In Your Chest

Digitalism: Love

Music climates can get stale and often leave a listener begging for change. Whether from a band or genre, most avid listeners are often unable to accept anything but the very bleeding edge from sound and technique. I’ve been known to be one of those listeners, but what I love the most is when an artist just does their thing without any conceptions of a ravenous scene.

German dance-punk duo Digitalism does this in spades with their latest LP off V2 Records, “I Love You, Dude”. Their continuing mastery of the Electro genre holds true in an album filled with catchy hooks, chunky & driving beats and subtle layering and movement.

It is not the sort of album that bashes you over the head with a larger than life premise but in its less than 40 minutes of play, it doesn’t get stale or reptitive. Pointed vocal overdubs and simple tactile synth work create some very textural hooks that keeps this album fresh from beginning to end.

Songs like Reeperbahn and Just Gazin’ are two great examples of the ongoing legacy the Electro genre will have to display in its ongoing existance. Songcrafting that explores the edges of any genre with grace often proves more sustainable than the all too familiar over indulgence of popular club sensibilities the Electro genre sustained no more than 5 years ago.

“I Love You, Dude” then serves as a reminder in the electronic music world of what music is possible when love and tact are observed rather than what’s the newest greatest sound. For all intents and purposes, Digitalism could have created a one-off ode to whatever hot sound was taking over the electronic music world, but instead they created something with love that shines though for the genre of Electro.

-Dakotah Cornelius

Threat Level: Green

Moment Bends: The Pleasant Obituary of Architecture in Helsinki

If you’ve ever listened to Architecture in Helsinki and wished that they take serious notes from MGMT, you’re in luck. And if you’ve always loved Architecture’s unique, imaginative and tonally deep sound, it’s time to bust out the tissues and prepare to start dabbing your tears away.

Moment Bends, the groups fourth full-length, is a disappointment. Not that it’s a terrible album; in fact, it’s beautifully produced and well thought out – something that may gain them a lot of new listeners. But if you’re familiar with their previous work this album runs the risk of ruining it all for you.

The most obvious fault of Moment Bends is the absence of the group’s former level of imagination.

In their previous three albums, Architecture made it a point to make a point with their sound. Tonally, the albums were plump as the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving turkey. From warm to gritty to sharp, everything was layered on top of itself to gain a rich, unique sound. They even made a chart of all the different instruments it took to create Fingers Crossed (their first release) on the inside cover of its case – an impressively complex one at that. This was something they were apparently proud of. For Places Like This (the third release) they took it upon themselves to redefine the pop influenced genre. The album will make anybody take notice. They were a rarity within the pop influenced mediocrity that’s been quickly swallowing our youth. No holds barred imagination was the end statement.

For Moment Bends, however, it seems that they’ve decided to hold quite a good amount of bars. The sometimes unpredictable song writing and wide range of tones have been abandoned. Track one, “Desert Island”, is a well defining moment for the album. It has single minded tones, medium ground tempo, tame melody and an unsubstantial hook. Nothing else really happens from there on out. Yes, there are higher and lower points, but overall it’s flat. The first four minutes say it all.

You can still hear a bit of the old Architecture shine through at moments, but their style isn’t something that can be done half spirited. Melodrama was their key to success. If it wasn’t for their commitment and audacity to see their vision through to complete fulfillment, it never would have worked. Moment Bends, and it’s lacking thereof, is evidence to this.

In the end, it’s a decent album to get drunk and dance to - the more drunk the better.

Threat Level: Orange

-Maxwel Lemberger

Canyon Candy: Javelin Goes Cowpoke

For almost no particular reason, it makes sense for Javelin to have released a western themed EP. Perhaps it their ability to make dusty old samples relevant – a mandatory skill for the assignment. Maybe it’s because they go about their work with the same precision and let-it-be-damned attitude of all those steer drivers of yesteryear. Or, it could just be that they’re the only people awesome enough the pull it off.

But as always, the reason is obsolete. What matters is that it’s happened. Thankfully.

I usually approach themed albums with great hesitance. There’s been one too many disappointments, and I’m willing to bet that most of you have my same record with them. Mostly, a corny way to sum up some half-assed ideas in an effort to try to pass them off as a credible piece of work. Well, that’s my experience with them anyway. And with this outlook, away I went into Canyon Candy. As I soon discovered, not all of these projects are created equally.

