) Higgs Boson Blues

9.) Push the Sky Away*

* – Album Highlight

DJ Dainjazone- from LMFAO’s DJ to man with a mission

by Ryan Shea

DJ Dainjazone has become one of the most sought-after DJ’s in and outside of the Los Angeles are in which he resides. After coming off an uber-successful tour with Grammy nominated superstars LMFAO, he took time to sit down with me and discuss what he has going in his career and the steps he took along the way to get to where he is. Really good read and someone you should be on the lookout for in the upcoming months. Check it out.

So how old were you when you decided you wanted to become a DJ?

I started DJ’ing about six and a half years go around the age of 22. I’ve always had an interest in DJ’ing in particular the hip-hop elements of it. I can’t really break dance or rap, so I figured doing this would be perfect. One night some of my basketball team members were throwing a house party and I decided to DJ the whole event. Turned out to be a great success. From there on I took matters into my own hand and made this into a career.

Who would you say are some of your musical influences that inspire you?

I would say guys like Chris Brown and Kanye West, ones that really express passion in what they are doing. I am a huge fan of Travis Barker and it inspires the hell out of just watching him play the drums. Stuff like that.

How would you describe your sound as a DJ for me?

It is tastefully all over the map. Red Foo of LMFAO lets me play more stuff that is hip-hop based. At the same time I like to throw curveballs in my sets but do it in a tasteful way. I like to educate a crowd and teach people new things when it comes to being a DJ and doing this has been a great platform for that.

When people hear your sets who do you usually get comparisons to?

I’ve gotten DJ AM a couple of times before. No one really besides that. For me with AM that is the ultimate compliment. He is the Michael Jordan in this field and broke down so many walls in terms of finding a way to be creative so anyone that says that to me is truly gratifying.

What was the experience like working on LMFAO’s recent tour?

The first feeling I had in this whole thing was truly how tiring it was. The schedule was crazy- we would do a set, go to another country and so on and so forth. In a span of three weeks we would only have two days off. I saw both sides of it truly- how relaxing and cool it was to really how intense it got. The intense times where was I learned a lot about your character by learning to be patient and survive mentally and physically. I persevered through and overall it was a great experience.

LMFAO got nominated for a Grammy this year for “Sexy and I Know It”. What were your thoughts on the show overall?

The Grammy’s for me is always an awarid show for the more grown crowd. Other award shows tend to me a little bit more goofier and people acting out, that doesn’t really happen here. It was a chill show that really was done very appropriately.

You have a hashtag on your Twitter handle about #theteam. What exactly is that?

The team’s group is myself, DJ Rell and Sean Harris who raps and produces. The team came organically, we even have our own hand pose to boot. Few other guys are based in Las Vegas and LA. This team ultimately consists of guys that I have chemistry and gel with, which ultimately is the most important thing when you are forming a team.

What are your plans for the rest of 2013?

There is a brand that I am working on called Infinite Intelligence. It is the name on my Twitter handle actually. It is related to DJ’ing and represents my lifestyle and being great in everything I do. It is putting out there that anything you do is possible and you can do anything you want if you put your mind right. I am going to put documentary videos on what I do- shopping, DJ’ing, working out,m etc. Let people out there know how we are proceeding. I also plan on redoing my website in the upcoming months and I have a great new logo that is done.

www.djdainjazone.com/

ff1f1e30-51ca-46e7-9bd6-ec340343530e — Credit to wanttickets.com

www.facebook.com/Dainjazone

https://twitter.com/djdainjazone

Justin Timberlake returns to SNL March 9th!!!

by Ryan Shea

SNL has been having in many people’s opinions one of their worst seasons in recent years this year. Many is to blame for this, the obvious being the departure of beloved cast members Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig. Jason Sudeikis still being there is a big puzzler as he has stated he is ready to go and you can kind of tell he doesn’t want to be there anymore. Add five new cast members that really just aren’t funny and hosts that we think will be good but turn out to be sort of duds (Jennifer Lawrence, Daniel Craig) and it just really has been bum city.

