Randomn3ss

Hello again! Hope the electronica suggestions I’ve provided have kept you satisfied between posts. Now we get to dive into the FuN genres! 

PSY-TRANCE: This is electronica on drugs…Isn’t most trance on drugs you ask? Yes, I agree with you, but I am referring to trance on a DIFFERENT sort of drugs.. An example would be the artist Hallucinogen, or my personal favorite, the Israeli “Infected Mushroom”. Also I would include the UK’s “Shpongle” (he also does solo work as “Simon Posford”) as well as “Astral Projection” and “Juno Reactor. Dark Soho is less popular, though their song “The Fusion” provides a wonderful soundtrack for driving 100mph on the freeway. This music is… intense. There is a lot of bass and a lot of sound waves that are manipulated in such a way as to give the sensation of aliens drilling at your brain. A whole new concept of ‘expanding your mind’ perhaps? 

 
IDM: This stands for Intelligent Dance Music, though it is arguable how ‘danceable’ these tunes really are. Purely synthetic and claiming a range between electronic elevator music and someone’s twisted joke of an emergency alarm system, one of the best examples can be found in the artist “Autechre”.  IDM is a strange genre, not really inclusive but for a few exceptions, it mainly names a specific sound, but few artists limit themselves solely to that sound. For example, the popular Death Cab For Cutie is occasionally slotted under IDM. Autechre is quite an experience as the IDM sound is bent to include jazzy riffs and hip hop beats. Anyone who is familiar with the workings of a synthesizer will recognize this genre as the most ‘raw’. That is, the effects a synthesizer can produce, such as the arpeggiator, which turns a single note into a “flurry of sounds” is easily recognizable within the music itself. Honestly, I find IDM the most difficult to describe, I recommend checking out the sound sample on Amazon.com.

DOWNTEMPO: Also accused at times of being elevator music, this genre is also known as CHILLOUT. It is more focused on atmosphere creation than on the music itself, though some downtempo can be quite involved and conducive to heavy introspection. Zero 7 provides a general example. Try Mum for a more complex experience. Boards of Canada is a good choice as well. If you are looking for the soundtrack for sweeping landscapes and powerful aspects of nature, try the Icelandic group Sigur Ros. Sigur Ros is more often slotted as AMBIENT, though, truthfully, they are a genre all their own, somehow combining NEW ROCK, AMBIENT, and massive orchestral arrangements.

 
INDUSTRIAL (DANCE): Grinding, depressing, with often apocalypse style motifs, this is not stuff for the faint of heart… or those with little patience for emo. Apoptygma Berzerk is my personal favorite, though VA nation is generally more popular. If you are familiar with the chain store “Hot Topic”, this is the sort of electronica that you might find playing on their stereo system. For those of you unfamiliar, Hot Topic is a goth/emo/fairy/bondage/gamer store popular here in California.

 
I do not have an official title for this genre, I would refer to it as HOUSEFUNK, specially created for such artists as DAFT PUNK and BASEMENT JAXX. Daft Punk in particular can have a DISCO flavor at times.

All right, thank you all for your interest, that will be all for now. Please feel free to comment and suggest music (I am always fiending for more), or if you find a new artist you like from these articles, please tell me! I would love nothing more.

 Hello again, it is time to continue through the veritable jungle of artists and genres that lend themselves to the “Electronica” theme!

 Oldies “electronica” hits that you may have heard of include Donna Summer’s I FEEL LOVE (70’s) and Soft Cell’s TAINTED LOVE (80’s). In my opinion, one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) electronic band coming out of the 70’s is Kraftwerk. A quadruplet of fellows from Germany using synthesizers almost exclusively, they revolutionized the way in which the electronic genre was perceived. Their music has been covered and remixed by everyone from Coldplay (Kraftwerk song “Computer love”) to a hard rock band out of Slovenia named Siddharta.

Another electronic hit of the 70’s was the single  POPCORN by Kingsley, yet another surprise U.S. hit out of Europe. Both of these artists are classified, strangely, as DANCEPOP. The difference in sound from 70’s to 2000’s dancepop is incredible. Kraftwerk is also classified as ALTERNATIVE. Alternative is the genre that happens when the individual listening to the music throws their hands up in the air and exclaims, “what IS that????” It seems to happen frequently in less mainstream electronica as my favorite band growing up, Joy Electric (A single fellow from the San Francisco area who uses no instruments, no straight vocals, not even a drum machine, only a synthesizer) is also classified as ALTERNATIVE.

