An Album Review: I Break Horses "Hearts"

I admit that the regularity of my writing has somewhat plummeted in these last few weeks. I blame it on the fact that I like a good party from time to time, so celebrated my 21^st in identical fashion. Besides the obvious showering of birthday presents, cake and alcohol, one of the best things about it being your birthday is that you have complete control of what music gets blasted through the speakers. All night long and into the early hours. As the Churchill Bulldog says, "Ohhhh yes!".

Now, I’m a very calm person (most of the time). I can’t help it if I enjoy down-tempo songs with chilled beats and sexy vibes. I have a little bit of a tendency to favour more somber tracks, so thought it would be in the best interest of everyone to perhaps find something new, loud and delightfully upbeat.

I Break Horses are a Stockholm-born duo formed in 2008 consisting of Maria Lindén and Fredrik Balck. Their newly released 2011 album Hearts was decidedly going to be the music I would be sipping birthday Cava to. This album is a pretty decent pay off, as I’m a rather big fan of the shoegaze and dreampop genres that I Break Horses greatly incorporates while merging these influences with favorable buoyancy, making Hearts feel distinctively indie at times.

I Break Horses focus greatly on dreampop vibes and electronic synths, ultimately leaving me with the impression that multiple layers and generous use of texturing seem to be the key to malevolent ethereal brilliance in mainstream shoegaze. There’s a strange, but enchanting mixture of artistic influences to their sound, stemming from the more obvious angelic characteristics of M83, Animal Collective, Beach House and many other contemporary shoegaze music groups to a more traditional indie-rock feel through their unique embodiment of occasional guitar riff simplicity. The aural combination of these polar opposites feel natural and composed with ease, while an upbeat kick of imperturbable subtlety merges together their contrasting sounds.

           

The first thing that I noticed after the initial wall of airy electronic immersion was the startling, uncanny resemblance that the vocals share with Brian Aubert of the Silversun Pickups. It’s an unexpected comparison and a boldly made one nonetheless, but if you take a listen to Wired (3^rd track off Hearts) you’ll hear what I mean. It’s definitely safe to say that the delicate, airy voices that sing above treble-pitched drones and distorted electronic experimentation are a growing trend and nearly iconic within the current ambient-incorporated music scene.

Album Review: Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting

I'm ashamed. It's been quite some time since I last updated. Too long, in fact. Like a rain drought that stubbornly refuses to quench the thirst of desperate crops. Ha. I wish I was important like rain. Damn these delusions of grandeur.

Anyway, a little aural escapism should do me some good. I need a break from the big bad world, and no abstract fills the void like the safe-house of music.

Another Canadian group for my liking! This is Vancouver's Young Galaxy, and I actually discovered this band pretty soon after my explosive obsession with Austra (once again, I emphasize my appreciation to Last.fm).  After beating out the first initial impressions of their 3rd album, Shapeshifting (2011) from "ooh!" to "hmm" as the album plays through, I've decided that Young Galaxy have become quite pleasing to my ears, and have grown a fondness for their interesting style and timbre of music.

Now at first, you may feel as though a lot of the songs off Shapeshifting are dance tracks that have been tended to with warm, damp cotton wool. I mean that in the best sense, because although this album feels energetic and inviting, their tempo isn't agile enough for you to go all out with your groove on. With complex bass lines and rhythms that play a prime role in their tunes, there's a great deal of generic exploration, and you should look out for the experimentation with bells and triangles throughout their songs that play on the ethereality that fuels their dream-pop vibe. There's a definite layered concoction of different musical styles coming through in Shapeshifting however, with a mixture of synth-pop reverbs and effects with indie-rock guitar riffs, and even a positive conflict with a wee bit of jazz reminding me of Sade - but this can be rooted down to Catherine McCandless creamy yet forceful vocals. Just to further add to this bizarre but brilliant combination of sounds, there's a clear incorporation of tropical drum cadence - especially in songs like "Cover Your Tracks" which are joyfully celebrated through Shapeshifting being produced by Studio's D. Lissvik.

