Holy Strays: “Phrenesia”.

09 Jun 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Long-standing readers of this blog will know that I've been a huge fan of Sebastien Forrester's work ever since the Parisian released his debut cassette Hyperion under his moniker Holy Strays last year on Not Not Fun (#27 of my top 30 albums of 2010). It's been quite a while, in fact due to a terrible computer crash last year which led to the loss of almost all sound files that constituted the nearly finished recordings for a second, ten-track EP, but now Forrester is finally back with another release on Not Not Fun. The LA imprint is about to drop the Enlightenment b/w Phrenesia 7 inch (that's the colorful cover art above), and both tracks mark a stunning leap forward for the young artist. While a-side Enlightenment is another heavy psych banger, slowly meandering through sticky tropical soundscapes, even displaying Forrester's deep and eerie voice, Phrenesia (already familiar territory for those who grabbed the incredible Beko DSL x La Station Radar compilation in January) is a terrific, dark and glamorous dance floor tune, based on some excellent, thriving beat patterns and a killer synth bassline. ___________________________________ Speaking of the lost files, Forrester was able to save exactly two of those tracks that were supposed to compose the second Holy Strays EP. This Monday, these tunes were released as part of the digital split single with fellow French tropicalist Vincent Caylet aka Cankun via Beko DSL. Listen to one of those "old beats from last summer" (Forrester) below, and be sure to head over here to cop the whole, highly recommended thing. Holy Strays - Peaceful Rain Read more → Long-standing readers of this blog will know that I've been a huge fan of Sebastien Forrester's work ever since the Parisian released his debut cassette Hyperion under his moniker Holy Strays last year on Not Not Fun (#27 of my top 30 albums of 2010). It's been quite a while, in fact due to a terrible computer crash last year which led to the loss of almost all sound files that constituted the nearly finished recordings for a second, ten-track EP, but now Forrester is finally back with another release on Not Not Fun. The LA imprint is about to drop the Enlightenment b/w Phrenesia 7 inch (that's the colorful cover art above), and both tracks mark a stunning leap forward for the young artist. While a-side Enlightenment is another heavy psych banger, slowly meandering through sticky tropical soundscapes, even displaying Forrester's deep and eerie voice, Phrenesia (already familiar territory for those who grabbed the incredible Beko DSL x La Station Radar compilation in January) is a terrific, dark and glamorous dance floor tune, based on some excellent, thriving beat patterns and a killer synth bassline. ___________________________________ Speaking of the lost files, Forrester was able to save exactly two of those tracks that were supposed to compose the second Holy Strays EP. This Monday, these tunes were released as part of the digital split single with fellow French tropicalist Vincent Caylet aka Cankun via Beko DSL. Listen to one of those "old beats from last summer" (Forrester) below, and be sure to head over here to cop the whole, highly recommended thing. Holy Strays - Peaceful Rain

Ghost Feet: “Car Pool Time”.

09 Jun 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Superb electronica here coming straight out of Olympia, Washington, courtesy of Ghost Feet, a male/female duo that utilizes an amazingly wide array of synthesizers, drum pads and guitars, combined with subtle field recordings, to come up with densely arranged glitch-hop tunes that delightfully stand out against the bulk of idm-related music of the past few years. High quality stuff, utterly pleasant without ever relying on shallow, obvious means. Ghost Feet have just released their debut EP Wires and Chords via Portland, Oregon's Dropping Gems collective. The four-track collection is up for free download or can be purchased as a limited-edition cassette, both via the label's bandcamp. Ghost Feet - Car Pool Time Read more → Superb electronica here coming straight out of Olympia, Washington, courtesy of Ghost Feet, a male/female duo that utilizes an amazingly wide array of synthesizers, drum pads and guitars, combined with subtle field recordings, to come up with densely arranged glitch-hop tunes that delightfully stand out against the bulk of idm-related music of the past few years. High quality stuff, utterly pleasant without ever relying on shallow, obvious means. Ghost Feet have just released their debut EP Wires and Chords via Portland, Oregon's Dropping Gems collective. The four-track collection is up for free download or can be purchased as a limited-edition cassette, both via the label's bandcamp. Ghost Feet - Car Pool Time

Fruit Flesh.

