Portasound Playlist Monthly Download featuring some of our recent favourite tracks.
This month:
Animated Mountain by Nicolas Sassoon
Get it here: MOUNTAIN - Portasound Playlist*
MOUNTAIN - Portasound Playlist
MOUNTAIN - Portasound Playlist*
Portasound Playlist Monthly Download featuring some of our recent favourite tracks.
This month:
Animated Mountain by Nicolas Sassoon
Get it here: MOUNTAIN - Portasound Playlist*
Portasound Playlist Monthly Download featuring some of our recent favourite tracks.
This month:
Animated Mountain by Nicolas Sassoon
Get it here: MOUNTAIN - Portasound Playlist*
Our Brand New Track Features EXCLUSIVELY on NME.COM!
http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=122
This is the only place to get a copy of this piece of ear potato, so get downloading!
FROM THE ARTICLE
'Firaz at NME Radio introduced me to this band, and if this first track he sent over is anything to go by they could be destined for pretty big things. It takes the twisted melodies of Gyratory System and affixes them onto a Bloc Party kind of song structure before sprinkling with Metronomy dust and mincing the whole thing through a digital wringer. Then it goes dubstep for a bit before ending with the sound of a diseased PC trying to connect to dial up internet over a disco beat. Nice title too.'
Own Records
I just found this great record label by accident after searching through some blogs. Some really good stuff on there. From laid back ambient soundscapes that drift lazily above your ears to folky tones that tickle your mid american loving eyebrows. Mmmmmm. Check em oooot.
http://www.ownrecords.com/catalogue.htm
Here are spme Spotify albums to listen to:
Firekites – The Bowery
TaughtMe – Lady
Wedding Day
I just discovered this little gem. Beautiful stripped back folk riffs and lazy, sweet lady vocals. Perfect sunday afternoon, cycling in a woollen jumper, back from the pub, open fire, glass of port on your return music.
Spotify link Nate Lithgow – Wedding Day
A classically trained violist who got her start backing up performers like Kanye West and Duncan Sheik as well as Asthmatic Kitty artists like Sufjan Stevens and My Brightest Diamond, Marla Hansen began performing her own material in earnest in the early 2000s. Hansen’s diminutive, eclectic, folky songs nodded in many ways to Stevens’ work, not to mention other chamber pop-oriented indie artists like the Tiny, Jesca Hoop, and Joanna Newsom. Her debut EP, Wedding Day, was released on Standard Recordings in the fall of 2007, and featured contributions by Stevens (notably on the track "Shuffle Your Feet"). Guitarist Sebastien Kreuger and bassist Nate Lithgow also appeared on the disc, and they backed up Hansen in her live performances. ~ Margaret Reges, All Music Guide
Spotify link Nate Lithgow – Wedding Day
A classically trained violist who got her start backing up performers like Kanye West and Duncan Sheik as well as Asthmatic Kitty artists like Sufjan Stevens and My Brightest Diamond, Marla Hansen began performing her own material in earnest in the early 2000s. Hansen’s diminutive, eclectic, folky songs nodded in many ways to Stevens’ work, not to mention other chamber pop-oriented indie artists like the Tiny, Jesca Hoop, and Joanna Newsom. Her debut EP, Wedding Day, was released on Standard Recordings in the fall of 2007, and featured contributions by Stevens (notably on the track "Shuffle Your Feet"). Guitarist Sebastien Kreuger and bassist Nate Lithgow also appeared on the disc, and they backed up Hansen in her live performances. ~ Margaret Reges, All Music Guide
I Was A King
Spotify Link - I Was A King – I Was A King
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/iwasaking
Having only been in existence for a few years, Norwegian group I Was a King has quickly gained recognition from the media, musicians, and fans alike. Front man Frode Strømstad has been said to have a unique gift of creating addictive melodies that hold distinctive roots to the 60's, distorted through a 90's indie scene filter.
In 2007, I Was A King released their debut, Losing Something Good for Something Better. It was labeled "Royally brilliant" and given 8 out of 10 by NME. The Independent, and The Sunday Times gave equally flattering praise and The Guardian said, " Norwegian wunderkind Strømstad takes ol' lankhair's ramshackle rock and squeezes it through a dreampop filter...If Alan McGee hadn't wound down Creation, this lot would have been first in the queue to sign on the dotted line. File next to: Fountains Of Wayne, Apples In Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel, Strawberry Wine-era My Bloody Valentine."
