5 Years of NFOP

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Premiere: Group Rhoda - “Fire”.

16 Aug 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Mara Barenbaum aka Group Rhoda, who lives in San Francisco, briefly crossed our paths earlier this year when she provided her delightfully ethereal vocals for the track "No Appointments" by fellow Bay Area artist André Ferreira aka Bobby Browser, which appeared on a 12 inch released by 100% SILK. Back in January, all Barenbaum had put out so far were a few demos on her Soundcloud and a couple of other collaborations (allegedly also with SF-based Tri Angle signees Water Borders on their sickest track Waldenpond.com, though I wasn't able to double-check this). Now, London imprint Night School Records is about to release her debut full-length Out Of Time, Out Of Touch, a record of mild, Californian psych pop that's compounded with concepts of stark, classic minimal wave, relying on motorik drum machine grooves and restrained yet urging analogue synth patterns, however supplemented with a countering layer of non-mechanical, pacifying human warmth by means of her clear and distinct, endearing voice. This approach is perfectly visible on album standout and closing track "Fire", which you may listen to exclusively below, with its propulsive rhythm and Barenbaum's gorgeously crystalline, masterfully processed vocals. Out Of Time, Out Of Touch will be out towards the end of August. Pre-order now over here. Check out some more album tracks below, and don't miss out on the particularly stunning "At the Dark". Read more → Mara Barenbaum aka Group Rhoda, who lives in San Francisco, briefly crossed our paths earlier this year when she provided her delightfully ethereal vocals for the track "No Appointments" by fellow Bay Area artist André Ferreira aka Bobby Browser, which appeared on a 12 inch released by 100% SILK. Back in January, all Barenbaum had put out so far were a few demos on her Soundcloud and a couple of other collaborations (allegedly also with SF-based Tri Angle signees Water Borders on their sickest track Waldenpond.com, though I wasn't able to double-check this). Now, London imprint Night School Records is about to release her debut full-length Out Of Time, Out Of Touch, a record of mild, Californian psych pop that's compounded with concepts of stark, classic minimal wave, relying on motorik drum machine grooves and restrained yet urging analogue synth patterns, however supplemented with a countering layer of non-mechanical, pacifying human warmth by means of her clear and distinct, endearing voice. This approach is perfectly visible on album standout and closing track "Fire", which you may listen to exclusively below, with its propulsive rhythm and Barenbaum's gorgeously crystalline, masterfully processed vocals. Out Of Time, Out Of Touch will be out towards the end of August. Pre-order now over here. Check out some more album tracks below, and don't miss out on the particularly stunning "At the Dark".

Khotin: “You Could Feel The Sky”.

16 Aug 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
If you've been a fan of Edmonton's finest bedroom pop dude HAPPY TRENDY, chances might be that you've heard the word being spread about his house project Khotin, embracing his love for European house music, drawing inspiration from his last year European tour with Foxes In Fiction. "You Could Feel The Sky" is the second effort under his 'new' moniker, a clear-cut and soulful piece that might just as well have come out from our beloved city Berlin. Listen below. Read more → If you've been a fan of Edmonton's finest bedroom pop dude HAPPY TRENDY, chances might be that you've heard the word being spread about his house project Khotin, embracing his love for European house music, drawing inspiration from his last year European tour with Foxes In Fiction. "You Could Feel The Sky" is the second effort under his 'new' moniker, a clear-cut and soulful piece that might just as well have come out from our beloved city Berlin. Listen below.

Moonpool & Dead Band: “Human Fly”.

15 Aug 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Massive piece of damaged disco built on the forsaken ruins of downtown Detroit by Michigan revenge unit Moonpool & Dead Band aka Nate Young (of Wolf Eyes, Stare Case, etc.) and Dave Shettler, who keep pouring out jams faintly reminiscing a future so bleak and hopeless that even Alex Murphy would've failed to establish order. Motorik, toxic, absolutely mind-boggling; when all is said and done, we can still try to dance to this. Highly recommended. Human Fly is out now on Not Not Fun. Read more → Massive piece of damaged disco built on the forsaken ruins of downtown Detroit by Michigan revenge unit Moonpool & Dead Band aka Nate Young (of Wolf Eyes, Stare Case, etc.) and Dave Shettler, who keep pouring out jams faintly reminiscing a future so bleak and hopeless that even Alex Murphy would've failed to establish order. Motorik, toxic, absolutely mind-boggling; when all is said and done, we can still try to dance to this. Highly recommended. Human Fly is out now on Not Not Fun.

Wite Burp: “Travl Meel”.

15 Aug 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Sick new hypno jam by somewhat curiously named project Wite Burp, complete with equally deranged video. VHS vibes galore and some shamelessly grainy sonic textures unheard since at least late 2010. Sounds almost already fresh again. Not much information on this two-piece apart from the fact that it's London-based, which to me right now seems remarkable enough. This is the first track from an album to be released in September, but don't ask us who will put it out, or what its name is going to be. Just enjoy for now, and there's some more stuff right here. Read more → Sick new hypno jam by somewhat curiously named project Wite Burp, complete with equally deranged video. VHS vibes galore and some shamelessly grainy sonic textures unheard since at least late 2010. Sounds almost already fresh again. Not much information on this two-piece apart from the fact that it's London-based, which to me right now seems remarkable enough. This is the first track from an album to be released in September, but don't ask us who will put it out, or what its name is going to be. Just enjoy for now, and there's some more stuff right here.

Garben Eden: “Ex Sited (Vakula Remix)”.