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

When I first discovered this band back in late 2008 (yes I did spend the first 18 years of my life beneath a rock), the first thought that crossed my mind was whether Mogwai knew the derogative nature of their title. It's a pretty sweet original name for a band nonetheless, but being a British expatriot who grew up in Hong Kong, I've always been fully aware of the (desensitized) term Gweilo which some locals refer to Westerners by; roughly translating from Cantonese to mean "foreign devil" or "ghost man". HOWEVER, after doing a bit of homework it turns out that the term Mogwai comes from the fictional furry creature from the Gremlins films. So a slap on the wrists, and shame on me for making such ignorant assumptions.

Anyway, this Mogwai is far from being fictional or furry. The Glaswegian five-piece released their 7th studio album Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will in February earlier this year, which is filled with tunes of the same delicate chaos as ever before. This most recent album continues to commemorate Mogwai's dynamical beauty that contrasts loud, thrashing distortion and drums against softer, more pensive sections of ambience that are impeccably free to be explored through their long-length tracks. While there is a darkness to their sound, Mogwai continue to give a sense of predetermined improvisation to their melodies as if telling an instrumental story that, without fail, leads to an orgasmic musical climax of emotional power that feels joyous and elegiac at the same. 

Courtesy of TLOBF

The Heart is a Drum Machine (2010)

I'm a bit of a factual enthusiast. Throughout the course of university life, many (well-spent) hours were filled with knitting (yeah, I know) and exploring cyberspace for enlightenment through documentaries. I mean it when I say that I'm an encyclopaedia of useless information - useless in the sense that it will only come to benefit me if humanity faces a New World Order, or when (I stress when) aliens take over the world- THEN I can turn around and shout "TO THE BUNKERS", with a smug expression on my face and a complete advantage over the rest of you sceptics. 

Anyway, had I known of this documentary before I wrote my dissertation (which happened to be on alternative representations of gender in music), I would have probably written it in celebration of this spectacular film. It's incredibly fascinating, and I recommend it to anyone who feels as passionately as I do about the power of music and the emotional grasp it has on so many of us. 

Released in 2010 and directed by Christopher Pomerenke, The Heart is a Drum Machine asks the supposedly straight-forward question "What is music?", evidently establishing how complicated in fact, a direct answer to this really is. Why is it that music has such a profound effect on people? It is easy to break down music as an organized choreography of sounds and vibrations, but there's a fundamental enigma in the extent of the emotional complexity music demonstrates on all groups of individuals - ranging from all cultures and backgrounds, to artists, performers, listeners and those who can't hear anything at all. 

A Different Kind of Fix - Bombay Bicycle Club

There's a definite sound to the current climate that is British indie music. It's a very distinct mix of indie meets pop meets rock, which subsequently meets contemporary-influenced folk, and ultimately leading to very bouncy musical composition of upbeat rhythms and twiddly guitar riffs, peppered with underlays of electronic effects. Bombay Bicycle Club have conquered that sound, and with the release of their third album A Different Kind of Fix, I can't help but feel a little disheartened by the overt similarities between this and their previous releases. However, what can be said is that the musical arrangement of this album has been clearly composed with love and an undeniable amount of effort. As recognizable with Bombay Bicycle Club, there's a brilliant fusion between folk-influenced guitar parts with a modest use of synthesizers that slide subtly behind their melodies and thicken the atmosphere that surrounds each track. 

Bombay Bicycle Club as seen on their Last.fm page

The first impressions I had for this album were particularly positive. The opening song, How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep cements the folkiness of this album, while the shaky vocals remind me of a more upbeat, rather happier Conor Oberst who's given in to the contemporary trend of electronic influences. The great thing is that this opening track is so different to their previous sound that when followed by Bad Timing, there's an admirable sense of change and distinction - particularly how this second track has more of a dreampop feel to it, drawing upon musical similarities to ethereal bands such as The Daysleepers and the likes.

Austra: An Overview

It's a marvellous feeling to stumble across an artist that you fall instantly in love with. It's exactly what happened to me this morning, when the wonderful music cataloguer Last.fm, provided me with my daily dose of artist recommendations of potential musical companionships. Thank you, Last.fm, for enlightening me with Austra.