The new album "I Was a King" features collaborations from Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh ), Sufjan Stevens, Daniel Smith (Danielson) and Gary Olson (Ladybug Transistor) . The album was recorded at Marlborough Farms (Brooklyn, NY) and mixed by Nick Terry (Primal Scream, The Libertines, Klaxons ).
Alderney Studio
ALDERNEY STUDIO
A brand new online engineering, mastering, production house.
Founded by production wonder kid Michael Dow, Alderney Studio offers a range of professional services for music production, mastering and commercial sound design. Our services include final track mastering, full day-rated engineering of tracks and commercial sound design.
Very competitive pricing and super sound skills.
ALDERNEY STUDIO
A brand new online engineering, mastering, production house.
Founded by production wonder kid Michael Dow, Alderney Studio offers a range of professional services for music production, mastering and commercial sound design. Our services include final track mastering, full day-rated engineering of tracks and commercial sound design.
Very competitive pricing and super sound skills.
ALDERNEY STUDIO
Osso perform Year of the Ox
Osso performing Year of the Ox at MusicNow. Osso are the string quartet who play with Sufjan Stevens.
Portasound at SWN Festival 09
Hello crew,
We are very excited about playing at SWN festival on Thursday the 22nd of October in Cardiff. We are playing the Kruger Magazine stage at Y FUWCH GOCH alongside an intense line-up of very good bands (makes me nervous, but we got some new stuff to play). Anyway please come down and see us. I think its going to be an absolutely massive party.
Here are some links to the awesome bands we are playing with, czech them out.
Set list
7.00pm-7.30pm
FICTION
8.00pm-8.30pm
THREE TRAPPED TIGERS
9.00pm-9.30pm
JONQUIL
10:00-10:30pm
NOT COOL
11:00-11:30pm
PORTASOUND
11:30pm-2:00am
BRAINLOVE DJ’S
Y FUWCH GOCH
Womanby St, Cardiff CF10 1BR
PH: 029 20232199
Benjamin's Autumn Mix
What a wet welcome to Autumn we’re having.
Here are some songs I collected to make the rain dance as it falls.
Enjoy x
Download the mix now
Here are some songs I collected to make the rain dance as it falls.
Enjoy x
Download the mix now
RETURN - Portasound Playlist
Introducing the Portasound Playlist Monthly Download featuring some of our recent favourite tracks. Exsquizzles!
This month:
Download here: http://tinyurl.com/ksq23g
This month:
Download here: http://tinyurl.com/ksq23g
Bandstand Busking
There are loads of bandstands in parks across London, and most of them are looking fairly tattered from lack of use. When did you last see/hear one surrounded by hordes excited by the sounds? Filling the parks once more (at least for a wee while every couple of weeks) with some talented people capable of carrying a tune or two.
This video is from Hauschka (real name Volker Bertelmann), a fantastic contemporary classical composer sharing his style with Yann Tiersen, Gonzales, Goldmund and Max Richter. Freibad being one of my favourite of his tracks.
http://www.bandstandbusking.com/
F is a letter and a key
I thought it had been too long since i talked about music so here it is.
These are three bands that are not making me feel bad about the ever encroaching autumnal signs all around. They will hold back the blue and raise the mood. Won't they? I honestly don't know.
Future Islands - Old Friend
These guys are great. They make me feel very alive as a think back to watching the lead singer, all sweaty and large like Jack Black shot out of an 8-bit canon into a crowd of twee chipmunks. Not only does he look a bit like Jack Black but he is every bit the performer, except i'm sure he has the voice of a 60's soul diva inside him...
Catch them at the Lexington on Sep the 18th LAST.FM LINK
Download
Fanfarlo - The Walls are Coming Down
Fanfarlo have made a video for the second single from their album – “The Walls Are Coming Down”.
Francois & The Atlas Mountains - One voice in the noise
This chap Francois is brilliant. His little quaint voice creeps out from behind the woodwork of his instruments and out through the bright light of a sunny crop of corn. This may not make much sense but i think the point i'm making is he is good. Really good.
This is a track off his recent EP called 'Her River Raves Recollections'. Its a beautiful track that lifts your spirit.
DOWNLOAD
These are three bands that are not making me feel bad about the ever encroaching autumnal signs all around. They will hold back the blue and raise the mood. Won't they? I honestly don't know.
