Andrew Bird “Roma Fade” (From “Are You Serious”)
Andrew Bird has been so reliably consistent throughout his career that I admit I occasionally take his work for granted. A couple weeks ago, his stunning collaboration with Fiona Apple (“Left Handed Kisses”) shook me from that complacency and reminded me that he is one of our great American pop craftsmen. This second single from his upcoming album is equally wonderful; all pizzicato violin plucks and swooning vocals.
Rainbow Chan “Nest” (From “Spacings”)
This is my first exposure to Sydney-based, Hong-Kong-raised singer/producer Rainbow Chan, but it’s a revelation. She is a classically-trained saxophonist, pianist, and choral singer, but “Nest” positions itself as a contemporary of the 80’s-tinged pop confectionary of Blood Orange. This is a beautiful song about the end of a relationship that sounds like a celebration rather than a eulogy.
Lindstrøm “Closing Shot” (Single)
Norway’s Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is an expert in allowing his slow-build anthems ample room to breathe and expand. I have been lucky enough to see him DJ twice, once in a small, sweaty club, and the other in a large, sweaty park, and he knows how to work the crowd in either environment. “Closing Shot” is a sun-kissed disco house stunner that I’m sure will be popping up in a ton of DJ sets this year.
Hesitation Wounds “Teeth” (From “Awake For Everything”)
A one minute and thirty-one second blast of frenzied post-hardcore, featuring members of Touche Amore, The Hope Conspiracy, Trap Them, and…Slipknot (Max Weinberg’s son). Hopefully that last one won’t push you away, because this is a scorcher.
Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm “23:17” (From “Trance Frendz”)
In this space, I generally try to highlight music that has been released within the past couple of weeks, but I’m making a bit of an exception with this one. “Trance Frendz” was a film made of Arnalds and Frahm improvising together in Berlin, and the music created was released as the second disc of “Collaborative Works” late last year. “Trance Frendz” has just been released as a standalone vinyl album and, sadly, I’m just now getting around to absorbing this gorgeous work. Frahm and Arnalds have become two of the most important and fascinating modern composers and improvisers.
Spotify Playlist: Timely Tunes, Vol. 17
Tracklist:
1. Funkadelic “Music For My Mother” (From “Funkadelic”)
2. J.J. Cale “Travelin’ Light” (From “Troubadour”)
3. Andrew Bird “Roma Fade” (From “Are You Serious”)
4. The Poppy Family “Where Evil Grows” (From “A Good Thing Lost: 1968-1973”)
5. Minnie Riperton “Inside My Love” (From “Adventures in Paradise”)
6. Yesterday’s New Quintet “Thinking Of You” (From “Angles Without Edges”)
7. Rainbow Chan “Nest” (From “Spacings”)
8. Los Walters “Sin Mapa Ni Bote” (From “Verano Panorámico”)
9. Lindstrøm “Closing Shot” (Single)
10. Two Man Sound “Que Tal America (Richie Rivera’s Edit)” (From “Disco Forever: The Sound of Underground Disco”)
11. Johnny Lytle “The Man” (From “On Green Dolphin Street”)
12. Art Ensemble Of Chicago “Rock Out” (From “Message To Our Folks”)
13. Bad Brains “Big Takeover” (From “Rock for Light”)
14. Hesitation Wounds “Teeth” (From “Awake For Everything”)
15. Drive Like Jehu “New Math” (From “Yank Crime”)
16. Rachel’s “Water From the Same Source” (From “Systems/Layers”)
17. Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm “23:17” (From “Trance Frendz”)
18. Max Richter “Vivaldi, The Four Seasons – Spring 1” (From “Recomposed By Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons”)
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