Archive for April, 2011

Laurel Halo // Aquifer

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

It just seems like yesterday I was taking a look into Laurel Halo’s King Felix EP… Well the Brooklyn synth goddess is back with an upcoming June released follow-up EP, entitled Hour Logic, on label-of-the-year candidate Hippos in Tanks. Regardless how you might feel about the music, you got to admit that when it comes to album art Laurel Halo ranks at the top (King Felix featured Sandia National Lab’s Z-Machine while Hour Logic‘s Matlab collage can be seen above).

Fortunately, the first track to come out of the new record is just as stellar as the cover. “Aquifer” is a sprawling five-minute taking you through the soundscape of a futuristic rain forest. Present are electronic raindrop trickles, harmonious digital bird screeches, and cavernous sonic enclaves as you meander down the river’s path. Second only to RxRy when it comes to providing lush visual imaginary for the listener, Laurel Halo not only keeps your ears captivated, but also your imagination. Check out the track below:

Laurel Halo // Aquifer

The Mantles // Raspberry Thighs

Monday, April 25th, 2011

At this point in time, I think I probably should change the site’s name from “Part-Time Music” to “In Case You Missed It” because I no longer make any “hot off the presses” discoveries. Regardless, I’m going to stick with making belated picks because, for the most part, they are just too damn good not to talk about!

Take this track from San Francisco’s The Mantles that I snagged from Weekly Tape Deck a couple weeks back. Although the weather is super shitty in Utah right now, one listen to “Raspberry Thighs” melts away my late-winter/early-spring annoyance and gets me pumped with what the summer has to offer. Shimmering guitars: check. Airy keyboard chords: check. Easy-going vocals: check. I could unfold my tablecloth on the ground and have a picnic RIGHT NOW if it wasn’t so damn cold outside… *Sigh*

Cop the track below and if you live in France or love to pay international shipping, grab the 7” here.

The Mantles // Raspberry Thighs

Emily Reo // Live at Will’s Pub

Sunday, April 24th, 2011

Have no clue where I downloaded this live set of Emily Reo or what city it was even recorded from (but if the Reo’s exclamation of “Jheri, he’s kind of famous” is any indication, that might answer both questions), but nonetheless I feel inclined to post about it.

Although I don’t possess a tangible copy by anything of Reo (my suspicions that her Witch Mtn. Cassette was out-of-print seems to be unfounded), my digital library is scattered throughout with references to the singer. Whether it is with her collaborations (Blackbird Blackbird, Craft Spells, Philip Seymour Hoffman) or her original material, anytime is always the right time when it comes to listening to her stuff.

Although the live tracks I have of hers can be counted on one hand, each one is an endearing gem. You can check out my two favorites from her performance at Will’s Pub (including a Built to Spill cover) below and be sure to grab her Witch Mtn release for a pay-what-you-want price here.

Emily Reo // Metal On Your Skin

Emily Reo // Car (Built to Spill Cover)

Just a Number 05272011 // He Didn’t Want a Love Song

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

As if we hadn’t learned our lesson last year with the antics of iamamiwhoami — and the subsequent flame-out on a massive scale when songs rather than snippets actually started leaking out — here comes the snarkily named artist Just A Number 05272011 to ride in the wake of the cryptically named musicians. Although both the pair of (presumable) Swedes have similar sigh-inducing origins, Just A Number 05272011 has a leg up by storming out the gate by release three complete, creative tracks.

The first track to appear out of thin air, and my personal favorite, is the frankly titled “He Didn’t Want a Love Song” which you can view below. Although the pace battles molasses for last place in a race, you can’t help but be drawn in by the electro-metallic sounding opening clangs and fully enveloped by the time the first crash of the chorus “He didn’t want a love song / I tell you that’s for sure” hits your ears.

The second track (whose release was also accompanied by a video) is a little more forgettable as the singer’s schtick of imitating Fever Ray’s voice (or is it Fever Ray herself?!?!) gets a little grating by the second verse. Also, the induced motion sickness by the swiftly transitioning jpeg compressed images of the video certainly doesn’t help the cause.

