Ashtapes

Fresh Blood > Black Mamba Beat

2010-12-22T20:29:00.000Z

Black Mamba Beat
> London, UK
> Post-Punk, Garage

MP3: "Hibernating"
from Black Mamba Beat / Wake Up Dead Split Tape (Kind Turkey Records, 2010)
MP3: "Don't Care Show Me"
from Black Mamba Beat / Wake Up Dead Split Tape (Kind Turkey Records, 2010)
[Get the whole cassette here]

> Black Mamba Beat:

«#1 (Pretentious Description)
We are Black Mamba Beat
We met in a dark alley fuelled by cheap beer and shitty bands
We like to rock it sometimes we roll it
We will create a new experience for your ears a mash of SST and DDT.

#2 (Normal Description)
We are a band of friends who formed to make music, record and play when possible.
We like B-52's, DEVO, The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Fleetwood Mac and South Africa.»

VideoTape #33

2010-12-14T22:47:00.001Z

Soars, "Throw Yourself Apart"
Director: Jamie Harley
from the ST LP, out now on La Société Expéditionnaire

Live Recording > Owen Pallett at Hard Club, Porto

2010-12-13T20:46:00.001Z

Owen Pallett Live at Hard Club
Porto, Portugal 11.12.2010

Recording Equipment: CA-14 > STC 9100 > Tascam DR-07

First of all, we would like to apologize for our lack of updates over the last month. We’ve just been busy with some personal issues (Ashtapes is soon moving to London) and haven’t found the time to update the blog at all. But I can’t think of a better way to return than a full live recording of the immensely talented Owen Pallett, who played in Porto’s Hard Club last Saturday.

Alone on stage, using solely his voice, a violin, a synthesizer and looping pedals, Pallett, who looks like a young nordic prince, dazzled the audience with his looping technique (which is similar to the one used by Andrew Bird), overlapping live crafted layers of his own arrangements, sometimes sounding like a whole orchestra, and giving a new insight into his beautiful chamber-pop tunes. Heartland, one of this year's best long-lengths, was obviously under the spotlight, but Pallett did not forget about the time when he shared a name with a video game, playing several Final Fantasy beloved oldies such as set openers “The CN Tower Belongs to the Death” and “He Poos Clouds”. Unlike some past shows, multi-instrumentist Thomas Guill, who is a central piece on the sound of Pallet’s new EP A Swedish Love Story, did not join him on stage, which resulted in a slightly different approach to the songs of this release.

The set closed with the usual cover of Caribou’s “Odessa” ("I don't make dance songs", he said), but, as this was the last show of his european tour (meaning, in his own words, that “we’ll play a long time and get kind of wasted”), Pallett played two encores from which I would definitely highlight a glorious interpretation of a Bach’s arrangement seamlessly mashed up with the wonderful “Many Lives -> 49 MP” that you can stream below.

Setlist:

Owen Pallett - Bach vs. Many Lives -> 49 MP (Live) by ashtapes

Owen Pallett - Odessa (Caribou Cover) (Live) by ashtapes

Download: Owen Pallett Live at Hard Club

Fresh Blood > Dandy Little Lions

2010-12-12T22:18:00.001Z

Dandy Little Lions
> Brooklyn, New York, US
> Indie-Pop

MP3: "Wintersong"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
[Download the whole split - with Tropical Punk and The Liberty Belles EP here]

> Dandy Little Lions:

«Pop is not a bad word. It was this realization that led to the first bedroom-recorded tracks of Dandy Little Lions. Ever since Jake Forney’s original one-man inception with nothing but two (spray-painted) gold Casio keyboards, the number one priority has always been the production of tracks that satisfy the electro-pop pleasure center of the brain. Employing undeniable synth hooks and Depeche Mode-influenced verses woven between shout-a-long choruses, Dandy Little Lions' music works as well sweating at a packed party as it does cross-legged on the living room floor.»

Fresh Blood > Calm Palm Vapor

2010-12-12T22:17:00.002Z

Calm Palm Vapor
> Chicago, Illinois, US
> Post-Shoegaze, Space Motown

MP3: "Run The Tables"
from the album Morning Pacific (self-released, 2010)
MP3: "Everyday We Grow"
from the album Morning Pacific (self-released, 2010)
[Get the debut album here]

> Pierogi of Calm Palm Vapor:

«Calm Palm Vapor, pioneers of 'Space Motown', honed their craft in the barrio, but now are winning over audiences wherever they play. Comparisons are difficult as Space Motown is a new genre and it's boundaries are set by each Calm Palm Vapor release/performance. However, if you're looking for something new, music with blissed out guitars and triumphant melodies contrasted with Motown bass and beats, Calm Palm Vapor should be your next exploration. These tracks will not be found on the radio, lucky you, you found them here.»

Fresh Blood > Mariage Blanc

2010-12-12T22:14:00.000Z

Mariage Blanc
> Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US
> Indie-Pop

MP3: "Whatever You Say I Am"
from the ST album (self-released, 2010)
[Purchase the second Marige Blanc's release here]

> Josh Kretzmer of Mariage Blanc:

«Mariage Blanc is a five piece indie-pop band from Pittsburgh, PA. Later this fall we'll be releasing our first LP. Last January we started recording in an unheated warehouse / studio space that we had built ourselves the previous spring. At first, it was extremely cold, then our master tapes fell apart, then some equipment died. Not fun. As the weather got warmer, things got easier and we finally finished recording in July.
Put simply, we play pop music with a big emphasis on melody and arrangement. If you like The Zombies, Ambulance LTD, Elliott Smith, etc... then you might enjoy our music as well.»

VideoTape #32

2010-12-11T17:59:00.000Z

Galleries & Foxes In Fiction, "Borders"
Director: The Tearist

Live Recording > Sun Araw at Passos Manuel, Porto

2010-11-07T18:31:00.091Z

Sun Araw Live at Passos Manuel
Porto, Portugal 04.11.2010

Recording Equipment: CA-14 > STC 9100 > Tascam DR-07

Just a few weeks after the release of his new EP Off Duty, Cameron Stallones aka Sun Araw -- who is also responsible for one of this year's essential LPs, On Patrol -- played a much anticipated gig in Porto. The concert took place last thursday in a small downtown cinema and was part of Sun Araw's european fall tour with live collaborator (and Sohni Chambers partner) Nick Malkis.

Using reverb-drenched guitar lines, looping pedals, haunted organs, old-school samples and Stallones' mantric vocals, Sun Araw took us on a splendid sonic trip that has as much of adventure as it has of nostalgia. And I think this audio recording pretty much captures that cosmic, past-meets-future blending of tropical psychedelia, dub, drone, reggae, free-jazz and afrobeat that makes Stallones one of the most interesting and creative artists from the prolific city of Los Angeles.

I can't figure out which are the missing songs from the setlist so they might be new tunes or just something that I'm not recognizing -- any hints would be appreciated. As a teaser, I've uploaded below Sun Araw's stunning cover of Neil Young's "Barstool Blues". Enjoy!

Setlist:
1. Last Chants | 2. Canopy | 3. Heavy Deeds | 4. Ma Holo | 5. ??? | 6. ??? | 7. Barstool Blues (Neil Young Cover) | Encore: 8. Horse Steppin'

Sun Araw - Barstool Blues Live (Neil Young Cover) by ashtapes

Download: Sun Araw Live at Passos Manuel

Interview > Raw Moans

2010-11-02T14:45:00.015Z

Raw Moans' first album we want it beautiful NOT REAL makes me think of a gray, cloudy city with tall, abandoned buildings, all their windows covered in dust and dirt. The songs are eerie, minimalist reworkings of R&B songs from the 90s. Joseph Vorachack's voice sounds both melancholic and warm, even when he is singing explicit verses from Snoop Dogg's "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)." Joseph wrote out responses to notes I had made for a proposed phone interview, and I retrofitted questions based on my notes to his responses.

MP3: Raw Moans - Aqua Net [from we want it beautiful NOT REAL]

MP3: Raw Moans - Nectarine [from we want it beautiful NOT REAL]

MP3: Raw Moans - Rose Bath [from we want it beautiful NOT REAL]

Is Raw Moans your first band?

Joseph: Raw Moans is my first band. It started off as a solo bedroom project. I produced the sounds with adopted equipment throughout my apartment and also provided the vocals for the tracks. As it progressed and more fans started taking notice, requests started coming in for live performances. I then approached my friend Jeff Graves a couple months ago, who has extended knowledge and experience in music to help me create and execute our live act. Raw moans is now a duo with Jeff on the instruments and myself handling the vocals. I can understand why people presume that Raw Moans is a solo act, because all the previous blogs and press pertaining to Raw Moans was when it was doing it solo.

Did you listen to a lot of R&B when you were growing up?

Joseph: Growing up and being first generation American, my parents didn't own any vinyls and music was not accessible to me. I didn't have the luxury of being introduced to particular artists or genres of music, only Lao folk music. I took it upon myself to be like any other rascal in the hood and latched on the likings of FM radio stream. I spent my younger days in South East San Diego living only blocks away from an indoor swap meet. Once the weekend hits, you can find all the hood kids loitering in the parking lot bumping the latest 90s R&B cuts. Because I was so much younger than them, I looked up to these teenagers and thought it was fucking cool.

Do you feel like these musicians are overlooked by the people that your music appeals to?

Joseph: I do feel like 90s R&B artists are overlooked and not acknowledged by most of my peers. I wasn't surprised that most of my friends have never heard of acts like MoKenStef and Total just to name a few. Therefore, I wanted to re-create and introduce these hood classics to folks from a different demographic. My goal for this EP was to break the invisible barrier between social classes of music.

Why do you use new titles for your reworkings of other people's songs?

Joseph: Titles of the songs were changed because the original moods of the songs were changed. These tracks are not covers, word for word, it was more of a re-creation. I felt like it was a second coming/re-birth and that a re-name was necessary.

A few of your songs are based on songs by women singing about men. Was this a purposeful attempt to undermine gender roles?

Joseph: I'm very fascinated by the gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender lifestyles. With music I feel like there shouldn't be a specific gender classification. My goal was to seduce and lure my listeners with a no gender voice. I wanted to experiment through music to see how it would be perceived. This allowed me to toy with my underlining feminine emotions considering that I'm male.

Do you feel like witch house musicians are part of a 'music scene' despite living so far apart?

Joseph: I love what's going on with music right now, there's a lot of excitement and electricity in the air. Witch House/Drag has always been around to me, hidden beneath electro clash, gothic industrial, minimalist electronic, and most importantly hip-hop. Finally with notoriety and respect, this is the spirit of the future. With assistance from the world wide web, individuals are able to locate like-minded beings. We are a community, a community of outcasts from near and far. With that said, this explains my first encounter with Robert Disaro, founder of the Disaro label. As for the symbols, take it for what it is. It's sexy to me and everyone should get a tattoo of it.

Why does Raw Moans use the Raiders logo?

Joseph: I'm not a big sports fan although the boys are hot. Back in the 80s and early 90s NWA identified themselves through the Raiders logo. Therefore, the streets took that as an example and translated sports logos/symbols into a territorial trend. The cover idea for we want it beautiful NOT REAL was sampled from this formula.

What is the significance of that title?

Joseph: we want it beautiful NOT REAL is literally in your mother fucking head. The reality of situations aren't always it seems, dreams do come true. To believe is to breed, so start making love.

Raw Moans sounds like music that would be played on a radio station in a dystopian future movie like Blade Runner or something. Do movies like that influence your music?

Joseph: I am the Disney's Studio back lot. Welcome to my life, my life full of drama and animation.

How 'important' was Altered Zones in getting you attention?

Joseph: With Altered Zone being Pitchfork's sister site, of course it has a huge impact in breaking new and low key bands. Considering their massive following, I'm very fortunate to have been featured twice.

Do you have Halloween plans?

Joseph: Jeff and I will be playing at "Tin Can Ale House" on October 29th with White Ring, King Dude, Nike7up and Robert Disaro on the ones and twos- for the Disaro West Coast Tour, in San Diego. So scratch Cheap Fest, no one ever confirmed with us. For booking and inquires email: rrawmoans@gmail.com THX

Do people slow dance during your shows?

Joseph: We've played a couple private shows in a bedroom setting, for a handful of peeps. From my recollection, I noticed a few people making out, wasn't sure if it was boy- boy or girl- girl or boy -girl, but nobody slow dancing. Our first live official show will be taking place at "Tin Can Ale House" in San Diego, on October 29th. Possibly we'll also be going on an Art Fag tour late November with Heavy Hawaii and Colleen Green, but dates aren't confirmed yet.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

"To make Gepetto's wish come true, it will be entirely up to you. .... prove yourself brave, truthful and unselfish, and someday you will be a real boy" the Blue Fairy

Check out Raw Moans on MySpace and Facebook.

