Mixtape: Fractured Air – July 2020

July’s mix features the majestic “Wondrous Love” by folk legend Shirley Collins who recently announced details of new album (and follow up to 2016’s “Lodestar”), “Heart’s Ease”, which is due for release via Domino on 24th July. It’s first single is the timeless gem “Wondrous Love”, as Domino state: “its tune comes from an 18th Century English ballad about the infamous sea captain William Kidd, who was hanged for piracy in 1701. Collins first heard the hymn at a Sacred Harp Convention in Alabama (Collins and Alan Lomax recorded it on their field recording trip in 1959). Shirley has decided to sing it now, she said , “because songs are stored in my memory for a great many years, and suddenly it seems the right time to bring them out again.””

Independent music treasure and visionary artist Julianna Barwick returns this month with the magnificent “Healing Is A Miracle”, her Ninja Tune debut after remarkable releases for numerous indie labels over the last decade including Asthmatic Kitty, Dead Oceans, RVNG Intl’s FRKWYS series and Gregory Euclide’s THESIS label. New York-based Barwick’s fourth full length once again finds the gifted composer meld her church choir singing background during her rural Louisiana upbringing with her deeply innate gift for building expansive, immersive and wholly transformative sound worlds. “Healing Is A Miracle” finds Barwick collaborate with special guests and  fellow music visionaries Mary Lattimore, Jónsi and Nosaj Thing.

Fresh from the release of  The Soft Pink Truth (Drew Daniel)’s fantastic “Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?”, M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel announced the hugely anticipated return of beloved electronic pioneers Matmos this month with the celebrated duo’s mightily ambitious and intriguing “The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises In Group Form” (Thrill Jockey). Featuring a dazzling array of contributions from 99 musicians (Daniel Lopatin, Marisa Anderson, Yo La Tengo, David Grubbs, Jennifer Walshe, So Percussion to name just a few), where the sole instruction was to “play anything that they wanted, but the tempo of any rhythmic material had to be set at 99 beats per minute”, the results are bound to yield some of the most rewarding music of 2020.

Back in June came one of this year’s true gems, “Arrow”, by Los Angeles-based artist Sarah Lipstate via her Noveller guise. Like fellow contemporary guitar luminaries such as William Tyler or Aidan Baker, Noveller’s electric guitar compositions constantly evolve, expand and inspire, creating an enthralling, near-symphonic, free-flowing body of work in the process. “Arrow” is released via Ba Da Bing Records and is yet another wholly unique and breathtakingly original opus from one of independent music’s most gifted artists.

Other new releases in July’s mix come from: the special Numero Group compilation on Dale Warren’s fascinating 24 Carat Black project; Yair Elazar Glotman & Mats Erlandsson’s breathtaking collaborative album “Emanate” on FatCat’s ever-dependable 130701 imprint; Ricardo Donoso’s glorious “Content” full-length for Denovali; the legendary Jon Hassell returns with the eagerly anticipated “Seeing Through Sound (Pentimento Volume Two)” – out 24th July on Ndeya records – so far unveiled are the magnificent pair of tracks “Fearless” and “Unknown Wish”; the sublime post-punk-infused debut self-titled EP by Sydney-based Loose Fit heralds a hugely exciting and intriguing opening chapter for this special band (FatCat); Ceaselessly innovative indie greats Dirty Projectors continue their glorious ongoing series of 5 E.P. releases scheduled for 2020 with this month’s “Flight Tower” (Domino), this time with Felicia Douglass at the helm.

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Fractured Air – July 20 Mix

01. Flying Lotus – “Fire Is Coming” (feat. David Lynch) (Warp)
02. INVŌKER – “Batumi” (Azzur)
03. T. Gowdy – “Up CTRL” (Constellation)
04. Darkstar – “Wolf” (John Talabot’s Materia Dub) (Warp)
05. Ital Tek – “Open Heart” (Planet Mu)
06. Rival Consoles – “Vibrations on a String” (Erased Tapes)
07. Matmos – “No Concept” (Thrill Jockey)
08. Ricardo Donoso – “Forking Path” (Denovali)
09. Oneohtrix Point Never – “Good Time” (Good Time OST, Warp)
10. Spiritualized – “Spread Your Wings” (Fat Possum/Sony Music)
11. Noveller – “Pre-fabled” (Ba Da Bing)
12. Spectrum – “All Night Long” (Sony Music)
13. Television Personalities – “Diary Of A Young Man” (Fire Records)
14. Charlie Megira & The Modern Dance Club – “The Valley Of Tears” (Numero Group)
15. Loose Fit – “Pull the Lever” (FatCat)
16. Protomartyr – “Michigan Hammers” (Domino)
17. Girl Band – “Ereignis” (Rough Trade)
18. Dirty Projectors – “Self Design” (Domino)
19. Nightmares On Wax – “Me And You” (Warp)
20. 24 Carat Black & LaRhonda LeGette – “I Need A Change” (Numero Group)
21. Takashi Kokubo – “回廊の音楽” (Glossy Mistakes)
22. Jon Hassell – “Fearless” (Ndeya)
23. Ka Baird – “Imagination” (RVNG Intl)
24. Angel Bat Dawid – “Transition East” (International Anthem)
25. Becca Mancari – “I’m Sorry” (Captured Tracks)
26. The Beatles – “Yes It Is” (Apple)
27. Roy Harper – “One for All” (Science Friction)
28. Shirley Collins – “Wondrous Love” (Domino)
29. PJ Harvey – “Prayer” (The Virtues OST, Invada)
30. Yair Elazar Glotman & Mats Erlandsson – “Procession” (130701)
31. The Transcendence Orchestra – “Overview Effect” (Editions Mego)
32. Owen Pallett  – “Paragon Of Order” (w/ London Contemporary Orchestra) (Domino)
33. Max Richter – “All Human Beings (Voiceless Mix) Pt. 3” (Decca/Universal)
34. Julianna Barwick – “Healing Is A Miracle” (Ninja Tune)
35. Brigid Mae Power – “Head Above The Water” (Fire Records)
36. Rebecca Foon – “New World Reprise” (Constellation)
37. Arthur Russell – “In Love With You For The Last Time” (Audika)

