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.

I’m in the depths of the final preparations for my album release (October 31st!), but I thought I would throw up a short clip from one of the new songs on the album.  This is music inspired by a beautiful poem written by a friend of mine (which will be included in the cd insert actually).  This piece has actually changed a lot over the course of its short life.  It began as a pure piano piece and has since morphed into the much dreamier, more ambient piece I’ve posted here.  Hope you like it!

As always, you can hear more of my music (including other samples from the album) on my music page.

- Mons

Wow, It’s been over a month since I’ve updated the site!  If you’re reading this, then thank you for checking back every once in a while, despite my unforgivable inattention.  Well, hopefully a little forgivable actually, since the reason I have neglected to update the site is that I’ve been extremely busy working on my debut album!  The production/mastering process continues, but if all goes well it will all be finished for the end of the month, and I hope to have the music available for digital distribution several weeks after that (assuming it takes several weeks to get it added to iTunes/Amazon etc.)

Anyways, to give you an idea of what I’ve been working on, I’ve included the (beta) album version of Dandelion at the top of the post.  It represents what I’m doing with the album, which will be a mix of re-recorded/re-mastered existing material that you may have listened to before, and some new material that you have not.  The original version of Dandelion was only about 2 minutes long, and an incomplete vision of the song.  A sketch if you will, as are many of the bits and pieces I post online.  The album versions are the complete vision, and so Dandelion is re-imagined in its full 6-minute length with a lot of new material and revision of the old material.

Other songs which will appear on the album are redone versions of Angelus, Dancing in the Light, Silhouettes, Winter Melancholy, Simple Needs and a few others, with a bunch of new material to boot (which I may preview when the madness is done in early November).  Anyways, hope you like the new material that I have included here, and I’ll keep you posted on the album’s progress!  Twitter (@monstunes) is probably the best way of keeping track of updates and so forth regarding the album.

As always, you can hear more of my musical work on the My Music page.

Wish me luck!

- Mons

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).

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.

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).

Sebastian – Ross Ross Ross (from 2008′s “Productions and Remixes”)

Today we will dive ears-first into the incestuous waters of the French Electro scene!  Dance music as a genre has always been a little too eager with the remixes and remixes of the remixes and 4-person collaborations, but electro, while being awesome, is one of the worst sub-genres for this.  Sebastian is at the dirty, pulsating heart of this musical orgy, a rising star in the world of electro and one of the premiere artists on the Ed Banger label (also home to fellow french Electrists Justice and Mr. Oizo).  He’s from Boulogne, France and has released an album’s worth of original tracks and several albums worth of really crazy remixes.  I say crazy because Sebastian has a very distinct and interesting sound.  It’s the kind of music you might see Optimus Prime dancing to in a club on Cybertron – Transformer Dance Music.  It’s crunchy (like metal being crushed in a compressor crunchy), and glitchy and funky and rough and dark and yet infinitely danceable.  Imagine a collaboration between Soundwave and zombie Michael Jackson recorded in a steel foundry and you’re beginning to get the idea.  The Wiki article calls it “Futurist” but I don’t know what that means so I prefer my description.  I mean, the MSMOTD even sounds like the Transformers “transform” sound effect!

Real transformers smoke and never wash their hair.

Ross Ross Ross, from the album of the same name (released 2008) is not your average dance track, or even your average french electro track.  It is the sound of the future of music kicking in your front door and elbow dropping you in the face while you sleep.  It builds and deconstructs itself simultaneously, accompanied by swooping strings and an irresistible beat which provides no options other than dance, or if you are listening at a coffee shop on your laptop, head-bobbing and slight torso wiggling.  When John Travolta’s cryogenically preserved brain is inevitably implanted into a giant Japanese robot for the filming of Saturday Night Fever 3000 vs. MechaGodzilla, this will be playing during the final dance-fight scene where Travoltabot destroys MechaGodzilla with his killer robot dance moves and teeth-mounted smirkbeam of death.  I know the beginning is abrasive, but keep with it.  My favourite moment comes at 2:40 (where Travoltabot slow-motion kicks a baddy in the face whilst simultaneously wooing Goldie Tron and reversing the course of time itself).  Ok, I’ve gotten a little off track here.  The song might take a bit to get into, but persevere and you will be rewarded.  Clips from the song also make wonderful ring tones!  I adore the glitchy breakdowns that happen several times throughout the song.

(Another Sebastian original – Momy, from the “Motor” EP.  I believe it was used in Midnight Club: Los Angeles.)

Let’s talk now about Sebastian and his remixes.  These are the gateway drugs into Sebastian’s original work, since they tend to be a bit more accessible.  The first one I’ve put below is his remix of Kelis – Bossy (link goes to the original on youtube).  The original song is very popular, and this remix is unique in that it actually sounds somewhat like the original.  However, while still retaining the heart of the song, Sebastian has kicked things up about 1000% and changed the song from a throwaway, bouncy, light little hip hop tune into a thundering, funky, crunchy and incredibly slick dance explosion.  If they played this kind of stuff at clubs, I would go dancing every night.

