Hey everyone,
As many of you know, Daft Punk have parted ways after 28 years together.
Discovery is the first album I can remember falling in love with and re-listening to it
this week has been a much-welcomed dose of nostalgia.
From it comes what I still believe to be the most "perfect" song I've ever heard:
"Digital Love."
Like so many others have remarked this week, I'll be forever grateful for this unforgettable French duo.
Avoiding bringing us down too much, though, it's worth pointing out that
Daft Punk has been reborn for a new generation in the still-French L'Impératrice.
In fact, their
newest music video
takes heavy inspiration from the robots'
video for "Around the World."
and it makes me quite excited for the release of their forthcoming album, TAKO TSUBO.
With that, let's get into this week.
Alt Gone Soft | Turn The Light | Karen O (feat. Danger Mouse)
After my recent Metric and CHVRCHΞS binge, I found myself returning to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' classic albums.
This reminded me that Karen O had ventured out on her own, but I realized that I hadn't yet dedicated the hours
to exploring her album, Lux Prima.
With the help of Danger Mouse, she's produced and album that's deeply groovy, even catchy at times,
but which is always subdued. While Karen O's vocals for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were always spectacular,
she somehow finds a way to shine brighter while alone on these tracks, perhaps due to the the more minimalist instrumentation.
While you'll find her almost screaming on It's Blitz!, Lux let's her whisper a little more:
like she's with you in her bedroom rather than rocking a stage.
It's great to see her branch out and I am glad we get to hear both sides of her.
Rock Candy | Honolulu | Last Dinosaurs
A four-piece from Brisbane, this group of high school friends is named after a song by The Pillows, of all things.
However, they embrace the dino theme on In A Million Years,
which I think you'll agree doesn't have a bad song on it.
"Honolulu" happens to be my favorite track from the record, almost entirely due to its guitar-only intro.
The style in which it's played, the echo from each string that perfectly places you in the room, and
the way it rapidly blooms into what becomes the rest of the track is eyes-closed-smile-inducing stuff.
There's a reason this album made it to the #8 spot on the Australian Albums Chart when it debuted in 2012
and it sounds just as good today.
Poetry | Woozy With Cider | James Yorkston (feat. Jon Hopkins)
Shawn sent me this and, though it was just outside of my musical comfort zone, it hit me in my poetry place.
Best experienced while
reading along,
James Yorkston delivers a poem in his beautiful Scottish voice, softly depicting the ups and downs
of life and the uncertainty that comes existing in this world.
His cadence, complemented with Jon Hopkins' production, is my favorite feature.
That and the way in which Yorkston says so much with such small, well-crafted phrases.
The track brings up lots of thoughts and emotions for me, but I think the song speaks best for itself.
See what it says to you.
Ping Pong Gone Song | Bubbles | Yosi Horikawa
Yesterday, Doug put this track on to test out my sound system and I was blown away.
Saying he found it on a Spotify playlist for "testing the sound stage of headphones,"
I expected it to be interesting, but not this interesting.
Yosi Horikawa has somehow perfectly fit the sound of bouncing balls
into a masterpiece that would fit shockingly well in a deep house club atmosphere.
Like the previously shared KOAN Sound,
Horikawa has created perfectly melded the natural and unnatural and I hope
you enjoy the headiness.
Of course, don’t forget to reply with what you liked, didn’t like, and what you’ve been listening
to.
And, as always, this week’s tracks are added to the collectors for all weeks' tracks on
Spotify
and
Apple
Music.
Cheers,
Tanner