September 2012 - Burning Man Special!

Evening all.

You might have guessed from the title that I've been to the utterly brilliant mind-fuck that was Burning Man festival. Unbeknownst to many, it's not just acid and dreadlocks; there's a ridiculous amount of great music knocking about too. These are my personal highlights, most of which were play(a)ed by DJs while thousands danced their leopardskin-tutu'd little bee-hinds off in the middle of the Nevada desert. Bloody brilliant.

Right. Away we go.



1. James Blake - Limit To Your Love (Alex Dimiou Remix)

I hate it when remixes fuck up the original. It's probably the ultimate musical sacrilege: the equivalent of those idiots who modify Vauxhall Corsas so they've got an exhaust the size of an elephant's trunk and make a noise like a rampant mosquito. Dickheads, the lot of em. Luckily though, Mr. Dimiou has resisted that temptation, simply adding a mellow groove to this already flawless song, meaning that instead of crying alone in a dark corner, you will now be dancing... whilst crying alone in a dark corner.

2. Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That (Virgin Magnetic Material Amine Edge Dub)

Probably a little biased here, given how much of a sucker I am for the original of this track, but that bassline is so God-damn BOUNCY that I just can't help myself.

3. Lee Foss - You Got Me

One of those ones that doesn't sound quite as good when you're listening to it on headphones, staring at an Excel spreadsheet and wondering when Monday's pain will end. But just for one second, try and imagine yourself, with the sun on your face, in sweltering heat, ice cold cocktail in one hand and whatever you want in the other (go wild), dancing away to this. Yep. You got it.

4. Jessie Ware - Running (Disclosure Remix)

Yes yes, I put this in July's, but is it not brilliant? Is it not? Are you not entertained? Just listen to that drop on 1min 17... Yeeeeees!

5. Amine Edge, Dance - Going to heaven with the Goodie Goodies

THE song of Burning Man for me. Heard it a few times, and people were going bonkers. It seems to turn hordes of apparently vaguely sensible people into stomping, dribbling monsters. Well, I think it was the track...

6. Tomas Barfod - November Skies 

55,000 views. Fifty five fucking thousand! Justin Bieber - Boyfriend has had over 150 MILLION. The world is a horrible, twisted place. I'm going to get this to 150m by myself, right now.

7. SBTRKT - Pharoahs

An oldie, but a very goodie. Coupled with the fact that we listened to this while I traveled across the desert on a giant toilet. You don't believe me?

Mad props to DJ Tobsey.

8. Finnebassen - Touching Me

"I don't want nobody else no, holding me touching me"
That's not what they were saying at the hippie orgie...

9. Julio Bashmore - Au Seve

Trust Don Julio to round off a good party. Au Seve, one of the tunes of the summer, has been killing it all summer. The Burrrn was no different. A perfect little dance track. You get what you think is going to be the staple riff 31 seconds in. It builds to a drop, it drops on 1min 17 but then in comes that cheeky little monkey on 1min 21 and you're off with the fairies. Then the mega-drop comes in from 3min and your head explodes. Bashmore you little beauty.




Well that's it, I'll be back soon to seduce you into the encroaching winter darkness in a bit. You'll get less synth and more strum in the next one. Probably.

Bear's Blips - May 2011

Been a long time / i should'na left you / without a dope beat to step to / step to step to step to / step step step / wickiwicki

That little ditty sums up my feelings about the recent paucity of Chip's Blips action. I can only apologise, and placate you with promises of some exceedingly lovely music arriving on your cochleal doorstep in the very near future.

And here's the first example, a wonderful selection from a wonderful bear!

Sit back and enjoy.

1. James Blake - A Case Of You (Joni Mitchell Cover)

Is it me or is Blake starting to sound a lot like the transgender dude Hegarty from Anthony the Johnson’s? No, maybe just me then. But who cares, this cover of ‘A Case of You’ by Joni is a real good sound for the ears.

2. The 2 Bears - Church

Well I do love a nice Bear, and these two chaps are real nice. Raf Rundell and Joe Goddard (Hot Chip dude) keep releasing endlessly saaweet tunes. Keep your eyes peeled for The Bearhug EP which is set for release in June with Southern Fried Records.

3. Digits – Lost Dream

Probably one of my fave tunes of the year to date. The Lost Dream E.P is a great listen, Toronto based Digits has a way with base and his music is described as ‘undisciplined pop’. Couldn’t agree more.

4. Oberhofer - I Could Go

Oh hello Bradley Oberhofer, you really know how to chime. This has indeed been doing the rounds for quite a while now, however, it is great and reminds me of my bike. So here it is.

5. Dominik Eulberg - Die 3 Millionen Musketiere

It was hard to pick a key track from Eulberg’s new album, but this one sure is a belter.

6. Okkervil River – Rider

‘And I fly out on my silver, scissoring wings’, well why not, when you have this in your head you can’t help but flap about.

7. Gang Gang Dance – MindKilla

This new album (in my opinion) is going to be one of 2011’s greats. The video is also vaguely terrifying, so check that out too

8. SBTRKT - Wildfire

Apparently Zane has hailed this ‘the hottest track in the world’; I will form my opinion when the full album is released in June. Still pretty hot none the less.

9. Junior Boys - Banana Ripple

Hello Summer, nice to see you, you are most welcome here.

