Today’s Post: Khruangbin – “Pelota”

June 26, 2020 — Leave a comment

Does it live up to the hype or should it go in the Khruang-Bin? It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Laura Lee (Lead Vocals/Bass Guitar), Mark Speer (Lead Guitar/Occasional Backing Vocals) and Donald “DJ” Johnson (Drums/Percussion) in a press shoot for the “Con Todo El Mundo” debut album era (2018) (via Echoes.org)

At last, it’s big release time! Good Morning to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! I’m glad the scorching hot weather has calmed down a bit, aren’t you? But, imagine the feeling of partying on a pleasantly warm beach in Croatia while you hear a DJ busting out the Earthly, Dub-inflicted Funk sounds of Khruangbin! It would be perfection, and it’s a tranquil feeling that the Houston trio of Laura Lee, Mark Speer and Donald “DJ” Johnson are hoping to capture on the new album, “Mortdechai”, which is the follow-up to 2018’s “Con Todo El Mundo” and it’s 2019 dub remix album “Hasta El Cielo”. They also released “Texas Sun”, a collaborative 4-track EP with Leon Bridges, in January of this year. So, they’ve been all over the shop – both sonically and geographically. I was very impressed with “Time (You and I)” and “So We Won’t Forget”, the previous two singles from the brand new album, although they don’t switch up the familiar formula of Khruangbin from their previous releases very much. “Mortdechai” releases today on the Dead Oceans label. It’s up to “Pelota”, the new single to be released by the band in support of the new album, to carry the hype train along. Let’s have a listen to it below.

A music video that is loosely based upon an animated Japanese film which has not been named by the band, Khruangbin’s “Pelota” sees director Hugo Rodríguez pair images of a Japanese Anime-style character morph through spherical shapes as the guitar-driven motifs of “Pelota” warp around a Latin American Pop style, full of Polyrhythmic drum beats and hand-clapped Jazz intervals. Khruangbin’s new album is their first to feature prominent vocals on every track, deviating from their predominantly instrumental style prior, but I was even more surprised to hear vocalist/bassist Laura Lee sing in Spanish on the new track, “Pelota”. The core lyric hook, “Ahorita Yo Puedo Ser Uno Pelota”, is a rough translation to the irreverent chorus “Right now, I can be the ball” in Spanish – an undercurrent to the track’s hidden meaning of the band exploring and observing the world by envisioning themselves as rubber balls. Silly as it may sound, it works well. This is because the band retain their dub-based, Funk and World aura with bass guitar riffs that feel familiar to their existing work, pleasing their built-in fanbase. “Pelota” has a more grounded feel to the previous two singles, “Time (You and I)” and “So We Won’t Forget”, due to the tempo being slightly raised by the lead vocals, and a lesser focus on their psychedelic trip. The instrumentation feels quite percussive, with an energetic lead guitar melody and jolting Steel Drum melodies rippling throughout. Although it’s a mostly abstract outing, it manages to negate my light concerns of the new album not sounding different enough to their prior releases to stand out amongst them. The proof will be in the pudding, however, and judging by the quality of all three singles from the new album, it’s shaping up to be one of, and potentially even, their best. I absolutely can’t wait to stream it later today once my jobs are done.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Mortdechai” (Released on June 26th, 2020) (via Dead Oceans)

As I mentioned, I am a huge fan of Khruangbin so I have covered multiple tracks from them in the past. Have a listen to “Time (You and I)” and “So We Won’t Forget”, the other two singles from their new album, “Mortdechai”, here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/05/02/todays-track-khruangbin-time-you-and-i/ and here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/05/20/todays-track-khruangbin-so-we-wont-forget/, respectively. Check out my thoughts on “Texas Sun”, the titular track of their collaborative EP with Leon Bridges, here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/01/06/todays-track-khruangbin-feat-leon-bridges-texas-sun/. Finally, you can check out the festive hit “Christmas Time Is Here” below: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/12/13/todays-track-khruangbin-christmas-time-is-here/

