Beirut / Realpeople - March of the Zapotec / Holland [EP]

Beirut / Realpeople - March of the Zapotec / Holland [EP]
[Ba Da Bing, 2009]
Beirut is the alias of 23-year-old song-writer Zachary Francis Condon, along with his band.

Marching between happy everyday-life moments to sad and melancholic tales,this time Zach Condon takes the listener of his fourth EP March of the Zapotec/Holland on a trip. Not only to Oaxaca, Mexico, where he was inspired and recorded this album, but also to the feelings he went through.

The release consists of two discs,the first being the main one which features a 19-member lament collective(called the Jimenez band) that contains tracks balancing from festive waltzing tunes to depressing funeral compositions.

The second disc, Holland, is an electronic-based release, which was recorded under Condon’s pre-Beirut moniker Realpeople. It features electronic synths and unique vocals, however it may seem that it doesn’t musically fit to it’s other half.

With this release, Condon might hit a milestone that several artists are passing through. This one when you disperse your fans in two large categories: Those who adore you more and those who lose faith in you.

Nevertheless this double-disc EP, while not being so easy-to-listen, is totally worth your attention and is establishing Beirut’s inspirational capabilities.

Listen: The Akara, No Dice

Genre: Indie Folk / Electronic

[Link]

A Surprise From Sweden!

Loney, Dear - Dear John
[Polyvinyl, 2009]


























What a pleasant surprise from Sweden!
Loney,Dear is the band of the Swedish multi-instrumentalist Emil Svanängen. Dear John has successfully passed the difficult second album syndrome.

From its brightest to its moodiest moments this album delivers pure and exquisite melodies which sound so well-matched together that you simply start applauding.
Loney,Dear with Dear John finally define the term/"tag" Indie-Pop!

Definitely the first Loney,Dear's masterpiece.

Listen: Harm, Under A Silent Sea, Distant

Genre: Indie-Pop
[Link]

Alva Noto

Alva Noto - Xerrox Vol.2
[Raster-Noton,2009]
Carsten Nicolai, also known under the moniker Alva Noto has established himself as an artist-musician amongst current electronic sound and visual designers who are using art and music as hybrid tools to create microscopic views of creative processes.
From my point of view, Alva Noto can not be considered as a musician but only as an avant-garde artist.
He has also performed in many important museums of modern and contemporary art such as, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum NY, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Moma, Centre Pompidou of Paris and more...

His latest project Xerrox Vol.2 is definitely a must have album!
Be careful though... It is a blend of noise and melodies and you must be prepared, unless you are already a fan of Alva Noto's previous works.

Genre: Avant Garde/Home Listening/Modern Classical

In other words: "Jaw-dropping" music for the open-minded!
Must Listen: Xerrox Sora
[Link]

Here is an older video clip from his collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto:

Archive - Bullets [Single]
[East West France, 2009]











The forthcoming album of Archive "Controlling Crowds" will be soon available.
For the time being we have only a new song:
"Bullets" [plus two remixes, one by Archive and one by Marius De Vries] that sound very interesting and various intense teasers that aim to stun the audience.
[Link]

Listen to: Bullets

Teaser #1:

Discover: Finn

Finn. - The Best Low-Priced Heartbreakers You Can Own
[Erased Tapes, 2008]
Patrick Zimmer, better known as Finn. is a German singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and fashion designer who has also supported Jose Gonzalez in Berlin.
Finn lived, recorded and produced "The Best Low-Priced Heartbreakers You Can Own" over the course of seven months in the catacombs of an old 14th century church underneath the streets of St. Pauli.
The whole album creates a relaxing and pleasantly sorrowful atmosphere that lives you a bittersweet feeling.
An album free of any artificial elements, whose place has been taken by a firework of pompous cymbals, fanfares, strings, trombones and kettledrums.
Must Listen: Boy-Cott, Dew

[Link to Website]

Here is a videoclip of the song "Truncheon Sound".

Discover: The Bad Plus

The Bad Plus Joined by Wendy Lewis - For All I Care
[Heads Up,2009]
First of all I have to say loud and clear that I despise bad song covers because they can simply ruin masterpieces.
The Bad Plus is a collective jazz band from Midwest. After their last year's success with Prog they released their new album For All I Care in which they collaborate with Wendy Lewis [who is actually their new member].
They rework well known songs in a contemporary jazz way and they are really good at it!
In this album you can find songs such as Nirvana’s “Lithium”, Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”, Wilco’s “Radio Cure”...
Listen: Comfortably Numb
[Link]

Discover: Sylvain Chauveau

Sylvain Chauveau - The Black Book Of Capitalism
[Type,2009]
"Originally released in 2000, ‘Le Livre Noir Du Capitalisme’ was the first album from French composer Sylvain Chauveau."
Sylvain Chauveau is a strange musician-composer that once you listen to his work you will either love him or hate him. The Black Book Of Capitalism has been remastered and re-packaged from Type Records and translated into English.
A mixture of classical music with electronic, jazz and even indie sounds.
It is a strange project that is deffinitely worth a second chance if you missed its previous release on 2000.
Listen: Dernière Étape Avant Le Silence
[Link]

Discover: Antony and The Johnsons

Antony and The Johnsons - The Crying Light
[Secretly Canadian,2009]
One of the most anticipating follow ups [see the Mercury Award-winning album I Am a Bird Now,2005] is now available.
Antony Hegarty and his band is back to remind us the reason why we love his somehow elegiac vocals. Once again he aims straightaway to destroy our emotional strength with his sorrowful songs. The Crying Light stands out from many albums that have already been released [and will be] and tries to home in on the top albums of the year.
I see a fierce competition coming...
Listen: Everglade
[Link]

Here is also and interesting cover to a famous pop song:
Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" by Antony Hegarty.
Just feel the different a approach and see its magic.

