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Wonder Wheel 23: Brave New World

23 Sep 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Paul Rosales aka Wonder Wheel is not only an amazingly talented man. Above all, he is unbelievably busy, having recorded no less than 36 albums between June 2003 and today. Thirty-six. And by that, we haven't even started listing all his incredible production efforts done for his SoCal pals.

In any case, this year things appear to become more serious for Paul, and eventually people start dragging this undeniable genius into the well-deserved spotlight. After dropping his first proper LP Wonder Wheel I under his own name via Care In The Community Recordings in late July, we're already blessed with his next release Wonder Wheel 23: Brave New World, available for pre-order right now on cassette via Tokyo's finest little label Sixteen Tambourines.

While Wonder Wheel I was merely a collection of songs from previous Wonder Wheel albums, some sort of summary of Paul's efforts since 2006 serving as a best-of compilation which in itself is quite remarkable considering the record being his debut output, Brave New World is lyrically and audibly coherent for the first time in the WW catalog, thus much more justifying the good old designation "album" than the LP. As usual recorded in his bedroom in Orange, California, the songs were produced between May and July 2010, inspired by what Paul himself calls "an emotionally charged time" that made him feel as if he had awoken "one morning to a bizarre parallel universe with no way of going back". And indeed, though "dark" would be an overstatement, there clearly is a certain amount of discomposure and worry perceptible in the songs' underlying tone. But most of all, the eleven tunes of Brave New World add up to an utterly amazing effort, once more procuring evidence that Paul Rosales is hands down one of the most breathtaking young talents we have at the moment.

Below, you can stream/download two album tracks and watch the very nice video for After Dark. And afterwards, be sure to head over to Sixteen Tambourines to support both the wonderful label and the artist.


[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlcdGiTuY2o?fs=1]

Wonder Wheel - IMHO

Wonder Wheel - Eyes

Read more →

Paul Rosales aka Wonder Wheel is not only an amazingly talented man. Above all, he is unbelievably busy, having recorded no less than 36 albums between June 2003 and today. Thirty-six. And by that, we haven't even started listing all his incredible production efforts done for his SoCal pals.

In any case, this year things appear to become more serious for Paul, and eventually people start dragging this undeniable genius into the well-deserved spotlight. After dropping his first proper LP Wonder Wheel I under his own name via Care In The Community Recordings in late July, we're already blessed with his next release Wonder Wheel 23: Brave New World, available for pre-order right now on cassette via Tokyo's finest little label Sixteen Tambourines.

While Wonder Wheel I was merely a collection of songs from previous Wonder Wheel albums, some sort of summary of Paul's efforts since 2006 serving as a best-of compilation which in itself is quite remarkable considering the record being his debut output, Brave New World is lyrically and audibly coherent for the first time in the WW catalog, thus much more justifying the good old designation "album" than the LP. As usual recorded in his bedroom in Orange, California, the songs were produced between May and July 2010, inspired by what Paul himself calls "an emotionally charged time" that made him feel as if he had awoken "one morning to a bizarre parallel universe with no way of going back". And indeed, though "dark" would be an overstatement, there clearly is a certain amount of discomposure and worry perceptible in the songs' underlying tone. But most of all, the eleven tunes of Brave New World add up to an utterly amazing effort, once more procuring evidence that Paul Rosales is hands down one of the most breathtaking young talents we have at the moment.

Below, you can stream/download two album tracks and watch the very nice video for After Dark. And afterwards, be sure to head over to Sixteen Tambourines to support both the wonderful label and the artist.


[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlcdGiTuY2o?fs=1]

Wonder Wheel - IMHO

Wonder Wheel - Eyes

Mississipi Flight School.

23 Sep 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Mississipi's finest wizard of fuzz Flight will now get your tape decks movin' with his first ever cassette release, out now on our ever adored Bathetic. The C18 aptly named Mississipi Lean contains four screwed versions of tracks published before, and screwed they are, all harsh and nasty, absolutely brilliant noise pop gems immediately hacking into your cerebrum. See for yourself with the jam Cracker Jack Woman below and then make sure you order the tape right now.

