Balam Acab Remixes Lana Del Rey’s Live “Video Games”

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Very Warm

Balam Acab just put up his remix of one of my favorite songs of the year, Lana Del Rey’s great song “Video Games.”

This is the Later with Jools Holland version, so you hear the small ornaments that Del Rey puts on her song. Along with Balam Acab’s great signature sound added to it, this song has a whole new face on it. A very well done remix.

Download it fo’ free right here: http://www.mediafire.com/?kaq7cbg3fy709d5

That is a nice segue into my next topic, where I’ll be posting my favorite remixes of songs from this year. There won’t be very many and I probably missed a lot of really good ones since I just started midway through the year. Nevertheless, it would be nice to send me some sweet remixes that you all enjoyed.

Have a nice night, everybody!

Posted in Music | Tagged Balam Acab, Lana Del Rey, Remix | 1 Comment

Radical Tracks: How to Dress Well, Born Gold, Phantogram and MORE

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Very Warm

TWO POSTS IN ONE DAY? I’M A MADMAN!

…Well maybe, or I just like music. A lot.

How to Dress Well – Suicide Dream 2 (Elite Gymnastics Baptism)

Born Gold – Decimate Everything

Phantogram – Don’t Move

Beyonce – Countdown

Also: AMAZING music video!

Joker – The Vision feat. Jessie Ware and Freddie Gibbs

James Blake – Once We All Agree

Tycho – Hours

HAVE A GREAT DAY, EVERYONE!!!

Posted in Music | Tagged Beyonce, Born Gold, Elite Gymnastics, How to Dress Well, James Blake, Joker, Phantogram, Tycho | Leave a comment

RADICAL ALBUM: Born Gold – Bodysongs

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Very Warm

Hello all,

Remember last year when I was hyped out about a band called Gobble Gobble and their great song “Lawn Knives”? Well Gobble Gobble has returned, only under the name of Born Gold. The music has definitely not changed in the slightest; it’s still the hyperactive blast for your ears like it was before.

The first two songs on this album are the two singles they released last year “Lawn Knives” and “End of Days” which were two of my all time favorite tracks from last year. So they definitely started the album off right with those two. They followed the two previous singles with one of their newer singles “Decimate Everything” which is another GREAT song. Another awesome song is “Alabaster Bodyworlds” which is similar Some songs don’t have the best of introductions, like “Eat Sun, Son” which starts off with a disassembled array of strange sounds and very sharp synth noises. Then it warps into an actual poppish song, totally apart from the introduction. The lyrics are also extremely strange. They always were. They still are. When you can tell what they’re saying, anyways. Talking about wombs, veins, blood, crazy alien things that don’t make sense… the list goes on. But it’s alright, cause this stuff is a blast.

This band definitely has a signature style which is characterized by intensely quick and hard-hitting beats and a ton of textures and melodies going on you almost get overstimulated from all of the dimensions of the music. Seriously, it’s like your ears and brain are on a sugar high created by this music; the equivalent of just doing a line of cane sugar. There is an unlimited amount of chopped up and distorted synths that it’s mind-altering, a bit. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing, not at all. It’s just that not a lot of music you get the feeling of 100% excitement and energy all the time, every single listen. This music definitely isn’t for everybody. It’s like radio pop music put into a food processor and injected with ten different industrial chemicals to create something alive out of something once-dead. I like it. Something like I haven’t heard before.

The reason I bring this album up is because they are offering a free download of the album on their bandcamp page right HERE so you can get it RIGHT NOW! You can also stream it on Soundcloud to see if you like it before you download it FOR FREE. If you were to get just a few songs from it, I would suggest the first three songs and the last two, if you were to get ANY of them. I seriously recommend the whole album because it’s free AND it’s INSANE.

Pick this one up. I highly recommend it.

SCORE: 85

Posted in Music | Tagged Born Gold, Radical! | Leave a comment

Five New Radical Tracks: The Weeknd, Justice, Boris and Lana Del Rey

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Very Warm

Early yesterday I saw that The Weeknd’s facebook page put out a post that said “Initiation”, which usually signals something is coming out unexpectedly later that day. True to their tradition, they released a new song called “Initiation” later that day on their facebook and twitter. It’s a RAGER.

As a standalone track, it seems a bit out of place. But if you combine it with their previous efforts, the House of Balloons and Thursday mixtapes, the track fits in perfectly with the material. It’s extremely dark, brooding and there are a ton of creepy pitch changes on Abel Tesafaye’s voice, which hasn’t happened on The Weeknd’s music before. It gives the track an otherworldly quality of evilness or confusion. Tesafaye’s character that he’s playing in these mixtapes has been cracking over the span of the mixtapes and you can clearly hear that he’s disintegrating at this point in the game.

