Album: Inner Song Artist: Kelly Lee Owens Release Date: August 28, 2020 Label: Smalltown Supersound Favorite Tracks:
Arpeggi
Melt!
Night
Flow
Wake-up
Thoughts:
Welsh artist Kelly Lee Owens is a unique electronic music producer who is also a song writer and vocalist. Her second album seamlessly blends various electronic music types from dancefloor bangers to the ethereal and meditative to more typical pop song structures. Fellow Welsh musician John Cale joins Owens on “Corner of My Sky,” with lyrics in both English and Welsh.
Only three new songs for the month of July, probably because I’ve been too busy listening to “Old Town Road.” All of these bands share in common band names that are challenging to find in a search engine.
Thoughts: Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus formed a super group but only recorded 6 songs. Strong harmonies and rich instrumentation make one wish for more. Rating: ***1/2
Album: Collapse Artist: Aphex Twin Release Date: September 14, 2018 Favorite Tracks: All of them. Thoughts: Richard D. James mixes blips, whirrs, and beats into an ineffable whole. I really like it and can’t explain why. Rating: ****
Caribbean music traditions and US dance beats come together in the only place they can: the United Kingdom. A history of jungle, garage, drum & bass, and grime. This made very nostalgic for the dance tracks of yore.
When I was a kid I recorded myself as the DJ of a “tape radio” station called WLTS, so I feel a kinship with Mark Talbot. Also a repeat of the Ways of Seeing story I highlighted last summer.
I haven’t posted any Songs of the Week this year, and I’ve decided to retire SOTW and instead make a monthly post of new songs I like. Hence the term “Monthly Mixtape.”
The title song off of Courtney Marie Andrews upcoming album is “May Your Kindness Remain”
Album: The Kid Artist: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith Release Date: October 6, 2017 Favorite Tracks: “A Kid” and “In the World, But Not of the World” Thoughts: An experimental synthesizer album with music that moves from danceable to the cinematic. There are a lot of hints and references to outside works but there’s also a feeling that it’s not going anywhere. This album may require a few more listens, but as of now I’m not completely sold Rating: ***
I’m adding to my stable of music criticism posts by introducing a new Albums of the Month feature. The basic gist is that on the second Wednesday of the month (or, as is the case when I procrastinate, on Friday), I will write reviews of 3-5 albums released within the past three months (in this case May, June, and July of 2016). If there’s an album you love that you’d like me to review, post a suggestion below. Similarly, if there’s an album you hate that you want me to pillory, also let me know. And if there’s an album you’re timid about listening to and want me to try first, I’m open to anything.
Ratings scale:
***** – An all-time classic album (highly recommended)
**** – Great album (recommended)
*** – Solid album (consider buying or streaming/downloading top tracks)
** – Weak album (only consider streaming/downloading top tracks)
* – Poor album (not recommended)
ARTIST: James Blake ALBUM: The Colour in Anything RELEASE DATE: 6 May 2016 RATING: *** COMMENTS: Blake’s gospel-style voice is paired with electronic sounds or sometimes a piano in this mournful album of love lost and a directionless life. This is a headphone album to hear the textures deep in the sounds in the often spare arrangements. This is not something to put on when you’re already feeling blue. Despite the title, this is a colourless, muted recording. OUTSTANDING TRACKS: “Points,” “Waves Know Shores,” “Always,” and “Meet You in the Maze.”
ARTIST: Tourist ALBUM: U RELEASE DATE: 6 May 2016 RATING: **1/2 COMMENTS: Reminiscent of Passion Pit and Jamie xx, this is electronic music that is danceable but introspective. The standout tracks are excellent but overall it sounds repetitive and dull. OUTSTANDING TRACKS: “Run,” “To Have You Back,” and “Foolish.”
ARTIST: Radiohead ALBUM: A Moon Shaped Pool RELEASE DATE: 8 May 2016 RATING: *** COMMENTS: Quiet and folky with orchestral flourishes, sometimes reminiscent of Sigur Ros and early 70’s folk pop, This is not as innovative as I’m accustomed from Radiohead and while a worthy addition to their catalog, it’s not a vital one. OUTSTANDING TRACKS: “Burn the Witch” and “Desert Island Disk”
ARTIST: Flume ALBUM: Skin RELEASE DATE: 27 May 2016 RATING: ** COMMENTS:A downtempo electronic album feels the strains of anxiety and uncertainty, especially in the high register vocals of the many guest artists. A few songs stand out, but overall this is kind of a drag. OUTSTANDING TRACKS: “Never Be Like You (featuring Kai)”, “Wall Fuck,” and “Tiny Cities (featuring Beck)”
ARTIST: Moon Hooch ALBUM: Red Sky RELEASE DATE: 10 June 2016 RATING: **** COMMENTS: This is the latest collection of saxophone tunes with EDM arrangements. Mostly instrumental, but a few vocal tracks (with less sax because they’re singing – duh). A great party record. OUTSTANDING TRACKS: “Sunken Ship,” “That’s What They Say,” “Something Else,” and “Alien Invasion”
ARTIST: Blood Orange ALBUM: Freetown Sound RELEASE DATE: 18 June 2016 RATING: *** COMMENTS: This album bridges 80s r&b rhythms and sounds (a definite Michael Jackson influence) with socially conscious lyrics. I want to like it more than I do. OUTSTANDING TRACKS: “By Ourselves,” “Augustine,” “But You,” and “Hands Up”
“1973” is a song by Beth Orton off her new album Kidsticks. Orton is an English singer-songwriter who blends folk music with electronica to create “folkltronica.” 1973 is a significant year since that was the year I was born, but I expect Orton isn’t aware of that.
Every year the editor of the excellent MP3 blog Said the Gramophone publishes a list of 100 Best Songs of the Year. The list is diverse, and not every song is going to resonate with everyone, but I always discover something new I missed over the course of the year.
One of the songs from this year’s list is “Malukayi” by Mbonwana Star (feat. Konono No.1). The seven-piece band is from the Democratic Republic of Congo and they combine percussion with chant-like vocals and electronic sounds. It’s pretty brilliant.
My own list of favorite songs of the year is coming soon. If there’s a song you think should be on the best of 2015 list let me know in the comments!
The song is called “Loud Places” but the track by Jamie xx (nom de plume of English producer/remix artist Jamie Smith) is not loud at all. The bass is heavy, but the vocals by The xx bandmate Romy Madley Croft are soothing, uplifting, almost gospel. I just want to dive in and live in the world the music creates.