Additionally, Flight is about to put out a record on more familiar territory as well: His Flight Lead Riders 12 inch will be released by San Diego's very own Zoo Music next Tuesday, September 28. The vinyl's teaser Turns to Blood is an extremely elaborate piece of purest fuzzed out goodness, and all that distortion and impulsive rhythm aside the tune simply features a fine pop melody, and after all that's all we need.

Flight - Cracker Jack Woman

Flight - Turns to Blood

Read more →

Mississipi's finest wizard of fuzz Flight will now get your tape decks movin' with his first ever cassette release, out now on our ever adored Bathetic. The C18 aptly named Mississipi Lean contains four screwed versions of tracks published before, and screwed they are, all harsh and nasty, absolutely brilliant noise pop gems immediately hacking into your cerebrum. See for yourself with the jam Cracker Jack Woman below and then make sure you order the tape right now.

Additionally, Flight is about to put out a record on more familiar territory as well: His Flight Lead Riders 12 inch will be released by San Diego's very own Zoo Music next Tuesday, September 28. The vinyl's teaser Turns to Blood is an extremely elaborate piece of purest fuzzed out goodness, and all that distortion and impulsive rhythm aside the tune simply features a fine pop melody, and after all that's all we need.

Flight - Cracker Jack Woman

Flight - Turns to Blood

Collaborations.

22 Sep 2010 — Tonje Thilesen

Yesterday we heard about the collaborations project presented to us by our friends in Dead As Digital, Stadium And Shrines and The Road Goes Ever On; featuring up-and-coming artists based all around the globe whom by sending each other tracks back and forth, has managed to create some truly stunning soundscapes together. The idea came to life when they noticed an steadily increasing number of collaborations going on between artists, and already with a few in mind for the project, they decided to capture the movement by asking a selection of these artists to do collabs for the cassette + digital release:

The task ranged in difficulty for each selected pair. For example, Edmonton, Canada’s Kumon Plaza and Los Angeles’ Rachel Levy, who had already collaborated on an albums worth of songs. For others it was a whole new enterprise. New York’s Holy Spirits and Massachusetts’ Gem Club had a mutual respect for each other, but had never collaborated on anything together, or even talked about it. But slowly the artists started pairing off. From Manchester, England to Texas (Star Slinger and Pandit), Sydney, Australia to South Carolina (Guerre and Top Girls) and Laguna Beach to the UK (Pepepiano and Warm Waves) they found each other. Musicians sent tracks via file sharing services and e-mailed in abundance, sharing ideas and building something out of nothing. Distances it would have taken months to travel just 100 years ago proved to be no barrier as the “send” button quelled the significant distance.

The result is a splendid, sweet mix of everything from instrumental hip-hop and dreamy lo-fi to electronic pop and fuzzy rock — all put into one melting pot. And still, the result is pure gold.

The digital release is due to October 1st for free downloading, but you can also order the tape from www.weget.by, with a digital download included already a full week before the release.


Holy Spirits and Gem Club - Fingertips
Read more →
Yesterday we heard about the collaborations project presented to us by our friends in Dead As Digital, Stadium And Shrines and The Road Goes Ever On; featuring up-and-coming artists based all around the globe whom by sending each other tracks back and forth, has managed to create some truly stunning soundscapes together. The idea came to life when they noticed an steadily increasing number of collaborations going on between artists, and already with a few in mind for the project, they decided to capture the movement by asking a selection of these artists to do collabs for the cassette + digital release:

The task ranged in difficulty for each selected pair. For example, Edmonton, Canada’s Kumon Plaza and Los Angeles’ Rachel Levy, who had already collaborated on an albums worth of songs. For others it was a whole new enterprise. New York’s Holy Spirits and Massachusetts’ Gem Club had a mutual respect for each other, but had never collaborated on anything together, or even talked about it. But slowly the artists started pairing off. From Manchester, England to Texas (Star Slinger and Pandit), Sydney, Australia to South Carolina (Guerre and Top Girls) and Laguna Beach to the UK (Pepepiano and Warm Waves) they found each other. Musicians sent tracks via file sharing services and e-mailed in abundance, sharing ideas and building something out of nothing. Distances it would have taken months to travel just 100 years ago proved to be no barrier as the “send” button quelled the significant distance.

The result is a splendid, sweet mix of everything from instrumental hip-hop and dreamy lo-fi to electronic pop and fuzzy rock — all put into one melting pot. And still, the result is pure gold.