For the avid listeners who enjoy expanding their musical horizons, this band deserves the opportunity to fill ear cavities with a taste of new wave electronica that feels heavy and light at the same time. The sound of Toronto-formed Austra, bears positive familiarity with artists such as Zola Jesus, Esben and the Witch, and The Knife through a contrast of intense melodies against powerful female vocals that although delicate, hold underlying energies that persistently threaten to break through. While this association may sound generalizing; the reality of this is that Austra sets itself apart from neighbouring artists with a uniquely tailored tone, as lead-vocalist Katie Stelmanis' classically-trained voice feels beautifully strained beneath the pressure of emotional retention.

Austra's Katie Stelmanis

The Newcomers: Man Without Country

Had I been already writing a blog in June, I'd have jumped straight from the gig in Cardiff to my laptop for immediate gushing and admiration for this band. Unfortunately I didn't, and with the terrible memory that I have, it has taken me a good summer to get round to writing so. But fear not, my little chickadees, as it has all come flooding back to me and boy - am I happy about it!

This band here is Man Without Country, who, alongside Crystal Stilts, were the supporters for headlining band Warpaint (hands down one of the best all-girl bands around at the moment by the waaay), and although I acknowledged their name on the posters, I was far from understanding the sheer power of the duo behind the band. Not only did the Warpaint gig introduce me to Man Without Country, but it also gave me the special privilege of experiencing the magic that this band evoke through their sound - and the surreal atmosphere they create when performing live.

Taken from their Official Site.
But it's pretty much how I remember the band looking too.

Evanescence; coming back into sight.

Evanescence are coming back, and I can barely contain my excitement. 

According to the Oxford Dictionary, Evanescence is defined as disappearing from sight and fading away into vapour. True Story. And so I was heartbroken when my all-time favourite music group - the band that ignited my love for rock music and fuelled my teenage rebellion; the band that influenced me into learning piano, and the band whose song My Immortal was the first that I ever sang solo in front of an audience - did exactly what their name had defined.

After the incredible 2006 release of their second official album The Open Door (Origin and other EP's aside), Evanescence gradually, and much to my disappointment, faded from the limelight. I don't know whether this was influenced by the leaving of Ben Moody after Fallen, or if it was to do with the ridiculous fact that he and another two of Evanescence's members left and joined forces with American Idol finalist Carly Smithson to create the group We are the Fallen (well done guys, you couldn't have found a vocalist who sounded more like Amy Lee, OR a name closer to an Evanescence album if you tried), but I came to accept that I would most likely never see the day where there would be news of Amy Lee releasing music with Evanescence again.

Well guys, despite the four year wait, that day has finally come.With a line-up of new members and a bunch of new material, Evanescence will be releasing a self-titled third album, set on release in October this year. Cue the hallelujah chorus. In fact, if you're anything like me, you'll be well aware of the fact that Evanescence have already debuted their first single What You Want, which I have kindly inserted after the page break for your listening. 

What an Eye Opener!

Cheesy post title, check. Although the contents is far from it. The incredible photography seen below is the work of Suren Manvelyan. Here is a collection of macro shots taken of the human eye, simply named "Your Beautiful Eyes." And how beautiful they are indeed. The innovative artist behind these photographs is not only the leading photographer for Yerevan Magazine, but, incredibly, also has a PhD for work on quantum chaos and technologies, as well as lecturing physics, mathematics and astronomy at Yerevan Waldorf School. A man of many talents, it seems.

My oh, Eye!

Hadn't I come across Manvelyan's photography, I'd have never known to what extent our eyes are actually textured. Check out the layers we have in our irises! Sure, I remember the science lessons we had in high school dissecting cows eyes and learning how our pupils were actually holes. Never did I expect them to be able to compete with the Mariana Trench though! But really, it's an incredible feat to see this much detail in such high resolution. To think that if I had my own expensive camera with a ridiculously brilliant lens (a PhD wouldn't hurt me either, or an eye for taste - har har), I'd be able to see my own unique set of coloured and textured receptors. The more I look at these images though, the more my eyes begin to feel a little funny. Absolutely breath-taking, mind-blowing photographs, nonetheless.