Very interesting. I REALLY want to know how their next mixtape of the year, Echoes of Silence, sounds and if it’s anything like “Initiation”, it’s gonna be the possibly the darkest thing to come out in a long time. I look forward to it.

CHECK DAT OUT:

Also, if you don’t have their first two mixtapes, I HIGHLY recommend that you pick up both of them for free on their website:
http://www.the-weeknd.com/TheWeeknd_HouseOfBalloons.zip

http://www.the-weeknd.com/TheWeeknd_____Thursday.zip

Second we have two new tracks from the French electronic duo, Justice. I haven’t really gotten into Justice as much as I have other electronic duos from France (COUGH) but still, I respect them that they are one of the most beloved electronic acts in the game. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t not like Justice. I just haven’t delved into them quite yet.

This might be my opportunity to get into them. This morning, I woke to find the most blogged about songs at the moment were two new Justice tracks “Canon” and “Newlands” and decided that I should give them a try. I am very thankful of myself and the internet that I did. These two tracks are supremely well executed electronic dance songs and it definitely has the signature Justice sound. I can see why both Justice and Daft Punk can exist in the same world now: they both have very different sounds but they achieve the same thing. That thing is to rock the fridge out of any listener. These two tracks just put Justice on my radar. Well played, gentlemen.

CHECK CHECK ONE TWO!:
Newlands – Justice

Canon – Justice

Next is from the Japanese experimental rock band Boris, who released “Spoon” a shoegazy jam that I haven’t heard much like in this past year. The vocals, like any shoegaze song, are very hushed and mixed in with the burning swath of guitars and drums. I haven’t heard much of Boris, but I do know that they are, like my previous entry about Justice, much loved in their community, working with black metal bands like Sunn O))). I thought I’d check this song out and I’m really glad I did.

The lead singer, Atsuo, has a very delicate and glassy voice which foils the abrasive guitars that are crashing into the song. It’s very interesting. I also love that she sings in Japanese (makes sense, they’re from Japan) which gives another element of foreignness into the song. I don’t know, it’s just a combination I wouldn’t really think of listening to. But I did. I’m crazy.

I really like it, I think y’all should check it out as well.

Here’s another song I found by them that they released this year:

The last thing that I wanted to share was a new track from Lana Del Rey, AKA “Gangsta Nancy Sinatra”. She came out with a new song “Lolyta” which is the poppiest thing she’s released thus far. It still has her signature retro flair on it, but there’s something about it that is a lot different from her past works. Previous singles “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans” are laments, not really peppy at all. This song, on the other hand, is very happy sounding and contrasts her other songs strongly.

I don’t really like it as much as her other songs but it still is worthy to check out. Which is why I’m posting it on the blog. I’m crazy.

Check it out on blah blah blah science RIGHT HERE BELOW THIS YO!!!
http://blahblahblahscience.com/track-reviews/lana-del-ray-lolyta

Here’s her older songs, “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans”

Okay then, I hope you all have a fantastic day.

Posted in Music | Tagged Boris, Justice, Lana Del Rey, The Weeknd | Leave a comment

Song of the Week: Kelly by When Saints Go Machine

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Very Warm

So I’ve been digging this song for about two months now, but I think this is the first time I’ve featured it on the old bloggity.

This song. My gosh. So good. I can’t articulate it in complete sentences. This song will place high in my Top 100 Tracks of the year list most definitely. It’s just bouncing with good feelings and retro synths. But even with the retro sound, it doesn’t sound dated. This is some definitely futuristic pop music.

Enough of my ramblings. I clearly cannot express myself when it comes to music, apparently.
CHECK IT OUT:

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

RADICAL Songs I’ve Been DIGGING

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Very Warm

Here are some songs that have been blasting on my iPod these last few weeks. Some songs are not from this year, mind you.

We Have Everything – Young Galaxy

Hearts on Fire – Cut Copy

Stargasm – Mastodon

Especially Me – Low

Bright Lit Blue Skies – Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti

Four Winds – Bright Eyes

As Young As Yesterday – Korallreven

The Mariner’s Revenge Song – The Decemberists

Money on the Floor (Feat. 2 Chainz, 8Ball & MJG) – Big K.R.I.T.

Mr. Hyde – S/he

Te Amo – Atlas Sound

Posted in Music | Tagged Ariel Pink, Atlas Sound, Best of 2011, Big K.R.I.T., Bright Eyes, Cut Copy, Korallreven, Mastodon, S/he, Young Galaxy | Leave a comment

Radical! — St. Vincent, Nerves Junior.