The next is a KILLER remix of Mylo’s Paris 400.  Unlike the Bossy remix, this remix is quite different from the original – a cute warbly little dance piece with some female vocals and bubbly melody.  Check out the original: Mylo – Paris 400 then compare it to the remix below.  Instead of being the soundtrack to a vespa ride past the Louvre and Eiffel Tower on an autumn day, Sebastian’s remix is the score to your panicked flight through the darkened, shadowy streets of the 18th arrondissement, hopelessly running for your life from Vampire Arnold Schwarzenegger.  If I were actually going to hunt someone down, Running Man-style, this would be the soundtrack.

Those two are pretty accessible, but it is this last remix which is the most amazing.  Sebastian’s remix of Revl9n’s Walking Machine is nothing short of genius.  Before listening to the remix, check out the original.  Then watch the video below as Sebastian rips the original song to shreds and rebuilds it from the ground up into a ROBOT TANK OF DEATH.  I bet you didn’t even know that songs could be turned into tanks, much less robotic tanks, but it’s true.  Sebastian has done it.  Not only is Sebastian’s remix immeasurably superior to the original, but it’s also an utterly different song!  One which kicks your ass and mine too.  I didn’t begin to appreciate this song until after I already liked Ross Ross Ross and the remixes above, but now it’s right up there as one of my favourites.

(Remember what I said about the incestuous nature of Electro?  This is actually a remix of Sebastian’s remix done by Mr. Tortazo.  It adds in the (very clever) video editing and shortens the song by about 1.5 minutes.  You can hear the full thing on youtube.)

There is no doubt in my mind that Sebastian is before his time.  This is the music of the future, and I can only hope that he keeps producing and others follow suit.  I hope you dig this stuff as much as I have been!  Let me know what you think in the comments.

- Mons

More music from Sebastian

Kelis – Bossy (Sebastian Remix) (buy this song)

Mylo – Paris Four Hundred (Sebastian Remix)

More info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: http://www.myspace.com/0sebastian0

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SebastiAn_(French_electro_artist)

Support Sebastian (and me!) by buying his “Remixes” album from Amazon.com! Unfortunately, “Ross Ross Ross (Productions and Remixes)” is not available on Amazon as far as I can tell. You can download Revl9n – Walking Machine (Sebastian Remix) though.

Plod – What Happens To The Hole When The Cheese Is Gone?

Happy Canada Day!  I’ve been so busy with various things over the last few weeks that I’ve been seriously neglecting updates.  This one has been at least a week in the offing, but it’s finally here!  We’re going ultra obscure here, with one of my favourite IDM/Freestyle electronica outfits – Plod!  Plod is two dudes hailing from the wintery wastes of northern Sweden.  They’ve only released one full album, “Pillow Talk” way back in 2000.  It’s too bad, because it’s a wonderful album that’s now incredibly hard to find.  Their music is very laid back, calm, melodic electronica, similar in style/feel to groups such as Boards of Canada, Autechre and Orbital.

The album art for their only full release - Pillow Talk

I just love the names of the songs on the album.  Besides killer tracks such as “Which Is Stronger – Karate Or The Tiger” and “Ass” is the aptly named MSMOTD, What Happens To The Hole When The Cheese Is Gone? Well, I’m not sure that the song itself provides any insight, but it is perhaps the soundtrack to the contemplation of that question.  It’s the perfect track for contemplating a blue sky on a lazy sunday afternoon, or for reading in a cozy chair on a cold winter day.  I love the cheery little melody that floats above the more sweeping movement of the bass lines at the foundation.  I actually picture a little mouse poking its head out of the holes in a big block of swiss cheese, like a whack-a-mole, each time the arpeggio plays, and then disappearing, only to appear at another hole a few seconds later.  It’s such a simple, but pleasing track.

(My awesome brother Erik doing footbag tricks to Plod’s “Eucalyptus” track)

The other two I’ve posted below are also really great.  Hinken is quite short at 2:45, but it packs in a great, mellow, pastoral sort of melody over an interesting stuttery drum beat.  It’s the sort of song that might play over a short montage of someone cleaning their Ikea-furnished house.  I’ll be honest here and tell you that I selected That Stench Again – It Must Be Wednesday primarily because of the name, hahaha.  It’s also a wonderful song, but the name just kills me every time.  This one has a more Infected Mushroom-style squirty lead and has a hint of urgent energy but nonetheless goes down really smooth.  This is the song for a drive through an afternoon rain, or for working on your project the night before it’s due.

Let me know what you think of Plod by leaving a comment!

More music from Plod

Plod – Hinken

Plod – That Stench Again – It Must Be Wednesday

Further info about today’s MSMOTD

Official Website: Their official website: http://www.french.se/plod/ is broken, so visit their Myspace instead.

Wikipedia Link: These guys are so obscure that there is no Wikipedia article for them!

Featured Review: CD Baby’s review collection for “Pillow Talk”

Amazingly, you can buy Pillow Talk from Amazon’s mp3 service!  You can also grab just What Happens to the Hole When the Cheese Is Gone? if you so desire.