Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport

I was watching Top Chef: Masters tonight and one of the contestants commented on how “food should be like an Arcade Fire song…layers and layers…it should be like an orchestra” and it sounded pretty well-versed to me. It’s always good to see that music can reach a wide range, even if it is or isn’t because of The Suburbs surprising execution at The Grammys. Either way, it got me to thinking about music and layers; we’ve talked about Arcade Fire many times before but one distinction that some of the best music does have is layers and lots of them.

The style of layering and depiction of it is definitely present in the entire music electronic duo Fuck Buttons put out. Their first album got them an opening slot for Caribou during his 2008 tour and together they stopped at the old/old Club 101 where I first heard their music. Their newest album just came out and is receiving smashing talk as it is definitely one of the best of the year. But many would say it was their 2009 album, Tarot Sport, that truly shined the light on finely composed electronic music, with a pulse.

Bookended by two amazing songs, each of Fuck Buttons albums only have less than seven songs each but most span the ten minute mark as everything is about tension, release and attack. The closing “Flight of the Feathered Serpent” features a tribal-like, trance-like drum beating that is relentless in force. There’s a soaring melody that signifies the feathered serpent in flight as it battles through what sounds like a tumultuous ride. It has heavy doses of drums that are minimal in presentation but indicative of what Fuck Buttons are about: a full-blown assault on the senses. It’s layered within the walls of what is a powerful sound and although the synths and keyboards may not be as important as the actual drums here, it’s very much spectacular.

The opening song, “Surf Solar,” is definitely a piece that is tinged with the spectral touch of space and the atmosphere. It begins with a keyboard that is out of this world and that is both bemoaning an ominous style but mostly, delivering mood. The simple beat comes in before the synthesizer delivers the melody. Before you know it, you’re inside of this thick, densely layered world of bliss: it’s the perfect way to start Tarot Sport. These kinds of ‘orchestrations’ continue throughout the album, for it is what us snobs like to call – in a drastically different shade to something like Mount Kimbie, Bonobo or even, The Avalanches – real electronic music. And it was only a year removed from their first album but in many ways, worlds apart and most of all, a world that is easy to get lost in. (Also, FYI, this song was used as part of the montage for the London Olympics opening ceremony, hell yeah). – Bryan

Caribou - Swim

So I haven’t written in a while, sorry for those that happen to read this blog. I’m gonna try to get back into music – at least consciously – because I realize I am very behind on everything. It’s hard to be organized and it’s even harder to follow through on whatever tasks you set out for yourself; I am really learning that now. Still, whatever, I’m not gonna draw this out…so music…

I think I was at The Terror (Oct. 29) and I heard one of the DJs sample or really, just play “Odessa” and it instantly reminded me that I needed to get back to this album, quick. Caribou came to El Paso a couple years back when he released Andorra and he was pretty tremendous. And Swim is arguably, a bit better than his previous album and still, I hadn’t given it enough listens. So anyway, “Odessa” is the awesome opener (also featured in FIFA 11’s bad-ass soundtrack!) that is easily becoming one of 2010’s most beloved songs. The menacing melody is downright infectious and the song’s seamless flow through various instrumentation and beats is really, masterful. It’s a popular pick, sure; but it’s probably popular for at least a few good reasons, right?


“Leave House” has this certain kind of nervy synth that’s always underlining the music – I swear that when I heard the chorus the first time I though it was Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos – the bass is sublime and I love how it just grows and grows until it manifests into a huge wall of sound. I also think it has something to do with the layering and the rhythmic patterns at the front, that share a lot of LCD Soundsystem’s same tendencines; however, once you hear the vocals and the bubbling keyboards, it’s definitely Caribou. There’s some kind of 80s-influence in his music, too; it’s one of the many ‘other’ great songs off this album. – Bryan

LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

"But honestly, and be honest with yourself, how much time do you waste? How much time do you blow every day?"

I know it’s lame to post about an album that everyone has either heard or at least heard of already. But LCD Soundsystem’s latest album, This Is Happening, has been my most played album for the last three weeks and it’s been growing on me more and more. Not only do I think it just might be James Murphy’s best album to date but its sounds are so effectively superb that it sounds like it was crafted through years and years of delivery. It’s shocking to find out that its recording process was rather quick and all done in The Mansion, the famous ten-bedroom mansion owned by Rick Rubin.

