Friday, February 19, 2010

space (and other places) oddities



It's always good to stick with the kind of music and artists that we like but I think it's always even better to discover albums or performers really unheard of, things that are somewhat in the same line of our taste. I have a few of them i'd like to share with you. Perhaps you have listened to them, but if you haven't, this is a great chance.


click on the cd's cover if you want to download it!

Having been a fan of french music for ages, I got me a trio of compilations worth a peek. First, for all psychedelic lovers, it's "Dirty French Phychedelics", a selection of 14 tracks made by Dirty Sound System. Like all of their collections, this is an album that's made to be digested from the beginning to the very end. Everything seems rare, a fantastic trip without the need of getting high (though the "enhancement" of illegal substances wouldn't mind at all). It's eerie, poppy, spacey, the way that era must have been for those who have experienced it. Then, we have "BIPPP: French Synth Wave 1979-85". The name of the album really implies what people are going to get from it, especially if you are fans of Devo, Joy Division, New Order, etc. Exciting songs and heavily synthesized. Other songs fron that era are also arranged for our next record, "So Young But So Cold: Underground French Music 1977-1983". Nothing else to it, just little known pieces of non-mainstream sonic art. You really should enjoy and expand your mind with this.

MP3: Jean Jacques Dexter - Be Quiet
MP3: Brigitte Fontaine - Il Pleut
MP3: The Act - Ping Pong
MP3: Vox Dei - Terroriste
MP3: J.J. Burnel - Euroman
MP3: Charles De Goal - Synchro


click on the cd's cover if you want to download it!

There is an other set of albums I also love, very distant from each other but also very close and also feels slightly current. "Elaste, Vol. 1: Slow Motion Disco" is an interesting choice. It can get tiresome, but overall it works as a lovely mix of Italo disco, electro disco and synth pop from the old era. A new perspective is brought by "Milky Disco" (don't be surprised if any of these songs gets played at a fancy party. This is made for that purpose). Finally I also came across a release made by one of my favorite Disco wizards, Patrick Cowley. "Catholic", an album he made with friend Jorge Socarras between 1976 and 1979, it's so rare it's scary to even hear it. It's electronic but minimalistic, proto-techno and post-punk at the same time. This is such a gift for the ages (but must warn you, this is not for ALL ears, only exquisite ones who knows good music and are not afraid for the unexpected)

MP3: Memory Control One (MC1) - Basic
MP3: Heaven 17 - I'm Your Money
MP3: Johan Agebjorn ft. Sally Shapiro - Spacer Woman From Mars
MP3: Georges Vert - Electric Bird
MP3: Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras - Eddie Go To My Head
MP3: Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras - Burn Brighter Flame

That'll do for today. Enjoy the rest of this weekend.
x

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