all that you want from me you can take it away

Lusine - Double Vision
With a track so ridiculously chill, I just might get double vision once I get high on this drug called good music. A distant beat that palpitates in the quiet of the night, lingering for a while and drifting away just as you think it has settled. Fantastic for a late night jaunt.

André Obin - Soft Rain
It has a intro very similar to another song but I just can't put my finger to it. Whatever it is, sparkling lux synths dominate this outstanding track, along with whispered lyrics that you can't quite decipher its meaning. Multi-layered electronic sounds draw you magnetically into its glorious procession, providing a sort of secret warmth that you'd like to embrace.

Susumu Yokota - Tobiume
This is like dope from the land of the rising sun. I think one can vaguely sense the progression towards the end amidst the constant repetition of hollow synths.

you want the moon but you've got the sun

I miss HK, it was a blast over there.

Pulseprogramming - First They Fire
Loving the synthy beats and vocals awash in 80s nostalgia. The song just latches onto your subconscious, be it the gentle cooing or how it invokes foggy memories of yesteryear.

Jatoma - Little Houseboat
Fancy little song here that's quite trippy, a generous helping of electronic bleeps and bloops before evolving into gorgeous deep bass beats. Sexyyyyy.

Digitalism - 2 Hearts
Electronic married to pop-bliss.

we will sink and be quiet as mice

Been neglecting the blog yet again due to school, but here's a post I managed to squeeze in during this break week.

Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Geniuses at work. It's been a while since Radiohead's last opus "In Rainbows" in 2007, and now they've finally released another album, "The King of Limbs", which clocks in at just over 37 minutes. This particular track features Thom Yorke dancing/moving awkwardly/spasming/insert-what-you-think-is-appropriate. It's nothing overt, a really ordinary beat in the background, such that you won't think much of it. However, Thom's almost permanent falsetto brings a sort of emotive counterbalance to the normalcy of the backing rhythm. Don't expect something massive that would blow you away when listening to this track, more a gentle prod in between ebbs and flows, against your conscious. The first listen is good, but give it a few more listens, it'll warrant infinite repeats.

Peter Bjorn and John - Second Chance
Really fetching track from the guys most famous for their iconic tune Young Folks. Some elements of pop catchy-ness as well as rock riffs abound, it seems right up their alley. And as many have said, the cowbell is a neat touch.

Jamie Woon - Lady Luck
Dedicated an entire post on him a while back, and he's just released a single of his debut album which drops in April. Lady Luck is a downright wicked tune - slick and sensual. Echo-ed and on a loop as the words 'lady luck' rolls of his tongue, the bass beats intertwined with his extremely soulful voice, this is one tune that will make people go all over each other on the dancefloor. I expect some remixes to roll in soon. Pity he didn't win BBC's Sound of 2011 poll. Check out his Al Fresco version here. It's basically him and his vocals while he's on a sampan in a swamp in Cambodia. Exquisite.

when i look around i can feel it spinning

Simon Hinter - Take Care
What a myriad of sounds this track presents - a certain eye, or ear-opener for that matter. A winding road, tall firs looming. Blinding white light. Streets of nowhere, a dull thud. Mesmerising blinking light, in the distance.

Deerhunter - Fountain Stairs
Super swell and loving it. Warm fuzzy guitar lines and warbly vocals from Lockett Pundt.

time shoots on by

Apologies much for the unintentional hiatus. Busy with stuff regarding school, couldn't wait to get back to share some awesome stuff here.

Rue du Soleil - Troya
Loosely translated as Sun Road, this quartet of D. Jakovljevic, Y. Uslu, A. Bianco and C. Montuoriis produce some stunning music. Seemingly, I like ambient stuff with jazz influences.

Morcheeba - The Sea
Lush vocals bloom as a liquid rhythm slides in your eardrum.

Another Fine Day - Lazy Daisy

Passengers - Beach Sequence
Not sure why it's entitled as such but it certainly brooks no images of sand, sea and sun. Nonetheless, lovely stuff by U2 and Brian Eno.