Pictured: Khruangbin outside of the BBC Radio 6Music studios (2018) (via BBC Music)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a track from a South-London based drums player who was one half of the sax-and-drums duo Binker & Moses, and he also fronted his own indie rock band, Exodus. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Jah Wobble (feat. GZ Tian) – “Dim Sum”

June 24, 2020 — Leave a comment

Will this proverbial Jelly continue to Wobble on Jah’s plate? It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Jah Wobble playing a live gig at an undisclosed location (2020) (via Banjo/www.GetIntoThis.co.uk)

Good Evening to you! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Bass legend Jah Wobble is the kind of musician who has just done it all! His musical journey started in the late-1970’s as the bassist of the popular new-wave rock group Public Image Ltd, before he left the band after the release of their second album to pursue a singles career – one which would go on to make him a very successful and highly prolific solo artist. He’s been releasing a ton of music, even in the modern day, leading to his role as a pundit for “The Virtual Jukebox” segment of Dotun Adebayo’s “Up All Night” programme on BBC Radio 5Live since 2013, and the publishing of his autobiography book “Memoirs Of A Geezer” in 2019. A family affair, He’s enlisted the help of his son, hip-hop rapper GZ Tian (aka Charlie Wardle), who dropped his 14-track album, “Another Artist”, on March 27th. It’s time for us to hear the result of this big collaboration. Let’s listen to “Dim Sum” below.

Taking a few cues from the modern British hip-hop sounds of artists such as Slowthai and Loyle Carner, the father-son duo convey Wobble’s pioneering World music style with GZ Tian’s roots in East Asian rap sonics to excellent results. The core melodies are filled with East Asian instrumentation, with a Lute riff which repeats throughout the track, warped around fast rap vocals from GZ Tian, who reminisces over a date with his new girlfriend: “We met at a Chinese restaurant/Chinatown in night time/Nothing like those bright lights and strobe lights when the time is right” over the top of a dubbed acoustic bass guitar line that evokes an authentic Chinese setting. However, the chorus feels less traditional and more contemporary, with synthesized vocals that evokes a more British-American R&B style. GZ Tian sings: “Baby, so cool, so fly/Never felt love so strong in my life/I get lost for words when I stare in your eyes/Pray for the day that I make you my wife”, layered above the intricate production of Chinese Lute melodies and synthesized backing vocals that continue to evoke the Asian setting with strong vibrancy. There’s maybe a little too much auto-tune for me in the bridge towards the end, which makes it sound a bit flimsy when making the landing, but that’s only a minor flaw of the tune compared to the refreshing blend of vibrant Chinese sonic sounds and the more British rap-inspired track layout. This is a track that should get played on the radio – it sounds melodic and soft enough for the mainstream to likely connect with, but it has great cultural diversity and it has a very summer-oriented style. I’m looking forward to hearing more from this father-son duo.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Dim Sum” (Single) (Released on May 1st, 2020) (via Self-Released) (Bandcamp.com)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. Please make sure that you check back with me tomorrow for an in-depth listen to a recent single taken from the highly anticipated new album, released last Thursday, by an American indie Rock singer-songwriter who was previously a part of two groups: Boygenuis and Better Oblivion Community Center. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Lorenzo Senni – “Discipline Of Enthusiasm”

June 23, 2020 — Leave a comment

Will this Italian DJ/Producer pick up an extra life or is it game over? It’s new post time!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Scacco Matto” (Released on April 24th, 2020) (via Warp Records)

Good Morning to you, my name is Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! I’m opting for something a little bit different today, as we’re going to explore some of the latest work from Italian Electronic Dance music producer Lorenzo Senni. Describing himself as a “Tireless investigator of dance music’s mechanisms and working parts” on Resident Advisor and “a sadistic scientist that is ripping the spinal cord out of trance and dangling it in front of our eyes” on his Facebook bio, Senni is best known for dabbling in shapeshifting styles of Heavy Techno and Acid House, with further influences in Breakbeat and Power Electronics that can often make his deeply layered beat-driven style feel brash and abrasive. He is also the founder of Presto?! Records, an indie Techno label which houses the likes of Florian Hecker and Marcus Schmickler, along with DJ Stingray and many other artists. His debut album, “Quantum Jelly” was released to a widespread critical acclaim in 2012 and, thus, he signed up to Warp Records in 2016. His latest album release is “Scacco Matto”, his fifth album, which was released on 26th April by Warp Records, earlier in the year. Let’s have a listen to the anthem “Discipline Of Enthusiasm” below.

