analog scene
Analog Scene updates with fresh tracks and commentary on art and music throughout the work week. If you like what you hear send the artist some naked pix of yourself. Just make sure the nudes are tasteful, sexy, and original.Archive for Posts By Ben
30hz
Monday 04.28.08
Remember a few months ago when you friend sent you that Burial CD and you were like “holy balls dubstep is sweet! no one could ever come close to this?” Well, get a new pair of underwear ready, because 30hz will make you pee yourself. While the album is far from straight dubstep (more “tech-funk” as the label likes to call it), “Mutate” will hit all your buttons sequentially.
James Grinzburg, the dude behind the project, just released his debut album with the moniker a few months ago. Electric Sheep reminds me a little of what Entroducing… did to me the first time I heard it, although in a very different way. Grinzburg’s sense of idiosyncratic ryhthm and penchant for weirdly beautiful samples has really turned me on to the techno/house/breakbeat family. Hopefully it’ll do the same to you, dear reader.
30Hz- Mutate
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- Ben
Hi everyone! Kyle here. I hope you enjoyed Ben’s 30Hz post and the 30Hz track but I feel that you need a second track of dubsteppy goodness! One of my favorites from the album:
30Hz- Dissosociate
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- Kyle
rupa and the april fishes
Rupa and the April Fishes have a new album on Cumbancha called “Extraordinary Rendition” that hits on a whole bunch of international vibes, from the French vocals to the Latin fusion.
The San Francisco based group’s latest album utilizes dreamy artwork by muralist Mona Caron, smooth basslines by jazz bassist Marcus Shelby, and a whole host of found sounds from live performances the band has played. The group also has a pretty extensive tour in progress, which will place them (to name a few) in the U.S., Canada, France, England, Spain, and Sweden. The San Francisco Guardian called them a “shining embodiment of globalization-gone-good,” which I whole heartily agree with.
Rupa and the April Fishes-C’est Pas D’Lamour
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-Ben
music: the ruby suns
Tuesday 04.01.08
It seems every red blooded American out there can’t get enough of the Ruby Suns. Being a blue-blooded New Englander, I decided to take a peek and see what these New Zealanders do.
Their latest LP, Sea Lion, is a nicely updated formula on what Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) and Avery Tare have been doing for the last few years. The core is Beach Boys harmony and tonality, but with some added noise, rhythmic slip-ups, and a surprisingly unique songwriting style. Hell, alot of these songs even remind me of Gowns’ terrific and recent Red State. Looks like Sub Pop has another winner.
The Ruby Suns- Tane Mahuta
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photo via Walnut Creek Alpacas.
music: man man
Monday 03.31.08
Ever heard of these guys? Jk-rofl, I know, but these Philly pranksters are releasing their latest album, Rabbit Hats, on April 8. If you missed the Stereogum coverage of their performances at SXSW, shame on you, but no worries, because I have redemption for you right here:
“Mister Jung Stuffed” is a pretty amazing introduction to their third full length in many ways. It certainly takes into account all their past tonalities, but dives halfway through into a fresh locale with some even newer sounds. Honus Honus, you’ve done it again.
Man Man- Mister Jung Stuffed
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-Ben
flickr photo from, massdistraction.
music: the wailing wall
Monday 03.17.08
The Wailing Wall, who’ve been mentioned over on my blog by yours truly, have just released a brand new album called Hopsital Blossoms. Jesse Rifkin leads the troupe and sonorously blends Leonard Cohen, The Microphones and Akron/Family.
Of the new record, Rifkin explained that “it’s a much darker record, all the songs were written during a pretty horrible period of my life. They were definitely a coping mechanism, and they helped me work out what was going on in my head… it was six months, probably actually eight or nine where things were just the worst they’d ever been. I don’t know that it’s more honest, but it’s differently honest than the other stuff because everything that I wrote during that period is on the record. I did my best to cut out the whiny, indulgent parts.”
The Wailing Wall- Sister, I
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-Ben
photo via flickr user, orangeacid.
music: the hermit thrushes
The Hermit Thrushes are from Philadelphia and play some rad mathy tones that remind my Longstreth saturated ears of a Glad-Fact era Dirty Projectors, which is a very good thing. I had the opportunity to the see the Thrushes live a few weeks ago with the all too talented Extra Life, and they brought it very hard.
The band had been on an extensive tour, and tired as they were, the synergies of their compositional energy came through. As Anthony Braxton would say, the vibrational vectors were more than flowing that night. Anyway, “Fourth” is a pretty good indicator of their sound, and I’m sorry to harp on D-lo shit, but I can’t get it away from the “Winter is Here” resemblance. Enjoy it responsibly.
The Hermit Thrushes- Fourth
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-Ben
photo via flickr user, misterbisson.
music: sun ra
On this here analog scene and the scene of many other blogstars, Sun Ra means one thing — Nuclear War. All too many think of Mr. Ra as either just covered by Yo La Tengo or on some half-assed Madlib mixtape. Well kids, Sun Ra kicked ass in many ways and was far more worthy than his “indie patrons” would like to think.
“Rocket Number Nine” is a well known composition of Sun Ra, which foreshadows the composer’s ability to incorporate rap and future sounds in his music. The song has also spawned a London band by the same title, which I bet Sun Ra could have predicted the existence of as well. The composition was released officially by Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra in 1965. This version, which is without the extended sound-mass improvisation, was released in 1972.
Sun Ra- Rocket Number Nine
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-Ben
photo via flickr user, Brian Bruchman.
music: xiu xiu
“No no no no, see, their’s went ‘duh duh duh duh duh duh da do,’ and mine goes ‘duh duh duh duh duh duh da dee do,’” quoth Vanilla Ice in his frantic defense of the main riff in his name making hit. Xiu Xiu on the other hand doesn’t try to disguise the comparison, and opts for an all out cover of “Under Pressure,” the track that marked the first collaboration of David Bowie and Queen.
The result kicks ass in many ways. Off their latest album, Women As Lovers, “Under Pressure” doesn’t even clock in at 3 minutes, but sees its melody taken by three individuals, and rarely indulges in any specific groove for more than 10 seconds. Michael Gira (Swans, Angels of Light) adds a terrific flourish to Xiu Xiu’s already distinctive sound.
Think Akron/Family does Woody Gutherie.
Xiu Xiu- Under Pressure
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-Ben
photo via flickr user, ultramarineblue.
music: fuck buttons
A noise band with a noisy name, there’s a surprise! But srsly, Fuck Buttons make some pretty cool noises on their latest album, Street Horrrsing, and remind me of a fleshed out Drum’s Not Dead era Liars. They’ve been featured in Time Out Magazine, and like any band of their kind, have received their share of negative press. They are a duet from the United Kingdom.
“Ribs Out” isn’t a track to give your grandmother for her birthday, but if you feel like a nice grandkid, you could take her to see the Buttons on tour (sounds so cute when you call them the Buttons!) They’ll be cruising through North America this upcoming month, so look em up!
Fuck Buttons- Ribs Out
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-Ben
music: tenniscoats
Tenniscoats are from outside Tokyo and have just released their excellent seventh album, Tan-Tan Therapy. The album is a mix of their work over the last two years, owing much of its influence to the band Tape, who also play on the record. They’ve managed to utilize the sound of double bass, zither, and glockenspiel to thicken up their original sound.
Umbarepa! is so catchy that it’s already well into this month’s top ten most played on my end. I get a pretty rad Stereolab/Cibo Matto vibe from the track, and have found myself singing this in the shower for the last three mornings. Repa!
Tenniscoats- Umbarepa!
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-Ben
photo via flickr user, cylou.