Future Islands - Old Friend
These guys are great. They make me feel very alive as a think back to watching the lead singer, all sweaty and large like Jack Black shot out of an 8-bit canon into a crowd of twee chipmunks. Not only does he look a bit like Jack Black but he is every bit the performer, except i'm sure he has the voice of a 60's soul diva inside him...
Catch them at the Lexington on Sep the 18th LAST.FM LINK
Download
Fanfarlo - The Walls are Coming Down
Fanfarlo have made a video for the second single from their album – “The Walls Are Coming Down”.
The Guardian are now premiering the video, which features a classic Houdini trick: the upside-down strait jacket escape. It’s performed by one of the very few active escapologists in Europe.
Francois & The Atlas Mountains - One voice in the noise
This chap Francois is brilliant. His little quaint voice creeps out from behind the woodwork of his instruments and out through the bright light of a sunny crop of corn. This may not make much sense but i think the point i'm making is he is good. Really good.
This is a track off his recent EP called 'Her River Raves Recollections'. Its a beautiful track that lifts your spirit.
DOWNLOAD
Voice of an Angel
New Johnny Flynn song, 'Lost & Found', yip yip yea:
http://www.myspace.com/johnnyflynn
http://www.myspace.com/johnnyflynn
Great visions of the future, near misses and achieved goals
45 Vintage ‘Space Age’ Illustrations
Very enjoyable images here. Very enjoyable, reminds me of all the old books on my Nan's bookshelf. Promises of future inventions to make children fly across ice and snow, machines that could show images and sound and flying rotor driven taxis in the sky. I think we pretty much made it.
Nialler 9 - Tunnel to the Review
A nice little review and blog spot here from Nialler 9, a really great music blog which we happen to love. Oh, and now we obviously love it a bit more.
NIZE, thanks nialler x
'... London’s Portasound are a favourite of Radio One’s Huw Stephens having recorded a session for him in Maida Vale (watch it here – it could be the whistling anthem for 2009!). This instrumental is a sweet synth and glockenspiel-dominated tune with a deadly back in time, space time continuum sound interrupting in parts.'
Portasound – Tunnel to the MoonNIZE, thanks nialler x
Tunnel to the Moon - New songy song
We are back with the first of our new singles 'Tunnel to the Moon'.
We hope you like it as much as we do.
Please find attached our Press Pack and New Release Sheet.
PORTASOUND - TUNNEL TO THE MOON
After lying at street level while they honed their skills - Portasound are now on a one-way trip to the stars. With no return ticket and no plans to return it's a one way mission to the stratosphere, to new heights, successes and adventures. Tunnel To The Moon is their brand new release - an amalgamation of intergalactic sounds, beats and riffs following on from the very excellent pop magic that was 'The Wrong Parade' which found itself all over the BBC Radio 1 and 6Music and '4 Minute Warning' which featured on Huw Stephens debut compilation last month - the collective known as Portasound have once again proved that they can't be pigeonholed, boxed or slotted into any category of music. Genre defying and musically innovative we wait with baited breath for the next installment of the Portasound sonic journey
GET IT HERE http://www.sendspace.com/file/
Hope this finds you maxi well and super happy.
Much love Portasound.
PS Some of our older releases and BBC 1 MAIDA VALE session are now free to download on our myspace :)
Tunnel to the Sheffield
Hello all and sundry,
It has been a while since we blogged but we have been busy. Not lazy little Portatoerags but busy little Portabees; collecting audio honey and spreading it amongst the people of this land.
We traveled up to Sheffield last Saturday for a gig at the first ever Tramlines festival. For those who haven't heard of it it's an inner city festival across Sheffield's many music venues, much like Camden Crawl or The Great Escape in Brighton. Despite a mega 4 hour hold up on the M1 due to 2 separate accidents we made it just in time and had a great set. Thanks to everyone who came to see us, especially Leon who gave us Wham bars and Wemmy who took some pics which you can see here >>>
If you are at Standon Calling Festival this weekend come and see us play on the sunday at aboooooouuuuut 1 o clock, not sure which stage yet x
Big tings!
It has been a while since we blogged but we have been busy. Not lazy little Portatoerags but busy little Portabees; collecting audio honey and spreading it amongst the people of this land.
We traveled up to Sheffield last Saturday for a gig at the first ever Tramlines festival. For those who haven't heard of it it's an inner city festival across Sheffield's many music venues, much like Camden Crawl or The Great Escape in Brighton. Despite a mega 4 hour hold up on the M1 due to 2 separate accidents we made it just in time and had a great set. Thanks to everyone who came to see us, especially Leon who gave us Wham bars and Wemmy who took some pics which you can see here >>>
If you are at Standon Calling Festival this weekend come and see us play on the sunday at aboooooouuuuut 1 o clock, not sure which stage yet x
Big tings!
