Eye on New Releases: April 24th, 2012

Spring is in full swing here at IRIS, which means there's a never-ending supply of new music! Here are a few of our favorites this week!

Label: Chemikal Underground
Album: Human Don't Be Angry
Artist: Human Don't Be Angry
Genre: Alternative

Former Arab Strap guitarist Malcolm Middleton returns with his self-titled debut album as Human Don’t Be Angry. Named in honor of the German version of board game Frustration, the album was recorded alongside producer and drum programmer Paul Savage, with live drum parts from Middleton’s old Arab Strap partner Aidan Moffat. "HDBA is a facade, a front so I can have fun again musically," says Middleton. "I thought I'd go back to what I enjoy, which is playing guitar and writing melodies." The original idea to create an album of gentle guitar instrumentals and drum-free ambient atmospherics was soon paid to when Middleton entered the studio with Savage, as drum tracks were added and lyrics emerged for some of the songs, albeit often as poetic repetitions of phrases rather than structured verse-chorus-verse affairs. The words fit with the laid-back air of the music and help showcase Middleton’s often under-rated skill as a guitarist, leaving the sense that he’s made "more of an album I'd want to listen to than the one I thought I wanted to make." Song titles like "Jaded" and "Getting Better (At Feeling Like Shit)" are a tongue-in-cheek diversion from an album which is musically breezy and upbeat, although the emotional bittersweetness you might expect from the man who wrote "We’re All Going to Die" is never far from the surface. So Human Don’t Be Angry is a refresher before Middleton returns re-energised to his solo career, but it’s also here to stay as a new creative avenue.

Label: kranky
Album: Oh Holy Molar
Artist: Felix
Genre: Pop

Oh Holy Molar is the second album from UK trio Felix. The group produces a bewitching, minimal chamber pop that works as the perfect framework for singer/songwriter Lucinda Chua's oblique and emotionally immediate stories of superstition and searching for protection against bad omens. As a follow up to their debut You Are The One I Pick, the band return with a collection of songs with a sound stripped back to its very core. Something is said to have "teeth" when it has the ability to make an impact. This record certainly has "teeth", and sharp ones at that. The album was recorded in a vast, spooky 1940s cinema in Nottingham, England, now converted into a studio. After recording was completed the band discovered that underneath the live room lay an abandoned Dental Laboratory. "Oh Holy Molar" indeed. Since the release of the first Felix album, pianist/vocalist Lucinda Chua, also an accomplished photographer, has been working on a number of projects, most recently with Wallpaper in Detroit. Guitarist Chris Summerlin has been recording and touring with his new band Kogumaza. The group is completed with the recent addition of drummer Neil Turpin who, when not performing with Felix, can also be found touring the world with French composer Yann Tiersen.

Label: Palmetto
Album: The Calling
Artist: Romain Collin
Genre: Jazz

You have to bring something extra-special to the table to attract the attention and involvement of the likes of Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, and Wayne Shorter.  French-born jazz pianist Romain Collin does.  Armed with a killer instinct for progressive, spatially friendly instrumentals that present themselves in the form of mini-soundtracks, Collin rode a scholarship wave to Boston's Berklee College of Music and then onto the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.  His work in an ensemble at the Institute garnered more than passing praise from famous mentor-artists -- Marcus Miller, Wynton Marsalis, Charlie Haden. It garnered the honor of a ful tour with Hancock and Shorter in 2007 through India and Vietnam, as well as recognition and use of the Institute ensemble as a band of choice for Hancock, Blanchard, and Shorter. Described by NPR host Jon Weber as "a visionary composer, an extraordinary jazz pianist, and a very bright young rising star in the jazz world," Romain Collin continues to develop his vision on The Calling, combing the tradition of improvisation with sound designing and classical music.

Eye On New Releases: April 10th, 2012

A Grammy-nominated artist, punk legends, and indie rock band that pushes the boundaries? Yes, please!

Label: Palmetto
Album: Girl Talk
Artist: Kate McGarry
Genre: Jazz, Vocal

More concerned with the essence of a song than idiomatic limitations, Palmetto Records' vocalist and Grammy nominated Kate McGarry has managed to attract the attention of tomorrow's jazz fans.  Beyond her obvious affinity for swing, an eclectic repertoire ranging from Irving Berlin to The Cars and her signature contralto convey a message with a a crystal clarity that precludes the need for gimmick or effect.  All that's left is undeniably honest music that transcends the boundaries of age or genre.  With five recordings including Grammy-nominated If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything, she's established herself as one of contemporary jazz's most moving and enigmatic voices.

