BT – Every Other Way (buy this song)

Welcome back!  It’s been a long time since I actually updated the MSMOTD.  It was derailed initially because of the production and release of my album, and then continually postponed due to academic responsibilities. However, it is now back and will hopefully be updated regularly!

One of my first MSMOTDs was BT’s “Antikythera Mechanism”, from his award winning and brilliant glitch-symphony “This Binary Universe”.  However, as incredible as that album is, it is really just one facet of Brian Transeau’s musical taste and ability.  He began as a trance/house producer and has been continually building on that base.  TBU was a fairly radical departure, but his new album “These Hopeful Machines” (do I sense a theme?) brings everything full circle and combines the new techniques and style he employed on TBU with his older dance and ballad sensibilities.  It’s a huge double album, ranging from full-on house meant for the dance floor, to TBU-style electronica, to glitchy alternative and beyond.  I’ve been waiting 4 years for this album and while it’s not TBU part 2 (perhaps still forthcoming), I am well pleased.  So are other reviewers it seems, with wired.com giving it a 9 out of 10 and saying “If you’ve never liked electronica before, this is the release that could change your mind.”  High praise indeed.  BT is is a very prolific writer and this album is a great showcase of that talent, while remaining quite cohesive.

BT's latest album - "These Hopeful Machines" (2010)

I actually heard Every Other Way first as a remix by Armin Van Buuren (see below) on Universal Religion 4, a fantastic trance mix album released by Van Buuren in 2009.  It’s a fantastic remix, but it didn’t really prepare me for the album version.  Every Other Way (featuring vocalist “Jes”) is an ethereal, beautiful and glitchy ballad which flows between soaring melodies and glitchy breaks which dig into the centre of the earth.  Clocking in at over 11 minutes, it’s an epic journey, but one I keep taking over and over again, savouring every note from the opening chimes to the electronic wash at the end.  Nobody else writes music quite like this, and that’s one reason why I love BT so much.  This music is, in my opinion, immediately accessible and pleasant to the ear, but also pushes boundaries and experiments with sound in new ways.  What wizardry he uses to craft such raw emotion from electronic audio stuttering is beyond the ken of man (at least this man), but however he does it, it definitely pushes all my buttons.  I love the album version, but you can also find the radio edit (not as good) on youtube.

(BT feat. Jes – Every Other Way (Armin Van Buuren Remix)) (buy this song)

As one of the top house/electronica/dance producers in the world, BT’s releases are remixed over and over again, as indicated by the AVB remix of Every Other Way.  A number of other songs from “These Hopeful Machines” have also been remixed, including the first single (and one of my favourites from the album), Suddenly. Suddenly is actually the first track on the album, and is a much more upbeat and dancy tune than Every Other Way.  With BT himself on vocals, the original track is a fantastic melding of BT’s signature house sound and a harsher alterna-rock vibe, all brought together with robotic precision by BT’s production and trademark stuttering glitches (how I love thee!).  However, he’s also released the song as a single along with a bunch of other remixes, including one by the all-powerful Klayton Scott (aka Celldweller – check out the Celldweller MSMOTD)!  His version is even more glitchy than BT’s original production (if that’s possible), and adds a dirty industrial sheen to the song which really changes its character.  Great driving music, if you plan on weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds with no regard for human life.  The video is embedded below.

Lastly, I’ve included one of my other favourites from the album, the complex and brooding Le Nocturne De Lumiere. This song is for all of those who adored “This Binary Universe”.  The first half of the song features a dark and throbbing beat, surrounded by a dense cloud of dreamy, stuttering accents and melodies which really have to be experienced with good headphones.  The second half deconstructs the beat and breaks the melody open into a shimmering wash of sound which is then built back up into the main theme.  This song is the definition of “intelligent dance music”: unique, non-repetitive, experimental and interesting, but still inherently danceable, beautiful and easy to listen to.  Fortunately there are several other tracks like it on “These Hopeful Machines” for those of us who really want more of TBU.

(The Celldweller remix of Suddenly by BT) (buy this song)

BT is one of the only artists who can successfully mix crunchy house beats and breaks with vast, dreamy soundscapes which simultaneously soothe and energize.  While this album is no TBU part 2 (despite songs like The Rose of Jericho and Le Nocturne De Lumiere), it is an incredible work in its own right and is one of the best albums of the year so far.  BT’s myspace page (see below) has a number of other songs from the album, so definitely go check them out and then buy this album if you like it.

Hope people still check the page from time to time, and enjoy the new music I’ll be posting in the near future.

- Mons

More music from BT

BT – Le Nocturne De Lumiere (buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.btmusic.com/ (not much info here)

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BT_(musician)

Myspace Page (with more music): http://www.myspace.com/btnetwork

Featured Review: Curtis Silver’s 9 out of 10 review of “These Hopeful Machines” on wired.com

Support BT (and me!) by clicking these links to buy “These Hopeful Machines (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)” or “the physical cd of These Hopeful Machines” from Amazon.com! See the “buy this song” links above to get the MP3s for the individual songs I’ve included in the post.

Porcupine Tree – Lazarus (buy this song)

And through the whirling sentry drones of academic responsibility, guns blazing and engines a-fire, erupts the newest MSMOTD: the mighty Porcupine Tree!  Leaving assignments, readings and constructive musings as so much burning wreckage in its wake, it streaks into the sky and bursts into a light so dark that shadows glow and everything else is festooned with silly scarves, surpassed in silliness only by these first few sentences.  When everything you read is about cost-benefit analysis, decision curves, marginal costs, associated graphs and copious literature on why none of that matters because just look at the world today we are in big trouble ha ha Marx knew it all along, other creative ventures tend to be imbued with an additional dose of absurdity to compensate (though some might convincingly claim that said readings are similarly fraught with absurdity).