The Naked Civil Servant
A trip to 1975 last night, with Quentin Crisp's autobiographical film The Naked Civil Servant. It's a delight - what a life, what a man and acted by John Hurt to boot.
Crisp fascinates me; statuesque, effeminate, brave and well...the only man ever to be rejected by the British army on the grounds of 'complete sexual perversion'.
Go on, treat yourself in whatever medium you fancy to a true Crisp adventure...
Holly x
4 Minute Warning Remixes
Got sent some amazing remixes of 4 minute warning over the past few days. As the competition is coming to a close i thought i would post a few of the best in a bid to coax a few last remixes out of you brilliant minds.
Tiny Bit Associates Ash-RA's hell mix
First up is the mental mind of Tiny Bit Associates. They plummet into the mix with a heavy dubstep beat accompanied by a dutty big snare! After a few turns of the filthy bass and a cheeky cowbell it shifts gear into a speedier dance track by way of a amen-break style loop. Really nice to hear a mixture of styles in the tune.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/cmcycmxiTEQ5NVVLSkE9PQ
http://www.myspace.com/tinybitassociates
Valuetime Remix
Great to hear a drum and bass remix. Massive atmospheric intro gives way to tight cheeky dnb loop. Some sweet hipass filtering of the main riff helps a awesome drop into the track with a really nice use of the original bass guitar parts and a classic dnb sub bass. The shift into the bridge bass section holds perfeclty and on the second drop a bad boy bongo adds to the pace. Reminds me a bit of DnB from around the early days, almost LTJ Bukem in style. Look out for the 3am, drug fueled strings sequence in the middle!
https://www.yousendit.com/download/cmcycmxha0RLVlhIRGc9PQ
http://www.soundcloud.com/valuetime
Lalory Remix
Lalory has gone for a deep start to the remix. A driving bass gives the track a totally different mood and the layered synths build up a nice pattern of sound. Nobody could have expected the sax to drop in, but it does, in a way not to dissimilar to an Avalon track i had heard a while ago. The track builds really nicely to a point where it really comes alive in carnival style. Steel drums and snares end the track on a drivingly dark latin trip. Amazing.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/cmcycmxWaTFOQnhMWEE9PQ
http://www.myspace.com/laloryremixes
Love all three of these mixes and hope you do too! Cheers guys and well done!
Chores
Washing up. Dull. However, last night while washing up, I listened to this.
Miike Snow
Pontus (yes, pontus), Christian and Andrew.
Not so dull, washing to a beat.
Holly x
Miike Snow
Pontus (yes, pontus), Christian and Andrew.
Not so dull, washing to a beat.
Holly x
Reverend James
Ben and I created this yesterday afternoon after i stumbled on a picture of this chap on the website http://www.handlebarclub.co.uk
We decided he should be brought to life. Look at his dirty little face. Leering at you. You are unprotected against him. He is unprotected on you.
We decided he should be brought to life. Look at his dirty little face. Leering at you. You are unprotected against him. He is unprotected on you.
Adulto Sexo Violento
Amazing music video that my friend Victor Sahate sent me. Absolutely mental animation. Fantastic surreal violence and sex death.
Keep it strange
Hi there all.
Just a quick note to say that while we are riding high on the winds of Huw Stephen's compilation we will be running a remix competition.
This is a chance to take our track '4 minute warning', which features on Huw's mix, and mess it up in your own unique way.
The best remix will receive a super special prize that we haven't figured out yet (maybe a cake baked by us) and have their track posted up in our Myspace music player for the world to hear.
Have fun and remember, those who dare are more daring and generally have a more interesting range of things happen to them over the course of their life.
The parts can be found here: REEEEEEMIX
Plank Shanty Remix
Thanks to the lovely 'Live at Kalibou Beach' we have a new remix to show you, to listen to, to hear.
They got in touch and asked for the parts to the Portasound track 'Plank Shanty' and we were oh so happy to hand them over. It seemed one of the more unusual tracks to want to remix so we were eager to see what they came up with.