One of the aspects of electronic club music that even I cannot stand is what I refer to as “RAVE MUSIC”, or HARD TRANCE. I cannot even provide you with a sample artist because I find this genre so hideous. If you take a normal trance song and crank up the speed dial until it sounds like the chipmunks, congratulations! You now have a soundtrack that thousands of 15 year olds wearing glowsticks and not much else will gyrate to until the wee hours of the morning! How do I know this? Uh… personal experience? I admit that I too am a lover and wearer of glowsticks.

An interesting and less popular type of “hard” electronica is HARD HOUSE. Try DJ Icey, he has a more INDUSTRIAL flavor without the whiney emo (Stay tuned for Electronica part 3 where I discuss industrial electronica).

All right, we’ve covered the basics, now it is time to branch off into more interesting types of electronica! Stay tuned, next week I’ll deal with INDUSTRIAL, IDM, PSYTRANCE, HOUSEFUNK and DOWNTEMPO.

 Until then, here is some bleeping and blooping to keep you happy.

Zero 7 - moody lite rock grooves, the have an unbelievable remix of Radiohead’s “Climbing up the Walls”

Scooter - As close to “rave” music as I can listen to, uptembo bouncy and repetative.

Sasha (& John Digweed) - I mentioned Sasha last time in regards to his single “Xpander”, but “Wavy Gravy” and “Clubbing Seals” (haha) are also worth mentioning. He often works in tandem with John Digweed and when he does the sound is less electronica and more funk.

Ratatat - Rock electronica. This is one of those crossover artists who I feed to individuals who are against the electric sounds on principle. They create a very interesting fusion.

Massive Attack - One of the few artists that seems to sit well with the general public. They are best known for their collaborations with Portishead.

I have a particular… shall we say, “obsession” with the sounds that emanate from synthesizers. Whether you are a lover or a hater (there seems to be very few individuals in-between) I wish to expand your knowledge of the genres contained within. If you hate electronica, it is quite possible that the extent of your contact with it has been in conjunction with RADIO AIRWAVES. I wish to assure you that those songs are NOT all sweet sweet synthesizers have to offer you. I will be doing a succession of posts on this topic, at the end of each I will list a few less-than-mainstream electronic acts worth checking out. Alrighty! Here we go!

Most of the bubblegum bleeping songs that have hit the radio are classified as EUROPOP. Conveniently, as much of this sound comes from Europe! Examples include BLUE by Eiffel 65 and the ever popular BARBIE GIRL by Aqua. Or if it is not from Europe it tends to go by DANCEPOP, such as Alice Deejay’s BETTER OFF ALONE. Also included in this list would be most of the infinite Madonna ditties and remixes that have proliferated themselves on the airwaves over time. If you hate this genre… believe me, I understand. I can’t say that I haven’t sung along at the top of my lungs to BARBIE GIRL… I have. But that is not to say that I don’t have a deep seated appreciation for the awfulness of what I am singing along with. If you are willing to give the more modern Euro-Electronica a chance, try Royksopp’s “The Understanding” (Norway) or The Notwist’s “Neon Golden” (Germany).
The most popular Electronica of this decade is found in the clubs. Trance, House, Drum and Bass, etc. DJ Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold, Paul Van Dyk, these are a sampling of the most popular DJ’s on the globe at this moment. It gets more confusing as, different songs by an individual artist may go from Trace, to Progressive Trance, to Progressive House. If you have ever been confused by the differentiation between a genre and a “progressive” version of that same genre… join the club. I personally favor PROGRESSIVE TRANCE out of all of these genres, I find it the most complex and melodically interesting. Though, those that claim that every single song has the same drum and snare sounds… YOU ARE NOT WRONG!!! A classic Trance song any electronica lover must own is DJ Sasha’s “Xpander”.

TECHNO: The broadest term for electronic music available today. If you aren’t sure what it is, heck! Call it techno! Crystal Method, or if you are interested in extremely complex techno or ‘hard’ techno, try Aphex Twin.

 Alright! I am signing off for now. Until next time, cut your aural sensors on these…

BLUETECH: Downtempo electronica reggae?

ULRICH SCHNAUSS: atmospheric. His album “Train’s Passing By” well defines the mood of his music.

SOUNDS FROM THE GROUND: Ethnic chillout  grooves

DIRTY VEGAS: You may know them from their single “Days go By” or “One more Time”. The rest of the album is spectacular

A few days ago while at work and listening to my trusty y-rock internet radio, I heard a song by a woman named Melody Gardot. Later in the evening I was driving home and heard the same song again on the radio. It sort of reminded me of Fiona Apple, and she’s always fun, so I decided to look up this Melody Gardot chick on iTunes. Her music is a bit jazzy and bluesy and her voice gets a little edgy, the album was only $5.99 so I bought it. Of course the single (Worrisome Heart) is now free this week, however it’s always good to support up and coming artists.

