End of 2010 & Jan/Feb round-up

Greetings friend,

How has life been treating you? Done anything interesting recently? Unfortunately, work has been increaingly demanding over the last month or so, rendering me bereft of sufficient energy to put digits to plastic recently.

My dear blog, I am so sorry to have neglected you so much over the last year or so. I feel that we have become estranged lovers, only reuniting for fleeting visits of dispassionate and gratuitious sex. I promise to be more attentive. I know I say this every time, but stay with me. You know I'm good for you.

So...onto my usual ramblings. Although I am on the whole continuing to enjoy work, I really haven't had any proper time off since I started this job at the beginning of July 2010. In almost 8 months I have not had more than 4 consecutive days off (and the times I did this were either to write my Masters diss or rave it up in Berlin - hardly relaxing experiences!). Once work has calmed down this week (I hope), I plan to take a long weekend off very soon - sadly I still do not have an intimate female relation in my life, so am thinking of heading somewhere alone for a few days to read, listen to music, walk, think - I need some catharsis, and sometime soon. Thankfully, music as always, provides me this on a daily basis.

And onto new music. Well, I vowed to wrench myself out of my depression that was creeping and building throughout November and December; can honestly say that I am in a much better place in general - feel in control of work, making (the right) people notice my capabilites, got a pay rise, have been socialising more with friends, and maintaining good relations with family. Just about. OK, granted I am still drinking too much, not exercising nearly enough, and eating crap at least twice a week. But to coin a phrase, at least I'm not a "pig in a cage, on antibiotics." Sorry, I'm massively digressing. Be patient.....I think part of the process of lifting myself out of a low ebb (aside from the days getting longer) is by finding new, and affecting music. And boy, have I found quite a few gems recently.

Pantha Du Prince - 'Black Noise'. God knows how this very talented chap got through my net, but boy, is he a fantastic producer. Black Noise is an abolutely immense album from start to finish. I would say it's quite hard to define PDP's sound - maybe akin to Trentemoller crossed with Isolee perhaps. Essentially this album can and should be listened from start to finish, a rarity these days. Trying to describe the album sound is also hard - crossing micro-house, techno, ambient and minimal. I knew on first listen that this guy is German. There just seems to be a very definite, precise, tuned sound, with lush production values that Germans seem to be able to execute so well. Anyway, this hasnt't left my phone for months and doubt it will for quite some time. My fave track is definitely 'Stick To My Side' which has Noah Lennox (of Animal Collective) on vocals. Absolutely immense.

I have also recently decided to re-visit Atlas Sound's 'Logos'. Having been unaware of Bradford James Cox and his band Deerhunter until about a year ago, this album is wonderful. Definitely not an eletronic album, more indie or alt-pop or even pysch-pop. Has a couple of amazing tracks on there, one by Laetitia Sadler from Stereolab. Melancholy but lush at the same time.

Very new acquisitions....

I have just downloaded Isolée's new album 'Well Spent Youth'. On first listen I can see that this album could be as good as 'We Are Monster' or ''Rest'. Given Rajko Muller's extremely high production values, and level of detail, I will need to give this at least a couple more listens, and on my decent quality earphones before I can really review it properly though. Still, exciting stuff nonetheless.

Finally, I have just downloaded Gold Panda's first full LP, 'Lucky Shiner', having heard good things. And well, it is superb. First impressions remind me strongly of The Field, so if you like quite repetitive but melodic and really well crafted elecronic music, then this might be for you. But then, I suppose all elelctronic music is repetitive so not a particularly useful comment! There's also definitely a strong Four Tet influence in there too. It's currently reminding me of Everything Ecstatic or Rounds. Certainly this album has an immediate appeal, but also clearly has bags of depth. I know I will be re-visiting this quite a lot. Once again, superb production and beautifully put together. I feel there's a very strong sense of nostalia running through this album, which in my current state, is definitely no bad thing.

Well, that's my verbal diarrhoea over for now. I hope that my writing will propel you to check out some of the new music I have been listening to. Or if not, made you think just a little. Would love to hear any of your thoughs on James Blake's new album. Just gave it a first liften on Spotify. I can see he's clearly a precociously talented guy, but don't quite get the hype. Next big thing? Can someone please enlighten me?

As always, thanks for reading. I will do my utmost to keep my blog fitter, happier and more productive. Like a pig, in a cage, well you get the point.

Currently listening to Gold Panda's 'Lucky Shiner'.

Peace.