Live at Kalibou beach are a 2 piece set up from Germany and although there is not much of a description on their page you can see where they are coming from pretty quickly after a few bars listening. Described as Electro / Showtunes / Powerpop and sounding a bit like Crystal Castles in a Mega Drive they have twisted Plank Shanty up and swapped that plank for a bag of speed.
Listen here: http://www.myspace.com/liveatkaliboubeach
Download here: http://tiny.cc/d197S
shoe faces
oh my my you must listen to dan deacon's 'shoe faces' (last track listed):
http://www.myspace.com/dandeacon
off to see him tonight. what a man. i wonder what shoes he'll be wearing and if they'll have faces.
http://www.myspace.com/dandeacon
off to see him tonight. what a man. i wonder what shoes he'll be wearing and if they'll have faces.
Grizzly Chair
Absolutely brilliant video from Grizzly Bear for the track 'two weeks'. I cant express how much i enjoy this so i won't bother. A picture like this paints at least 100,000 words, right?
Music sounds better with a warning!
They say all good things come to those that wait. Now I don’t know what that means but i do know it has been a while since Portasound had a release as exciting as this!
Today marks the release of ‘Music Sounds Better with Huw’ described best by Huw Stephens himself; ‘Variety is the name of the game. There’s disco beats and acoustic warmth, strung-out blissfulness and indie rock’n'roll. I wanted it to be an exciting listen and there’s such a variety of good new music around it couldn’t be anything other than exciting. They sit track by track beautifully!’ and its all for 79p!
But we are not just talking about this album because its brilliant. There is a Portasound track on it. Oh yes. And it is our brand new track, ‘4 Minute Warning’ also described best by Huw; ‘With hot … building grooves, synths and casios are king in Portasound’s world. They turn the glum into fun and make pop hot again, which is just as magic live as it sounds on this compilation.’
So go have a little listen and if you like it you know what to do; defy logic, go against the grain, do what your nanna told you…buy some music!
You can watch a live performance of 4 Minute Warning recorded at Cargo in Shoreditch right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHtyzg9CL70
Other places to go jus for a laff:
http://www.myspace.com/portasoundband
http://www.vegedwardmagazine.blogspot.com
http://www.last.fm/music/Portasound
Have you heard of Lorraine Mariner?
She’s a quirky London based poet who I saw reading at the Troubadour on Monday. She made me laugh a lot. I think she’d make you laugh too. Her first collection of poetry ‘Furniture’ has been published this month by Picador. Avalook:
http://www.panmacmillan.com/Picador/ManageBlog.aspx?Author=Lorraine%20Mariner
http://www.panmacmillan.com/Picador/ManageBlog.aspx?Author=Lorraine%20Mariner
Long Live Lego
So, anyone in Berlin in the next few weeks should check out this beautifully simple play-with-plastics from artist Jan Vormann. If not visiting, like me, visit instead the link and marvel, marvel, marvel...
Holly x
Filthy Diesel
Tune into Filthy Few live on the airwaves on Diesel Radio.
Thursday 28th May (TOMORROW!!!) 12pm - 1pm. Portasound feature alongside some very special guests such as Filthy Dukes,and Nockall plus a live session from Futurecop! Click the link below. Show us some love and support or we will find you and cut up your summer bed sheets and you will have to use the winter duvet that makes you sweat for the whole of july!
http://cult.diesel.com/profile
Also....listen to these fine songs by us,Portasound.
http://www.thesixtyone.com/
Whenever i tell someone the name of our band i always hav eto say it twice. Why is that? Im not quite sure. But then i had a thought on the matter. What if calling your band 'The.. whatevers' allows your listener that split second to start listening to your band name. So in practive i would say; My band is called Portasound, and you would only here the word sound. then you would ask again because sound cant possibly be a name for a band can it? NO. So what if i said we are called THE Portasounds? then your ears would pick up what i was saying about the tike i finsih saying THE and you would hear me in full flow say PORTASOUND. Hmm have i gone mad? Maybe so.
Maybe you could use it for ALL sentances to make sure people heard you right. So in a shop i might say 'THE hello id would like those shoes in a 10 pleaseS' and the shop keep would hear it all.... Right?
RIGHT? Bye.
My Big Toe - by Michael Leunig
My big toe is an honest man,
So down to earth and normal,
Always true unto himself
And pleasantly informal.
Full of simple energy,
Contented with his role.
If all of me could be like him
I'd be a happy soul.
So down to earth and normal,
Always true unto himself
And pleasantly informal.
Full of simple energy,
Contented with his role.
If all of me could be like him
I'd be a happy soul.