Who of course to save the day? None other than Justin Timberlake! He will be doing double duty that night as host and musical guest, something that he has done before. Whereas Justin’s acting abilities on the big screen hasn’t really been taken to many a liking, he has always had rave reviews (and Emmy wins) for his SNL hosting gigs. Let’s all hope he repeats ones that he has done before, like the “Bring it all into…” whatever this one might be (Omeletteville, Liquorville). The “Barry Gibb Show” with Jimmy Fallon has got to be one of the funniest ones that they have done in a long time so let’s hope for that too. Andy Samberg coming back to a digital short? Please.

Watch on March 9th at 11:30 PM on NBC. NBC is still a network.

DJ DIRTY SOUTH ALBUM RELEASE; Art Design Contest

by Ryan Shea

Talenthouse recording artist Dirty South just announced he will be releasing his first full-length studio album, Speed of Life. This Serbian-Australian DJ/Producer has been on the house music circuit for a few years now and has racked up plenty of positive recognition and attention. In 2008, he was nominated for a Grammy, in the Best Remixed Recording category for his recording of, fellow Tech-House DJ, Kaskade’s Sorry, and then again, in the same category in 2011 for his collaboration with Axwell for the Temper Trap’s Sweet Disposition.

Since his recording career began, Dirty South has been racking up merits from a number of respected house music sources. He is well known in the acclaimed InTheMix 50 DJ Poll’s, voted “Most Popular Producer Nationally” in 2007 as well as ranking 2nd in the 2007 InTheMix 50 DJ Poll. Let’s not forget that in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJ poll every year since 2007.

So now that you know a little bit about this insanely talented DJ/Producer (just in case you) let me get to my point…In honor of his album release Dirty South is inviting artists to compete to design artwork for a limited edition tee-shirt that will be sold through his online store. Having a design on an internationally sold clothing item is a great accomplishment for even the most seasoned artists, but even if you are just an aspiring artist or just have a talent for design and art this could be your open doorway! Not only will the winner’s design be printed and sold, they will also receive a trip to VEGAS, a two night stay at The Wynn Las Vegas & Encore Resort, and a meet and greet with Dirty South himself.

To enter view Talenthouse‘s website at:

www.talenthouse.com/design-for-dirty-south

Winners will be announced March 5th and the deadline to submit is Tuesday February 26th!

I’m very honored to be the one to let you all know about this exciting opportunity and, as an art lover myself, look forward to voting and seeing the winning design! And don’t forget the winner will be announced the same day as Dirty South’s album release!!

Album Review: Autre Ne Veut – Anxiety

by Rio Toro

Autre Ne Veut: Anxiety

Score: 9.7/10

Similar Artists: Grimes, Ariel Pink, Prince

Genre: Avant-Pop, R&B

Anonymity has become a bit overused within independent music in the past few years. Lately, it is being used to hype up an artist rather than remark on any truth behind the artist’s personality. Autre Ne Veut, who we now know as Arthur Ashin, has a much more complex and genuine reason for limiting his view within the public eye. He suffers from an anxiety disorder which has been the cause of much of his depression throughout his life, as well as the reason why his music career hadn’t kicked off sooner. Anxieties prevented him from making the overt pop music he had true passion for, and instead he took an easier route by composing ambient new-age music and jingles. On this appropriately titled LP, we are hearing this 30 year old expressing his true talent for the first time, and it turns out he is one of the very few who were born to make pop music.

Ashin’s 2^nd album as Autre Ne Veut and first for “Software” (run by his previous roommate Daniel Lopatin a.k.a Oneohtrix Point Never) is a masterpiece. It has taken me so long to write this review because of how emotionally overcome I am while listening to it. Ultimately cathartic doesn’t even begin to describe the raw purging that is evident in this man’s voice. He presents himself in a manner that is so distinct that the listener is forced to form a polarizing opinion. Depending on what side you come out on, his voice can either sound raucous, serene, overwrought, impeccable or messy. His previous self-titled album was similar in this sense, and albeit one aggravating track that my boyfriend calls “the worst song he has ever heard”, it was fantastic as well; however, on “Anxiety” ANV takes his adventurous style to the extreme, and the product is the most groundbreaking pop album I’ve heard in years.