I reckon it’s fair to say that he doesn’t take his own music that seriously! On “Discipline Of Enthusiasm”, Lorenzo Senni capitalizes on the freeform sounds of a JP-8000 Supersaw synthesizer arp to create a Techno crescendo that builds nicely to a sound that feels akin to a final boss fight of an arcade platformer video game straight from the 1980s, such as Pac-Man or Galaga. A feeling of tension and anticipation is established through a frenetic, chaotic drum loop that dips in-and-out of Breakbeat-style production and distorted strobe effects. The second third of the track fuses in elements of Techno and Deep House, introducing a soft BPM shift with a calming line of synthesized classical sounds. This develops a melodic break that glues the jigsaw pieces together, before the crescendo starts to glitch and the unrelenting opening takes a hold of the picture again. The third, and final, third provides a fuzzing instrumental section that mixes in a slow pace through a carefully nurtured synthesized guitar riff, but the overall line of electronica is still stuttering to the Techno-dominated beat of Staccato lines and small shards of Breakbeat pacing. The overall result of the three sections create a sound that feels very old-school and retro, seemingly delighting in the lack of a futuristic approach. The genre has a niche appeal and the masses of the mainstream aren’t likely to connect with it very easily, but as a fan of techno artists like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher – the latter of which explored a similar style in his latest album – I dig Senni’s abilities in carefully nurturing an overarching feeling of sensory tension, and constructing the release of his crafted anticipation through the harsh electronic bass drop. I don’t want the masses to get it!

Pictured: Lorenzo Senni producing music in his office recording studio (2020) (Photography by Piotr Niepsuj)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at another recent track, this time from an English Jazz legend who became known to the world as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd., which preceded a successful and prolific solo career that began in the late 1970s and continues to the present day. He published an autobiography, “Memories Of A Geezer”, in 2009. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – “She’s There”

June 8, 2020 — Leave a comment

Rolling Blackouts CF are back again! Here comes the Tide! It’s time for your new post!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Sideways To New Italy” (Released on June 5th, 2020) (via Sub-Pop Records)

Good Morning! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and it is the start of a new week! I’m here to write about your daily track on the blog since it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Last Friday, the tide of new music releases unleashed the second album from Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. Pun Intended, of course! “Sideways To New Italy” is the Australian 5-piece Psychedelic Indie Rock outfit’s very highly anticipated sophomore follow-up to their debut record “Hope Downs” from 2018. It’s a fairly quick turnaround for a new full-length release, but their debut album became hugely popular with music critics and rock lovers alike, which really provided a platform for the band to build up a huge following and earn a large amount of both critical and commercial success. The sound of their new album dabbles slightly more into Experimental World and Blues genre influences, as heard on “She’s There”. Have a listen to the track “She’s There” from the album below.

A track that instantly reminded me of the acoustic summer romance sounds of cult 00’s folk-pop group The Magic Numbers, “She’s There” from Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (Stylized by the band as Rolling Blackouts C.F.), is a good platform for the band to show off their refined Jangle Pop sensibilites, although the lyricism sadly doesn’t grab my attention as much as it could. It feels wistful, as Fran Kearney croons: “Stuck on the edge, she said/Time, it’s a river” over a sparkling composition of licked guitar motifs and whimsical backing vocals from Tom Russo, with a robust drum beat added in for extra punch. The chord progression is fast, but the guitar work is noticeably a bit more restrained, as shown on the instrumental break between the final two vocal parts. The final section is a powerful outro with a festival-primed guitar solo after the band croon “All my accidents breathe in time” together, which displays their great cohesion of instrumental skills as a band. I like how all of the band members contribute something different to the sound, and the mid-tempo sentimentality of the pacing is sure to please a few ears. For me, the slight deceleration that is required of the hook-built pop melodies slows it down a little too much and the songwriting doesn’t peak as much as it did on the first record because it could do with a little more intensity. It is a solid 3-star track, but it just strolls into territory which feels a little forgettable to me. The good guitar work and the band’s cohesion are plus points.

