Artist Spotlight: Emancipator

Last week I posted one of this guy's songs, because quite honestly, it was one of the best remixes I've ever heard (see "Shook"). What I didn't know was that the guy behind this remix was actually a 19 year-old college student from Virginia who also creates original tunes and has ridiculous talent. On his first album "Soon it Will be Cold Enough," he uses elements of jazz, hip-hop and down-tempo combined with violins, piano and samples. The result is beautiful. Listen for yourself below, I posted a few songs. The album is currently only available in Japan and can be purchased as an import, so if you like what you hear, buy his album so he has money to buy ramen noodles and booze, when he turns 21, of course.

Thank Carl it's Friday: 10/24/08

Here are a few songs that have given me a good, swift kick in the ass here on Friday. The first is a remix by Emancipator which melds Mobb Deep and Sigur Ros together seemlessly, who would've thought? I have a love/hate relationship with remixes, but when they're done like this, It's all love. The second is Matt & Kim's "Daylight", a catchy poppy song that you and I will likely hate in 2-3 weeks, but F- it, let's live in the NOW. I also added the video, which is slightly-to-moderately amusing. The last two are old favorites of mine, one by Apparat & Ellen Allien and one by Statistics. Merry Weekend. Oh, and I left you a treat at the bottom.



Matt & Kim - "Daylight"


I know it's old, but I simply can't get enough of this clip. At the risk of losing all credibility, I also think the song itself heats. . .

Songs of the Week: 10/20/08

There's no rhyme, reason or theme to these songs. . . other than the fact that they all kick ass.



Scrounged up the video for Sebastien Tellier's "Divine" also. Quite enjoyable.

Sebastien Tellier - "Divine"

Artist Spotlight: Passion Pit

Good day friends, I wanted to kick off the Artist Spotlight segment with a badass band from Cambrige, MA called Passion Pit. I've been listening to these guys for the past month or so and just can't stop. These guys are talented, unique and their music/beats are - literally and figuratively - tight. They have a self-described "euphoric and blissfully melancholic sound," which I'm going to go ahead and agree with. Even though there are only 6 songs released on their recent "Chunck of Change" EP, you can just tell there's something special about these guys, they just "get it"

There's also an interesting factoid about their recent EP. It was originally recorded and produced by Michael Angelakos (the lead/brains behind the group) as a Valentine’s Day present to his girlfriend which then prompted him to give it out to friends and fellow students at Emerson College. Angelakos wrote and recorded the entire record by himself.

Have a listen. . .



Here is the recently-released video for Sleepyhead. . . pretty sweet.

Passion Pit - "Sleepy Head"

Moving Picture Shows: 10/9/08

Hello friendos, I compiled some videos for you. Some are a little old, but I don't care. . .

Have you ever played music with the TV on mute and thought "Hey, this music sneaky fits the scene - but wait, now that I think about it, it actually kinda doesn't"? No? Screw you then. Well that's what this video reminds me of. Ratatat is all about the low-budget video, and this is no different. They take an ABBA video, cut and paste their eyes and mouths in different places, give it a splash of 80's graphics, and Voila! they have themselves a video. A little creepy, but a lot awesome.

Ratatat - "Shempi"



Cool video, great song. I've noticed there are a lot of great songs that sample children's voices in the background. I'll have to post a best of songs-that-sample-children's-voices-in-the-background playlist. Watch for it.

Daedelus - "Fair Weather Friends"



I'd be lying if I said this makes any damn sense whatsoever. It kinda looks like a skittles commercial directed by a wizard on acid. . .

TV on the Radio - "Golden Age"



This song simply HEATS, as does the video. . .

Justice vs. Simian - "We Are Your Friends"



Will Smith's hot new track. . .

Will Smith - "Nice Clean Rap"

Hump Day Tunes

Just a random compilation of some tunes that are helping me fumble through work today. . .

Songs of the Week: 10/6/08

This week I'm posting songs from artists who have held a spot in my music rotation for months. As much as I love looking for new music, I keep coming back to these bands who all have, and will always have, a special place in my ears.



On a related note, I had the privilege of seeing Ratatat and Chromeo here in Boston last week on back to back nights. If they come to a city near you and you don't go, that would be an extremely unwise decision. Here are a couple of videos from Chromeo and Ratatat for your viewing pleasure. . .

Chromeo - "Bonafide Lovin'"


Ratatat - "Mirando"

Song of the Week: 9/29/08

Every Sunday-ish or Monday-ish, I'll post a song or few that will knock your eardrums into oblivion.

The first installment of Song of the Week is "Super Copter" by Truckasauras. It's a catchy, blippy and beepy, Nintendo-esque slant on the Airwolf theme song. Yes, Airwolf - the preeminent TV action-espionage-drama of the 80s. . . that one.