5 Years of NFOP

Come celebrate with us: Urban Spree, May 24, 4pm

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Every Friday at 4pm CET

G∞gle: “Hollow (feat. Coyote Clean Up & Top Girls)”.

15 May 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Just so you know, I don't know. Like I get a mail on my birthday that says I should check out those links when I'm bored. I'm not bored at all. It's my birthday after all. Still, I check out those links, and they lead me to a Soundcloud that has a post-ironic internet age customer-optimized name which not only namechecks the search engine we use instead of our own brains but that also contains one of those witch house-friendly symbols that in general cause allergic reactions among the NFOP staff. Plus, it turns out to be one of the many semi-anonymous internet age "supergroups", including, according to Last.fm, "Fr<>ze, I¢y Pharmaceuticals, Party Trash & ƸC†OPL∆SM", in other words even more artists/bands with freakish symbols instead of old-fashioned letters, and just remember that it's my birthday so theoretically, as of today I might be too old for this shit. On the other hand, "Hollow" turns out to be quite a decent tune with a nice beat, gloomy yet not that witch house-dripping at all, plus, above all, it features prominent contributions by two absolute NFOP favorites, Top Girls and Coyote Clean Up, so what to do? Right. Post it and let you decide. Read more → Just so you know, I don't know. Like I get a mail on my birthday that says I should check out those links when I'm bored. I'm not bored at all. It's my birthday after all. Still, I check out those links, and they lead me to a Soundcloud that has a post-ironic internet age customer-optimized name which not only namechecks the search engine we use instead of our own brains but that also contains one of those witch house-friendly symbols that in general cause allergic reactions among the NFOP staff. Plus, it turns out to be one of the many semi-anonymous internet age "supergroups", including, according to Last.fm, "Fr<>ze, I¢y Pharmaceuticals, Party Trash & ƸC†OPL∆SM", in other words even more artists/bands with freakish symbols instead of old-fashioned letters, and just remember that it's my birthday so theoretically, as of today I might be too old for this shit. On the other hand, "Hollow" turns out to be quite a decent tune with a nice beat, gloomy yet not that witch house-dripping at all, plus, above all, it features prominent contributions by two absolute NFOP favorites, Top Girls and Coyote Clean Up, so what to do? Right. Post it and let you decide.

Forss: “Diligam” + “Dictum”.

15 May 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
After seeing Eric Wahlforss' outstanding deep electronic project Forss at Berlin's Berghain last week, we realized that his visual-audio project Ecclesia might perhaps be one of the most exciting releases this year, 9 whole years after his debut album. About 16 hours ago, two brand new tracks from Ecclesia were uploaded on his Soundcloud page, and there is no doubt that this Swedish producer and Soundcloud founder continues to impress us. Listen below. Read more → After seeing Eric Wahlforss' outstanding deep electronic project Forss at Berlin's Berghain last week, we realized that his visual-audio project Ecclesia might perhaps be one of the most exciting releases this year, 9 whole years after his debut album. About 16 hours ago, two brand new tracks from Ecclesia were uploaded on his Soundcloud page, and there is no doubt that this Swedish producer and Soundcloud founder continues to impress us. Listen below.

Meadowlands: “Pumpernickles”.

14 May 2012 — Henning Lahmann
To say he starts gathering pace would probably be an overstatement, but compared to the sheer ambient delight of his previous stuff, what our man McGregor aka Meadowlands does here on his very excellent new Cross-sectional Studies tape might be considered a slightly new direction, an exploration into sonic territory that is still very much about texture and intricate soundscaping for the sake of pure experimentation, yet that for the first time, as far as I'm informed, also features something I'm inclined to call, until further notice, an actual rhythm section. The Cross-sectional Studies C-30 is out on Portugal's Exo Tapes. Edition of 20. Pre-order here and be quick, as this one's highly recommended. Update: This visual accompaniment to the tape was published literally seconds ago: Read more → To say he starts gathering pace would probably be an overstatement, but compared to the sheer ambient delight of his previous stuff, what our man McGregor aka Meadowlands does here on his very excellent new Cross-sectional Studies tape might be considered a slightly new direction, an exploration into sonic territory that is still very much about texture and intricate soundscaping for the sake of pure experimentation, yet that for the first time, as far as I'm informed, also features something I'm inclined to call, until further notice, an actual rhythm section. The Cross-sectional Studies C-30 is out on Portugal's Exo Tapes. Edition of 20. Pre-order here and be quick, as this one's highly recommended. Update: This visual accompaniment to the tape was published literally seconds ago:

Unknown: #003.

14 May 2012 — Henning Lahmann
You've probably already seen this by now, but on Saturday, the enigmatic producer who so much lightened up our last week with his first two unexpected tunes of gloomy electronics dropped his third one which is just as great as the rest. Despite the rumors, we're not involved in this, and no, we really still don't know who's behind it, but we've decided not to care as long as the nice ones keep coming, as apparently they do. Read more → You've probably already seen this by now, but on Saturday, the enigmatic producer who so much lightened up our last week with his first two unexpected tunes of gloomy electronics dropped his third one which is just as great as the rest. Despite the rumors, we're not involved in this, and no, we really still don't know who's behind it, but we've decided not to care as long as the nice ones keep coming, as apparently they do.

