Jan 11, 2019

If anybody is still unaware of the diversity and versatility of Son Lux’s Ryan Lott as a songwriter, this should be convincing. Lott has written the score for Pentaptych, a ballet commissioned by the Philbrook Museum of Art and presented by Tulsa Ballet. 9 pieces of music are being released from the work, out February 8th on This Is Meru. The first piece “Water Fields” has just been shared. Check it out.

Here’s what Lott wrote about the score:

“In dance, music is as much the space in which movement occurs as is the room itself. Those of us who write music for dance are, in that sense, architects. For Pentaptych, I sought to create a series of resonant spaces for Ma’s choreography, and for the generation and regeneration of Eric’s paintings. Each musical movement explores a consistent instrumental palette, led by the violin (and its viola and cello counterparts), in various stages of abstraction. We hear familiar sounds accompanied by unknown colors, just beyond the reach of familiarity. My hope is that navigating through this array of “rooms” feels as much like an exploration as a homecoming.”

Jan 09, 2019

Scotland’s The Twilight Sad is set to release their new album It Won/t Be Like This All the Time on the 18th, their first new record since 2014’s Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave. Here’s a teaser, it’s awesome. The band just shared the video for the final single before release, “VTr”.

Jan 07, 2019

This is bar none one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. One of my favorite bands Interpol going through the music and films they picked up at Amoeba Records in LA: Paul Banks, Sam Fogarino, and Daniel Kessler each talk about what they chose and why. Check it:

Jan 06, 2019

The incomparable Animal Collective released its most vibrant magnum opus Merriweather Post Pavilion ten years ago today. Happy Birthday! It’s a good opportunity to listen again (or for the first time) to an album that reflects the entire color spectrum of the universe. Dive in:

Dec 24, 2018

As we are just reflecting on the best music of the past year, get ready for some of the best from the year to come. Scotland’s The Twilight Sad is coming out with their new album It Won/t Be Like This All The Time in January and played a bunch of the new songs in Seattle (The Crocodile!) in October. They also stopped through KEXP the morning of the show for a live session. Not surprisingly, it’s thrilling and the interview with host Hans is great as well. This is Christmas music, and don’t let anyone tell you different.

Songs: Videograms, I’m Not Here (missing face), It Never Was The Same, Cold Days From The Birdhouse.

Dec 20, 2018

This live set at Iceland Airwaves from the Faroese-Icelandic electronic dynamo Kiasmos was published in the beginning of the year, but time constraints don’t apply here. KEXP just promoted its viewing on social media, so have a look to see/hear why. The 47-minute set took place at KEXP’s Kex Hostel In Reykjavik.

Dec 18, 2018

Skinny Lister is a London six piece and is ramping up for the release of their new album The Story Is… on March 1, 2019 via Xtra Mile Recordings. The band just shared their daring video for the title track.

“Always a band unafraid of testing the limits, the band has just revealed a daredevil and highly original video for the title track. Filmed in NYC, the video follows first-hand the perilous ascent of an urban explorer as she scales the Williamsburg Bridge in the dead of night. The track itself sees the band poetically sing about love and loss with words that will surely tug at the heart strings during this timely season of reflection.”