Pictured: Fran Keaney (Lead Vocals/Acoustic Guitar), Joe White (Lead Guitar), Tom Russo (Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals), Joe Russo (Bass Guitar/Percussion) and Marcel Tussie (Drums) (2020) (press shoot via DIYmag.com)

Back in March, I wrote an in-depth post about “Cars In Space”, the first new single to be released from the new album “Sideways To New Italy”, as a promotional teaser – which I also gave a mixed, but quite positive review. If you loved this, why not check it out here?: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/03/24/todays-track-rolling-blackouts-coastal-fever-cars-in-space/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Cars In Space” (Single) (Released on 10th February, 2020) (via Sub Pop Records)

Thank you for reading this post! Just to remind you, at One Track At A Time, we endorse the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Please check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a new track from an excellent Industral Hip-Hop duo from the US who brought the release date of their new album forward to coincide with the protests. On top of that, it’s now a FREE download! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Rudy Mills – “A Long Story”

May 26, 2020 — Leave a comment

I could write a novel about him – but I’ll cut a long story short! It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “This Is Trojan: Rock Steady” (Compilation LP Box-Set) (Released in April 2018)

Good afternoon to you, my name is Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, since it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Whew, it’s a hot day. That’s why I have decided to write about a classic Jamaican Rocksteady track from the sunny Kingston sounds of the late 1960’s. You can very easily put your feet up to “A Long Story” on full volume in the garden. “A Long Story” was written and performed by Rudy Mills in 1967, a single which legendary producer Derek Harriott discovered him – and started working with him – from. It has led to Mills’ being selected for spots in more than 20 compilation albums from the likes of Trojan Records and Universal throughout the decades, including use on the British ITV 2 Historical Sitcom TV series “Plebs”. Rudy Mills is still enjoying an active and lucrative career today, with his most recent release being the one-off track “Lonely” last year. Let’s have a listen to his 60’s hit “A Long Story” below!

Rudy is not one for storybook endings, then. Rudy Mills’ “A Long Story” begins as a whimsical ode to a traditional break-up with a love interest and it later becomes a Reggae anthem of keeping your chin up and moving on, knowing that’s best for a friend. Mills’ seems to be an on-looker of the situation, using a second-person tense as his reference and crooning: “She didn’t love him/She only made believe/That’s why he’s hurting/She made the grown boy sad”, after Mills’ briefly elaborates on the repeating “Yes, It’s a long story” hook with: “About a fella, Who had a girl he loved/But she hurt him, and made him cry”, two verses which are spaciously placed between a shimmering Kick Drum beat, a sparse variety of Steel Drum clashes and a lengthy series of very long, very high notes from Mills. The songwriting has a touch of irony and satire, with minimally short vocal hooks and steady, albeit slowly progressing, acoustic Reggae instrumentation. There’s a light splattering of Rock in the percussive structure, but the powerful vocals from Mills are the clear icing on the cake to the “Classic” status of this tune. To this day, it sounds old-school, but there’s a cerebral pacing to the sound and a deep irony to the lyricism that makes it feel distinct to the feel-good and sweet sounds of the genre, although it also hits those points with the warmth of the joyful and soulful Ska melodies. May you live A Long Story to tell, Rudy!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Rudy Mills’ Reggae Hits” (Compilation LP) (Released in 1969) (via Pama Records)

