The Antlers new album due March 3rd

The Antlers plan to self-release their new album, Hospice. The album which has been nearly two years in the making will finally be released on March 3rd as a digital and limited CD release. We featured an interview with Pete Silberman the Antlers main man in issue 2 of Analogue just after the release of his excellent last album, In The Attic Of The Universe. Two songs from Hospice, ‘Bear’ and ‘Two’ are available to download now. I’ve had both of them on repeat since I downloaded them about an hour ago. Yes they are that good.

From Hospice:
Bear
Two

From In the Attic of The Universe:
The Universe Is Going To Catch You
On The Roof
Stairs To The Attic

Free Railcars Ep

One of my absolute favourite Eps of 2008 was Cities Vs Submarines by San Francisco band Railcars. It was recorded by Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart on his kitchen floor. If that doesn’t give you indie credentials, I don’t what does. Coming in at Ten minutes on the button, the EP is just brief insight into the musical genius of lead Railcar Aria Jalali. The first and last song stand out the most for me. The opening track ‘There is ice; it is blue’ immediately will have you bopping your head to soaring riffs complimented by crunchy keys blipping and beeping all over the shop. The final song ‘Bohemia is Without a Sea’ is an anthem, fact. If you could make out the lyrics secreted away beneath the hazy layer of Lo Fi fizz you would definitely be singing along. I hate comparisons to Arcade Fire but honestly Aria has vocals that match that of Win Butler and a lot of the tracks wouldn’t be out of place on an early Arcade Fire EP (albeit violins replaced by some home made chiptune synth that Aria had created).

As a whole, the Ep is a treat. Combining stomping catchy guitar riffs with wonderful Lo Fi self constructed synths, Railcars somehow combines 5 multi-textured experimental pop songs into a cohesive and exact EP that only leaves you wanting more. Personally I’d love to see what Aria would do if Railcars had the length of a whole album to play around.

Download the Cities Vs Submarine Zip.

(I have to tip my hat to Dan who first reviewed the Ep for Analogue making me aware of Railcars.)

Tis the Giving Season #6 - Hot Chip

To: You
From: Hot Chip

“Hot Chip have assembled a lovingly put together little present in time for Christmas involving the services of none other than the godfather of the experimental psych-prog world, Robert Wyatt and kindred musical spirits Geese. Long recognised as one of the pioneers of avant-jazz rock, from his beginnings as a member of Soft Machine and through his collaborations with Scritti Politti and Syd Barrett, Robert Wyatt brings his quietly magical touch to 3 songs personally chosen from Hot Chip’s 2008 album “Made in the Dark”. The result - as recorded at Gallery Studios earlier this year - are several mutations of songs that are as delicate and whimsical as they are adventurous and distinctive.

Meanwhile, Hot Chip’s old friends and collaborators Geese (aka Emma and Vince from The Elysian Quartet) also lent a hand, reworking the new, Robert Wyatt- assisted “We’re Looking…” while completely overhauling “One Pure Thought” from a straightahead floor shaker into something stranger, dreamier, but no less lovely. All in all, a deliciously unpredictable collaboration made in quirk-pop heaven.”

‘We’re Looking For A Lot of Love’ mp3

Tracklist of the full EP
1. Made in the Dark (with Robert Wyatt)
2. Whistle for Will (with Robert Wyatt)
3. We’re Looking for a Lot of Love (with Robert Wyatt and Geese)
4. One Pure Thought (remixed by Geese)

Tis the Giving Season #4

To: You
From: Porn On Vinyl

“Merry Christmas to all.
I hope you enjoy this.
Tracks 1 and 3 are written by me.
The rest are used without permission, but hey, it’s Christmas!

All songs recorded between December 22nd and December 23rd.
Tracks 1 and 3 written 3:47+ am on December 23rd.”

Download.

Porn On Vinyl is 17 year old Dubliner Aidan Wall, he records great lofi folk songs in his bedroom. Porn On Vinyl reminds me of both Elliott Smith and Neutral Milk Hotel. About 2 weeks ago, I invited him out to RTE to record a live session for The Analogue Hour. It went swimmingly, I haven’t heard the final mix of it yet but it sounded deadly in the studio at the time. It’s slightly less lofi than before, you can blame that on RTE’s semi analogue semi digital supercomputer sound desk. That will go out sometime mid January, I’ll post a reminder about it closer to the time.

Anyway, enjoy this free Christmas Ep and if you like what you hear download his latest full length for free, it’s called ‘I spent the night thinking with short periods of sleep interrupted by visions‘ and I highly recommend it!

Nollaig Shona!
(for the non irish speakers - Happy Christmas!)