Click below to see more of Manvelyan's incredible series Your Beautiful Eyes and further links.

What an under-appreciated luxury photographic recording has turned out to be! In this modern age where cameras have become so accessible and constantly within our reach,  it's hard to believe that once upon a time, to be photographed was an exceptionally large deal. Especially in the Victorian era, where the price of a photograph costed more than a week's worth of food. 

Petrolian post-mortem... I'd have assumed the parents first.

 Go on. Take a good look at that photograph and tell me what you see.  Because I can sincerely swear that just two of the three people present in the photograph are alive. In fact, the only figure to actually be standing up, is not alive. Exhibit A is just one of the many post-mortem photographs that were taken during the Victorian era. When a child or loved one passed away, it was a common occurrence for the families of the deceased to stage photographs for future nostalgic reference. As you can actually see in the Petrolian photo, the bodies were often held  in place with the use of wires, poles and metal constraints, while pupils were often painted onto their closed eyes. Spooky huh? Maybe when my cat dies, I'll make sure to photograph her on my lap for safe keeping. Actually scratch that, we have taxidermy now. I'll just get her stuffed.

For more Petrolian post-morten shots, hit 'Read more'

SONOIO Review on Red

It's obvious what my musical niche is. Hadn't I known of SONOIO prior to listening to Red, I would have thought the mastermind behind the solo project was a woman. Not because I'm a strong feminist or anything like that (although you can quiz me on my suffragette knowledge), but because of the incredible vocal range that Alessandro Cortini presents in his tunes. 

Bells might ring with Cortini's name, having toured and recorded with industrial-rockers Nine Inch Nails in earlier years, as well as contributing to another two bands; Modwheelmood and Blindoldfreak. However, SONOIO (the name comes from the Italian phrase "Sono io" meaning "it's me") is Cortini's most recent project and - as the name suggests, he's been producing it solo.

SONOIO - Red

Forget Wally - Where's Liu Bolin?

That's right... I gave up on Wally and Waldo a long time ago, back before I forgot where I misplaced my Where's Wally books (oh, the irony.) And who even needs an invisibility cloak when you can just paint yourself into thin air? That's exactly what Chinese artist Liu Bolin has done, remarkably camouflaging himself into backgrounds to such a degree that one would think it was done digitally (it's not.)

Liu Bolin: International Hide-and-Seek Champion

WHERE'S HE GONE? WHERE IS H- Oh. Oh, there he is. Taking up to ten hours to authentically paint and photograph himself for the perfect perspective, Liu Bolin has been recognized for his art at a now international level. Contrary to the 'fitting-in-with-society' vibe, the 35 year old artist explained that these artworks are in protest against the Government for their actions against Chinese artists, as well as the closing of his studio a half decade ago. 

A virtual across-the-web word of warning to Liu Bolin however, as China's current outlook on protesting artists has not been entirely appreciated - as I'm sure Ai Weiwei will happily tell him.  Click here to see a few samples of his incredible projects.

Ladytron's Back!

Now for me, this is the long awaited good news that I've been dreaming to hear. Ladytron's new single, 'White Elephants' has been made available for online listening. God bless, free music streaming! Along with three other tunes; 'Mirage', 'Ambulances' and 'Ace of Hz', these single releases are the teaser tasters fuelling the hype to Ladytron's fifth studio album, 'Gravity the Seducer' that will be released in September this year.

Ladytron's fifth album, 'Gravity the Seducer' will be released on September 12th 2011

Spider Silk Cloth?