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Very Warm

Hello all,

I haven’t had a review in some time, have I? Well, I thought it might be a good time to break one out now since there are some wickedly awesome albums out and about right now.

The first one I’d like to talk about is St. Vincent’s third album “Strange Mercy”

>>>>>>>>ALBUM STREAM AT NPR<<<<<<<<<<

This album is… incredible. To say the least. The amount of emotion Annie Clark puts out in this record is more emotion than both of her previous albums combined. Not to say that those two albums were bad, they are actually really good. It’s just that St. Vincent has topped herself once again, which is impressive for any musician to do.

This album is her most guitar heavy album yet (as far as I can tell) and she uses the guitar as a weapon of unease. You hear the sporadic, crunching guitar lines in “Chloe in the Afternoon” and it just puts you in a feeling of unease. It’s really odd as too, to hear Clark’s voice, which is smooth and heavenly akin to a beautiful angel’s. Same with “Cheerleader”, which seems like a slow, calm song in the beginning, but snaps into a violent plead: “I-I-I-I don’t want to be a cheerleader no more.” Both of these are great tracks on the album with some unease. Well, a lot of them contain that feeling; but when paired with these nervous guitars and low-lying electronics, it turns into something sinister.

Sinister is a good word to describe a lot of the sounds here. There is some dastardly dark stuff on this album – unconscious feelings and thoughts that aren’t out in the open but in the mind of whomever is saying the lyrics. Could it be Annie or some other character saying these lines? Take “Northern Lights” which starts off like any normal song, but it breaks down internally and externally near the end with crazy, distorted breakdowns and melting vocal melodies. This is one of my favorite songs on the album just for the hectic mess that it is.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are other extremely beautiful songs on the record as well. The title track is something I cannot explain: I love it so much. The drop off of the chorus is perfect, which is followed by a robotic guitar line that makes the whole thing tied together. “Champagne Year” is also beautiful and is unlike the entire album in terms of guitar lines. It seems devoid of all that sharpness but it still has tinges of creepiness.

This album is awesome. Straight up. It did not disappoint me at all and I’ll see it place very high in my favorite albums of this year, unless a ton of better music comes out this year, which I don’t think will happen. I seriously recommend picking this up. Seriously.

THEE SCORE:
95/100

Top Tracks:
Just get the album.

Next is Nerves Junior’s debut album “As Bright As Your Night Light”

I like to call this album “The Most 90’s Radiohead Sounding Album Since 90’s” due to the fact that it sounds a lot like old Radiohead and pulls it off brilliantly. I don’t want to say these guys are a Radiohead cover band or that they just sound like Radiohead. They sound like a good, new band that combines A TON of influences in to one, cohesive project that’s pulled off wonderfully.

Let’s see what they got in terms of influences of the songs: they have some 00’s alternative (the good kind) on some songs; they have classic rock guitar licks and sharp, snappy vocals (“Nails to Scratch With”); they have some orchestral folky songs; some slow building burners; you name it, they got it! Seriously!

This album is great because it doesn’t really sound like anything that has come out in the past few years. Everything that has come out recently has been following the same formula so that they can achieve a great radio hit or commercial fame. Well this band probably wants fame as well, but they don’t go along with that formula. It doesn’t sound robotized, it sounds like the band is having FUN in the studio recording all these songs. The last time I heard a legitimately FUN album was both Battles’ “Gloss Drop” from this year and Fang Island’s self-titled debut from last year.

This album is a great time and Pretty Much Amazing loves it. So if you want a more convincing review of it, go over to PMA and read their review. I like this album but they do a better job of articulating themselves. Maybe since it’s their job.

You know what? Scrap that Radiohead comment. These dudes are RADICAL in every sense of the word. I keep listening to the album over and over to find that every single song is unique in its own way. There really aren’t any songs that blend together into another one to make them unintelligible. They each have their own souls and carry their weight with the others. They have all kinds of genres up in here and they all pull it off with flying colors. The only reason I made the Radiohead comment is because the singer’s voice sounds kind of like Thom Yorke’s, in a way.

This is a radical album. I can honestly say it will place highly in my end of the year list. If not, one of the members killed my family or something. If that doesn’t happen, Nerves Junior, you have just earned yourself a spot on Warm Visions’ favorite albums of 2011 list. It’s not much. At all. But still. Nice.