Porcupine Tree is an uncommon band in that they defy easy categorization, and yet are immediately accessible (unlike many other complex cross-genre outfits).  They occupy a unique middle-space that floats equidistant from Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Radiohead and Opeth (yes, that Opeth), taking the good from each and melding those influences into a compelling new sound.  Actually, I should be careful with the word “influences”, as Porcupine Tree has been around longer than at least 2 of those.  It began as a solo project for British songwriter Steve Wilson, and continues to mainly be The Steve Wilson Band, but now has actual consistent band members rather than merely sessional musicians who just help out on tour.  Their music is typically described as “Progressive Rock”, which immediately scares lots of listeners away with visions of capes, silly hats (or scarves) and aimless 28-minute songs.   Porcupine Tree has none of these (well, the occasional 28 minute song aside) and instead produces tight, pleasing, focused music which also just happens to shift from spacey ambience to dreamy piano-pop, folk rock, alternative and occasionally on to thrashy metal ala Tool, Opeth or Dream Theater.  Steve Wilson himself really dislikes the term “Progressive”, and though the band has often been called “the new Pink Floyd”, he would prefer they be called “the old Porcupine Tree”, haha.  Above the always tasteful and meticulously produced musical arrangements floats Steve Wilson’s voice -> soft, dreamy, vulnerable and yet passionate, evocative and powerful at the same time.  They’ve released nine studio albums, with a tenth due next week.  Their latest, 2007′s “Fear of a Blank Planet” was nominated for the grammy for Best Surround Sound Album, which I didn’t even know was a grammy category!  Really, BT’s “This Binary Universe” should just win that award every year until further notice.

I actually discovered Porcupine Tree through Wilson’s collaborations with Opeth.  He helped produce their seminal album “Blackwater Park”, along with “Damnation” and “Deliverance”.  He also provided backing vocals, guitars and keyboards to those albums.  Mikael Akerfeldt, Opeth’s lead, has also contributed to various Porcupine Tree recordings.  As a result of this cross pollination, so to speak, Opeth’s music has gotten smoother and richer, while Porcupine Tree’s has gotten heavier.  Anyways, I’ve tried to represent the breadth of Porcupine Tree’s music here, so if you don’t dig the MSMOTD, try one of the other tunes!  In fact, here’s a guide:  If you’re a huge Coldplay fan, go directly to Collapse Light Into Earth at the bottom.  If you’re into Radiohead or the Beach Boys (haha), then check out Heartattack In A Layby, also at the bottom of the post.  Pink Floyd fans should watch the live video performance of Arriving Somewhere But Not Here, as should fans of Tool/Opeth as it showcases their metal chops alongside the dreamy Floydian sonicscapes and melodies.

Here are the PT guys in... a camouflaged bunker? A tree-walled cafe? Steve Wilson is the long haired gent, second from the right.

Porcupine Tree purists will probably kill me for choosing Lazarus, from 2005′s “Deadwing”, as the MSMOTD, but I don’t care!  It may not be the most representative, but it is a gorgeous song – one of my favourites – and did fairly well as a radio single!  I think I even heard it once or twice on a local station, which was quite shocking.  I think many die-hard fans don’t like this song, as it’s a bit more bland than their regular outings, but I absolutely love the vocal melody, the cascading piano lines and especially especially the slide/steel guitar.  I have a completely irrational love for that sort of guitar performance, and since I don’t listen to country, I don’t get my fix nearly often enough.  I drive around and sing along with this song at the top of my lungs (though in a restrained, delicate manner, just like Steve of course).  My favourite part is probably as the melody swells up mid-song at 2:35 just before the crest, when the vocals take a break and are replaced by a sparkling dulcimer (?) melody that fills in the melodic/rhythmic gaps between the other instruments just perfectly.  Steve Wilson’s vocal harmonies on this track really take it to another level of greatness as well.  Definitely an amazing song!

(Porcupine Tree performing Arriving Somewhere But Not Here, from 2005′s “Deadwing”)

Arriving Somewhere But Not Here is a fantastic example of Porcupine Tree’s breadth of style.  The video also showcases their phenomenal live performances.  This is beautiful music, played by a band with unusual talent and musicality.  It’s trippy, cerebral and intense, but lovely and entrancing nonetheless.  This recalls their earlier, more experimental work, but with Wilson’s more recent growth as a songwriter keeping past excesses in check.  Sort of the counterpoint on “Deadwing” to the brief and meticulously crafted Lazarus.

Collapse The Light Into Earth from “In Absentia” (2002) is a heartbreakingly beautiful piano ballad reminiscent of bands like Coldplay, Automatic-era REM and Keane.  It’s simple, but lushly arranged, with an organ and strings swelling up as the song builds.  Wilson’s vocals are showcased here at their most delicate and vulnerable.  Few vocalists have the ability to convey emotion as well as he, and if you have a tendency to tear up when listening to music, you might want to keep tissues handy for this one!  Writing music that’s beautiful while remaining simple and elegant is probably harder than writing complicated music with a million parts and layers, but Wilson and crew do both with aplomb.  Interesting how powerful and emotional just a few chords and a simple melody can be.  I’ll have to remember to KISS next time I’m recording.  The climax of this song is a great example of musical catharsis.  I was very close to choosing this as MSMOTD.

The final song below is Heartattack In A Layby, from “In Absentia”.  It’s a more brooding, yearning tune with very sparse instrumentation and heavy vocal layering.  The complex vocal harmonies during the last half are heart-wrenchingly beautiful.  A lot of reviews compare this song to either Radiohead (due to the feel/instrumentation) or the Beach Boys (for the vocal harmonies).  An interesting pairing to be sure.  I love how the song sort of drifts along, like a boat bobbing aimlessly along on an ocean of dreams – the man in the moon hanging silver above, singing lamentations and plucking a diamond harp.  Midway through the dream, the stars begin to float down, their fading cries harmonizing softly with the moon as they crash into the waves all around.  The moon fades at last and all is darkness.  Listen for the waves at the end of the song.

These guys have such a huge catalogue of diverse material that I really haven’t even begun to adequately represent their (his) contribution to music.  The songs I’ve posted are ballad-heavy and only from two of 9 (soon 10) albums and countless EPs etc.  Earlier work like “Stupid Dream”, “Signify” and “Lightbulb Sun” is just as amazing, as is their most recent, and hopefully the new one – “The Incident” – as well!  I’d love to know what you guys think of Porcupine Tree.  Let me know through the comments!

- Mons

More music from Porcupine Tree

Porcupine Tree – Collapse The Light Into Earth (buy this song)

Porcupine Tree – Heartattack In A Layby (buy this song)

Also recommended: Blackest Eyes, Baby Dream In Cellophane, Even Less, Trains, Sentimental, Deadwing, Shesmovedon, The Sky Moves Sideways

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.porcupinetree.com/

Myspace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/porcupinetree

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_Tree

Featured Review: DPRP’s review of “Fear Of A Blank Planet” (They have a huge library of reviews, including every PT album/single, most of which are DPRP-Recommended, so go check them out as well.)

Support Porcupine Tree (and me!) by buying their albums through Amazon.com.  I highly recommend In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear of a Blank Planet, and Stupid Dream. The individual mp3s can also be purchased (see links in the article above).

