Beirut: New Album The Rip Tide

One of my favorite all time artists is Beirut. I won’t do him justice by describing his sound or what it means to me but briefly, he is an enormously talented multi- instrumental beautiful wonder. I saw him two years ago at Treasure Island Music festival and still remember it as one of the best live concerts I’ve seen.

The Rip Tide is the new album. Preceding this release, the most recent work from Zach Condon was the double album in 2009, March of the Zapotec and Realpeople: Holland. You can pre-order The Rip Tide here.

It pains me to include a free link to one of his new songs – so I won’t. Purchase the whole album. I’ll just post some of my old favorites.

New favorites from The Rip Tide include: “Goshen” and “Port of Call,” and the whole album, so go purchase it immediately…

Full tour dates here: includes Terminal 5, NYC,  Sept 20 + 21 (which go on sale tomorrow!)

(Off of Realpeople: Holland) Beirut – The Concubine

Elephant Gun

Listen to and buy all past albums and some unreleased tracks as well.

Little Owl – Black On White

The first music video for California-based band Little Owl is for the track “Black On White” from their debut EP Stories and Observations of Argus Madur.

While I haven’t seen them live, their sound reminds me of those orchestral bands that pack a whole bunch of people on stage with a whole bunch of instruments to create larger than life sounds.   For Little Owl, however, these sounds are sometimes restrained and sometimes soaring, but always intense (which you can hear on other songs “This Town” and “Naturally,” the latter of which twists and turns, morphing into a series of narratives within one one).

Little Owl – Black On White

Hooray For Earth – True Loves

Today is the day…today is the day…today is the day!  Hooray For Earth’s new album True Loves is out today, which you can pick up over HERE or head to your local record store.  “True Loves” is my summer anthem, but I’ve also fallen for “No Love” as well.  Check the tracks out below along with the video for “True Loves,” by Young Replicant (who also created the video for Baths’ “Lovely Bloodflow” and M83’s “We Own the Sky.”)

Currently on tour, Hooray For Earth will be playing in NYC with Architecture in Helsinki on June 16th at Webster Hall.

Hooray For Earth – True Loves

Hooray For Earth – No Love

Hooray For Earth – True Loves from Dovecote Records on Vimeo.

NazcarNation Remix

Kathryn, My Love is a track off of the debut full length “Eternity Spin” from ambient-pop Texas based Pandit, (who has also collaborated with Star Slinger.)

NazcarNation recently did a remix of this track and it takes it to a whole new place, particularly towards the second half that feels like a spaceship ride at Disney Land that lands you in the giant foam pit. The video featuring the original is below as well..

Kathryn, My Love (NazcarNation ‘Desecration’)

What is a pandit? I’ll tell  you: A pandit is a scholar, a teacher, particularly one skilled in Sanskrit language. In the original usage of the word, “Pandit”, refers to a Hindu, almost always a Brahmin, who has memorized a substantial portion of the Vedas, along with the rhythms and melodies for chanting  verses or singing them during rituals.

Mystery solved.

New Artist: Connan Mockasin

When I was studying opera during my undergrad, one of my professors asked me to define music.  Impossible, right?  It’s like asking what art is.  And posing such a question infallibly prompts an exploration of work like that of Phillip Glass or John Cage, and ends with the conclusion that music is – like art – both ubiquitous & imperative for survival.  That’s my definition anyway.

We listen to music for a whole slew of reasons.  There is a Schumann quote that names music as that which allows us to converse with what lies beyond.  It can boost the perfect spring day, it can define the vibe of a reckless party, it can encapsulate the break down of an entire relationship, it can recount a loungy mid-day bbq with friends, it can heal us when we are in need.

I go on about all of this because it is special when music really & truly has the ability to successfully transcend us to another world & perfectly capture the essence of a moment in time.  And Connan Mockasin’s music does just that.  It’s intelligible – an undertone of Beatles psychadelia, an inference of Bowie, a touch of folk, a hint of jazz, a dab of art-pop.  Lyrics are treated in a similar light to Stereo Total.  It’s witty.  Provocatively childish.  And his hair reminds me of Warhol’s. Which really does it for me.  A journey worth exploring on your own, we’re going to serve you up one of his incredible songs & a beautiful video.  Just see for yourself where they take you.  For me, that too is hard to define.

