HGHR GRND

I was in Michigan this past weekend and stopped by one of my favourite haunts from the old days, Dearborn Music.  It's one of the few independent record stores left in the area and even then it's about a 20 minute drive from my parents' house.  Went a bit nuts after having ample time to look around and bought way too much stuff, some of which is bound to be disappointing when I finally get around to listening to it (already put 'Jazzmatazz Vol. 1' and Motor City Drum Ensemble's DJ Kicks mix on my imaginary For Sale list).  If I remember to I'll update the blog when I listen to some of these new buys, starting now.

First record I listened to after my spree is the debut EP by TNGHT -- a duo I put on the blog not too long ago.  The EP was available and pretty cheap so I got it and it's pretty good.  Bugg'n is still a standout, as is the following track, which will sound crap unless you have good speakers or headphones:



I went to a concert a couple of weeks ago that I never got around to reviewing.  It was Bonobo with support from Shigeto at the Black Cat, and it was a great show.  I like live electronic music, especially when it's not just someone hitting play on a laptop.  A previous high had been seeing Four Tet live at U street music hall, and this show was almost as good.  The Black Cat is a decent venue in my opinion, even though it's pretty basic.  The nice thing is that the shows are cheap, and while this one was sold out I managed to buy tickets for slightly under face value just by showing up on the night and waiting for people who had spares.  That despite the fact that fools were trying to sell tix for $100 on Craigslist!  I'm still confused as to how Bonobo got so popular but apparently his last album, Black Sands, did very well in the States, so there you go.

Shigeto started up in a very discreet way -- I wasn't the only one to wonder when he'd come on stage and started playing as he just seemed to appear out of the haze, looking as if he'd been there the whole time, playing, while we thought we were just listening to pre-show music.  He's out of Ann Arbor, MI, and he's on the Ghostly label, and I like him already.  At first it seemed like he might just play from a laptop but he had more equipment up there and really got into what he was doing; after a couple of tracks he jumped onto a drum-set and accompanied the machines himself:



Bonobo were excellent.  They came with a full live band, played a lengthy set, and the crowd was really into it to boot.  Things slowed down a bit in the middle of the set but soon picked up again.  The show overall just had a really fun, energetic vibe to it, and I also felt quite cool being there -- like I was in a really good soulful loungey venue and not just at the Black Cat!

the News

Having one of those days today, just coming across loads of cool new music that's got me thinking about all kinds of things.  Started with 6 Music and then I got caught up in an internet music link wormhole!  Happens every now and then.  Heard Disclosure and Steve Mason first, which led me to AlunaGeorge and TNGHT.  Trying to stop with just those as, apparently, too much music per post is not a good thing.  On a music blog. I ask you.

I first heard of Disclosure after hearing a great mix by them a couple of months ago at XLR8R.  Seems like they're getting quite big in the UK now and they've just put out a great new single, White Noise, which features another new act, AlunaGeorge.  The video for the track is pretty great, and it's shot in Detroit!:



There's a pretty tight remix of the song that will (hopefully) be officially released.  It's by Scot Hudson Mohawke:



He's one half of an outfit called TNGHT, who've got this track out:



Can't tell, but I'm pretty that'll sound wicked out of a good stereo.

To summarise the above, we've got "future-garage" (Disclosure), "future R n B" (AlunaGeorge), and "future hip-hop" (TNGHT).  Those labels are all from the interwebs, you can decide on your own genre distinctions I think.  I have to say, though, that terms like these do get me pretty excited for the music before I even hear it -- thinking it's some mix of nostalgia, love of new stuff, and wanting to tap into UK urban scenes.

Anyway, last up, someone who doesn't really fit in with the above young 'n' new stuff, Steve Mason, ex of the Beta Band.  I really like his voice and guessed it was him when I heard this, a new track from a forthcoming new LP.  This song should serve as a pleasant come down form the previous glitchy madness:



When I hear this new, great, stuff, I do actually think about picking up a Disclosure single, or a Steve Mason album, but I know they'll just add to the clutter around my house -- it's so hard to find the time to stop, sit, and properly listen to music anymore.  That's nothing to do with life nowadays -- I think it's more to do with being mid-30's with a job, a wife, and a kid.  And also cos of life nowadays!  Hopefully you have more time than me, and can have a good listen.