The opening song, “Dance Yrself Clean” is easily, one of my favorite songs of the year. It’s stunning because sure, Murphy is mostly an electronic artist but the sounds he’s created are so brilliantly amazing that it’s almost like classical music in a modern setting. And by the time that explosion hits, you’re left in awe:


But as I’ve slowly gotten to get into, each song on This Is Happening is simply astounding. There’s the incredible growth of the closer and how it ties in the musical theme presented on the aforementioned opener, there is also the way “One Touch” continues to add more and more drums before offering its own change of pace, the beautifully developed sounds on “You Wanted a Hit,” and also the startlingly great indie rock of “All I Want.” But what has had me really addicted lately is “Pow Pow” and its memorable one-liners. Not only do the sounds and rhythms recall Talking Heads but Murphy’s casual delivery and his ability at creating those one-liners ("I'm paralyzed and looking through you. But if nothing's right, we try anyway") is unmatched, check it out here. – Bryan

Blake – CMYK EP

Don’t you hate it when you remember that you wanted to mention something to someone or anybody for that matter but way after it’s too late? For the longest time, I wanted to come here and post about this EP by 21-year old super electronic producer James Blake and I never got around to it. Whether it was trying to mix up the diversity or trying to make other solid posts, I completely missed recommending CMYK and its four awesome songs.

Nonetheless, this is a short and direct EP that needs to be picked up by a lot of people. Somewhat dubstep, somewhat techno, somewhat IDM, and all electronic, these four songs push forward with tremendous results. Blake does a great job of keeping his beats heavy and at the front, while always carrying gorgeous sounds all over. And while I wanted to post all four songs on here, here are the two that I found.

Many will love the Burial similarities on this title-track but please, listen to those strings in the background and with just how melodic this all is. And once the snare kicks in and it explodes, wow.


And here is “I’ll Stay,” which reminds me more of Madlib and Flying Lotus than it does of Burial; especially with the almost worldly-sounding beats and its tempered groove. – Bryan

DJ Donna Summer - Raw EP

This is a new EP by Nightshifters lablehead Jason Forrest who goes by DJ Donna Summer. His first release in 2 years, the music on this EP ranges with everything from house, IDM, dubstep and straight up electronic music. But what makes it all the more engaging are his transitions and ear for layering.

There are songs ("Fighter") that are built around an addition of instruments and tones before exploding all over the canvas and then there are others like the title track that very simply, burst at the seems with intensity. The undertones are subtle and enticing and the atmospherics lend a blissful amount of style. When hearing something as good as this, I can’t help but wonder why it will never make it to the dancefloors – where it belongs.

Nonetheless, getting the word out is needed. Below is a video to that aforementioned title track, all of the songs on the EP can be heard on his myspace page and hopefully, we see a physical release soon. – Bryan

Dj Donna Summer - Raw from Nightshifters on Vimeo.

Basketball and Electronic Music

You see, there’s just too much to be glad about nowadays. For one, the UTEP Miners’ basketball team is a C-USA best 10-1, with an overall record of 19-5! This is amazing for a program that saw two promising coaches come and go and which was on the rebuilding side for the past few seasons. Randy Culpepper was always a star but this time, they’ve amassed quite the team. This is one that should make the NCAA Tournament and they deserve our support. Gonna try to make it out to their last two home games, next Saturday Feb. 27 against lowly Rice and the closer, Saturday, March 6 against UAB. The latter is a good team that we beat earlier in the year on their home court but we can do it!

Next, electronic music: a genre that I fully respect and admire now. Back when I was still just a budding music listener, electronic music felt so cold and stale. There was a harsh disconnect but luckily, I’ve broken through. So many artists to name, 2010 has already started off with three amazing electronic albums. We have the new one by Hot Chip which is utterly moving, the new one by Pantha Du Prince who is a master craftsmen and now, Four Tet’s latest There is Love in You. It’s minimal, almost ambient techno but it’s also superb. He was been touted by the likes of Radiohead as a premier beat-maker and this new album is no slouch.

Here is a youtbue video to a brilliant song off the album, “Love Cry.” It’s made by a street photographer who captures the pictures and then finds music to match it with. The music is the star but the photos are a great montage too:



Enjoy and if you like what you hear or read, or even if you hate it, let us know! - Bryan