Journal

Intro to Rotations
Welcome to another installment of my bi-weekly rotations. I don't have a lot of time for frequent reviews, and if I posted once a month, this page would be too cluttered with albums. This is not a recommendations list of the new and exciting albums, because the "new" to me could be an album from more than five years ago, and perhaps even one of your favorites. So every other weekend, I sit down with the list of albums that graced my rotations for the last two weeks, and pick out the favorites to share with you, and to be able to look back at my own selections as my taste changes through the years. Hope you find some gems in here. Listed in no particular order. Enjoy!

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Mono - Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined (Temporary Residence Ltd, human highway, Rykodisc, Oct 2004)
Dug this up from within my post-rock archives, because I've seen the name pop up here and there again. Whoah! With all the crescendo driven dynamics, this album is surely full of poetic music. On a repeated listen I find myself humming along with the guitar and piano solo melodies, which is a sign for me that I'm going to be returning to Mono over and over again. To me, this is a perfect combination of everything that I love about post-rock. Not too spacey or dark (although I'll never turn down another Godspeed You! Black Emperor. You know what I like doing with music like this? Turn the volume way up in its ambient incubation, and then let the sound hit me in the face along with blast of air from my speakers when it all explodes. Check this album out, and you'll know what I'm talking about. For the likes of Red Sparowes, Explosions in the Sky, and Do Make Say Think.


Alva Noto - Xerrox Vol. 1 (raster-noton, Mar 2007)
Carsten Nicolai uploads another experimental production into our brains in which he explores the concepts behind original sounds and their copies (be it digital or analog reproductions), and focuses on the actual process of copying itself. The project is astounding in its scope, and is deserving of an audio installation at The Guggenheum (which Nicolai has already frequented). The only downside is that the music itself has a small chance of reappearing on my rotation list, as is the case with other super experimental and avant-garde electronic recordings (think abstract noise-like works of Autechre, and deconstruction of composition by John Cage). Nevertheless, I applaud the accomplishment, which only Alva Noto can deliver, and am looking forward to upcoming volumes in this project, regretting only that I couldn't witness the performance and process in person. (see also Alva Noto - Xerrox Vol. 1 on last.fm).

Lusine ICL - Language Barrier (Hymen, Jun 2007)
I've dedicated an entire post to this album before, and it continues to show up on my top list of rotations (as expected), along with other favorites like Arovane's Lilies and Murcof's Cosmos. After years of following Jeff McIlwain's work under other aliases (L'Usine / Lusine), I am completely swept off my feet with this melancholy serenade. Lo-fi passes of ambient minor chord sweeps, and a perfect thump of a beat-less bass in just the right places. I am looking forward to chilling out to this album even during the most coldest days.

Malcom Kipe - Lit (merck, Sep 2005)
I stumbled across Nautilis a couple of years ago, by randomly picking up his record, only because it was released on Planet Mu. Since then, I am hooked. I picked up his other releases, as well as productions under other aliases, like this collection of instrumental and abstract hip hop album on merck, that totally grooves me. The loops remind me a lot of DJ Shadow's Endtroducing....., except a bit more repetitive in some places. If you like beats, this is one of the best trip-hop treats you will find. Feel free to spontaneously free style. Check out his other album Breakspiracy Theories.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Music From The Motion Picture Once (Columbia, May 2007)
Some of you may be wondering - what is this soundtrack doing on my list. And Irish folk too? So, ok, I went to see a movie, titled, er... "Once", and it was about... Well, why don't you just see it yourself? If you like music in any shape or form, you won't be disappointed. And the songs from the film stayed with me - enough to buy the album and listen to it over and over. What's more important about the music by Glen Hansard is that his passion, emotion, and pain is clearly heard through his voice and instrument alike. This is an album that makes me "feel" in every sense of the word. And I admit, I totally dig Marketa Irglova's voice. She can sing to me any time, with accent and all.

Hecq - A Dried Youth (Kaleidoskop, Sep 2003)
Following my previous enjoyable discovery of Hecq's 0000, I decided to drop another of his albums into a shopping cart as well. Happy to report that it was a wise decision. This is one of my favorite feelings, discovering a beautiful album released years ago. I get upset sometimes, that I missed it, but it's always better late than never. Hecq breaks it down, pulling every known trick out of his sleeve [of a wizard] with IDM clicks, breaks, and glitches. I love the "in your face" / "here I am" / "eat it" attitude of the composition. It's raw, it's dark, it's beautiful, and it makes me want to turn the volume up. For the likes of Architect, Gridlock, and Keef Baker. So don't be like me, and pick up this album, even if it's from 2003. By the way, anyone got my "of a wizard" reference?

Anouar Brahem - Le Voyage De Sahar (Ecm Records, 2006)
Beautiful melancholic melodies are at the center of this acoustic Arabic classical and jazzy album, layered with piano, accordion and an oud (middle eastern lute). This is a real treat for those rainy long nights, with its masterfully crafted performance. Like a soundtrack to an aged, black-and-white European film, where two lovers meet on the bridge for the last kiss before a long separation, the sadness in Anouar's music is seeping through the fabric of my speaker cones and drowning them in tears.

