the ritournelle

Good morning!

A beautiful day for a beautiful new Elite Gymnastics remix! 

disconaivete:

“You’re like a mad little scientist” says KEXP host Cheryl Waters to Grimes during her 3-track session for KEXP; she couldn’t have said it any better. She pushes and twirls buttons, samples her own voice and beats as if she spends her days doing it (she kind of does, actually). Watch the full session above, in which features live renditions of Symphonia IX (My Wait Is U), Genesis and Be A Body (侘寂), plus an interview.

The new Chromatics album, Kill for Love, is out today!

Gorgeous stuff.

So, it’s been four sleeps since returning from SXSW and I have finally had some time to sit down and write a lil’ somethin’ somethin’ about the fun times.

I did not invest in a wristband or badge, so my fun times were mostly “found” in a sense. Nonetheless, I was able to see many bands, consume many free beverages and see many sights considering my limited-budget/badgeless-status.

There are, like, a jillion bands that play at the festival (many of which I have posted about before) but I’ll stick to chatting about what actually saw.

Not necessarily in any particular order, highlights included…

1. Haim

I saw this California-based sister trio at Karma Lounge (Este, the eldest sister, kept making jokes about the Karma Nightclub in Jersey Shore with little uptake, but I picked up what she was putting down). A highlight for sure. These gals can sing! That may be an understatement. They were also charming, amazing musicians (they all broke into a drumming number at the end that was fantastic) and quite funny.

Download their EP Forever for free here!

2. Korallreven

I don’t know how to start talking about this… It was an afternoon show. About 30 people stood inside the ‘Hype Hotel’ as this dreamy, Swedish electro-pop trio performed. It was a little bit magical (I know that sounds super lame). It might have been the intimacy, or the weird timing, or the weird lighting, or the days of standing/drinking/notmuchsleep, but this show was like a strange dream and made me love these guys even more. The lead singer was wearing an Elite Gymnastics t-shirt. So cute. 

わめく▷ ⎛VISUAL⎠ from ELITE GYMNASTICS on Vimeo.

3. A$AP Mob

This was fun and also ridiculous. A$AP Rocky was there with his “mob”, so to speak, and played the hits. A little Pretty Flacko and Palace before some weird crowd surfing and hip hop moshing… and then a hat went missing and there was an angry A$AP. Poor, poor A$AP.

4. Lower Dens

One of the first shows we walked into was at the Pitchfork Party on a semi-sunny afternoon. We stepped into the venue and Lower Dens was playing one of my faves… Brains. It was awesome. I’m pretty excited for their forthcoming album, Nootropics, slated for release on May 1. 

They’ve released another track called Propagation from the album. LISTEN!

5. Purity Ring

Purity Ring impressed me. I have been a fan of their few releases (and was excited to see some more great stuff growing out of my home town), but I didn’t know what to expect from the live show. I was pleasantly surprised! In addition to the ghostly vocals from Megan James and Corin Roddick’s hip-hop styled beats, the duo created a lovely audio-visual experience through their use of paper lamps that lit up with the music. Ta-da!

6. Shout Out Out Out Out

We saw friends and local music heroes Shout Out Out Out Out at Canada House playing some new stuff and some good ol’ faves. I am excited about their new album, Spanish Moss and Total Loss, which is slated for release on June 19. They have released one of the songs already, Never the Same Way Twice. Hoorah!

Other good things I saw:

Odissee

Soft Metals

Nite Jewel

G Side

Trust

So, moral of my sxsw story…

Be organized! Plan ahead! Eat tacos! Drink lots of water! Go to the shows you want, even if it is alone! Have fun!

The end. 

This has made my day. 

And I know that you talk to yourself at night

do you fell better do you feel right

there’s no need to play game tonight 

this is not a dream

this is for real

bring what you have inside, out in the light

disconaivete:

The Line Of Best Fit captured Porcelain Raft performing a baroque’esque version on an organ in North London’s Union Chapel. This session and last week’s Take Away Show for La Blogothèque show Mauro doesn’t need his reverb-tricks and other effects to amaze you.

Song o’ tha day.

Perhaps a day late. Or a season late. Winter Solstice. Lovely.

Al Spx, a.k.a. Cold Specks, is releasing a new album, I Predict a Graceful Expulsion, on May 22, on the Arts & Crafts label. 

disconaivete:

Daniel Rossen confirms once more why he is such a mastermind with his solo EP Silent Hour/Golden Mile, out now on Warp. Makes me even more excited for the new Grizzly Bear full-length that’s coming out this year. Stream the EP below and purchase it over at Warp.

I’m not asking you to tell me what you told me a thousand times before. 

A new project from one of boys of Shout Out Out Out Out, Jason Troock, in collaboration with Ben Good! I’m super excited about these guys and can’t wait to hear what’s next. 

internet phenomenon iamamiwhoami has posted another gem in her series of videos featuring a furry carpet monster and underpants dancing. Included here is drops (video #2) and good worker (#3).

Watch from the beginning!

Um, who else is peeing their pants?

Not actually.

EXCITING. LOVE. FOREVER.

LISTEN!

disconaivete:

Sometimes all you need is one song to convince you a band is set for bigger things (unless they are a one-hit-wonder) - World Tour are one of those bands. Over a year ago they unveiled Sparks, a gloomy Nordic pop diamond. Cascine will release the trio’s debut EP Believe on April 10; the lush title track is a confirmation that World Tour are (indeed) aiming for the stars.