Modeselektor – The Dark Side Of The Sun (buy this song)

I think you can really tell a lot about a musician’s personality through their music.  Whether they were smiling as they recorded (Aqua definitely smiles), scowling with righteous outrage (Rage Against The Machine) or perhaps afflicted with nearly overwhelming ennui (Those unfortunate saps who are employed in mixing mallcore albums).  I picture the Modeselektor guys as having an intensely devilish grin fixed on their faces from the moment they enter the studio until the minute the album is finally mastered.  They, Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary of Germany, have an incredible amount of geeky, techy fun creating this music, and it shines through in the crazy glitchy editing, balls-out beats and quirky melodies.

Modeselektor is pretty hard to pin down, genre-wise.  They’ve been called everything from glitch-hop (you take that back!!) and IDM, to “bassbin-blowing techno hop dubstep core”, whatever that means.  The name doesn’t really matter though, as you bop along to their twitchy, stuttering, intricately detailed and dancy music.  They’ve released two albums so far, “Hello Mom!” in 2005, and “Happy Birthday!” in 2007, with a collaboration with Apparat released this spring as “Moderat”.

It's often hard to find good or interesting photos of artists. I gave up on Amorphis. But these guys have so many, hahaha.

Ok, here’s where I gush about how much I love The Dark Side Of The Sun.  Besides the very silly name (because obviously all sides of the sun, in general, emit equal levels of solar radiation), this song is silly in a number of other ways.  First of all, it’s a collaboration with the Puppetmastaz, a puppet-based german rap group who are very very silly.  Secondly, it’s silly because how is this song not a huge club hit??? This song is a brilliant and incredibly catchy mix of sexy synth beats and intricately edited vocals.  It is that glitchy vocal editing which impresses me the most actually.  Somehow, they manage to take what would otherwise be a good rap and dial it up to 11 through clever digital repetition, rhythmically strategic stutters and all sorts of sonic tricks.  It renders the lyrics largely unintelligible, but in exchange morphs the lyrics into the driving rhythmic force, intertwining and often overshadowing the bass line in a sort of twisty-turny power struggle.  The vocal editing dominates the rhythm during the verses, while the more traditional bassline takes over for the chorus.  The result is a hugely danceable monster of a tune.  If you played this in a dance club, the place would explode, though I’m not sure this has ever hit a dancefloor outside of Europe.  Here’s hoping stuff like this takes off, as one can only take so much Katy Perry and Soulja Boy before never wanting to dance again.

(Not my favourite of their songs, but I love the video!  This is Black Block from “Happy Birthday!”) (buy this song)

Let Your Love Grow (from “Happy Birthday!”) is a light, pulsing dub-reggae tune featuring vocalist Paul St. Hillaire (who’s also worked closely with Kruder & Dorfmeister).  Past the slightly silly intro, it grows into a really sweet groove that’s a nice chilled-out change from the stuttering intensity of the MSMOTD.  I love the squishy synths and the cool dub back beat.  I have no idea what on earth he’s talking about, but the sing-song reggae vocals are smooth and dreamy.  A great driving tune.

The second song below is named Kill Bill Vol. 4 for reasons unbeknownst to myself.  As with most Modeselektor songs, it’s rather odd.  The first minute of the song is just what sounds like they recorded 45 seconds of a factory worker with a serious speech impediment giving a rambling movie review.  Stick with it though, as at the 1:05 mark, the song kicks into gear with a gut-punching electro beat straight out of Mr. Oizo’s craziest wet dreams.  This one has no vocals and little in the way of Modeselektor’s signature glitchiness.  What it does have is a killer beat that will either move your feet or pound you into the ground.  Somehow, this music sounds so very very German.  Perhaps it is the perfectly rhythmic, almost robotic nature of the song, or the insistant, unrepentant, unrelenting repetition of the detuned synth melody.  Whereas the other songs I posted are fun and light in nature, this one is almost industrial in nature.  I can imagine people dancing to this in german clubs with VERY SERIOUS DANCING FACES.  No smiling allowed.  Still, I can smile while I listen to it, imagining serious german kids dancing seriously to this serious dance music.

As you can see, Modeselektor shows are SERIOUS BUSINESS. Smile during Kill Bill Vol. 4 and you get sprayed! Notice how none of those sprayed are smiling anymore.

As with much of the music I post here, I wouldn’t even know about these guys if it weren’t for wonderful friends who constantly recommend cool music to me (Thanks Nikki!).  The rest of the songs on their two albums are all really great, and both albums are worth checking out.  Let me know what you think of these guys in the comments!

- Mons

More music from Modeselektor

Modeselektor – Let Your Love Grow (buy this song)

Modeselektor – Kill Bill Vol. 4 (buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.modeselektor.de/

Myspace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/mdslktr

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modeselektor

Featured Review: The Pitchfork review of “Happy Birthday!”

Support Modeselektor (and me!) by buying “Happy Birthday!” or “Hello Mom!” from Amazon.com (you can get the physical or mp3 albums there).

Amorphis – Towards And Against (buy this song)

There is so much good music coming out of Finland these days, especially in terms of melodic metal.  Bands like Nightwish, Stratovarius, HIM, Apocalyptica (rock/metal done by electric cello!), Children of Bodom, Turisas, Sonata Arctica etc etc.  It’s not limited to metal, as Finland also spawned ultra-famous electronica outfits like Darude and Oceanlab.  Finnish metal masters Amorphis are among the premiere musical exports of Finland, and should need no introduction, but alas, they are relatively unknown in North America.  Their music has shifted over time, and is now a smooth blend of ultra-melodic rock, folksy acoustic guitars and heavier metal sensibilities.  They’re pretty accessible, with killer melodies/hooks and only a light sprinkling of the growled vocals that non-metal listeners love to hate.

Amorphis has been around for nearly 20 years, and is notable because their lyrics are often very poetic.  Their last 3 albums, including the latest release – “Skyforger”, are a conceptual trilogy featuring lyrics based on the Kalevala, which is considered Finland’s national epic (poem), much like the Aeneid for Ancient Rome, Beowulf for England, or Green Eggs and Ham for the United States.  There’s such a large body of work here (10+ albums) that I’m just going to focus on their most recent material, though their albums from the late 90s (such as “Tuonela” and “Elegy”) are also fantastic.

