Earlier this year I wrote about Melee Beats and the potential that is there. WELL, it's starting to take shape, and a very pleasing shape at that. Treading the line somewhere between the Junior Boys and the Avalanches, Nic Bertino has put together a song that is both relaxed and dancy but not self-indulgent in the way that some producers can end up getting. The song is kept simple with just one vocal line (This girlhype has got me goin' crazy) but it works well as different instruments float in and out of "Girlhype."
Melee Beats Myspace
Monday, December 31, 2007
Melee Beats - "Girlhype"
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
[F]reeeemix
Portland's globe-trotting, knob-twiddling, dance innovating Yacht is currently offering free downloads of his instrumental tracks. The downloads include his newest album "I Believe in You, Your Magic is Real" and his collabo with The Blow, "Paper Television" as well as some b-sides and a split with Lucky Dragons. These are all instrumentals and all free, mind you, so mix em up, sing your own holiday lyrics over them, whatever!
Team Yacht
Thanks YACHT!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
WORLD RAP CHAMPIONSHIPS
You might be watching basketball now, and good for you, but you might be missing out on the world rap championships starring Portland's own returning Champ Illmaculate of the Sandpeople (opening for Wu Tang on New Year's at the Roseland). The finals are well on their way and Illmac and The Saurus won their battle against the worthy Canadian adversaries Poorich and Kid Twist in a best of three. Now The Saurus and Illmac will go on to face Quest McCody and Marvwon from Detroit who have been "killin" it and destroyed Mad Illz and Parable with their more comedic style. Anyways check it out, it's pretty hilarious.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
hiatus
finals are almost over, so maybe i'll find some time to update more often in the coming weeks. maybe.
in the meantime, here is a video of a band playing a song. the band is called woods, the song is called "night creature". there's something to be said about a recording of a live performance where you don't have to look through a sea of cellphone cameras and sweaty couples making out just to see and hear what the fuck is going on. but that's not the only good thing about it.
woods myspace
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
DoubleDutch - Crumbs
Ahh well. Here it is folks. An early Christmas present from Audiosurface. Umm I'm pleased to say that the first (of many more) songs to be posted directly into this blog is 'Crumbs' from the first DoubleDutch album coming out next month. Rad.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Portland
My inside source for all things DoubleDutchy has affirmed my suspicions that it may well be one of the best albums of 2008, slated to come out in January. The album is done, mixed and mastered and will be coming out on Bang Back records which is a newly launched project that is part of Pinball publishing. There is also talk of our own Boygorilla doing a vinyl release. yum. In other Portland related news:
Kele Goodwin w/ Laura Gibson <-- yes, "lovely"
Can't get enough Starfucker? Try here
And what post would be complete without a video? Heres the new one from The Thermals!
Best of 2007
OMG! Read More!
15. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
14. Sigur Ros – Hvarf-Heim
13. Interpol – Our Love to Admire
12. Feist - The Reminder
11. Beirut - Flying Club Cup
10. Laura Veirs – Saltbreakers
9. Emily Jane White - Dark Undercoat
8. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
7. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
6. Radiohead - In Rainbows
5. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
4. Eskimo and Sons – How Does It Feel To Be Crushed By One Man With The Strength Of A Million? EP
3. Caribou - Andorra
2. Alela Diane - The Pirate’s Gospel (2007 UK release)
1. Menomena - Friend and Foe
there you have it. questions, comments, concerns?
Saturday, December 01, 2007
state of the union
as 2007 winds down, undoubtedly the general consensus will be that it was a great year for music. screenwriters are on strike, immobilizing the tv and movie industry, but the music industry keeps on keeping on. amidst all the bullshit about the state of popular music and the crippling effects of downloading, artists like radiohead have found new ways to turn standard practice on its head and still be successful. and they were able to do something special: inspire real excitement about the music itself. kanye west and 50 cent boosting each other's respective record sales by sharing the same release date? genius. living in portland, the opportunity to see great bands play at smaller shows at houses and clubs is unique. i think we can all agree that seeing kickball playing a sexy, sweaty set in a basement trumps seeing most any band sell out a swanky venue. so, for as much negativity that's swirling around in the music world, there's twice as much positive, amazing material being created. both artists and fans might just have to try just a little bit harder, but, as we've seen, that sort of challenge does pay off.
this video was actually the reason for this post.
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