tiananmen square dance //

Nothing is cooler to today’s hipster than melding the current with the classic. In fact, now that I mention it, that’s all the rage in pop culture as well, what with all the reboots and remakes abounding. Ugh. Either way, with vintage fashion rearing its head and the explosion in sales of vintage iPhone photo apps like Instagram and Hipstamatic, it is kind of a foregone conclusion that we love chopping and screwing the past with the present. Peter Stults and Sean Hartter, American artists with a love for retro film posters, were recently covered in a Daily Mail UK article that featured plenty of photos of their respective re-imaginings. Not only are these works of art nostalgically evocative, but they are aesthetically on point and also accurate for the periods (1950’s and 1960’s, mostly). Enjoy these modern faves re-imagined heroically as blasts from the pasts, and maybe turn on some 18 Carat Affair or Onra, while you’re at it!

Prior to having the hipster scene ruined for him at a Fleet Foxes show and subsequently reverting into another classic rock phase, my brother plied me—nay, barraged me—with Star Slinger songs. This fellow loved Star Slinger’s music, and he wasn’t afraid to show it, and for that I am thankful. A month or two ago, after hearing yet another good’n by the UK producer, I frantically searched for Star Slinger’s Bandcamp and then immediately downloaded the first album I saw: the appropriately titled “Volume 1”, featuring a song I was familiar with: the also appropriately-titled “Copulate” (link NSFW). For only $5 (though, there is of course the option to give more), Star Slinger’s surprisingly hi-fi debut mixtape was mine!

Immediately cuing it up and turning it up to 11, I was blown away by how funky fresh it sounded, the multitude of different tones whirling around throughout the short duration of each track, the variety of sounds featured throughout the mini-album, and how soulful and emotional the whole outing was. Integrating lo-fi samples, like Pogo, and sassy classic jams, like Teengirl Fantasy, Star Slinger then slings these two components through a carefully crafted recipe comprised of well placed Gold Panda-esque dancefloor beats and vocal cut montages straight out of a Lusine album. Exotic, saucy, energetic, and boasting a prolific library of work, I can tell you for a fact that I inevitably ended up collecting the entirety of Star Slinger’s fun and interesting discography, no matter the cost. Do tha right thing and do the same over at his Bandcamp, for a more than reasonable price, considering the quality of da tunez!

MP3 Download of “Bumpkin”, by Star Slinger

MP3 Download of “Extra Time”, by Star Slinger

This entry is beyond obvious. So obvious, in fact, that there is already one half-hearted review of said album deep in the Tiananmen Square Dance archives. Known as one of the single most influential (or at least popular) chillwave bands in existence at this time, Small Black makes up a Voltron-like triad along with Neon Indian and Toro y Moi, the three that made it happenin’. Small Black studies the chillwave formula: laptop-centric, nodding to classic 80’s synthpop jams, wimpy vocals, wed with the warped lo-fi tinge of ethnic music.

Small Black came onto the scene with an eight-track self-titled EP, which was very hissy and lo-fi, but stuck in our collective hipster minds with classics like “Despicable Dogs” and “Pleasant Experience”, but what really launched these funk soul brothas into the chillwave limelight was last year’s full-length “New Chain”. Featuring a polished sound, braver vocals, and a lot more attention to song structure, Small Black turned it up to 11, and “New Chain” is a chillwave/glo-fi album that is not to be overlooked. Nearly every track is an instant crowd-pleaser, from the oddly sentimental “Camouflage” to the funky fresh “Search Party” to the ruminating “Crisp 100s”. Seriously, do tha right thing and pick up Small Black’s “New Chain” on Amazon or Jagjaguwar’s site (whenever it works), and DO NOT tell them that I said they were a chillwave band. As orgasmic as it might be, I do not want to be hunted down and paddywhacked by a bunch of talented musicians.

MP3 Download of “Camouflage”, by Small Black

MP3 Download of “Crisp 100s”, by Small Black

There are myriad ways to discover good new music and ruminate on classic older music. Checking record label sites, perusing Wikipedia, accruing mixes, and utilizing certain smartphone apps. While I would never recommend it as a paid download (or even a free one, for that matter), the MakeUseOf app for iPhone was what led me to Phantom Power’s “Chic in Egypt”. Every Sunday, one of the writers trawls the web for good free full-lengths of every genre. It’s called “Sound Sunday”, and while there are far more coal stones than there are diamonds, MakeUseOf’s “Sound Sunday” has been the primary source on more than one occasion for some hidden gems. The day I downloaded “Chic in Egypt”, I had actually kinda struck a vein of gold, so that was a good day.

Most chillwave and glo-fi artists are either unsigned or are signed by some very democratic independent label wherein they still pretty much fend for themselves. As a result, these days, it seems the cool kids have gone to Bandcamp and Soundcloud. Both are excellent sources for artists who want to host “pay what you will” downloads of their full-lengths, EPs, singles, and remixes. Star Slinger, Pepepiano, and Phantom Power all have Bandcamp pages that are very alive, hella user-friendly, and constantly being updated. I personally don’t like to pay for EPs, but a lot of times, to make up for my legal piracy, I’ll overpay a lil’ bit when I do come around for the full-lengths.

Phantom Power’s “Chic in Egypt” is a short, whimsically h-fi journey through the chillwave nation. Mostly instrumental, featuring heavily distorted sheets of vintage synth, allow this six-track EP by Eric Littman, a nearly unknown but by no means untalented artist, to wash over you with repeated listens. “Chic in Egypt”, short as it is, is catchy, bass-heavy, nostalgic, artistic, and very very re-playable. Do tha right thing and snatch it here without having to pay a red cent. After that, check some of his other creations on Bandcamp. I also recommend “Diversify»Polarize»Speciate”, which I believe is just a couple of bucks. You have no excuse not to dance until your TOMS wear out.

MP3 Download of “Chic in Egypt ‘74”, by Phantom Power (from “Chic in Egypt”)

MP3 Download of “Transient Dynamics//Overnight”, by Phantom Power (from “Diversify»Polarize»Speciate”)