JAN HAMMER - “MIAMI VICE THEME”
Just wanted to make sure everyone has seen this. So fucking badass…
tiananmen square dance //
TweetTsq Vol II-11 →
At this juncture, I’d say we may very well have hit upon a magical formula for dredging up some real chill vibes, whether they be new singles or forgotten entries. This month’s edition of the Tsq Vol II series is comprised primarily of further finds by artists that we’ve been watching lately, bringing to the table a lot of retro lo-fi synthwave sounds that we like to call “VHS-wave”, a made-up phrase that perfectly encompasses the tone and aesthetic of those types of jams. A very pronounced non-western eighties experience is at play on Tsq Vol II-11, fringed of course by a small number of noticeable downtempo and dream pop entries. What really stands out to us (the must-hears, if you will) are the bass-heavy intro by Capo Blanco, Summer of Haze’s noisey witch house tune, and that chopped up new wave disaster that is 18 Carat Affair’s re-interpretation of Mirror Kisses’ “Team Follow”. That vintage-tinged pitch-shifted track by Teams is pretty legit too, considering it came off of a collection of B-sides and unreleased songs. We’re pretty proud of this selection, and we’re offering it up for free download here and free stream here. In fact, we’ve got a small selection of cuts that didn’t quite make it to the mixtape table, and all it takes is one interested person to ask about them, and we’ll post a short, free addendum to Tsq Vol II-11. As always, we highly recommend that you follow our Twitter, Facebook, and Bandcamp for updates that don’t make it to the site. In addition, we urge you to explore the work by artists that we feature that you enjoy, and we know they would appreciate it if you supported them financially. With that, enjoy this month’s playlist, and let us know if you dig it!
Tsq Vol II-11
1. CAPO BLANCO hi, belmondo
2. STOUT CORTEZ berliner
3. MIDNIGHT RUNNERS rush line
4. LAY BAC kasumi (孤独)
5. GAMES shadows in bloom
6. SUMMER OF HAZE i know you wanna fuck me ∞ why can’t you love?
7. A GAP BETWEEN neon signs
8. MIRROR KISSES team follow (18 carat affair re-freak)
9. DREAMS WEST mind over MIDI
10. TEAMS MVP
11. EAGLES FOR HANDS glitterall
12. TAPES L.O.T.W.K.
13. VEKTROID yr heart
14. OCTO OCTA memories
15. SUNDAY MORNING lovers
16. NAPOLIAN art
17. LASERSHIP STEREO whispers
18. OCCULT YOU love trick
19. LLLL falling alone
20. NU MÄS warm arms
21. :PAPERCUTZ rivers
22. PHASEONE it’s not forever
Download here.
(cover artwork and tracklisting artwork thanks to 80’s Touch and Operation Neptune)
CAPO BLANCO - “IIID-MENSION”
Russia’s own Capo Blanco brings a remarkable warmth to the often aloof genre of retro lo-fi synthwave. While warbled tape loops and androgynous protagonists make for an evocative experience, nothing beats the nostalgic feeling of innocent wonder that you can get out of a slow, lounging sci-fi jam. “IIID-mension”, our favorite tune from August 2037’s IC Layer EP, is futuristic cosmopolitan elevator music. Vintage percussion and exotic synth leads overlay a laid-back electronic number featuring more than its fair share of sensual guitar pluckage. Bringing to mind an emerging trend in re-imagining late eighties/early nineties hot AC hold music purveyed by types like Purr Tapes, Juicy Tunes, and Keats//Collective, Aidar Salihoff (Capo Blanco) holds his own with “IIID-mension”. This brand of VHS-wave is something we can imagine being piped into the headsets of a team of deep space explorers while surveying planetary landscapes and evaluating potential moon base real estate (Team Zissou style). Do tha right thing, and check out Capo Blanco’s “IIID-mension”, and be sure to help fund the independent artists involved in this burgeoning futurebeat scene, if you enjoy what you hear.
MP3 Download of “IIID-mension”, by Capo Blanco (from the IC Layer EP)
STONER SHOWERS - “GIVE ME A CHANCE”
Bringing to mind the endlessly fucked loops of classic eighties and early nineties hits that Oneohtrix Point Never likes to occasionally purvey, Stoner Showers’ “Give Me a Chance” offers up a very similar vision. Fading right into the thick of the trite emotional turmoil so regularly touted by every other eighties ballad, the jam features a prominent sample of 1984 dance number “Give Me the Dance”, by Kym. Drum smacks abound that sound like they’re way slowed down, along with melodramatic wails echoing throughout the tragically short tune. Stoner Showers must be a bit of an audio experimentalist, due to the fact that his only other track that we’re familiar with is the dub-meets-surf-meets indietronic “Welcome Home”, which was eagerly featured on Hearing Gold’s Highlights of 2011 list and on our very own TSQ VOL ELEVEN. Honestly, I don’t care how much sampling the guy does if the rest of his portfolio sounds like Memory Vague. One thing is for sure: we’re hooked, and we will definitely be finding out soon. Do tha right thing, and check out the rest of his scene at his Tumblr, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud; and don’t forget to bust out some dimes so that he keeps busting out music.
