i've been listening to your music for a while

Non Tiq - Quiet
Real name Nora Lindqvist and hailing from Stockholm, she brings about the usual fresh poppiness of Swedish music with her in this number. With lyrics that hint of relationship issues, she sings with melancholy, in contrast with the bounciness of the song's melody. On a side note, I think it's a perfect waste of a nice tee in the otherwise random video.

Priscilla Ahn - Vibe So Hot
My call has been answered! In this post, I made a wish that she would come to Singapore, and now she is! On her facebook page, she asked for song requests for Singapore. How awesome! Front row seats please.

Anyway, it's a neat little song about her insane want for a guy. A little contrasting with the tender melody and warm vocals. If I recall correctly, this album was written around the period she was going to be married so this song might be about her husband.

Priscilla Ahn - City Lights (Pretty Lights)

Hauschka - Cube
I love his music and this new piece from his latest album "Salon des Amateurs" is no different. Like a new person to a foreign land, wandering about and gleefully discovering the boisterous local market fair, the cobbled streets lined with quaint shops, the castle over yonder as well as the forest with verdant trees and beautiful flowers just on the outskirts of town.

drawing pictures with some chalk

Priscilla Ahn - When You Grow Up (mp3)
One of my favouritest artists, Priscilla Ahn, has released her new album just a few days ago, and she has given a free download to all on her bandcamp page. Click the link to sample the song first, then you can download it for free after.

Ahn's same effortless style we heard in "A Good Day" is back. Delicate dulcet vocals that seem perfectly tailored for singing, added to really carefree lyrics has already made this into a song that has been played more than 5 times as I'm about to be done with this short part on her song. I wish she would come to Singapore.

The One AM Radio - In A City Without Seasons
Total bedroom pop you'd make with friends. The twinning of guy (Hrishikesh Hirway) and girl vocals just add to that whole making-music-is-fun-with-friends vibe. The keyboard is used to great effect here, providing delightful backing rhythms that hook you in immediately.

The One AM Radio - Ticking Heart
Saccharine vocals take centre stage in this bass heavy song which utilises deep trumpet samples; somehow the song reminds me of Au Revoir Simone with more oomph. The frazzled background sounds seem to be by design - as if trying to make it sound like it's played out of the cassette.

no pockets full of grain and crumbs

Flying Lotus - MmmHmm (feat. Thundercat)
Aural pleasure with a soundscape put together with such panache. Flying Lotus is Steven Ellison, and he has carefully arranged a wonderfully crafted piece with influences I can't put a finger to. Almost balladic, the electronic nature of this tune does not really settle in entirely as the vocals serve as an elegant distraction.

Flying Lotus - Zodiac Shit
Trippy stuff filled with psychedelic imagery that would just blow your mind into the stratosphere in the first half, before abruptly going into electro-funk stuff that juxtapose nicely against the first half. Amazing shit.

Jenny Wilson - Like A Fading Rainbow

i'll be the one to say you know it's true

Escapism.

Chanced upon this awesome singer/songwriter called Jess Penner. Really poppy but it seems to strike a chord with me. Her vivacity seems to spill right out of her voice, maybe it's her overflowing love for life. Backed by neat rhythms, more often than not electronic-based, she comes across as really spunky and seems to wear her heart on her sleeve, in a good way. You know, I think she'd make fast friends with Inch Chua.

Jess Penner - In The Stars

myspace

looking into your eyes for a sign

I think this will be my last post in quite a while. Don't have much time to do regular postings since school started, and I miss writing about fantastic songs. I would appreciate if anyone would like to fill in for me as a guest writer, maybe with me chipping in every now and then. I still love this sweet labour of mine and would still very much like to spread the goodness of indie music around.

Isbells - Reunite
Thanks to the anonymous reader who told me about this song. I was thoroughly enchanted by Gaëtan Vandewoude's crisp yet introspective vocals. He sounds like a cross between the folksiness of Fleet Foxes and the pensiveness of Little Dragon, in particular Twice. Gorgeous music with an equally stunning video. They managed to make music sound like an art piece, with subtle yet affecting strokes of the brush on a sparse canvas.

School of Seven Bells - I L U
Straying quite a bit from the dream pop that fueled most of their debut album "Alpinisms", this particular track plays up the expansive soundscape and clearer vocals from Alejandra Deheza.

Sarah Blasko - All I Want
All personal and straightforward, coupled with her smoky vocals, Sarah Blasko hits home with this folksy-acoustic number. She's from Down Under, and for those who don't know yet, she'll be performing a cosy set at the Esplanade Recital Studio on 8 Nov.


