Tuesday 27 November 2012

New Video: Nosaj Thing - Eclipse/Blue













Nosaj Thing has released a new video for his latest single 'Eclipse/Blue' from his upcoming album 'Home', which will be released at January 22, 2013. Featuring Kazu Makino from Blonde Redhead, this single offers Jason's glitchy, ambient tunes. The splendid video is directed by a Tokyo-based designer, Daito Manabe.

Friday 23 November 2012

Review: Cut Copy - Zonoscope













It's hard not to love Cut Copy. In 2008, In Ghost Colours was out; everybody danced. Psychedelic sounds that will haunt your mind in days, chilly vocals, and stomping drums are all in there — it goes simultaneously 'til the end. All ectstatic and hazy. Dan Whitford and friends succeeded.

Three years in the making, Cut Copy was like awake from a long sleep. They were lifted to the surface of the earth, bringing a brand-new album called 'Zonoscope.' 'Need You Now' opens the album optimistically with a quite-long intro and it goes beautifully (Hush darling, don't you cry / Cause they're never gonna catch you). It's continued with one of my favorites. 'Take Me Over.' Imagine getting lost in the middle of the Forest Moon of Endor surrounded by happy ewoks. We can still hear Cut Copy's signature 'oo-ooh, oo-ooh,' but this time, it's paired with clicking percussion.

'Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution' is far more tribal than the previous ones. This is a good track — even Toro y Moi remixed it. The whole performance is then ended with 'Sun God', a 15-minute track. The outro is plain epic. Just epic. It reminds me of Deerhunter's Desire Lines — the best track in their latest album 'Halcyon Digest', I think. Rumour has it, Dan and fellas are ready to relinquish the fourth album, we'll see!

Sunday 18 November 2012

Citizens! Live in Jakarta
















Citizens! is a five-piece indie-pop/electronic band from London. Freshly signed to Kitsuné, they just released a debut album 'Here We Are' produced by Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos. Their world-conquering single 'True Romance' has been released in Kitsuné Maison Compilation 12. Providing mankind with glimmering synths and shrilly vocals, fans of Phoenix and Two Door Cinema Club must dig 'em.

Fred Perry will bring them straight from London to South East Asia this month. They're coming to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Indonesia to contribute Fred Perry's series of 60th Anniversary Party.

Fred Perry 60 Years of Celebration
Jakarta, November 28, 2012
8 p.m.

Lucy in the Sky
Jalan Jendral Sudirman, Lot.14
Kav 52-53, Jakarta Selatan
http://lucyinthesky.co.id/

More info: http://twitter.com/FredPerryID

Wednesday 14 November 2012

New Single: Flight Facilities - Clair De Lune (feat. Christine Hoberg)

















Flight Facilities just released a new single (again) featuring Christine Hoberg, a Brooklyn-based jazz singer/composer. I always love what they do with underrated female singers, such as Jess and Giselle Rosselli. And it's Flight Facilities featuring them, not the other way around. Remember that Rihanna - Calvin Harris track? It's Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris! Sorry if I'm too emotional, but yes.

First time I listened to this track, well yeah, this was a good one, I thought. A good step for these lads, indeed. It's way different with their early work — 'twas all dancey. They have got calmer since the previous single, With You (feat. Grovesnor), which has an amazing video. One thing about the video, it made me want to watch Akira again.

Clair De Lune is a bit influenced by post-dubstep, let's say SBTRKT or James Blake. Some majestic slash swanky slash glorious synth sounds makes a perfect combination with Hoberg's vocal. Quite M83-ish, but still Flight Fac-ish. So here's the video, enjoy!

Friday 9 November 2012

I Found Covers: November 2012

Well, admit it, do you buy albums just because you want it or do you buy albums just because you love the artwork? I'm about 70/30 — 70 on the artwork, 30 on the music. Album covers are one of the seductions that music stores should do something about.

Here are a couple of covers I like. But, seriously, no James Blunt's All the Lost Souls or PITBULL'S GLOBAL WARMING.

1. Indonesia Pop Nostalgia



















What's your verdict on this one? An elementary student playing dead whilst a tiger comes across? Or does she fall off her apartment whilst a tiger is running right below her?