Trees and Fire are popular subjects for metal album cover art, especially Fire AND Trees. At least there aren't any dragons. This is the cover of their latest album - "Skyforger"

I’ve been rocking out to Towards And Against for two years now, ever since the 2007 release of “Silent Waters”.  The mix of deep synth pulses and echoing killer guitar riffs right at the beginning (and throughout) really does it for me, as does the slightly exotic clean vocal melody that follows.  The song is ultra melodic, even during the passages which feature growled vocals, and hard to resist headbanging uncontrollably during the riff that follows at 1:13 ->  “How to break!!”  *headbanging*.  The final refrain, from which the song gets its name, is especially awesome because they combine the clean and growled vocals:  Because of treason I now shall leave/because of my blood burning my soul/and now I raise this flaming sword/towards darkness, against everyone.  The whole song sounds like it’s echoing across a mountain range, swirling through the Finnish dusk.  I use the opening synth/guitar riff as a ringtone on my cell, haha.  Works great because I get to rock out every time that friend calls.

(Silent Waters, the title track from their 2007 album.  I wanted to post the video for Silver Bride from “Skyforger”, but the youtube/vimeo versions were crap.) (buy this song)

For those of you who aren’t into the heavier/progressive sound of the MSMOTD, I’ve posted another song below which you might enjoy more.  Enigma is also from “Silent Waters”, but is purely acoustic with clean vocals.  It’s a gorgeous song which, in hilariously Finnish fashion, is about one man’s quest to capture the Devil’s moose (!?).  The devil apparently had both a prized moose and a golden stallion, not to mention a bird who resided in the (one and only) stream of death.  I think I need to read the Kalevala.

The second song below is Sky Is Mine, from the most recent album – 2009′s “Skyforger”.  It is a lighter, but still fairly aggressive, rocker with a really catchy chorus and memorable echoing guitar riff.  The purely clean vocals are great, and the song conjures up a lot of atmosphere.  It’s dreamy and fuzzy, like a memory from the distant past.  There’s even a synth solo!  Great stuff.

Let me know what you think of Amorphis!  I’ve been listening to them for a long time.  Their consistantly catchy music is a lot of fun, so I hope you dig them too.  Leave a comment with your thoughts!

- Mons

More music from Amorphis

Amorphis – Enigma (buy this song)

Amorphis – Sky Is Mine (buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.amorphis.net/

Myspace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/amorphis

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorphis

Featured Review: Alex’s review of “Skyforger” for The Metal Observer

Support Amorphis (and me!) by purchasing “Silent Waters” and “Skyforger“, both of which are incredible albums.

Swollen Members – Blackout (buy this song)

I don’t think I’ve really posted any Rap/Hippity-Hop yet, so here we go!  I’ve been a fan of Swollen Members for a while now (hyuk hyuk, we’ll get the penis jokes out of the way right off the bat).  They’re an “underground” west coast rap duo from Vancouver, Canada.  Rappers Prevail and Mad Child, along with regular collaborators Moka Only (he sings) and Rob The Viking (he produces – writes the beats).  They’re pretty huge for a Canadian rap outfit, and are definitely Canada’s biggest hip-hop export.  Each one of their 4 albums has won best rap album of the year at the Canadian Juno awards, and they’ve collaborated with musical luminaries such as Chali 2Na (of Jurassic 5), Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Nelly Furtado, Everlast, Talib Kweli and Ghostfaced Killah.  Mad Child (the white dude) was even inducted into the Rock Steady Crew, which is apparently a big honour (?).

What really makes them unique (the Rough Guide to Hip-Hop calls them 2 of the most innovative people in hip-hop), are their dark/brooding orchestral musical arrangements and their penchant for inserting mythological and what reviewers mistakenly believe to be AD&D references into their songs.  Now, they do occasionally say the words “dragon”, “insane sorcerer” and “battle axe”, but that’s because “Battle Axe” is their label!  They even mention rapping about D&D in a few songs, but until they sing about adamantine bastard swords of +3 vs. undead, I don’t buy it.  They do however enjoy all things mythological and even fantasy-oriented, as I mentioned, working those references into more standard lyrics about how tough they are and how you’d better not cross them and so forth.  They act hard, but they’re probably pretty harmless in real life (I mean, they’re from Vancouver of all places).  Pleasantly absent are lyrics about money and women and cars and mansions and so forth.  It’s a nice change.

Update: Maybe not as harmless as I had thought!  Apparently they have connections with the Hells Angels, who have been featured in several videos (perhaps the ones below?).

Mad Child, Prevail and who I can only imagine is Rob The Viking looking as 'hood as they possibly can.

Blackout is the first track from their latest album, 2006′s “Black Magic”.  It’s really short, at only ~1:45 minutes long, but I think it’s a good intro to the group and the groove is catchy and representative.  A deep beat with ominous stabs of choir and strings.  The first half is Prevail rapping, with Mad Child taking the lyrical torch for the second verse.  I really like their voices, and think the combination of Prev’s smoother baritone with Mad Child’s more nasally slurred delivery is effective and compelling.  Lyrically, it’s not the most interesting track, but that’s why I’ve posted some other tracks below.  Check them out!

(Lady Venom is actually my favourite Swollen Members track. It’s from their debut album, 1999′s “Balance” and has great lyrics and a super catchy beat!) (buy this song)

I want to highlight a few other songs as well, as they move from straight up rap to smoother hip-hop songs with sung vocals by Nelly Furtado (see the video below) and long time collaborator Moka Only.  The first track below – Dark Riders – is a great lyrical showcase, much like Lady Venom in the video above.  It’s from “Bad Dreams”, their second album and is one of my favourites.  I love the creepy little tune that plays behind the vocals, setting the mood for lyrics such as:

Sea-Salt, Eye of Newt, Horn of Bison
I’ve sworn allegiance to the league of striking lightning
We fall when we choose and confuse you with patterns
The legend of the two who induced you like Dragons
We strike like swooping Gargoyles of Saint Catherine

Or from Lady Venom:

On the plane in which you reign, it’s classified as “Do or die”
But in the realm in which we dwell, its “Puncture necks and multiply”
Imagine the madness, the return of the Jew from Nazareth
The hunter and the hunted, the colonizing and savages
The only challenge is, did they bring enough to dirt to bury us?
Be aware, I hunt with the gods as a cerberus

The second track I’ve posted below, Take It Back, also from “Bad Dreams” is one of the tracks where they actually start out by saying “we don’t always have to talk about Dungeons & Dragons”.  It’s also a bit of a funkier track, featuring famed producer DJ Revolution.  The disco/funk beat and hits sounds really great, and give the song a lot of life, lifting it out of the darkness which surrounds some of their other tracks.  Also below is the video for Breath, which was a big radio hit in Canada a few years back.  It features Nelly Furtado and Moka Only on vocals along with the dynamic duo, and the video is actually directed by Todd McFarlane, of Spawn fame.

