All Show & No Go

 

Earlier this month Maps, a collaboration between Swiss electronic duo Sinner DC and Peter Kember aka Sonic Boom. Originally conceived as a live performance for a festival twelve years ago the result is now available. This performance brought together Sinner DC's ambient electronica and Sonic Boom's dazzled guitar sound. Waves of spliced guitar distortion drift over a steady electronic kick drum, pounding the song into oblivion until a voice that sounds dangerously close to Lou Reed’s begins speaking at a loud volume over the rest of the mix. The consistent development of Kember's typical guitar sound meets the ambient and psychedelic excursions of Sinner DC and makes this album an early highlight of the year. 

At the end of last year Sonic Boom remixed another song by Sinner DC, also worth a listen.

New Song On Sunday

 

It's the middle of October and some artists are already thinking about Christmas. I could always imagine a collaboration between Dean Wareham, the former member of Galaxie 500 and Sonic Boom, but I never thought it possible that they would release an album of Christmas songs together.

But that's exactly what happened. In November, they will release A Piece Of Us, their personal compilation of Christmas songs. Only a cover of Willie Nelson's Pretty Paper has been released in advance. What in the original is nothing more than another sentimental country ballad now becomes a pulsating synth piece carried by Sonic Boom's baritone and Britta Phillip's alto voice. I'm certainly not a fan of Christmas albums, but this is one I'll be listening to.

Reset Goes Mariachi

 

How great an album is is often shown by how the individual songs are developed. Sonic Boom and Panda Bear released Reset exactly two years ago, for me one of the best records of this year. Since then they released a remix of this album and a dub version as well. Both great in their ways. Now they surprised with a release of two songs in mariachi versions. They translated two songs into Spanish and re-recorded them in Mexico with a local mariachi band. The result are two new songs for me. Of course the songs are based on the originals but the instrumentation with guitars, trumpets and violins have completely turned the basic orientation on its head. I have to admit that I love the mariachi sound from time to time and so I can't say anything bad about these versions. Viva.

2023 - This Year In Music Part III

 

It was conceivable that Reset, the last year record by Sonic Boom and Panda Bear will be remixed. But I didn't expected that Adrian Sherwood will be at the controllers to create a dub version of this album. The original was a favorite of mine last year and this dub album was a steady companion to me during the summer.

No year without anything new by Andy Bell. Earlier this year he released Tidal Love Numbers, a good collaboration with Essex-based duo Masal to explore some ambient jazz roots to release Gateway Mechanics a live experiment by GLOK in September this year. This record shows everything I like from him: dubbed-out acid, psychedelica, a bit of Balearic and ambient. Wish I could see him live one day.

Since Craven Faults released their first album in 2020 I was fascinated by their music. Not only because you can classify them easily. I enjoy their hypnotic sound made only with a few drum snippets and putting an electronic coat over them. Of course it is another music to drift away but if it is made like on Severals, I will walk this road with them.

This Is The Kit is the alias of British singer/songwriter Kate Staples. Her latest album Careful Of Your Keepers was a surprise and a delight. I seldom heard a new great voice like her during the last years. One of the best new artists for me.

Another album that made fun for a while was Zuma 85 by California based Allah-Las. With songs between Velvets, glam and vocoder their songs work well. Not the big thing but a band you get from what you expect.

In Dub

 

One of last years highlights in music was Reset, a collaboration between Sonic Boom and Panda Bear. It was a retro based album using fragments of music long gone by to create something really new. Because of the quality of the songs and the variety of ideas in them it was played often at my place. Now they return with a dub version of this album. Adrian Sherwood on the controllers made these songs more brighter than they were by adding strings, horns and additional piano to this versions. Not bad way to start into another hot and sunny Sunday.