The most obvious influence here in terms of vocals is Prince (maybe some Whitney Houston and Phil Collins as well), but in context with the production, no one is making music quite like this. Even avant-r&b extraordinaire “How to Dress Well” doesn’t seem comparable to the hyperbole worthy sound that ANV has created within the confines of his bedroom. ANV has more in common with artists who use their music to create new worlds, and represent abstract ideas that only appear in dreams (see similar artists)

ANV’s music explodes like little else I have heard. Opener and second single “Play by Play” is bursting at the seams with its own excitement. Like Dirty Projectors, Autre Ne Veut almost packs too many great ideas into one song. So many complex intricacies are present within the first three minutes that we are unsure if the chorus has arrived; when it finally does arrive, it is so brilliant that it doesn’t stop repeating until the song ends. Second track and first single “Counting” is just as fantastic. The chorus opens with a screeching boar oink that wouldn’t be out of place on a Scott Walker album, then, over a rapid fire arpeggiator Arthur sings /I’m counting on the idea that you’ll stay, I’m counting on the idea that you’ll say it’s alright/ which he states is in relation to his dying grandmother. It sounds like difficult listening on paper, but its execution is so perfect and natural that it will surely garner this artist some of the wide acclaim he deserves. The album is made up of these moments where the music is bordering on being inaccessible, but pulls through by the skin of it’s teeth.

The first two songs set a ridiculously high precedent for the remaining eight, but there are still plenty more in the way of highlights. “Ego Free Sex Free” has a complex multi-part structure, and similar to many songs on the album, the lyrics lead me to believe the song is not actually about the sexiness that the tone invokes. “A Lie” is a beautiful vocoder ballad notable for its acoustic guitar and strings. “Warning” has some of ANV’s best sung verses and includes prog-rock instrumentation. You’ll want to be singing along to all these songs, especially with each song containing multiple climaxes, but a forewarning: it is not as easy as ANV makes it seem.

Final song, “World War” is deserving of the highest honors. I would even say it’s my favorite album closer since “The Suburbs”. Like that album, Anxiety closes in a way that calls us back to its beginning, wherein the album’s progression becomes clear, or in this case, clear-er. The lyrics here are all spur of the moment, and can certainly be confusing in the context of a song, but in terms of how we deal with relationships ANV’s words are profound. In certain life instances where we feel we have uncovered an absolute truth, a phrase will repeat in our head through a loop. These moments found on the opening and closing numbers can be seen as two separate epiphanies experienced during a relationship.

ANV is an inspiration for anyone who ever felt they had a gift for making pop music but wasn’t self-confident enough to ever release any material. Personally, when I am wailing aloud in the shower, I attempt to match the unbridled intensity of one of ANV’s climactic verses. It feels good, it feels invigorating, and it feels incredible to know that artists like this one still exist.

Track Listing:

1.) Play by Play*

2.) Counting*

3.) Promises

4.) Ego Free Sex Free*

5.) A Lie*

6.) Warning

7.) Gonna Die

8.) Don’t Ever Look Back

9.) I Wanna Dance With Somebody

10.) World War*

* – Album Highlight

My interview with OUTASIGHT!

by Ryan Shea

Everybody has their start when it comes to entering in the hip-hop game. For Outasight, he began in the place where most hip-hop legends are born- New York. Raised in Yonkers, he found a love for music at a small age with the help of his record obsessed mother and guitar playing father. That inspiration led him to find his footing in the music industry. He started playing at local venues in NYC until he found some great commercial success with his album “Radio New York”. People started talking, and in the years since he has drawn up quite a great audience for himself and a name to boot. [Read more…] about My interview with OUTASIGHT!

Album Review: Tim McGraw – “Two Lanes of Freedom”

by Pamela Gordon

Courtesy of "www.billboard.com" — Courtesy of “www.billboard.com”

Tim McGraw’s newly released album “Two Lanes of Freedom,” has still truckin’ got it! The new album, his first on Big Machine Records, is indicative of its title. After a legal battle with previous label “Curb Records,” he truly sounds like he is free to express his musical talent and kicked the last label to, well, the curb.

The title track, which is the first song on the album, serves as an invigorating introduction to the album. It embodies the heart of country, with lyrics describing, “Now honey, how fast you wanna go, NASCAR driving Miss Daisy” and “God made old country roads for driving and dreaming.”

“One of Those Nights,” the first single released off of the album, has a pretty slow tempo; it’s not as slow as a ballad but not quite there to be considered upbeat. It’s a good track, don’t get me wrong, but I feel that the title track would have been a better single to release first. It’s romantic and sweet and encompasses all that is a ballad except the tempo, explaining a night out with a lover, while being proud and enamored with the one they are with.