Discover: Dreamend

Dreamend - The Long Forgotten Friend
[Graveface,2008]
Dreamend is the main musical output of Ryan Graveface, the owner of Graveface Records. The Long Forgotten Friend is consisted of fourteen songs, but if you purchase the cd version you will see that four songs are missing as they can only be found on the 2xLP version.
"The songs are loosely based on stories and memories of a relative from the far past, whose tragic life has metamorphosed into legend over the course of time."
I found the whole album pretty good and very interesting. Pure indie sounds and an album with an arresting cover.
Listen: Are You Waking?
[Link]

My Brightest Diamond

My Brightest Diamond is Shara Worden, an American singer-songwriter.
Having Released two albums:

• Bring Me The Workhorse [2006]
• A Thousand Shark's Teeth [2008] which was also one of the best albums of 2008.

and a few singles:

• From The Top Of The World
• Shark Demos
• Inside A Boy
• Tear It Down [Remix Compilation]
• Disappear
  

Now the time has come for the Remixes!

You can also find find a new song of My Brightest Diamond that it's actually a cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" on the compilation "Dark Was The Night" [coming out soon//14th Feb].
You can listen to it by pressing play on the widget "Dark Was The Night" [see the right section of D-M-L's page.]


Latest News: "What’s next for The Diamond? Well, it’s a year for a rock opera. Both My Brightest Diamond and Lavender Diamond front women are guest starring on the new Decemberist record which is to be released March 24th." Read More

Shark Remixes Vol. 1- Alfred Brown
Release Date: October 28th, 2008

Alfred Brown is a famous Remixer from Hoosick Falls, NY and he obviously loves little sounds.

Official Words: "Instead of a straight ahead approach to remixing a single song, Alfred combined parts from different songs, juxtaposing new elements to give the preexisting material new meaning. The guiding narrative is about an astronaut stranded outside of his ship while working in Low Earth Orbit. As he descends toward earth he is completely cut off from all communication with Earth and finds himself totally alone. During this time of complete isolation he thinks about his loved ones back on Earth, about his life, about God, and about dying. The remixes narrate, through words and music, these contemplations being sent out across the universe; and the echoes that come back."

In my words: If you get the meaning then the whole new approach of this remix-album-compilation will highly impress you and that's the reason posted the text above.
I think that Alfred Brown has done an excellent work, well crafted and sounds as unique as the album.

Listen: Black, Black, Black

Tracklist:

Part I.
1. Overture
2. A Thousand Stars Against a Dark Sky
3. In Vacuum
4. black!Black!BLACK!

Part II.
5. Of Fear and Wonder (I Found a Universe)
6. I’m Never Letting Go (Stars at Elbow and Foot)
7. The Lonliest Man In History (Looking Down from the Top of the World)
8. You Are Now Untouchable (Esto Perpetue)

Shark Remixes Vol. 2 - Son Lux

Release Date: January 20th, 2009

Son Lux aka Ryan Lott, remixed four songs of the latest album of My Brightest Diamond - "A Thousand Shark's Teeth" and together they released this amazing collection. It seems that Son Lux with his different approach to these songs gave a fresh air and a good motivate to reconsider the fact that some things that are already perfect can go further.
So don't be surprised if you find yourself dancing with an album of My Brightest Diamond.


Listen: "Inside A Boy - Son Lux Remix", "To Pluto's Moon - Son Lux Remix"

Tracklist:
1. Apples
2. The Diamond
3. Inside A Boy
4. To Pluto's Moon

And remember these words:
"This band will soon catch up with the fame of Goldfrapp. If they haven't already done it!"

Here is a videoclip:

Must See Music Events This Month [February 09]

Sunday 1 February 2009

Calexico

@ Principal Club Theatre [Thessaloniki]

Monday 2 February

K.BHTA
@Stavros tou Notou [Athens]

Wednesday 4 February
An Evening With Gregg Dulli & Mark Lanegun
[The Gutter Twins]

@ Gagarin 205 [Athens]

Friday 6 February

Giardini Di Miro
@ An Club [Athens]

Saturday 7 February
Giardini Di Miro
Accra Minoa, Dear Serotonin
@Eightball Club [Thessaloniki]

And Also The Trees
Katharine Blake
Nick Marsh
@Gagarin 205
Daddy G (Massive Attack)
@BIOS [Athens]

Friday 13 February
Mr. Scruff
@ BIOS [Athens]

Sunday 15 February
Nurse With Wound
@ Kyttaro [Athens]

Friday 20 February
Mogwai Misuse
@Gagarin 205 [Athens]

Tindersticks
The Prefabricated Quartet
@Principal Club Theatre [Thessaloniki]

Saturday 21 February
Tindersticks
@Badminton Theatre [Athens]

Mogwai
Misuse
@ Mylos [Thessaloniki]