Track one is charmingly named “Fievel Goes West”. Damn right, Javelin. After all, our generation didn’t have the great westerns of those before us. Let’s be honest, we saw them, and enjoyed them, but very few of us actually formed a significant emotional tie. Fievel Goes West is what we had, and we loved it. Fact. So, when I saw this title pop up on my playlist, my vulnerability was already peaked. And with this, a steam train engine starts to motor in the the background of smooth bass pulsations and warm, hollow organs. I was pulled into the EP. It has begun, and you’re along for the ride. Good form, Sirs.

It goes on with the rugged, round and classically warm tones throughout the tracks. Overall it’s on the mellow side of tempos and dynamics. However, Javelin’s always been able to keep you plugged into this style with their suspenseful writing. “Windchesters” – track six – is a great example of this. The moment it starts, you can picture the grit and brawn of the old west, but just as you’re digging into it, you’re pulled back with some multi-tracked, soothsayer vocals. You’re forced to straddle your feelings and go on. “Love Gulch” is likely my favorite track on here for mainly the same reason, but done with a bit more conviction.

In the end, this EP shows that Javelin’s great at working with what they have. In a project that could haven easily been bogged down by such a dangerously heavy theme, they’ve created a dynamic and tasteful display. You can even hear their own maturation through the western filter. Even though Canyon Candy doesn’t show Javelin in it’s most regular light, they’ve managed to remind you of who they are and what they do. It’s a step in the right direction.

This is a fun, impressive piece that you should get just so you can say you’ve experienced it. Watch this promo video to get a taste of what you’re in store for.

Threat Level: Green

-Maxwel Lemberger

Javelin - Winchesters by inyourchest Javelin - Love Gulch by inyourchest Javelin - Fievel Goes West by inyourchest

The Depth of Noise

Pantha Du Prince aka Hendrik Weber is an oddity of a creator whose style exists as a faint pulsing light within and beyond his predecessors and peers of electronica. A faint star whose light we’re only beginning to see with brilliance like we’ve never seen thanks to the recent XI Versions of Black Noise released on the Rough Trade Records label.

Of course, credit must be paid to the virtuosos on this remix album for diligently segmenting and extrapolating the genius of Black Noise. Boiling down and redesigning Weber’s original creation into 11 almost completely new tracks with parts from only five of the original tracks. Four Tet, Animal Collective, Efdemin, Lawrence, Walls and others have their crack at it putting their minds where others dared not.

That said, this is by far one of the most unrecognizable remix albums I’ve ever heard, each track taking you somewhere that had been only been eluded to with phantom side-mouthed synth lines or the glimpse of nervous electronic ticks on Black Noise.

Next to the range of emotions each track has is an equal amount of astonishment to the production continuity throughout XI Versions, culminating into one of the best polished collaborations I’ve heard in recent memory. There was no stone unturned looking for the exact sound to deconstruct the original tracks. Tracks like Die Vogel’s version of “Welt Am Draht” actively haunt you from beginning to end while Four Tet’s version of “Stick to My Side” impress a dizzying yet deep four-on-the-floor environment.

Black Noise was one of my favorite albums last year. As such, like any good album does it makes me peer into nothing and laugh hysterically from time to time. But with XI Versions I felt like I never laughed before, like Pantha Du Prince was someone I’ve never even heard before. As if Weber with Black Noise had created a threshold with a view of this beautiful evolution of an artist, and the artists on XI Versions created the first telescope to properly view through the threshold.

-Dakotah Cornelius

Threat Level: Green

Chromeo: Live at the Rose Center for Earth and Space

On April 22, 2011, I was given the chance to witness something beautiful. Chromeo would be performing a DJ set at the Rose Center for Earth and Space. I had a ticket.

It’s likely that this was a once in a lifetime event. So naturally, when the opportunity decided to bestow itself upon me, I jumped quicker than a proton in the Large Hadron Collider – okay, that’s the only science joke, I promise. Grand spectacles of the cosmos, the unrivaled sex of Chromeo’s prowess and, of course, alcohol: all these things were going to team up, lull me into fetal position and politely send me to bed.

The powerful trifecta almost guaranteed success, right? Well, space and booze definitely did their part. Chromeo, on the other hand, sent one man with a low effort level.

