I haven't written anything for a while, that's not because I've been busy, more of that I'm lazy. I decided to compile some links what have been best things for today:
I got my film developed, which includes trips to Helsinki, Sledding and Stockholm:
Two of my favourite artists are just releasing new material.
Hot Chip got their new album One life stand released. Didn't remember the exact release date so I was very happily surprised when I saw it by chance on the new additions page in Spotify, as I usually don't check it.
First thing you notice is that it has really ugly cover, although props for the beginnign of the 90s computer graphics:
I have listened it now few times and the first impression is good. It hasn't got clear hit single along the lines with Ready for the floor or Over and over, but the overall feel is good. Initially the song Brothers rose from the album, but can't really say anything else yet. I'm just really excited about the album as a whole. They also released super extra 1000 copies limited £35 gatefold double 200 gram vinyl that I might have to pass. Hopefully there is still regular vinyl version for sale.
The second big thing was the release of the music from Electro-Opera Tomorrow, In A Year. An opera about Charles Darwin's book Origin of the Species. What makes it interesting is that the music is done by The Knife with Planningtorock and Mt. Sims. Two last names don't ring any bells, but The Knife should be known by everyone. And if not, you should really go to shop and buy the Silent shout. It's one of the best records ever.
Well the double album is available for pre-listening and for sale at their website theknife.net. And yeah, it's just as strange as the synopsis for it. The A side is Really experimental, but B side was actually quite nice. As with all stuff from the Dreijers it needs some time to really get into it. Initially the song called The height of summer sounded nice. Have to get the album to my shelf and to my earphones.
Some other notable old and new stuff:
Hadn't heard about Caribou before I bumped in to this track in the Pitchfork news. Insta liked this song though. Erlend Oyesque vocals combined to sound that has some dubstep influences combined into catchy rhytm. Or something, all in all, very good track.
Second track of note is the second single from forthcoming Yeasayer album. It's called O.N.E. and it's downloadable for free from their website: http://yeasayer.net/ Well at least in theory, didn't work with my trusty Opera and decided to listen it from youtube instead, I'm really looking into this album after this track and the previous taster Ambling Alp:
Third track today is an old favourite that I re-found last week. It's from an album that's not maybe the most liked of the artist, but the track is one of my favourite from him. I'm talking about Common, his album Electric circus and the track I am music. Last time I listened it intensively was about exactly one year ago when I was just about to begin the best 4 months of my life having my exchange studies in Prague.
Now with the Hot chip album and the Knife opera out of way next big releases are going to be my favourite finnish rap group Kemmuru's new album that's coming in March and LCD Soundsystem's new album that is coming also somewhere next months.
With work concerning a play that I'm producing finally done I can finish the text that I started while ago.
Helsinki 78-82 is a Disco-House? project from dj's Flipper and Koobra from Helsinki (d'uh). They are also part of the Top billin collective that's been mentioned here before few times. It's bit along the same lines with Fred Falke. That means it's absolutely dancable feelgood music. Ideal for the dark Finnish winter to get moods up. They just released an ep with two tracks, Cruising and So lifelike which features Villa nah (who have also been mentioned before). Ep is available at least in juno. The release of the ep was backed with a nice video. It's about cruising, but not with lowriders but bicycles (although the fixed gear type that raise lots of emotions in certain groups.). Here's the video:
Spotify is great application, even if I usually find 2/3 out of things that I'm searching from there. I've made Summer and Fall playlists and now it's time for the winter one. There tries to be some sort of logical thing going on with the songs. It begins with folky and psychedelic indiepop and continues towards more minimalistic techno and dub sounds.
I recently visited Prague again for the new year. I took some photos there and combined most of my streetart photos into single file, included pics from Lappeenranta, Vienna, Vyborg, Berlin and Prague.