An Emotional Reaction

Gotye, Making Mirrors

Before, I tended to think of Gotye’s Wally De Backer as a guy who makes slightly mournful electronic nighttime music. I think it’s because “Heart’s A Mess”, which was the perfect nighttime drive song. His newest album Making Mirrors doesn’t seem unified by that one overall mood though, but rather all over the place like the trajectory of Beck’s career. “Bronte” and “Somebody That I Used to Know” are the moody pulse-driven tracks I expected, but then there’s “Easy Way Out”, a slinky, retro track that actually rocks, and “Eyes Wide Open”, the slick first single which really showcases De Backer’s voice. “I Feel Better” has obvious soul influences. He’s a guy with a lot of tricks under his hat. Most of them work. 

Eyes Wide Open by Gotye

Go buy Making Mirrors.

Sunday Five: Toro y Moi, Cults, and more

1. 

[MP3] Toro y Moi - Saturday Love

Chaz dropped a new Toro y Moi cut the past week. It’s pretty much bliss. Honestly, when you listen it does feel like a Saturday. Even today, on a Sunday.

2. Cults finally have a video for the sparkly gem of a song that is “Go Outside”, and it’s pretty… intense. I guess it reminds you of where they got their band name from?

Go Outside, by Cults from Boing Boing on Vimeo.

3. 

Pitchfork’s Music Fest was/is this weekend, and as a result I’ve finally gotten into Gang Gang Dance. Mostly I’m into the groovy funk of “Romance Layers”. Apparently they are playing at Johnny Brenda’s too on the 20th!

4. In the case of Elite Gymnastics, I’m going to let them/their lastFM speak for themselves. FYI my favorite track from them is “m i n n e a p o l i s   b e l o n g s   t o   y o u”.

THESE GUYS KILL

SOME CHILL AS FUCK BEATS WITH SOME BALLER SAMPLES

THEY ALSO DO WICKED AS FUCK REMIXES

DOWNLOAD IMMEDIATELY FROM THEIR CHILL TUMBLR

5. My latest Bandcamp addiction is Crash Collect, especially the track “Move”.

Naked Chins

Sophie Madeleine’s sound is poignant. Her voice holds a secret you want to figure out. She’s almost precious, but undeniably talented. She even wields a ukulele.

Check out her performance of an older track, “Beard Song”.

Sky’s the limit

This is soulful, synth-y hip-hop that sounds like it’s being broadcast, no blasted, out of outer space.

Sunday Five: New Bjork, Bad Lamps EP, and more

1) The first of new Björk hit the internet a few days ago. Check it over @ Disco Naivete, if you haven’t already. “Crystalline” is wonderful, perhaps my favorite track I’ve heard from her in a while.

2) I’m obsessed with this track, ”Wastin’ Time”, off of the new Shoes album Crack My Bones. It doesn’t help that there’s a great video to go along with it.

Buy Crack My Bones or stream and jam out to it.

3) Stream the Soultronic EP by Bad Lamps over at Bandcamp, or download and name your own price. They provide some fresh, catchy stomp-along pop tracks. I especially dig “The Moor”, and “Fancy Dresses” is legitimately classifiable as “dance-folk”.

4) Jo Hamilton’s “How Beautiful” starts off a bit sinister, but her voice packs plenty of sweetness. Her sound is anything but conventional and still goes down easy. I could say I get PJ Harvey vibes, but she is her own woman no doubt.

5) I haven’t listend to JoJo in a while, but after playing this mixtape I remember how great her voice actually is.

saladfork | the-weekndxo:

The Weeknd - The Birds (Part 1)

DOWNLOAD