sangsara.net

Tag: Music

  • Omodaka: The Sound of an Electronic Edo

    If you like traditional Japanese folk songs (you shall recognize them by the winding female vocals traveling up and down a scale unlike anything else, usually sung by geisha in period films, accompanied by a shamisen) AND ALSO LIKE CHIPTUNES(!) you’ll love the music of Omodaka. Here’s an article from 2010 that I found, which mentions the songs are composed on a variety of devices including a Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and a Game Boy.

    From what I can gather, the group is a vessel for producer Soichi Terada’s experiments and collaborations — most of which feature intriguing art music videos. Check out the one below: it’s trippy as hell.

    Later in the day, I was pleased to get a retweet from Terada’s Far East Recordings account (@fareastrecordin), which seems to tweet info about upcoming shows in Japan. I’ll be heading that way soon, so maybe seeing them in the flesh will happen.

    The Sanosa album is a collection of singles released over the years, and should be a good place to start. You can listen to it on Spotify in the player below [direct link].

  • Random Access Memories

    The new Daft Punk is incredible. The more I hear it, the more it unpacks waves of hidden melody. I was underwhelmed the first time, listening while walking home (on bass-weak Etymotic headphones), but now it’s like a whole other record.

    iTunes Link

  • Tricks & Cider

    About two weeks ago, I kinda realized that two people I knew online were in a band together, and preparing to put out their first EP. I visited their website, bought the record when it came out, and ended up seeing them live at the Esplanade last Friday. Hear for yourself through the embedded player below.

    In addition to Bandcamp, you can get the 5-song collection on iTunes and Spotify.

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    At the Esplanade Outdoor Theater

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    Lunchtime concert on Raffles Green

  • [Branch] Do we still need to physically experience music shopping?

    [Branch] Do we still need to physically experience music shopping?

    I thought I was perfectly fine with digital discovery, Spotify-style apps and the iTunes Store, but at the risk of losing the last big retailer in town (HMV), and remembering how one could wander for hours and come out with armfuls of new music, I think I’m going to miss the tactile/spatial experience of old. There’s something about walking in and seeing with your own eyes a handmade display promoting an album you’d never heard of, and becoming curious. A thumbnail doesn’t do that.

    Branch is a relatively new startup and service that allows anyone to set up ad-hoc, public discussion spaces. The person who sets the topic (or question) can invite others over Twitter or email, and any other viewer can ask to join in by simply writing what they would say if they were already part of the discussion. After that’s approved, they’re in. It’s an elegant and well-designed system, but still relatively unfriendly to some.*

    For my first attempt, I asked the question that came to mind after a late visit to the local HMV last night, after the news broke that their UK offices are now in receivership (broke ass). I’ve already enjoyed the experience immensely, even with just two other participants, and look forward to using this more.

    As for the topic of discussion, it’s something I want to think about more. I still believe in the power and value of music discovery outside of clickable lists and webpages. Creating a different sort of physical music retail presence is something I’d love to work on for a future client.

    * One friend who I invited balked at the standard Twitter authorization screen that said ‘this app is asking for permission to “See who follows you on Twitter” and “Tweet on your behalf”‘ — pretty standard and harmless stuff that most frequent Twitter users don’t even blink at, but frightening language for others all the same.

  • Bad for Good

    Found out after suddenly wanting a single album that contained every song by Jim Steinman (couldn’t find one) that he tried to record his own follow-up to Bat Out of Hell in 1981, entitled Bad for Good. The songs were originally meant for Meat Loaf, of course, but when he lost his voice, Jim decided to go ahead and record them with his weaker vocals. Check out the sample of “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” on iTunes, and then compare it to the Bat Out of Hell II version. Seems the album was a hit anyway, but I was only a year old at the time.

  • 8tracks Mix: Hiphopotamus

     I recently rediscovered and am enjoying 8tracks.com, an easy, free, and legal way to share mixes online. Even if you’re not into that, it functions as an excellent community-driven radio site. There are even good iPhone and Android apps for tapping into it.

  • ➟ This music video for Justice’s "Civilization" is spectacular

    via youtube.com

    The soundtrack to Adidas’ recent “All-in” advertisement. Essentially, the decline of civilization is marked by the presence of Katy Perry in a campaign designed to celebrate athletes.

  • ➟ Martina Topley Bird – Baby Blue

    via youtube.com

    Still one of my favourite female vocalists after more than a decade.