NFOP Recommends: Thulebasen.

23 Sep 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Copenhagen-based trio Thulebasen have already made quite a few blog rounds this year since the release of their second full-length Gate 5 in March, but also not least due to the fact that they're part of that Danish capital collective behind Escho, that recently profiled imprint that has brought us this year's most opinion-splitting buzz phenomenon Iceage. In my humble opinion Thulebasen themselves are actually the more interesting project of the lot, with their relentlessly powerful and aggressive yet full-blown and distinctly artsy take on 80s to 90s stadium rock. I have absolutely no doubt that this music can get only more impressive and mind-blowing when performed live on stage, so it's a pleasure to officially recommend tonight's Noisekölln-curated Berlin show together with Strange Forces and Macaco Mau at Raum 20 (Ziegrastr. 11, Neukölln). Don't miss this one. In very much related news, Noisekölln is also gonna host Iceage's Berlin debut (if I'm not mistaken) in November. More info on that soon. Thulebasen - Gate 5 Thulebasen - Raga-Gemini Read more → Copenhagen-based trio Thulebasen have already made quite a few blog rounds this year since the release of their second full-length Gate 5 in March, but also not least due to the fact that they're part of that Danish capital collective behind Escho, that recently profiled imprint that has brought us this year's most opinion-splitting buzz phenomenon Iceage. In my humble opinion Thulebasen themselves are actually the more interesting project of the lot, with their relentlessly powerful and aggressive yet full-blown and distinctly artsy take on 80s to 90s stadium rock. I have absolutely no doubt that this music can get only more impressive and mind-blowing when performed live on stage, so it's a pleasure to officially recommend tonight's Noisekölln-curated Berlin show together with Strange Forces and Macaco Mau at Raum 20 (Ziegrastr. 11, Neukölln). Don't miss this one. In very much related news, Noisekölln is also gonna host Iceage's Berlin debut (if I'm not mistaken) in November. More info on that soon. Thulebasen - Gate 5 Thulebasen - Raga-Gemini

Hype Williams: “But Life Goes On Nahmean”. (UPDATE)

22 Sep 2011 — Henning Lahmann

I was enjoying life in the remote areas of France recently so I missed the last one of those classy, wordless mails by Hype Williams (as ever written by the project's faceless keeper "Denna Frances Glass") that as usual included nothing but a Soundcloud link that of course only remained valid for a few hours, so I was quite happy to learn that our friend and fellow HW admirer Ian Nelson has been quick/aware enough to cop "But Life Goes On Nahmean", the duo's latest track that's actually not been dropped as a "proper" Hype Williams tune but that is, as Nelson rightly points out, way more exciting than a lot of stuff the two have been putting out as of late. Don't know if this points into a new direction or merely is a one-time excursion into "fun pop-rock" (Nelson), but in any case I dig it. Update: Last night, another version of the track popped up, apparently the final one, and this time it's tagged as Hype Williams. What's more, according to the ID3, the tune is part of another forthcoming full-length, once again prosaically named Untitled (2012). Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland Hype Williams - But Life Goes On Nahmean (final) Read more → I was enjoying life in the remote areas of France recently so I missed the last one of those classy, wordless mails by Hype Williams (as ever written by the project's faceless keeper "Denna Frances Glass") that as usual included nothing but a Soundcloud link that of course only remained valid for a few hours, so I was quite happy to learn that our friend and fellow HW admirer Ian Nelson has been quick/aware enough to cop "But Life Goes On Nahmean", the duo's latest track that's actually not been dropped as a "proper" Hype Williams tune but that is, as Nelson rightly points out, way more exciting than a lot of stuff the two have been putting out as of late. Don't know if this points into a new direction or merely is a one-time excursion into "fun pop-rock" (Nelson), but in any case I dig it. Update: Last night, another version of the track popped up, apparently the final one, and this time it's tagged as Hype Williams. What's more, according to the ID3, the tune is part of another forthcoming full-length, once again prosaically named Untitled (2012). Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland Hype Williams - But Life Goes On Nahmean (final)

[bird]bones: “Meet Me There, On a Hill”.