(Swollen Member’s Breath, from 2002′s “Monsters in the Closet”, featuring Nelly Furtado and directed by Todd McFarlane) (buy this song)

I’ve called these guys the Bal-Sagoth of hip-hop, except that they’re really really popular (Bal-Sagoth not so much).  They write interesting, intelligent lyrics and have some great beats/songs.  As a Canadian, I enjoy featuring Canadian music on my site (though in the end it’s all about the music itself, not the nationality).  Let me know what you think of Swollen Members in the comments!

More music from Swollen Members

Swollen Members – Dark Riders (Ft. Buc Fifty) (buy this song)

Swollen Members – Take It Back (Ft. DJ Revolution) (buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.swollenmembers.com/

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swollen_Members

Myspace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/swollenmembers

Featured Review: Review of “Black Magic” on Herohill.com

Support Swollen Members (and me!) by buying their albums “Black Magic”, “Bad Dreams” and “Balance” (their 3 best albums, imo) from Amazon.com!  You can also get the individual tracks as DRM-free MP3s via the links above.

Imogen Heap – 2-1 (buy this song)

Imogen Heap, an English singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from London, has a really distinctive sound and an even more distinctive name.  I had assumed it was some artsy-fartsy assumed name for her musical endeavours (sort of like how Celldweller’s “Klayton” was actually born Scott Albert), but not so!  Imogen is a apparently a legit name created, accidentally, by a publisher reprinting Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline”.  Shakespeare used the name “Innogen” for a character, which means “maiden” in Gaelic.  The publisher thought it was something similar to “imo gens”, a latin phrase meaning last-born, and so misprinted it as “Imogen”.  Artsy fartsy parents have been naming their children Imogen ever since.  Apparently several actresses have shared the name, using it on an alternating schedule so that they all got a chance.

So enough about her name, this post exists because of her music!  Her quirky, lovely, nifty, serene music.  She’s like Sarah McLachlan’s quirky music-nerd little sister, having taught herself sequencing and production on old Atari machines back in the day.  She plays various instruments including piano, cello, clarinet, guitar, drums and array mbira.  She’s also been writing songs since she was a teen, though has only in the last 10 years gained any real popularity, thanks in part to side-project Frou Frou and the OC’s use of Hide and Seek (see video below).  She makes extensive use of synths and vocal layering, which culminates in fantastic live sets where she layers her own voice live, doing the various harmony parts, one at a time, then singing over top.  She’s a real talent and writes compelling music.  She’s also pretty cute!

Imogen in her natural state. Actually, strike that. Her natural state is wearing crazy plumage while sitting in a music studio, but I like this picture better.

Imogen has just released her 3rd studio album, “Ellipse”, a follow up to 2005′s “Speak For Yourself”.  I’ve only listened to it a few times, but already I am in love with a number of tracks.  At the moment, my absolute favourite is the MSMOTD, 2-1.  Her lyrics are always a bit weird, but her music is just sublime.  2-1 starts out slow and quirky (notice how I’ve used that adjective several times already?), with muted synths and piano swirling beneath her clear and slightly raspy vocals.  Gradually, ever so gently, the song builds through the versus and choruses until a group of strings swoop in, bringing with them a compliment of shimmering and pulsating synth hits and extra layers of vocal harmony.  All of this simmers and boils, with exotic wind instruments letting off the melodic steam as the melody struts along to the slighty unsettling end.  It has a mysterious and exotic air, which I adore.    The little touches here and there really make this song stand out to my ear.

(Imogen Heap giving a live performance of Hide and Seek, her most famous song, from 2005′s “Speak For Yourself”.)

Hide and Seek actually would have been the MSMOTD, except everyone’s already heard it and the new album deserves exposure.  Still, if you haven’t heard it, do check out the video above.  It’s a brilliant song.  Minimalist, but gorgeous, and displaying her prodigious vocal talent.  The two songs I’ve posted below are similarly wonderful.  The first is Headlock, from her second album, “Speak for Yourself”.  A light little melody floats along until becoming suddenly grounded with crunchy synths and a catchy beat.  It’s a great driving tune and one of my favourites.

Aha!, a shorter tune from her new album (“Ellipse”) is a bit of a divergence for her.  In keeping with her slightly bizarre musical style and quirky taste, it is a frantic little tune that could be straight out of a Tim Burton animated film.  It’s manic and fast, twitchily twisting and turning like an undead claymation snake.  She’s la-la-laing one minute, speaking in a half whisper another, before suddenly throwing her voice into the stratosphere like an opera soprano.  Great little song.

Imogen Heap is a great artist whose work (other than Hide and Seek) deserves more exposure!  Hope you like her stuff as much as I do.  Also, if you ever meet her, tell her to come perform in Winnipeg!  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

- Mons

More music from Imogen Heap

Imogen Heap – Headlock (buy this song)

Imogen Heap – Aha! (buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.imogenheap.com/

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imogen_Heap

Myspace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/imogenheap

Featured Review: Allmusic’s review of “Ellipse”

Support Imogen Heap (and me!) by buying her albums: “Ellipse” and “Speak for Yourself”. You can also get the featured songs in mp3 format above along with “Hide And Seek”.

Amethystium – Treasure (buy the album, “Isabliss”)

Amethystium is the solo project of Norwegian composer Øystein Ramfjord.  Besides having the most Norwegian name in all of Norway, he writes gorgeous atmospheric chilled-out/ambient electronica/worldbeat music ala Enigma, Delerium and Deep Forest.  He’s usually labeled as “New Age”, but I really have no idea what that even means (does anyone?), so I’ll avoid it.  Anyways, He’s released 4 albums so far, all of which, I was surprised to discover, have apparently debuted fairly high on the US billboard charts!  Primarily instrumental, his music is more about moods and describing environments through sound than about telling a story.  Some songs are expansively beautiful, others more claustrophobic and eerie.  It’s great music for studying, working or traveling.  You won’t be rocking out to this at the club, or playing it on the next release of Rock Band, but when you just want to relax, focus or unwind, this is great stuff.

The slightly eerie cover of the latest Amethystium album, 2008's "Isabliss".

Treasure is from the most recent (2008) Amethystium album – “Isabliss”.  The Garden of Sakuntala had long been my favourite, go-to Amethystium song, but this immediately changed after listening to the first minute of Treasure.  The beginning starts out normally enough for an Amethystium song, with a catchy beat underneath a floating/bubbling synth groove.  However, things get really special at 0:40 when, lo and behold, a gorgeous female vocalist joins in with a delicately realized vocal melody and actual lyrics!  The vocal harmony at 2:10 is one of my favourite Amethystium Moments ™, though my favourite part of the song comes at 4:20 when the violin (?) takes over the lead melody.  It’s such a soulful song, and a good representation of the sheer beauty of Amethystium’s music.  Mr. Ramfjord has tapped into some special and arcane wellspring of inspiration, and we are fortunate to share in his discovery!