Sunlight squeezing it's way through the fluffy clouds carelessly pasted on blue canvas. Ensconced in the grubby couch. The whir of the fan; the drone of passing trains. The clouds inch east; the chirp of a sparrow. Nestled in the tree. Glass of ice water. A droplet trickles slowly down the glass; without direction. The glare of sunlight. The ring of the postman - breaks the tranquility like a drop of water on the stillness of the lake. Ripples.

you're the piece of gold that flushes all my soul

But the iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy, and deals with the memory of men without distinction to merit of perpetuity. Who can but pity the founder of the pyramids? Herostratus lives that burnt the temple of Diana, he is almost lost that built it. Time hath spared the epitaph of Adrian's horse, confounded that of himself. In vain we compute our felicities by the advantage of our good names, since bad have equal durations, and Thersites is like to live as long as Agamemnon without the favour of the everlasting register. Who knows whether the best of men be known, or whether there be not more remarkable persons forgot, than any that stand remembered in the known account of time? The first man had been as unknown as the last, and Methuselah's long life had been his only chronicle.

- Hydriotaphia by Sir Thomas Browne


Kidstreet - X (mp3)
Go to their myspace for a free download of new song X. Exciting and full of electrofunk, dotty synths twinkle off as vocodered vocals sing of "wanting you so bad". Midway, sensual vocals take over and mesmerise you. Further emphasis on "I want you so bad it's wrong" clearly shows it should take it's rightful place on the dance floor.

Air - Playground Love
You can trust the French to come up with such affecting music, and for a film adaptation of the splendid book "The Virgin Suicides". Gently stirring up an ambient mood, Thomas Mars' (of Phoenix) drawl and the slow pace combine fluidly to evoke a dreamy yet lustrous sheen to the song. Jazz samples punctuate the chorus, amplifying the underlying romantic theme of the song. Sensual at best, perfunctory at worst, this song is a definite treat for your senses.

Phoenix - Playground Love (Air Cover)
Check out the acoustic cover by Phoenix. It just serves to reinforce the stereotype that French are romantic and sentimental, and are capable of awesome music.

Air - Alone in Kyoto
No wonder I thought this song was familiar. It was part of the soundtrack for another fantabulous movie, Lost in Translation. And if anyone notices, both Lost in Translation and The Virgin Suicides were directed by Sofia Coppola. And she's in a relationship with Thomas Mars. Extremely soothing and calming, if not retrospectively caused by the title of the song, I could imagine walking through the bamboo groves in Kyoto, chancing upon a quaint shrine by a stream. Brilliant composition.

you're tangled in those dreams

Feeling a little lazy today.


Beach Fossils - Youth
Superb opening riff worthy of these beach bummers. Will the lo-fi dreampop genre ever be saturated? Me thinks it is, but I love them all the same. The sweet tangy smell of youth - I don't want to lose it.

Beach Fossils - Daydream
More summer love. Their song titles are so laidback you'd actually wonder if they composed wrote and did almost everything save for recording on the beach. Maybe the recording studio's by the beach. Sweet.

Pantha du Prince - Lay In a Shimmer
A sparkling stunner more than worthy of it's title. Basking in the beauty of green towering trees, huge leaves with dew drops scattered all over, as the warmth of the sunlight filters through the leaves and a kaleidoscope of colours abound in the air as the light refracts. Elves dance. Butterflies flit. We revel.

Pantha du Prince - The Splendour
Well, the song is full of well... splendour.

i just wanna read your mind

It’s hard to imagine a more fundamental and ubiquitous aspect of life on the Earth than gravity, from the moment you first took a step and fell on your diapered bottom to the slow terminal sagging of flesh and dreams.

But what if it’s all an illusion, a sort of cosmic frill, or a side effect of something else going on at deeper levels of reality?

So says Erik Verlinde, 48, a respected string theorist and professor of physics at the University of Amsterdam, whose contention that gravity is indeed an illusion has caused a continuing ruckus among physicists, or at least among those who profess to understand it. Reversing the logic of 300 years of science, he argued in a recent paper, titled “On the Origin of Gravity and the Laws of Newton,” that gravity is a consequence of the venerable laws of thermodynamics, which describe the behavior of heat and gases.

...

What is new, he said, is the idea that differences in entropy can be the driving mechanism behind gravity, that gravity is, as he puts it an “entropic force.”

- A Scientist Takes on Gravity on The New York Times


Glass Vaults - Set Sail (mp3)
This is what is said on the band's label "Richard and Rowan have taken their guitars, voices, drums and dream-triggering gadgetry, drenched them in the vapour of clouds and given birth to an intimate and sentimental sonic experience. It sounds like nature is patient and melodious on the farm where this here EP was recorded! Five beautiful pop delights with the added bonus of lost-in-the-ocean vibes, all freely downloadable and soon to take physical form.". So all we know is that they are Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce. And hail from Wellington, NZ. NZ was the last place I'd expect such music to come from, but boy, their precocious affecting music sure struck a chord with me. I see them deriving inspiration from the awesome scenery they have throughout their entire huge-ass country. Sounds like perfect music for a drive through South and North Island. Epic soundscape at best, haunting at it's worst, Set Sail soars through the clouds, untethered and unencumbered. Utterly spectacular, they meld the different layers with panache to deliver a song so beautiful and enchanting. Oh the pleasant shivers it sends up my spine.