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Fractured Air x Blogothèque – S02E01 | January mix

Welcome to the first mixtape for 2017.

January’s edition opens with the welcome return of Oklahoma’s finest The Flaming Lips with their latest studio album “Oczy Mlody”, released this month on Bella Union. Fellow indie greats Dirty Projectors also return, with Dave Longstreth’s soul-stirring lament “Little Bubble” – the follow-up to last September’s “Keep Your Name” – which makes the Dirty Projectors’ forthcoming full-length one of the most eagerly anticipated albums for 2017.

“Elwan” (translates to “The Elephants”), the new album by Malis’s beloved Tinariwen is sure to be found on many end-of-year lists come this December. The music again draws from Tinariwen’s homeland, a Saharan mountain range between north-eastern Mali and southern Algeria, which has been transformed into a conflict zone. “Elwan” was recorded at Rancho de la Luna studios in the desert of California’s Joshua Tree National Park during 2014, and again in 2016, in M’Hamid El Ghizlane, an oasis in southern Morocco, near the Algerian frontier.

Other intriguing new releases come from the Montreal-based group Avec le Soleil Sortant De Sa Bouche who release their exceptional second album “Pas Pire Pop, I Love You So Much” via Constellation, the follow-up to the band’s 2014 debut “Zubberdust!”. Having formed in 2011 in Montreal, Avec le Soleil Sortant De Sa Bouche features singer/songwriter Jean-Sebastien Truchy (of Fly Pan Am) as well as members of numerous other groups including: Panopticon Eyelids, Pas Chic Chic, Red Mass, Set Fire to Flames.

Of course, new releases only always paints one tiny portion of the wider picture, with so many exceptional re-issues always being repressed and made anew. This month sees Light In The Attic begin an exhaustive re-issue campaign for the music of Brazilian icon Erasmo Carlos, the first three albums showing an unparalleled appetite for fusing countless styles of music into his own unique, singular sound, heralding Carlos’ place as one of the most gifted songwriters from the seventies.

“Tumblers from the Vault (1970–1972)” by Syrinx (re-issues last year on RVNG Intl) was our favourite re-issue from 2016. Syrinx consisted of composer and keyboardist John Mills-Cockell, saxophonist Doug Pringle, and percussionist Alan Wells. Syrinx’s self-titled debut arrived in 1970, followed in 1971 by ‘Long Lost Relatives’, which is highlighted as the first album on Tumblers From The Vault.

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Fractured Air x Blogothèque – S02E01 | January mix

 

To listen on La Blogothèque:

http://www.blogotheque.net/2017/01/30/fractured-air-x-blogotheque-s02e01-january-mix/

 

Tracklisting:

 

01. The Flaming Lips – “There Should Be Unicorns” (Bella Union)
02. Syrinx – “Syren” (RVNG Intl)
03. Erasmo Carlos – “26 Anos de Vida Normal” (Light In The Attic)
04. Mr. Tophat & Robyn – “Disco Devato” (excerpt) (Smalltown Supersound)
05. Tinariwen – “Sastanàqqàm” (Anti-)
06. Avec le Soleil Sortant De Sa Bouche – “Alizé et Margaret D. Midi moins le quart. Sur la plage, un palmier ensanglanté II” (Constellation)
07. Awa Poulo – “Dimo Yaou Tata” (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
08. Roberto Musci – “Water Music” (Music From Memory)
09. MJ Guider – “White Alsatian” (Kranky)
10. Gareth Dickson – “Atmosphere” (Discolexique)
11. Steve Hauschildt – “Same River Twice” (Kranky)
12. Run The Jewels – “Thursday in the Danger Room” (feat. Kamasi Washington) (Self-Released)
13. Plankton vs. Defcon – “Jealousy” (Karaoke Kalk)
14. Lee Hazlewood – “For One Moment” (Light In The Attic)
15. Duane Eddy – “This Town” (Ace)
16. Molly Burch – “Try” (Captured Tracks)
17. Patience – “Wait For You” (Night School)
18. Bézier – “Widows Tears” (Cin Cin)
19. Copeland & Gast – “Sisters of Control” (All Bone)
20. Tangents – “Jindabyne” (Four Tet Remix) (Temporary Residence)
21. Ólafur Arnalds – “Árbakkinn” (ft. Einar Georg) (Mercury Classics)
22. Dirty Projectors – “Little Bubble” (Edit) (Domino)
23. Odd Nosdam – “Daliman OG” (Glue Moon)
24. April Stevens – “End Of Desire” (Cherry Red)
25. Mica Levi – “Children” (Jackie OST, Milan)
26. Daniel Lanois & Rocco DeLuca – “Low Sudden” (Anti-)
27. Allred & Broderick – “The Ways” (Erased Tapes)