Thank you for reading this post! Given our current times, I ask that you please stay safe inside, don’t do anything silly and you keep on washing those hands! I will be veering into laidback electronic dance territory tomorrow with an in-depth review of a recent track from an up-and-coming solo producer based in North London who used to present an online show for NTS Radio and he has, so far, worked with the likes of Sampha, Paul Epworth, David Byrne and Westerman! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Khruangbin – “So We Won’t Forget”

May 20, 2020 — 1 Comment

I say that to myself every day in pretty much any situation. It’s time for your new post!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Mortdechai” (Available to buy from June 26th, 2020) (via Night Time Stories)

Good evening, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! (Yeah… that even means Christmas!). I’ve written a couple of posts about Khruangbin before because I am a huge fan of the Houston, Texas Trio – who create an upbeat and gorgeous World sound through their unique mixing of Neo-Soul, Jamaican Dub and Tropicalia influences, who are releasing new singles in the build to their upcoming follow-up album to 2018’s debut “Con Todo El Mundo” and 2020’s “Texas Sun” collaboration EP with Leon Bridges. The album, currently set for release on June 26th via the Night Time Stories label, is called “Mortdechai” and sees an enhanced focus on prominent vocal spots by vocalist Laura Lee and guitarist Mark Speer, a first for the band. Last month’s “Time (You and I)” saw Khruangbin retain their usual formula but go for a more disco-inspired release, a single which really blew my socks off. On Tuesday, they dropped “So We Won’t Forget”, a more laidback and mellow cut from the upcoming record. Will my socks stay on by the end of the track this time? It’s time to find out! Let’s have a listen to “So We Won’t Forget” below.

The bunny on the bike has the power to turn that frown upside down… and so does the track. “So We Won’t Forget” is a smooth glide through sun-glazed funk grooves and globally influenced syncopated guitar riffs which reflect their strong, acoustic rock guitar sound. Laura Lee chimes, under a Falsetto: “One to remember/I’m writing it down now/So we won’t forget”, layered on top of a bright, soothing guitar melody and light-stepping drum percussion. Less instruments are used on “So We Won’t Forget” than “Time (You and I)”, but it doesn’t change the mellow production style or detract from the warm, honeyed Jazz sensibilities that made their previous single such an effective source of relaxing transportation. The chorus refrain goes: “Never enough paper/Never enough letters/So we won”t forget”, delivered over the top of an Earthly bass guitar riff and a Mediterranean-esque keyboard riff, both of which keep getting repeated in a Dubbed style for good effect. Later on, the band chant: “Call me what you want/Call me what you need/Words don’t have to say/Keep it to myself” following the interlude of an acoustic breakdown. The vocals are prominent, but they feel minimal underneath the instrumental-led, guitar-driven rock sound. It sounds very familiar for existing fans of Khruangbin, but that’s not a bad thing, because the instrumentation is beautiful and it simply doesn’t need to evolve very much at this point. The end result is a track that sounds majestic… and I’m not wearing any socks!

Pictured: Laura Lee (Bass Guitar/Vocals), Mark Speer (Lead Guitar) and Donald Johnson (Drums) (2018) (via PR)

As mentioned, I have previously covered a few Khruangbin tracks on the blog before! If you missed out on “Time (You and I)”, you can peruse the link here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/05/02/todays-track-khruangbin-time-you-and-i/, you can read my thoughts on “Texas Sun” with Leon Bridges here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/01/06/todays-track-khruangbin-feat-leon-bridges-texas-sun/, or get in the festive spirit with their cover of “Christmas Time Is Here”… Well, here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/12/13/todays-track-khruangbin-christmas-time-is-here/

Pictured: Khruangbin in a press shoot in the “Codo Todo El Mundo” (debut album) era (2018) (via Echoes.org)

Thank you for reading this post! As always, I’l be back tomorrow, where I’ll be giving my in-depth review on a fairly recent track from a US electronic pop duo signed to Ninja Tune, one half of which is an on-air personality for The Late Late Show with James Corden, a US late-night television talk show. In the meantime, please stay alert, don’t do anything silly and keep washing those hands! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Bicep – “Atlas”

May 19, 2020 — Leave a comment

I don’t have strong Biceps, nor am I able to lick my Elbows. It’s time for your new post!