Fresh Blood > Thunder Bunny

2010-10-23T17:55:00.000+01:00

Thunder Bunny
> New Jersey, US
> Psychedelic, Folk

MP3: "The Whole World Gathered To Watch Him Fade Away"
from the In A Perfect World cassette (Workerbee Records, 2010)
MP3: "Sleepy Head"
from the In A Perfect World cassette (Workerbee Records, 2010)
[Get In A Perfect World here]

> Christopher Padula / Thunder Bunny:

«I guess I'd say that Thunder Bunny is gloomy, psychedelic drug-pop or the sounds of a world of dark and sad sex as heard through a tin can.
I love distance in music but for it to still have power... Like a storm that you may hear but doesn't always hit. Music that through it's meloncholy says "there is nothing left to do but f#ck".
I listen most to music that takes you places. The way Chet Baker's or Astrud Gilberto's voice can drift with you down a stream. My favorite songs ever are "I'll Be You Mirror" and "Moon River". Some songs can make the world end.
I really just write folky pop songs on an acoustic guitar and that to this point has always been the first thing I record. But all the while there is a hundred things in my head. So once I get the acoustic down to a click; it's just one thing after another. It's a challenge sometimes to remember everything because I don't really know how to play any of these instruments and I have left the studio having forgotten to put instruments in a song that I'd intended to...»

Fresh Blood > The Liberty Belles

2010-10-23T17:02:00.000+01:00

The Liberty Belles
> Rhode Island, US
> Surf-Rock, Lo-Fi

MP3: "Lights Out Ready To Go"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
MP3: "Western Wood"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
[Download the whole EP here]

> The Liberty Belles:

«The Velvet Underground and the Beach Boys had a love child. This love child grew up listening to The Damned, abusing Adderral, and stubbornly believing in Love. He records songs in a basement in Rhode Island, and his name is The Liberty Belles.»

Fresh Blood > Dunes

2010-10-23T16:25:00.000+01:00

Dunes
> Los Angeles, California, US
> Post-Punk

MP3: "Armor"
from the Old Souls 7" (Art Fag Recordings, 2010)
MP3: "Handle"
from Dunes 12" (Mexican Summer, 2010)
[Get the ST EP here]

> Dunes:

«Dunes is an LA-based trio, who bend timeless, ornate darkness into new and forlorn forms. The three artists have deconstructed the classic instrumental set up and rebuilt from the drums up, creating tools for their own dreamy vision of pop. Their inspiration forms itself in themes from outside forces to inner balance. Though serious in musical intentions, they do bring a fun and kinetic element to their live performances. Roommates and bandmates but mostly just friends, Dunes keeps it cozy in their home, serenading their neighbors and drawing inspiration from their living room walls.»

Photos > Abe Vigoda + Male Bonding + No Age > XOYO, London

2010-10-21T05:21:00.002+01:00

From the dawns of Kid City, tropical punk wildhearts Abe Vigoda have accostumed their thirsty audience with a constant reinvention of their signature sound. Throwing Shade at previously acclaimed Reviver and Skeleton, they charge into a packed XOYO with happiness fueled Pure Violence, reminding us of the live energy that made us love them in the first place. Crush(ed).
Nothing Hurts like the sound of the Paradise Vendors - London based trio Male Bonding prepares us for No Age with Weird Feelings and a mosh-pit induced Crooked Scene. Nothing Remains, only sweat and smiles.
Come the headliners of the night, LA-based, California-raised Life Prowler(s) No Age. Prepare for the usual bombastic live performance, and forget about everything else - a Brain Burner sound that leaves us Fever Dreaming with Ripped Knees. Everything in Between shines in Glitter colors, explodes in extreme crowd surfing and leaves us, as usual, wanting for more and more.

All Photos & Text by Bruna Volpi / 14.10.2010

Abe Vigoda

Male Bonding

No Age

Interview > Mickey Mickey Rourke

2010-10-16T02:12:00.009+01:00

Mickey Mickey Rourke, a project Los Angeles resident Miller Rodriguez began just this year, is already one of the most prolific musicians in the current quasi-scene of somewhat-ambient, sometimes-R&B-influenced, lo-fi musicians. Under the motto “Make pretty things and never be seen,” Miller not only makes blissfully meditative drones, but also more concrete tropical psychedelia in his collaborations with Lester Brown as Mickey Brown and, most recently, he’s branched out to structured, lo-fi pop songs.

MP3: Mickey Mickey Rourke - Magic Man [from Magic User]

MP3: Mickey Mickey Rourke - Doozie [from Inner Gazing]

MP3: Mickey Mickey Rourke - Glitter Blood ft Raw Moans [from Inner Gazing]

I heard Festive Bummer a while ago, and then you added me on last.fm and I saw all your other stuff on your Bandcamp. Just recently you posted Inner Gazing, the album with all the collaborations.

Miller: Yeeee, that’s my newest album and it features some amazing doods.

I really liked that one. I saw the track you did with Raw Moans on some blog, and I thought that song was really cool.

Miller: He’s a good online friend of mine... Joseph Vorachack is just a person with so much sexiness inside, I wanted to crate a warm song that would feel like you were having a pillow talk with a friend or a girl etc... He just has that voice that makes you want to shut up and feel the smooth vibes.

How did you guys get in touch?

Miller: A lot of the guys I feature were fans of my music or I stalked them for being great artist. I became friends with them over the internet, and I’ve been keeping tabs with them ever since. They’re all doing really great with their own music. I’m not really doing music that’s popular right now, I like to do music that’s not popular. So working with different artists who are doing different genres, I thought would be such a great thing to do for an album. they really added such a great touch to my world. They were down to collaborate, so I put them on my new album.

What I think is really interesting about Raw Moans and Top Girls who are also on there, and this also goes for other people like How To Dress Well and Wise Blood, is that they incorporate R&B into their music. You don’t hear a lot of experimental music influenced by R&B.

Miller: That’s true, and is why I was so drawn to those projects. They kind of just let loose and do something different when they’re working with me. I have a really great depth with my artistic scope. If you listen to Mickey brown, it’s totally different. I’m obsessed with ambient music but... where am I going with this? Did you ask me a question?

No, I don’t think so.

Miller: I woke up not too long ago.

The new song you posted, “Magic Man,” from Magic User...

Miller: That’s my new album, coming out. That’s just like a pop song.

Yeah, and is that song an exception on the album or is that what the whole thing is going to be?

Miller: I don’t know, a lot of people liked it. I just love music, and I’m not afraid to make different sounds and styles. If you listen to all music, I change my style a lot, but there are still some characteristics of me being myself.

Do you think some artists, once they find an aesthetic that works, they stick with it instead of trying to change the formula?

Miller: Happens all the time and gets boring fast.

You put out a ridiculous amount of stuff, all the time. You put out four albums this year.

Miller: I’m already working on my second one with my good friend Lester Brown, our second album for Mickey Brown. We’re mixing our single, which should be out soon. It’s really great stuff. We’re just trying to give different vibes. I know what’s dominant right now, and what a lot of my friends are listening to, is the chillwave stuff, and I love that stuff, but I don’t see how it’s cool to emulate the artists who are cool right now. There’s no way for you to stand out. I hear all these up-and-coming artists and they all sound the same to me.

Chillwave seems like such a specific aesthetic that when artists try to fit in to it, they all wind up sounding the same.

Miller: You said it best.

Did you use samples on the last Mickey Brown album?

Miller: I made a lot of those. The voices and stuff, I make all those. I like to change my voice.

Ariel Pink does a lot of that.

Miller: Yeah, a lot of stuff using his mouth, which is really great. He went to my school, CalArts.

When did you go there?

Miller: 2006, I was in a program called experimental animation.

Like making clay having sex?

Miller: Yeah, you saw that? Yeah, I like making weird films like that.

When did you make it?

Miller: That was a while ago, it’s pretty old. I just put it up on YouTube, and I thought it was really ridiculous because I haven’t seen anything like it.

A bunch of your stuff on Bandcamp is tagged as Kelowna, a city in Canada. What is that?

Miller: I have no idea, I don’t even know how that’s there. I don’t even know how to take it off.

When you have pieces that are so abstract, particularly with Festive Bummer, how do you choose titles?

Miller: There are a lot of inside jokes, or things that me and my girlfriend call each other, and the people around me, family members. I like using names, I get really inspired by people’s names. If you look at my titles, they’re usually people’s names or one word syllables and stuff. I get inspired by words that I use in my daily life, people’s names.

Where is the picture on your last.fm artist page of the boy wrapped in the blanket from?

Miller: That was this neighbor of mine, this kid who’s an albino.

Does he know that he’s on the internet as Mickey Mickey Rourke?

Miller: Yeah he knows, he loves it. It just describes my music perfectly, that image. There was a big misconception where a lot of people thought that I was an albino, and that was great, it was getting me some hype at first. People were like “check out this ambient artist, he’s an albino.” And then I started putting up pictures of myself, but not really.

There are YouTube videos of you in a mask.

Miller: Yeah, that mask... I used to be in this dance punk band called Neon Navajo, this band Neon Indian came out, and of course they blew up, and everyone started saying that we were a Neon Indian cover band, and I got really upset. I like Neon Indian, but I feel like I have this hostility toward them, just because they ruined my band. If you listen to Neon Navajo, we’re nowhere remotely close to Neon Indian. We both came out around 2007 or 2008, and I remember sending them a message, like “change your name,” and they were like “oh, it’s just a coincidence.” And I was like “whatever,” and then I was just over it. I mean, we were pretty different in the LA punk scene out here, but I dunno, I just got really tired of it, and I would just tell my self “I don’t want to do this anymore” when we would practice then one day my bass player got hit by a car knocked out all his front teeth. That was really kinda god sent, because I’ve always been making music and stuff but I never showed my solo work to the world. So I made a MySpace, and I started putting up my songs, and people liked it. So I kept making more, or re-recording songs that I had made up when I was young... If you listen to Festive Bummer, all that stuff I play are mostly random guitar parts I made when I was fifteen or sixteen. I was really into Joan of Arc and American Football, those type of bands, Cap’n Jazz. I was really influenced by their guitar style. I could not quite do it the same because I'm not a guitar player (I play keyboard), if you listen to Festive Bummer, you’ll see that there are two or three different guitar tracks. That album was me experimenting with different guitars layered on top of each other.

I feel like Neon Navajo is so much more aggressive than anything you’ve done as Mickey Mickey Rourke.

Miller: Punk music is like my main influence, I love punk and I love hip-hop, and that’s really who I am. I can be really aggressive, but there’s a side of me... I have like OCD and I just take medicine for stuff, and Mickey Mickey Rourke is a way for me to calm down and cope with these things. I kind of started to make the music for myself. Sometimes I would just play to be relaxed and calm down, because I feel like my music can be kind of relaxing sometimes. It’s funny, when my friends heard it, they were like “woah I didn’t think you could do something like that, that’s so not you,” because I’m usually like... I like to scream and that’s just a way for me to get out all of my anger, and it’s just a relief for me. Neon Navajo was really fun but it was just hard, and I was always writing the songs, and my drummer was all about... He models and just likes to party and stuff, and I’m kind of the type of person who just likes to create constantly, and not be in the limelight so much, and I hide who I am. When we played shows I would always wear a mask. I was the only one in the band who would wear a mask. I would just do my thing and go home, and they’d stay and party and drink and stuff.

Mickey Rourke is such an aggressive dude in his movies.

Miller: This is true. I've always been a fan of him, even more so after seeing The Wrestler... He’s always been this aggressive guy but deep down inside he's got a heart of gold... He just has more depth to him then we really know and I can totally relate with him.

Like he’s putting on this mask of being aggressive.

Miller: Exactly, and after I saw The Wrestler, I saw him open up all raw and real. There was something about that ONE tear when he's talking to his lil' girl , I got really... I always liked him, but after seeing that movie I got really into him. I started getting obsessed with him and looking at interviews with him, and I saw Inside the Actor’s Studio with him, and he’s such a great guy, really smart, and his history is really sad. He just has this angel-like feel to him, deep down inside. A lot of people probably don’t listen to my music because they’re like “oh that’s some hardcore band” or something, and when they listen to it, they’re shell-shocked, like “woah I didn’t expect this at all.” It kinda just fits, it’s how I am. I can be aggressive. I can be a punk, y’know? I like the name, it’s silly, and it’s just a name.

You seem to be associated with a lot of lo-fi bands, but I never really thought of your music as that before. The new song “Magic Man” sounds a lot more lo-fi than your other stuff.