The digital release is due to October 1st for free downloading, but you can also order the tape from www.weget.by, with a digital download included already a full week before the release.


Holy Spirits and Gem Club - Fingertips

Pandit does it again

22 Sep 2010 — Tonje Thilesen

The lovely Lance Smith of Pandit just sent us this sweet remix of FUR's Clear's Throat, with a sound a lot more disco inspired than his earlier, more ambient work. If you haven't already, remember to download his self-titled EP for free from last.fm, while we sit down and wait for his upcoming LP to be released via Lefse Records early next year. Beware of awesomeness to occur.

Pandit - Clears Throat Remix (FUR)
Read more →

The lovely Lance Smith of Pandit just sent us this sweet remix of FUR's Clear's Throat, with a sound a lot more disco inspired than his earlier, more ambient work. If you haven't already, remember to download his self-titled EP for free from last.fm, while we sit down and wait for his upcoming LP to be released via Lefse Records early next year. Beware of awesomeness to occur.

Pandit - Clears Throat Remix (FUR)

NFOP x The Technicolor Sleep: Norwegian Inquiries.

21 Sep 2010 — Henning Lahmann

As certainly most of you will be knowing by now, Tonje Thilesen, author of the wonderful blog The Technicolor Sleep, has been taking care of NFOP for twelve days while I was away on vacation. And because she covered some seriously amazing new music from her home Norway, I figured the best way to say thanks would be to compile a little résumé of the best tunes posted by her - so here it is, all neatly zipped up for you:

Norwegian Inquiries. (Artwork by Tonje)


Tracklisting:

1. Team Me - Weathervanes and Chemicals
2. We Are Mystery - Broken Hearts
3. Put Your Hands Up For Neo-Tokyo - The Rich, The Lepers and Die Mauern
4. Eirik Djuvsland - Katt Med Hatt
5. Proviant Audio - Would You Mind
6. The New Wine - Revolving Cylinder
7. Attention Now! - Soundwaves
8. Burning God Little - +++
9. SiN - Lost in a Span
10. Bellman - All that is beautiful (The atomic powered robot)
11. Einar Stray - Teppet Faller
12. Youth Pictures Of Florence Henderson - I Think E.T. Is Involved In My Family
13. Therese Aune - The Lonely Ocean Roar
14. moddi - Littlejune


Moreover, this might be a good opportunity to tell the ones who don't know already that since last week, your favourite taste spoiler NFOP is a team endeavor.

And so you know what we're talking about here, I'd suggest you watch this utterly beautiful video Tonje has made for the gem How Real by Two Bicycles, also recently covered on these pages, featuring nothing but her homeland.

Enjoy.

Read more →

As certainly most of you will be knowing by now, Tonje Thilesen, author of the wonderful blog The Technicolor Sleep, has been taking care of NFOP for twelve days while I was away on vacation. And because she covered some seriously amazing new music from her home Norway, I figured the best way to say thanks would be to compile a little résumé of the best tunes posted by her - so here it is, all neatly zipped up for you:

Norwegian Inquiries. (Artwork by Tonje)


Tracklisting:

1. Team Me - Weathervanes and Chemicals
2. We Are Mystery - Broken Hearts
3. Put Your Hands Up For Neo-Tokyo - The Rich, The Lepers and Die Mauern
4. Eirik Djuvsland - Katt Med Hatt
5. Proviant Audio - Would You Mind
6. The New Wine - Revolving Cylinder
7. Attention Now! - Soundwaves
8. Burning God Little - +++
9. SiN - Lost in a Span
10. Bellman - All that is beautiful (The atomic powered robot)
11. Einar Stray - Teppet Faller
12. Youth Pictures Of Florence Henderson - I Think E.T. Is Involved In My Family
13. Therese Aune - The Lonely Ocean Roar
14. moddi - Littlejune


Moreover, this might be a good opportunity to tell the ones who don't know already that since last week, your favourite taste spoiler NFOP is a team endeavor.

And so you know what we're talking about here, I'd suggest you watch this utterly beautiful video Tonje has made for the gem How Real by Two Bicycles, also recently covered on these pages, featuring nothing but her homeland.

Enjoy.

Still can’t stop.