The other tracks are just as notable though, and bitterly honest. “Friend of a Friend,” is about a past love who just won’t get the hint to go away, with “Nashville Without You” giving tribute to the town and those who have made it the place it is today such as Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, while “Number 37405” chronicles an individual who drank under the influence and took a life, ultimately serving 15 years of prison, all while life kept moving on with out him.

But the most fun track is “Truck Yeah.” It’s a little cliché, but it’s loud, it’s proud and it’s sexy. It shows that country can be trendy and prominent even here in Long Island where it is so easy to say, “I listen to everything except country.” With the raw guitar riffs, relatable content and easy to sing along chorus, “Truck Yeah” invites the listener to sing along and shake it out.

The other tracks are great as well, don’t forget to listen to “Southern Girl,” “Book of John,” “Tinted Windows,” and my personal favorite, “It’s Your World.” You can skip over “Mexicoma” though, it’s a bit juvenile for my taste, but I’ll give McGraw a pass for this one. There’s also a collaboration that is beautiful with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, “Highway Don’t Care,” that shows off the talent that all three have together.

The album is superb, and has set McGraw free of himself (and his old label for that matter). He is changing with the times, but still embodying his country spirit, gathering a greater and more diversified listening pool. There are too many great tracks on this album to pass this up and miss out on what I consider a heartfelt and fun album by the great artist Tim McGraw.

-Pamela Erin Gordon

Album Review: Actress – Silver Cloud EP

by Rio Toro

Actress: Silver cloud EP

Score: 6.8/10

Similar Artists: Terrence Dixon, Autechre

Genre Detroit Techno, Unclassifiable

Darren Cunningham is one of the few geniuses in crafting abstract techno. His last two full lengths, Splazsh and R.I.P have proved to be masterpieces, holding up through hundreds of listens. If you aren’t aware already, Actress crafts sullen, often monotonous (but not in a bad way) grayscale techno with a Detroit edge. However, such a plethora of different names and phrases have been used in attempt to describe his genre that it is better to refer to his style as unclassifiable. His use of jagged edges and bleak tone invoke dark cities of towering skyscrapers and endless subway systems, but in a much different light than Burial. Where Burial’s music uses club culture aesthetics, you would never hear this music in a dance environment unless the owner wanted to get everyone out of the building. These songs represent urban decay rather than urban sprawl.

This 3 track EP is yet another puzzle in Actress’ Discography. “Silver Cloud” is his first release since R.I.P and is in preparation for his next full length “Ghettoville”, which is due out later this year. He certainly hasn’t gotten any more accessible during his time off, as this is without a doubt his most difficult release yet. While Actress’ output could never be called fruitful, Silver Cloud is based on endlessly repeating structures and underlying themes that don’t present themselves for countless listens. It’s hazier and more opaque even than he was on his appropriately titled debut “Hazyville”.

“Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion” starts with a disgruntled keyboard melody and an ultra lo-fi drum pattern that both seem disabled to the point where they would never be able to carry on for an entire song (no less a 12 minute one). Of course, they manage to, and once the pieces come into correspondence with each other, the song could easily last a whole lot longer. One person in a message board joked that these songs should all go on for at least an hour, joking aside, there is truth in this statement. Once the elegiac harp progression is introduced at the three minute mark, the song enters a state of perpetual continuity. Out of all the tracks here, this is the one you could imagine putting in a loop and listening to for a whole day, almost like a Wolfgang Voigt or William Basinski track.

“Floating in Ecstasy” is more menacing in tone due to its gun cock percussive element and ambience that resembles heavy breathing. Later in the song, a dread induced vocal sample comes into play that seems to be repeating “go away mean zombie”. It’s one of the darkest works in this artist’s discography for sure, and I can’t imagine what sort of schizoid mood I would have to be in to understand its true meaning. Final track, “Silver Cloud Dream Come True” is similarly infuriating. With obsessively repeating drum programming, samples of breaking glass and an ethereal bell chime, Darren creates a mood somewhere between serenity and nothingness, leaning towards the latter.