Pictured: Bicep (Andrew Ferguson & Matthew McBriar) in a photoshoot for a tour announcement (2020) (via PR)

Good afternoon, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because – as always – it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write to you about a different piece of music every day! Seemingly rivaling British pop-rockers Elbow for the best band name of the arm-muscle department, Bicep, made up by the tag team of Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar, are an Experimental Electronic Dance music duo from Northern Ireland. The band have been steadily climbing the ranks of the independent dance music world and they’ve finally reached the A-list of BBC Radio 6Music. The project started out as a blog called “Feel My Bicep”, a site which specialized in posting the classic Chicago House, Detroit Techno and Latino Disco mixes that had been lost or forgotten about. Currently signed to Ninja Tune, the duo dropped their latest creation “Atlas” last month. It is their first piece of new music in almost two years. Without further ado, let’s have a listen to “Atlas” in the video below.

The title sounds very appropriate because “Atlas” is an ambient dance track that feels culturally diverse in it’s rhythmic experimentation and it’s blend of oriental influences. “Atlas” has a very acidic, slightly Aphex Twin-esque opening, before a playful crescendo of worldly sounds creates a vibrational, deep sub-bass melody. The splicing effects ebb and flow out of the echoing vocal sample, which has been drowned under distorted synth lines, broken sequencing effects and kaleidoscopic production touches. The looping synth riff creates a pulsating, percussive groove that feels ethereal in it’s ambient flair, which is sure to go down a storm with festival crowds next year. There is an inkling of old-school Chemical Brothers noise here, but these big beat influences seem to blend into the whimsical synthesizer effects and the rich atmosphere enough to create a small burst of nostalgia and warm childlike introspection, but with a contemporary undertone that makes it feel like it has been updated rather than copying the old-school EDM sounds for nostalgia factor. Overall, this is a track that will take longer to connect with mainstream audiences, but if we’re honest – do we want it to? I don’t. It has a certain wonk-iness and a freeform style to it that makes it feel distinctive and simply just a bit too good for the masses. This is cleverly-produced ambient dance mix which works very nicely for it’s bold experimentation and sense of vibrancy, completed by a bow of sophistication on top!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Atlas” (Single Release) (Released on April 3rd, 2020) (via Ninja Tune)

Thank you very much for reading this post! Please stay safe inside, don’t do anything silly and keep on washing those hands! Don’t forget to join me on the blog tomorrow – where I’ll be giving my in-depth review of the new track from one of my favourite bands. This is a trio from Houston who collaborated on a four-track EP with fellow Texan, and Jazz musician, Leon Bridges earlier in the year. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: In Love With A Ghost – “We Were Friends”

May 14, 2020 — Leave a comment

I am not In Love With A Ghost, but I am in love with this soft sound. It’s new post time!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Healing” (Single Release) (in 2017) (Cover design by @Salisart) (via Bandcamp)

Good afternoon to you! Indeed, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because, as always, it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! Yesterday, I wrote about Skule Toyama, a little-known Chillwave DJ from Mexico who only has a small following and he’s one of my latest little discoveries on Bandcamp. Another artist from the same genre who I’ve also recently found on Bandcamp is In Love With A Ghost. However, it turns out that In Love With A Ghost has a much larger following and has become a bit of a viral sensation. Nonetheless, their 2016 EP release “Let’s Go” was my first introduction to this artist. “Let’s Go” is classified as a digital album, but it’s only very short, at four tracks with a 12 minute run time. There’s an old-fashioned IDM-style aura of mystery around this French composer, as the artist tends to only give cryptic teases towards the production and meaning behind their music. Their name is unknown, so is their backstory, and most importantly, they never reveal their face! “Flowers” featuring Nori is their most popular track from “Let’s Go”, with over 9.6m views on YouTube – but my favourite track from the album is the low-key and sad keyboard-driven “We Were Friends”. Let’s give it a listen below!