10. Holy Ghost! – Slow Motion

Finally! I have been waiting in eager anticipation for this album, and it doesn’t disappoint.

11. Blackbird Blackbird – Hawaii (Niva Remix)

This is just good. An odd occasion that the remix in my eyes (or ears) is streets ahead of the original. And the original aint half bad.

12. Junip – In Every Direction – Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr Remix

Another beaut of a remix. I want a magic feather....

13. Ghostpoet – Cash and Carry Me Home (Original)

Amazing tune, Ghostpoet has a natural talent for taking everyday observations and turning them into A+ UK Hip Hop.

14. Santigold Ft. Karen O – Go

Where has Santigold been since like 2008? I don’t care, because this is worth waiting for.

15. Theme Park – Milk

Another summer suntime song. I bet this will be going round in your head all day. I will leave you with that.

February 2011 (I know I know...)

Yes yes yes, it isn't February anymore. Well it's my blog, and February is a stupid month anyway. I mean, what kind of freak puts 28 days in a month? Gregory, that's who. And what is a day? What is a minute? Why do we need to measure everything; labelise our entire existence?

I've had it. I for one am making a stand, right here, right now. February - you 28-day long (but sometimes 29, every 4 years you SADISTIC BASTARD) pustule of grey skies and almost-springtime dashed hope - you are going down.

WHO'S WITH ME?

[silence]

Yeah, fair enough, you probably just came to listen to some music. Well that's fine too.

Here we are then, 9 battle-hardened, February-hating behemoths for you.

Ready?

CHAAAAAARGE!

1. Zoo Kid - Out Getting Ribs

A sad slow one to start, written by a 16yr old ginger hipster. Turns out it's rather good. Amazing what you can do with 2 guitars, an interesting voice and a few shiny knobs. Ack, shhh, you know what I mean. I'm trying to be your serious music correspondent here. You're spoiling it.

2. The Low Suns - So Tired

Oooh I love acoustic songs. Very dangerous thing to do as a band; if anyone can't sing, it's going to sound absolutely horrific. Luckily, the vocals here are a perfect balance of subtlety and strength, exactly what you need in a slow sleepy one like this. Thumbs up.

3. Miami Horror - Moon Theory

Very Hercules & Love Affair this one. Probably why I love it so much. Partly that, partly the video. The lone horseman, embarking on a Peyote-fuelled vision quest. Can't imagine that riding a horse whilst tripping balls on Peyote is that clever an idea, but this guy seems to have it down to a fine art. What this video doesn't show though is all the coyotes and rattlesnakes that hang around in those Utah deserts. But it ends happily: he wakes up and finds some kind of alien power station, so clearly all is well and he found what he was looking for.

4. Small Black - Sun Was High (So Was I) (Best Coast Cover)

Another song that was clearly written whilst under the influence of a mind-bending substance. Big, lazy soundscapes and a sleepy drawl over the top. Put a bit of echo/reverb/[insert geeky effect] on top of that and you've got yourself another tasty morsel of American Slo-Fi. I just made that genre up by the way, so don't anyone go getting any ideas. Just look what happened to February.

5. James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream

This is a beauty.

However - and it is quite a big however - the album is incredibly hard going. It feels like you are reading Mr. Blake's musical dissertation: chock-full of footnotes, 200 word sentences and big scary words like "jectigation*".

There's an easy solution to this problem though - just listen to this on repeat, and sob into your pillow.

6. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

From sad sobbing to happy sobbing. This song is full of some sort of mystical force that rushes good thoughts to the top of your head and makes you want to swell up and explode with joy, sadness and amazement at the beauty of the world, love, and every experience you've ever had. Five minutes and four seconds of perfection.

(There's a chance you won't like it as much as that I suppose.)

7. Digits - Rachel Marie

Oh Digits, please stop being so fucking good. You aren't being fair to all the other new bands. Give them at least a small chance.

It's like Hall & Oates had a sexy little electro baby that used to get dropped off at New Order's house for after-school tutoring. (Can you hear the Blue Monday homage?)

Rachel Marie is a lucky lady that's for sure. Maybe she is the surrogate mother that Hall & Oates used...

8. Gross Magic - Waiting For You

Ahhhhh YES, this is a good playlist! Starts off sad, takes you up and before you know it you are bouncing around to yet more 80s inspired goodness. This time it's a chirpy synth with a little MGMT small-boy vocal over the top. Add a bit of Lo-fi fuzz and you're off. It works. Hoh yes by golly it works.

9. Metronomy - She Wants

The difficult final track. How to end it? Take it back down to Sadville, or keep everyone in Happyland?

Well, the answer is neither. We are going down a winding country road, just as the daylight is fading, to the sexiest, sultriest place you've been to since you visited the town of XX a couple of years ago.

It's Metronomy, and it's one of my favourite songs this year. So moody and complex, full of some kind of very painful longing. The hours just keep coming, and the lonely guitar keeps on hopefully plugging away, waiting for something to change. It is mind-alteringly good.

Wow. I could listen to that on repeat for a good few days.

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We are done for the month Blippers. Hope you enjoyed it. I must say I did.

I'll try and be back soon to bring you some more of my latest loves.

In the meantime, keep on keepin' on.

*For the curious souls amongst you, 'jectigation' means "a trembling movement"

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