22 Sep 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Completely fallen for this devastatingly beautiful song that silently dropped into my inbox last night with no link or pic or info or anything else that could've shed some light on the authors of this raw gem. By now I know that [bird]bones is the brand new project of Julie Kell and "her friend Matt", both Saskatchewan natives who are now residing in Canada's metropolises Toronto and Montréal, respectively, collaborating over the internet, but honestly all these bare facts still may not sufficiently explain how someone could make something this fragile and pretty. But perhaps we don't have to know everything after all. (Photo) [bird]bones - Meet Me There, On a Hill Read more → Completely fallen for this devastatingly beautiful song that silently dropped into my inbox last night with no link or pic or info or anything else that could've shed some light on the authors of this raw gem. By now I know that [bird]bones is the brand new project of Julie Kell and "her friend Matt", both Saskatchewan natives who are now residing in Canada's metropolises Toronto and Montréal, respectively, collaborating over the internet, but honestly all these bare facts still may not sufficiently explain how someone could make something this fragile and pretty. But perhaps we don't have to know everything after all. (Photo) [bird]bones - Meet Me There, On a Hill

High Sea: “Don’t Tempt Me”.

22 Sep 2011 — Henning Lahmann

High Sea is Rochester, New York native and current Boston resident Cameron Potter, whose utterly amazing tune "Don't Tempt Me" literally caught me off guard last night with its slow-burning, folkish rhythm section and those mildly aching, distant and washed-out layers of vocalization, subtly raising to an almost climactic finale that's yet never quite reaching the top. Hence reminiscent of a sonic Sisyphus, if you like. Anyway, the track is part of Potter's recently dropped four-track EP Studio Improv Treats, a wonderful little collection of sketches and mellow songs that's available for free via bandcamp. High Sea - Don't Tempt Me Read more → High Sea is Rochester, New York native and current Boston resident Cameron Potter, whose utterly amazing tune "Don't Tempt Me" literally caught me off guard last night with its slow-burning, folkish rhythm section and those mildly aching, distant and washed-out layers of vocalization, subtly raising to an almost climactic finale that's yet never quite reaching the top. Hence reminiscent of a sonic Sisyphus, if you like. Anyway, the track is part of Potter's recently dropped four-track EP Studio Improv Treats, a wonderful little collection of sketches and mellow songs that's available for free via bandcamp. High Sea - Don't Tempt Me

Siinai: “Anthem 1&2 (Physical Therapy 3-Step remix)”.

22 Sep 2011 — Tonje Thilesen

Earlier this year I received a copy of Siinai's debut album Olympic Games from the Oslo-based record label Splendour, which finally had its worldwide release on Monday, and which you have all reason to be excited about. I must admit it's been a little while since I last had krautrock on the menu, but the Helsinki based four-piece brings the 1971 nostalgia back to life along with hints of shoegaze and dizzy psychedelia. A few days ago, the slightly mysterious producer Physical Therapy gave us his take on 'Anthem 1&2', the first track off Olympic Games which you can listen to below. Siinai - Anthem 1&2 (Physical Therapy 3-Step remix) Siinai - Anthem 1&2 Read more → Earlier this year I received a copy of Siinai's debut album Olympic Games from the Oslo-based record label Splendour, which finally had its worldwide release on Monday, and which you have all reason to be excited about. I must admit it's been a little while since I last had krautrock on the menu, but the Helsinki based four-piece brings the 1971 nostalgia back to life along with hints of shoegaze and dizzy psychedelia. A few days ago, the slightly mysterious producer Physical Therapy gave us his take on 'Anthem 1&2', the first track off Olympic Games which you can listen to below. Siinai - Anthem 1&2 (Physical Therapy 3-Step remix) Siinai - Anthem 1&2

Rosaries: “Hissing Lights”.

21 Sep 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Not much information on this one, except that Rosaries is supposedly the solo project of some Reed Parker who's hailing from Saugerties, New York, but there's something quite irresistible about this brief lil jam that just dropped into my inbox that I can neither really grasp nor dissect at the moment, so for the time being suffice it to add that this one's making my feet move and my face smile, for whatever reason. (Photo) Read more → Not much information on this one, except that Rosaries is supposedly the solo project of some Reed Parker who's hailing from Saugerties, New York, but there's something quite irresistible about this brief lil jam that just dropped into my inbox that I can neither really grasp nor dissect at the moment, so for the time being suffice it to add that this one's making my feet move and my face smile, for whatever reason. (Photo)

The New Lines: “The Falaise Gap”.

20 Sep 2011 — Henning Lahmann

New psyched-out, trippy and somehow sophisticated pop gem by Princeton, New Jersey's The New Lines, taken from their forthcoming debut full-length All That We See and Seem, due in mid-October and to be released via The Great Pop Supplement. Once again a pretty cinematic affair. Previously: The New Lines - Off Axis Read more → New psyched-out, trippy and somehow sophisticated pop gem by Princeton, New Jersey's The New Lines, taken from their forthcoming debut full-length All That We See and Seem, due in mid-October and to be released via The Great Pop Supplement. Once again a pretty cinematic affair. Previously: The New Lines - Off Axis