Label: Jackpot Records
Album: Idle Threat
Artist: The Skabbs
Genre: Punk, Rock

Jackpot Records is proud to present Idle Threat, a collection of never before issued recordings from 1977-78 Lawndale, California punks, The Skabbs. In tandem with the birth of punk, these music obsessed nerds, became disenchanted with the increasingly plastic tendencies of modern music. The Skabbs concocted some truly outsider sounds, melding jagged Devo-esque rhythms with lightning-fast technical touches that predicted the Minutemen by a few years. Sadly, the band was cut short in 1979 when songwriter and frontman, Steven Joseph Salazar died at just 26 years old from a life-long heart condition. In their grief, The Skabbs choose to disband burying Salazar’s legacy of songs with their sorrow.  In retrospect, The Skabbs steadily became a scene unto themselves, making a proto-punk sound guided by a mission to simply make music that sounded less gross than Foreigner. With the exception of being recorded by SST producing genius Spot, The Skabbs were considered too weird for the art crowd and just terrified the hippies.

Label: sonaBLAST! Records
Album: Salt
Artist: Hoots & Hellmouth
Genre: Indie Rock, Americana

Hoots & Hellmouth are a busy bunch. Road warriors to the bitter end, they’ve somehow found time to enter the studio twice in the last year to produce two records showcasing their forward-thinking roots/soul music. Their latest offering, the full-length Salt, was recorded in their hometown of Philadelphia with friend/engineer Jon Low (Dr. Dog, Sharon Van Etten, Twin Sister). The result speaks volumes to the evolution of a band committed to pushing their boundaries and exploring new sonic horizons.  Salt builds on the fresh ground broken on their previously released EP, Face First In The Dirt, continuing down a path of explosive creativity. “Why Would You Not Want To Go There?” kicks things off with a building intensity reflective of their passionate live performances, but tempered with well-placed flourishes of piano and electric guitar. H&H’s trademark soul vibe is thick on “Lay Low,” incorporating the stomp groove and call-and-response vocals familiar to established fans of the band. By the time the listener reaches the middle of the record, the dynamic and deep “Apple Like A Wrecking Ball” and “The Ache” drive home the point that these guys are not content to rest on their laurels. To round it all out, album closer “Being Borned Again” continues their tradition of massive group sing-alongs so vibrant the listener already feels the chills of the anticipated live rendition.  Lyrically, Sean Hoots has always endeavored to keep a keen eye on the craft of songwriting, and Salt showcases the artist on top of his game. These new songs reveal a greater depth of vulnerability and personalization unheard on previous H&H offerings. This is the sound of a writer digging deep, planting seeds and harvesting a bumper crop of thought-provoking, soul-scraping tunes.

Eye On New Releases: March 13th, 2012

While many of us are busy at SXSW, the rest of us have time to enjoy the sweet sweet sounds of this week's new releases.

Label: FiXT / Celldweller
Album: Soundtrack For The Voices In My Head Vol. 02 (Chapter 02)
Artist: Celldweller
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Dubstep

The second chapter of Soundtrack for the Voices in my Head Volume 2 expands the scope of Celldweller's instrumental oeuvre with new twists on an established sound. While Volume 01 and the first chapter of Volume 02 exhibited plenty of what we know and love from Celldweller - metal riffs, drum'n'bass beats, flourishes of orchestral scoring, and intricate electronics - this new collection exhibits dubstep-inspired bassplay, Latin-spiced electro, and experimental ambient noise. Cuts like "ShutEmDown" and "Empyrean" will blast apart your speakers with sounds you'd swear came from the voice-box of a cybernetic machine from another world. The snappy flamenco guitar lick that starts off "Senorita Bonita" morphs into a fiery electro dance tune with Moohmbaton overtones, while "Chronus" drifts through a primordial ooze of drones and experimental noise. Also included are an alternate version of "ShutEmDown" and "Distants", an ambient piece originally available only on the limited edition CD of SVH Vol. 02 Chapter 1.