With this, I'm taking an unfortunate and indefinite hiatus, until I've figured how to squeeze time for posts. Unless of course, someone who can guest write turns up and offers his/her services. Till then!

stopping you would stifle your enchanting ghost

The Golden Filter - Memorial Day
This was put up by the band themselves on youtube, stating that it was written and recorded in summer '07, pre golden filter. It's chockful of dreamy hazy vibes reminiscent of dreampop, quite unlike the electronic dance stuff they're known for currently. It's interesting to note that they've dabbled a bit in other genres, but I think they might have done just as well if they dove into dreampop. Maybe they might surprise us and release such an album after "Voluspa".

Dent May - Eastover Wives (mp3)
I absolutely love this song. Incorporating that oldies charm into Eastover Wives along with a lovely mix of emotive vocals and jazz elements. It's just like being in front of the warm comfort of the fireplace as the snow plunders everything outside the house, reducing all to just a pristine white.

Sufjan Stevens - Enchanting Ghost
A mercurial singer/songwriter of our time, he's suddenly dropped an entire EP of songs. Coming in just under 60 minutes, this is an EP of epic proportions since it is uncommon to have such lengthy EPs. Additionally, he's priced the EP at USD5 on bandcamp which is supremely value for money considering it's almost 60 minutes of awesome stuff. This is what's said on bandcamp, "All Delighted People is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad "All Delighted People," a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s "Sounds of Silence." Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009."

Enchanting and pleasant, at times one would also feel for him as his heart-rending delivery on matters of the heart strikes a chord within. The simple plucking of the guitar drives this song, backed occasionally by the sweet staccato of the piano, he delivers us nothing but the best that one can expect from him.

something in you makes me want to try

Clare & the Reasons - Ooh You Hurt Me So
I love a jaunty song anytime. Expressive vocals by Clare Manchon is underlied by a subtle vulnerability which she seems more than happy to conceal from us. Melodious whistling and slow taps on the guitar complete this absolutely lovely song.

Fyfe Dangerfield - She's Always A Woman
Fyfe Dangerfield covers this original by Billy Joel so brilliantly. Such a woman seems more than a handful, yielding that emotional bedlam that Mr Dangerfield struggles to contain. Inevitably, it brings comparison to the legend that is Billy Joel. While his cover certainly cannot match the grandiosity of BJ, he evokes a certain rawness, that could largely be attributed by his scruffy look, and brings about a contemporary twist.

Fanfarlo - Ghosts
When you listen to their brand of chamber pop, you get a feeling of uniqueness they try to make their own as they marry pop sensibilities with grand orchestral proceedings. Effervescence spills through as a myriad of instruments used by this 5 man band strive to make themselves heard, and everything dovetails nicely as Bathalzar leads the way with mellow vocals that swoon and bears an uncanny resemblance to David Bryne.

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.

we are falling straight down so don't lose hope

Bear in Heaven - Lovesick Teenagers (mp3)
A synth cascade opens this seemingly simple and straightforward track. But the song is really much more than just 'lovesick teenagers'. It's more about hope. The persistent electronic ba-dump in the background seems lulling, while Jon Philpot's vocals seems to be treading with caution. Almost as if it would culminate in a climax as the pace hastens, bringing about a glorious eruption of what not, the song halts abruptly, leaving you hanging.

Caribou - Odessa
An intriguing song with seemingly Middle Eastern influences, Dan Snaith sings ponderously about a girl tired of crying and all her man's lies. There's something intangible about the song that ensnares you, compels you to put yourself into the shoes of this young girl, as she stands up for herself and decides to leave him.

Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM

Class Actress - Careful What You Say (mp3)
Not a direct link, get it via RCRDLBL. A class act indeed, doling out pop ditties with graceful ease, controlled vocals melded with sparkly synths is definitely a recipe for guilty pleasure. Someone mentioned somewhere she sounded uncannily like Karen O. Anyone agrees?

the coffee's never strong enough

Like what my friend said, it was puzzling that the concert started at 9pm, seeing how she could have started earlier. But what was even more puzzling was how she came on stage the moment the lights dimmed, wearing (gasp) only a top and jeans! What happened to all her eccentricity and interesting headgear (not over the top like Lady Gaga, she takes the cake man.)? Only for her to introduce Ryan Breen aka Back Ted N-Ted. He did a couple of electro-acoustic songs like 999 Buttons, The War Is Over and 2 others on the electric guitar and up next was Tim Shaw aka Tim Exile, also part of her supporting cast of merry men for this leg (and the previous) of her Ellipse tour. He was pretty interesting with his red blazer, jeans and running shoes, engaging the crowd right from the get-go with his merriment. He got the crowd to do 3 different pitched ahhs, for him to record via his joystick like device which is pretty damn amazing and can do bad-ass stuff. He mixed those into his own song which just shouted wow. Loved his DJ set, seeing him work the console from above was something new and intriguing - a flurry of hand movements and tiny body spasms. With a song like Don't Think We Are One, we can be sure them DJs have a romantic side to them. And so this marked the end of the opening acts, and he gave way to Imogen Heap.

