Artist of the.... Week - 19 April 2009

I've got to come up with a better term for that now. 

With me RARELY doing this feature on a weekly* basis, I think calling it the "Artist of the Week" is somehow dishonest.

How about: "Artist of the Current Time Period."

Or: "Wrap Your Ears Around This!"

I think I like that one...

Here we go!

Wrap Your Ears Around This Artist: JC Lemay

JC hails from Paris, France and, from the looks of his website, is a busy remix artist! I've dived into a few of his interpretations and without being... uhh... sycophantic, enjoy what I hear. 

I came in contact with JC Lemay a few weeks back on one of my twitter accounts (not my music one, but my personal one). Before I clicked on the "Follow" button I did some research and on his profile he lists a website that I decided to check out. I, of course, did and like what I found.

He seems to be a friendly chap (we've only messaged each other a few times) and I hope I can help him spread the word around about his music.

Blogger's Note: I'm basing a lot of my experience with JC's music from his Deepsound Sessions Vol #1 album which you can listen to in its entirety on his website linked above. Here are my thoughts on what I've heard:

JC starts off the album with the floor-banging trip-hop song "Spirit of the Eclipse" making the samples snake seamlessly with synchronized soundscapes seering soothing sinewaves into your brain. (Was the alliteration too much?)

He's also not afraid to bring in the guest vocalist ("Talk to Yourself") or drop some dub in your face ("Artificial Intelligence," "Powered"). Intricate guitar/strings/pianos make appearances in some of his chillers ("Analog Dream," "Can You Feel," "Compassion") to lay a framework for great listening. Throw in some tempered throbbing beats and you have a nice (to steal a word from Brandon at Properly Chilled) release waiting for you when you get home (that's one way to give an object some personification).

For me, Deepsound Sessions has become an after-work-chilldown staple.

He does have the album for sale on his website, alongside his previous releases Trip of Hope  and Urban Dream. Each album costs only 5 euros (which is about $6.52 American today (23 April 2009)). You can also follow him on twitter here.

*changed from daily to weekly

The Chilldown Period - Episode Two line-up

Since Episode Two is finally up and running, I need to give y'all the breakdown and a place to get your hands on copies of the music.

Also, I need to make a few corrections to my commentary on the podcast.

1) Monk Fly is a dealer of abstract/future beats (see his "About" section). His Downtempo Smokers 12" runs the gamut of Hip Hop, Dub and Dubstep. Since Dubstep can trace its origins to Drum-n-Bass (just one of the ancestors), and there is a subgenre of DNB called Atmospheric Drum-n-Bass (or Intelligent DNB: "Intelligent drum and bass (IDB) is the widespread term for the subgenre of drum and bass emphasising influences from lounge jazz and ambient music. The music typically has a very atmospheric or ambient quality, with washes of synthesised pads, and deep sub-bass."), I made a connection and went with it. This is more of a show note than that of a correction.

2) In describing "A Secret Search" by :papercutz, I used the term "three-part line." I meant "three-part chorus" and fumbled the phrasing. According to www.webref.org, a "three-part line" is "[a] single strand of rope or cable doubled back around two sheaves so that three parts of it pull a load together." I guess I could say that the three voices, in the spirit of it all, do help "pull the [song] together." Yes, I know, it's a stretch. With my mood right now, I'm going with it!

3) I called the Alpha Rhythm's song "Two Handed Thing" "Two Handed Thingy." On a side note, I stand by what I said of them bringing a jam band sound to downtempo/trip-hop! (That's a compliment. See: phish, Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Grateful Dead, most music that comes out of UNC-Chapel Hill)

Lemme see, I can't think of anything else right now... so let's move forward!

The Line-up:

Monk Fly
"Life's Little Dramas" (mp3)
from "Downtempo Smokers"
(The Frequency Lab)
More On This Album


Shrift
"As Far As I Can See" (mp3)
from "Lost In A Moment"
(Six Degrees Records)
More On This Album


Seed
"Psycho Sol" (mp3)
from "Groove Closet: Downtempo Bedroom Beats from Ball of Waxx"
(Ball of Waxx)
More On This Album


Nils Krogh
"Things We Do" (mp3)
from "Things We Do"
(DNM - Dealers of Nordic Music)
More On This Album


Langoth
"Scatwalk (Radio Edit)" (mp3)
from "Scatwalk"
(Sunshine Enterprises)
More On This Album


Lal Meri
"Dreams Of 18" (mp3)
from "Lal Meri"
(Six Degrees Records)
More On This Album


Odd Nosdam
"Fly Mode" (mp3)
from "T.I.M.E. Soundtrack"
(anticon)
More On This Album


:papercutz
"A secret search" (mp3)
from "Lylac"
(Apegenine recordings)
More On This Album


Analogik
"Farligt Monster" (mp3)
from "Farligt Monster"
(Auditorydesigns)
More On This Album


Aurah
"Wise Me Up" (mp3)
from "Etherea Borealis"
(Very Music)
More On This Album


DJ Kechup
"9 Inch Snailz" (mp3)
from "Instra-Mental Patients"
(Kid Without Radio)
More On This Album


The Alpha Rhythm
"Two Handed Thing" (mp3)
from "Proof of Concept"
(Earthbird Music)
More On This Album

Why, yes, I've been gone a while

To everyone out there, I've been gone a while. I've been sick the past few weeks and have been slacking a lot lately.

The feet dragging has brought now new stuff...

Until recently!

I've finally finished my latest podcast, and it is sounding good so far! I think I mispronounced a few names and invented some new terms... I do apologize sincerely! I would go back and fix it... but with the way I've been feeling. (I know... no excuse. no excuse)

I've had a few earworms of note recently (you know, those songs that get stuck in your head and you can't get them out! A lot of times they aren't your favorite song, but these are not in that vein.).

So, here they are:

Kosheen - Guilty (Plastician remix) One KILLER tune. This remix takes the always wonderful Kosheen and drops an A-bomb on you.

Orisha - Beautiful Thing More great downtempo out of Australia! I consider it pretty stripped down - simple yet stirring. 

Overseer - Meteorology Madness, I tell you! Sheer MADNESS! Another Pandora find. Dude, the melody is great! Please, take my word for it.

That's it from your derelict blogger!

P.S. You can follow me on twitter at twitter.com/ublf.