Glass Vaults - They Will Grow (mp3)
An ambient instrumental piece that is sentimental and achingly affecting, the occasional plucks of the guitar reaching out and tugging at your soul. A muffled underlying hum is weaved into the fabric of the song, as the reverb of the guitar string echoes into oblivion with each tentative pluck, they display deftness of touch in creating this endless space that we yearn to reside in.

Get the 5 track EP here for free.

even loneliness is full of life

Photo from Alexandre Buisse.


Exhausted, ranting at your inane colleague at work, or maybe the world at large. oil spill, lebron james defecting, germany's loss to spain. fan's not working and neither is the TV. sweet and lush but nothing overwhelming. soothing and lulling rhythms, start pondering maybe. lie down and fall back into your subconscious.




Blank & Jones - Loneliness
The sensuality Bobo exudes when she breathe-sings adds a totally different dimension to this extremely chill out song. It's like you're floating on the clear sparkling blue expanse of the ocean. Slowly without warning, the water absorbs you gently, but not before creating a magical air pocket. You just lay back, still able to float for some reason, close your eyes, and hear the shoals of fishes swim by. Her repeating of "loneliness is full of life" makes it echo in your head as well but strikes you as an oxymoron, but really, you don't give much thought to that.

Blank & Jones - Summer Sun

Tycho - Dictaphone's Lament
Exquisitely shot with such beautiful artistic direction. It just makes the already awesome song even more awesome.

Tycho - The Daydream

that was us for the last five years

My friend Marc creates ambient and instrumental music, amongst others, under the moniker Carrion. Absolutely wonderful stuff - thoughtful arrangements, glacial synths, melancholic with traces of moodiness and expansive soundscapes.

Click on the links below and you'll be redirected to the download pages.

Carrion - For You (mp3)

Carrion - Passing Time (mp3)


Toro Y Moi - Low Shoulder
Mr Chazwick Bundick seems to be rolling along just fine with his brand of chillwave. Incorporating a little of those hip-hop rhythms, he glides along with a simple blend of washy synths and quirky doo-wops. It just lifts your spirits when you listen to the song, and makes you feel all warm and good inside. At times, you can hear a little of Passion Pit and their pop-ish ditties, but deep down, it's still Chazwick.

Toro Y Moi - Talamak
Talamak is more mashy, like everything being thrown into a centrifuge and various sounds coming out together as one. Maybe the layering of sounds and vocals was blurred on purpose, giving a slinky feel to the song.

will we ever paint the walls

Basia Bulat - Once More, For The Dollhouse
Folksy feel, yet it belies the deep vulnerability that seems to emanate from the lyrics - almost like howls of desperation crying to be heard. Her strong emotive vocals drive this song with panache, along with the bare guitar accompaniment, contributing to the emotional bedlam.

Pearl Harbor - Luv Goon
Sweet shimmery vocals surf on dreamy hazy sounds with washed out synths as one of them coos the chorus. Pearl Harbor is made up of 2 sister, Piper and Skyler, 22 and 15 respectively. Amazing isn't it? They make absolutely harmonious dream pop that dazzle the heart.

Pretty & Nice - Tora Tora Tora (mp3)
You get a bit lost for a moment as the song opens with "the japanese and singing 'tora tora tora' but i don't understand". But as soon as you right your bearings, you realise the upbeat song is flippant and fun. Snappy drumbeats with random lyrics amidst the motley instruments ringing out in the background definitely contribute to the springy mood.

Trentemoller - Always Something Better
First, there's this really bad-ass bassline. Secondly, the haunting sound prolly from the pads. Thirdly, sleek sounding 8 bit synths. I could go on and on, but whatever Mr Trentemoller is doing, he's doing a fantastic job of marrying the vastly different layers in the song into one entity. The ebb and flow is doing the very job of pulling you into the world he has created and pushing you out abruptly, only to bring you back in again.

fall left me with this winter so cold

Photo from Bunny Bissoux.

