Decade Look: Part 2 - Amon Tobin's Supermodified

Ten years is a long time so sometimes it's easy to forget about the events that occurred near the beginning of that time period. Amon Tobin's "Supermodified" was released only five months into the year 2000 yet it remains one of the best electronic albums of the decade. Tobin's use of complex beats and interesting samples has garnered him universal critical acclaim over the years. This album in particular is known for it's wide range of styles from "Get Your Snack On" emanating the Chemical Brothers to the almost trance-like "Rhino Jockey." It's this variety that keeps your interest throughout, drawing you in and making you wonder what will come next. "Deo" is one of my favorites from this album, the way it builds and builds from the opening looping guitar sample to the complex drum beats as it goes along is fantastic. Here is a video for it:



Standout tracks: Get Your Snack On, Four Ton Mantis, Deo, Rhino Jockey, Natureland

Get Your Head Nodding

Decade Look: Part 1 - Trentemøller's The Last Resort

It's nearing the end of 2009 and the end of the decade. Many music sites have made or are making their "Best Of" lists for various categories including best album and best song. I've decided that since this year is closing fast I ought to start listening to some older stuff I have and make my own "Best Of." I haven't heard nearly as much as these reviewing sites so I will have an easier time making my list. It will be in no particular order; just whatever albums stir up nostalgic feelings or what have you. By the end of this year I will have chosen my favorite album of the decade as well as favorite song and favorite band.

It just so happened that last night I put on my iPod and chose Trentemøller's "The Last Resort" to listen to. When I had this list idea in mind I wasn't even thinking of this album but I should have been. Released in 2006 the album showcases Trentemøller's softer and more experimental side instead of the heavier stuff you would hear at a club. It's a headphones album and because of it's almost excessive length it requires repeat listens for it to sink in. I can see myself coming back to this album multiple times and that's why it's on my list of the best albums of the decade.

Standout tracks: Take Me Into Your Skin, Vamp, While the Cold Winter Waiting, Moan

Here is an odd video of the second track "Vamp":

Sorrow's Army

I must admit, I don't know very much about guitar playing. For myself I've found it to be the most difficult instrument to play of the few that I've tried to pickup. Be that as it may I still think I can recognize when somebody is proficiently playing the instrument. Take for instance this video I'm about to show in which Graham Coxon of Blur plays a tune from his latest album, "The Spinning Top." One can only be impressed by his quick fingerpicking and precision timing; just think of the years of practice it took to get to that point. If you haven't heard the album I recommend picking it up, it's mostly acoustic and although a bit lengthy it's full of great songs. Here is the video:

The Man from Montebello

Though it may sound like a movie title Montebello is where hip-hop producer Nosaj Thing comes from. Nosaj is new on the music scene and his album of this year, "Drift" is making quite an impression. It's a dark instrumental album and has taken me quite a few listens to get into. It has been worth taking that time because "Drift" is one of the best and most cohesive albums I've heard in 2009. As for best new artists of the year I think that Nosaj Thing is far and away the winner in that category. I really like his use of voices in a few of the tracks, they are effectively used making for an eerie listen. Here is the last song on the album "Lords" used in conjunction with some weird Winnie the Pooh clip:



On another note in an earlier post I mentioned that this year has been lame but I think I might retract statement. The albums that I've liked though few in quantity have been high in quality, "Drift" being one of them. Get it now!

Moderat

Seven years ago, Berlin based electronic acts Modeselektor and Apparat came together to form Moderat. Seven years on now since that formation and they've finally released their self-titled debut and there is a peculiar thing about it. Most of the album is brilliant containing some of the most intriguing electronic music of the year, yet about three tracks are utter drab. It's these three tracks that keep me from coming back regularly. Take for instance the opening track "A New Error" one of my favorite songs this year:



Now here is one of the songs that I don't like at all and the crowd in the video (with the exception of one guy in front of the camera) don't seem to be enjoying either:



You be the judge but for me the two songs are complete opposites, one great and the other bad. Despite these peculiarities Moderat's debut is definitely worth a listen simply because it does contain some of the best electronic music of the year.