This release ends up being a particularly murky representative of Actress’ style. The production shows off Darren’s skills as a producer, but we were already aware of his supremacy in craft. All these songs are covered with such a dusty coat of paint that even through repeated listens, it can be difficult to grasp what truly is going on. Through full lengths, Darren Cunningham has been able to convey moods of vibrancy and excitement; it is a cliche, but his past albums have felt like journeys. This EP emits no such feeling, and its destination is ultimately nowhere. Actress is way ahead of the curve in electronic music, but getting to know this release on a personal level feels like a chore.

Track Listing:

1.) Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion*

2.) Floating in Ecstasy

3.) Silver Cloud Dream Come True

*- Track Highlight

Album Review: Darkstar – News From Nowhere

by Rio Toro

Darkstar: News From Nowhere

Score: 7.7

Similar Artists: Radiohead, Animal Collective, Matthew Dear, John Talabot, Sigur Ros

Genre: Experimental Pop

When I first heard Darkstar’s single “Aidy’s Girl Is a Computer” in 2009, it immediately became one of my favorite tracks from the unstoppable Hyperdub label. The glitchy robotic vocal samples and mutilated synth chords (which predetermined my obsession with co-Londoner James Blake), stood out as unique and intelligent compared to other so-called dubstep acts. I hesitate to say this group ever was dubstep, as within a few years they have progressed their sound to a point where calling them dub-anything would be absurd. Although I sure wouldn’t have minded it, this was a band that surely didn’t want to follow the success of their “Aidy’s Girl” single with another like minded track.

For their debut album “North”, which was released in 2010, the duo became a trio with vocalist James Buttery added to the mix. They focused on composing gloomy synth pop and learned to embrace more traditional pop song structures. It turned out they were damned good at it too, and it proved the group to be multi-talented. However, I kept waiting for them to jump off the deep end, so to speak, as they were absolutely capable of chartering uncovered terrain.

It seems my prayers have been answered because on “News from Nowhere”, their first album for Warp Records, Darkstar have dived in head first. The album is an eclectic overhaul to their previous sound that calls to mind some of the world’s best experimental pop acts. It now seems clear that “North” was a transitional album for this behemoth of sensory overload. Through the album you will be reminded of landmark acts such as Radiohead and Animal Collective, but the closest peer is pop-deconstructivist Matthew Dear, who also adapts new musical styles with the changes in the direction of the wind.

For a hint of the band’s eclecticism, the album goes from the blissfully ambient to the sublimely chill, to the paranoidly eccentric. “-“ is a take on King of Limbs era Radiohead and “A Day’s Pay for a Day’s Work”, has a chorus that is straight up Beach Boys in its a-capella vocal harmony. It’s all a technical marvel, especially on instances where the foreground pushes and pulls to cause tension before imploding into bits of crystalline fragments.

I previously mentioned Matthew Dear as a very like minded artist, and the match certainly fits. That artists’ last album ended with “Temptation”, which was a track that took his songwriting abilities to an unforeseen peak. The last track on this album, “Hold Me Down”, is similar in the fresh escapist pleasure in invokes. It is the perfect album closer that signifies there is much more to be heard from this act.

However, it did take me a while to see this album’s true potential, and it has some flaws that prevent it from being truly exceptional. For one, the vocals are superb in craft, but we hear far too much of them, and what James Buttery is singing about never truly shines through. On “Amplified Ease” I actually told him to stop singing (as if he could hear me). The top layers in general in this music are far less interesting than what lies beneath. Some of the best moments on the record are when the music has a chance to breathe, and we can hear just how much exquisite detail has been put into the production. The tracks where the vocals are used as an instrument, such as the final two, tend to be the most effective. Darkstar have the ability to wisk us away to far away worlds, but they often make it hard for us to get there as we have to sift through a layer of muck.

This is an album disguised as something it is not, or rather, it is disguised as something it is much more than. After a while, it is not the songs themselves that continue to grab our attention, but little snippets that are scattered throughout them. This is fine by me, because I have surely garnered a fair amount of pleasure from this album, but it makes me wonder if I would prefer an album from them that was entirely made up of the subtleties I adore finding in the crevices. For now, I am certainly on my toes as to what they will do next; I always seem to be with Darkstar.

Track Listing:

1.)Light Body Clock Starter

2.) Timeaway

3.) Armonica

4.) –

5.) A Day’s Pay for a Day’s Work

6.) Young Heart’s

7.) Amplified Ease

8.) You Don’t Need a Weatherman

9.) Bed Music – North View

10.) Hold Me Down

MUSIC

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