Without a doubt, this is the only moment in history where I've been positively impressed by the likes of a spider. Horrible creatures usually. But my spidey senses couldn't help but tingle when I saw the radiating image of this beautiful saffron coloured cloth.... woven entirely from spider silk.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/09/spider-silk/

Now, I hate spiders with every fibre in my being but for some unknowing reason (okay kind of knowing - it's shiny and can be worn),  I can't help but wish I had one to call my own. Unfortunately that won't be happening any time soon, as this scarf claims to be the first cloth made from spider silk that's been around since the early 1900s. The four meter long scarf has taken four years to weave, with a total of five years searching Madagascar's highlands for over a million female golden orb spiders to harvest their silk. As the name suggests, the golden orb spiders that are 'silked' for this textile, release a golden coloured thread that, in proportion with size, is six times stronger than steal. Meaning it's rather strong. Not only this but weaving requires an average of 2300 spiders in order to make an ounce of silk, making this a very special commodity indeed.

In a Galaxy not too far away - Star Wars coins

Whoever's idea it was to incorporate the best (hands down) movie trilogy of all time into currency, I bow down to you. The force is definitely with the South Pacific island, Nieu, whose government have issued a set of 40 different coins brandishing images of our favourite Star Wars heroes.

When you're $2 short for the bus,  give into temptation you must not.

There is a dark side to this however, as although the coins set to be released are at a face value of (NZ)$2, they are to be sold in sets of four at a staggering (NZ)$469 and are believed to go up in value long after their release. Say whaaaat jedi mind trick is this? A paradox no less, as never did I imagine that money would cost more than spending it. Although the fact that these gems are classed as currency and can actually be used (despite the ridiculous sum, desperate times may call for desperate measures), their intention is not to be used financially. These commodities are targeted more towards coin collectors and Star Wars enthusiasts alike, further expanding the already massive empire of Star Wars merchandise. 

Intending to create a stir amongst the public, the first set of these coins shall be put on display at the American Numismatics Association in Chicago next week, and will be continually released until 2014.

May the coins be with you, my young padawans. 

For further reads and photograph credits;

Telegraph

Stuff.co.nz

Well I never - a museum under the sea?!

I've been to some pretty neat museums in my past, but being young at the time I was like any other unappreciative brat moaning to make a move and go somewhere less expectant of quietness and elite sophistication. Like the Disney shop. If I could go back now, I'd totally jump at the chance - just so I could look for all the UFO's hiding in the paintings. Because you can spot them in some. Yes. They're already here, and remember you heard it from me first.

Them Little Dragons

I've had a hankering for new music recently. When I can't remember the last time I updated my iPod or whether or not it even has battery left in it (damn the generation that requires USB cables to charge, DAMN THEM), that's when I know it's time to tune back in to the wonderfully diverse realm of contemporary music.

Vocalist Yukimi Nagano and her dragons.

 Little Dragon, have given birth to something beautiful 'Ritual Union', that's so new and fresh from release that it's still piping hot. The electronic music group from Sweden (I sometimes wonder if this country is my true calling - once again luring me into a pleasurable Swedish vortex of dark electronica) compile their tracks with the best of synthetic beats, electronic sounds and vocals that fit soundly within the realms of trip-hop. 

Now Little Dragon are fairly new to me, having only discovered them about two months ago with their previous 2009 album, Machine Dreams so to receive news of Ritual Union's release I was a rather happy bunny. To my delightful surprise, Ritual Union greatly differs in style and influence to their previous albums, feeling more toned down on the experimental side with greater focus on syncopated melodies. Don't get me wrong, experimentation with sound is never a bad thing, but it seriously requires far more concentration to appreciate the beauties that hide within layers of sometimes unnecessary sound.

Who burst your bubble? A Universal Dilemma.

I don't know about you guys, but I was brought up with the mind-boggling assumption that our universe was infinitely spaced, causing my brain to switch to nuclear meltdown every time I even tried to comprehend the thought. Kind of like the Heroin Hero game in South Park where you keep running to catch the dragon even though you know that the game's programmed for you to never reach it.

No worries though, because things have just gotten even more perplexing.

Our universe has taken a good beating.

Brinngg on Banksy!

Street vandalism or not (?) you have to take your hat off to Banksy for executing contextual politics in such astounding yet comedic pieces of street art.

