Happening

It has been a strange time round these parts in regards to listening. Can't just stop hearing new sounds, but some backpedaling meant everything began sounding stale. I have sought and do seek the interesting.


Ricardo Villalobos - Vasco EP

Now hold on, it says "EP" up there. You say the first song's half an hour? That's an entire EP, right? Well it keeps going, as the second, third, and fourth tracks are each at least a dozen minutes long. This is not casual listening, though it must be casual listening. Villalobos is not someone I know a terrible amount about, but this EP sparks interest. It's basically some minimalist techno running circles around itself, revolving around the same backbeat the entirety of the compositions while emphasizing simplicity with various inorganic blips and snaps. Dude's from Chile and moved to Germany in youth and has been producing work all decade. I've heard the name but never checked him, though now I recommend it.

Ricardo Villalobos - Vasco EP

Animal Collective - "My Girls"

This song furthers my anticipation for the new Animal Collective record Merriweather Post Pavillion (Domino), which now comes out on vinyl Jan 12 about a week before the previous release date of Jan 20. The song exudes about as much unabashed ecstasy as the previously leaked track "Brothersport." Panda Bear's vocal, as always, sounds perfect and golden over sequences of blips and thunderous drums, falling into a trance-like danceable rhythm. Very promising.

Nico Muhly - Mothertongue



I've heard word about this gentleman, NYC-based Nico Muhly, BUT had not heard him til this week. Mistake. This record is great: ivory grandiosity to rival Sigur Rós; layers of semi-chanted vocals formulating words, but rarely sentences; whip-crack-dynamic highs and lows. The key is it's all done effortlessly, quietly pulsing and adding textures of everything - voices stuttering and mouthing phrases, harpsichords, regal horns, xylophones, tinkling keys. Do listen to this record. Then buy it.

Nico Muhly - Mothertongue

Big P.O.P.E. feat Wale - "Don't Go" (Diplo Remix)

I think this track would be in my top bangers of the year, up there with "Royal Flush," "9MM," "Robo Tussin," "3 Peat." Both verses are terrific and the chorus hits the spot. Wale wins wit this:

"I do not kiss, in fact I make em sip that Listerine margarita 'fore they arms around me."

That's from the Fear and Loathing in Hunts Vegas Paper Route Recordz mixtape out on Mad Decent which you can still download for the price of your choosing here.

Benoit Pioulard - Temper



Sort of mysterious, woodsy, foggy, drifting, dreamy pop from Michigan. Out on Kranky last October, I didn't know about it til last week when I came across it at WMUA (speaking of which: no show this week, but our time slot has changed for the Winter: SESAME STREET BANDAIDS 6PM-8PM FRIDAY NIGHTS 91.1FM/WMUA.ORG) but it's a good listen. There's a lot of tracks, 16 in total, and all the songs hum and wade into each other for the most part. The album is certainly lazy, a good lazy, glistening and folding up into itself for stretches only to bloom and extend itself again.