The Site Of Future Rome - The Site of Future Rome
This Scottish instrumental 5-piece post-rock band (who's info on themselves and this beautiful self released 4 track EP seems to be available only through their myspace), will absolutely send you out in search of their other fresh and upcoming releases. Excellent treatment with the cello and overall dynamics remind me of where GY!BE left off as the tracks evolve and sweep in waves of crescendo and beautiful harmony. I would also point out that the mixing is superb and maintains a perfect balance between the instruments. favorite track: Dolphin Song. Similar bands to check out - Detwiije, Bright Red Paper, Rachel's.

Lights Out Asia - Tanks & Recognizers (n5MD, Jul 2007)
This is as good as it gets people. For the lovers of IDM and post-rock alike... Or, rather, scratch that. For the lovers of just good music - an enchanted, live, and electronically treated album that merges every best aspect of your favorite elements (including lightly sprinkled vocals) into a perfect concoction of pure bliss. I'm personally in love with every track, and went through about 5 full rotations just this past week. For the lovers of The Album Leaf, Telefon Tel Aviv and Hammock. Highly Recommended.

Destroyalldreamers - À Coeur Léger Sommeil Sanglant (Where Are My Records, Oct 2004)
Since we're on the post-rock tangent, it's time for me to mention destroyalldreamers album that has been soothing me through the days. Excellent instrumental work by a Canadian band that may have missed your radar with some of the bigger names swimming out there. Nevertheless, the music is perfect for a crispy autumn day - not too somber, not too apocalyptic, and at the same time not very much upbeat. The tracks seem to perfectly embody my current state of mind. Favorite tracks : Orage, Destroy All Dreamers, and Sombrer dans la Folie and a bunch more... And don't forget to pick up their latest album (which I need to do as well) called Wish I Was All Flames

substanz-t - Beyond E (Hymen, Apr 2007)
What an eclectic breath of fresh air with at times almost dark ambient, at times pop sounding yet confident in-your-face tracks. In some places trip-hop, in some IDM and cinematic electronica. And overall a good instrumental vs. background female vocal balance.. This is my first introduction to Substanz-T, and I'll guess I'll just have to pick up their previous releases. If you like variety of good production tracks spanning multiple genres from the same artist, I would thrust this in your face. Favorite tracks : Glow, Truth, and Source.

VA - Colonized 01 (Colony Productions, Apr 2007)
Time for an honorable compilation mention. I grabbed this compilation off of bleep.com, and I suggest you do the same. I can almost guarantee you five star tracks with artists like Yasume, Seven Ark, Point B, Funckarma, Abstrakt Knights, Tipper, and Crunch just to name a few. A 320kbps release at $10 - how can you go wrong? Oh, and, if you're already on there shopping for compilations, do yourself a favor and add Megasoft Office 2007 into your cart. That's ok - you can thank me later. [Sorry, neither albums show up on last.fm (yet), but I tagged them properly for when they do].

13 & God - 13 & God (Anticon, Alien Transistor, Apr 2005)
I was digging through some albums that somehow slipped passed me a couple of years ago, and let 13 & God surprise me. A collaboration between an Themselves and an underground hip-hop group The Notwist from Germany brings you a perfect mix of blended tongue-and-cheek beats and playful lyrics. The album is thoroughly enjoyable and reminds me of my first listen to Moloko's Do You Like My Tight Sweater? and Lovage's Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By. Excellent accompaniment of live and electronic instruments with some lo-fi treatment of post-production as introduced by Portishead. Favorite track - Soft Atlas. Highly recommended.

Julien Neto - Le Fumeur de Ciel (type records, Jun 2005)
I first came upon this album during my initial discovery of Modern Classical. I was absolutely blown away. I remember that day perfectly. I had a stressful day which ended up bleeding into the night. I couldn't sleep, and instead woke up at 5am to browse through some new recommendations from boomkat. I remember saying out loud - "what is this music?" Electronic, jazzy, ambient, and chamber. I didn't have the right words. If you haven't heard this album, I am in a sense almost jealous - because you will have that amazing feeling of a newly discovered music. For the followers of Deaf Center, Marsen Jules, and Goldmund. Favorite tracks - Voy and VI (featuring Keith Kenniff)... Which at this time brings me to the following unfortunate review below.

Helios - Ayres (Type, Sep 2007)
This is my fourth listen to this album - unfortunately in this instance it may be last, since none of the tracks particularly stand out. Is it perhaps because of the soft male vocals (by Keith Kenniff himself), and the fact that I'm a bit biased towards soft whispers of a guy lullabying of dreams, morning stars, and glorious lusters. Yeah, I'll blame that as my distraction from appreciating the ambient and at times distortion-glitch-treated music that is the Helios trademark. Truly a disappointment because of such high expectations. I know that it's too cruel to dismiss an artist's hard work with just a paragraph of semi-negative review, and I wish I was more "open minded", but I just can't do it. It creeps me out. The vocals totally ruin it for me, and I'd rather fall asleep to múm. I apologize in advance for even having to spend the time to negatively review an album - which I never do - but I just couldn't help it this time around.

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the end
Well that's all for this edition of rotations. October comes to an end, and there should be enough music here to keep you warm and somber in the wet and chilly nights. Hope I mentioned some tunes in here that are new to you. More importantly I hope that you will fall in love with some of this music and remember me as the one who recommended it. ;) That being said, I encourage your feedback. Even if you have nothing to say, comment with an ellipsis - this way at least I'll know you've read it. And send me all of your recommendations!!!