Pivot on the Factory Floor
You will have to excuse my poor writing skills today but i am suffering a bit from sleep deprivation, its been a big week.
Last thursday nights at Hoxton Bar was an epic journey through the sonic soundscapes of 2 great bands.
Portasound played first and we had a really great time. When we had finished we were ready to relax and enjoy the evening....and we really bloody did.
Factory Floor
I hadnt heard of these guys before and watching them in soundcheck was very interesting. Lots of feedback, lots of drums, lots of synth. Thier first track featured a heavy synth arpeggio bass which pretty much set the tone for the next half an hour. It was deep and dark and fast and would have been a perfect shock to the system at 3am at an electronic festival. Basically it sounded like Joy Division had come back to life and got mangled up in a 303, lost and frankly better off there! Please please follow them until you see them live.
http://www.myspace.com/factoryfloor
Last thursday nights at Hoxton Bar was an epic journey through the sonic soundscapes of 2 great bands.
Portasound played first and we had a really great time. When we had finished we were ready to relax and enjoy the evening....and we really bloody did.
Factory Floor
I hadnt heard of these guys before and watching them in soundcheck was very interesting. Lots of feedback, lots of drums, lots of synth. Thier first track featured a heavy synth arpeggio bass which pretty much set the tone for the next half an hour. It was deep and dark and fast and would have been a perfect shock to the system at 3am at an electronic festival. Basically it sounded like Joy Division had come back to life and got mangled up in a 303, lost and frankly better off there! Please please follow them until you see them live.http://www.myspace.com/factoryfloor
Seriousmo
I'm sitting here listening to Siriusmo. I remember a year ago getting his album sampler and thinking it was incredible. It's a kind of space in electro that didn't ever really need filling but i think the gap has been filled anyway. The gap is the sort of space between Mr Oizo and SebastiAn where this strange artist has been hammering away at Jackson's Computer Band until it shattered and formed tiny new pieces of dance floor fun.
Spotify
Spotify
The giggles
Here is a recommendation of some amazing gigs coming up over the next few months. If you are not planning on going to any festivals and just sitting the summer out then you must certainly go and see these gigs.
1.Dan Deacon with Wham City Ensemble at ULU
Dan Deacon, Adventure, Future Islands, Teeth Mountain ULU
Friday 5 June 2009
This guy makes amazing parties happen. I cant express. You have to see him to believe him.
2. Chad VanGaalen at ICA
Chad VanGaalen
Thursday 11 June 2009
Ben is a big fan of the Chad Van and his one man band is sure to impress.
3. ATP Presents: Grizzly Bear + support TBC at Koko
Grizzly Bear
Tuesday 18 August 2009
I have been a fan of these guys for ages now and have always wished to see them live. Expect to get very lost in the sonic world they create.
4. The Dodos at the Bush Hall
Thursday 3 September 2009
A brilliant new album from a band that seemlessly mix indie pop with unusual time signitures and wonky stick percussion. Boyish lead vocals and beautiful key changes mark these guys out from the rest of the scene.
5. Mumford and Sons at Scala
Wednesday 16 September 2009
After a failed attempt to see them some months ago due to the bands illness im really excited to see them finally. its a shame the scala is quite a large venue as i was looking forward to watching them in more intimate surroundings but beggars cant be choosers! So keen for thier album.
I have put all the gigs up on my last.fm events page so its dead easy to get some more details on them. Sorry for everyone not in London but check to see if they are playing near you!
1.Dan Deacon with Wham City Ensemble at ULU
Dan Deacon, Adventure, Future Islands, Teeth Mountain ULU
Friday 5 June 2009
This guy makes amazing parties happen. I cant express. You have to see him to believe him.
2. Chad VanGaalen at ICA
Chad VanGaalen
Thursday 11 June 2009
Ben is a big fan of the Chad Van and his one man band is sure to impress.
3. ATP Presents: Grizzly Bear + support TBC at Koko
Grizzly Bear
Tuesday 18 August 2009
I have been a fan of these guys for ages now and have always wished to see them live. Expect to get very lost in the sonic world they create.
4. The Dodos at the Bush Hall
Thursday 3 September 2009
A brilliant new album from a band that seemlessly mix indie pop with unusual time signitures and wonky stick percussion. Boyish lead vocals and beautiful key changes mark these guys out from the rest of the scene.