I’ve been listening to the album off for a couple of weeks, it has great lyrics and she has an intense voice. It sometimes gives me the feeling of that girly, Sarah McLaughlin type of music, but redeems itself with it’s acoustic and chill undertones. The album has it’s place, probably not what you’ll throw on at your next dance party, but it is quality. I liked it enough to give it to a couple of friends, so that’s saying something.

Fast forward to this evening, in the midst of doing laundry, vacuuming and popping on the computer, I pull up her myspace page. She has a nice downloadable lounge-y remix on her page, you should check it out. Melody’s also a really cute chick with blond hair, dark glasses and a smirk. I scroll down the page to find a picture of her in shadows and see the words, Thoughts on Disability. Reading on, I realize she has a cane in the picture, and in following pictures she’s wearing those dark glasses all the time and has earphones. Turns out that at the age of 19 Melody was hit by a car while riding her bike. It left her with the possibility of severe brain damage, and her doctors suggested she get involved with music to help her brain recover.

Following the local success of her first EP (Some Lessons… The Bedroom Sessions, which was recorded from her hospital bed) she’s just recently released her full-length album titled Worrisome Heart. It’s been getting a lot of hype on the international scene as well as a ton of circulation lately on rock/indie radio stations and iTunes. Seems like the girl is on her way up in this world. Being disabled isn’t an issue for her. She doesn’t use it as a crutch or a selling tool, nor as a downfall to her ability. I’m really liking the fact that we’re hearing about her music because it’s good. Hopefully you will agree.

Check Melody out at www.melodygardot.com.
Songs to hear: Worrisome Heart, Goodnight CharlesLP Remix (myspace)
Bonus points cuz she’s from Philly.

Add it onto the list! I have a new guilty pleasure.

That’s right… in addition to gossip blogs, novelizations of episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Sting’s solo albums, you can add Miley Cyrus.

Yep - that’s right. I’ve got a crush on Hannah Montana.

Alright, so it’s not really a crush (despite her cute, vaguely jail-bait MySpace pics), but I cannot stop listening to her single “See You Again.” It perfectly describes all of my high school interactions with boys (as well as most of my current interactions with boys). The stuttering, the grasping for words, the assertion that, yes, next time I see you, I will redeem myself! However, my best friend is not named Leslie. How do I know that Miley’s best friend is Leslie? Thanks to the best lyric in the song: “You asked what’s wrong with me/My best friend Leslie said/’Oh, she’s just being Miley’.” Yeah, that’s how.

I first stumbled upon this song on my friend Kristen’s MySpace page. Now, Kristen works for a rock radio station and one of it’s most ball-busting DJs, so I assumed it was meant to be a joke. So, I laughed and was like, “Kristen is a tool.” However, this week she has a Mims song on there, so I’m guessing maybe she’s really coveting a job at Q102. Anyway, I never actually listened to the song, but instinctively knew the name when I heard it played on, where else, Q102. I was driving to Allentown and flipping during commercials/moments of static and was like “This song has a really good beat… it’s so cute… fuckin’ a, it’s that goddamn Hannah Montana song.”

So I did what any other rational, rock-loving 24-year-old would do: immediately added it to my MySpace and paid $0.99 to download it on iTunes.

Go listen to this musical excuse for crack at Miley’s MySpace here.

People of California: take note of that RV sputtering over the horizon. It is filled with more debauchery, shake-your-ass funk, and hair than you could imagine. The boys of Fat City Reprise (and a couple of their friends) are coming your way for a 6-week tour of your fair state. Since you’re stealing them from us in Philly, you MUST go see them. They, along with Jealousy Curve who I posted about on Monday, are one of the finest bands to come from this area.

Fat City appeared on Fox’s American Band but didn’t make it nearly as far as they should have. In fact, their antics are so amusing that they stream them via webcam (more info on their MySpace here). This group of guys has been through a lot - line-up changes, friends coming and going - but they’ve stayed strong. Not only are they talented, but they are incredibly passionate and surround themselves with an equally passionate support system. Luckily, this passion translates to their rousing stage performances. I’ve said it before, but if Fat City doesn’t get you up and dancing, then you just should have stayed home.

Take note of the Beatles influences in their new song “Love” (that’s the name, right guys?) and their exuberant cover of “Hey Bulldog.” They also play plenty of tracks from their self-titled CD, out last May. The ten tracks are tight, but make sure you’re finished with your beer by “Same Old Song” so you can fully utilize your limbs for the dancin’. Guys - you might want to consider not only going with your girlfriend, but handcuffing yourself to her during the entirety of the show. Her box is sure to be rocked like no other.