Connan Mockasin –Its Choade My Dear

Forever Dolphin Love – Connan Mockasin from daniel brereton on Vimeo.

Trixx Are For Kids

The air is thick right now in New York. You can feel it when you walk. You can feel it when you bike. You can feel it when you breathe. And as you experience it, you notice that traveling through it feels much less like walking and much more like swimming. Movement feels like you’re in The Abyss. The air feels like Egyptrixx.

I get it. His tracks could be coined experimental. They could be called minimal. And to some, those can be very scary words. But for this time of year in Brooklyn, this vibe is just perfect. So forget the fact that you’re on your Monday commute to work in 85% humidity, and replace your reality with subway daydreams of sitting on the lawn at the Glade, listening to this track. Or maybe you’ll be floating through one of James Cameron’s realities, should you prefer it.

Either or, there’s no better way to start the week.

Chrysalis Records (Ft. Trust)- Egyptrixx

The Naked and Famous

“Young Blood” is rightfully so received as the stand out track on The Naked and Famous‘ debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You. I also love the White Sea Remix. This track has been blogged about all over the place, but lesser known tracks “The Sun” and “The Source” deserve the same attention.

While “The Source” is only 48 seconds, it’s a beautiful 48 seconds you’ll want to repeat over and over.

The Naked and Famous- The Source

The Naked and Famous- The Sun

Their next New York show is at Terminal 5 on May 4th. For full tour dates, click here.

Marina & the Diamonds

I love this video.

While I very much love the Clock Opera remix of “I Am Not A Robot”, it’s one of my favorite remixes ever, its nice to go back to the originals sometimes and remember what made them beautiful. The video isn’t much more than Marina singing but the black glitter makeup is magnificent and I wish I had an excuse to mimic this on my left cheek- a warpaint streak, with the red sparkle lips to match.

Marina & the Diamonds will be touring the U.S. starting June 16 in Philly….New York: Webster Hall June 21.

Latest remix addiction: “Obsessions:”

Marina & the Diamonds- Obsession (Jack Deezl Remix)

New from Tom Vek

It’s been 5 years since Tom Vek debuted his first album We Have Sound.  Now, he’s finally preparing to release his follow up Leisure Seizure on Downtown / Island Records on June 7th.

Having shied away from the spotlight following the release of We Have Sound, Vek’s public persona seemed to take on a life of it’s own, and now he’s acknowledging the many characters that have been put to his music in his place.  From a press release: the first single “A Chore” is accompanied by a concept video, which acknowledges the artist’s five-year absence. Having been out of the public eye for so long, Vek takes the role of presenter of T.V. Island, a self-imagined [show where guests] are asked to imagine themselves stranded on a metaphorical island for an hour…characteristically wry, sarcastic and mischievous, the song and video are a fitting analogy – five years [later], the perfect desert island isn’t the place one first imagined.

Here’s “A Chore” and corresponding video as well as an old favorite…

Tom Vek – A Chore by fadedglamourblog

Tom Vek – Nothing But Green Lights

Tame Impale is almost here

Australian band Tame Impala have made it over to the States quite a bit to perform, but if you haven’t caught them yet, now’s your chance.  They are currently on a Spring tour in the U.S. and Canada, which kicked off at Coachella and will head to Webster Hall in New York City on April 25th.

Comprised of Kevin Parker (lead guitar and vocals), Dominic Simper (guitar), Nick Allbrook (bass) and Jay Watson (drums and backing vocals), the band is self-described as psychedelic hypno-groove melodic rock music.  And they say “if Tame Impala’s music reminds you of what you’d want to put on when you next visit your mind’s engine room then they’re happy. If not, whatever, it’s just music.”

Below is the song “Expectation” and corresponding video, which debuted at the end of last year and was filmed outside of Paris during a break from their European tour with a 360 degree camera.

Tame Impala – Expectation