Banky's response to the recent News of the World phone tapping

This is one of the latest pieces by the pseudonymous graffiti artist Banksy, who has caused much stir since he first became recognized for his art around Bristol 90s all the way to present day. It seems once more that Banksy has distributed another piece of political activism, this time in response to the recent release of information regarding the UK Murdoch and News of the World phone hacking/tapping scandal that has been frequently headlining British television. Needless to say, this conduct was fairly unheard of until recently when it came to knowledge that News of the World had hacked into missing teenager, Milly Dowler's phone in order to delete messages to make room for potentially more messages, ultimately leading to the false belief that she could have still been alive.

However here, Banksy shows his own more comedic response to the recent news, taking good use of a domestic outdoor tap and showing off his witty linguistic skills to shine a light on an otherwise rather serious current affair.

For more information on Banksy, or the News of the World conundrum, check out:

Banksy

The Guardian

Iamamiwhoami - whoarethey?

I happen to have a bit of a love/hate relationship with travelling and transport. Flying scares the bejesus out of me, while I could bob about on a ferry quite happily (that is, if I manage to walk across the gangway without falling in - LONG story). Trains are my favourite form of transport though, I mean after the havoc of sweating your way to an empty seat, then having to give it up for the little old lady who doesn't even say thank you. Gosh. Despite this, train rides give me the time to appreciation albums from start to finish.

Now this band, Iamamiwhoami, may take a few times round to say the name right - I think I know? But I could be wrong. Anyway, they're a Swedish project of sweet, sweet electro beats headlined by Jonna Lee. They originally started off anonymously on Youtube releasing enigmatic viral clips and causing great stir as well as a copyright infringement, woops. WHO ARE THEY, we all asked.

Musically, over the course of the last two years, Iamamiwhoami have shone with a number of singular releases, all mysteriously named as alphabetical numbers, often - as I have stumbled upon, in conjunction with artistic remixes.

Breaking Bad is Back

Friday morning. I'm doing what any lazy, unemployed, recently graduated 20 year old person would be doing - Sitting in bed with a coffee, catching up with newly released series. Yesterday was True Blood - which, for the record, is smokin' hot and a show that will always have a place situated comfortably and warm in the centre of my heart. Yeah, you heard me Eric Northman.

Good ol' Hal

I'm taking a break from True Blood today however - too much vampire and fairy chemistry is making me feel somewhat sexually deprived which is really not that fair. So I thought I'd give the first episode of the freshly released and well awaited season 4 of Breaking Bad a watch. For all those living under a rock out there, Vince Giligan's award-winning series stars Bryan Cranston, whom many of you might remember playing Hal in the legendary sitcom 'Malcolm in the Middle'. However Cranston seems to have left his comedic role (along with his hair) back in the 90's, impressively morphing into the perceivably nonchalant Walter White, who has exceeded from his lack of street credibility by creating a highly radioactive looking blue crystal methamphetamine that is essentially the bomb in his neighbourhood. Of course however, we see that any usage of these substances is portrayed without glamour, referring predominantly to the business, art and talent of Walt's chemistry while casting light on the severity and dangers of being part of New Mexico's drug trade. Not to mention throughout this entire series, the crux of Walt's illegal doings is to support his wife and children as he juggles a double life of meth-making with being a modest chemistry teacher living with a sense of impending doom due to his lung cancer diagnosis.

The last thing that we see in season 3's finale is a teasing cliffhanger of frustrating enigmas provoking many thoughts. In a state of hysteria, Jesse turns up on Gale's doorstep pointing a gun to his face. Then, like all cinematic cliches, we hear the gunshot after the camera cuts to a landscape scene leaving us with six trillion questions that were only to be answered in the following season.

Without disappointment, season 4 directly picks up from the previous gripping action (remember Mike's unexpected orders to dispose of Walt?) and there's a definite sense of imminent tension throughout the entire episode, throwing us directly into the deep end before we've even touched the water.

All in all, this is a pretty great episode. It's hard to please a starving audience and Vince Giligan has certainly put just the right amount of cake on our empty plates to keep us begging for more.