Below, of course, is their tour flyer. Head on over to their MySpace to check out their songs and leave comments!

Godspeed, Fat City soldiers. I miss you boys!!

This is one of two posts on Philly’s incredibly talented local music scene.

This one is about the band Jealousy Curve, comprised of four consummate musicians and fronted by my good buddy Mike Leavy. They are embarking on a three-week East Coast tour to promote the new stuff they’ve written and to melt faces outside of the Illadelph. Their most recent single, Black Widow, is included on Jaxon’s Local Shots Vol. 4 and is getting pretty steady airplay on 93.3 WMMR.

The kick-off show at Grape Street was incredible; props to Dave Sikorski, their bassist, for suffering through vomiting and the flu to put on a bangin’ show. Steve (or Fash) their guitarist rips through songs with a maniacal intensity without overpowering his bandmates. And as for Shane, their drummer - wait for the waterworks, the dude knows how to perform.

Jealousy Curve is straight ahead modern rock, no screamo or cheese here. The lyrics are catchy and smart. The riffs get you moving and are hard enough to satisfy your boyfriend who you dragged to the show. Leavy’s voice is stunning; their cover of Radiohead’s You shows his range from soft and melodic to raw screaming emotion. I find it hard to compare Jealousy Curve to anyone, mostly because I haven’t heard a solid group like this in a while. I would say they are part Radiohead (Pablo Honey-era), Matchbox 20 or Third Eye Blind (when they rocked… this is not up for argument, they definitely did), and Breaking Benjamin (except JCurve’s songs don’t all sound the same).

I’ll post their schedule below, but also check out their MySpace and give them a listen! If you get to one of their shows, don’t be afraid to say hi to them afterward. On top of being kickass musicians, they’re also pretty sweet dudes.

I recently got into a debate with my buddy Jaxon over the fact that John Mayer was called one of the greatest guitarists (or some similar shit) by Rolling Stone.  I disagreed - since someone like Adam Jones from Tool was left out - but then I realized it’s not because I think John Mayer is a bad guitar player.

I think John Mayer is a douchebag.

No, I don’t like Your Body is a Wonderland, especially since it was allegedly written about Jennifer Love Hewitt, whose body is not a wonderland at all.  Unless by “wonderland” you mean “really well airbrushed in all of those men’s magazines and definitely NOT a size 2, even though she gave People Magazine a really misleading statement that sort of claimed that she was.”  Then, yeah, it’s a wonderland.  But otherwise, no.  And then he dated/didn’t date/hate-fucked Jessica Simpson who embodies almost everything that is wrong with mass media today (except for her huge tits, there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s more the underwhelming talent).

Basically, give John Mayer a guitar and tell him to shut the hell up.  This includes blogging.  John Mayer - you’re not allowed to blog.  Just keep writing those bluesy licks that people love you so much for and leave the writing to people like me, who work in retail and have nothing better to do in their off-time.  And if you need proof as to why you should shut up, please reference your recent blog on “douchebags.” 

Allow me to comment on one such erudite paragraph from the aforementioned blog:

And “douchebag” was on the vinegary tips of everyone’s tongues this year. Trouble is, I’m not really clear on what it means, and I don’t know that anyone does. I know that I get called one. Pete Wentz from Fallout Boy, by measure of a google search, is a douchebag 11,100 times over, or the number of results that the search engine says exist. Zach Braff, who himself wrote one of the better films I’ve seen in the last decade is also frequently ‘bagged, as is some guy named Brody Jenner. In fact, if you want to go big, so is Michael Stipe, Bono (”supreme douchebag”), Thom Yorke, Will Smith and Brad Pitt.

John, don’t defend Pete Wentz.  Especially not since his current gf is your ex-gf’s sister.  It can’t be because you really think Fall Out Boy is that worthy of accolades.  The tunes are catchy, but Fall Out Boy is not the end-all be-all of music.  It’s not innovative or completely special (unless you are 14, paint your last two fingernails black, and update your MySpace layout on the daily).  As for Zach Braff… well… contrary to what you might believe, Garden State wasn’t that good; it was the quitessential emo-writer-I’m misunderstood because it’s easier to be misunderstood than to realize you’re just like everyone else movie.  Stop wasting your jizz on it.  Guys idolize the Natalie Portman character, but if you met her in real life, you’d tear your fucking hair out with all her high-maintenance, “but I’m different!” shit.  And I hear that Zach Braff treats common people like shit, so yeah, he’s a douchebag.  Lastly, Brody Jenner is a douchebag because not only is his popularity based on that of his dad, but he’s also famous for being the fake-boyfriend of a fake-TV “star.”  Douuuuuuche.