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Compiled by Fractured Air, January 2017. The copyright in these recordings is the property of the individual artists and/or record labels. If you like the music, please support the artist by buying their records.

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http://www.blogotheque.net/
https://fracturedair.com/

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Chosen One: Dirty Projectors

Words: Mark Carry, Illustration: Craig Carry

Dirty Projectors is the musical vision of David Longstreth whose band returns this year with their highly anticipated sixth studio album, ‘Swing Lo Magellan’. Like fellow Brooklyn residents, Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, Longstreth and co. make utterly compelling experimental indie pop for the 21st Century. Multi-instrumentalist, arranger and songwriter, David Longstreth has come to be the 21st century David Byrne for new wave music songcraft.

Over the past decade, his rolling cast of musicians of Dirty Projectors have made utterly unique artistic creations. Longstreth and co. remaked Black Flag’s ‘Damaged’ album from memory on 2007’s ‘Rise Above, created a song cycle based on The Eagle’s Don Henley on 2005’s ‘The Getty Address’ and created an emblem of the live band on 2009’s masterpiece ‘Bitte Orca’. More recently, they have collaborated with Bjork on the ‘Mount Wittenburg Orca’ ep and worked with David Byrne on the charity ‘Dark Was The Night’ compilation produced by Red Hot Organization. Importantly, Dirty Projectors in 2012 find themselves as a solid five-piece unit with the partnership of Longstreth and Coffman as the bright spark. The vehicle for Longstreth’s songwriting is namely, Amber Coffman (vocals and guitar), Mike Johnson (drums), Nat Baldwin (bass) and Haley Dekle (vocals).

On the making of Dirty Projectors’ ‘Swing Lo Magellan’ the band spent twelve months in the seclusion of Delaware, County outside New York, where a separate headspace existed which provided another mindset for Longstreth. This solitude and calm of place is very evident throughout the album. On the band’s latest release, a directness and emotional clarity exists where Longstreth has moved away from abstraction and in turn, has written very personal songs. ‘Swing Lo Magellan’ is a sublime folk pop tour de force with a country feel. The album’s playfulness and directness strikes similarities to ‘John Wesley Harding’ era Bob Dylan. David Longstreth has said ‘Swing Lo Magellan’ is ‘more about the songs’ and what a set of awe-inspiring songs they are.

‘Impregnable Question’ is an achingly beautiful love song with delicate piano, bass and drums. ‘In happiness and in strife/You are my love and I want you in my life’ Longstreth sings over a gorgeous piano and backing harmony. The ballad belongs on either Beatles masterpiece ‘Sgt Pepper’ or ‘Revolver’ such is the song’s greatness. ‘Dance For You’ is pop music at its sensational best, reminiscent of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ golden creation. A soulful electric guitar is played over mesmerizing percussion and drums before an orchestra swirls beautifully in the bridge and chorus. ‘There is an answer/I haven’t found it/But I will keep dancing ’till I do’ Longstreth sings on the song’s chorus over a film score of strings is the album’s finest moment.

‘About To Die’ is an irresistible pop gem with futuristic electronic sounds and looped violins echoing Owen Pallett. The first single ‘Gun Has No Trigger’ is R&B influenced with pristine production with Longstreth’s glorious falsetto on the chorus. The title-track is ‘Harvest’ era Neil Young; a glorious folk pop gem with an immediacy and directness that hits you to the core. The last verse is sheer poetry, ‘I saw my frame in a pool of light/All drowned in doubt and shame/I knew that I had lost my sight’. ‘See What She Seeing’ is a beautiful song of longing with drum machines, electronic tweakings, strings and Coffman’s backing vocals providing the perfect musical backdrop, ‘Every time I think I’ve found her/Just what I’ve found is unclear’. Amber Coffman takes centre stage on ‘The Socialites’ which is a crystalized pop creation recalling the band’s previous collaborative work with Bjork.

The album closer ‘Irresponsible Tune’ is at the intersection of Grizzly Bear and The Beatles which could either be taken from ‘Yellow House’ or ‘Revolver’. The album’s final words ‘There’s a bird singing at my window, an irresponsible tune’ paints a landscape of beauty, simplicity and directness. ‘Swing Lo Magellan’ is just that.
‘Swing Lo Magellan’ is out now on Domino.