Difficult Machinery

 

Two years ago French three piece band Veik released their debut album Surrounding Structures, a concept album as they say in their own words that tackles the whole spectrum of the human struggle on Earth: physical and mental illness, political activism, personal achievements and failure. It is an album torn torn between industrial, krautrock an no wave. To be honest, I came to this album by a superb remix of the main song by Sonic Boom that is far better than the original. A song that fits perfectly to him and stands in a row to other great remixes by him.

That this Caen, Normandy based band can play a different kind of music that sometimes hurt is showed by this song. A song that comes in the true religion of post-punk and could be released 40 years ago.

Endless Valley

 

A few days ago, while I making a safety copy on an external hard drive, I found a song by Sinner DC an electronic band from Geneve and remixed by Sonic Boom and shows a downtempo version of this song. A song that flows easily to my ears and it's far ahead of it't time more than 10 years ago. A song that torn between post-indie rock and a bit of shoegaze-techno. But something that made me investigate for more.

Sinner DC - Endless Valley

2022 Long Part III

 

Let's finish my musical review of this year's music. The collaboration of Sonic Boom and Panda Bear came unexpected but gave us a lot of great songs with great harmonies, melodies and a massive retro-charm.

The Pink Album by Unloved was one of highlights this year. A psychedelic synthesis of dark pop, 60's girl group sounds, ambient patterns and dance floor undertones makes this album remarkable.

Danish producer Andres Trentemoller made an album that was especially for me because I love the way he can create electronic sounds. Many songs have a somber aura but listening more than one time you can see the magic of his musical cosmos in Memoria.

One of the best albums of this year came out early this year. Flicker by Andy Bell conglomeration of very different sounds from the last decades and full of ideas, melodies, hooks and great songs. Always a pleasure to come back to this great album.

Spiritualized came back with Everything Was Beautiful an album that shows everything I expected form the Jason Pierce' beginnings over his krautrock phase to his last album. Nothing more or less a great album.

Every year is a good year, when Michael Head releases a new album. Dear Scott is more than I expected. Still on a high level with his distinctive voice and a lot of great songs he returned as my favorite solo artist.

Red Desert

 

The Vacant Lots is a Brooklyn, NYC based post-punk, electronic duo that is active since a decade and made some albums that are far over the average. A few name them as the devisee of Suicide. But you can't compare them with the synth-punk pioneers Alan Vega and Mercury Rev although you can hear fragments of their sound in their music. They have also influences of New Order, Pet Shop Boy and Human League in their songs. Red Desert is a song that could appear on any album by Sonic Boom and this is astonishing because Peter Kember mastered a few of their albums.  

And Disintegration could be song that was played often when it was released 30 years earlier.

Go On

Another post after a period of absence. During the last weeks I wasn't able to pull myself together and continue working on this blog. Not that I doesn't wanted to keep on it was the fact that I spent a lot of time with my guests from Sri Lanka to visit some places of interest and that I lost my inspiration for the blog. I was happy enough to follow other bloggers but I had no idea for a new series or just to write about music. Of course I will continue and there will be a time to write regular. Today's song is an appetizer from the upcoming album by Panda Bear and Sonic Boom. They will release Reset in a couple of weeks. Together they finished ten tracks that combine poppy catchiness, playful psychedelia and nostalgic vibes. The upfront single "Go on" is the perfect match. Peter Kember used intros of classic songs from the 50'/60's to create new psychedelic pop songs from it. Based on a song by The Troggs the flimsy electronica sound sneaks forward step by step with repetitive vocals and spreads good mood with hand claps, relaxed riffs and gentle choirs. A perfect song for a hot summer day.

 

Monday's Long Song

Last December I featured The Vacant Lots at this place with another long song from their latest album. This album combines two EP's of this Brooklyn based duo who carries the spirit of psychedelic rock and minimal rock and roll. I forgot this album during the last months bur I rediscovered it a few days ago. Their first recordings were collaborations with Sonic Boom and Alan Vega and you can hear their influences on the whole album as well as song structures we all knew by Echo and the Bunnymen. Damage Control is one of those overlooked albums from 2020 and it rises the more I listen to it and not only because it reminds me to long forgotten times. 

