Astronauts of Antiquity is a band out of New York City that draw inspiration from many different sources. The band does employ keyboards and the occasional glitchy beat, but their music is far from synthesized. Lush female vocals coo over guitars, bass and psychedelic flourishes. Fans of Nouvelle Vague, Stereolab and flute solos will be into this (flute solos are awesome!).
March 16, 2009
Astronauts of Antiquity Defy Genres with "Rocket Science For Dummies"!
February 26, 2009
The Kindness Kind Live @ The Crocodile, Seattle Video!
The Kindness Kind “Suckerpunch” from The Crocodile on Vimeo.
Up and coming Seattle band The Kindness Kind perform an acoustic version of their song “Suckerpunch”. I particularly like the xylophone and the whistling. Pretty cool.
November 15, 2008
(New Music) The Kindness Kind!
The Kindness Kind are a band out of Seattle, that has been praised as one of the best bands to emerge from that scene this year by the Toronto Star. The band has also recieved spotlight status from CMJ. The band have recently released their self titled album on which they worked with producer Lucas Carlyle who has worked with The Gossip, The Octopus Project, and the Album Leaf among others.
It’s a bit off target to call The Kindness Kind “Electro” (as on their myspace) while there are synthesizers present, their music is extremely organic. Think; space rock infused jazz with a glamorous lounge vixen vocalist. To create the lovely dream state they call their music, The Kindness Kind use guitars to create some nice edginess and angularity for the songs, but it’s the pianos and keyboards that help create the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that sets the stage for Alessandra Rose who adds startlingly accessible vocal hooks to The Kindness Kind’s somewhat experimental indie pop. Add in a pounding and dynamic rhythm section and you’ve got one of the most compelling sounds of 2008. The Kindness Kind have created some of the most articulate and cinematic music intended to incite rocking out. Let the rocking out begin!
The Kindness Kind – Beautiful Souls
September 1, 2008
Emilie Simon Covers David Bowie
After enduring mostly uncomfortable and campy covers on Canadian Idol earlier this summer, particularly one painful female fronted cover of ‘Space Oddity’ I was weary of another female fronted cover of the same song. Emilie Simon of Paris, France really impressed me, especially in the wake of hearing some excellent covers off of the “Life Beyond Mars” Bowie Tribute album. This is probably my favorite cover of the Bowie classic to date. When the glitchy African rhythms and hand claps kick in, I have a feeling you might agree.
Emile Simon – Space Oddity (David Bowie Cover)
Emile Simon Myspace
P.S. Check out her amazing promotional photos! For serious.
June 17, 2008
AZLTRON’s Dance Antidote Mix
On the cusp of summer and my full-time employment, I impart to you, my faithful readers this creation of mine, the dance mix antidote. But wait? Don’t I largely support dance music? Yes, but dance music is largely loud energetic and entices you to move. Which are all great things that I will continue to revel in at almost every opportunity, but you know what? Sometimes I get tired. I bet you do too. So why not bask in a collection of healing and soothing songs that will re-energize you for another synth/punk/indie/electro dance party? After all, we are not robots, no matter how much some of us might like to be.
Sebastien Tellier – La Ritournelle (Jim Noir Mix)
Stereolab – Cosmic Country Noir
Alaska in Winter – Balkan Low Rider
Au Revoir Simone – Don’t See The Sorrow
The Bird and the Bee – I’m a Broken Heart
World Leader Pretend – Lovey Dovey
Midlake – We Gathered In Spring
The Notwist – Gone Gone Gone
Daft Punk – Make Love
Kings of Convenience – Misread
The Octopus Project – Snow Tip Cap Mountain
Jens Lekman – Jen’s Lekman’s Farewell Song to Rock Dennis
Jon Sonnenburg – Yesterday
Goldfrapp – Clowns
Moby – Mothers of the Night
June 7, 2007
An Easy Sell
Back at the end of High School and the beginning of college I became fascinated with the sounds of the Postal Service and I was looking all over for acts similar to them. I found out about all kinds of indie/electronica bands like Lali Puna, Ms. John Soda, Styrofoam, Stereolab, and the Go Find, but out of all of them the Burnside Project forged a special place in my heart. I think it’s because when I heard them they were relatively unknown and their raw juxtaposition of indie style guitars and electronics evoked a very New Order kind of feel. Their minimalist guitars and poppy electro alongside almost spoken word vocals was very endearing. I liked to think of them as my secret band for a while, but it seems now that the secret is out.
The Burnside Project released a follow up to their 2003 debut “The Networks, The Streams, The Harmonies” in 2005 with the only slightly shorter titled, “The Finest Example is You”. The sound on the new album was more natural, with the songs being based around vocal melodies more, the guitar fleshed out, and even at times live drums. In short, the songs sounded more like pop songs with electronic influences, rather than electronic songs with pop influences. Richard Jankovich’s voice sounds like a more breathy Ben Gibbard and it took me some time to get used to it, and sometimes his lyrics come off a bit awkward over the lush soundscapes, but he contributes some wonderful harmonies on the addictive breezy “Get Better Soon” (3) and the building “Another Way” (6). The guitars and keyboards have progressed as well, working together almost seamlessly to create a smooth upbeat atmosphere. The guitars in particular have been beefed up, no longer the occasional melodic plunk here and there, there are full on riffs at times and even something of a guitar solo on “Just Drop Off” (5). All this progression doesn’t mean that they’ve ditched the kinetic dance music that got them noticed, there are dance tracks aplenty from the opening salvo of “Signs of Perfection” (1) and “And So It Goes” (2) to the four on the floor stomp of “One to One” to the arguable high point of the album “Start Again” (10). I’m surprised that the smooth energy of the album didn’t garner attention for car commercials, but then again, we can look at that as a good thing because we can keep them secret for a little while longer.
At least until their new album later this year.
Burnside Project Myspace (New Song “Synchronized Spinning”)
MP3 – Burnside Project – Signs of Perfection
MP3 – Burnside Project – Get Better Soon
Video for “And So It Goes”:
