Sepalcure – See Me Feel Me

Sepalcure’s self-titled debut album follows popular contemporary pattern of merging genres, blending a Joy Orbison dubstep sound with house. See Me Feel Me is the early standout track.

 

Album: SBTRKT – SBTKRT

Anyone who has read this blog with any degree of regularity will know that I’m more than a bit of a fan of Will Wisenfeld aka Baths, and his 2010 album Cerulean. I still remember my first time giving the album a listen and waiting for the filler to arrive but each track proved breathtaking in its own way. Cerulean came out at a time when, thanks to the likes of Flying Lotus and Teebs, glitch-hop was at the forefront of electronic music but Wisenfeld managed to stand out from the masses with an original and engaging spin on the genre.

British producer Aaron Jerome who performs as SBTRKT (pronounced Subtract) has achieved the same feat with his stunning debut self-titled album. As contemporary electronic music continues to draw influence from all different directions the genre game grows more and more farcical with this album likely to be lumped into the post-dubstep category alongside the likes of James Blake and Mount Kimbie. Regardless of its genre, SBTRKT’ is a compelling LP which at various stages boasts a hint of house, funk, soul, dubstep, electronica and just about everything else.

Comparisons with James Blake are inevitable given Jerome’s use of heavy-bass loops fused with his soulful vocals, but SBTRKT offers an approach more akin to Blake’s earlier EP releases than his more subdued self-titled album. Tunes like Wildfire and Right Thing To Do are underground dance floor anthems while the mournful Hold On and funky gem Trials Of The Past display Jerome’s more introspective songwriting capabilities.

Just when you think you’ve got the album figured out pop tune ‘Pharoahs’ makes an appearance with a Dizzee Rascal-esque beat blended with sing along trance vocals calling to mind Katy B’s chart single ‘Lights On’, but better.

Will Wisenfeld was a relatively unknown 21-year old when he released Cerulean, one of the most compelling albums of the past decade. Aaron Jerome was equally anonymous prior to this debut release but you get the feeling he’ll be bringing his exotic headwear to more festivals on the back of what is already, unquestionably one of the albums of 2011.

Artist – Bingo

So here’s another new Irish artist to add to the list. I have to concede I know very little about Dublin’s Frank Sweeney aka Bingo but this track ‘Bee’ is outstanding. Like MOTHS, Bingo has honed an ultra-contemporary electronic sound. ‘Bee’ includes samples from Destiny’s Child’s ‘Say My Name’ and has more than a hint of James Blake’s post-dubstep anthem CMYK.

Playlist: Music Library 29-11-2010

The Music Library is an alternative music show which airs on Flirtfm 101.3, Galway’s alternative student station Monday-Friday between 8 and 9 am. I take charge of the tunes on Mondays.

Onra – The Anthem
Sunday Girl – Stop Hey (Rusko Remix)
The Xx – Shelter (Death to the Throne Remix)
Jessica Hoop – Seeds of Wonder (Killabits Dubstep Remix)
Gold Panda – You
Flying Lotus (Featuring Thundercat) – MmmHmm
Super Extra Bonus Party (Ft. Cadence Weapon) – Radar
Caribou – Kaili
Chew Lips – Karen
Two Door Cinema Club – What You Know
Katy B – Katy on a Mission
Nouveaunoise – Cinnte
Why? – These Few Pesidents
Digitalism – Pogo
Justice – Phantom pt. II



Album: Baths – Cerulean

The 14 tracks on Cerulean boast a maturity and musical intuition beyond what can be expected from a 21-year-old. However when we consider that Will Wisenfeld (Baths) has spent the majority of the last decade making music and honing his particular brand of electronic hip-hop, under the name [Post-Foetus], not to mention the ambient venture Geotic, things become somewhat clearer. Like dubstep, glitch-hop has enjoyed a speedy rise in popularity among the online indie community thanks to the work of producers such as Flying Lotus and Daedelus. Throughout Cerulean, Wisenfeld makes his own mark in a genre over-populated by producers trying too hard to stand out. Ironically by adopting a more refined approach Baths has created the genre’s outstanding album.