(Amethystium doesn’t have any official videos, so here’s Anthemoessa from “Isabliss” along with some unrelated artwork FROM SPACE.)

Garden of Sakuntala, from 2003′s “Aphelion”, was my favourite Amethystium track for many years, and probably got more play time than most of the rest of my music collection.  It’s just the perfect mix of melody, soothing ambiance and driving beat, tinged with an exotic bite which keeps it from fading completely into the background.  This song reminds me of math problems, my city at night, French train cars and dragonflies (because there is one on the cover of the album).  Apparently the first three albums (“Aphelion” is #2, between “Odonata” and “Evermind”) are the “Dragonfly Trilogy” though I’ll be damned if I can figure out what dragonflies have to do with anything other than the cover art.  Fantastic song!

The last song I’ll post is Withdrawal, a rather different song from the others above.  It’s much more chilly, without the upbeat synths and drum loops.  It starts off with a trembling note, shimmering and shivering in anticipation, like a cry in the night, foretelling what is to come.  The piano melody which follows is decidedly mournful, and it becomes even more oso when, at 1:45, the erhu joins in.  YES, AN ERHU!  This single ~40 second clip of music, along with similar stuff like the violin in the MSMOTD has influenced my own music more than I can know.  You can hear its influence whenever I write a mournful strings melody like the one in Silhouettes.  This song is also one of the pieces which drive my desire to learn to play the erhu (a 2-stringed chinese violin), so that I may include its mournful, soulful voice in my own songs.

Amethystium’s albums are quite special in that there are no weak tracks.  I’ve highlighted a few here, but if you like what you hear, then you’ll love everything on the rest of the albums.  I hope you search out the rest of his fantastic music, as its given me a lot of enjoyment over the years.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

- Mons

More music from Amethystium

Amethystium – Garden Of Sakuntala (buy the album, “Aphelion”)

Amethystium – Withdrawal (buy the album, “Aphelion”)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.amethystium.com/

Myspace Page: http://www.myspace.com/amethystium (more songs to check out here!)

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amethystium

Featured Review: Review of “Isabliss” on Buzinky Blog

Support Amethystium (and me!) by clicking these links and buying their music on Amazon.com.  Besides “Aphelion” and “Isabliss”, you can also buy “Odonata” and “Evermind”, both excellent. Unfortunately, individual mp3 tracks are not available for Amethystium on Amazon.

Gypsy and The Cat – Jona Vark (download this song)

I have a real soft spot for 80′s pop.  Hall & Oates, Toto, The Outfield etc etc are all wonderful, with simple, catchy melodies, bright instrumentation and pleasing vocal harmonies.  They make great summer driving music, and so I was really excited to discover Gypsy and The Cat, a duo in the same musical vein from Melbourne, Australia.  These guys (Xavier Bacash & Lionel Towers) haven’t been signed to a label yet, and haven’t even released their debut, but seem to be making a splash already.  Their sound is a bit retro, recalling the aforementioned 80s pop bands, as well as more recent groups like Oasis, Empire of the Sun and The Servant, with a touch of Simon and Garfunkel.   I dub it electro-dream-pop!  This is the sort of stuff you want playing as you drive to the beach, windows down, smiling friends filling the seats around you, fluffy clouds speckling the deep blue sky above.

I wonder which one is gypsy and which is the cat? Maybe the one on the left is "gypsy"? Neither look particularly feline or roma (romish?). Too bad about those pants.

They’ve released 3 songs so far from their upcoming debut, and I couldn’t for the love of me decide which to post.  They’re all great for different reasons, and asking 3 different people resulted in 3 different opinions.  So, we’ll do Jona Vark as the MSMOTD, though really you can pick one at random as your first listen.  Like me, your favourite of the three will likely change with your mood.

Jona Vark is a lovely little tune with the sweetest chorus I’ve heard in a while.  “Jooooona, Jona Vark! (doo doo dee, doo doo dee)  Her name is Jooooona-ha,  Jona Vark!”  It will be sweet vindication if it’s stuck in your head for half as long as it was in mine!  I love the dreamy, shimmering production.  It makes the song seem like it’s filtering in from some far away place, blown in by a light, fresh breeze off the sea.  Maybe by following the music, we can find the source -> a carefree place permeated by light, music and wistful romance.

Well in this picture they're reversed so I really have no idea which one is gypsy or the cat. Cats are stereotypically poised and stylish, so the dude with the unfortunate pants must be "gypsy".

‘Til Tomorrow is a super catchy song with vocals that distinctly remind me of Oasis’ slightly whiny/nasal style.  The lyrics have a cute, innocent quality and the vocal delivery really fits.  The chorus is nice, but I think I like the verse melody even more.  My favourite part of the song is the bridge at 2:25.  Starts out with light acoustic strumming, later joined by diving synth line which really enhances the whimsical feeling that underlies their sound.

The third song I’ve posted is The Piper’s Song, a more complex song which really reminds me of Toto for some reason.  It really evokes some strong imagery for me… with the strong bass giving a feeling of movement through the big open spaces framed by the soaring vocals and sparkling guitars/synths.  The vocal breakdown at 2:10 is gorgeous and I keep playing it on repeat with a big grin on my face.

Messrs. Gypsy and Cat seem to be encouraging people to download these tracks, so I’ve made them available (they’re also available on various other blogs, from which I myself obtained the tracks).  They’re only 128kbit, so make sure you buy the high quality versions when the album is released.  It’s not out yet, but when it is I’ll certainly be making a post about it with information on how to purchase it!

I discovered these guys through a friend just recently.  I love it when people recommend music to me (and I particularly love it when I find I enjoy the music as much as this!).  Don’t hesitate to leave recommendations for other bands/songs in the comments.  Both I and the other readers would no doubt very much appreciate it.

Leave a comment!

- Mons

More music from Gypsy and The Cat

Gypsy and The Cat – ‘Til Tomorrow (download this song)

Gypsy and The Cat – The Piper’s Song (download this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.myspace.com/gypsyandthecat

Wikipedia Link: Surprisingly, there doesn’t seem to be one!

Support Gypsy and The Cat by spreading the word about their music, and keeping an eye out for the release of their debut album!  I’ll post about it on the blog when I discover it’s available.  None of their music seems to be available for sale just yet, unfortunately.