Album stream: James & Evander - Bummer Pop.

14 May 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
We've been supporters of the Oakland based duo James & Evander for quite some time now, and seen them move from cold, instrumental electronic pop into murky, mellow waters, before giving you a gentle push in the direction of the dance floor. I might have to argue that the James & Evander I was spinning back in 2010 might still my personal preference, but nonetheless, the poignant and emotive James & Evander isn't bad — not at all in fact. If you've been a fan of them throughout the 5 years they've been putting out music together, you are hereby warned: their long awaited debut full-lenght Bummer Pop is stripped-down, sad, and all in all quite different from what you got used to of Sunlight & Circuitry and the Songs You Wish We Wrote For You volumes. However, it didn't take me more than a single listen to fall all in love with track #9, "Nostalgia" off the record, an astounding piano ballad for rainy days and broken hearts, swirling through mellow synthscapes. Have a first exclusive listen to Bummer Pop below, out today on Velvet Music Blue. Cover design by our dearest Crash Symbols lady Liz Pavlovic. Read more → We've been supporters of the Oakland based duo James & Evander for quite some time now, and seen them move from cold, instrumental electronic pop into murky, mellow waters, before giving you a gentle push in the direction of the dance floor. I might have to argue that the James & Evander I was spinning back in 2010 might still my personal preference, but nonetheless, the poignant and emotive James & Evander isn't bad — not at all in fact. If you've been a fan of them throughout the 5 years they've been putting out music together, you are hereby warned: their long awaited debut full-lenght Bummer Pop is stripped-down, sad, and all in all quite different from what you got used to of Sunlight & Circuitry and the Songs You Wish We Wrote For You volumes. However, it didn't take me more than a single listen to fall all in love with track #9, "Nostalgia" off the record, an astounding piano ballad for rainy days and broken hearts, swirling through mellow synthscapes. Have a first exclusive listen to Bummer Pop below, out today on Velvet Music Blue. Cover design by our dearest Crash Symbols lady Liz Pavlovic.

Ickis Mirolo & Zoe Wolfe: “Storm, Calm, Sunrise, Sunset”.

14 May 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
As seen over at Ad Hoc the other day, the electronic pastel soundscapes of Vektroid is one of few female electronic producers that has emerged from the 'Bandcamp revolution' these past years. Sometimes however, we learn that knowing the identity behind the glowing apples and midi boards isn't necessarily of great importantence; but I can't help getting all fascinated when bumping into someone like Zoe Wolfe, a gorgeous 20-year-old minimal producer from Dublin, Ireland. Not that the similarities between her and Vektroid are particularly strong anyway — clean, minimal dubstep productions dominate the landscapes of Wolfe, the kind you would perhaps expect to stumble upon in one of the many hip spots of Berlin. Listen to her newest collab track with the splendid Ickis Mirolo below. Read more → As seen over at Ad Hoc the other day, the electronic pastel soundscapes of Vektroid is one of few female electronic producers that has emerged from the 'Bandcamp revolution' these past years. Sometimes however, we learn that knowing the identity behind the glowing apples and midi boards isn't necessarily of great importantence; but I can't help getting all fascinated when bumping into someone like Zoe Wolfe, a gorgeous 20-year-old minimal producer from Dublin, Ireland. Not that the similarities between her and Vektroid are particularly strong anyway — clean, minimal dubstep productions dominate the landscapes of Wolfe, the kind you would perhaps expect to stumble upon in one of the many hip spots of Berlin. Listen to her newest collab track with the splendid Ickis Mirolo below.

Watch: Soldout - “Wazabi”.

13 May 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
We gotta love ourselves some pure, The Knife esque pop vibes now and then, and with their brand new single "Wazabi", Brussel's flirtatious electronic duo Soldout filters neon-bright, intelligent pop tunes through dim, sexy basslines. Read more → We gotta love ourselves some pure, The Knife esque pop vibes now and then, and with their brand new single "Wazabi", Brussel's flirtatious electronic duo Soldout filters neon-bright, intelligent pop tunes through dim, sexy basslines.

Video Sunday vol. 27

13 May 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
Unofficial and official videos side by side, this week's Video Sunday dips into visuals with sounds of Jason Urich, Sekuoia, Gavin Bryars, Burial, LAVI and Phedré. As always, enjoy our selection below. Jason Urick - Syndroms (by Experimental Half-Hour) Sekuoia - Evenings (unofficial video by Jamie Aubrey) Gavin Bryars - Hymn III (by E.S.A) Burial - Ashtray Wasp (unofficial video by 01100111) LAVI - Far Away Place Phédre - Aphrodite Read more → Unofficial and official videos side by side, this week's Video Sunday dips into visuals with sounds of Jason Urich, Sekuoia, Gavin Bryars, Burial, LAVI and Phedré. As always, enjoy our selection below. Jason Urick - Syndroms (by Experimental Half-Hour) Sekuoia - Evenings (unofficial video by Jamie Aubrey) Gavin Bryars - Hymn III (by E.S.A) Burial - Ashtray Wasp (unofficial video by 01100111) LAVI - Far Away Place Phédre - Aphrodite
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