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Archive for the ‘Emerging Artists’ Category
Different but still the same
I remember having a discussion a few years ago with some guy about the song “Personal Jesus” on Johnny Cash’s album “American IV: The Man Comes Around“. He thought the Depeche Mode cover version was pretty neat, but couldn’t come up to Johnny Cash’s original. Due to my sense of justice (and my strong devotion for Depeche Mode), I tried to explain that it’s actually the other way round, but he wouldn’t believe me. And to be honest with you, who could blame him?
This conversation could happen again, when I would talk with someone about Bart Davenport‘s current album “Searching For Bart Davenport“. Twelve songs and he embraces every single one, it would never occur to you that he hasn’t been the composer.
The first song “Come On Let’s Go” originally by electronic/Dream Pop band Broadcast, is a worthy follower for José Gonzáles‘ version of The Knife‘s “Heartbeats”. Davenport created an intimate song, boiled down to the root of the matter.
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Tetris For Your Ears
It’s sad but true: my computer game experience is limited to Tetris. But I was totally addicted to this one for a couple of years. I loved watching the tetrominoes falling down the playing field. And then the challenge to create a wall by moving and rotating the items, very exciting.
You are maybe wondering what this adolescence memory has got to do with Fujiya&Miyagi‘s current album “Ventriloquizzing“? Plenty.
The Tetris-wall-satisfaction is the feeling I get, when I’m listening to “Ventriloquizzing. It’s like watching patterns of music falling down a playing field moving and rotating until they merge into the perfect wall of sound.
With their fourth album, the Brighton based band created their entrance to musical adulthood. The sound is still typical Fujiya&Miyagi Krautrock influenced electronic music. Steve Lewis, David Best, Matt Hainsby and Lee Adams make no secret of their fondness for Neu! and Can, but they also straighten out that Fujiya&Miyagi is much more than a Krautrock tribute band.
2How to back the right horse
The debut release “Centuries” from Dark Dark Horse could be described with one sentence: it is pleasant anticipation set to music. Their pop influenced electronic sound is romantic in the best sense or as Charles Baudelaire used to say: “Romanticism is precisely situated neither in choice of subject nor exact truth, but in the way of feeling.”
And the best thing about feelings, they don’t stick to any rules. Neither does the sound of Dark Dark Horse. Erik Satie like piano tunes meet IDM beats meet spherical synthesizer soundscapes all kept together by James Stafford’s flowery lyrics and his gentle voice.
If you’re a fan of Postal Service, Anderson, The New Wine or American Analog Set you must not miss out Dark Dark Horse. And if not, listen to them anyway!
Unfortunately this dazzling debut is not available in Europe at the moment, but I reckon it will be pretty soon. Check out their myspace site for more infos and have a look at my interview with Jamie Ward.
First of all, who is Dark Dark Horse? Please introduce yourself!
0Silent Devices – a very serious hobby
After the first time I listened to Silent Devices and their EP “Two Decades“, I was left with two questions. Why haven’t I heard of this band until now? And why are they apparently unsigned?
The most beautiful thing about their music is the way they avoid this miserable apocalyptic atmosphere that often comes along with post rock. Josh, Scott, Alex and Charlie make something you could call “lyric post rock”. Layers of sounds and vocals intertwine and become some sort of a magic carpet. Make yourself comfortable and fly away!
“Two Decades” stands out, because it’s genuine. Silent Devices have a keen sense for their own musical strengths and I guess that’s why they’re not afraid to set priorities. I’m pretty sure we’re going to hear a lot more from the Leicester based band soon. Until then you should check out the interview with Silent Devices’ drummer Alex:
2You shall overcome
I’d like to start this review by making a daring case. The extraordinary thing about Kid Decker’s music is, it’s ordinary. I know this sounds absurd and you may ask yourself why I would recommend an ordinary album.
I do so, because “Your Kind” reminds me of something really important: you should never take things for granted. And the funny thing is, we usually just take the ordinary things in life for granted. So much for the philosophic part.
Craig Saunders aka Kid Decker is a singer-songwriter from Somerset in South West England. He decided to move to Germany a few years ago and made his mark by playing live a lot, co-organizing the folk festival Melodica and winning the German music contest Krach & Getöse (which means something like Noise & Bluster). His music is neither noise nor bluster, but straight folk. Sometimes uplifting, sometimes melancholic, the Lo-Fi production of “Your Kind” teases out a lovely private and homey feeling.
2How to speak without using a word
There is no excuse or explanation why Codes In The Clouds is still a Post-Rock insider tip. Their second album “As The Spirit Wanes” is what you might call a pretty neat piece of work. And I don’t do this very often, but the Dartford based quintet released an album I would entitle a must-hear. And why is that? I know you usually don’t link this word to music, but their sound is sustainable. It’s sustainable in being timeless and luscious apart from the musical genre. Stephen Peeling, Ciaran Morahan, Rob Smith, Jack Major and Joe Power (what a name!) are without a doubt extremely talented musicians with that rare gift of taking vivid speeches without using a word. Their instruments take over that part and just as intangible and floating as their songs might seem, you’re immediately roped in and shaken up.
3The Sound of Silence
I’m not sure if it’s even possible to write a review that could do justice to The Quiet Lamb. After their debut albumThe Heritage, the UK based (Leicester, Leeds and York) band Her Name Is Calla recently released their second ‘creation’, after years of planning and recording in several bedrooms, schools and hallways. I deliberately use the word creation in this case, because it’s not really accurate to call The Quiet Lamb an album. The usual listening habits are of no use here. You need to dip into it from the first to the last tone, not until then this music unfolds its complete beauty and strength. And I highly recommend to do so and take these 75 minutes time. The Quiet Lambcelebrates the sound, the silence and the sound of silence. Dark, but not pitch-black, melancholic, but not sad. This is Post-Rock without being only Post-Rock. This is art without being arty. Beautiful.
2Happy Friday from the Mystery Guitar Man!
This guy is absolutely brilliant, check out his YouTube channel for more videos.
3School of Seven Bells – about spiritual kinships and blood relationships
School Of Seven Bells recently released their new single “Heart Is Strange” taken from their second album “Disconnect From Desire”. Benjamin Curtis and twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza met in 2004 while touring. They decided to end their commitments to their old bands and eventually became School Of Seven Bells by the end of 2006. Considering their history as individual artists, their formation as School Of Seven Bells and their music, it seemed obvious to ask a few questions about relationships.
What do your families think of your music? Do they like it?
Benjamin: Absolutely. I think both of our families are really proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.
9Happiness Hurts
If Hurts were a product, Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson would be every advertising agency’s dream. Their youtube video for the song “Wonderful Life” was one of last year’s youtube sensations, apart from that you were kept in the dark about the band Hurts. You couldn’t find anything neither on their website informationhurts.com (the name says it all) nor on their myspace site. Almost one and a half year later they finally will release their debut “Happiness” in September. And admittedly the hype was completely justified. It doesn’t matter if you call it Disco Lento or New Romantic, if you compare their sound to Human League or Gazebo, fact is: “Happiness” is a collection of intoxicating but melancholic sophisticated arranged pop ballads. They probably did the right thing and avoided their own hype. Otherwise “Happiness” could have been this kind of album where some mediocre songs accompany one or two great tunes. But I don’t think they couldn’t have done it any better and if you listen to the album, you’ll know what I mean.
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