15 Aug 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Portland imprint Ecstasy continues its string of excellent releases in left-field dance somewhere on the fringes of House with a new effort by Düsseldorf-based Garben Eden. Ex Sited features two original tracks of deepest, funky dancefloor, hot and fresh despite being thoroughly informed by the last three decades of electronic music. The two sides are completed by remixes of the pieces by Robotalco and Ukraine native Vakula. Check out the latter's version of the title track below. The Ex Sited 12 inch is out now on Ecstasy. Read more → Portland imprint Ecstasy continues its string of excellent releases in left-field dance somewhere on the fringes of House with a new effort by Düsseldorf-based Garben Eden. Ex Sited features two original tracks of deepest, funky dancefloor, hot and fresh despite being thoroughly informed by the last three decades of electronic music. The two sides are completed by remixes of the pieces by Robotalco and Ukraine native Vakula. Check out the latter's version of the title track below. The Ex Sited 12 inch is out now on Ecstasy.

Younghoon Beats: “All Alone”.

14 Aug 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Nice, gloomy track of young, elusive producer Younghoon Beats, nicely building slow-burning rhythms around Julee Cruise's classic "I Float Alone", sampling her a little more extensive and obvious than Dean Blunt did for one of our favorite tracks of the year. "All Alone" is part of the Mazez Tape, which is available for free download over here. Check out another track from the tape, "Ours", below: Read more → Nice, gloomy track of young, elusive producer Younghoon Beats, nicely building slow-burning rhythms around Julee Cruise's classic "I Float Alone", sampling her a little more extensive and obvious than Dean Blunt did for one of our favorite tracks of the year. "All Alone" is part of the Mazez Tape, which is available for free download over here. Check out another track from the tape, "Ours", below:

Video: Sandra Kolstad - “The Well”.

14 Aug 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
Berlin-via-Oslo pop queen Sandra Kolstad released the first single from her upcoming LP (Nothing Lasts) Forever only a few weeks ago, an enslaving and gorgeous synth pop jam that charged us with sizzling energy, a perfect charge-up for the Scandinavian festivals that just ended last week. We can also promise that other exciting Kolstad news are soon to come on a blog near you (quite possibly with involvement from NFOP favourites Bloksberg), so in the meantime, enjoy the new video for "The Well" directed by Jennifer Eberhardt below. (Nothing Lasts) Forever is out on Trust Me Records on September 28th. Read more → Berlin-via-Oslo pop queen Sandra Kolstad released the first single from her upcoming LP (Nothing Lasts) Forever only a few weeks ago, an enslaving and gorgeous synth pop jam that charged us with sizzling energy, a perfect charge-up for the Scandinavian festivals that just ended last week. We can also promise that other exciting Kolstad news are soon to come on a blog near you (quite possibly with involvement from NFOP favourites Bloksberg), so in the meantime, enjoy the new video for "The Well" directed by Jennifer Eberhardt below. (Nothing Lasts) Forever is out on Trust Me Records on September 28th.

Mixtape: Sunday Service with Siinai.

13 Aug 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
It might be Monday, but in our heads (which are by the way still set to "festival mode"), it might as well be a nice and warm Sunday evening. This was exactly what Risto Joensuu of the Helsinki-based prog/kraut trio Siinai had in mind when he made us this, mildly put, mind-altering mixtape below, decently entitled 'Sunday Service with Siinai'. Obviously, Risto picks out tunes that have been very influential for the band's aerial and spiritual sound, the likes of Vangelis, Popul Vuh and The Band decorates the tracklist, but also names of a more religious reference, like Arvo Pärt; an Estonian composer of Sacred Music, that relocated to Berlin after escaping the Communist oppression. The Finnish Christian dream-pop outfit Paavoharju also have their name up on the list, whom released some very excellent music in between 2005-2011, all though their religious affiliation in music doesn't really have so much to say at the end of the day. We highly recommend you to give the whole thing a proper listen below. Tracklist: 1. Wendy Carlos - Händel - Bouree from Water Music 2. Popol Vuh - Cobra Verde's Death 3. Vangelis - Spiral 4. Erkin Koray - Korkulu Rüya 5. Bruce Haack - Electric To Me Turn 6. Moebius & Plank - Feedback 66 7. Hawkwind - Down Through the Night 8. Paavoharju - Kirkonväki 9. The Band - I Shall Be Released 10. Arvo Pärt - Spiegel Im Spiegel Read more → It might be Monday, but in our heads (which are by the way still set to "festival mode"), it might as well be a nice and warm Sunday evening. This was exactly what Risto Joensuu of the Helsinki-based prog/kraut trio Siinai had in mind when he made us this, mildly put, mind-altering mixtape below, decently entitled 'Sunday Service with Siinai'. Obviously, Risto picks out tunes that have been very influential for the band's aerial and spiritual sound, the likes of Vangelis, Popul Vuh and The Band decorates the tracklist, but also names of a more religious reference, like Arvo Pärt; an Estonian composer of Sacred Music, that relocated to Berlin after escaping the Communist oppression. The Finnish Christian dream-pop outfit Paavoharju also have their name up on the list, whom released some very excellent music in between 2005-2011, all though their religious affiliation in music doesn't really have so much to say at the end of the day. We highly recommend you to give the whole thing a proper listen below. Tracklist: 1. Wendy Carlos - Händel - Bouree from Water Music 2. Popol Vuh - Cobra Verde's Death 3. Vangelis - Spiral 4. Erkin Koray - Korkulu Rüya 5. Bruce Haack - Electric To Me Turn 6. Moebius & Plank - Feedback 66 7. Hawkwind - Down Through the Night 8. Paavoharju - Kirkonväki 9. The Band - I Shall Be Released 10. Arvo Pärt - Spiegel Im Spiegel
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