Miller: Definitely, if you listen to all my albums, all the recordings are somewhat different. I like to make it really rough sometimes and sometimes I like to make it really clean. But with the new album I think I’m going to try to do some rougher stuff. I’ve always been into the distortion and static and feedback. I don’t even know where to... I mean, I already made like three songs for that album, and I don’t know where to go with it and I don’t want to strictly do that. That song I made for my grandfather who just passed away. Inner Gazing was dedicated to him. I wanted to make a really spiritual album, and I think I accomplished it with that one. But, yeah, the Magic User, I don’t know where I’m gonna go with that, but I feel like if I do make all the songs like that, I don’t know how people will take it. I feel like I’d be changing what Mickey Mickey Rourke is about completely. I’m kind of voiceless on everything that I’ve done. Magic Man is more kind of pop-driven I guess.

People might be able to connect with that kind of thing easier than your ambient music, and that could draw them into listening to the earlier stuff.

Miller: I’ll see. I guess you’re right. That’s a good idea, huh? Just make these dorky pop songs...

Do you do all the artwork for your albums?

Miller: All those ideas are mine. It’s actually my artist from Poland, my friend Rafael. He did all the artwork for Neon Navajo, and we stayed in contact. He’s a really good friend of mine and I’ve always told him “if anything happens with me and my music, I want you to be my guy.” He brings my ideas to life. I can tell him anything and he’ll draw it up. I feel like a lot of artists aren’t creative enough. I have to think of all those little details, in terms of my aesthetic, like my art, my song titles, and all that. A lot of people nowadays aren’t really giving it their all. Everything they put out, they should really be conscious about their album covers. I feel like it’s lazy if you just get a random image and put your name on it. That’s kind of bullshit to me. Everything I like to do is custom.

I really like the artwork for Inner Gazing.

Miller: Yeah, I love it to, it’s so great. That’s just how I feel inside, really innocent but at the same time I can be eerie and dark. And that album is really just... to do some inner gazing to. It’s not music that I would recommend you just put on and bump but it’s definitely something I would love for people to listen to on a more personal level, just by themselves with headphones, alone in the dark or something. That’s the way I would like all my music to be listened to.

Have you played live on your own?

Miller: I have a few times but I’m kind of getting older and I’ve always been playing music and I’ve always been playing shows. I just got over it and I didn’t like it. I’m just weird, like when I play shows I get really anxious. My heart starts to beat really hard and I start to get hives. I can perform, it’s just that I don’t want to be a performing artist. I’m a recording artist. I think it’s gonna not benefit me, doing that, but it helps me with my creativity. I keep making stuff and keep putting it out, and hopefully I’ll keep getting a fanbase. If I have a good enough fanbase, and people are like “play shows, play shows,” I will, but for now I just want to keep developing my sound and just keep exploring different things and keep fucking with music. A lot of my stuff might not be that conventional, but I don’t really care, it’s like feelings. I always thought instrumentals were really powerful because, if you can make someone feel with sound, that’s a great thing.

Check out Mickey Mickey Rourke on MySpace and Bandcamp.

New Tapes > Sohni Chambers: Yaw-Mah-Ha

2010-10-14T02:16:00.011+01:00

Sohni Chambers
Yaw-Mah-Ha (Goaty Tapes, 2010)

MP3: Sohni Chambers - 3:18pm

If you're familiar with Sun Araw's trippy gems, you'll be certainly thrilled with Cameron Stallones' side-project, Sohni Chambers. Featuring solely Stallones on the Galaxie 8180 organ and his live collaborator Nick Malkin on the 5-piece drum-kit, Sohni Chambers is like a primitive, guitar-less side of Stalonnes' main venture in which all that sun-kissed psychedelia returns to its most raw, embryonic state. If you think of Sun Araw as the moment when you're laid semi-unconscious on the floor with your mind spinning in another dimension because you were hit in the head (which is more or less how I feel when I listen to it), then Sohni Chambers is the moment before that, when you're knocked-out but not yet seeing stars.

Yaw-Mah-Ha was recorded in Los Angeles last May and is now available through Goaty Tapes. According to Altered Zones, its song titles were named after the time of the day they were actually recorded. But while our friends gave you 2:47pm, we set our watches to 3:18pm.

Tracklist:
A.1) 2:47pm
A.2) 3:18pm
A.3) 9:23pm
B.1) 10:04am
B.2) 7:36pm
B.3) 5:12pm

Fresh Blood > Exact Index

2010-10-13T11:34:00.000+01:00

Exact Index
> Suwanee, Georgia, US
> Glo-Fi

MP3: "Swimming Shark"
from the ST single (self-released, 2010)
[Check out more from Exact Index here]

> Diego Deleon / Exact Index:

«There's this whole resurgence of "bedroom music" that I feel I'm a part of. I guess you can call my music "glo-fi", but I can identify more with just electro-pop. I just want to make music that people can zone out and dance and sing along to while invoking a range of emotions.»

Fresh Blood > Tropical Punk

2010-10-12T21:40:00.001+01:00

Tropical Punk
> Ithaca, New York, US
> Tropical Punk

MP3: "Why Don't We Take A Ride"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
MP3: "Together In Texas"
from American Kids EP (Daisy Nites, 2010)
[Download the whole split - with Dandy Little Lions and The Liberty Belles EP here]

> Tropical Punk:

«We like dinosaurs and animals. We’re tired and lonely and we love to have fun. We sing songs about girls and parties and play sad songs for sweet hearts. We are sentimental and proud of our fathers. We like fondling fun and swinging doors. We love drinking. We play music for sad situations & good times. Will you sleep over?»

Fresh Blood > One In A Googolplex

2010-10-12T21:12:00.000+01:00

One In A Googolplex
> Saarland, Germany
> Folk, Indie-Pop

MP3: "Seven Lives And Tasty Mice"
from The Dropout Cats LP (out on October 19th, Alchemist Records)
MP3: "Monolith"
from The Dropout Cats LP (out on October 19th, Alchemist Records)
[Pre-order the LP here]

> Sebastian aka One In A Googolplex:

«Hey there Ashtapes reader, this is One In A Googolplex. My third album "The Dropout Cats" is coming out on October 19 via Alchemist Records. It will be available as CD, download and cassette. Musical influences are forests rustling, seas swooshing and winds howling as well as The Shins, Coldplay, Sufjan Stevens, Jack Johnson, Rogue Wave and At The Drive-In. The songs on this new album are about love, friendship, optimism, curiosity, sightseeing and cats. I can’t wait for you to check it out. Feel free to send me your thoughts to 1inagoogolplex@alchemistrecords.com or visit http://myspace.com/1inagoogolplex.»

Fresh Blood > Dada Trash Collage

2010-10-06T16:13:00.000+01:00

Dada Trash Collage
> Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
> Experimental

MP3: "Moon"
from the album Cool Waves/Bad Days (out tomorrow, self-released)
MP3: "Two Eyes"
from the album Cool Waves/Bad Days (out tomorrow, self-released)
[More Dada Trash Collage's releases here]

> William Freed of Dada Trash Collage:
«Dada Trash Collage to me, is all about composing with sound rather than instruments. It really allows me to keep things exciting for myself to know that anything and everything can become part of the final product. On my new record “Cool Waves/ Bad Days” sci-fi films had a huge influence on things both lyrically, and sonically. There are so many dense human emotions bottled up in those stories, and there is no limit as to where those films may go. I think having that mindset was really important to me while I was writing the album.»

VideoTape #31

2010-10-05T16:23:00.005+01:00

Dream Boat, "Kissing Collar"
Director: Kat Tedesco
From the LP Visions, now available for digital purchase via AMDISCS
A physical release is scheduled for December

Fresh Blood > Cloudland Canyon

2010-10-04T17:14:00.000+01:00

Name: Cloudland Canyon

Origin: US

Genre: Dream Pop, Experimental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cloudlandcanyon

::MP3::

"Sister"

from the album Fin Eaves (Holy Mountain, 2010)

"And Gracious Hearts"

from the album Fin Eaves (Holy Mountain, 2010)

Read a short Q&A with Cloudland Canyon after the break.

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Hard to say. Someone recently called us "ambient punk," which we'd never heard before. Kraut-inspired ambient pop, maybe. Noise, drone, whatever is fine, really.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

The Velvet Underground, the Bee Gees, Brian Eno...the basics.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Roman Polanski.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

I wrote something like 70 songs, selected the handful I thought might be ok, and spent a lot of time working on them before they were recorded. It was nearly a two-year process.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Vinyl is really all I've ever bought.

New Tapes > CVLTS: Black Hole, Hi Five

2010-10-01T21:57:00.004+01:00

CVLTS
Black Hole, Hi Five (Atelier Ciseaux, 2010)

MP3: CVLTS - Liquid Dinosaurs

"I think this EP is kind of like falling asleep with the TV on... everything just seeps in. At some point you've gotta detox it out of your system to stay mentally fresh". That's how Gaurav from CVLTS introduced me his new EP, Black Hole, Hi Five, out today on Atelier Ciseaux. After listening to it, I cannot find better words to describe it. I highly recommend you to embark on this mind dazzling trip.
Black Hole, Hi Five comes in a beautifully crafted and extremely limited (30 copies) edition of home-painted black tapes including a vintage, religious-themed picture postcard (some of them handwritten -- how cool is that?). Back off, one's mine.

Here's an awesome trailer featuring two songs from Black Hole, Hi Five, edited by AAVV:

Tracklist:
A.1) Logic Control
A.2) Flooded Forest
A.3) Flittering
A.4) Popsickle Cells
A.5) Microrangers
B.1) Space Junk
B.2) Pizza Reality
B.3) Burrow Bees
B.4) Liquid Dinosaurs

M*ASHtape #17

2010-09-30T11:09:00.000+01:00

Download

Fresh Blood > The Peep Tempel

2010-09-30T11:07:00.000+01:00

Name: The Peep Tempel

Origin: Victoria, Australia

Genre: Garage-Rock

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/peeptempel

::MP3::

"Fatboy"

A-Side of the Fatboy 7" (Arbitrage Records, 2010)

"Boots On The Bed"
B-Side of the Fatboy 7" (Arbitrage Records, 2010)

[Buy the 7" vinyl here]

Interview with Blake (singer/guitarist) of the Australian duo after the break.

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Neon Garage Punk Step.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Dead Kennedys, Nirvana, Jay Reatard.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Park Chan-Wook (Oldboy - Korean director).

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

These songs came together rather quickly, as they were some of the first tracks we came up with. We just wanted to be raucous and loud, then we decided to be raucous and loud and write songs about villains. Australia is a country built by convicts, we have a rich history of colourful characters, we are trying to bring them to life in these songs.

We recorded live to half inch reel to reel in the top room of our house, its honest.....or as honest as a record about dishonesty can be.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Steal shit loads of vinyl..

Fresh Blood > Minneapolis 1989

2010-09-30T10:54:00.000+01:00

Name: Minneapolis 1989

Origin: Saint Paul, Minnesota, US

Genre: Indie-Rock

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/minneapolisnineteeneightynine

::MP3::

"MegaChurch"

from On Being Rooted EP (self-released, 2010)

"Up The Stairs"

from On Being Rooted EP (self-released, 2010)

[purchase the Minneapolis 1989's EP here]

Read our Q&A with Minneapolis 1989 after the jump.

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Post-rock formed through a decade of playing music together in various bands.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Top 5 OK? Sunny Day Real Estate, the Replacements, Television, Low, Steve Reich.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

It would have to be Terrence Malick or Jim Jarmusch.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

We spent a long time recording our debut, so we wanted to do the opposite with this EP. Chris (Vocals/Guitar) wrote these songs in a way that gave us a lot of room to add our own ideas and parts. We tracked all of our instruments live in one day, and did vocal overdubs at a later date.

It was all recorded in July/August of 2009. We have all kept really busy this past year with other bands, full-time jobs, and school... So were just now getting around to releasing it!

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I'll buy CD's if its a local band or if I'm at a show... otherwise not usually. I like the idea of releasing music on vinyl/tape; but I unfortunately do not collect.

Live Recording > Kevin Greenspon at KXLU, Los Angeles

2010-09-28T22:00:00.002+01:00

We used to post live recordings of concerts very often around here. Actually that was one of the main reasons why we started this blog. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to attend any gigs lately, but I hope I'll get back to that as soon as possible. In the meantime, there's something really special we want to share with you today, though it wasn't recorded by ourselves.

The amazing Kevin Greenspon has just sent us this top-notch live recording called Push You Away Forever that we are delighted to share for the first time online. "Basically I was on the KXLU 88.9 FM radio station in Los Angeles on September 5, and recorded this set live. These songs are the same ones that I was performing on tour with Vehicle Blues, so it is a very accurate document of the shows on tour!", Kevin told us.