09 Jun 2011 — Tonje Thilesen

Hailing from Tallahassee, US, the weird psychedelic pop of Jacob Tobin's moniker Fruit Flesh immediately got stuck on my head as soon as I had heard his first two tracks which are so far available for listen over at his soundcloud page. Tobin experiments with many different flavours within his musical universe, and adds in a touch of his dizzy, Panda Bear-esque vocals in the middle of this beautiful, heat-waving mess: "passionate carelessness mixed with the lethargy that comes with overwhelming heat", as he writes in the e-mail. A debut album/EP is already in the making, claimed to be ready 'in a few months'. Until then, enjoy the splendidness of these tracks below. Fruit Flesh - Sin, Sin Away Fruit Flesh - Viral Infection Read more → Hailing from Tallahassee, US, the weird psychedelic pop of Jacob Tobin's moniker Fruit Flesh immediately got stuck on my head as soon as I had heard his first two tracks which are so far available for listen over at his soundcloud page. Tobin experiments with many different flavours within his musical universe, and adds in a touch of his dizzy, Panda Bear-esque vocals in the middle of this beautiful, heat-waving mess: "passionate carelessness mixed with the lethargy that comes with overwhelming heat", as he writes in the e-mail. A debut album/EP is already in the making, claimed to be ready 'in a few months'. Until then, enjoy the splendidness of these tracks below. Fruit Flesh - Sin, Sin Away Fruit Flesh - Viral Infection

Cross Record: “Black Cat”.

08 Jun 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Completely enchanted after listening to these magnificent little gems by Chicago singer Emily Cross aka Cross Record. Black Cat starts silent and almost frail before it develops into a dynamic experimental folk hymn, with complex guitar and string arrangements built around multilayered tracks of Emily's voice. The song is part of the seven-track debut EP Magnetic Current, available digitally via bandcamp or on a hand-packaged CDr released by Another New Calligraphy. Cross Record - Black Cat Read more → Completely enchanted after listening to these magnificent little gems by Chicago singer Emily Cross aka Cross Record. Black Cat starts silent and almost frail before it develops into a dynamic experimental folk hymn, with complex guitar and string arrangements built around multilayered tracks of Emily's voice. The song is part of the seven-track debut EP Magnetic Current, available digitally via bandcamp or on a hand-packaged CDr released by Another New Calligraphy. Cross Record - Black Cat

A Victim of Society: “Fake Friends”.

08 Jun 2011 — Henning Lahmann

There's not much to learn about the enigmatic Athens, Greece lo-fi project A Victim of Society on the net apart from a rather cryptic tumblr and exactly two tunes up on Soundcloud, yet both of them clearly suggest that we should keep an eye on this unknown artist. Fake Friends is a nicely dark, upbeat lo-fi banger, with a vocalist whose raspy, restless crooning is occasionally pretty reminiscent of Alex Zhang Hungtai aka Dirty Beaches' style. A Victim of Society - Fake Friends Read more → There's not much to learn about the enigmatic Athens, Greece lo-fi project A Victim of Society on the net apart from a rather cryptic tumblr and exactly two tunes up on Soundcloud, yet both of them clearly suggest that we should keep an eye on this unknown artist. Fake Friends is a nicely dark, upbeat lo-fi banger, with a vocalist whose raspy, restless crooning is occasionally pretty reminiscent of Alex Zhang Hungtai aka Dirty Beaches' style. A Victim of Society - Fake Friends

Fit of Body: “Model in My Mind”.

07 Jun 2011 — Henning Lahmann

So this was done by some Atlanta-based dude named Ryan Parks aka Fit of Body. That's all I know, and that's all I need to know I guess. Totally into this right now, this, hell I don't know, late night slacker cold wave or whatever. Gloomy, that's it. Fit of Body - Model in My Mind Read more → So this was done by some Atlanta-based dude named Ryan Parks aka Fit of Body. That's all I know, and that's all I need to know I guess. Totally into this right now, this, hell I don't know, late night slacker cold wave or whatever. Gloomy, that's it. Fit of Body - Model in My Mind

New Anana tunes.

07 Jun 2011 — Tonje Thilesen

Norway's underwater pop goddess Anana is clearly evolving in sound these days. She recently put up two brand new tracks up on soundcloud, but since we've felt it's been a while since we last saw her prescence here on NFOP, we thought we'd just share all three of her newest tracks all at once. We've yet to hear rumors of an upcoming full-lenght however, but let's cross our fingers that it will happen anytime soon. Anana - Forsvinn Anana - Angst Anana - Train Ride Read more → Norway's underwater pop goddess Anana is clearly evolving in sound these days. She recently put up two brand new tracks up on soundcloud, but since we've felt it's been a while since we last saw her prescence here on NFOP, we thought we'd just share all three of her newest tracks all at once. We've yet to hear rumors of an upcoming full-lenght however, but let's cross our fingers that it will happen anytime soon. Anana - Forsvinn Anana - Angst Anana - Train Ride