New Track Roundup – 03/12/10

AudioSuede’s New Track Roundup 03/12/10

By: Daniel Wipert

Jónsi, “Go Do”

I have always been a fairweather fan of Iceland’s Sigour Ros. They are moments when listening to their music where I feel like I am transcending everything (see “Njósnavélin”). For this alone, Sigur Ros is amazing. I never really got into them more than a few songs, because there was not anything else to go on besides their music. There was no common language or cultural context that I could connect with beyond the universal appeal of their majestic music.

When I heard the lead singer of Sigur Ros, Jónsi Birgisson, was releasing a solo album, I was not that excited. I did not like the poppy direction of the last Sigur Ros album, which, to be honest, I only briefly listened to after hearing the lead single “Gobbledigook.” When I first heard “Go Do,” the opening track off of Jónsi’s solo album, I was immediately blown away by the intricate production and overflowing pathos.

“Go Do” is a breathtaking piece of music. It’s gorgeous and the emotion flows wide and deep. Birgisisson is true artist, and he must have a wealth of compassion and warmth to create something so lush and moving. Again like Sigur Ros, I have no idea what he is saying and I will probably listen to this song about a dozen more times and then not again for 5 years.  I won’t delve deeper into the song than the surface, which is so stunning that I honestly feel no need to go any farther.

Tanlines, “Saw”

The cost of creating professional music has basically dropped to near zero with the rise of software instruments and bitTorrent distribution. You can find music production software that is valued in the $1,000s for nothing online. You don’t even really need this expensive software to create great sounding music. With this new creative freedom, bedroom producers have been able to create professional quality tracks while also indulging in the whims of their imagination.

One of the more interesting trends that has developed in this highly dynamic creative environment has been what some have called “chillwave.” I won’t go into depth about this genre now, because I will cover it in a future article. Tanlines is duo of Brooklyn-based producers who would probably not associate themselves with the chillwave tag, but it fits well with their music: slowdance drum beats, percussive arpeggios, and looped samples.

“Saw” sounds wonderful. The main hook is an arpeggio plucking that shifts ever slightly from one chord to another. It’s only a third chord progression but it slowly goes from one to the other giving the track a hazy lazy feel. The vocals express little emotion, and it’s mostly reverb that you are hearing. “Saw” sounds like a brighter, more tropical version of Washed Out.

While this track is very listenable, I think it is a little too “out there” for most listeners to be immediately attracted to, which means you won’t ever see Tanlines on SNL. For every band that does crossover (Vampire Weekend), there are a thousand great bands that never will (Tanlines). I suppose this is neither good nor bad, but at the end of the day, a lot of people are going to miss out on amazing music.

The Depreciation Guild, “Dream About Me”

Long Live Shoegazing! For those of unfamiliar with this short-lived sub genre of British indie, listen to My Bloody Valentine and all will make sense. Shoegazing is about all the mood: soft spoken lyrics, hazy guitars that are always chiming, and steady simple drums. It was basically psychedelia for the 90’s. It was also primarily British a phenomenon and seemed to make little or no impact on the US indie scene, until now that is.

I noticed the shoegazing sound coming back with Silversun Pickups’ “Lazy Eye.” While it sounded more like Smashing Pumpkins than Slowdive, the influence was definitely there. Now, we have The Depreciation Guild who sound like a Chapterhouse cover band. I think this is a really good thing, because Chapterhouse was sort of passed over in America. The Depreciation Guild’s “Dream About Me” could be mistaken for the B-side to Chapterhouse’s “Pearl” A-side.

“Dream About Me” is a good song, but it does not feel like the band is really defining their own sound. I don’t hear them reaching for anything beyond was already been done before, and done well by a whole host of British bands in the 90s. They certainly have good taste in music, but this does not guarantee their own output will ever reach the heights of their predecessors.