So.. That was “We Were Friends”. I feel that In Love With A Ghost manages, through the spacious synth riffs and the embellishing keyboard sequences, to create vivid, emotive feelings of closure and finality on this short track. In comparison to Skule Toyama’s track yesterday, the pacing is a lot slower and the melodies, although sweet and heavily electronically-produced, are more downtempo and less free-form in their structure, creating a highly stripped back sound, despite achieving the same aims of soothing you down and putting your mind into a state of relaxation. There’s no lyrics at all, but the distorted effects of the looping synths and the glitched-out basslines, enveloped in a pure and intoxicating Piano melody, create a gentle ambient texture that acts as a comforting bed for the beat-driven electronic effects to sit under. This results in an ambient texture that feels vaguely melancholic and reminiscent of a more innocent time. Maybe it makes you think about seeing an old friend for the first in a very long time? To me, it does, bringing an emotion of meeting up with somebody who you feel you might not truly “know” anymore and coming to terms with the nervousness and the fun you used to have, but also the happiness that comes from soon recapturing these memories. In any case, it’s completely up to you what this track is about. I think that’s where the strength of the sound lies. There’s attention to detail in the slow rainfall effects and the crackles of twigs breaking in the background, creating a feeling that is overall somber and contemplative. It feels like it has a super-sleek production behind it, of which I can tell it was a more expensive album to be produced than some of the earlier work, but it doesn’t lose it’s artistic identity or forget the roots of the music in the first place, a criticism that I point towards mainstream acts like Ed Sheeran or Drake, who just make totally generic and VERY commercial pop now. A “ghostly” presence – but a rewarding and excellent one!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Let’s Go” (Digital EP) (Released via Bandcamp on March 3, 2016) (via Z-Tapes Records)

Thank you very much for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it! Please stay safe, “Stay Alert” and keep on washing those hands! I am really excited about tomorrow’s post because I’m going to be covering a brand new track that marks the return of one of my top favourite artists in the past couple of years! I still remember when she brought her mum on-stage to celebrate it when she won Best British Album at the NME Awards last night! Watch and learn BRIT Awards, that’s how you treat a real Best British Artist! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Skule Toyama – “United In The Night”

May 13, 2020 — Leave a comment

This one’s hellbent on destroying some EDM “Stereo”-Types – It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Promotional Cover Artwork for “Stereo” (Single Release) (Released in 2020) (via Business Casual)

Good morning to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing your daily track on the blog, as always, since it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music, whether it’s old or new, every day. It’s quite a dull backstory of how I found Skule Toyama, as I was just scrolling through my recommendations on Bandcamp and I came across “Stereo”, his new album. With names like “Disco Roller”, “Fantasy Synth” and “Take A Break”, I gave it a chance. The anime-style drawings put me off a bit at first, but after a few listens, I’ve come to really like it. Barely anything is known about Toyama at all and I couldn’t even find any photos of the real man himself. However, it’s implied that Toyama is a male solo producer on their Bandcamp biography. According to this, Toyama is a Mexican artist, of the Chill-Wave genre, who started producing Ambient House music inspired by disco/funk music and the “melancholic aesthetics” of the 1980’s in Mexico. His sound also extends to “Soft-Funk” and “Future-Funk”. Let’s have a listen to the track “United In The Night” below.