While others producers maintain a distance with the listener Wisenfeld has harnessed his songwriting skills to add a personal touch to Cerulean. The anthemic ‘Lovely Bloodflow’ possess the features prevalent throughout the album. A simple hip-hop kick-snare lays the foundation for Wisenfeld to build on with clicks and jumpy vocals accompanied by leafy effects to add weight to the lyrics “kick up my shit you wanna, rustle these leaves.” Ponderous as these words may be the sentiment behind the tune is more obvious when the beat lowers to allow Wisenheld proclaim in a high pitched melody “you are my bloodflow.”

Clocking 50 minutes Cerulean may seem a bit imposing but in truth you could double that length and not tire of the album. Wisenfeld has mastered the elusive art of creating a cohesive compilation which flows perfectly from start to finish but avoids the trap sounding repetitive. His command and understanding of instrumentation comes to the fore in ‘♥’ which only introduces an electronic beat after a haunting piano and guitar intro is brought to a halt by Wisenfeld’s ghostly vocals. This is also the most revelatory track dealing with the life he has left behind in his suburban hometown;  “Met in the night like it was wrong, laugh at the life left now that we’re gone, I won’t go back, I won’t go back, I love you too much”

Wisenfeld’s greatest achievement on Cerulean is to incorporate so many things without making it sound remotely cramped or forced. The bass gets cranked up in ‘Mximalist’, ‘Mecha Joy’ and the wonderful ‘Indoorsy’ providing a more customary glitch-hop sound synonymous with artists like Flylo and Nosaj Thing. Throughout Cerulean effective use is made of vocals samples, from the M83-esque slow burner ‘Seaside Town’ to the album’s ultimate feel good, danceable number ‘Animals’. ‘Hall’ brings the album to a fitting close projecting a blend of loops, soft vocals and layered effects to give the end as optimistic a feel as ‘Apologetic Shoulderblades’ provided at track 1.

Gig: Mount Kimbie

When a new band breaks onto the scene and gains instant support the first thing everybody wants to know is what do they sound like…what genre are they? Its part of the logocentric nature of man, we want to be able to point to one single thing and categorise a host of subjects, it’s basic laziness. Its hip-hop, rock and roll, grunge, electro, techno, house, etc. With this one word we try to sum up an entire sound and numerous artists.

What then do we do when an act like Mont Kimbie comes along? Widely regarded as Dubstep this London duo mixes all sorts of  ‘genres’ to create a sound all of their own. Dubstep may be the umbrella they have been cast under but last night’s showing in Galway’s Roisin Dubh was more Flylo than Jakwob, more Onra than Benga. Dominic Maker and Kai Campos varied loops and samples with dreamy synths and rocky instrumentation.

A respectable crowd was present to witness the unclassifiable but undeniably brilliant performance from Mount Kimbie. While aspects of their live show bared resemblance to minimal dubstep, in a manner not dissimilar to Skream, most of the set was dominated by beats resembling the fashionable glitch-hop sound made popular thanks to performers like Nosaj Thing. It was refreshing to see the Londoners emerge from behind their laptops and samplers to pick up a guitar and drum sticks and prove that modern electronic artists are not afraid to make music the traditional way.

LastFm offers several ‘genres’ which could all lossely be applied to Mount Kimbie’s sound but instead of playing the genres game, this time why don’t we just listen to the music and decide if we like it. After last nights memorable performance I have to say I love their blend of electo/electromental/ambient/downtempo/chillout/electronica/techno/garage/glitch hop/folktronica/shoegaze…..oh ya and dubstep.

Video: Magnetic Man ft. Katy B – Perfect Stranger

Follow up single to ‘I need air’ from dubstep’s answer to a supergroup Magnetic Man. Just like the first single, it seems to loiter in between dubstep, drum and bass and even at times trance but the result is a banging tune, featuring Katy B, the rising queen of debstep.