San Diego bred, Buffalo transplant masher upper, Edwang, released his latest re-dub today via his bandcamp page. Backed by Washed Out's "It All Feels Alright," Wang's "What A Job" Remix picks from the 2007 underground hiphop hit featuring Devin the Dude, Snoop Dogg and Andre 3000, and turns it into a whole new beast. Edwang continues to prove he is a skilled producer in a growing Buffalo scene. Now if he only started DJing on Allen...
The natural world is alright, but sometimes I think it's a little overrated. It sometimes smells terrible, it can be downright boring, and wildlife can be a real pain in the ass (especially deer). That's really why I've come to value high definition intermediaries who gets to put up with all of that nonsense and edit and present the natural world for my viewing pleasure, whether it's BBC's Planet Earth, the Water Monster guy chasing the elusive whatever, or the video for Washed Out's "Don't Give Up," the latest single from Paracosm. Directed by Kate Moross, it's a riot of color, visual textures, and beautiful framed images of non boring animals not generally found around here that's as visually chilled out as the Ernest Greene jam it accompanies.
Washed Out have labeled their most recent album a "paracosm," a lavishly developed fantasy world found most often in childhood imaginings and the alternate universes of myth-obsessed writers. But if Paracosm is a fantasy world, it certainly isn't the stuff of Tolkein. Instead, the Sub Pup release feels like the "Endless Summer" Brian Wilson once dreamt. Its fantasy is gentle and serene, vaguely exotic but mainly parked at your nearest beach.
Full of rich sonic textures and over fifty instruments, Paracosm surrounds the listener with its radiant warmth and soothing sweep. Effortlessly blending many layers of sound, the album never feels overbearing or over-orchestrated. Ernest Greene's musical vision is tender, nuanced, and filled with tidal ebbs and flows of sound that conjure the sea at its calmest and most inviting.
That the ultimate summer album arrives toward the season's end here in Buffalo is a cruel irony indeed. Nonetheless, Paracosm should offer year-round peace and relaxation. Though the record's overall psychedelic temperament lulls individual songs into subservience to an overarching tone poem, the lack of stand-out tracks hardly suggests weakness. All of the tracks "feel" right and recognize that "feeling" is what the album is all about. Paracosm feels good to listen to and what more can be asked for from such a shimmery, summery gem?
The evolution of chillwave, or maybe just its abandonment, continues on the newly leaked tune from Washed Out's forthcoming album Paracosm. "Don't Give Up" may not have the whole kitchen sink thrown at it like "It All Feels Right," but the lush, slowed down tune does boast some welcome tribal beats/percussion as Ernest Greene keeps tinkering with his new pysch sound. Paracosm will be released on August 13th.
Chillwave sure didn't seem to last long did it? The genre's three major players, Neon Indian, Toro Y Moi, and Washed Out, all seem to be distancing themselves from the lo-fi genre. While Neon Indian embraced melodies and Toro Y Moi basically became a hipster Michael Jackson, Washed Out's Ernest Greene remains the most interesting, and best vocalist, of the three. His latest album, Paracosm (ok that title is kind of chillwave...), will drop in mid August, and the album's fascinating first single hit the web this morning. "It All Feels Right" sees Greene continue the lush sounds of Within and Without, while adding layer after layer of seasonal, psych effects, most likely from a handful of the rumored 50 different instruments reportedly used on the album. In "It All Feels Right," Greene seems to be going in a similar direction that Youth Lagoon look on his Wondrous Bughouse record. Paracosm will be released on August 12th.
I am consistently amazed by the volume of quality singles that come out on a weekly basis. As I have continued with this column, I have less and less trouble coming up with 5 songs to post each week. Often, I have more than 5 but rarely, if ever, go beyond that maximum because I want to make sure the stuff I like most does not get lost in deluge of releases and it is, quite regularly, a deluge of new music. And while everyone is constantly bringing our attention to all of the things vying for our attention (so much so that articles about how we are being pulled in multiple directions by the endless influx of data is itself a prominent genre within that endless influx of data), it is really staggering to stop and think about everything that is easily available to us at once. That said, it does mean that I never can fully pay attention to these singles after I write about them; however, this in turn creates its own filter as the stuff that really stands out is the stuff that sticks with me in the proceeding weeks. Either way, regardless of how you feel with being inundated with new bands, micro genres, etc., with such regularity, there is really something exhilarating about it all. So, here are this week's tracks, and as always, enjoy!
