November Wrap Up

November was a month with great new albums and incredible leaks. This is the first wrap up I’m doing for VLVT, so there are plenty of music reviewed and some great tips from what I’ve listened this month.

Stateless • Matilda

Their second album – Matilda – has a different vibe from the first one. Reaching for more dark atmospheres and odd ambiences, clearly less mainstream than the previous, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t pleasant, in another hand, Stateless goes more mature with this new release. Their single ‘Ariel’ also has an impressive video created by FIELD. Favorite tunes in this album: I Shall Not Complain, Ariel and Miles to Go.

Nosaj Thing • Drift (Remixed)

Nosaj was one of the coolest artists I discovered this year. IOIO played lots of times in my iTunes, and it’s certainly one of my favorite tracks of this year. Although Drift was a great album, the remix album seems not in the same frequency. The video bellow is a great remix by Jon Hopkins, but is one exception. There’s also missing a few tracks that would be great to listen their version remixed, IOIO for example. Nevertheless, as having Nosaj Thing on its label, this album should be listened carefully. Maybe you will have a different opinion about it. There’s something on this remixes that doesn’t impressed me as much Drift itself did. Somehow Nosaj Thing causes more impact when he’s being himself.

Terror Danjah • Undeniable

Coming with unbelievable 10 years of delay, Terror Danjah releases it’s debut via Hyperdub and reaches every aspects desired for this release. Some tunes could be even mainstream, having people chanting along on streets, and yet has its very own touch of undergroundness. One of the leaders of grime in the UK will certainly invite a wider audience to his tunes with Undeniable – which is a great title for this album – au countraire from its cover, that doesn’t make up to its content.

Cee Lo Green • Lady Killer

What can we say about Cee Lo when his first single, released a few months ago, was named “Fuck You” and even tho, in the most baroque way, its a happy song? His previous albums were already flerting with old school soul and r’n'b, but with Lady Killer, he literally nailed it. Bullseye! I have no comments on “Fuck You” as it was already a big hit – critically and mainstream-wise, so I go for the rest of the album.

Bright Lights bring a Billie Jean-kinda bass, a homage to the deceased king of pop. If you count only those two songs, you already have a great release this year, but amazingly it doesn’t stops there. Old Fashioned, Bodies, Fool for You, No One’s Gonna Love You, and others makes one of the greatest releases on mainstream this year – i wish pop music were made like this. Cee Lo’s voice fits on old school like a glove, and i think he should stick to this for a while.

Shigeto • Full Circle

Ghostly is one of those labels that has an extreme care with every release, making a high standard and barely releases something that is not worth of caring that little friendly logo. That’s the case with Shigeto’s Full Circle. When they released the Semi Circle EP earlier this year, I already knew something great was about to come. For people who are into this minimal idm-ish style, Full Circle is a full meal. Very subtle and peaceful, Shigeto envolves in a crescendo during the album, something to listen during the whole day. Listen the full release on Soundcloud and buy the release after.

Matta • Outlaw

This is what i call a complex sound. Matta plays around between grime, dubstep and IDM, with a very particular vision. When i first listened to his Hecq’s remix, I felt his characteristics drawn in every wave of the sound. Outlaw just explains it very clearly. A very hard and brutal bass that will make your chair shake like hell, followed by complex rhythmic patterns. Certainly an artist to look more closely for the future.

Tokimonsta • Midnight Menu

Reading some of her interviews when surfing the web, I read that people said to her that she would never create good music. I beg to differ, and so does Flying Lotus label Brainfeeder, giving their blessing and releasing Midnight Menu. Following the step of her leaders, Tokimonsta delivers what people are calling, the new sound of Los Angeles, and if this is the new sound, LA is one of the places to be in the next years.

Brandt Brauer Frick • You Make Me Real

We talked about Brandt Brauer Frick a few weeks ago, when they released their BOP music video, but I’ve to mention about their album as well. This German trio have an unique approach on electronic music, sampling loads of analogue instruments to make their minimal beats. Take a listen to You Make Me Real and be energized by their spirit.

Brandt Brauer Frick succeed in a thrilling synthesis of club and concert hall. On both platforms they will present themselves, getting percussive and energetic sounds out of apparently harmless classical instruments.

Neon Indian • Mind Ctrl: Psychic Chasms Possessed

Welcome back to the 80′s electronic scene while Alan Palomo, a.k.a. Neon Indian carries you throughout a time where vintage synths and gadgets play the main role, with effected vocals and hard old school beats, wrapped up in a k7 tape mix. Mind Ctrl was a tip sent by Com Truise – who BTW remixed Neon Indian. Check his presentation at SXSW earlier this year.

Daft Punk • TRON OST

Surely the most wanted leak of the month (probably of the year!). I personally find amazing how Daft Punk can stay at the very top with just a few releases with all these years in activity – probably because all of them are super high quality and with some of the most memorable hymns of electronic music. When we first knew that Daft Punk was going to do this soundtrack, everyone was wondering what kind of music they would do. For our bliss, they didn’t do just electronic music but made a crossover between classical vibrant soundtrack with their personality. Can’t say much, but this is probably going to be another legendary release by this french duo. Hors Concours!

Horsepower Productions • Quest for the Sonic Bounty

From one of the creators of the genre dubstep comes another good release. Low bass, great rhythms, dub vibe, everything they usually do, but with a little upgrade. The track Kingstep for example resumes it all – for me, the best from the whole. Be sure to look around for the special vinyl version they released.

Simian Mobile Disco

Already a big name in the game, SMD always presented great tunes. Since their first release, they’ve been shifting gears and – as i can see – getting far from mainstream, becoming something more particular, yet very club-ish. From what i see, they are growing up, delivering a sober work.

Ensemble Economique • Physical

The first thing that brought my attention to this was the cover, which reminds me old horror movies. The second thing was that it was tagged as Ambient . Drone . Experimental . Psychedelic. The third thing came out when i started listening to it. Ensemble Economique is a pure soundtrack that could fit in any psycho film. Great noisy ambiances, ethereal atmosphere, weird sounds. Truly experimental – somehow reminding me a little bit of some John Zorn experiment. Surely something that makes dig more into Brian Pyles works.

Read full review of Psychical – ENSEMBLE ECONOMIQUE on Boomkat.com ©

Clint Mansell • Black Swan

Oh, and now Clint Mansell! Following his scores since Pi, I must say my favorite one is The Fountain – even tho is not the mob’s choice, it’s my fave. In a long relationship with Darren Aronofsky, Clint always find the right spot in every movie. Wouldn’t be different with Black Swan. Although this time, Mr. Mansell creates a dark and obscure rewriting of the ballet. Going from high epic approaches to the most melancholic atmospheres, with tender transformations. This is not 100% new material, but is certainly a nouveau view of the ballet – as of course, the movie itself. Can’t wait to buy it and see the movie in the big screen.

NIN Pretty Hate Machine

This was one of the albums that really affected the world of music. Trent Reznor was presented to the mainstream world with Pretty Hate Machine and making the industrial famous. There’s nothing new to tell about the songs, Head Like a Hole is a generation’s hymn! Regarding the remaster, Trent did an amazing job, thanks to today’s technology, everything is even more sharp and right in your face (or ears). It’s punchy and aggressive. What it should be since the beginning, as the other albums received an extra treatment over the years, as NIN was getting bigger. I can’t say much more, I would be only complimenting it, i’m a NIN fan.

James Blake • Limit to Your Love

James Blake is getting a huge feedback on this track. This dark and minimal cover of Feist is filled with a great emotional baggage and interpretation given by Blake. Very low bass and melancholic vocals make this a great tune.

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