Dream Theater – The Count of Tuscany (buy “Black Clouds & Silver Linings”)

Dream Theater.  DREAM THEATER!  I am so excited to finally write about what is probably my favourite band.   There’s no way I can cover everything or even adequately begin to present their music, so consider this just a brief intro!  These guys have been a central part of my musical life for over a decade, though they’ve been playing for 20 years now and have just released their 10th studio album.  They are at their core a progressive rock quintet, with each of the members being a world-class musician.  John Petrucci is widely considered one of the greatest living rock guitarists (regularly touring with Steve Vai and Joe Satriani), Portnoy on drums has a huge following (and is one of the friendliest guys in the biz), Jordan Rudess was a crazy child piano prodigy who went to Juilliard School of Music at age 9, and John “The Mysterious” Myung is an enigma who practices bass 6 hours a day and “cools down” after concerts (as opposed to “warming up” before).  All conduct workshops and release best-selling instructional videos.

This concentration of raw talent has led Dream Theater to produce an incredible variety of amazing music, drawing from sources such as Yes, Metallica, U2 and Pink Floyd, as well as more modern groups like Tool, Radiohead and Muse.  They’ve also inspired in turn literally hundreds of other bands and have created a large and devoted fanbase, all without any real radio or television support.  Their music soars, grinds, floats, pounds, swirls, surrounds…  One of the few bands who can evoke the breadth of emotion all in a single song – brightly uplifting one minute, then oppressively dark the next.  Their music is not for people who need songs to be in digestible 4-minute bites.  Their latest album – “Dark Clouds And Silver Linings” has 6 songs, 4 of which are over 12 minutes long.  The MSMOTD is actually the longest of the bunch, clocking in at over 19 minutes.  This extra time allows Dream Theater to fully explore their ideas/melodies and really expand their musical wings without worrying about fitting into the verse-chorus-bridge archetype (though many of their songs do follow that pattern).  Of course, all of this is meaningless if the music itself isn’t any good. Fortunately Dream Theater produces incredible music, using their skill to weave intricate, powerful and memorable melodies around interesting lyrics and the prerequisite solo sections.  Some accuse Dream Theater of musical wankery, and there’s certainly an element of that in some songs (I blame Jordan Rudess), but it’s rare and the songs I’ve chosen display, imo, their more focused songwriting skills.

Portnoy, Petrucci, Rudess, LaBrie and Myung. Rudess has been the only addition since 1990. I dig Portnoy's Dethklok t-shirt. They look a little scary, but really they're a bunch of softies! Except Myung. He will ruin you! He even tackled LaBrie on stage one time!

Hooo boy.  It was both easy and incredibly difficult to choose the MSMOTD for Dream Theater.  The Count of Tuscany is one of my favourite songs, definitely the best off their latest album (2009′s “Black Clouds And Silver Linings”), but at 19+ minutes long, it’s not their most accessible song.  However, I don’t care!  I hope you all take the time to listen to it in its entirety, because it’s an absolutely incredible piece of music.  It’s divided into 4 distinct sections, with an instrumental intro which immediately brightens up the room (I use it as my alarm clock).  The interplay between guitar melodies is simple breathtaking.  It’s perfect, and nearly drives me to tears whenever I hear it.  The next section is a good example of Dream Theater’s heavier side, with a more frantic melody and rhythm driving lyrics about Petrucci’s very real experience with an actual Count he met in Tuscany whilst on tour one year.  Apparently it was a rather unsettling experience.  LaBrie’s vocals are stellar here.  In fact, he’s been getting better and better with each album and is no longer the weak link some used to consider him.

The 3rd section comes about 10 minutes in, with the frantic story telling giving way to a gorgeous spacey interlude, with soaring guitar harmonics, peaceful chimes and a gentle melody.  Again, perfect and beautiful.   The final section, at ~14:30 begins with a strummed acoustic and gentle vocals, building to a symphonic crescendo to properly end off their newest epic masterpiece.  I love this song so much.  So much.  It encompasses all that I love about music.  Energy, peace, wonder, beauty, sadness, virtuosity, simplicity…  I really lack the words to properly describe my passion for this band.  I hope you can catch a glimpse for yourself through their music!

(Dream Theater’s Forsaken from their 2007 album “Systematic Chaos”.  Make sure you watch in HQ!)

There were so many songs I wanted to post here, but since I’m seeing Dream Theater in concert tonight (!!!!!), I’ll select from the songs on their expected set list.  Forsaken (see the video above) is one of their more accessible songs and has a killer guitar riff throughout.  One of the rare DT songs to get an official video too, so it’s a treat.  The first song I’ve posted below – Hollow Years – is a very mellow, melodic song for those who didn’t dig the epicness of The Count of Tuscany. It features Petrucci on acoustic, with a beautifully played solo midway through.  It’s actually from my least favourite Dream Theater album, 1997′s “Falling Into Infinity”, but it’s a good example of DT’s more hopeful, uplifting music (musically at least if not lyrically, haha).  It’s got a more folksy feel to it than most of their music.  Less sophisticated (no changing time signatures and the like) and easy to enjoy.

The second song I’ve posted below is another of my all-time favourites, from their second (and perhaps best) album, “Images and Words” (1992).  Learning To Live is widely considered one of their very best songs, and has my most-loved Dream Theater moment, so I have no choice but to post it!  It’s also rare in that it’s one of the few songs written by Myung!  The bulk of the song is actually instrumental, with LaBrie only singing for 3 minutes of ~12 at the beginning and a bit near the end.  The chorus and solos give me chills every time, but the greatest moment comes between 8:10 when the melody restarts and at 8:40 erupts into a brilliant melody straight out of an NES action game, haha.  The melody from 9:20 -> 10:00 is possibly my favourite of all their stuff, and the 2 minute outtro following is simply glorious.

I’ve also posted Honor Thy Father from 2003′s “Train of Thought”, their heaviest album.  The drum solo right at the beginning is worth the price of admission on its own.  Check it out to experience Dream Theater’s darker/heavier side.

(Dream Theater in 2000 performing Overture 1928 and Strange Deja Vu from their masterpiece concept album “Scenes from a Memory”.  Again, be sure to watch in HQ!  Dream Theater is one of the few bands who often sound even better live than in studio.)

I adore the joy, freedom and skill with which they wield their instruments.  They operate as extensions of their bodies and you can tell as you watch and listen that this music is a pure glimpse into their beings.  Dream Theater isn’t for everyone I guess, but hopefully some people will give them a chance and discover one of the most amazing bands around today.  If you like the other stuff I’ve posted on this site, please listen to Dream Theater!  I can’t wait to read your comments, but for now I’m off to see them perform live!  Sooooo excited!  I’ll definitely post a review of the concert tomorrow.  Enjoy!