Dave 1 came solo since, for some unannounced reason, the dashing and usually severely entertaining, P-Thugg couldn’t grace us. When I realized it was a one man show for the night, it really didn’t bother me much. I was sure that he’d still throw down and send me packing. But about ten minutes into his set, I realized that this wasn’t going to happen. Maybe fatigue from their recent Coachella explosion had him in its grip. Maybe he ate a bad cheeseburger. Maybe he was just lonely behind that table by himself. Whatever the reason, he didn’t do much. He spun some tracks – better than those who opened, but not up to par with his capabilities – and played a select number of original tracks. And by “play”, I mean he hit play and basically stood there. Not the most valiant effort.

This went on until I was sufficiently frustrated enough to… well, leave. I never foresaw myself leaving a Chromeo set early, but it happened. And the fact that I did it has made me mildly uncomfortable with my life ever since. But what was I supposed to do? It was too sad to watch.

Moral of the story: don’t trust shows in awesome places that are likely too good to be true. I’ve been slightly scorned. It was nice to see Dave 1 in action, but it clearly left me wanting more. For the record, Chromeo, I do still love you. Just bring it when I’m told it will be delivered.

-Maxwel Lemberger

Explosions in The Sky: Take Care, It’s Been Fun

I absolutely love it when even after 12 years of creating music, a group of musicians can still churn the pot and create something that peels back the layers of personality further than before. Like discovering a reignited love in something, or cracking into a new level of musical ability. However, I feel with “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” by Explosions in The Sky, there are layers still being ignored. This latest installment by the now senior Post Rock group from Austin, Texas is what should be the effort that was to kick my head into the middle of next week, built upon a decade’s worth of experience, but alas it isn’t and with good reason.

Firstly I should state that there are some great moments on the album for any in love with this group, the genre, or just plain musicianship. On “Take Care…” (or on most of the album at least) there seemed to have been a very deliberate emphasis on keeping the drum tracks rich and vibrant with the use of some very focused custom percussion and superb mixing. Quite literally some of the best production work I’ve ever heard can be witnessed throughout this album. With this and a very keen sense of movement, a song like “Human Qualities” stands out as one of the best tracks on the album, using an almost masterful level of songwriting. But by the final track “Let Me Back In”, they seemed to have forgotten everything good they were doing and made a 10 minute long track of their same old tricks. At one point in the final track I was actually hoping that it would end sooner so that it wouldn’t end on such a bad note.

Here in lies the problem with such a trial and tested group like Explosions in The Sky. How do you peel back the layers and reach that level no one has ever seen before? In essence, how do you remain the first moment you were heard by anyone? Case in point, there was rarely a point in the last ten years when I could hear one of their songs not knowing it was one of their songs, and still be able to pick them out as the authors. Their now traditional clean echo tone alone is a dead giveaway as well as their typical pace, arrangements, and sound lineup. With “Take Care…” there were moments of this new Explosions peaking though the old and for seconds revealing what may be their evolution. Moments with brilliant new tones, masterful transitions, and slick subtle techniques. But by the end everything had fallen flat in that hope and you are left with yet another, albeit solid, post rock album. And to me, that’s simply not enough for 12 year veterans.

Dakotah Cornelius

Threat Level: yellow

http://tinyurl.com/5rh7j3u

Nine Types of Light: Misguided Beauty

To describe the fifth album of TV On The Radio – the group that created this blog’s eighth best album of the decade / the same ensemble that’s driven me to countless, immensely passionate, drunken rants of praise / one of my favorite bands, period – in one word: alright. 

In case you haven’t gotten the picture thus far, this is a group for which I hold great respect. And with this great respect comes great expectations. Expectations that Nine Types of Light, sadly, does not meet.

Okay, so that was me getting the hard part out of the way first. Let me try to explain myself.

Although the album is a personal disappointed, I would never consider it to be bad. TV On The Radio has the ability to make purely beautiful sounds. Their taste and commitment to building large arrangements, of supremely quality tones, is still on display here. This is what they’ve always done. This is what they do.

However, that talent to bring the goods was usually accompanied by some serious song writing. Song writing that bridled their wild talent and drove it in one ball kicking, terrorist killing direction. Powerful hooks and a clear map made smooth, coherent pieces of art out of their raw ability.