5. Mumford and Sons at Scala
Wednesday 16 September 2009
After a failed attempt to see them some months ago due to the bands illness im really excited to see them finally. its a shame the scala is quite a large venue as i was looking forward to watching them in more intimate surroundings but beggars cant be choosers! So keen for thier album.
I have put all the gigs up on my last.fm events page so its dead easy to get some more details on them. Sorry for everyone not in London but check to see if they are playing near you!
Chad VanGaalen
He's quietly angry, dark yet uplifting and can play every instrument under the sun. Not only is Chad VanGaalen an extremely talented musician, he also an amazing illustrator/animator. His pop-twinged lo-fi sound and obscurely fantastical art first spurted into the public eye in 2004 with the release of his debut album Infiniheart, his latest release Soft Airplane (Flemish eye records 2008) is his most accomplished work to date. I was introduced to Chad's work whilst at BUG (The music video night hosted by Adam Buxton at the BFI) and was mesmorised by his animated video for the track 'molten light' - Have a gander for yourself:
Chad is quite the recluse, spending most of his time slaving on drawings, music and art in his Calgary basement. Luckly for us he is braving the outside world for a few months as he embarks on an international tour - catch him at The ICA, LONDON on the 11th June (tickets here).
Listen here...
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/chadvangaalen
SPOTIFY: Chad VanGaalen – Soft Airplane
Chad is quite the recluse, spending most of his time slaving on drawings, music and art in his Calgary basement. Luckly for us he is braving the outside world for a few months as he embarks on an international tour - catch him at The ICA, LONDON on the 11th June (tickets here).
Listen here...
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/chadvangaalen
SPOTIFY: Chad VanGaalen – Soft Airplane
Two doors one cinema (club)
If you haven't heard 'Two Door Cinema Club' yet then you're in for a right treat! These three lads from Ireland blew my mind when I saw them at La Fleche d'Ôr Paris. They Played a blinding set straight after our very own Portasound had got the crowd all fired up. TDCC's sound is in the same vein as Bombay Bicycle Club yet it's a tad more energetic, feisty and coated in electro pop gingle jangleness - oh and their first single 'Something Good Can Work' has been released by the legendary label Kitsuné Maison - an epic achievement by a fantastic band.
Go have a listen and make sure these guys are on your 'ones to watch list' for 2009
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/twodoorcinemaclub
SPOTIFY: Two Door Cinema Club – Kitsuné: Something Good Can Work - Single
Go have a listen and make sure these guys are on your 'ones to watch list' for 2009
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/twodoorcinemaclub
SPOTIFY: Two Door Cinema Club – Kitsuné: Something Good Can Work - Single
4 Minute Warning
Thanks to everyone that came to see us on friday at Cargo.
Here is a video of our new track '4 minute warning' which will be available on Huw Stephens new compilation in may. More news on that soon.
Here is a video of our new track '4 minute warning' which will be available on Huw Stephens new compilation in may. More news on that soon.
Folktronicsalt
For you aural pleaseure. A band that I am very much in love with at the moment.
Meursault, are a 4 piece headed by Neil Pennycook. His voice cuts through a winter night like a beacon of human spirit and the backing folk infused techno is the perfect match.
Listen for yourself here: http://www.myspace.com/meursaulta701
Get there album if you can, it seems pretty rare but its oh so worth it. Perfect listening on a quiet walk home, on a dark gusty night.
Portasound on the future
An interview for Kruger Magazine
In the future everyone will receive piggy-backs from midgets, drink yoghurt and live on a hill in south west London. Oh, and Portasound will be massive...
The Future Is Unwritten, according to Julien Temple's documentary about Joe Strummer. Not strictly true, that. In fact it's inked here in these very pages. Look! Plus south London micropop cadets Portasound have their own scripted prophecies.
"We travel into the future all the time," says chief bloke James casually. "I've just been there actually. How was it? Pretty good but we spent most of our time in traffic which is a shame because everything looked pretty cool." More on that to come but, first, introductions.
They are James Dow, Michael Dow and Luke ("basically a Dow"). All swap between synths, guitar, bass, laptop and whistling. By day, two of them are landscape gardeners, one is a designer, they have a song called The Terpischore Of Vegedward Sentengo (their current single in fact) about "a Greek dance revived by the Victorians". Their thoughts may be in the future but their beginnings came in the past: "One day we were looking for something to do and we went into the countryside to a friend's old shack," says James. "We went for the weekend with a keyboard and a little bit of acid and decided on those unsteady foundations that we should do this."