Melody's Echo Chamber - "Je Me Perds De Vue:" Melody's Echo Chamber's debut, a solid LP of psychedelic indie pop, was one of last year's most underrated records. "Je Me Perds De Vue," the b-side to an upcoming single is more of the same, a feedback drenched song with a creeping rhythm that, when combined with the icy vocals, is reminiscent of Broadcast.
Pond - "Giant Tortoise:" Originally, Tame Impala was a side project for members of Pond, but Tame Impala became a side project big enough for journalists to refer to Pond as the side project. Pond, while definitely in the same vein as Tame Impala, features a bigger, more anthemic sound. "Giant Tortoise" is a sludgy track featuring a spaced out bridge that slowly builds back to the level of its over the top opening.If you would prefer that Tame Impala be a little more bombastic, Pond might be for you.
Alpine - "Gasoline:" A burst of a song reminiscent of Phoenix at their most catchy. "Gasoline" features female vocals over a blippy synth and guitar and an exceedingly bouncy beat. Alpine, hailing from Australia, will be releasing a debut LP later this year.
Caveman - "In the City:" Caveman's latest single might be my favorite new track this week. The song features a crisp synth line, a steady rhythm and pensive, strident vocals for an overall melancholy effect . The vocals drop out during the last third leaving the dramatic melody to finish out the track.
Washed Out - "The Sound of Creation:" A subtle and drifting track, Washed Out made this as part off a deal with Phillips to create a song exploring his "autobiographical exploration of his musical influences." While I am not really sure what that actually means, the result is "The Sound of Creation." Textured and gentle the song slowly builds until the end, cutting out abruptly before achieving any sort of real climax...that's what she said (HEYO! Sorry.)
Chillwave artists seem to be all growns up these days. The genre, which may or may not have been coined by fellow music blogger Carles of Hipster Runoff back in 2009, has been characterized by hazy, filtered vocals, electronic melodies, and of course, more synths than you know what to do with. The three acts carrying torch for the young genre these days are Toro Y Moi, Neon Indian, and Washed Out, all of whom recently released albums that should shed some of the chill wavers sceptics who think the genre is a passing fad.
Beginning with Toro Y Moi, Chaz Budnick and crew came on to the scene in 2009 with Causers of This, an album of dreamy, mellow electro pop. These days though, Budnick seems to have gotten his inner funk on with the follow up Underneath the Pine. Next is Neon Indian. Led by front man Alan Palamo, the group has gone from dance ready synth and sample heavy songs on his debut Psychic Chasms to a lush, romantic feel on the just released Era Extrana. Finally, Washed Out, whose 2011 release Within and Without was not the out of left field follow up like fellow chill waver Toro Y Moi, but rather a polished, fully realized vision of the groups sound that was only touched on their Life of Leisure EP. The group's seductive dream pop, with lead singer Earnest Green, will open for Aussie dance rockers Cut Copy tonight at Town Ballroom.
Also opening tonight will be Brooklyn's Midnight Magic. Made up of former members of indie dance act Hercules & the Love Affair, the nine piece group combines electronics with disco and funk, sure to get even the most heavy toed concert goer, including yours truly, moving. Led by the strong, yet soulful vocals of Tiffany Roth, Midnight Magic is the perfect place setter for what will surely be one of the better shows to come through Buffalo this year.
Washed Out and Midnight Magic will open for Cut Copy tonight. Music begins at 8:00pm.
When I heard that chillwave act Washed Out, who rides into town tomorrow for a show with Cut Copy, had decided to cover Chris Isaak's cheese-tastic "Wicked Games", I figured that the band had a good sense of humor and the cover would be more of the tounge in cheek variety. After hearing the song live on a live session on Sirius Radio, it turns out the band may have taken this cover more seriously than I thought. Washed Out frontman Earnest Greene's hazy vocals replaces Isaak's croon, while heavy synths make this already slow rocker(for lack of a better word) an even lusher mood piece.
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