Immolate Yourself

The subject of death seems to surround the latest offering from Telefon Tel Aviv. Charles Cooper, one of the two group members, died shortly after the release of the duo's fourth album. When something tragic like that happens us the listeners will find the emotion in the album much easier to grasp. I know for myself that when I hear "Immolate Yourself" I can't help but be drawn in. For that reason it's not an album I want to listen to constantly but nevertheless have. It's their best album and although it is unfortunate that they won't make another it was a good way to go out. Here is the second last song:



R.I.P. Charles

Paul Hartnoll

I think everyone has heard Orbital whether they know it or not. Their song "Halcyon + On + On" has been used in numerous movie soundtracks and is their most popular song. Everyone (I think) has seen the utterly pointless Mortal Kombat movie and have heard the song played at the end. Let this be a refresher:



Paul Hartnoll is one half of Orbital and released a solo album in 2007. "The Ideal Condition" isn't drastically different from any of the Orbital albums so fans of the group won't have any difficulty get into it. It's a short album with guest singers appearing on tracks 2, 4, 6 and 8 the most notable one being The Cure's Robert Smith. While it's not an amazing album it has enough on it to warrant repeated listens. Here is the Robert Smith track, not my favorite but I couldn't find much else:



Orbital have recently announced that they have reformed and will hopefully release another album.

Chris Clark has Golden Hands

2009 has, in short, been quite lame. Most albums I've heard haven't really left any lasting impression on me. Some have been listened to constantly for a week and others for a couple days. Clark's newest offering "Totems Flare" is still somewhat new for me, so it's too early to tell if it will suffer the same fate as the others. As of right now it's one of my favorites of this lame year. Clark has been around since the beginning of the decade and has to date released five albums. His music makes use of complex drumbeats and lots and lots of distortion. Depending on your mood, these distortion drenched songs can sometimes be unlistenable. That would be my only gripe with Clark, that he can't just tone it down a bit to make for an easier listen. Be that as it may "Totems Flare" is still worth checking out, especially for my favorite track, "Future Daniel." It's definitely a contender for song of the year (not that it has much competition):

If It's Nae Scottish...

The Twilight Sad are a newish group hailing from Scotland and to date have released one album. What sets these guys apart from the rest of the rock bands coming from the UK at the moment, is that the lead singer keeps his Scottish accent when singing. While not completely original it does make for a distinct and interesting listen. Their album "Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters" is definitely worth hearing if you're into that kind of distinct sound. Here is a sample now, the second track "That Summer, At Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy." I'm not really sure what the Humphrey Bogart footage has to do with the song but stranger things have happened in music videos:



The Twilight Sad's newest album is out the 21st of this month so check it out if you so desire.

Stop the War

A short post is in order today. What do Puff Daddy (P-Diddy) and Speak the Hungarian Rapper have in common? More than you might think because they do in fact have very similar sounding songs. Watch and you will see:

The Bells the Bells

Ask any Underworld fan and they'll tell you that the group's best work came in the '90s. 1994 saw the release of "dubnobasswithmyheadman," which transitioned the band from synthpop to trance/electronica. The album was well received and Underworld gained some popularity. The release of the b-side "Born Slippy NUXX" was when the group really took off. It helped the next album - 1996's "Second Toughest in the Infants" - become their most commercially popular release yet. That album contains one of my favorite Underworld songs, the 16 minute "Juanita : Kiteless : To Dream of Love." Here is an abbreviated version of the song:



"Beaucoup Fish" came in 1999 and contains another one of my favorites, "Jumbo." However, it was with this album and the DVD "Everything, Everything" that my interest in Underworld diminished slightly. The heavier, harder hitting songs just weren't doing it for me so I lost interest for awhile. 2002's "A Hundred Days Off" is very forgettable and contains too many overly long songs. At this point I thought this was the end for Underworld; I couldn't see them making anything worthwhile after that dud of an album. I was proven wrong with 2007's "Oblivion With Bells," my favorite Underworld album. It's cohesive and doesn't contain any of those unfavorable heavy songs I mentioned. Thanks to Danny Boyle's movie "Sunshine" (recommended), the album has been a fairly major success worldwide. The opening two tracks compliment each other perfectly and I have posted a video of the second song "Beautiful Burnout":



My faith restored I now look forward to Underworld's next album.
Check back soon for more.