I’ve never heard a bad word about Will Smith (it doesn’t hurt that he’s from Philly and we love to see our own blossom as long as they don’t cause us to lose a Superbowl), so, no, not a douche.  Bono, Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe - music legends in the making, front-runners of their genres (except for the ZooTV tour, sorry Bono) and overall fucking artistic geniuses.  I’m not sure which misanthropes called them douches, but it wasn’t me or anyone else who is awesome.

You, John Mayer, have opened up a new can of worms with your foray into discovering the deeper meaning of “douchebaggery.”  I suggest you stick to the guitar.  However, if you need further assistance, call one of my many exes.  They can help you flesh out that definition.

Thanks to Just Jared for first posting here.

So - for those of us youngin’s who don’t remember when Tool wasn’t a huge rock band (albeit one with a cult following), I give you the following YouTube video.  Think of it as an early Christmas present (kind of kind the Maynard James Keenan who is gagged, bound, and gift wrapped under my tree).  It was recorded at J.C. Dobbs, an old club in Philly, back in 1992.  I am almost positive that I met the cameraman on Thursday night; we were at the WMMR/Project H.O.M.E. benefit at the Khyber.  This guy Michael and I were comparing notes on our concert experiences and he kicked my ass with this one.  It occurred when Maynard had a mohawk-mullet and was able to face the audience because there were… 7 people in it.  Seriously.  Wait until the very end of video because you can disctinctly hear 14 hands clapping.  Anyway, Michael said he had a video camera there and I am guessing that this might be him.  Either way, this is for you, soldier.

And thank you to Mark, bassist for one of the kickassest bands in Philly, for posting this on his MySpace first.

Now that I’m (kind of) an adult, I don’t really get to make a Christmas list anymore. There are fewer presents under the tree and more cards with some cash in them. It’s not that I’m complaining - money is great - but it’s more fun to open gifts than to buy them for yourself. There are a few choice things I would like to see under the tree this year. Sadly, much of what I would like could be filed under “practical and boring” but, being female, I think I can find some frivolous things to throw in there.

Dear Santa:

I was only naughty on a handful of occasions this year, so I think I’m deserving of the items on this list. I mean, the naughty-ness occurred in the company of good friends and was all in the name of fun. If there was any naughty-ness that was not in the name of fun, I was too drunk to remember it so it doesn’t count. I’m pretty broke, so if you could like, pass this on to people who are loaded, that would be great.

1. A humidifier. I’ve had this persistent sinus infection for the past three weeks and I think it’s partially because of how dry the heat is in my apartment (it’s also due to drinking). But, I think this would help. This one is fancy and cute and from The Sharper Image. It’s also $150. Something between this and “cup of water next to the bed” would be stellar.
2. The Led Zeppelin 2-disc retrospective. I’m really into them lately and would love to have it in my music collection. I can’t get “Kashmir” or “Immigrant Song” or “All of My Love” out of my head lately (and I even like some of Robert Plant’s solo stuff). I’ll also take an iTunes giftcard. I’m kind of a music whore.
3. My computer is dying. It’s a six-year-old Toshiba Satellite laptop that has been very good to me, but is definitely in its last days. The CD drive doesn’t work and I’m pretty much out of disk space on my hard drive. Since I blog, I kind of need a computer (and it’s nice to have a portable one at that). I realize that I could get a regular Windows OS laptop for way cheaper, but I am sick of viruses and popups and installing extra programs to prevent the aforementioned. I just want to buy a computer, have all my files transferred, and call it a day. I want a Mac. Not only are they extremely sexy, but they are easy to use and don’t get all funky from rogue programs. I’ve decided on the 15″ MacBook Pro - it has a matte screen (unlike the 13″, which only comes in “glossy” which is damn annoying). However, I am really sad that it doesn’t come in black to match my two iPods and Bose speakers. Yes - color is important to me. Don’t judge.
4. Because you can never go wrong with this gift… but I can’t guarentee it’ll last past New Year’s.
5. A job with health benefits. I don’t think that’s a whole lot to ask for. Right, Santa? And yeah - that’s a picture of Steve Jobs… get it? JOBS?? HA! Also, if he reads this, it might help my case with getting that MacBook.
6. Maynard James Keenan. You don’t need to put him under the tree, just undress him and leave him tied to my bed, please. He can keep his cowboy hat on. Thanks.

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