Albums Of The Year

 

As every year I compile a list of albums that was on on heavy rotation this year on my turntable, inspired me in any way or made me feel familiar with the music. I started a few weeks ago to collect a list and I couldn't decide which one doesn't make it on the final list of ten albums. For this reason fantastic albums by Daniel Avery, The Orb, Four Tet, Whyte Horses, SAULT, Kanaan or Little Barrie & Malcom Catto doesn't appear on the final list but are highly recommended. So here are ten albums without valuation.

Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal: In the middle of the year former Spacemen 3 Pete Kember aka Sonic Boom released an album that has everything I expected from him. From spaced pop songs to Phil 

Spector's wall of sound and everything in between is assembled on this beautiful album.

Michael Rother - Dreaming: After 16 years Michael Rother, one of the best living fossils from the golden krautrock days released a new album. From the first chords you realize that this guitar only could be played by the former member of Kraftwerk, Neu! and Harmonia. Timeless guitar phrases like played on his first album make a perfect combination with the voice of Sophie Joiner. Probably on of those albums that will be overlooked.

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud: Katie Crutchfield released as Waxahatchee an album that could be filled under Americana but it is much more. Her voice, some big guitars, well-honed noise and battering sounds makes her different to many other singer-songwriters in these days and sometimes helped me making some days better this year. 

Glok - Dissident Remixed: Last year one of the best albums and this year the remixes were played on heavy rotation when they were released. Andy Bell gave the tracks to some well known mates to develop the originals. Together they made their owns visions of the source material, delving into ambient techno, psychedelic acid disco, krautrock and beyond.

Rose City Bank - Summerlong: It seems like Ripley Johnson can't make any mistake in music. Either as Wooden Shjips or Moon Duo. Also laid back California psychedelic sounds are close to him. It is every time a pleasure listening to his beautiful guitar lines. A second album that has the same quality as the first. 

Bob Mould - Blue Hearts: Every album by ex-member of Hüsker Dü Bob Mould is a good one. But this is maybe the best he recorded during  the last years. He returns as an angry man shouting out what is going wrong in days like these. With the fury of Hüsker Dü he made the best songs since a long time.

Julian Cope - Self Civil War: This album is one of them I came back often this year. Not just because it shows how great Cope is. Returning after years on high level with 13 songs between his interpretation of rock music and krautrock added with orchestra and ballads. A weird bastard of an album but I love it. 

 The Long Champs - Straight To Audio: Welsh producer Lloyd Jones and his latest album was one of the discoveries I made this year. A collection of compositions that range from dancefloor to after hours drifting always with an upbeat mood and sinister soundscapes. This was a record that made the strange days of lockdown more brighter.

Richard Norris - Elements: The idea of making an album about earth, fire, water, air and space is probably not the first one ever but for me the best realization I heard. Far away from any cliché of modern music he invites us to a trip into ambient and space. An album that grew with every time I listened to. 

Andy Bell - A View From Half Way Down: This album arrived in late autumn and I played it often since then. I like the perfect mixture of his warm interpretation of neo-psychedelia combined with shoegaze and dream-pop. For me the blueprint how an album should sound in 2020.

Velvet Dessert Music: Finally a compilation that was worth to be named in a year-end-list. Cologne's Kompakt-label released in spring a compilation of electronic variations of electronic sounds. The common sense of all is a new interpretation of dessert sounds. Sometimes it sounds like Ennio Morricone in a psychedelic style, sometimes like a downtempo variation of krautrock with psychedelia but always worth to come back to.

Things Like This

Peter Kember aka Sonic Boom released another song from his forthcoming album in June. I followed him from his works as a part of Spacemen 3 when they made a few of the best fuzzy and psychedelic albums in these decade. Now his music is a bit softer but never boring. Guitars were replaced by 70's synths, the bass-line brings back memories from an 80's Yamaha and you will get satisfied if you dig deeper into the various layers of his sound.