- Mons.

(Update: The concert – Prog Nation 2009 – was great!  5 hours of prog rock/metal with Scale the Summit, Big Elf, Zappa plays Zappa and Dream Theater.  Hopefully my hearing returns to normal within a few days!)

More music from Dream Theater

Dream Theater – Hollow Years (buy this song)

Dream Theater – Learning to Live (buy “Images and Words”)

Dream Theater – Honor Thy Father (buy “Train of Thought”)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.dreamtheater.net/

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Theater

Featured Review: Tommy Jensen’s review of “Black Clouds and Silver Linings” for RevelationZ Magazine.

Support Dream Theater (and me!) by buying their music through Amazon.com!  Unfortunately, most tracks are not available as individual mp3s, but you can get “Scenes from a Memory”, “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence” and “Octavarium” via those links. Those, along with the ones linked by the songs above, are my favourite albums and all are definitely worth owning. Especially Images and Words, Scenes from a Memory and Train of Thought.

Celldweller – Birthright (Beta 1.0) (buy this song)

Celldweller isn’t a band so much as a one man army.  It’s the multifaceted, crazed and brilliant creative output of just one oddly-coiffed individual -> Klayton Scott (real name: Scott Albert).  Klayton has fronted various musical ventures over the last decade or two, the biggest ones being 90′s industrial/metal group Circle of Dust, as well as all of the music for magician Criss Angel’s show and albums.  In fact, if you watch Criss Angel’s show, you’ve probably seen Klayton hanging off to the side watching the proceedings from behind his cascade of fiery anime hair, crazy pants and various metal accessories.  A Hugo Boss model he is not.  Anyways, Klayton as Celldweller has released 2 albums so far, with a 3rd album – “Wish Upon A Darkstar: Chapter 1″ – arriving on the 25th of August!

Their music is described by Klayton as a “fusion of the electronics of drum & bass and techno, with rock and orchestral elements, meshing the synthetic and the organic, darkness with beauty, into a cohesive blend entirely its own.”  A fairly apt description I must say.  The self-titled debut is a masterwork, combining trance/techno/d&b with industrial and metal to create a totally unique mix that’s at times incredibly heavy and others light and beautiful.  It’s as if Nine Inch Nails, Lamb of God, Depeche Mode, Infected Mushroom and E.S.Posthumus decided to pool their efforts.  You’ve probably already heard Celldweller’s music actually, as it’s been used in many movies and trailers, including Spider-Man and other prominent films.

Klayton hard at work in his crazy studio while taking a break from styling his hair and flexing in the mirror.

Birthright is the main single from his most recent album – “Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 1″, released in 2008.  The rest of the album is almost entirely instrumental, geared towards Celldweller’s burgeoning contribution to the film score/soundtrack industry.  Anyways, apparently Birthright isn’t quite done, hence the “Beta 1.0″ tag.  I presume the final version will be on “Wish Upon A Darkstar”, due later this month.  Birthright is a good showcase of Klayton’s passion for mixing genres, with metal guitars layed over a mid-tempo electronic backbeat, his multi-layered vocals sandwiched between pulsating synths and orchestral crescendos.  Klayton’s knack for memorable melodies and interesting hooks and twists is also evident here, along with several changes in feel/speed through the song.  Good stuff.

Also, as a special treat for those of you who like their electronica dancy, dark and glitchy ala Sebastian, Justice and Deadmau5, there’s a “Birthwrong remix” of Birthright on the album by Blue Stahli.  Check it out on youtube!  I have no idea why the youtube version of this song is “brought to you by Tombraider Underworld”???

I am really really pumped for the new album.  Check out this sample for So Long Sentiment from the upcoming album.  So good.

(A preview of So Long Sentiment from “Wish Upon A Darkstar”, due on August 25th)

My favourite song of his so far (because I haven’t heard the new album yet!) is probably Afraid This Time (from the 2003 “Celldweller” album – listen below).  It’s a gorgeous electronic ballad featuring amazing vocal editing/effects and a supremely memorable melody.  I’ve been listening to this song regularly since before the 2003 release of the first album (he has a tendency to release unfinished tracks on the net way before they are included on an album, much like me!)  It starts off soft, but slowly builds through really great harmonies, breakdowns and a powerful chorus to an energetic conclusion.  Some of the softer parts actually remind me of Utada Hikaru, haha.  The whole thing goes down like a smooth cider: sweet and warm, but with a kick.  I really love this tune.

I’ve also posted one of his purely instrumental tracks below.  The Angle of IO is from 2008′s “Soundtracks for the Voices in My Head” and like 90% of the album is completely devoid of lyrics, beyond a few wordless choral hits and sweeps.  Each of the songs on the album evoke different imagery, from being trapped deep underground to being chased, or wandering an abandoned city or whatever.  This one is more foreboding and spacey, with deep pulsating beats underlying mysterious piano flourishes and eventually frantic guitar/synths as the song works to a fever pitch then settles again into its groove.  Klayton loves his builds.  I had a hell of a time choosing which track to post from this album, as they’re all equally excellent.  Most are short, and he even has 4 different versions of the same song (URSA Minor), each focusing on a different aspect of the build/song/melody. Really neat!

You’ll also notice that below you can download Switchback, which is probably the most popular song from “Celldweller”.  It’s a crunchy/dancy tune that switches between metal and dance music throughout with reggae dubs midway through, haha.  Fun stuff.  Anyways, it’s been remixed literally HUNDREDS of times and is available for free download below.  It’s also been used in a ton of different trailers.

Hope you dig Celldweller as much as I!  He’s definitely influenced aspects of my own music (the darker, heavier aspects).  He’s a genius producer and everything he touches turns out great.  Also, the hair.  Leave a comment to let me know what you think!

- Mons

More music from Celldweller

Download Celldweller – Switchback for free!

Celldweller – Afraid This Time (buy this song)

Celldweller – The Angel of iO (buy this song)

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.celldweller.com/ (He has a blog here with lots of updates and videos of him mixing etc)

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celldweller

Myspace Page (with more music): http://www.myspace.com/celldweller

Featured Review: Ilker Yücel’s review of “Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 1″ for Regen Magazine

Support Klayton (and me!) by clicking these links to buy “Celldweller” and “Soundtrack…” from Amazon.com!  You can get either the MP3 albums or physical cds from those links (as well as just individual tracks, like that Birthwrong Remix By Blue Stahli).