Maps & Atlases have let loose a cryptic trailer for their upcoming release Beware And Be Grateful. Not entirely sure what it means…if we’re looking at a concept album or what, but I do hope there will be more of these shorts. I’m liking the album’s crossed arrows logo, as well the snippet of new material at the end of the video sounds awesome…a fuller sound than I’m used to from the band.

Beware and Be Grateful will come out on April 17th 2012.

I get why Skrillex is derisive, but why the whole genre? Sure the most popular elements of the genre are like a bowl of Frosted Flakes and Lucky Charms over coffee but I think the core American fanbase that’s probably ruining dubstep for the world.

Either way, racist or not…Michael Richards was a great physical comedian. Right?

We can stop talking about dubstep now.

In the long ago days that we called 2006, the stars aligned, money appeared and I secured a press pass to Iceland Airwaves. I flew alone to Reykjavik and took in the festival. It’s always a well curated affair that takes over most of the small 101 district. The charm lies in the close proximity of all the venues, the beauty of the city and the kindness of the locals. The first night I met a couple who offered up great conversation and a couch to crash on, as my hotel was a bit of a hike. Had this been America, I most likely would have woken up in an ice bath without my kidneys. In addition to the main venues, there are tons of off-venue events which offer up many chances to discover and repeatedly see local Icelandic acts. The weekend contained what I still regard as one of the best shows of my life: Wolf Parade supporting Apologies To Queen Mary in a packed tiny club called Tuborg. I forgot my press pass would get me to the other side of the divider, but I contentedly enjoyed the nearly too loud set pressed against the barrier. Afterward with my ears still ringing, I took my rental bike into the dark of the suburbs along the water. The streets were desolate, yet still felt safe and I could see the northern lights faintly above the horizon. Probably one of the better evenings of my life.

The festival ended with pages of notes and even a few interviews on tape. I returned to the US to no job and little motivation to write. Quickly, I woke up to the press deadline looming above my head and no place to publish the words I had yet to write. Cutoff passed and I can only guess that my name is still on the blacklist they warned about.

I still love the festival and this 39 minute documentary is a loveletter with a great selection of interviews and performaces from the last 10 years of Airwaves. Here’s hoping that this post can work to repair the damage I did 5 years ago by not promoting the festival then. Sorry, Iceland!

Also, extra apologies to Skakkamanage and þórir from My Summer As A Salvation Soldier. I interviewed you guys because I was a fan and I’m sad I never did anything with it.

Here’s the video I shot at local record store Skifan of Skakkamanage performing “OFC’s”

Also, here’s my photoset from the trip.

Despite the unfortunate title, Diaper Island is an amazing, heady mix of reverbed mood woven with a voice that at times seems barely strong enough to sustain the weight of the sometimes sad words sung. I had somehow missed the boat on finding him through any of his previous three releases, but I’m more than happy with what I’ve found. The album is a tender mix of beautifully paranoid and touching songwriting, all articulated with a delicacy that few can match.

Though off of 2008′s Soft Airplane, the tremendous ‘Rabid Bits of Time’ was featured on the soundtrack of the 2011 film Norman and sums up all that is beautiful and fragile about VanGaalen’s songwriting:

I don’t have a strong opinion about Das Racist, every so often someting pops up from them that you can’t deny the slacker brilliance. I grabbed Heems’s recently released mixtape ‘Nehru Jackets’ on a whim and was pretty impressed. More than a few tracks are built around awesome chopped samples of Indian vocalists paired with some quite decent beats. As well, the mixtape has guest spots from the likes of Danny Brown, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Das Racist’s Kool A.D., Action Bronson, Childish Gambino and Despot. ‘Nerhu Jackets’ is petty good for a guy who broke onto the scene with an ode to Yum! Brand franchises. Though, to be fair, they moved on to Žižek references which is in my mind, a fine evolution.

This free mix was unleashed on the world via the insidious playground that was Megaupload. Thanks to the Feds, that dark shadow has been purged from the earth. (Whatever will Swizz Beats do?) You can still grab it from Hulkshare…don’t tell anyone.