Walking on stage with a glass of water, she started "scratching" the rim, giving off different pitches and sang her introduction. Oh, and she changed into a dress! Got all twirly with it right after her first song First Train Home. She commented on how the concert hall was like a big cave, and how her props seems so small in comparison. A teeny childlike innocence and the soft gentle way she spoke belied the impressive vocals packed within her. Without fail, there would be anecdotes about how she was inspired by certain stuff to write some songs, like how she was lying beside a man, in that moment kind of thing, to which she wrote Between Sheets - loved that song by the way. Full of emotion and pensieveness, she sang it with elan and poise. Wait It Out was inspired by a trip to Hawaii. She was pretty hyper, and seems like she was having fun, even managing to her dance with a curtsy after Bad Body Double. Speaking of that, Ryan even made a cameo on stage as her doppelganger! It was a pretty comical sight, him with the wig and the shirt that screamed Bad Body Double. Little Bird was introspective, and the heartfelt lyrics were brought out by an extremely graceful woman named Imogen Heap - even a tinge of loss could be felt as she sang the last verse.

She introduced the next song as something from Frou Frou, and everyone prolly knew what song it was gonna be, but whatever it is, when she started the lovely Let Go, everyone whooped in utter joy. Aha! marked the introduction of a 'local' cellist (she was actually born in England, but based here I think), which she said was a friend of a friend of a friend (cue hand actions depicting them), to laughter for the umpteenth time that night. She said the video link by which she would audition the local cellists broke down, and couldn't do any auditions, and only at the very last minute managed to get the english lady. She does this local (of the place where she's performing) cellist everywhere she goes since some songs need a cellist live. Aha! felt like a mad caper, I wouldn't be surprised had they started chasing each other around on stage. Chirpy and fast paced, a sense of urgency and a little mystery like those you see in musicals. Hell, this song actually feels right out of a musical thriller. Love it! Subsequently, Canvas was played over a sample of a fire started out in her garden. The song evoked a zen feeling, and at that very instant, I thought she actually transcends musical boundaries. Finishing her songs, she actually did a bow (very formal I thought) with her 3 backups and the cellist, which included a Chris Vatalaro who actually did a lot of the various instrumentation, including playing on a saw for Tim to record as a sample. At this point, she obviously hadn't done Hide and Seek so the encore was very staged. Haha. She left the stage only for 15 seconds or so before she came back on.



Sorry for the really blue hue. The lights were that blue, and I don't know how to correct it in-camera and post processing as well.

Regaling us the story of how she actually thought of opening her set with this song, her manager told her if she did that, everyone would have left after that song. Well, obviously she wasn't about to try that out and enthralled everyone with the brilliant song that almost outshines her. Not before starting off on a bad note, and telling the audience it wasn't good, and that she needed a sip of water first. I really like her. I think it was pretty much the consensus of everyone present. Next song for her encore was Just For Now which she needed our help since her looper wasn't working. So we as audience would be her loopers, and thus we were split into 3, singing different pitches of "just for now". Pretty fun I must say, and everyone was really game. She rounded off the night with The Moment I Said It which had a mystical quality to it, almost like a fragile veneer that can be easily broken, yet it remains unscathed, as if protected by an aura.

My friend commented that it was the best performance he's been too this year, and I certainly concur. Singularly brilliant and well supported by a wonderful cast, who played a vast array of instruments and how they do it so well is simply beyond me. The entire coordination and orchestration is just wow. Replete with 2 props, a white oak tree made out of cardboard from which certain instruments hung, and a huge banner/cloth hung as a backdrop on which visualisations were played. The whole hall was transformed into Imogen's own little fantasy world, or her cave in her own words, where her words danced amongst us as beautiful melodies wafted from the gang. It really felt like The Little Prince's world too, just that the centre piece of the tiny planet wasn't a house but the big cardboard oak tree. Twinkly lights lent the wondrous and warm feeling, certainly helped by her endless chatting and little anecdotes. Time seemed to crawl and yet when we exited the hall totally enamoured with her, it was already slightly past 12. Every minute was well spent in that little world ensconced with beauty and unfettered brilliance, I definitely went home a happy man.

First Train Home
Wait It Out
Between Sheets
Headlock
Bad Body Double
Speeding Cars
Little Bird
Let Go (Frou Frou Song)
Aha!
Canvas
The Walk
Swoon
2-1
Tidal (Ellipse)
Encore:
Hide and Seek
Just For Now
The Moment I Said It