Chris Recommends
Helpful Tips For Life And Listening
1.05.2009
This is a very nice (and very limited, from what I understand) compilation from the label Claremont56, who specializes in nice mellow, new-agey disco, often referred to by DJs and nerds as Ballearic Disco. I wouldn't necessarily call it dance music, but I would call it a great listen. Put this on your headphones while you commute to or from work, it'll make you feel like you're in a movie. The track I've linked below treated me quite well while I was on the way home from dinner tonight.
Cantoma - Maja (Dub)
Buy It Here
Labels: Music
1.02.2009
Man, I'm such a sucker for this indietronic stuff. Shoe-gazey pop at it's finest.
Faded Paper Figures - Polaroid Solution
Labels: Music
12.16.2008
Matt Schnipper writes for the Fader, both in print and on their website. His weekly column "Schnipper's Slept On" is about records that Schnipper likes but most people don't know about. Except it's not about that, it's really about a whole lot of things. It's so superbly written, both funny and poignant, that it's easily the best thing they've got going on their blog (Around The World With A-Trak is a close second). Schnipper lives somewhere near me, and know this because I always manage to bump into him at unexpected times and we sort of say hello to each other because we know each other, but then we usually go back to talking to our friends. I've recommended his stuff once before, when he had a whole month dedicated to him and his zine (I called him nerdy but I meant it in the endearing way), but really he should be recommended on general principle. This most recent edition of his column serves as a nice year-end review, the kind that makes you think of your life and the things that you did, all the little small moments that didn't seem to mean anything until you tally them up at the end. I can't promise I won't put some cheap imitation of his post on this website at some point during the next week.
Schnipper's Slept On: Grouper (and other things)
12.08.2008
For a long time people would ask me "Do you listen to Okkerville River?" or "Oh hey, have you checked out the new Okkerville River album?" and my answer was always "no." I think that this is because I lived in a college town, and then now I live in that part of Brooklyn that might as well be a college town (if only there were some institution of higher learning around here...) and I get the impression that a lot of Okkerville River's fans are college kids or kids that still wish they were in college. To support my point, I was alerted to this song's existence while watching MTVU (the MTV for colleges) at my dad's house over the Thanksgiving holiday. He's not in college, but for some reason he has that channel anyways. I really like it so I procured the album and while I'm sorry to say that none of the tracks are nearly as gorgeous as this one, I am glad that after 5 years of nagging I've finally listened to a bit of Okkerville River.
Okkerville River - Lost Coastlines (right click, save as)
11.07.2008
Department Of Eagles is weird folky stuff from members of Grizzly Bear, according to people at Turntable Lab they used to make weird downtempo beats? Regardless, this has been on repeat for weeks, and will probably be among my favorite releases this year. Below, one of my favorite tracks.
Department Of Eagles
Department Of Eagles - No One Does It Like You (right click, save as)
Labels: Music
10.23.2008
For those of us who have to work during the day (and/or those of us who are too hungover to drag our asses to daytime showcases), KEXP has come to the rescue by inviting a few bands to come play in their studio. Personally, I prefer this to waiting in insane lines with the rest of Hipster America to get into a showcase featuring a band I've never heard of, who may or may not suck. Just now I was introduced to Friendly Fires, and now I'm inspired to try and catch their set at the Fader House later tonight. Give it a listen, especially those of you who aren't in NYC right now. Don't get caught sleeping!
KEXP 90.3 FM
SYNDICATION!
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