Junior Boys “C’Mon Baby” (From “Big Black Coat”)
Canadian electropop duo Junior Boys’ latest record might be the strongest in an already impressive discography. The dark elegance of the best arty ‘80s synth-pop (see: Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ultravox, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark) remains at the forefront of what the group does, but early Chicago house and Detroit techno also appear as definite touchstones.
FKA twigs “Good to Love” (Single)
FKA twigs continues her winning streak of sensual, off-kilter R&B on this latest single, a deceptively simple ballad by one of the most captivating vocalists in the world at the moment.
Cavern of Anti-Matter “echolalia” (From “void beats/invocation trex”)
Cavern of Anti-Matter is the mostly-instrumental project from the founder of the long-on-hiatus Stereolab, a band who deftly mixed together the DNA of Krautrock, cheesy lounge music, Brazilian psychedelia, and ‘60s pop. Fans of that beloved band will be happy that this record successfully continues in a similar vein.
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Jesu / Sun Kil Moon “Carondelet” (From “Jesu / Sun Kil Moon”)
Mark Kozelek has spent the past couple of years securing a spot as one of the most divisive personalities in music, penning juvenile songs about The War on Drugs, telling an audience of “fucking hillbillies” to “shut the fuck up”, writing lyrics that alternate between emotionally succinct and even transcendent or embarrassingly banal (sometimes in the same song), and generally just acting like indie rock’s answer to Kanye West. But he also wrote one of the most beautiful albums of this decade (“Benji”), and was responsible for some of the very best sadsack music of the 1990’s (basically anything he put out with the Red House Painters). Justin Broadrick’s pedigree is also stellar, with his two main projects (Godflesh and Jesu) putting out some of my favorite records. The depressive, repetitive, and frequently gorgeous heaviness of Jesu is a great counter-balance to Kozelek’s awkward but poignant storytelling.
Tim Hecker “Castrati Stack” (From “Love Streams”)
Avant/electronic/ambient/noise wunderkind Tim Hecker’s music only continues to grow in depth and beauty with each release. His previous two albums (2013’s “Virgins” and 2011’s “Ravedeath, 1972”) were among the best albums released in their respective years, and if the otherworldly “Castrati Stack” is any indication, “Love Streams” will be one of the best records of 2016. Features haunting vocals from the Icelandic Choir Ensemble.
SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: TIMELY TUNES, VOL. 14
Tracklist:
1. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark “Never Turn Away” (From “Junk Culture”)
2. Junior Boys “C’Mon Baby” (From “Big Black Coat”)
3. Air France “No Way Down” (From “No Way Down”)
4. Jade “Don’t Walk Away” (From “Jade To The Max”)
5. FKA twigs “Good to Love” (Single)
6. 94 East (Featuring Prince) “Always Love You” (From “The Cookhouse Five”)
7. The Chapells “Help Me Somebody” (Single)
8. Los Hijos del sol “Cariñito” (From “The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru”)
9. Harmonia “Notre Dame” (From “Deluxe”)
10. Cavern of Anti-Matter “echolalia” (From “void beats/invocation trex”)
11. Stereolab “Nihilist Assault Group” (From “Mars Audiac Quintet”)
12. The Monkees “As We Go Along” (From “Head”)
13. Jimmy Carter and Dallas County Green “A Night of Love” (From “Summer Brings the Sunshine”)
14. Jesu / Sun Kil Moon “Carondelet” (From “Jesu / Sun Kil Moon”)
15. Harvey Milk “I Know This Is All My Fault” (From “A Small Turn Of Human Kindness”)
16. Tim Hecker “Castrati Stack” (From “Love Streams”)
17. Meredith Monk “Earth Seen from Above” (From “Voices 1900/2000: A Choral Journey Through the Twentieth Century”)
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