And therein lies the problem with Nine Types of Light. The album doesn’t have a strong enough vision to wrangle all the pieces and make a statement. The sound is as great as it’s always been, but it’s not really saying much. You’ll tap your toes and hum along, but after the last track ends you probably won’t feel moved. Imagine James Earl Jones reading the script of Fifty First Dates.

I still expect great things to come from the group. Until then, I’ll be listening to Dear Science.

Threat Level: Blue

- Maxwel Lemberger

The Moody Blues: The Magellan of Noise?

In 1969 The Moody Blues released On the Threshold of a Dream, on it is one of the powerful sounds I’ve ever heard. Track one, second one, the noise has arrived. For the next two minutes your mind will struggle to process what it’s being exposed to. Your preexisting rules do not apply.

Physically, the noise is made up simple ingredients. The low is barely audible; a warm tone that lays a steady foundation. The high, the most obvious, is an almost super sonic pitch that drills straight through your head - comparable to the squeal of a television. And the middle, the true bread and butter, is nicely described by the word “void”. The tone is a fluctuating, hollow noise that doesn’t allow you to place it. It has no home. This mid tone debunks everything around it.

Mentally, it is something both unsettling and comforting. You are forced to enter an unknown space, somewhere completely new, but one that you feel strangely intimate with. It is natural, organic even, but you’re so unaccustomed to it that you nearly become scared. It shakes you to your core. Unfamiliarity is uncomforting.

For it‘s true affect, listen to it loudly - very loudly - on repeat. After some time, you start to become very relaxed, yet disoriented, unable to focus.  

When listened to initially, you tend to grasp onto the conventional sounds - the orchestra like builds of large, familiar chords. But over time you begin to feel a contempt for these “conventional” noises. You’ve begun to feel comfort in the “unconventional”. At that point, you’re forced to see both worlds. That which you’ve known forever, and that which has only just been introduced. New v. old. Ordinary v. extraordinary.

Today, there are musicians solely devoted to finding a world like this. To uncover noises that have never been heard. To discover something that touches us more deeply than anything before. Hopefully they will. But, unexpectedly, I believe that the current horizon of sound was created over 40 years ago. There was no digital. No fully invested musicians to the cause.  

Perhaps, it was The Moody Blues, one of the most unlikely candidates, that pushed the us noise the furthest. 

Listen to “In the Beginning”, track one from On the Threshold of a Dream.

-Maxwel Lemberger

Ratatat: Veterans.

Ratatat do it again with their newest addition to their discography, LP4: a testament to maturity, growth and a solidification of their sound. The album does well to showcase these progressions with rich, broad rhythms, an array of custom percussion, well placed and intricate overdubs and gentle melodies that guide you through each track. On LP4 you can see that the time spent over the years has really added richness in the production of their latest album. LP4 also works well to fulfill a sense of thorough completion, as if any nook and cranny under the microscope was a subject of hard work, an area that LP3 seemed to lack in some small ways (though, I do enjoy LP3).

Threat Level: Green

-Dakotah Cornelius

Giraffes? Giraffes!: Not An Ordinary Trip To The Zoo

Giraffes? Giraffes! is, without a doubt, something that you don’t come across often. Whether this music is for you is unsure; I’m guessing that they don’t possess a mass appeal. Who they do appeal to, however, are those who appreciate music for what it truly stands for. Not only an art, but a science. The term “musicians’ musicians” comes to mind first, but this certainly isn’t only for those who play. It should be appreciated by all who have the ability to identify beauty - beyond the surface. If you find yourself unable to see the good in Giraffes? Giraffes!, it may be time to reevaluate your standards. It is likely that you are the problem.

What the problem is not, is as follows. This group has the ability to maneuver extreme technicality into a soft, cohesive front. It’s often that those who do have this degree of musicianship are missing their artistic half. They’ve abandoned taste in turn for speed. Well this is not Giraffes? Giraffes! Most definitely, there is shredding, and double bass, and seamless time signature changes, and syncopation meant for the stony hearted. But all of this is melded together by the powers of wizard-like song writing.

They bought a toy model of metal core, changed their mind after getting it home and made something very different with its parts.

Visit their Myspace. Watch this live footage. Visit their blog.

Threat Level: Blue

-Maxwel Lemberger