Or So I'm Told by Dj Ulsan on Mixcloud
The Monochrome Set -- Eine Symphonie Des Grauens
Empress Of... -- Hat Trick
Not my usual fare, but this struck me as an ear friendly (dare I say mainstream) mixture of Maria Minerva, Nite Jewel and the Cocteau Twins. Not a bad cross pollenation in my book.
Thierry Meyer -- Paradox
Always finding great download blogs and the mostly coldwave/post punk/minimal synth etc. Systems of Romance (est 2007) is no exception. This is an instrumental track of the blog's first compilation, which is very strong the entire way through.
MBV -- Only Tomorrow
Very fun the way this album was suddenly actually happeningsoon immediately. It's impossible to compare it to Loveless, because no matter how big an MBV fan you are, you're 22 years older than you were then and (hopefully) in a very different phase of life. Fortunately it turned out to be very good.
少年ナイフ -- When You Sleep
Not listed as Shonen Knife, but in the original Japanese on the Yellow Loveless tribute, which is just as well, because I always had an aversion to that band for reasons I do not recall. I may have done something stupid and skipped over it, which would have been a real shame because this version is really really great. Best on that compilation by far.
La Luz -- Sure as Spring
Found on the You're the Girl That Does Everything I Do comp from the So Tough! So Cute! blog, which more or less promotes a club night in London and Malmo. It seems Riot Grrrl has come into fashion for these people, which is amusing to me, having lived through the first incarnation not all that long ago and not caring too much for what I'm sure were silly reasons. La Luz sounds like it could have come out in 1995, to the extent that I was surprised for a second time to see it was released in 2012 when I just looked it up moments ago. Maybe it's the allergy pill I just took talking.
Five or Six -- Portrait
Another off the Pillows & Prayers comp. As I said before I had a hard time deciding which songs to go with off the comp and I decided on this at the end. Angular like Chairs Missing era Wire, but with less edge. Ended up buying (!) the "Acting on Impulse" retrospective and was surprised the other material isn't in a similar post-punk vein.
Part Time -- I Won't be Your Little Secret
Was just thinking in the last day or two that Part Time might just be my favorite group/project of the moment. Something about the music hits me right in my spot -- just the right amount of sleaze and amateurness mixed with a sound I can only pinpoint as Bay Area. Am about the last person to watch a music video, but again, somehow this reels me in.
Golden Donna -- Machete Bathtub
Dâm-Funk-esque. Potato in the tub.
Benoit Pioulard/Foxes in Fiction -- Ground Glass
The first song I found for this mix. I guess it's the "oooohhooohhooooh" hook that gets me. Very pretty song.
Jane From Occupied Europe -- Drift 13
I've said it before, Swell Maps -- overrated. And I say that as a pretty big fan of Epic Soundtracks. The title of the album, and subsequently this band, always stuck with me, so I'm glad there was a band worthy of the cool title.
International Strike Force -- Golden Starlet
Remember when this came out and it was huge at the college radio station I was working at and I totally whiffed on it. It even bugged me that it was so popular. Now, here I am digging it. That's life for ya. Another one from So Tough So Cute!
HEHFU -- Two and a Half Years
Don't remember which blog I found this on due right, but I bought it from bandcamp here. Reminds me of vintage Boyracer, who I was never fully into, but at times I thought they really nailed it.
Beach Fossils -- Sleep Apnea
Didn't like this album when I first got it, but it's grown on me. This song, however, struck me right away. Man, does anyone read this?
Jackson Scott -- Evie
Here's something. First came across it on Pitchfork. It's subtle, but this guy has some very Elliott-ishness about him, which is high praise indeed. Part of it is the double tracked vocals, another part is the way the drums and bass intertwine. Will be interesting to see where this goes.
Case -- Rag and Rock-n-Roller
Danish glam. Can't go wrong there can ye? I once met a girl in Copenhagen online and ended up meeting her. Fell in love. Got ugly.
The Bats -- Tragedy
Beautiful melody here. Where the title to this mix comes from.
The Stray Trolleys -- Gunslinger
Can't say anything about this better than Willfully Obscure says here. Just makes me wonder why this isn't being re-released. This copy is so awful I had to persuade myself to include it here. And yet, what I'm saying is this song is so great I had to include it despite the poor audio.