I think that “Stereo” is a very appropriate name for a track which sounds so unashamedly EDM Disco-Pop in it’s visuals of lying down with a big speaker on full blast, on a very hot Beach somewhere in Thailand or Jamaica. I’ve never travelled so I don’t know what I’m really going on about there, but I DO know that it’s a very bold move to release a dance record when there’s no market for it since you know… we can’t actually go to a club, but I feel it’s justified by the seamless blending of Toyama’s influences in creating a very calm and relaxed, but still upbeat and danceable, atmosphere which is easy to access and soothing to escape with, but there’s still a hidden complexity and a non-commercialism to the overall textures that demand your further attention in repeated listens. “United In The Night” has a very beat-driven, looping bassline which moulds over a luminous, washing synth line and very groove-ridden drum machine sequences. There’s an unashamedly pop sound on the surface, but I picked “United In The Night” to analyse because it has a slightly rougher texture and it evokes a slightly more somber feeling than a lot of the other tracks found on “Stereo”. This is due to the whimsical, fantastical element of the vocal sample which is unintelligible, but mutters phrases with “Live in your Dreams” and Japanese words, in a way that feels akin to the old game of Chinese Whispers us Brits used to play in primary school, in it’s cheeky vocal layering. There’s a syncopated guitar riff in here, with even a slight use of Jazz instrumentation in the later stages of the track. The clear EDM pop style, the funkish grooves, the vivid, if typically Anime, visual aesthetics and the eclectic sonic palette create a sound that is very enjoyable. It was a great find. Please don’t go mainstream Toyama – you are just right as you are!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Stereo” (Released via Bandcamp on April 10, 2020) (via Business Casual Records)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at a slightly older track, released in 2017, by another artist of the Chill-Wave genre that I also recently found on Bandcamp. He’s from Paris, France and he’s signed to the Z-Tapes indie label. He seems to have a much larger online following than Skule Toyama and he has a single called “Flowers” feat. Nori which has over 9.6m views on YouTube. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Yu Su – “Every Star Has It’s Own Story”

May 11, 2020 — Leave a comment

This is a track from a DJ who is astronomically blowing up! It’s time for your new post!

Pictured: Yu Su in an independent photoshoot for Beatportal.com (2020) (Photo Credit: Michaela Dutkova)

Good afternoon to you, I’m a slightly-less-energetic-than-usual Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! “Every Star Has It’s Own Story” is a hidden gem that I found out about from the Resident Advisor website. It’s an ambient electronic house track created by Yu Su, a DJ and sound engineer, who was born in Kaifeng, China but has now relocated to work in Vancouver, Canada. Yu Su is also known for being a part of the duo “You’re Me” with Canadian producer Scott Johnson Gailey. I can’t say that I’m very familiar with her work beforehand, but you can buy “Every Star Has It’s Own Story” as part of the seven-track compilation EP “Dreaming With Friends” produced by the Eating Music independent dance label and created entirely by female Asian Techno DJ’s like Cocoonics, Dodogo and Huan Huan. It was released on February 20th 2020. Let’s listen to “Every Star Has Its Own Story” below…

“Every Star Has Its Own Story” is a groove-led Heavy Techno mix of Cosmic proportions, with a spacious looping bassline interspersing with acutely layered drum notes to create an Earthly and Oriental variety of soft ambient textures. There seems to be a West African inspiration in the sound of the Conga-like steel drum beats and the subdued production style, but it also sounds contemporary and somewhat futuristic. The chorus section is led by an upbeat groove which has a consistently bubbling bassline, teasing a full-blown breakdown of Synthesized keyboard riffs and breathy guitar licks, but the dreamy vocals keep it bubbling under the surface, to create a Deep House quality. It sounds experimental in it’s design, but there seems to be a more Soulful element which gets obscured by the stop-and-start nature of the Acid House influences and the bright, luminous synth effects. Overall, it might seem to be rather quiet and subdued on a first listen, but the layers unfold on repeated listens to create a very airy and well-spaced sequence of sound effects that feel self-contained within the bassline, but still manage to evoke a hazy, warm feeling through the wide attention to detail in each of the production touches. The result is nostalgic ambience at it’s least expected, but a very melodic and sharp World sound at it’s best.

Pictured: Yu Su in a promotional photoshoot for a Triple J “Mix Up” feature (in 2019) (Photo Credit: abc.net.au)

Thank you very much for reading his post! I hope you really enjoyed it! Stay at home, don’t do anything silly and keep washing those hands! I’ll be back tomorrow, as per usual, with an in-depth look at a more well-known track from an English Indie Rock band from Chesire who are named after a type of bird and reformed following a long hiatus for a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall set up in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust last year! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime