so ya’ll, my ‘rents switched internet services, and since then my internet access has been limited and spotty at best. i want to take this time to give a big shoutout to AT&T broadcast for making my life miserable, i’m glad they really stepped up to the plate in being as awful as possible.
ok, now that that’s out of the way: this beautiful song, by experimental electronic/ambient/drone artist Oneohtrix Point Never, has been stuck in my head for about two months now. whereas his previous albums were more stuck in softly droning synths, Oneohtrix steps away from that in his latest album Replica to create a softer album based in soft sampling, vintage piano sounds, and gentle melodies. it’s still very much expirimental, though, as Sleep Dealer proves; soft chirpings, broken vocals, and a head nodding rhythm come together to create a truly great song.
i’m sorry, i’m a little rusty thanks to AT&T, ya’ll. i need time to get my writing chops back, but i promise i will.
this is the song i want playing as i prepare to go out into the black coldness of space for the first time, ready to see my ship from the outside in all its’ glory.
Oneohtrix Point Never- Sleep Dealer- Replica
Played 0 times.
24th April 2012
Notes: 2
before i get to the song, i have a few things to get off my mind first, ya’ll. first off, the 10mbs limit on audio files is probably my most hated thing about tumblr. i know i can find the videos on youtube (or download in a lower quality), but come on. 10mbs? that’s ridiculous, i don’t know why the creators of tumblr specifically hate me.
now, second, and a little more importantly, i’d like to introduce you guys a tag i use for music in my library frequently when trying to describe it to friends, and having no real references points. the term is space bass, and i feel like it could become a whole thing. let me explain; often, i find myself drawn to music that is bass heavy, not in the top 40 hip-hop sense filled with sporadic thuds, but in a deep house/minimal techno way, where the bass can range from a distinctive, playful bassline to a rolling, muddled growl. the music that i listen to, though from many diverse genres, also seem to remind listeners of space, the future, or robots. thus the term space bass; music based on bass lines, unsure beats, and a glimpse into the future.
‘but blackastronaut’, you’re saying, ‘this is just deep house! we don’t need a new name.’ well, i agree and disagree, sometimes it is just deep house, like in the case of John Roberts or Scuba. othertimes though, the lines are less clear. what genre would you put Surgeon’s beautiful song Remover of Darkness? or Shackleton’s Masssacre? for my friends, space bass is short hand for deep, moody electronic music that’s hard to categorize, and i think it’s pretty good shorthand who might not know the difference between 2-step and american dubstep, or microhouse vs chicago house, or know what idm stands for. i also think it’s relatively self explanatory, and describes the music in a way good enough to get the idea, like the way chillwave becomes immediate once you’ve heard Toro y Moi or stoner metal after Sleep’s Holy Mountain, or shit, even idm after hearing Aphex Twin (to an extent). like chillwave and idm, it is also a name being made up by some blogger with too much time, so i don’t see a reason it can’t stick. so, with that said…
this song, New Ground, from Andy Stott’s beautiful release Passed Me By, has been playing on my computer nonstop. it’s space bass/ (don’t worry, you’ll get used to it after a while), deep house perfection, and manages to stand out from an absolutely breathtaking album. don’t bother playing this on your terrible laptop speakers, though; this song’s pulsing, droning bass and simple yet effective beat are made for subs and sound systems, not skullcandies or your macbook. i’m a fan of doing a lot with a little, and Andy Stott delivers on all counts, using a sparse sample to break up the waves of sound his bassline conjures. the result is a hypnotic, relaxing song, one highly recommened for fans of ambient or drone-esque stuff like Surgeon, Boards of Canada, Shackleton, Oneohtrix Point Never, etc etc. it is my favorite from his 2011 release Passed Me By, but not by much. if you like this, i really suggest you grab this album as well as his album We Stay Together. i doubt ya’ll will regret it. plus, Passed Me By has one of my favorite album covers i’ve seen in a long while, if only for it’s simplicity.
this is the kind of music i want playing as i struggle to make repairs on my dying ship in space, running out of fuel, air, and alone, but moving forward nonetheless.
Andy Stott—New Grounds—Passed Me By
i just want to take a moment to promote one of my favorite artists, Shigeto, and his upcoming album Lineage, which will be out this tuesday. for anyone unfamiliar, Shigeto is a fantastic hip-hop/electronic/jazz artist signed over with the good folks at Ghostly International, and i for one cannot wait to see what he has in store for us next. Huron River Drive is one of his more calm tracks, but it has Shigeto fingerprints all over it; the fragmented clapping, the prepared piano loop,the ambient happiness. Shigetos’ tight production and keen ear for melody and rhythm always leave me wanting for more, and even with a new album days away i can’t wait to see what he’ll do in the future. if you haven’t, do yourself a favor and pick up his 2010 album Full Circle; it was one of the better albums that year, and easily holds next to other works like Flying Lotus’ Cosmogramma or Bonobos’ Black Sands. remember, ya’ll, three days!
this is the kind of music i want playing after i’ve retired from my life as a general and spend my days gardening with the wife and grandkids on our summer colony on Europa.
Shigeto—Huron River Drive—Lineage (coming soon!)
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ya’ll, i want you guys to know something i’ve never told anyone before; i liked I, Robot. not just the book; the movie too. now, i know there were plenty of things to dislike about that movie— will smith, shia labeouf, that one part where will sneezes and says “sorry, i’m allergic to bullshit”— but amidst all the poop is the scene with the robots huddled into shipping containers, and i personally don’t think i’ve ever seen such a good representation of a sad robot.
this song, Ghost Hardware, by spacey UK garage/dub master Burial, is a song that manages to capture the same mood that I, Robot, does, albeit in a more intense waves. samples drift in and out aimlessly like an obsolete model without a task; percussion moves along gently in the background, never stopping like the ticking on a clock; and of course hard synth sounds stab from the darkness powerfully, creating a surprisingly dynamic track with very little. all of Burials’ music is like this; though it seems spare and echoey, it also manages to be powerful and moving without sacrificing the desolate, abandoned feeling. both this album, Untrue, and his self-titled release are good, though Ghost Hardware is easily my favorite track from his discography.
this is the kind of music i want playing as i wake up to find myself alone in an old shuttle, its’ previous occupants seemingly evaporated, leaving nothing behind but singular black astronaut, drifting aimlessly around space.
Burial—Ghost Hardware—Untrue
Played 10 times.ya’ll, do yourselves a favor and pick up Shigeto’s album Full Circle as soon as possible. this album is already one of my favorites of 2010. Shigeto’s take on hip-hop is in the same vein as Flying lotus, but has it’s own distinct style that sets him apart from FlyLo and all the other FlyLo soundalikes. his warm textures, soft blips, deep basses and old school synth cover my ears in a blanket made of goddamn goosefeathers. cheesy sounding, to be sure, but i mean every word.
Shigeto-Ann Arbor Part 1-Full Circle
here’s the thing: i wrote a very long, detailed description of the artists and this song, but then i accidentally didn’t post, refreshed the page, and lost my progress. yeah. so now, i’m just going to fill you in very briefly on the things you need to know about this song
-Nils Frahm and Anne Muller (germans, right on)
-ambient/classical/idm/glitch
-very beautiful, minimal stuff, a must hear album if you like any of the genres mentioned; truly emotional
-highly recommended
Nils Frahm and Anne Muller-Show Me Your Teeth-7fingers
Played 0 times.i’ve been in an ambient mood lately. i find that i love sleeping to gentle music, especially when it’s composed of gentle sines. one of my favorite songs to sleep to has to be Chris Clark’s Caveman Lament. it’s starts off beautiful and fragile, but quickly morphs into something less petite and more sinister, all while remaining safely in the realm of ambient. it’s perfect, and is really what i imagine a caveman’s lament would sound like.
as you might know, Chris Clark is one of my favorite artists of all time, and i highly recommend everyone listen to him; he has albums for everyone. if you are into ambient stuff, try Clarence Park or Empty the Bones of You. if you want something more violent and dance oriented, try Turning Dragon or Totems Flare. you won’t be dissappointed.
Chris Clark-Caveman Lament-Clarence Park
Played 0 times.this song, Farenheit Fair Enough, is by fantastic musicians Telegon tel Aviv. it’s idm, glicth, ambient, downtempo- all those words that make awesome songs awesome. i can’t recommend this enough, ya’ll; it’s just that good.
Telefon tel Aviv-Fahrenheit Fair Enough-Fahrenheit Fair Enough
guys, i have found another fantastic artist, thanks the the good music board over at 420chan.org. if you have a moment, i suggest you take a look. there are a lot of dub step threads, to be sure, but if you can get past that, you’ll see that there’s a little bit of everything for everyone.
anyway, the artist goes by the name of The Field, and the song is Over the Ice. it’s great. it mixes all of my favorite genres-or, to be exact, awesome dance/trance with minimal and ambient. Over the Ice is microhouse perfection, and i wish there was a way i could live in it for the rest of my life. each song on the album From Here We Go to Sublime is just as good, and if you’re looking for something to nod out to or play at your next house party, i’m sure The Field has something for you.
The Field-Over the Ice-From Here We Go to Sublime
Played 21 times.i’m sure more than a few of you are aware of Boards of Canada; the scottish duo are one of the few bands with ‘ambient’ in their genre name that have still had moderate mainstream success.
this song, Pete Standing Alone, is among their finest. it provides us with a head nodding beat and mournful melody, with small blips and glitches here and again for effect. the result is the kind of song that anyone can leave on repeat and never get tired of.
Boards of Canada-Pete Standing Alone-Music Has a Right to Children
Played 10 times.