The stimulating keyboard in question? A Yamaha Portasound.
"It has this button on it that’s an auto-bass chord," James delights. "Because me and Luke were sitting in a field quite smashed, it provided a lot of entertainment for very little interaction - I like to think that’s what we do now."
Some time on, they're now making music which sounds like 2010. A chrome plated combo of Metronomy (a huge influence of theirs) and choppy copper synths of Late Of The Pier. Live they stand onstage like three pillars of light setting effects off like fire crackers.
Their frequent voyages to the distant future reveal a disturbing picture. Something along the lines of Franz Kafka simultaneously directing The Fifth Element, Arachnophobia and Honey, I Shrunk The Kids whilst on quality Calpol.
"I'd like to bring back a giant intelligent insect because I reckon humans will die out soon and it'll be the turn of the insects to go grow large and clever," begins James. "Then they'll develop their own music."
Indeed, if grasshoppers playing oboes aren't scary enough, both the Dow brothers know every single word in the first Alien film. And of course there's global warming to contend with.
"A lot of our future-gazing comes in warnings to the general public which can be found at different speeds within our music," says James. "Like subliminal messages."
We won't lie, things beyond tomorrow aren't looking cheery.
"We're predicting that in a hundred years there will only be a million people left," says Michael. "But they'll be well into Portasound."
"They'll all live on a hill because Europe is going to flood," explains Luke.
Of course, by this point - we're thinking somewhere around June 2009 - we'll all look like spacemen and eat crisps through our nose (s'evolution folks).
"We'll be split into two forms of people," continues James adopting an indie Mystic Meg voice. "You'll have tiny adult babies with trumpets and really tall skinny model-types." Yes, tell us more.
"And, the weird babies will do all the work. All the tall people will just walk around sipping yoghurt. It's a fearful new world.
"It'll probably go back to when people were carried around by little midgets. Hover boards for kids and wooden casks for the adults."
Not only is this future potentially very ugly, full of midgets and string beans copulating on a stranded knoll to preserve the very race itself, but they drink Petite Filous. Bring back the safety of 1997!
But on a more sensible note, the next twelve months is shaping up rather nicely for the three south Londoners.
"We didn’t start this thing to make any money or be famous or anything," cooly states James. "It's a labour of love and fun."
And the midgets with brass? They're just a bonus.
Words by Greg Cochrane
Photo by Lucy Johnston
C K Williams Is My Hero
C K Williams writes perfectly. He has wonderful emotional insight, strong imagery and isn't afraid to try new things. I think he is amazing and would love to meet him. I hope you like him too.
This is a Sin
right off we started inflicting history
on each other day after day first thing this
is historical and we gave movies and sad poems
and obviously newspapers and a little less
valentines and sometimes it got right
up against us and into us we would squeeze
it out like a worm it would come back
by itself through the pancreas through
the eye or womb and with great tenderness
on the faces of wives and babies we
would reinflict it until there was
such beauty it was unbearable because
it was too much history too much suffering
and also birds suffering their leaps
from branches dogs
lifting their dark mouths the paths
of mantises cows plopping were we afraid
of what would be left of us? somtimes
a person was erased entirely
and children dead of shame stuck
upright in the snow like pipes the wind
screaming over them or I would forget
you darling your breasts the wind
over them our lips
moving darling the child the wind breasts
our lips over them
Yes so it is beautiful. And yes I am the one on this blog who throws in a moment of melancholy reality between the fun. But don't get me wrong, I love fun, but life isn't all one big knees up....
This is a Sin
right off we started inflicting history
on each other day after day first thing this
is historical and we gave movies and sad poems
and obviously newspapers and a little less
valentines and sometimes it got right
up against us and into us we would squeeze
it out like a worm it would come back
by itself through the pancreas through
the eye or womb and with great tenderness
on the faces of wives and babies we
would reinflict it until there was
such beauty it was unbearable because
it was too much history too much suffering
and also birds suffering their leaps
from branches dogs
lifting their dark mouths the paths
of mantises cows plopping were we afraid
of what would be left of us? somtimes
a person was erased entirely
and children dead of shame stuck
upright in the snow like pipes the wind
screaming over them or I would forget
you darling your breasts the wind
over them our lips
moving darling the child the wind breasts
our lips over them
Yes so it is beautiful. And yes I am the one on this blog who throws in a moment of melancholy reality between the fun. But don't get me wrong, I love fun, but life isn't all one big knees up....
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