Label: ATIC Records
Album: The Daddy Remix
Artist: Niko
Genre: Hip Hop, Jazz, Electronic

Niko is the operating name of US born Nicole Vergel de Dios, who brings her musical narration through pop, electronica, electro-acoustic and experimental composition. The Daddy Remix is the first single from her second album Hate & Love which is due for release on ATIC Records later this year. Produced by Andy Turner (Aim), The Daddy Remix, is a jazz-fuelled, golden-era flavoured hip-hop banger that sees Niko, singing the praises of bad-ass DJ’s everywhere. Joining her on the track are Q-Ball and Curt Cazal (QNC) who bless the beat with their authentic, gutsy approach to flow mechanics.  The Daddy Remix evolved from "The Daddy" which appeared on Gripper's A Life Of Consummate Ease album back in 2006. Feeling that the vocals’ full potential hadn't been realized, Aim and Gripper set about re-building the track from the ground up with scratchy samples from dusty old jazz LP's. Aim took it to the lab to mix and produce, Niko re-recorded the vocals and added fresh harmonies, QNC did their funky thing and the result speaks for itself.

Label: More or Less
Album: Brahaus
Artist: Techno Bro
Genre: Electronic, Techno

Techno Bro is an amalgamation of Detroit suburb collar popping meets Baltimore warehouse hipster heckling. Armed with a Wilson Elite tennis racket, coveted stock picks and moist towelettes, his track production will beat the Lipper average this year. Brahaus is music to Arnold Palmer. It is Detroit suburbs meets  ashington D.C. suburbs. I-696 meets I-270. Oakland Hills Country Club versus Congressional Country Club. "Forlorn" hints at the plush landscapes of high priced foyers and wraparound verandas. "Wicked Slic"e - staccato percussion and first time vocal stylings by long time studio lurker Wife of Bro. "Duck Hook" is serious business. Appregiated basslines, intricate drum patterns and a wonky breakdown give you an eerie feeling like you were left out of your Great Uncle’s will. "Agent of Bro" screams of de-tuned melodic elements which wash over you like that refreshing eau de toilette. Brahaus also includes stellar remixes from Jeremy Blake, Christian Bloch (Thinner, SubTrak, Funque Recordings), and Joe Lentini (Schematic).

Label: Electronic Soundscapes
Album: Giza Giza
Artist: Spiritjack
Genre: Electronic/Experimental

Based in Tokyo, Spiritjack is an established act in the global downtempo electronica scene, releasing music for more than a decade on many record labels worldwide and counting 4 full album releases. Giza Giza is the 5th Spiritjack album release and the album with the most thought out Spiritjack style and production level up to date.  From Tropical Stylish Dub to Beat-Fueled Tech tunes Giza Giza spans over a wide range of cinematic electronica meeting the highest production standards. A sweet cinematic ride through smooth atmospheric soundscapes and tasty downtempo beatscapes introducing a Downtempo Techno Dub hybrid. Giza Giza takes off with the cinematic downtempo “Orcca”, introducing the latest Spiritjack sonic landmark towards the more dominant Dub Techno style of the album, which drops off with “Malana”. The simplicity and minimalism of Dub blends with organic Techno and tropical ambient, riding fat bass lines and refreshing atmospherics on an upwards downtempo journey all the way to dissolving Dub heavy beats for an ideal Giza Giza ending. Suggesting a bass friendly style crossing dub influenced sub lines and techno oriented electronics, Spiritjack offers a unique soundtrack for urban meditation or a hectic downtown ride where technology amalgamates with organic electronica and gravitational effects pan out to a unique ambient dub techno hybrid that pushes the music genres envelope even further.

Eye On New Releases: February 14th, 2012

Valentine's Day is here, and today's new release pickings are perfect for sharing with your special someone.

