I've always been a fan of out there electronic music, most people will tell you that in truth electronic is my wheelhouse, and I don't really mind that statement, its fairly true, most of you long time readers will remember my raving about bands like The Boats and Magoo and artists like Paul Duncan who straight up use electronica to drive or enhance their music, proving that it is possible to take the most limitless genre and make it work with just about anything. There is no ceiling when it comes to electronica and i personally feel its time the world started to pay attention to that fact.
A key element in my beliefs on this is DJ turned trance/electronica artist Hideyo Blackmoon, a stunning female DJ from Japan who is more of a preformance artist then she is anything else, Its hard to actually explain Blackmoon's work with out an audio example, its like mixing traditional Japanese and Asian musical sounds and imagery with modern trance and club themes together behind mostly upbeat fast paced high energy stuff, the album sort of flows together like one giant track with enough distinction to know that a new one has begun but just continues on the same journey. Its really quiet interesting, like a concept album that takes you through the history of Japan and the Asian counties, but that trip happens when you are apparently on acid or something. Its really mindblowing.
There aren't any real stand out tracks, they all blend together into this brilliantly lovely trip through time and space. I know I'm not really doing the album justice, but you really need to hear it, which is why i'm short reviewing this one. Is it for everyone? Maybe yeah, if you are interested in something completely different and new that you've probably not heard before, so sure, give it a try, you'll probably be glad you did, i sure know i am. And again, i'm sorry for the short review, but i gotta tell you, you gotta just hear this, words won't do it justice that hearing it will.
If you need abit more convincing, or are unsure, here is the video for her song Kokoro One
There aren't many artists these days that actually make me excited when I hear a new song or that there is a new album coming soon, maybe I'm too picky, maybe I'm jaded, I don't really know, but what I do know is this, one of the few bands that actually do make my excited, is the phenomenal Swedish fusion band Aloan. Many of you will remember back in the early days of Surreal Sounds, I bought you their album "Better In Springtime" which to this day I am still raving about, and having recently acquired the rest of their musical catalog, which i will share with all of you, I felt first I should share their most recent album, the not so long ago released "Pretty Freaks". Which as I'm sure you can guess is a magnum opus in the art of fusion. It stays true to Aloan's constant commitment to their many flavors, showcasing their soul, jazz, hip hop and trip hop sounds, and adding little elements of rock and metal in there just to average things out for the masses. Its an amazing trip through the worlds of sound and sight, and truly worth a listen too, and more so, its been truly worth the wait its taken for them to release this album, even if the wait seemed like more years then it was.
The album starts with "Liquid Girl", an upbeat and rather funky mix of pop and retro 1960s style pop, its abit different for Aloan, but I love when a group or artist takes themselves out of their comfort zone and tries something new, it shows care and dedication to their craft, you don't get that much these days its lovely to see, the song is pretty catchy too, which always helps. Next is "Swinger" the first single released off the album, it follows the same fast paced late 60s pop guitar with traditional trip hop beats over blues style vocals and rap, its a great big loud song thats just so incredible, the booming chorus is incredible and Granite's rap is just so damn onpoint is actually makes me wonder why he's not more respected among rappers, brilliant song. Next is the downtempo "Whitehair Child", which is a touching and beautiful soul style ballad about love and innocence lost, its alot deeper then most of the songs Aloan does, I was very pleased by this actually, I love when artists open up as they progress musically, its so amazing when it happens. Next is, "Invisible" a catchy beat driven funky blues style song that is just incredible, its a great hook, a great beat, vocals that are just flawless, its just so right and a great almost midway in the album point, most artists don't take care in stuff of that nature, the whole caring what point in each album a song is thing is normally the last thing on an artists mind, I love that its at the forfront here. Next is possibly the greatest song on the album, the incredible trip through sound called "Kabuki" continuing that thick retro guitar style, added with some soul and funk elements and enough catchy lyrics and backing beats to make this just the most perfect song I've ever heard from Aloan, Kabuki is a catchy fast passed song that I personally just love to play loud while I'm driving or just moving about the house, Granite's flow is again a clinic on how to use rap effectively outside of the genre, this is the track you'll be playing over and over, and singing along to the background hook on. Next is the surreal "Into A Werewolf" which is haunting, catchy and beautiful all at once, its a great blend of styles and metaphor, which has always been par for the course with Aloan, I've found over the years their imagery is just as impressive as their music and lyric content. After that is "Pain And Sky", another slow and eerily sexy ballad, thick booming guitar and bass drums, with just enough electronica style backing to make it unique and distinctly their own, its a beautiful song about how no one is truly pure and clean anymore, I seriously love when they do this style stuff. Following that is "Wanna Be A Rocker", takes them back again to the retro pop style that they've been trying to keep with on this disc, the music itself is amazing and the vocals and lyrics are catchy and just so perfect, I wished there was more of Granite in it though, we're almost done the disc and there hasn't been the feature track of his yet, normally there are one or two, also, I completely LOVE the reference to The Matrix in this song, its just so delightful, retro style with a modern reference, just awesome. Next is "I Slowly", which is a nice electronica mixed with rock and blues song, it at first felt slightly out of place, but once it gets going it fits right in with the rest of the disc, I completely love how Granite's using his laid back deep voiced flow on this song, it so fits the song perfectly, its just this booming, beautiful and sexy gritty track, its like a gangster movie in trip hop fusion form. Next up is "Beat Of The Black Heart" which starts out with this incredible bass beat that leads to a sublime soul and rap song, its almost like a battle song really, which I gotta admit I been fiending for sense the last album, its just a perfect blend, and its catchy as all hell, with also helps, the acapella in the middle, totally brilliant. This is followed up with "Dragons Are Frail", a rather sexy blues trip hop song that just makes me wanna listen to it over and over again, I love when they use imagery and metaphor for things, its so unique and brilliant when they do it, this is a love song hidden behind the metaphor of a dragon and the lady of the lake and other medieval imagery, its just so out there and yet so awesome at the same time. And finally the last new song on the album is "Try Not To Forget" which starts out alot different then most Aloan songs, it has a distinct and unlike anything else they've done sound to its start, in a sense the closest thing to a simple guitar and vocal song you'll find on an Aloan album, its a sad song about remembering one's self no matter what they go through in life, and the questioning of how far you have to go before you lose who you are and who you feel you are. The album ends with a reworking of Swinger, which I feel is a pretty good way to end the disc honestly.