The final track, and the sole one I could find on the blog-o-sphere via mp3, is an up-tempo discothèque track if I’ve ever heard one — which, for anyone whose read my site for a while knows, is the quickest way to get a re-listen from me. It’s a great dance duet whose male vocals sound like it’s supplied by The Knife collaborator Jonathan Johansson (just adding fuel to fire when it comes to the Fever Ray rumors). You can check out/download the track below:

Just a Number 05272011 // Business

Apparat // Ash/Black Veil

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

The atmospheric-half of Moderat (one of my favorite electronic music collaborations of all-time), Apparat is slated to release a new LP later this summer on Mute Records. “Ash/Black Veil” is the first taste of the new material and it sounds excellent! I certainly get an Efterklang (a la “Modern Drift”) vibe to the track, but the distant electronic hiccups give the song that distinct Apparat-ness. Check out the track below:

Apparat // Ash/Black Veil

Can’t Get Enough Of… // Clams Casino

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

Damnnnnnnnn this stuff is so good. Between the Instrumental Mixtape, the B-Side Instrumental and Remixes Collection, and mp3s from the upcoming Tri-Angle released EP, there is seriously not a throw-away track in the bunch. With the Clams Casino signing, I’m pretty sure that I’m going to have to rearrange my favorite labels list in order to coronate Tri-Angle records.

Check out two of my favorite Clams Casino tracks below:

Paul Wall // Sittin’ Sideways (Clams Casino Remix)

Clams Casino // Gorilla

d’Eon // Transparency

Monday, April 18th, 2011

If you had any doubt about whether or not to purchase the Grimes/d’Eon split 12” from Hippos In Tank (the one that I covered from the Grimes-side just a week-or-so ago) it got completely erased when I finally sat down and listened to some of d’Eon’s tracks. For reals, this is a must-have purchase for any music fan and/or GvB reader out there (on occasion, those two can be mutually exclusive).

With “Transparency,” d’Eon does the same work as gallons of alcohol, providing an insta-dance party with a single track. With an obvious nod to the 80s, sans the over-played chillwave influence, d’Eon opts for vague, ambiguous lyrics soft-sung over slightly cheesy but highly catchy groove lines (auto-familiar bass plucks, church-like keyboards). You really can’t help but dance to this stuff or, if you’re like me, nod your head with your headphones on.

Check out the track, graciously supplied via GvB, as well as a pair of videos from each of the artists on the split release below:

d’Eon // Transparency

The Diamond Center // Caraway

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

Got a new track, “hot off the presses” (i.e. only a month ago) from former Lubbockites (present Richmonders?) The Diamond Center and man, it’s dense. A slow burner for sure, this 6 1/2 minute track is haunting throughout, starting with the slightly pitch-shifted opening chords and continuing with the monotonic vocals from singer Brandi Price, before smashing head-first into some killer reverbed-assisted guitar solos. For me, it’s very reminiscent to the drugged-out prog-rock ballads from decades ago…

Check out the track below in both audio and video form (directed by PT-Music favorites NervousRoomService). Also, pre-order the 7” featuring the track here.

The Diamond Center // Caraway

Vitamins // No Notion of Anything Only Whatever Is What

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

I know this video for Colorado’s Vitamins is three months old, but hey, better late than never! Super trippy — as one commenter aptly described it as the “LSD Olympics” — the video matches perfectly with the prog/experiemental rock track. Might be just me, but with Vitamins I get flashes of Ponytail in their music (something which will always be OK with me). You can pre-order the 7” from Hot Congress here.

Sunny Ali & The Kid // Try Harder

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

About a month ago, I received my copy of the American-born Pakistani Death Punk duo of Sunny Ali & The Kid’s tape on Whoa Whoa Records and it has since been stuck in my tape player ever since. For those who have been reading long enough know, my roots are in West Texas, so I’m always going to be an easy sell when it comes to anything with “country” in the genre tag. But with Sunny Ali & The Kid, you get more than your typical twangy guitar and twangy voice that you’ll find in any rustic Texas bar. What you find on most of the tracks on Try Harder is hard driving, ass-kicking music that is more representative of the modern West (re: “I’m a Skinny Fucker” and “Can’t Stand Ya”). Check out the title track below and stream/buy the rest of the album from the band’s bandcamp and cop the cassette from Whoa Whoa’s store.