In case you haven't heard of him yet, Kevin Greenspon is a prolific young artist from La Puente, California and the man behind the awesome Bridgetown Records. His numerous recordings are uncommonly eclectic, shifting from lo-fi garage songs with happy-go-lucky melodies and screwed-up lyrics to more experimental, drone-y stuff that flows between placid guitarwork and destructive noise convulsions. Push You Away Forever is an extraordinary example of these latter sonic explorations.

Kevin was so happy with the quality of this live recording "that I decided to make a limited edition CDr (50 copies) to give to my friends, take on tour, and send to people who order from my label". However, "I am sold out already, which is why I put it on Mediafire and shared it with you". Follow the link at the end of the post to download this short yet rewarding live set.

Setlist:
1. Unwelcoming / Threshold | 2. Ache | 3. Push You Away Forever

Here's some video footage from this live performance:

Download: Kevin Greenspon, Push You Away Forever at KXLU

Interview > Hear Hums

2010-09-28T16:43:00.005+01:00

Hear Hums is a psychedelic multimedia project, started by former West Palm Beach resident Mitchell Myers, who was soon joined by Kenzie Cooke and Marcos Gasc. Regularly playing around Florida, their live shows feature propulsive drumming and hypnotic electronics that shift seamlessly between frightening noise and lilting melodies.

Interview conducted by Ameen Mettawa.

MP3: Hear Hums - Whirlwind [from Notions Shift at Tryptamine Bay]

MP3: Hear Hums - Change [from Psyche Cycles]

Why are Hear Hums and Totally Nebular moving to Gainseville?

Kenzie Cooke: There’s a better, more close-knit music community. More people may be interested in our type of music than in West Palm. It’s a college town.

Mitchell Myers: I see it as kind of a fresh start. We’re getting a house together to work on the next album. It’s just the next step, a new change. It’s closer to out of state, so we’ll be able to play shows outside of Florida easier.

Tell me about the projections that are played behind you while you guys perform.

Kenzie: The projections are made mostly be me and Marcos. We’ve had some help from other people like CD, who used to play with The Dewars. They’re visual interpretations of the music, to kind of create more of a world. When we perform, the different kinds of art make the experience more exciting.

Mitchell: As far as other people helping, that was back in the day, over a year ago. All of the ones we use now are edited and filmed by Kenzie. I made some but they mysteriously got lost. We definitely want to be as involved with every process of Hear Hums as possible, whether it’s the actual songs, the visuals, the album artwork, even the business side, like booking and talking to labels and the outside world.

Do you think you will include the projections on future Hear Hums albums?

Kenzie: We talked about it, in the past. We were going to do a live EP that never happened but we wanted to have a DVD that came with it. That would be a cool idea, though it’s a little more expensive to do that. We thought about it.

Mitchell: If we materialize the idea more and really figure out what we’re doing. What we had together that we were going to release made sense when it was projected live, but by itself, on a DVD, it wasn’t quite a music video but it wasn’t just visual art. So we need to figure out just what we want to do, but I think it’s something we want to do in the future.

Kenzie: But it’s also part of the live experience. The album and the live performances are definitely different feels. We usually play the songs differently than they are recorded. I think projections to go with the album might be a little bit awkward unless we thought of a way around that.

Has the popularity of fellow West Palm band Surfer Blood brought any attention to Hear Hums?

Mitchell: As far as I know, it hasn’t, just because no one has been like “hey, I found you from Surfer Blood.” I feel like when people do notice us, because we’re from West Palm, they automatically resort to being like “oh hey, Surfer Blood, do you know those guys?” So as far as I know, I don’t think anyone has found us from Surfer Blood.

Tell me about the improvised set you played in February 2009 that brought Kenzie and Marcos into the band.

Mitchell: This lady I knew, Talia, who was my ex-girlfriend’s godmother, knew I did music and she wanted someone to make ambient music for this art show she was doing. I said I would do it, but I didn’t really know what I was going to do, particularly by myself. So I just invited Marcos and Kenzie. At that point, they had never really done anything musically. They did drums that night and I had my guitar through a delay pedal. It was really exciting. From there I asked them if they wanted to help me perform the songs that I had been working on which ended up being Notions Shift At Tryptamine Bay, the first album.

Kenzie: Before that night I had never played drums or music or anything at all, so it was really exciting. Everybody was like “what’s your band name?” And we were like “oh, we’re a band?” It was fun.

Could you explain the title Notions Shift At Tryptamine Bay?

Mitchell: The album was supposed to be a lot more conceptual than it ended up being. To me, it’s more of a collection of songs than anything cohesive. The title is about chemicals altering your consciousness, not per se drugs, but even dimethyltryptamine, which is produced in your brain every night when you go to sleep. It’s about how what is going on chemically within your body shapes your perception or consciousness, your window at the time.

The song Monday Or Any Day was featured on a mix made by The FMLY blog called This Is How We Trip. Do you guys endorse tripping to the Hear Hums?

Mitchell: Hahaha, I don’t really want to promote drugs or anything. It’s not really about being on drugs. I wouldn’t call myself a drug user. It’s whatever, if people want to do that kind of stuff to our music, I understand why they would, but I don’t think you necessarily need to in order to ‘get it.’

Tell me about Endless Bummer.

Kenzie: Endless Bummer was the sequel to Total Bummer. It’s this big festival in Gainseville put on by this guy JT, who is in Rabbit Punch and the late Oh Fortuna. It’s a really awesome festival. They got together a lot of the relevant Florida bands and a lot of bands from out of state like Vacation Dad and Truman Peyote. It’s fun interacting with all the other musicians, making connections, trading merch.

Mitchell: Everyone is really cool there, at the two that have happened. We’ve met a lot of cool people, and have been turned on to a lot of awesome music from that. Hopefully it really is endless. I hope JT puts on more of these.

Who are some of your favorite West Palm bands?

Mitchell: I definitely have to say The Dewars.

Kenzie: Yeah, I was gonna say The Dewars.

Mitchell: They’re kind of like a folk band. The Jameses, who are kind of… I don’t know how to describe them.

Kenzie: Totally Nebular is not really from West Palm, but they’re from this area, South Florida, we love them.

Mitchell: Sumsun is a project of Judson Rogers. He’s really good, and coming out with an album soon. We’re excited about that.

Anything else you guys would like to add?

Mitchell: Just that the album is almost complete, Psyche Cycles, which we were originally thinking about self releasing, but now we’re looking more towards a label or something. We’re making the album artwork for it right now, and it’s pretty much in its final stages. It’s going to be thirteen songs long.

Kenzie: A lot of the songs that we play live now are off of Psyche Cycles. We don’t really play any more Tryptamine Bay songs.

Mitchell: We’re excited, because I feel like people think we’re a certain way because of the songs that are online now, but Psyche Cycles is going to be a better representation of who we are right now.
&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;-
Check Hear Hums out on Myspace and Bandcamp.

Fresh Blood > Guilty Ghosts

2010-09-27T14:51:00.000+01:00

Name: Guilty Ghosts

Origin: Brooklyn, New York, US

Genre: Ambient, Drone

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/guiltyghosts

::MP3::

"The Everlasting Evening"

from the digital single The Everlasting Evening (self-released, 2010)

"Top Prize Fighter"

from the cassette Enigma Variations (Words+Dreams, 2010)

[Get the whole 5-tracks cassette and more Guilty Ghosts' releases here]

Interview with Tristan O'Donnell - Guilty Ghosts below.

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Songs for the 3 a.m. walk home alone.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

I'm just going to pick two to make it easier...

First and foremost, Godspeed You! Black Emperor has and always will be a huge inspiration to me. Perhaps it's obvious when you listen to my music but this kind of instrumental post-rock is something I really connect with. I came to know "Lift Yr Skinny Fists..." when I was in high school and I still look to them almost a decade later as a huge part of my musical upbringing.

After discovering Godspeed, I became really enamored with other evocative instrumental rock bands like Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky, two groups who also know how to take you to beautiful places. Friends often tell me that Guilty Ghosts probably sounds more like those two bands, but I would say that it all started with Godspeed.

Secondly, I probably wouldn't have started even releasing my recordings had it not been for Grouper. Since hearing "Poison Tree", I always look to her music, her individuality and her integrity as a standard to follow.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

I'm a huge film enthusiast and admire many filmmakers so this is fun for me to imagine. A movie that I reference and re-watch often is Buffalo '66 so I'm just going to say Vincent Gallo.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Unlike my first EP, Enigma Variations was completed very quickly. I had a lot of songs that were unfinished and lingering on my hard drive.

Not long after I started putting my songs on the internet, my friend Matt who runs Words+Dreams and I had talked about making a cassette release. When I began selling copies of my EP online, we had hopes of taking part in a tape trade and had to meet a specific deadline in order to participate.

I rushed through finishing these demos that ended up becoming what you hear today. I record and mix all of my music from my bedroom with really basic but functional digital equipment. After I mixed everything down on my computer, we did another mix for tape. Matt brought over his dubbing rack and we did the tapes two at a time. We did all of the dubbing, and artwork printing and packaging in 2 days.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I buy new music constantly. Vinyl, CD's, tapes, whatever I can get my hands on. I'm particularly fond of LP's that are coming out on Olde English Spelling Bee and any CD on Root Strata I'll give a listen to and support. I recently got the Oneohtrix Point Never mixtape from Curatorial Club. I try to go to the record store once every three weeks or so and get several releases at a time.

Fresh Blood > Sleep Good

2010-09-26T10:27:00.004+01:00

Name: Sleep Good

Origin: Austin, Texas, US

Genre: Acoustic, Lo-Fi Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sleepgoodmusic

::MP3::

"Showerstreams"

from Skyclimber LP (Autobus, 2010)

"Diamante"

from Skyclimber LP (Autobus, 2010)

[Get Skyclimber here]

Read below our Q&A with Will Patterson (guitar/piano/vocals) of Sleep Good.

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Psychedelic Dreamtown.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

The Beach Boys, Brian Eno, Harry Nilsson.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Jan Švankmajer.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

These songs were written both before and during the making of the album. We recorded the album in my bedroom on an 8-track reel to reel and used a lot of tape tricks such as bouncing, tape loops, and vari-speed. The recordings are unedited and never touched a computer.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I buy vinyl and tape, not so much CDs.

Fresh Blood > Universe

2010-09-25T16:11:00.002+01:00

Name: Universe

Origin: Los Angeles, California, US
Genre: Chillwave, Ambient
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/itstheuniverse

::MP3::
"Faces"
from Gazing Gazing (out October 10th, self-released)
"Nova Albion"
from Gazing Gazing (out October 10th, self-released)
[Get the whole album here]

Interview with Hunter John aka Universe after the jump.

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

I would describe my sound somewhere between a lukewarm rain shower and resting your head on your favorite pillow after 6 weeks apart. Lush, Warm, inviting.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Those three bands would have to be Japan/David Sylvian, Soviet, and Kraftwerk (the Ralf & Florian era).

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

In terms of just making a film with someone, I've always dreamed of a film directed by Harmony Korine starring Chris Farley, River Pheonix, and Harmony himself. It would be an epic American tale, taking bits and pieces of American folk lore (Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Blue Ox...etc..etc). It would take place during the western expansion...There would be natives, flowers, fires, and Oregon...

In terms of scoring a film, a John Hughes film would be awesome to score. There's also an upcoming film currently called Mermaid Film that I may take a whack at scoring...You can see a trailer for it here.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

It either starts with a specific sound I've created, or a melody. Once I've a sound or a melody down that I reallllly like, I start filling everything else in. Everything is analog, everything is played by hand.

The next I focus on mood. I try to relate songs to places I've been, feelings I've experienced on first arriving to new places, memories, ambitions.

The upcoming album Gazing, Gazing (which is out October 10th) really focuses on a line between some sort of modern pop, and creative free flowing improvisation. Most of the lyrics were created right as I would sing them. I wanted to be kind of liquid.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I really really enjoy music on vinyl and tape. I enjoy patience in music. Albums are albums for a reason, and sound great listened to cohesively. With tapes and vinyl, it's not as simple to just skip from song to song. I like this.

I like just sitting back and letting the music play as it's supposed to. I will be releasing the new album on tape, and a CD, because I cant afford to do vinyl (just yet), but the new album is made to be played on vinyl. So just pretend until then!