Oh my, it's been a while. How I've missed talking about music. I apologise to the few readers I have for the lack of posts, been a whirlwind of crap since the last post. Was pretty hectic as I was doing some last minute preparations for my europe trip and then now trip's cancelled cos Eyjafjallajokull erupted, and thereafter, busy with trying to get my insurance claims going. Now I'm planning for Japan, trying to leave asap, and fingers crossed, hope nothing like Eyjafjallajokull happens again, otherwise I'd lose faith with travelling and just stick to staying in this island city.

jj - Let Go
Let Go is from their 2nd album, simply titled "jj n° 3". Gently led into by what probably are harmonica samples, we are presented with a stunning introduction to a song that borders on folk, classical, balearic and electronic, maybe even more. Seemingly like a mish mash of genres, everything somehow dovetails beautifully into an enchanting song. Subtle with alluring vocals, the duo of Joakim Benon and Elin Kastlander show no signs of letting up.

Monarchy - The Phoenix Alive
Have a good listen to the latest outfit to hit the electronic scene in UK. A disco-esque vibe that resonates as they barely sing above the synths effortlessly, the pulsating and solid beat akin to sparkling stars in the galaxy apt as they sing of stars in their eyes.

Lusine - Jetstream(mp3)
More ambient music for the senses, the echoing synths going off like dominoes in an ethereal soundscape as tinkly sounds like wind chimes join in the musical medley and permeates the snug cocoon formed by the wonderful sounds, definitely a treat for the sonic palate. Take a walk down the neon lit streets of Tokyo on a cool evening, as streams of people go by, cars flash past, you realise you're only but one amongst many in this metropolis.

you must speak your life into existence

Holly Miranda - Waves (mp3)
Very beautiful song, brought to life by her drawn out vocals and well-written lyrics. Poignant song on love lost that's so affecting, supported by very subtle drums and the tambourine(?). As she goes on "I don't know, I don't know", it makes one wonder about the unpredictability and incomprehensibility of love.

The Low Anthem - To Ohio
Deep raspy vocals on this melancholic song by The Low Anthem. A folk song sung with such measured elegance and with really brilliant orchestration, I look forward to their next album.

Sun Airway - Waiting on You (mp3)

Lusine - Twilight
As the description of the video goes, "What do you know about the ancients? / What do you know about the future? Vilja Larjosto intones as the song walks on air, evoking an appropriately thoughtful mood to match the songs titular half-light." Down-tempo ambient song vocally led by her, produced by Texan native Jeff McIlwain also known as Lusine, the song is a respite from the plethora of purely ambient songs. Shimmery melodies syncopate as buttery vocals waft from the speakers, she intones and she murmurs; she leads and she follows. Some may say it's placid, but I can feel the warmth of the subtle layers of production rushing through me, vivid images conjured up in my mind. Exquisite.

how do you know the name of the one you love

Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe.

- Anatole France


White Hinterland - Icarus
Pure magic. White Hinterland is this sweet lady Casey Dienel and partner Shawn Creeden. This song is from her 2nd album as White Hinterland, 3rd as an artist, entitled "Kairos". Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). I think it's perfect that she's released this album now, riding on the wave of all that dreampop. A perfect swirly and dreamy soundscape, like a kaleidoscope of white clouds, golden fields, green trees, and beautiful flowers. Awash with languid synths and deep sporadic bass that's almost as hypnotic as her voice, she is unfettered amidst all the minimalism.

White Hinterland - No Logic
She brings to mind Dirty Projectors, maybe some AnCo. The looping and percussion strung together, plus scratchy guitar reflects her experimentation, and she does find her ground.

Eluvium - Weird Creatures
A little in the vein of Barcelona, but unlike their piano-driven rock, Matthew Cooper aka Eluvium incorporates the piano in his echo-ey electronics, keeping his vocals to a bare murmur, you wonder how he blends two contrasting musical elements into one glorious masterpiece. There's only one way to listen to this, lay back, close your eyes and enjoy.

Scuba - So You Think You're Special (mp3)
Techno-ish song with more ambient anchoring, extremely brilliant. Save it for a good day to chill out to.

i'll be right on the train

Fink - If Only
Excellent musician who dabbles in electronic to jazz to house. I really dig the slow laidback melody of this song, like taking a stroll along the streets of the city, under the glow of the streetlamps, shadows lengthening and shortening. The silence of the night a comforting feeling.

The Dutchess and the Duke - Living This Life (mp3)

Darlings - Teenage Girls
Quirky song and love it much!

Air - So Light Is Her Footfall