Night Circus – Charlatan

Some awesome plunderphonics and drone up in here…

Controversial, by Luxury Elite

Treating myself to some quick goodies this morning, Controversial, the 3-track EP from Luxury Elite available via TAR

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20XXビート, by WTCHDCTR

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Tonight I am listening to some haunting and beautiful beats by WTCHDCTR, his latest EP titled “20XXビート” is 4 tracks of luscious and spaced out beats, soaked in reverb, dripping with style.

This project has a relaxed warmth to it that is quite pleasing to the ears. Swelling synthesizers rest behind the action in each song perfectly, creating quite the cosmic-soundscape to paint beats and melodies on top of. WTCHDCTR does this by means of intriguing vocal samples, tracks being motivated by trap style drums. There is minimal urgency in these tunes, and thats exactly what you want from something like this, perfect beats for a warm summer night. Slightly melancholy, whether by nostalgia or situation, only enhances the beauty.

The tracks maintain a fairly chill vibe, On My Mind being the obvious acception. However, even so the relaxed and spacey attitude is still there, in whispering synths paired with eerie vocal cuts. The deep bass lulls you inward, while the haunting melodies keep you hypnotized.

For what it is, “20XXビート” is a great little release. I feel like theres nothing I havent heard going on here, but in this instance it’s done so well! Though its only 4 tracks, you can pick this one up on Cassette via the bandcamp page. Also available for digital download, or stream it above! Whatever you do, enjoy!

SKY念仏, by Sanmi

Time for a brief recommendation! This is Sanmi. I discovered this producer some years ago on soundcloud, maybe late 2009, through his electronic noodling and waveshaping. The music he creates runs the spectrum from ambient noodling to deep house and electro. His latest EP from HZ Recordings titled “Diaspora” was a wonderful little piece of fantastic electronic tracks, and also a highly recommended listen!

His personal page coins himself as “Japan based experimentalist Kyo Yanagi describes his alter ego as an experimental unit since 1998. He uses algorithmic and process based electronic composition techniques, creating textures which fluctuate from warm and delicate to visceral and abrasive.” Which is the perfect description for his sonic creations. So his latest project SKY念仏 showed up in my feed, I was excited what I would be hearing! 

Only 2 tracks, this EP is apparently an experiment in “Vocal work with bottles and rice”, which is abundantly clear upon the beginning of the first track! Pulsing full tones accompany steady shakers (I can only guess that this is where the bottles and rice comes into play!), layered with interesting vocal chanting. This is a great window into the mind of this producer, using such sparse and acoustic instrumentation, we see the style stripped down to the very base level. Within the instrumentation and natural rhythms of this release I can hear the direct connection to his sine-wave experiments and other electronic projects, feeling ties between the improvised melodies and slow growth formula.

All in all, its a strange and enjoyable little release for someone like me, and it can serve as a fantastic introduction to this producers material. If you are looking for something off the beatin’ path, look no further than Sanmi’s extensive catalog, you’ll be sure to find something you can enjoy!

 

 

Yacht Fire! by Marcus Eads

What a wonderful little project! This EP is 5 tracks recorded live to tape in April/May 2014. Marcus Eads is a musician and a songwriter, or more elegantly stated on his page, he is as “instrumental improvisationalist • bioacoustic field recordist • magnetic tape enthusiast • church youth director” , combining his interests and passions into fantastic works of sonic art.

“Yacht Fire!” is another in the series of brief EP’s put out by Marcus, several of these with a couple full-lengths have hit the web since late 2012, and the catalog continues to grow, both in size and style. This newest EP features a distinct new flavor throw into the usual crockpot of lo-fi americana noodling, a special spice perhaps! The instrumentation is more diverse than previous projects, including percussion tracks, sparse keys and vibes, as well as what I might guess is some sample sounds! Flavors of vapor and mallsoft inspiration drip from the tape on this one, slow and washed out grooves looping endlessly into a blissful oblivion….

As always, Marcus’s guitar improvisations prove to be a subtle highlight of the whole experience. It is simply easy to get lost in this playing, the nostalgic vibe in the tone and rhythms applied create a very delicious and addicting listening experience. I often find myself playing through these EP’s and albums two or three times, simply because it is so pleasing to the ears!

I must say, I am a fan of the traditional style usually applied to his releases, but Marcus managed to mix in the perfect amount of new ideas with tried and true foundation. It was great to hear things mixed up a bit, yet it seems like Marcus hasn’t missed a step. I look forward to more sonic exploration from this artist, as it is always a pleasure when it finds itself my way. Marcus Eads, Yacht Fire! A highly recommended listen!

VIIV, by Hendiadys

Good morning music lovers of all shapes and sizes, today I have some noisy drone for you to enjoy! It’s the new short album from the duo Hendiadys titled VIIV.

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Manifest EP, by Spacedtime

This morning I am enjoying some new work from UK producer SPACEDTIME, specifically his latest EP, Manifest. Released March 16th, 2014, this 5 track EP features some truly spaced out and groovy beats with fantastic production quality!

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UGLY ZOO, by Ugly Zoo

Happy Monday Morning one and all! I am sitting here sipping some coffee, having some sound waves wash over me currently! Bouncing back between some suggested releases and digging for new goodies, I find myself listening to this self titled EP by the New York punk outfit UGLY ZOO.

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