It’s December and I haven’t posted a mix in what seems like forever. Deadlines, midterms, work and finals have been beating in my head for the past few months and have limited what I’ve been able to post. So I’ve decided to post a mix anyway even though I should be working on something else.
The snow has hit the ground and we need some tunes to motivate us to carry out our daily routines through the ice and slush.
Richard Jankovich is a producer from Los Angeles who goes by the name Pocket. He is also the front man of electronic pop outfit the Burnside Project who have put out two excellent albums; 2003′s The Network, The Streams, The Harmonies and 2005′s The Finest Example is You. Under the Pocket name, Jankovich has has remixed Beck, Radiohead, Kristin Hersh, Of Montreal, Elk City, Joanna Newsom, Mendoza Line, Dirty on Purpose, Eskobar, Cat Power and others, always with groovy results.
Now, Jankovich has taken his music production skills one step farther, enlisting the aid of current and classic vocalists and musicians for a series of singles for online release. Among the collaborators are Yuki Chikudate from Asobi Seksu, Steve Kilbey from The Church (Known for their single “Under The Milky Way”), Mark Burgess from the Chameleons (Another influential post punk band!) Danny Seims from Menomena and many others. I’ve been able to give a listen to three of the tracks so far, and I can really hear how Jankovich’s songwriting and music production have evolved over the years. I think it was a good exercise for Jankovich to distance himself from vocal and lyrical duties because while his vocals are innovative and his lyrics are insightful his actual vocal abilities aren’t his strong suit. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, case in point Bright Eyes, James Figurine, Casiotones for the Painfully Alone etc. don’t’ have exceptionally strong vocals but make great music. On the new EP, free from those duties, the melodies soar, The arrangements are more lush, and the sound just envelopes you like a warm blanket.
The Church – Under The Milkyway
and I’m loving this track too much not to share:
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