MP3 Download of “Give Me a Chance”, by Stoner Showers
This video is for Teeel’s remix of Com Truise’s “IWYWAW”, from Com Truise’s debut mini-LP “Cynanide Sisters”. This song was originally posted as an exclusive download for iso50 readers, but here it is on Youtube and The Square Dance for your listening pleasure. While both artists kinda have that computer space eighties sound going on, Teeel is able to flesh out the original jam and add a little stereo friendliness to the mix. If you like this, consider visiting Teeel’s site or Com Truise’s site and picking up a record or two. Com Truise’s sophomore effort “Galactic Melt” will be out July 5th, so do tha right thing!
MP3 Download of “IWYWAW (Teeel remix)”, by Com Truise
This is the official video for Diamond Rings’ “It’s Not My Party”. Believed to be an unofficial spin on Lesley Gore’s classic ‘65 hit “It’s My Party”, this ballad is a perfect example of the current retro explosion (à la M83). Seemingly lifted straight out of the new wave era, populated with all of the John Hughes-esque stereotypes, reminding us of that age when gender roles started to blur, Diamond Rings’ “It’s Not My Party” is perfect for both the lover of modernized synthpop or the connoisseur of overdriven eighties classics.
Plinking electric piano, Buckley-esque deeper-than-fiction vocals, a subtle beat, self-deprecating lyrics, and a meandering tearjerker of a synth makes “It’s Not My Party” one to remember. Apparently created mostly as a coping mechanism for life in big ol’ Toronto, Ontario, my first experience with Diamond Rings’ music videos make a little more sense now. While kinda cliche, the video is certainly interesting, and hearkens of a four-and-a-half minute summary of Peirce’s “Boys Don’t Cry” with more of a feel like Broken Social Scene’s “I’m Still Your Fag”. At least listen to the song, because it’s definitely a diamond in the rough. From his debut full-length “Special Affections”, if you’re interested, do tha right thing and purchase it on iTunes, Amazon, or the Diamond Rings store before Astralwerks marks up the shit out of it.
MP3 Download of “It’s Not My Party”, by Diamond Rings (from “Special Affections”)
MP3 Download of “Kim & Jessie”, by M83 (from Saturdays = Youth”)
I may catch heat for saying this, but wedding a remake of Disney’s Tron with a soundtrack by Daft Punk was not something I was excited to hear about. I don’t want this blog to be negative or elitist, but I won’t hide the fact that there are a lot of things I dislike: a few of them being unimaginative re-imaginings and contrived techno music. To date, I still have yet to see the remake of Disney’s glorious early eighties foray into CGI, but this little ray of sunshine I just could not pass up. Via Ghostly International (probably the best record label in existence), apparently among the coal on the “Tron Legacy: Reconfigured” soundtrack is a remix of “Encom Part 2” by Com Truise. And that’s my excuse to bring up one of the coolest electronic artists alive.
Com Truise is probably my latest electronic artist crush. Self-described as being “mid-fi synth-funk”, the fellow behind the vintage synths weaves a new jangle from decades of influence. Based solely on his “Komputer Kasts”, Com Truise obviously draws from his roots of krautrock, italo-disco, and early eighties funk quite often and to great effect. He’s also a stellar visual artist, using lasers and vintage office machinery as mascots for his retro vibe. To date, he has released only one EP, titled “Cyanide Sisters”, but it was reissued with some changes, and some very good bonus tracks were tossed in for just short of $7 at the Ghostly store. The original “Cyanide Sisters EP” is available as a free download on Com Truise’s official site, but it’s definitely worth it to pay for a higher-fi version. Downside: no physical copy available.
Com Truise’s official website:
Com Truise’s Ghostly artist page (with more pertinent links):
http://ghostly.com/artists/com-truise
Official Tron website:
MP3 Download: “Encom Part 2 (Com Truise remix), by Daft Punk (from “Tron Legacy: Reconfigured):
MP3 Download: “Cyanide Sisters”, by Com Truise (from “Cyanide Sisters EP” reissue):
http://www.mediafire.com/file/0cxaaqvjrwrknwa/30-com_truise—cyanide_sisters-oma.mp3
This relatively viral video is titled “Nobody Here”, and was posted via Sunsetcorp’s Youtube channel. It features a slow burning loop from Chris D Burgh’s classic one hit wonder “Lady in Red”. Neither Sunsetcorp nor his experimental electronic musical act Oneohtrix Point Never are popular or heavily followed, but this does not diminish his ability to craft astonishingly nostalgic sound- and visual landscapes. Marrying old world vector videos and decomposing visuals from the computer space era with heavily mangled audio clips from the most haunting sections of soulful eighties rhythm, Sunsetcorp creates a space in which we can tune into a psychadelic world full of wonder and comfort yet beset by an inexplicable yearning.
Oneohtrix Point Never’s official website:
Sunsetcorp’s Youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sunsetcorp
MP3 download of “Nobody Here”, by Oneohtrix Point Never (from “Memory Vague”):
http://www.4shared.com/audio/9vjdH2_J/Oneohtrix_Point_Never_-_nobody.htm?aff=7637829
MP3 download of “Lady in Red”, by Chris D Burgh:
http://www.4shared.com/audio/OgFKuQzD/Lady_In_Red_-_Chris_D_Burgh.htm?aff=7637829