Also, here’s my favorite thing done with their rhymes – Anamanaguchi’s remix of ‘Rainbow In The Dark’:

While I’m not a massive fan of Joanna Newsom’s last two albums, but I have a deep affection for her debut The Milk Eyed Mender. This week’s episode of Austin City Limits features her…and Fleet Foxes, but who cares about them. Newsom’s vocal style has softened over the years, but the melodies in ‘Bridges and Balloons’ are still gorgeous. I’d imagine if she continued to pummel her vocal chords like she did in the past, she’d be out of the game by now. Check out her episode airs this Saturday and will be available on PBS.org.

Bonus video: Check out this Tom Waits Christmas gem from ACL in 1978.

Useless factoid: I accidently had a conversation with Joanna Newsom at the office, but didn’t know who I was talking to at the time. Probably for the better.

I can count on one hand, the number of times that I listened to Isam this year but it still deserves a place on this year-end tally. The album is a solid listen, best with a nice pair of headphones to appreciate the intricacies of the production, but the best way to experience the album is in a far less intimate context: live. The limited tour cycle for Isam landed it showing at 2011′s Moogfest and the fact that this was part of the lineup was my primary reason for attending the festival. Despite being stuck in the middle of cluster of teenage drug vacuums chattering through most of the set, Isam was still one of the best live music experiences I’ve ever seen. The mix of incredible texture mapping, lush CG and body enveloping bass was nearly perfect, winding a very loose sci-fi narrative through the wordless breaks. Isam doesn’t rely purely on psychedelic overload; instead moves the music through massive space ships, broken wastelands and syncopated geometric concoctions that…I hate this phrase, but it’s true…must be seen to be believed.

If Amon Tobin ever decides to take this display on the road again, definitely go out of your way to see it.

A snippet of the show:

A look at the planning and design of Isam:

The halting stumble of Bowser’s beats combined with the cryptic chip melodies makes for a complicated but rewarding listen. Born out of LA’s Low End Theory scene, the album encompasses the best of the electronic weird and serves as a great example of the genre recently tagged as ‘futurebeats.’ The highlight of the album is the track ‘Andrew’ which mashes slivers of broken voice synthesis with a crisp headnodding beat. Perfect soundtrack to the endless boss battle that is daily life.

Though Galactic Melt suffers from touches of sameness, when it connects…everything bleeds together beautifully. It comes off like the Blade Runner soundtrack siphoned through a stack of records by Gary Numan and Flying Lotus. Crystal clear snares shuttle around on beds of dystopian synth stabs, presenting something that feels both sterile and warm at the same time. His sound is unique, you don’t often mistake a Com Truise track for the work of anyone else.

It’s nice to see a video that probably had a 3 sentence pitch and the result is just a joy to watch. The dancers seamlessly wander through a variety of styles in an effortless way that just inspires jealousy in uncoordinated folks like me. The song is equally impressive; a joyously weird stomp bolstered by a bristling chorus that just begs to be put on repeat.

‘Two Cousins’ is the lead single off Paradise, which was released on 09/16/12 via Moshi Moshi. Buy the album through iTunes.

On April 2nd 2011, LCD Soundsystem played its final show at Madison Square Garden. LCD frontman James Murphy had made the conscious decision to disband one of the most celebrated and influential bands of its generation at the peak of its popularity, ensuring that the band would go out on top with the biggest and most ambitious concert of its career. The instantly sold out, near four-hour extravaganza did just that, moving the thousands in attendance to tears of joy and grief, with NEW YORK magazine calling the event “a marvel of pure craft” and TIME magazine lamenting “we may never dance again.” SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS is both a narrative film documenting this once in a life time performance and an intimate portrait of James Murphy as he navigates the lead-up to the show, the day after, and the personal and professional ramifications of his decision.

Directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace

At first listen, I couldn’t find anything compelling about Active Child. I had breezed by “Hanging On”, which was offered up free as part of Adult Swim’s 2011 Singles Program, but no part of it clicked. At this year’s spectacular Moogfest, Active Child had the first slot of the final day, proceeding M83. In an effort to grab a nice spot for the second act and having maxed out the number of times I could eat at one of the best indian restaurants in existence, I swung by venue before their set. Half interested, I sat in front of the sound board for Active Child’s performance and live, the weird majesty of Pat Grossi’s voice blooms. His harp playing is certainly interesting, but the soaring banking of his falsetto is amazing. Additionally, the decision to have a live drummer playing a trigger kit added a much needed layer of complexity to the stage presence. There’s just something beneficial to having a guy assuming the role of a ‘drummer’ in the band context rather than someone punching buttons on hard to see box. (To be fair, I’m a big fan of MPC wizards like Jel and Araabmuzk, though that works best as a solo venture)

Anyhoo, after returning home, I gave the album another shot and the ghostly melodies from the show had worked their way into my brain. The album clicked and I found it was all I felt like listening to. The charm of their sound lies in the hazy atmospherics that arise when you blend Grossi’s bizarrely enchanting voice with the minimal electronic percussion and plucked harp. There are moments when I could definitely fault the lyrical content for a few moments of mopey melodrama, but it falls to the wayside when blended into the mix. Ultimately, the biggest draw of You Are All I See is one of the most interesting releases of the year and well worth the cost of admission live.

You can grab the CFCF remix of “High Priestess” from the label’s soundcloud:

And, seriously, if you find yourself in Asheville, NC for Moogfest or otherwise, please do go eat a meal at Chai Pani. It’s probably some of the best indian food in the country.

I’ve always wanted a monome, but well, they’re damn expensive. A wonderful alternative is to watch smart people be terribly clever with using one. Daedelus, the preeminent king of the Monome linked to this great highlight reel from December’s Interface LA hosted meetup for users of this magical box. The standout for me was Anenon’s warping live sax into some beautifully bizarre textures. Bonus points to Merbert Moover’s name being an awesome reference to MTV’s The State.

I don’t often miss LA, but when I do, it’s mostly because of the amazing, glitchy corners of their music scene. Not being able to be around stuff like this and Low End Theory regularly claws at my heart.

Technically, Strike Hard, Young Diamond came out in November of 2010, but it occupied much of my listening during early 2011. When this site was more active and I got more random e-blasts from bands, I did my best to sample a bit of each I received. Wildlife was a find through some successful PR assault; offering up a few song sampler via their bandcamp. At a quick glance, I was content enough in the fact that lead singer Dean Povinsky’s voice has a similar tone to Sunset Rubdown’s Spencer Krug. There’s also similarities to Apologies To Queen Mary-era Wolf Parade, something dear to my heart. For those reasons, I gave the full album my attention and found that it’s gleeful, exuberant stuff that admittedly strays at times into flourishes of melodrama, but I love it still. Sometimes a band like this can ride so much on the energy that bristles through their music, carrying the listener along on the cacauphious rush.

Check out the live version of “Stand In the Water” below, though the standout track of Strike Hard, Young Diamond is “Brand New Weapon” which you can listen to here.

Every so often the blog world gloms onto something minimal and I’m pretty content with 2011′s idolatry of Hecker’s fantastic Ravedeath 1972. I personally have a long and sorted history with drone and minimalsim, spending much of my late teens immersed in it, though little in recent years has caught me. I got pretty excited for Blanck Mass, but didn’t find much to cling to upon digging in. Ravedeath, 1972 initially skirted my love as well, until I had the chance to take it in live. Experimental music is a sincere challenge in a live context, minimalism posting an even grater challenge than the harder stuff. Asheville’s Moogfest provided me with a chance see him perform, slotted before Amon Tobin’s immersive Isiam. Hecker’s visual presence was the stark opposite with Hecker barely visible enshrouded by gear and monitors on the massive civic center stage. Musically, the sounds of Ravedeath 1972 came to life, revealing layer after layer of lush undulation. Variation is key to the sustained enjoyment of experimental music and the strata of Hecker’s music bristled with energy in the live context. Ravedeath, 1972 stands as one of the best of the year; an opulent mass of resonance that is worth the time to explore.