Uncle Tony

Yesterday RJD2; today Blockhead. Blockhead is the moniker of Anthony Simon a hip-hop producer based in Manhattan. He is widely know for his production work on several Aesop Rock releases. Less well known is that Blockhead has released three solo albums: "Music By Cavelight" in 2004, "Downtown Science" in 2005 and "Uncle Tony's Coloring Book" in 2007. Blockhead's trademark (if he was to have one) would be that of making voice samples sound like they just finished inhaling helium. Annoying at times yes but like all good trademarks it forces you to make an association with the artist. For example, when I first heard "None Shall Pass" by Aesop Rock I knew that track was produced by Blockhead because it contained that trademark. Take a listen now:



While all of Blockhead's solo albums are worth hearing the one that I would recommend is "Uncle Tony's Coloring Book." Of the three it is the only one that was self-released and is therefore harder to obtain. The album is 13 tracks of sampling genius. Sounds that wouldn't normally work together are meshed masterfully by Blockhead making for an intriguing and varied listen. To give you just a taste I have posted the opening song "Coloring Book" which perfectly illustrates what I have just described.



Do what you must but get your hands on some Blockhead!

Massive Return

It's been around 7 years since the last Massive Attack album "100th Window." Most bands would be long forgotten in that amount of time but, like Portishead, Massive Attack are alive and kicking. The band has lost some fans being absent for so long but those that kept faith can now breathe a sigh of relief. Yes, they are back, and with an EP release in October and an album in early 2010, Massive Attack are looking to storm back onto the music scene. Though I have my doubts that this new material will live up to the MA of old, I am still looking forward to the album. "Collected," a compilation released in 2006 contains one song that gives me hope of a triumphant return to greatness. I've posted the music video below.



The newest MA song features Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio and at around 7 minutes I think is longer that it needs to be. That opinion may change... Listen to it below.

RJD2's Work it Out

Update #3:

I'm not normally one to enjoy music videos but I found this one particularly good. The song comes from RJD2's last album "The Third Hand" and the video is shot in Brooklyn. If you haven't heard the album I suggest you get it now. Critics hated it and most RJD2 fans did too, but for me it was fresh and exciting to hear an artist who had mainly done hip-hop production in the past make a pop album. Get his other albums as well and look out for a new release in 2010.

Need to Know

Update #2:

I used to waste a lot of time on Facebook but I don't regret doing it for this one reason: Culprit 1. One day while I was perusing some "groups" on Facebook I stumbled upon one post that caught my attention. Some guy had posted a link to Culprit 1's Myspace recommending that we check out his "mesmerizing stuff". I was in need of something new and exciting at the time so I decided to take a listen. After listening to about 30 seconds of the track "Brasilia" I was hooked. I got his album "Running In Order" and have listened to it regularly ever since. Now I say to you: Listen to his mesmerizing stuff. Below is the video for the track "No Need to Ask" and here is a link to the song that got me following the Culprit.



More to come soon.

First Ever Post

Greetings friends and welcome,

To begin I shall explain a few things about my blog:

I enjoy music. I enjoy listening to music. I enjoy making music. I enjoy attending events featuring music. I enjoy music.

That about sums up what my blog is all about.
I intend to provide you the reader with weekly posts relating to all things music. I will recommend albums or artists that I think you need to hear as well as occasionally post some of my own work (yes, D-Mat be my name).


Update #1:

Being this the inaugural update I figure it ought to be a bit special (at least for me). I've been working on a few songs over the past while using various samples that interest me. I use a demo version of Ablelton's Live to make my music and it can be very limiting. These songs are not perfect but I make the most of what I have. Here is my newest song.



I've been listening to a few different albums over the past week but only one has really made an impression on me. The album is "Hymn to the Immortal Wind" by Mono, a Japanese post-rock band. Check out their Myspace and listen to the song "Ashes in the Snow," the first track from the album.

Check back soon for more.