Ben Watt -- Some Things Don't Matter
Was walking to a train station in Cheonan when this song really hit me and I knew I had to include it here. Was it Cheonan? If you've ever been there you know the answer is no.
Thierry Meyer -- Paradox
Always finding great download blogs and the mostly coldwave/post punk/minimal synth etc. Systems of Romance (est 2007) is no exception. This is an instrumental track of the blog's first compilation, which is very strong the entire way through.
MBV -- Only Tomorrow
Very fun the way this album was suddenly actually happening
少年ナイフ -- When You Sleep
Not listed as Shonen Knife, but in the original Japanese on the Yellow Loveless tribute, which is just as well, because I always had an aversion to that band for reasons I do not recall. I may have done something stupid and skipped over it, which would have been a real shame because this version is really really great. Best on that compilation by far.
La Luz -- Sure as Spring
Found on the You're the Girl That Does Everything I Do comp from the So Tough! So Cute! blog, which more or less promotes a club night in London and Malmo. It seems Riot Grrrl has come into fashion for these people, which is amusing to me, having lived through the first incarnation not all that long ago and not caring too much for what I'm sure were silly reasons. La Luz sounds like it could have come out in 1995, to the extent that I was surprised for a second time to see it was released in 2012 when I just looked it up moments ago. Maybe it's the allergy pill I just took talking.
Five or Six -- Portrait
Another off the Pillows & Prayers comp. As I said before I had a hard time deciding which songs to go with off the comp and I decided on this at the end. Angular like Chairs Missing era Wire, but with less edge. Ended up buying (!) the "Acting on Impulse" retrospective and was surprised the other material isn't in a similar post-punk vein.
Part Time -- I Won't be Your Little Secret
Was just thinking in the last day or two that Part Time might just be my favorite group/project of the moment. Something about the music hits me right in my spot -- just the right amount of sleaze and amateurness mixed with a sound I can only pinpoint as Bay Area. Am about the last person to watch a music video, but again, somehow this reels me in.
Golden Donna -- Machete Bathtub
Dâm-Funk-esque. Potato in the tub.
Benoit Pioulard/Foxes in Fiction -- Ground Glass
The first song I found for this mix. I guess it's the "oooohhooohhooooh" hook that gets me. Very pretty song.
Jane From Occupied Europe -- Drift 13
I've said it before, Swell Maps -- overrated. And I say that as a pretty big fan of Epic Soundtracks. The title of the album, and subsequently this band, always stuck with me, so I'm glad there was a band worthy of the cool title.
International Strike Force -- Golden Starlet
Remember when this came out and it was huge at the college radio station I was working at and I totally whiffed on it. It even bugged me that it was so popular. Now, here I am digging it. That's life for ya. Another one from So Tough So Cute!
HEHFU -- Two and a Half Years
Don't remember which blog I found this on due right, but I bought it from bandcamp here. Reminds me of vintage Boyracer, who I was never fully into, but at times I thought they really nailed it.
Beach Fossils -- Sleep Apnea
Didn't like this album when I first got it, but it's grown on me. This song, however, struck me right away. Man, does anyone read this?
Jackson Scott -- Evie
Here's something. First came across it on Pitchfork. It's subtle, but this guy has some very Elliott-ishness about him, which is high praise indeed. Part of it is the double tracked vocals, another part is the way the drums and bass intertwine. Will be interesting to see where this goes.
Case -- Rag and Rock-n-Roller
Danish glam. Can't go wrong there can ye? I once met a girl in Copenhagen online and ended up meeting her. Fell in love. Got ugly.
The Bats -- Tragedy
Beautiful melody here. Where the title to this mix comes from.
The Stray Trolleys -- Gunslinger
Can't say anything about this better than Willfully Obscure says here. Just makes me wonder why this isn't being re-released. This copy is so awful I had to persuade myself to include it here. And yet, what I'm saying is this song is so great I had to include it despite the poor audio.
Ben Watt -- Some Things Don't Matter
Was walking to a train station in Cheonan when this song really hit me and I knew I had to include it here. Was it Cheonan? If you've ever been there you know the answer is no.