Well stream the preview here:



2. Wild Nothing - Nocturne



















I'm quoting Radiohead on this one: 'everything... in its right place.' Who cares about the moon eclipse phases? One hell of a good layout, ain't it. Love the navy borders right around it. Check out the singles' artwork — they're just awesome.

3. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix



















Come on now, who doesn't dig this?! Saw a bunch of people wearing this t-shirt back in 2009-2010, cause, well yeah, good years for Phoenix. Can't wait for their next album.

4. Can - Monster Movie



















Can's debut album; released in 1969. Modernism was lame and everybody went post-mod. It depicts a Marvel villain called Galactus; created by Sten Lee and Jack Kirby (who else would it be?). Love the spray paint effect.

Bonus: Steven Seagal - Songs from the Crystal Cave



















Firstly, what's a Crystal Cave? Crystal Lake meets Bat Cave? This is basically his debut album; released in 2005. Some of the songs are featured in his movie 'Into the Sun.' I watched a lil bit of this on TV, it was all about Seagal kicking yakuza guys' asses. Forget the blue ring.

Thursday 8 November 2012

I Found Mixtapes: November 2012

1. Housse de Racket - Synthétiseur



A good single from these French boys' debut album. French-housey synthetizers are their weapon of choice.

2. Bat for Lashes - All Your Gold (Hercules and Love Affair remix)



A fresh single taken from Bat for Lashes' gobsmacking third album. Nicely remixed by Andy Butler and the gang. Love that 'baaaay-beee' screaming — it leaves the remix a real Hercules fingerprint.

3. Hot Chip - Flutes


Aside from the dark, gloomy, sad lyrics, this is totally a track that always makes me wanna put it on repeat.

P.S. Sorry for the (literally) spinning video.

4. Gold Panda - Marriage


Of all Gold Panda's catalogue, this particular track always chills me out. A cold-sounded post-dubstep that will haunt your mind with its 'dub-dub-dub'.

Monday 5 November 2012

Go Listen: DIIV



For fans of: Beach Fossils, Tame Impala, Deerhunter

DIIV (read: dive) (formerly Dive) (kinda weird, huh) is a surf-rock side project founded by Beach Fossils' Zachary Cole Smith in 2011. Having released 3 seven inches, last June they released a jaw-breaking, Nirvana-driven album 'Oshin'. 'Oshin' consists of 13 loud, shoegazing tracks. 'Doused', 'Sometime', and 'How Long Have You Known?' are three of my favorite tracks in this album.

If you're a fan of Beach Fossils, liking DIIV can't be hard. Some of their songs has their own kind of psychedelic atmosphere, constructed with hypnotizing reverbs, bashing drums, and Smith's floating vocals in repetitive lyrics. Crazy solos are often found in their work, such as 'Human'.

http://www.facebook.com/diivnyc

Saturday 3 November 2012

Go Listen: Onuinu



For fans of: Cut Copy, Miami Horror, Washed Out, Memory Tapes

Let me emphasize this: he is NOT Kele Okereke. Onuinu (read: on you, in you) is a Cleveland-born producer/bedroom musician Dorian Duvall. He’s been touring with Yacht and Tycho and he’s currently touring with Starfucker. Onuinu is a good mixture of  chillwave and synthpop, with a touch of lo-fi sounds. His debut album ‘Mirror Gazer’ was just out September 11 via Bladen County Records/Bad Cop Bad Cop. It’s a 9-track album opened with a minor headbang stimulant tracks ‘Mirror Gazer’ and ‘Always Awkward’. ‘Lost’ makes us stop headbanging for a while. ‘Happy Home’ is indeed a happy closure for us all.

Friday 2 November 2012

Hi, hi, hi, Mr. Deltoid!



I Found Spencer a music blog founded by Robertus Alexander, a Jakarta-based graphic designer, major Rocky fan (though Rocky V sucks), and a blade runner. If you like The Smiths, read my blog. If you like Adam Lambert, well, keep reading. Why I Found Spencer? Actually it's a minor line from Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (finally he's dead!). Not my favorite sequel, to be honest. My favorite one is still the 3rd one.

Keep your expectations low, and I'll write about good music.