21 Sep 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Just a short reminder that our beloved pal Evan Adams aka Top Girls is still alive and kickin': Listen to this very nice rework of my favourite Top Girls tune Can't Stop by the young Houston, Texas beat wizard Stephen Farris, who's adding some welcome spices aka wobbling funk sounds to the original mix.

Top Girls - Can't Stop (Stephen Farris Remix)

Read more →

Just a short reminder that our beloved pal Evan Adams aka Top Girls is still alive and kickin': Listen to this very nice rework of my favourite Top Girls tune Can't Stop by the young Houston, Texas beat wizard Stephen Farris, who's adding some welcome spices aka wobbling funk sounds to the original mix.

Top Girls - Can't Stop (Stephen Farris Remix)

Tonbridge Junior U16 1 vs 0 Roselands FC.

21 Sep 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Report by Jonathan Comben.

Not the best game you'll ever see, but not bad for the first game of the season.

It was never going to be pretty, playing against your local rivals, and pretty it wasn't.

Both sides had a player booked, in a game that lacked a bit of quality but was full of passion. That said, the only goal of the game was all quality.

Good work from Connor Skillen (on debut), initially winning the ball, then laying off to Alex Davis. He quickly pinged it out wide right to Sam Themistocleous, who crossed into the six yard box, where Liam Ryan controlled, turned and slotted home.

Solid at the back, with Cameron Brown (also on debut) putting in a great shift.

Lots to work on in the coming weeks, but not a bad start.


(Youth Sports bandcamp)

Youth Sports - Thief

Aesthete - Crazy For You (Youth Sports Remix)

Read more →

Report by Jonathan Comben.

Not the best game you'll ever see, but not bad for the first game of the season.

It was never going to be pretty, playing against your local rivals, and pretty it wasn't.

Both sides had a player booked, in a game that lacked a bit of quality but was full of passion. That said, the only goal of the game was all quality.

Good work from Connor Skillen (on debut), initially winning the ball, then laying off to Alex Davis. He quickly pinged it out wide right to Sam Themistocleous, who crossed into the six yard box, where Liam Ryan controlled, turned and slotted home.

Solid at the back, with Cameron Brown (also on debut) putting in a great shift.

Lots to work on in the coming weeks, but not a bad start.


(Youth Sports bandcamp)

Youth Sports - Thief

Aesthete - Crazy For You (Youth Sports Remix)

Skeletor and Me.

20 Sep 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Our most admired Kansas slackers of Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk finally have a new release in the pipeline, their newest creative output Skeletor and Me will be thrown into the world from October 26 via no less than three different labels. The "dinosaur bedroom rock" band's first proper 12 inch can already be pre-ordered on Fire Talk's bigcartel site. For ya hipsters there's gonna be a cassette tape version via Drew of BBDDM's own Solid Melts as well as a rather conventional silver disc release by Workerbee Records. Below you can listen to one of the record's tunes. Last Night Sucked is an excellent example of BBDDM's brilliant approach to a hazier kind of rock and roll, establishing an instantly mind-blowing wall of sound while remaining unagitated and composed at its core, resulting in an absolutely pleasant slow burner.

In related news, NFOP is happy to announce that BBDDM and our equally beloved Katrina Stoneheart will hit Europe this November for a shared tour - dates, venues and further details soon on our pages.

Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk - Last Night Sucked

Read more →

Our most admired Kansas slackers of Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk finally have a new release in the pipeline, their newest creative output Skeletor and Me will be thrown into the world from October 26 via no less than three different labels. The "dinosaur bedroom rock" band's first proper 12 inch can already be pre-ordered on Fire Talk's bigcartel site. For ya hipsters there's gonna be a cassette tape version via Drew of BBDDM's own Solid Melts as well as a rather conventional silver disc release by Workerbee Records. Below you can listen to one of the record's tunes. Last Night Sucked is an excellent example of BBDDM's brilliant approach to a hazier kind of rock and roll, establishing an instantly mind-blowing wall of sound while remaining unagitated and composed at its core, resulting in an absolutely pleasant slow burner.

In related news, NFOP is happy to announce that BBDDM and our equally beloved Katrina Stoneheart will hit Europe this November for a shared tour - dates, venues and further details soon on our pages.

Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk - Last Night Sucked

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