VideoTape #30

2010-09-23T23:50:00.007+01:00

Wonder Wheel, "Purple (Pradada Remix)"
Director: Francesco De Gallo
original song on Wonder Wheel's (aka Paul A. Rosales) debut album via Care in the Coummunity
download this remix here

VideoTape #29

2010-09-23T13:22:00.002+01:00

Kites Sail High, "Action Figure"
Director: Rachel Levy
from the Alone/Secrets 12", out on Life's Blood
director Rachel Levy is also part of Kiss Kiss Fantastic and Persona La Ave

New Tapes > Telephone Callers: Volumes I & II

2010-09-21T21:51:00.002+01:00

Telephone Callers

Volumes I & II (Fixture Records, 2010)

MP3: Telepone Callers - Escathon

MP3: Telephone Callers - Alpha People

In case you're a little tired of chillwave candies, here's some bloody uncooked meat for you. Telephone Callers are a garage punk combo from Michigan and they just put out a compilation of recordings on Fixture Records that is one of the most schizophrenic, chaotic and cool things I've heard recently. Volumes I & II is a double-cassette, 36-song freak out where burning guitars jostle and collide with eerie keyboards and possessed drums while someone is babbling something that only vaguely resembles english. It's like everyone is too drunk to play and just about to collapse on the floor. And yet, somehow it works -- or maybe it doesn't work and that's the charm of it. Get this handmade, hardcover book, jacket-style box with the mp3s included here.

Tracklist:

Cassette 1

A.1) Escathon

A.2) Lucky You

A.3) Not Completed

A.4) Defect

A.5) PTSD

A.6) Show Me How You Live

A.7) Cancer Free

A.8) Natural Feelin

A.9) Forget It

B.1) Like

B.2) Cant Get It Up

B.3) Supermarket

B.4) Miss Halloway

B.5) Wasting Seed

B.6) Dog Song

B.7) Morel Man

B.8) Electron

B.9) Sorry I Lost Your Dog

Cassette 2

A.1) Hello Baby

A.2) Sittin Around

A.3) Half Boner

A.4) The Spirit

A.5) Cheers

A.6) Soul City

A.7) Rebel Yell

A.8) Am I Wrong

A.9) Crippling Depression

B.1) Charlemagne

B.2) No Child Left Behind

B.3) Fantasy

B.4) Bike Cops

B.5) Coma

B.6) Alpha People

B.7) White Employer

B.8) Hourglass

B.9) Marijuana

New Tapes > Campfire: Camphires

2010-09-20T18:00:00.001+01:00

Campfire
Camphires (Ace Of Tapes, 2010)

MP3: Sample from Camphires

One year after their debut cassette, Beach at the Top of the Mountain, Campfire are back for some more weird and improvised music that appeals to the most inner parts of your brain. Recorded both live and home, Camphires is a C32 available for purchase on Ace Of Tapes. I like the hypnotic description provided by the label: "This is a fade town. The sun is always going over the mountain and coming back around the other side. It's slow-going and short and yet a lot of ground is covered. Zones come in and out. You get lost and find yourself miles from where you were just laying... light just broke into the cave you were cautiously exploring... and now you're floating... above the ocean. Where is the ground? I don't know." Pssst, wake up!

Tracklist:

A.1) Camphires Pt. 1

B.1) Camphires Pt 2

New Tapes > Ghost Animal: Summer Time in Heaven

2010-09-17T01:28:00.002+01:00

Ghost Animal

Summer Time in Heaven (Summer Time in Hell, 2010)

MP3: Ghost Animal - Vanity Affair

Here it is, at last, Ghost Animal's debut cassette, Summer Time in Heaven, which is also the first physical release of Summer Time in Hell (i remotely suspect there is a connection here), the micro-label run by Mat Cothran from Coma Cinema, in collaboration with Orchid Tapes. We recently sat down (well, not literally) with Michael Avishay from the californian duo for a very nice Q&A and besides describing their sound as "dark, gloomy, ginsoaked bedroom pop dying to get out of the summer" and citing influences such as Jesus & The Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, he also gave us a very interesting and personal insight about the making of this album. You can first download the record for free here and then buy it over there.

Tracklist:

A.1) Change Your Mind

A.2) Dreams

A.3) Single Man

A.4) Vanity Affair

A.5) One Night

A.6) Summer Time in Heaven

B.1) Through Your Eyes

B.2) Fever Not Dead

B.3) Some Other Time

B.4) California Summer Pt. 1

B.5) Out Of Reach

B.6) In Your Room

VideoTape #28

2010-09-17T01:17:00.002+01:00

Os Ovni, "The Water"
Director: Seth Nemec
from the upcoming 7" (soon on Answering Machine Recording)

Fresh Blood > The Delfields

2010-09-16T21:14:00.003+01:00

Name: The Delfields

Origin: New Brunswick, New Jersey, US

Genre: Indie Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thedelfields

::MP3::
✌"Justine"

from Bedroom Girls LP (due out on September 30th, self-released)
✌"Claire"
from Bedroom Girls LP (due out on September 30th, self-released)
[Download the full length LP here]

[Read below the interview with the band]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Dreamy, diverse, and hazy.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Guided By Voices, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Belle and Sebastian.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

If the inconvenience of being dead can be overlooked, Louis Malle. If not, Noah Baumbach.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Each song is named after a girl; a girl who in one way or another has had a profound (not necessarily romantic) influence on a member of the group. The songs all sonically reflect their subjects' personalities.

The album is presented as a series of dreams, with the first song marking the descent into sleep and the final song being the dream that one has just as one is beginning to wake.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/tape?

CDs are clearly the most accurate reproduction of sound for the consumer, albeit a bit expensive for what they are. With vinyl, one is getting more product for one's money, as well as something that feels more like a commodity, not to mention that hearing music played on a record is somehow more gratifying than a CD.

Cassettes are really only for aesthetic value and lack sonic quality; they're cool but for us do not provide a very gratifying listening experience. Ultimately, if we like a band and want to support what they do, we will purchase their music regardless of the medium they utilize.

Fresh Blood > Nihiti

2010-09-15T18:56:00.001+01:00

Name: Nihiti

Origin: New York, New York, US

Genre: Psychedelic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nihiti

::MP3::

☫"Black Cars (a sinistra)"

from the album Other People's Memories (out on October 10th, Lo Bit Landscapes)

☫"The Return Of Kind Ropes"

from the album Other People's Memories (out on October 10th, Lo Bit Landscapes)
[More info about the upcoming release here]

[Our Q&A with Nihiti after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Psychedelic death spiral.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Nurse With Wound, Wire, Boards of Canada.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Gaspar Noe.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

The empyrean unleashes the mystery.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Yes to all. Vinyl is and always will be king but I will buy anything by a band I want to support.

New Tapes > Cough Cool: Epic Dreams

2010-09-15T16:47:00.003+01:00

Cough Cool
Epic Dreams (Mirror Universe, 2010)

MP3: Cough Cool - Cold You Baby

Some people like to wear Misfits t-shirts. Some people like to do Misfits covers. Some people like to name their musical projects after Misfits songs. Dan Svizeny, who is also a member of Nude Beach, is at least part of this last category of people. Cough Cool is his solo moniker and it's all about fuzzed out, post-depressive bedroom-pop intimacy with a shoegaze touch. Epic Dreams compiles some old unreleased stuff and follows the much buzzed-about Slow Fuck digital EP. Get it here.

Tracklist:
A.1) Flower Reading
A.2) Months
A.3) New Dance
A.4) Myself
A.5) Grabbing Smoke
A.6) Cold You Baby

Fresh Blood > Asian Women On The Telephone

2010-09-14T15:14:00.002+01:00

Name: Asian Women On The Telephone

Origin: Moscow, Russian Federation

Genre: Art Punk, Noise

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/asianwomenonthetelephone

::MP3::

☢"III"

by AWOTT (exclusive track, unreleased, 2010)

☢"Massa Dick"

by AWOTT (exclusive track, unreleased, 2010)

☢"Pleasure Dome"

by AWOTT (exclusive track, unreleased, 2010)

[More AWOTT downloads here]

[Exclusive interview with the band below]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

It’s a sound of the squeezed lizard, singing of Hells Angels, jewish howl and the escape from the Wilson cloud chamber.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Band On The Turn, Band Of Gypsys, We're An American Band.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

We’re crying. The evil bee has drank all the color of technicolor films.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

After a hard day work for KGB and kitchen hysteria, we spend 2 hours in a rented bathroom with our electrical friends.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

We buy vinyl and cassettes in order to exchange it for immortality at Temple of Second Pencil Test.

VideoTape #27

2010-09-14T01:49:00.005+01:00

Low Sea, "Berlin"
The Light (Lefse, 2010)
Note: you can now order the amazing The Light LP, out today on Lefse Records.

Fresh Blood > Pregnant

2010-09-13T19:45:00.003+01:00

Name: Pregnant

Origin: Placerville, California, US

Genre: Indie Pop, Chillwave

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gloomprarie

::MP3::

∅ Regional Music LP

third album released on vinyl (Life's Blood, 2010)

[Download more Pregnant's releases here]

[Our Q&A with Daniel Trudeau after the jump]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Savant, water, pop, wierdo.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Captain Beefheart, Arthur Russell, Fred Frith.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

David Lynch.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

I use pedal and computer manipulation to make (what I believe to be) an original and palatable sound.

Through the use of samples from iTunes, tapes, CDs, and the like I can create back tracking for written tracks on guitar, sax and tiddlywinks.

Most of the songs are meant to be uplifting and semi-sarcastic.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Yes I do, but because I'm so broke it has to be something I really want laying around in my house for a while.

New Tapes > Wealth Plant: Friends

2010-09-13T00:57:00.005+01:00

Wealth Plant

Friends (Yew Nork, 2010)

MP3: Wealth Plant - Bart Oates
MP3: Wealth Plant - Police Wives

Jean Sebastian Audet from Calgary, Canada is one busy young guy. He is part of the lo-fi rock duo Faux Fur (they have a nice split with Ghost Animal on Scoth Tapes), instrumental hip-hop project Zouk Fuck and the man behind the micro-label Yew Nork and this very cool blog. Friends is his debut solo effort under the nickname Wealth Plant. It's 16 minutes of simple guitar riffs haunted by a lot of noisy reverberation, almost imperceptible echoing vocals and some other low-end samples. Ah, the beautiful weirdness of youth.

Tracklist after the jump.

Tracklist:

A.1) Road Sounds

A.2) Bart Oates

A.3) Poetic Feet

A.4) Der Fuhrer

B.1) Police Wives

B.2) Wwuck Ffork

B.3) Bart I's

B.4) Bible Fruit

New Tapes > Outer Spacist: Tape

2010-09-12T13:31:00.008+01:00

Outer Spacist
Tape (Dub Ditch Picnic, 2010)

MP3: Sample from Outer Spacist's Tape

If you've ever wondered how outer space sounds like, your curiosity ends here. It seems that some dudes in Ohio, US discovered that the void that exists between stars and planets is a place full of low density particles of garage rock and psychedelic radiation. Luckily they were able to record these sonic waves and put it on a 30-minute tape under the name Outer Spacist that you can now buy on Dub Ditch Picnic.

Check the tracklist after the break.

Tracklist:

A.1.) Beverly Pills Go, Go, Go, (Intro)
A.2.) Frequency of Souls
A.3) Outer Space Is The Place
A.4) San Francisco, California
A.5) To Cross A Frozen River, Alright Baby
A.6) Chanute, Kansas
A.7) Clintonville, Ohio
A.8) Upper Arlington, Ohio
A.9) Outer Spacism
A.10) Confused and Dazed (Outro)

New Tapes > Blackbird Blackbird: Summer Heart

2010-09-11T00:37:00.009+01:00

Blackbird Blackbird

Summer Heart (Wonder Beard Tapes, 2010)

MP3: Blackbird Blackbird - Float On

MP3: Blackbird Blackbird - Aura

It's not all about Teen Daze today on Wonder Beard Tapes. You can finally start pre-ordering Mikey Sander's (also known as Blackbird Blackbird and formerly known as Bye Bye Blackbird) debut LP Summer Heart on cassette edition. His two previous free EPs (Rarities and Modern Desbelief), videos, covers and remixes are literally in every single blog out there, so I guess you've probably heard this glowing dreamwave somewhere, somehow before. If you're interested order it as soon as possible as edition is limited to 100 copies and tapes will probably fly like two tiny little black birds.

Check the tracklist below.