Label: Reckless Records
Album: Resurrection Moon
Artist: Audrey Auld
Genre: Adult Contemporary, Country

Hot on the heels of her 2011 album, Come Find Me, Audrey Auld and Reckless Records are proud to announce the release of Resurrection Moon, a 20-track overview of the veteran singer-songwriter’s best-loved songs of the last decade.  It’s been 15 years since Auld issued her debut EP — and 14 since the launch of her own Reckless label. In that time, the native Tasmanian has released 5 internationally acclaimed solo albums of original songs, a live record, an acoustic collection of traditional Australian folk songs, and a duets album with Bill Chambers (1999’s Looking Back to See). But she’s never stopped to catch her breath long enough to assemble a proper compilation of her own best work — until now.  As a collection of the best of Auld’s best (so far, at least!), Resurrection Moon plays like the perfect live set and showcase for the award-winning artist’s eclectic range of moods and styles: from the devastating frankness of “Losing Faith” (winner of the 2006 MerleFest Song Contest) and gorgeous sorrow of “Song for Clax” to the playful swing of “Jellyroll,” the giddy rush of “Love You Like the Earth,” and the tender familial affection of “My Father.”

Label: Kayo Stereophonic
Album: My Funny Valentine Live 1955-59
Artist: Anita O'Day
Genre: Vocal Jazz

This profound collection of rare never-before-heard live recordings of Anita O’Day in small clubs to larger venues captures the essence of the incredible voice of this legend of jazz vocals. Most of us were not old enough to be sitting in the Village Vanguard or some small club in Miami or any one the club dates back in the 1950’s. But...pull up a chair, open a bottle of wine and dim the lights for this warm, incredibly intimate collection that will make you feel like you are front row in New York City, 1955.  The song list is all A+, the best of the standards and Anita’s improvising mixed with the top sidemen make this great collection A MUST for your music collection, and for Valentine's Day.

Label: FSS
Album: Pareidolia
Artist: Tetras
Genre: Experimental

In early 2010 Tetras (Jason Kahn, Jeroen Visser, and Christian Weber) began meeting in studio to develop their sound. Pareidolia documents those sessions.  Tetras take a long-form approach to their music, with live sets approaching one hour or more. The gradual structural development of their pieces blurs the sense of time passing, moving through various fields of improvisation which owe as much to rock (This Heat, Can), as they do to jazz (Sun Ra, electric-era Miles Davis), minimal music (Steve Reich) or drone (Phil Niblock). Aside from their collaborative approach to the music, Tetras also work collectively in all aspects of the production involving a recording. On Pareidolia each member of the group had a hand in either mixing the initial tracks or mastering them for the final vinyl cut before pressing. The title Pareidolia refers to the idea of hearing through the music, to find the many shifting layers of form and interplay slowly manifesting themselves over the duration of the pieces.

Label: Temple Music Group
Album: We Bring The Party EP
Artist: HeatSeekers
Genre: Electro House

Heatseekers is the creative collaboration between Josh Quest and AJ Sorbello, two of Seattle's premiere DJʼs and producers. Both have been involved in the Pacific Northwestʼs EDM scene for over 15 years, playing festivals and clubs while producing consistently throughout that time. Their single “We Bring the Party” features vocals from Seattle native Melakai and includes remixes from the world famous Ron Carroll of Chicago and Seattleʼs The Fender Fable. These tracks are meant to turn up the heat and make the party go off in Heatseekerʼs fashion.

Eye On New Releases: December 13th

 Label: Blue Canoe Records

Release: XYZ Factor

Artist: Joseph Patrick Moore

Genre: Electronic, Jazz

Blue Canoe Records introduces the new release XYZ Factor, a three song EP of electronica and jazz from bassman, Joseph Patrick Moore. Moore is a skilled bassist, producer, composer, arranger, educator, author and the founding partner of Blue Canoe Digital, an entertainment company focused on delivering the best in jazz music. His music and inventiveness is known to echo the spirits of Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, and Herbie Hancock. With his production of XYZ Factor, it’s apparent that Moore has crafted an incomparable recording that would entertain both electronica and contemporary jazz fans equally.

Label: Electronic Soundscapes

Release: Lightscapes II

Artist: Sol Tek

Genre: Ambient, Electronic

Not needing to loom any longer, Sol Tek has released their new album Lightscapes II, an awaited sequel to Lightscapes I released in January 2010 from the label Electronic Soundscapes. Originating from Amsterdam, Albert Borkent, creator of Sol Tek draws inspirations from Tangerine Dream, Arvo Part and Klaus Schulze, who have influenced the distinct Sol Tek style of combining electric and ambient music. With tracks like “Floral Melody,” “Monodrone,” and “Celestial Sea,” Lightscapes II is an album that combines classical music structures with the latest electronic production skills and has atmospheric and drone works featuring carefully selected gems for urban tranquility and mind relaxation.