Now the big question, is this album for everyone? Well, i like to think that as long as you aren't someone thats pigeonholed into one form of music and nothing else, that Aloan is a great band for everyone, but I guess that comes down to personal taste, I would like to think that there is something for everyone, some pop, some rap, some blues, some rock, some electronica, some jazz and rock too. I like to call Aloan one of those groups that takes you on a tour of the music spectrum in the course of their albums, and i'd like to think in the future more groups and artists would move in this direction, it keeps music from getting stagnent and overflowed with sound alikes and boardroom created and marketed bands. So if you want to try something different, and new, and unlike most of what I'm sure you've heard out there in the world, give this album and the band Aloan a try, Ill be posting their other albums soon to combine with this one and their earlier effort "Better In Springtime" soon.
And if you aren't convinced by my review, here is a look at the video for Swinger..
When this was first suggested to me, I thought it was that strangely voiced rapper Magoo, the one that hung out with Timberland and Missy Elliot then just kinda dropped off the face of the earth with all those other "I look all cute and baby faced but am acting gangsta" types afew years back. I was glad to find out that its not him. Infact its as far from him as one could possably get.
Magoo is a band that borders rock, breakbeat, electronica and afew others, at times, I can't really find alot of info on them, which sort of sucks, I'd hoped to be able to tell you more about a band that I've quickly grown to like so much I put their album in the "everyday rotation" on my media player (JetAudio FTW!!).
I first heard about Magoo wile talking to some friends who jokingly told me that did a song called "Lana Turner", we have an injoke about her and thought it was funny to have found a song with her name. And then explained they were pleasently surprised by the album its on. So I figured I would give it a try.
I rather liked what I heard, its a mix of a vocal an instrumental album with some club style call and responce style bits as well, very nicely done. You find yourself getting lost in the album, like that was their intent in the first place, least thats the feeling I get. I do find that alot in chill electronica and in alot other predominately instrumental albums. Its great really, like it takes you to a new place just by closing your eyes and getting lost in it. I mean after all that is what music is ment to do right?
I find that Magoo does a really good job tranisitioning between styles as well, another tricky task that is not done often or easy. I always find myself excited and gleefull when its done correctly, partly because I know how hard it is to do and partly because I can respect and love something for the workd done on it.
I'm not sure if Magoo is for everyone, but I will say if you are up for something that is standing pretty far outside of the mainstream and would like to take a nice trip through their imagination for abit.
Artist: Magoo Album: All Electric Amusement Arcade Genre: Electronica/chill out/fusion
When you hear the term "electronica", most would think of fast, heavy, beats that borderline trance or goa at times. But there is another side to the genre, and as of late, its been on the rise as far as I can tell, and thats a more softer, more artistic side, personally I find artists that take a concept, such as making music completely electronically, and making it something beautiful, incredable.
Such is the case with The Boats, and their second outing "We Made It For You" could stand up against any other album made this year for one of the top ten greatest, if not the greatest of the year. A Beautiful symphony made with care and love, and it comes through on each track.
The Concept is this, "We Made It For You" is album of tracks named for various people in the life of The Boats. Each track is ment to represent that person or people's personalities, and is ment to be a gift to them, not only a gift to us who listen. I have played it for many people that would never think of actually listening to this genre of music and made fans of them. Even my mother likes this album.
I find myself wondering alot as I listen to this album just how they were able to make something so beautiful and so personal and put it out for the world to hear, I makde electronic music myself and I find myself asking if I could ever actually have the courage to do it myself. I don't really know if I could do it.
So if you want an album thats moving, loving, and generaly amazing album, give this a try, you won't be sorry you did.