Tracklist:

A.1) Blurring Lines

A.2) Summer Heart

A.3) Pure
A.4) Happy High
A.5) Hawaii
A.6) Sunspray
A.7) Float On
A.8) Ups & Down

B.1) Heartbeat
B.2) Let’s Move On Together
B.3) So Sorry Girl
B.4) Aura
B.5) Kings
B.6) Avalanche
B.7) Dreams I Create

New Tapes > Teen Daze: Four More Years

2010-09-10T19:49:00.018+01:00

Teen Daze
Four More Years (Wonder Beard Tapes, 2010)

MP3: Teen Daze - Shine On, You Crazy White Cap

"It’s a chillwave, glo-fi, dance, electronic, soul, sample-heavy, reverb-drenched record. This record was meant to be something that brought positivity to the listener. This is a record that is meant to encourage love, relationship, and at the same time, it’s just a dance record. Either way, it’s meant to put a smile on your face, and is to be enjoyed with summer vibes in mind", says Vancouver's Teen Daze about his debut EP 'Four More Years', released some time ago via Arcade Sound on traditional formats and now available for pre-order through Wonder Beard Tapes on cassette edition. Summer is not over yet.

Check the tracklist below.

Tracklist:

A.1) Four More Years
A.2) Gone For The Summer
A.3) Neon
A.4) Around
B.5) No Regrets
B.6) Shine On, You Crazy White Cap
B.7) Saviour
B.8) Spin Around, Go Ahead

Fresh Blood > SUNBEAM RD.

2010-09-07T01:15:00.000+01:00

Name: SUNBEAM RD.

Origin: SanFrancisco, California, US

Genre: Space Rock

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sunbeamrd

::MP3::

♗"Sleepwalk"

from Turtles, Magnets, Animals EP (self-released, 2010)

♗"Grue"

from Turtles, Magnets, Animals EP (self-released, 2010)

[more free downloads from the bands' bandcamp]

[Our interview with the band after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Space/lounge music for bumping in your electric cave.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Sonic Youth, CAN, Beach Boys.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Harry: Dario Argento.

Clive: Tim & Eric.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of this/these songs.

Trevor: One of us usually brings in a pretty rough idea for a song, so the tracks usually come together by collaboration or trial & error until we're all satisfied with the result.

I'd say we're a very democratic band. When it came time to lay these songs dow to tape (pro tools), we started tracking in our practice studio... It proved quite challenging, actually, with all of the noise from other bands bleeding through the walls! We were pretty unsure of how the EP was gonna sound until we started the mixing process in a much quieter environment.

We mixed/master & recorded the final overdubs in Cody's living room. Each of the forty cassettes we produced were copied individually on home stereo equipment.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Harry: I still buy vinyl, mostly from thrift stores.

Trevor: Definitely still buy vinyl at swap meets, yard sales, thrift stores, and local record shops.

Fresh Blood > Town With Station

2010-09-05T11:06:00.002+01:00

Name: Town With Station

Origin: Ukraine

Genre: Experimental, Ambient

::MP3::

♓"Across The Park"

from Sand-Waters-Trees album (self-released, 2010)

♓"Comma"

from Sand-Waters-Trees album (self-released, 2010)

♓"E.T.L.B."

from Sand-Waters-Trees album (self-released, 2010)

♓"Easily At The Beach"

from Sand-Waters-Trees album (self-released, 2010)

[Download the whole 6 track release from the artist's page]

[Our Q&A with the mysterious Town With Station after the jump]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

It's all about personal emotions: some ones dreamy, a little sad with sunlight ray in the core. It's versatile emotions for absolutely different moods and seasons.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

This is a tough choice, but I think i'm going for Pink Floyd, The Caretaker and Washed Out.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Richard Kelly, Sophia Coppola. Their works give me inspiration for life. Sounds like an advertising :)) but it's indeed true.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

When I have some weird feeling inside me, I try to turn it up in sound forms. Later, listening to it, I should be able to catch that feeling again.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Sometimes I buy CD's. It happens not that often. As in our country it's not so easy to find bands' releases which are not on rotation on pop-music channels.

Fresh Blood > Ghost Animal

2010-09-05T11:02:00.003+01:00

Name: Ghost Animal

Origin: Los Angeles, California, US

Genre: Shoegaze, Surf Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ghostanimal

::MP3::

♒"In Your Room"

from Summertime In Heaven LP (out next week on Summer Time In Hell and Orchid Tapes) and In Your Room EP (Amdiscs, 2010)

♒"Change Your Mind"

from Summertime In Heaven LP (out next week on Summer Time In Hell and Orchid Tapes)

♒"California Summer pt.1"

from Summertime In Heaven LP (out next week on Summer Time In Hell and Orchid Tapes)

[More downloads from the artist's bandcamp]

[Don't miss our interview with Michael - half of Ghost Animal below]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Dark, gloomy, ginsoaked bedroom pop dying to get out of the summer.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Jesus & Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, The White Stripes (bonus fourth: Pixies).

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

That's tough! Here are my top choices: Wes Anderson, Michel Gondry, Charlie Kaufman, Truffaut.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Almost all of them were recorded in my bedroom at my parent's house in Granada Hills, which is about twenty-five minutes north of downtown Los Angeles, using Garageband, an old drum kit that hasn't been fixed or cared for in four years, and a little M-Audio interface. Most of the vocals were recorded directly into my laptop (without an external mic).

It was basically how I spent the past three months - we're on summer break now, so we've had a lot of free time to play shows and I've spent innumerable hours shut up in my room recording. I don't think there's anything really interesting or unique to say about it - it's just the product of a lot of free time and creative energy that kind of built itself up over the past six months or so.

"Summertime in Heaven," which eventually became the title track of the album, was the last song I recorded for the album. Since no one was really in town I got super drunk by myself to celebrate having finished recording our first album and woke up on my floor at eight in the morning.

As for the writing of the record, it was kind of a long-time-in-the-making deal. The earliest song was written back in November ("Vanity Affair"). I wrote most of the songs on my acoustic guitar in my dorm room at college (Reed College, in Portland). I wrote "Fever Not Dead" in January in a Paris hotel room in a kind of persistent limbo-like state between drunk and hungover. "In Your Room" is about a friend of mine who died back in March of an overdose.

Some of the songs are drawn from my own emotions or experience and some tell stories about invented relationships fueled by sexual confusion and frustration ("Some Other Time," "Change Your Mind," "Single Man").

The record as a whole basically represents the amalgamation and manifestation, in a sense, of a lot of creative energy and frustration and inspiration that was slowly building as far back as last October and finally found its outlet.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I still buy vinyl - probably way too much. I only started buying vinyl back in October and I think I have over 200 records already. But I'm a collector - I may not listen to everything I own but the fact that I own it is enough for me.

My most prized record is a used copy of Psychocandy that I found for $8. That record will stay with me until I die.

Fresh Blood > Cinéma Vérité

2010-09-04T11:23:00.000+01:00

Name: Cinéma Vérité
Origin: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Genre: Indie Pop
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thecinemaverite

::MP3::
ϒ"Tired Hands"
from the forthcoming Sunrise, Sunset LP (out October 20th, Le Grand Magistery)
ϒ"Icelandic Summer"
debut single from A Very Magistery Summer digital comp (Le Grand Magistery, 2010)

[Read below our interview with Zachary Gray - half of Cinéma Vérité]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Electroacoustic Lo-Fi Indie Pop.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Bibio, Daniel Lanois, Why?.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

The late, great Stanley Kubrick. I've always liked the moody atmospheric drones and synthesized classical re-creations used throughout his films (mostly those from the 70s and early 80s).

Although I could never top the work of his long time collaborator Wendy Carlos, I'd would have certainly loved to try.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

The songs were composed over a period of 7 years. I began writing these songs when I was 17, working alone or collaborating via the internet with the other half of Cinéma Vérité, Guillaume Harvey. Towards the end of this period, we were collaborating more frequently than not, which is how

Sunrise, Sunset went from being a solo release to a "band" release.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I rarely buy CDs anymore, but I do buy vinyl if I become attached to an album. Since I do download music (hey, who doesn't) I figure, if I like the album enough to want a tangible copy, why have two digital copies. Plus, vinyl just sounds better.

Fresh Blood > Phantom Power

2010-09-01T21:05:00.003+01:00

Name: Phantom Power

Origin: New York, New York, US

Genre: Downtempo, Lo-Fi

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/phantompowerpower

::MP3::

☆Chic In Egypt EP
by Phantom Power (self-released, 2010)
[free download from the artist's bandcamp]
☆ Spacetime EP

by Phantom Power (self-released, 2010)

[Download more Phantom Power releases here]

[Our short interview with Eric Littman aka Phantom Power after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Just another permutation.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Ariel Pink (and his Haunted Graffiti), Richard D. James, ACJ.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

James Cameron ($$$).

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

I recorded this EP along with everything else I record in my bedroom.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

No, I don't buy or sell music.

VideoTape #26

2010-08-29T22:23:00.001+01:00

Grave Babies, "Pleasures"
Unreleased (2010)

Fresh Blood > Arc Light

2010-08-28T15:03:00.000+01:00

Name: Arc Light

Origin: Brooklyn, New York, US

Genre: Experimental Pop, Psychedelic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ryangabel

::MP3::

☐ S/T

by Arc Light (debut album, self-released, 2010)

[free download from the artist's bandcamp]

[Q&A with Ryan - Arc Light after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

A few words...hmm... The mutant child of too much inspirational music, cynicism, cocaine, booze, and social interaction.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Spacemen 3, Arab On Radar, and Chrome.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Takashi Miike would be pretty interesting, I'd think. I never thought the music he used in his movies really fit the fucked up images he portrayed... So i'd like a crack at that.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Well for the most part it's been the same process... I get an almost anxiety induced urge to make a song...

So I sit down and pick a drum beat I can work with. From there, it's either synth or guitar or whathaveyou. Then vox usually.

However, with "Bitch For The Weathermen", I did the drums, and then the vox without anything to go off of... The instrumentals came after. That was a very satisfying experiment that I could never hope to recreate.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I bought a bunch of records today, in fact. I found a signed Helios Creed album that I am pretty psyched about.

New Tapes > Induced Labour: S/T

2010-08-28T13:22:00.002+01:00

Induced Labour

S/T (Self Released, 2010)

The always attentive guys at Weird Canada just informed about this debut C4 (yes, it's that much long) from Toronto art punkers Induced Labour. Don't get scared by the fiendish vocals, this is good, stomach-punching punk rock, though maybe not advisable for breakfast. You can download it for free here and/or order it directly by e-mail through the band's website.

Tracklist:

A.1) Lazarus Reflex

A.2) All Flesh Is Glass

A.3) Reality Breakdown (No Trend Cover)

Fresh Blood > Secret Message Machine

2010-08-27T18:29:00.001+01:00

Name: Secret Message Machine

Origin: Greensboro, North Carolina, US

Genre: Noise Pop, Lo-fi

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/secretmessagemachine

::MP3::

◊"In The Dust"

from the forthcoming album Orphanville (self-released, out September 1st)

◊"Orphanville"

from the forthcoming album Orphanville (self-released, out September 1st)

[stream the upcoming release from the artist's page]

[Read below our Q&A with Micheal Barrett, the mind behind SMM]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Psychedelic-noise-pop.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

R.E.M., Brian Eno, Guided by Voices.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Michel Gondry.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

I recorded all the instruments: drums, organ, synth, piano, guitar. I hand built the guitar for fun. I wanted to create a mixture of sounds which are unusual and hopefully reach a magical quality while still creating structured pop songs.

Most of them have wildly different sounding sections. I wanted the songs to be rewarding for people who listen, so that they hear new sounds each time.

Lyrically the songs are about escapism, religion, spirituality, the southern states, and a good bit of fantasy.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Yeah, I mostly buy new vinyl because I love the large artwork and the listening experience is completely different from listening on an iPod.

I work at a store that sells used CDs, so I get a lot of music there too.

Fresh Blood > Fiveng

2010-08-27T10:59:00.000+01:00

Name: Fiveng

Origin: San Francisco, California, Us

Genre: Chillwave, Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/fiveng

::MP3::

♐ Give Me A Taste / Jonah

debut double A-side single (Beachtapes, 2010)

[free download from the artist's bandcamp]

[Interview with Nicholas Ng aka Fiveng after the jump]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Pop songs made on a computer. Reverby soundscapes. Catchy.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Wong Kar Wai, Jean Luc Godard, Pedro Almodovar, Jim Jarmusch, Kurosawa, Truffaut..Too many good ones to just pick one!

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

I made these songs as ephemeral expressions of whoever I was at the moment in time when they were made.

A certain energy comes from within/beyond and passes through me. The end result of those energies/feelings are my songs (not to make it sound so ridiculously cosmic or profound, but it is true). All the songs are very personal and are a means of letting go of a particular energy that each one embodies.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I haven't bought CDs in at least 4 years or so. Never was into tapes. Still buy vinyl on occasion, but mainly old records, never indie.

