Jim James – Eternally Even

by stan · January 28, 2019

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Dark indie rock, folk

Moods

Chilly breath of death

Thoughts

First time I heard this I was driving upstate late on a Friday night in winter. The empty roads, cold dry winter landscape outside with closed shops providing the only break in landscape seemed a fitting scene for this soundtrack.

I like his style: ethereal, nocturnal and dusky natural singing voice doused in reverb. I found the straightforward pop songwriting a bit boring as an album however.

The ‘we ain't getting any younger’ refrain has stuck with me, something particularly effective about it.

I plan to revisit this and more of his catalog in the future.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Jim-James-Eternally-Even/release/9290528

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u67Tf0lbgzY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-5JUqv8LcY

Spotify

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Jim James – Eternally Even

Description: Album Review of Jim James – Eternally Even

Written by: stan
Rating: 2 out of 5

Cavern Of Anti-Matter – Void Beats/Invocation Trex

by stan · January 28, 2019

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Krautrock open ended free flowing jams

Moods

A ringing E chord and three-dee melodie

Thoughts

Consider this an extension of Stereolab as it's led by Tim Gane. At times they mimic Stereolab and CAN with the organ and spritely bounce so often employed in their songs. I'd say these guys are a bit more laid back and not quite as tight. There's an exploratory rhythm and that's perhaps what invokes CAN, each beat feels like they're chugging into new territory and comfortable with wherever they end up (perhaps this natural optimism is what makes stereolab so infectious).

Pantechnicon is a good one, the keys feel a bit more fun and it signals a more melodic shift overall.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Cavern-Of-Anti-Matter-Void-BeatsInvocation-Trex/release/8143859

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIPfPQslS-s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njkK_YO6Zt0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVNhXIaXtFI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2dZ46U2pl8

Spotify

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Cavern Of Anti-Matter – Void Beats/Invocation Trex

Description: Album Review of Cavern Of Anti-Matter – Void Beats/Invocation Trex

Written by: stan
Rating: 3 out of 5

Abra – Princess

by stan · January 24, 2019

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Indie modern r&b

Moods

Promiscuous r&b

Thoughts

I like this kind of r&b. Free, easy sorta guilty pleasure. Production works well and she's created a persona that works even if it's trying to attention grabbing in it's straightforwardness

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Abra-Princess/release/8804120

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsNzPAOQEnE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I-POWtEJ8U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvVJx7dcoqo

Spotify

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Abra – Princess

Description: Album Review of Abra – Princess

Written by: stan
Rating: 3 out of 5

DJ Dodger Stadium – Stand Up And Speak

by stan · January 8, 2019

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Energetic electro with a pop element

Moods

Out dancing at a clean shiny place

Thoughts

Quick hitting electro, tight tracks that keep the tempo up; their a talented production pair. It's not full on pop (tracks feel like they were written by beat makers rather than lyricists) but each track features an vocal loop of some sort.

I believe this is the album the recruited the singers from Craigslist which is a cool idea: giving a chance to someone who needs it while keeping costs down. It's a rotating cast of singers but it felt like they homogenized their voices through too much production. The album starts off strong but has a generic feeling toward the end.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/DJDS-Stand-Up-And-Speak/release/8161912

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBUil-pnNhI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tDTApVrzeU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpPwmnNNedA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBvRnp1WyM0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzMqauRDrfA

Spotify

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DJ Dodger Stadium – Stand Up And Speak

Description: Album Review of DJ Dodger Stadium – Stand Up And Speak

Written by: stan
Rating: 3 out of 5

Azealia Banks – Slay-Z

by stan · December 19, 2018

★☆☆☆☆ = Bad

Sounds like?

Rap edm

Moods

Night out, downtown Manhattan or how not to do a rap/electro crossover

Thoughts

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Azealia-Banks-Slay-Z/release/8469877

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXUfBxMbC3A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usDQB21uQ1A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH90-6sCIoc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJskdaNiz6U

Spotify

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Azealia Banks – Slay-Z

Description: Album Review of Azealia Banks – Slay-Z

Written by: stan
Rating: 1 out of 5

Into It. Over It. – Standards

by stan · December 4, 2018

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Revivalist emo singer songwriter

Moods

Revisiting your high school

Thoughts

There's a mature social introspection that separates this from the classic emo-pop I liked in my teens. Hard to deny the poppy directness of his songs, it's as if he's taken the best parts of emo songwriting and applied them as an adult songwriter.

Aside from an off-putting smugness in his delivery but I found this is a satisfying listen overall. At 32 and feeds a trip down nostalgia lane while still feeling new.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Into-It-Over-It-Standards/release/8242767

Listen!

Spotify

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Into It. Over It. – Standards

Description: Album Review of Into It. Over It. – Standards

Written by: stan
Rating: 3 out of 5

Mary Halvorson Octet – Away With You

by stan · December 2, 2018

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?
Big, modern, swinging avant-garde jazz

Moods
Feeling.. technical

Thoughts
She’s been hyped a lot for her live shows here in New York and as my first introduction to her I can see why as this is a must hear for anyone interested in modern compositions. Meticulously arranged, this offers layers of strings, brass and rhythm executed flawlessly.

Hats off to the vision and level of playing. Nothing sexy here, its ‘dooty’ plain vanilla jazz but damn those are incredibly interesting compositions.

Side one is where it’s at. Rewards repeat listens.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Mary-Halvorson-Octet-Away-With-You/release/9341908

Listen!

Youtube

Spotify

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Mary Halvorson Octet – Away With You

Description: Album Review of Mary Halvorson Octet – Away With You

Written by: stan
Rating: 4 out of 5

A-Trak – In The Loop: A Decade Of Remixes

by stan · October 24, 2018

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?
Choice indie favorites reimagined through Atraks tight, energetic turntablist approach

Moods
Active urban pulse, perfect for sound tracking busy moments in the city.

Thoughts
I think A-trak is one the best electro dudes out there, mostly for his remix work on things like dirty south dance 1 and 2 (note to self: revisit these). Always fresh, he’s got a great ear for modern electro and incorporating a variety of tastes into his turntablism approach. Solid collection here.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/A-Trak-In-The-Loop-A-Decade-Of-Remixes/release/9466928

Listen!

Youtube

Spotify