THEE SCORE:
89/100

TOP TRACKS:
Champagne and Peaches, Swimmer’s Ear, As Bright As Your Night Light, Nails to Scratch With, Get Left in the Dark, Kale, Downtown Lament

HAVE A GREAT DAY

Posted in Music | Tagged Nerves Junior, Radical!, St. Vincent | Leave a comment

Catching Up: Some Good Tracks

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Very Warm

Good News, Everyone!

I realize that CBK hasn’t been very active these past few months and there have been a few good reasons for that. For one, I moved from Michigan to Connecticut so before that I was trying to pack the month I had left in with as much fun as I could manage.

So with that, I’ll leave you with some of the best tracks and albums I’ve encountered in these past few months. Notice that I’ve come across a lot more than I’m going to post and I’m just giving you the cream of le crop of when I was inactive. This means you’ll probably see tracks on here you’re familiar with, if you’re on top of the music scene; or even a casual lurker. You’re welcome.

Albums will be coming later, for all of you who just CAN’T WAIT. AM I RIGHT? No? Oh, alright. Just listen to the music.

RADICAL TRACKS

Active Child – Hanging On

Araabmuzik – Streetz Tonight

Beat Connection – In the Water

Bjork – Crystalline

Burial – Stolen Dog

Clams Casino – I’m God

Crystal Antlers – Two-Way Mirror

Cut Copy – Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution (Toro Y Moi Remix)

Das Racist – Michael Jackson

Gauntlet Hair – Top Bunk

Gorillaz – Bobby in Phoenix

Handsome Furs – Damage

Lana Del Rey – Video Games

Little Dragon – Ritual Union

M83 – Midnight City

Moonface – Shit-Hawk in the Snow

Neon Indian – Polish Girl

St. Vincent – Surgeon

Vinh Ngan – Remand

When Saints Go Machine – Kelly

Wild Beasts – Invisible

Hope you enjoyed all of the songs! Most of them are available for free download elsewhere or on the soundcloud player.

Thanks and have a great day!

Posted in Music | Tagged Active Child, araabmuzik, Beat Connection, Björk, Burial, Clams Casino, Crystal Antlers, Cut Copy, Das Racist, Gauntlet Hair, Gorillaz, Handsome Furs, Lana Del Rey, Little Dragon, m83, Moonface, St. Vincent, Vinh Ngan, When Saints Go Machine, Wild Beasts | Leave a comment

Warm Visions’ Favorite Albums of 2011 (So Far)

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Very Warm

An unnatural phenomenon went down when I made this list.

For one, there’s 2 hardcore albums (Fucked Up and Iceage), there’s a hip-hop album and an r&b album. If we were to rewind a year or two, you would not see a single rap, hardcore or r&b album on this list.

The craziest thing is that the hip hop album is #2 and the r&b is #1. My tastes have obviously evolved into a more encompassing view.

If one says that I could not possibly enjoy all of this music, well then you are mistaken, friend.

Have a look around, take a listen to some tracks, they’re all very good I guarantee it. I’ll update this by the end of the year! Good fun time, huh?

25. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra

How Can U Love Me?

24. Austra – Feel It Break

Lose It

23. Ty Segall – Goodbye Bread

You Make the Sun Fry

22. Hooray for Earth – True Loves

True Loves

21. Grouper – A | A

I Saw A Ray

20. Iceage – New Brigade

New Brigade

19. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

The Words That Maketh Murder

18. Fucked Up – David Comes to Life

The Other Shoe

17. Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine

New Beat

16. SBTRKT – SBTRKT

Sanctuary

15. Cults – Cults

You Know What I Mean

14. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Beth/Rest

13. Yuck – Yuck

Get Away

12. James Blake – James Blake

The Wilhelm Scream

11. Battles – Gloss Drop

Ice Cream (feat. Matias Aguayo)

10. Ford and Lopatin – Channel Pressure

Emergency Room

9. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde

Weekend

8. Cut Copy – Zonoscope

Pharaohs and Pyramids

7. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

Helplessness Blues

6. White Denim – D

Drug

5. Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact

Mindkilla

4. Panda Bear – Tomboy

Afterburner

3. Tune-Yards – WHOKILL

Bizness

2. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up

Are You… Can You… Were You? (Felt)

1. The Weeknd – House of Balloons

Loft Music

THOUGHTS? POST BELOW! THANKS!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Warm Visions’ 25 Best Songs of 2011 (So Far)

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Very Warm

Cool Stuff! So I just thought that I’d inform my 10 or so readers of how my Top 25 songs of this year is filling out. It really has been a great year in terms of music and it’s so different from last year! Let’s dive right in, shall we?