Fresh Blood > Music For Your Plants

2010-08-26T11:32:00.005+01:00

Name: Music For Your Plants

Origin: Tallinn, Estonia

Genre: Progressive, Instrumental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/musicforyourplants

::MP3::

☎ S/T [Advance EP]

by Music For Your Plants (coming out on CD in November, Seksound)

[Below our Q&A with the whole band]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Rene: Muddy, dirty and amateurish.

Ronald: Sounds like trouble.

Norman: Music coming from an uninhabited island.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Rene: The Sea and Cake, Slowdive, Jamiroquai.

Ronald: Beatles, Beach Boys, Bobb Bruno from Best Coast.

Norman: Camel, Tortoise, Milton Nascimento.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Rene: Michael Haneke.

Ronald: James Cameron.

Norman: Werner Herzog.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Rene: Rehearsing-recording-mixing has been a mix-up of (1) broken music equipment during recording, using paperclips or scotch tape to fix it and (2) eating loads of instant noodles, smoking cigarettes and drinking eggnog.

Ronald: We get together and start making songs. We record them on Norman's computer.

Norman: We receive visionary transmissions from distant places and put these into songs. There's no other way of explaining the process of creation.

We let no one interfere with the music until it is complete and ready for listening.

Technology is not a tool but an instrument.

Sound and music are inseparable of each other.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Rene: A few LPs per year.

Ronald: Sumtimez when I get money from my parents. Haven't quit yet.

Norman: Definitely looking for some older vinyls since some of the music doesn't exist in any other form. Though usually not buying music because not wealthy enough. In the future - sure.

New Tapes > The Band In Heaven / Weird Wives: Split

2010-08-25T23:47:00.007+01:00

Artwork by Ben Mendelewicz

The Band In Heaven / Weird Wives
Split Cassette (Worker Bee Records, 2010)

The Band In Heaven was the first band featured on our Fresh Blood series. A few months later, here they are again, debuting our brand new department devoted to the cassette culture. This split with Weird Wives -- the side project of 3 out of 5 members of the Pitchfork-blessed band Surfer Blood -- is their first official release and it's going to be available for purchase online later this week on Workerbee Records. Release is limited to 100 copies, so try to get your hands on it as soon as possible. In the meantime you can listen to these 4 killer songs on the label's bandcamp.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://thebandinheaven.bandcamp.com/album/the-band-in-heaven-weird-wives-split-tape"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Summer Bummer by the band in Heaven&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Tracklist:
A.1) The Band In Heaven - Summer Bummer
A.2) The Band In Heaven - Suicide Pact
B.1) Weird Wives - Head Bugs
B.2) Weird Wives - Wet Blanket

M*ASHtape #16

2010-08-25T23:17:00.000+01:00

Under a spell.

Download

VideoTape #25

2010-08-24T20:42:00.000+01:00

Mushy, "Adrift"
K7 Split Mushy/Drugs For Drunks (out soon, Clan Destine Records)
Director: §

VideoTape #24

2010-08-24T20:11:00.000+01:00

Sugarrush Railroad Inc., "It Calls Us By Name"
Director: Iain Sclater

Fresh Blood > Deekie

2010-08-20T19:24:00.000+01:00

Name: Deekie

Origin: London, UK

Genre: Alternative, Lo-fi

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rocksgently

::MP3::

Ω"Carpet"

from Amusia LP (Kennington Recordings, 2010)
Ω"Count The Stars"

from Amusia LP (Kennington Recordings, 2010)

[Exclusive Q&A with Mr L & Neets after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Mr L: Getting better all the time.

Neets: Riddle/Armchair/Dust.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Mr L: The The, Belle & Sebastian, Four Tet.

Neets: Young Marble Giants cos they are perfectly imperfect, Stereolab because they are perfectly perfect, and Mr L’s old band Team LG cos the tricks he learnt doing that he showed me too.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Mr L: Woody Allen when he wasn’t rubbish.

Neets: Sergio Leone, I’d ask him to take me to the desert by donkey and film a day in the life of a badboy lizard!

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Mr L: They were all made at night in a cramped flat in London, much to the annoyance of our neighbour who ended up doing an impression of my singing during an argument! We have decided to move…

Neets: Very late nights, lots of mystery, trials and errors, some confusion, and in the end lots of wonder.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Mr L: Constantly! I am happiest wading through racks of dusty vinyl. Part of the reason for moving is that the vinyl is spilling out all over the floor and down the stairs.

We love vinyl, that’s why we hand coloured all of ours, we thought that we would like it if a band did that.

Neets: I only buy vinyl, it sounds lovely and feels so nice. I have lots of tapes left over from when I was little and one day I will play them to Mr L and he can laugh at the AC/DC and Candy Flip songs that sit side-by-side!

Fresh Blood > Craig Cruiser

2010-08-19T16:06:00.000+01:00

Name: Craig Cruise

Origin: Netherlands

Genre: Electropop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/craigcruiser

::MP3::

✏ST Demos

by Craig Cruiser (self-released, 2010)

[Below our Q&A with Ben Wagner - Mr. Cruiser]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

I've never been good at describing a "sound"... but to be rather vague I'd say it's "burnt-out, mindless, dance, pop". And to be rather pretentious, I'd say "sarcasm with a hint of honesty".

Really I just want my music to be upbeat, something you won't want to kill yourself to.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

I'm not sure how to interpret this question... but if it's bands that influenced me to make my own music it'd have to be White Flight, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and of course, Animal Collective.

If it's bands that helped influence the "sound", then I'd have to go with Brothertiger, Wavves, and GOBBLE GOBBLE.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

I don't really pay attention to who directs movies or videos and such, so instead watch this clip from one of the greatest shows on television, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Recorded in my bedroom. At strange times in the night (anywhere from 2-6 am). I lack a great deal of musical knowledge so it's rather an experiment for me.

I basically start with a beat, then either fuck around on my keyboard or sing random words or noises, then convert those noises into an actual instrument. It's really not as romantic as you'd think.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Besides a CD of Merriweather Post Pavilion, I haven't bought anything physical in the past 6 years or so.

A good majority of the music I listen to now is available for free downloads...Otherwise, I cop that shit on the world wide web, sshhh!

Fresh Blood > Blissed Out

2010-08-19T15:46:00.000+01:00

Name: Blissed Out

Origin: New York, US

Genre: Art Crunk, Other

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/blissedoutnyc

::MP3::

✄"Tie Dye Flowers"

from White Triangle tape (limited edition of 100 copies on Mirror Universe Tapes)

✄"Tropical Fantasy"

from White Triangle tape (limited edition of 100 copies on Mirror Universe Tapes)

[Our interview with the band after the jump]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

"Damaged beat-rousers" - a phrase that the NYC newspaper, The Village Voice, recently used to describe us.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

DJ Premier, Gang Gang Dance, Suicide.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Harmony Korine.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

White Triangle was recorded in april 2010 at the Market Hotel in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Market Hotel existed as the preeminent DIY/Punk space in New York City for two years. It functioned on an entirely illegal basis - no permits, liquor license, etc. It also is our living/studio space. I imagine it as the 2010 version of Warhol's factory - a place for young people to hang out, do drugs, and be creative. Its located across the street from a methadone clinic.

In april it was raided by the police on two consecutive nights and since then there has not been any shows. This allowed for us to utilize the space as a recording studio.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

I buy CDs very infrequently. I will buy a rap CD maybe once a year.

The tapes and vinyl I get are mainly things people give to us when we are traveling. The last record I bought was Zola Jesus and the last record I was given was the White Ring/oOoOO Split 7".

They both are amazing.

Fresh Blood > Green Gerry

2010-08-19T15:36:00.000+01:00

Name: Green Gerry

Origin: Athens, Georgia / Los Angeles, California, US

Genre: Experimental, Lo-fi

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/greengerry

::MP3::

Δ Odd Tymes

by Green Gerry (debut album, self-released 2010)

[Exclusive interview with the one-man-band after the read more]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Four loko folk.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Art Blakey, The Band, Radiohead, Os Mutantes, Sleep, The Smiths, Michael Jackson. Sorry can't do three.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Michael Bay or the dood who directed Sleepless In Seattle (Nora Ephron).

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Here are some Odd Tymes Facts!!!

I started recording this record when I was 20 in Athens, GA (I am now newly 21)!

Tracks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 were recorded in California and I was high on cocaine during the recording process (but for the mixing/serious part I was sober)! Almost all the noises in bbbuttons were made with my mouth!

"Cozy Space Mugz" finished product amounted up to over 50 tracks! "Song Fur Thunderstorms" was recorded outside and alot of the noises in that are bushes, a moving vehicle, birds, and a pot!

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

CDs are so nineties and I only like to live in the past so, yes, occasionaly ill buy a cd. But not usually a modern band's CD.

Like I was at good will the other day and I saw a Bell Biv Devoe Single of Poison. Shit I had to buy it. But outta the three your askin' me about I buy these the least.

I do still buy vinyl. Old and new. I think my last purchase was a Prince Rama and Kegs of Acid split. If I see a band I like I'll buy there record.

I do still buy and record on tapes. I think the last record I bought on tape was The Smiths Meat Is Murder.

I have a walkmen. It's fucking dope. Some times ill record mixed tapes from the radio. Then ill rollerblade to get some ice cream while listening to it.

But as you can tell, THE DIGITAL WORLD OF THE INTERNET IS TAKING OVER. SOON HUMANS WILL HAVE COMPUTERS FOR FACES.

Fresh Blood > Quiet Lights

2010-08-17T15:43:00.000+01:00

Name: Quiet Lights

Origin: Brooklyn, New York, US

Genre: Dream Pop, Shoegaze

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/quietlightsny

::MP3::

♘ 3 Songs Demo

by Quiet Lights (preview of the album due to release at the end of the summer)

[free download from the band's bandcamp]

[Our Q&A with the band over the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

300 ideas funneled through the limitations of 32 track recording.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

My Bloody Valentine (of course), Sun Kil Moon, Mono.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Guy Madden.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Sometimes we jam as a band, sometimes someone walks in with a song completed, sometimes someone walks in with a riff or melody. It usually involves the 5 of us sitting around a computer scrutinizing each other. Good times....

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

We absolutely buy vinyl and tshirts.

Fresh Blood > Tjutjuna

2010-08-17T15:35:00.000+01:00

Name: Tjutjuna

Origin: Denver, Colorado, US

Genre: Psychedelic, Space Rock

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tjutjuna

::MP3::

☪"Bottle Kids"

from the upcoming S/T LP (out September 28th on Fire Talk)

[Exclusive interview with Brian (guitar) and Rob (bass) over the jump]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Heavy, psychedelic, textural, hypnotic.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Acid Mothers Temple, Pink Floyd, Faust.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

If Harold Ramis and Alejandro Jodorowsky could collaborate in a Holy Mountain/Caddyshack style flick that'd be the best we could hope for.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

We write all of our songs as loose ideas, and build from there until it's a series of queues, transitions, crescendos. We never really play them the same way twice.

These songs were recorded at our friends Woodsman's house in Early February. The album as a whole didn't really start to take shape until we brought the tracks into the computer and were able to hone in the specific texture and shape we wanted for the final product.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Vinyl, when we can afford it.

M*ASHtape #15

2010-08-16T13:58:00.000+01:00

We like it weirder.

Download

VideoTape #23

2010-08-16T10:41:00.000+01:00

Death Light, "Spiral Staircase"

In The Chamber (Goaty Tapes, 2010)

Fresh Blood > AIDS Wolf

2010-08-13T19:18:00.000+01:00

Name: AIDS Wolf

Origin: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Genre: Experimental, Punk

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/aidswolf

::MP3::

☠"Teaching To Suffer"

from the upcoming LP March To The Sea (soon on Skingraft Records)

[Exclusive and amazing Q&A with Chloe Lum after the jump]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

An accumulation and release of pain articulated via a musical game of ping pong.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Black Flag. US Maple. Captain Beefheart.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Warner Herzog or Todd Solondz. Bad times.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of this songs.

We always tape our rehearsals, and the main idea came up from one of our rehearsal tapes.

The first part that was pointed out was the first 20 seconds or so. Yannick built up the main structure by assembling this part and another older guitar part together from different bits and pieces of previous riffs from older rehearsals, making this kind of frankenstein of a song. Even this short silence in the middle was an interesting accident that was included from an old jam.

We learned the piece as is, then adjusted the length of some parts and the time signature of Myles' bit, decided to repeat the first part's Alex riff in the kind of "bridge" there but played two times slower by Myles, and repeated the first part again at the end.

The lyrics came from notes I took on tour while reading Guignol's Band by LF Celine, a book that is pretty much a how-to guide on war-era miserable living. In the lyrics , the protagonist is reading and simultaneous writing an updated guide on petty sufferance, constantly crossing out passages and putting in new ones.

I try to always have the vocal melodies be pretty different from what the guitars or drums are doing to add more interest but on this song the vocals tend to follow the guitars first Myles' then Alex's.

Then in the "bridge" I go off and do my own thing.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Yeah, we all buy tons of music. I'm say mostly vinyl but we all buy tapes and some CDs too.

We hit up A LOT of record stores while we are on tour and do a fair bit of mailorder as well. Alex and I both DJ on a semi-regular basis, that helps us feel more justified spending a huge chunck of our earnings on records. Ha ha!

From stuff I bought semi-recently, my main 2 jams lately are Puffy Areolas - In The Army 1981 and Tonetta - 777. Ultimate summer party records.

My fave record stores to hit up are Exiled Records in Portland, Criminal Records in Atlanta, Amoeba (Berkley location), Hits and Misses in Toronto, Cheap Thrills and Phonopolis in Montreal , Permanent Records and Reckless in Chicago and Size Records in Oklahoma City.

I like to mailorder from Fusetron and Florida is Dying.

Fresh Blood > Atlantic at Pacific

2010-08-12T12:42:00.000+01:00

Name: Atlantic at Pacific

Origin: Santa Cruz, California, US

Genre: Chillwave, Beach Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/atlanticatpacific

::MP3::

☰"Weddings"

from the upcoming album Weddings (out August 24th on Alchemist Records)

☰"Drifting"

from the upcoming album Weddings (out August 24th on Alchemist Records)

☰"Single's"

by Atlantic at Pacific

[free download from the artist's bandcamp]

☰"Sunburn"

by Atlantic at Pacific

[free download from the artist's bandcamp]

[Interview with Austin Wood / Atlantic at Pacific after the read more]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

The words, distorted and atmospheric are the first thing that come to mind when it comes to my music.

Many other words come to mind, but I feel the things that stand out most are the crunchy, bubbly and spacey sounds that I've developed.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

It's very hard to conjure up the exact names that I'm sure I owe my music to, but two that stand out are Depeche Mode and The Beach Boy's. I have to say there would be a tie between BauHaus and Brain Eno.

Without all these people and their music I know my music never would have turn out the way it did. Not only that, but with listening to them I probably wouldn't even be a musician.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

I most defiantly would choose Steven Spielberg if he still had the mind as he did in the 90's.

Nearly all my favorite movies were created by him. Something about his movies make grab my attention.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

I made "Drifting" during the winter. It was super cold in Santa Cruz this last winter, and I was trying for a while to express the coldness along with the empty feelings I got from the winter though "Drifting".

I tried many different ways of creating a artificial coldness with song. I used much tape saturation from a dolby technics cassette mixer and my Yamaha MSR in the song. It took a lot of time to make "Drifting" many late hour nights wishing it was summer.

"Weddings", on the other hand, was made last summer after I got back from my sisters weddings in Texas; I also used my Yamaha MSR for the strings in "Weddings".

When I first made Weddings I put it on cassette and played it through my dolby cassette mixer and made the song mono then layered the song on top of its self in stereo to create more of a force behind and to add dimensions.

I defiantly got through strange rituals when going about making music just so I can put myself in the right place.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Of course I by CD's and records! Though its true you can just download them online through iTunes or something its way cooler to have somebody's music physically how that want it to be seen!

Sometimes it's hard to find a real copy of a CD of some obscure band you like, but with the internet now a days you can order CDs and have the novelty of being able to play their art on a CD player instead of your iTunes library.

My record player is broken but I have a bunch of classics and occasionally I'll pick up a new record cause when its fixed I know I'll being listening to it all the time.

Photos > Radfest > Corsica Studios, London

2010-08-11T20:00:00.002+01:00

As you've may noticed before, we haven't been posting any live recordings lately. And this time it won't be any different. The thing is that I did not attend any music festival this year -- which is basically the only thing going on in Portugal during this period -- as I was in Italy spending some nice days with charlie and I'm currently in London trying to sort out some things about my future. Last sunday I went to this rad fest called, hmm, Radfest, in Corsica Studios, whose headliner was A Place To Bury Strangers, bul also featured a bunch of cool bands as Von Haze, Dam Mantle, Graffiti Island, Bo Ningen and some not-so-interesting others. Ganglians were meant to play but, for reasons that are still obscure to me, they didn't make it to the fest. I didn't record anything but my old friend Bruna took the awesome photos you can see after the jump plus many others, which you can check soon at her online portfolio and blog. Hopefully next time we'll have some audio for you guys.

Lasers From Atlantis

Dam Mantle

Cerebral Baltzy

Graffiti Island

Bo Ningen

A Place To Bury Strangers

Fresh Blood > Easy Tom

2010-08-11T13:41:00.000+01:00

Name: Easy Tom

Origin: Los Angeles, California, US

Genre: Psychedelic, Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theironlydreams

::MP3::

∴"Calculator In The Sky"

from Their Only Dreams - B-Sides & Rarities (self-released, 2010)

∴"Escape Velocity"

from Their Only Dreams - B-Sides & Rarities (self-released, 2010)

∴"So Far So Close"

from Their Only Dreams - B-Sides & Rarities (self-released, 2010)

∴"Darling In Dream Dimension"

from Their Only Dreams - B-Sides & Rarities (self-released, 2010)

[Our Q&A with Jaques Baraban aka Easy Tom after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Pocket Sized Psychedelic.

2. Name 4 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Joy Division, Janes Addiction, Syd Barret, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Anton Corbijn.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

I started recording the songs that make my album 2 years ago after I spent the better part of a decade trying to have a working band.

I have always had an array of my own musical instruments, enough to simulate a full band and some type of multi-track recorder since I began writing my own songs at the turn of the century.

So, the actual songs that you have picked to share with your readers are the earliest ones I recorded for this record, except for "So Far So Close" that was the 5th to last song/recording.

Most of the songs are born from lyrics that pop in my head while I am driving around Los Angeles doing my day job. I scribble them down until I have enough words piled up and enough inspiration to make the music and then record.

Other songs come out in a sort of combustion of lyrics and melody at the same time, and others are just full free form experimentation and then sculpted to my satisfaction.

All the music was recorded in what should have been a dining room in my last 1 bedroom apartment where I lived with my wife and our daughter. We have since moved and now I record in the bedroom.

5. Do you still buy Cd's/vinyl/ tape?

Absolutely! My vinyl collection has not grown in years but I daydream about collecting some great jazz records again, and getting into some easy listening fusion...ha ha.

I buy a few Cd's at a time when the family and I gear up to go on a road trip. We are usually disappointed though. We always just listen to the greats over and over on our ipods, and don't even use that technology to the fullest.

I also trade Cd's and tapes with other DIY recording artists and have assembled a compilation you can download for free at http://mindlessvinyls.bandcamp.com (Mindless Vynils). I have found this to be the most satisfying musical exchange in these modern times. It is real and it is free.

VideoTape #22

2010-08-11T11:32:00.000+01:00

Julian Lynch, "In New Jersey"

Mare LP (OESB, 2010)

Director: Stephanie Wuertz

Fresh Blood > Thralls

2010-08-10T20:16:00.000+01:00

Name: Thralls

Origin: San Francisco, California, US

Genre: Shoegaze, Psych Pop

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/soundsofthethralls

::MP3::

♆ Suicides / Eros Plane 7"

by Thralls (self-released, 2010)

[free download from the band's bandcamp]

[Interview with the band after the read more]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

We tell people we're psychedelic shoegazers. Psychpop and grungegaze also work.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, and the Beatles. A lot of us wouldn't exist without these bands.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

We love all the directors that have worked with Grizzly Bear and Department of Eagles, particularly Isaiah Saxon, Seah Hellfritsch, Patrick Daughters, and Marcel Dzama.
Those directors have amazing abilities, combining real and phantasmagorical worlds into spooky, strange collages.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

We recorded these songs ourselves in a basement beneath a laundromat in San Francisco...

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Our drummer Laura religiously walks down to Amoeba with her dog in tow and spends most of her paycheck on vinyl.

I have a download addiction, and definitely admit that I am the guy who always is trying to find out where to freely experience the latest release of some band.

We love tapes, and even have some of our own we sell at shows. Tapes are great, everyone should have some, especially because we've found so many tape players sitting on the sidewalk, waiting for adoption.

Fresh Blood > Sean Moore

2010-08-09T13:56:00.000+01:00

Name: Sean Moore

Origin: Orlando, Florida, US

Genre: Indie, Folk

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/seanmoore

::MP3::

☍"Ashley"

by Sean Moore (self-released, 2010)

[free download from the artist's bandcamp]

[Exclusive Q&A with Sean Moore (Viernes) after the jump]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Your guess is better than mine! Symphonic indie folk, perhaps?

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

The Beach Boys, Scott Walker and Brian Eno. All three have been incredibly influential in my songwriting.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

I would have to say Terry Gilliam. 'Brazil' does it for me every time. Absolutely brilliant filmmaking!

4. Tell us a bit about the making of this song.

"Ashley" was written for my fiancée. The song builds sonically until being enveloped in glorious walls of sound. This transformation represents the utopian feeling of being in love.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/tape?

Yes to all of the above...especially vinyl. If I come across a substantial life-altering record, I will usually seek out a vinyl copy. I feel it's crucial to support the artists involved.

Fresh Blood > John Hornak

2010-08-08T20:11:00.000+01:00

Name: John Hornak

Origin: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Genre: Electroacustic, Dub

Site: http://www.woodsongs.ca/

::MP3::

‡"Munchin Ice"

from A Needle, A Feather And A Rope (Wood Core Records, 2009)

‡"Tarsand Ballad"

from A Needle, A Feather And A Rope (Wood Core Records, 2009)

‡"A Slow Dub"

from A Needle, A Feather And A Rope (Wood Core Records, 2009)

[Exclusive interview with John Hornak after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

I think Ambient Dub would be the most apt.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

Igor Stravinsky, King Tubby and Yes.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Matthew Barney.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

In 2008 I traveled through Eastern Europe and Morocco. I composed a ton of melodies. When I returned to Calgary I recorded about 100 tracks over the course of 2 years. I whittled that down to 13 tracks.

Essentially the record is location based music. Hlavna Stanica is meant to convey the essence of Bratislava, Munchin Ice is all about traveling from Munich to Frankfurt. Each track is roughly labeled to it's location.

After the record was complete, I went back to Europe for a small tour. I was happy to see that at least as an experiment, it succeeded.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Nope. Can't say that I do. CD's are horribly toxic. I'm all about a copyright free Internet. If people want to support my work, they can certainly purchase the digital files, see me perform live, or request it on their local radio.

M*ASHtape #14

2010-08-08T11:37:00.000+01:00

Electrowaves + beat connections|collisions.

Download

VideoTape #21

2010-08-07T15:11:00.000+01:00

Dunes, "Handle"

Dunes 12" Debut EP (Mexican Summer, 2010)

Director: Christopher Ando

Fresh Blood > Dirt Dress

2010-08-06T22:10:00.000+01:00

Name: Dirt Dress
Origin: Los Angeles, California, US
Genre: Garage, Blues
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dirtdress

::MP3::

☮"The Conversation"
from Perdido En La Suciedad Vol.2 tape (Papermade Records, 2009)
[free download from the band's soundcloud]
☮"Stray Cats"
from Perdido En La Suciedad Vol.2 tape (Papermade Records, 2009)
[free download from the band's soundcloud]

[Our short interview after the read more]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Simple?

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

The Velvet Underground. The Fall. The Pixies.

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Michel Gondry!!!

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

Noah usually writes a little diddy then we all practice and make it into a song.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

Yes/yes/yes.

Fresh Blood > C V L T S

2010-08-06T20:33:00.000+01:00

Name: C V L T S
Origin: US
Genre: Experimental, Galactic lo-fi
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cvlts

::MP3::

♮L V T S
by C V L T S (AMDISCS, 2010)

[Our Q&A with C V L T S after the break]

::Q&A::

1. How would you describe your sound in a few words?

Melty and morphing goo.

2. Name 3 bands without whom you wouldn't exist.

The Velvet Underground / Dreamers Cloth / Neu!

3. If you'd have the chance to work with any film director, who would that be?

Werner Herzog.

4. Tell us a bit about the making of these songs.

We dusted off an old 80s keyboard. Sent it through some pedals we like.
Left subliminal messages in our recording invoking Satan.
Strummed some guitars. Our minds were pretty far gone throughout the process.

5. Do you still buy CDs/vinyl/ tape?

We buy all three.