All the good things I've heard since starting to commute again

Started a new job and have a commute again so that means back to RadMac on Radio 6!  I'm very pleased, only downer is that their daily show is supposed to end and they'll move to weekends some time soon.  But, that's what the iPlayer is for.  But honestly, thanks God for RadMac.  I'll start to think I'm over music, then listen to them and get into it all over again.  Thanks guys!  Thanks the BBC!  Thanks Blighty for your eclectic radio offerings and refusal to conform to commercial viability!! 

Just going to basically post tracks without a lot of commentary as time is limited.  Dev Hynes seems like a prolific character; I remember hearing about Test Icicles when they first came around some time in the last decade, but never checked them out.  I will now though, cos I like this track by Hynes aka Blood Orange:



I've featured BC Camplight on this blog before.  Don't know tons about him/them, but I do know the main songwriter is an American who's now based in the UK (Manchester?) -- always intriguing.  This track appeals due to it's dissonant sounds and it's 80's vibes.  There are at least two 80's tracks it reminds me of, but I can't quite put my finger on either of them. 



Just read a bit about my boy BC and turns out he's an American who sees himself as a Manc who got deported from the UK a couple of years ago and ended up living in his parents' basement, depressed.  He then got EU citizenship via Italian grandparents, only for the UK to vote for Brexit!  His latest album, Deportation Blues touches upon this.  See?  Intriguing. 

Gwenno is Welsh and does electronic music.  What more do you need to know??  Ok, this is off her second album, which is in Cornish, and she used to be in subversive indie throwback girl group the Pipettes. 



I'm almost done, but I'm not done.  Actually I'm only halfway through.  New Gorillaz track Tranz, I like it.  Surprised the band came out with album so quickly after the last one. 



I thought this was a remix of the Fall, but it was just them!  Can't take Mark E Smith for granted, or at least you shouldn't've, when he was alive.  People probably knew that though.



Never listened to a lot of Dinosaur Jr, which is a shame really, what I've heard I've liked.  Them, Sebadoh, and Pavement -- must make time one of these days.  Or one of these commutes. 

Ross From Friends

Ross From Friends is the funniest artist name I've heard in a long time. It's pretty genius, actually.

Here's a short bio from him:
"When a 90's sitcom character undertakes a new role as an electronic music producer".

I discovered him via listening to - what else? - KCRW, a few choice nights ago. This is the track I heard on the radio that immediately peaked my interest:

"Don't Wake Dad" is very unique. And good.

I found this excellent Fader mix that he put out a couple of weeks ago. It's been ages since I found a mix that is as superb. Mixes as grand and good as this one come few and far in between. Thank you Ross From Friends! I have a long flight in front of me and I will thoroughly enjoy re-listening to this, again and again.

IT IS SO DAMN GOOD. I'm not even done with my first listen yet, and here I am posting about it. Brava, Ross From Friends, nice one. Also he's from...LONDON!

 Here's the full interview with Fader. 

Tunes heard on KCRW PART FOUR

Not Garth Trinidad this time, this was the Metropolis show on KCRW, but still some big groovy tunes being played and heard over the airwaves. Honestly this radio station helps me to appreciate being in LA and SoCal more. Often when friends from NY are in town, they remark that the radio in LA is so much better, as NY is all Clear Channel'd out...

Here's what I heard tonight much to my joy and surprise, once again. I make youtube playlists for my films and scripts and often I add songs that I heard on KCRW - so thank you to those folks in Santa Monica, for enlightening and entertaining me - and influencing me - so much.

(I love the graphic on this one)

Tunes heard on KCRW PART THREE

My oh my oh my - yet more absolute and extreme deliciousness from KCRW. Who is the DJ again who is guilty of playing such gems that play over the airwaves as I wind my gari through the streets of Los Angeles? His name is Garth Trinidad. Thank you sir, thank you. 

THIS TUNE IS SUCH A DELICIOUS AND SMOOTH PLEASURE FOR YOUR EARS. WOW!

mind-twisting tune by...Steven Spielberg's daughter, produced by Nicolas Jaar

yah, more good shit

I actually have about 10 more tunes from my listening session tonight so there's gonna be a PART FOUR of this series! Yes yes yes

Orbital were one of the first electronic acts I got into as a spotty young'n.  I'm pretty sure the first tune of their's I heard was off of a free tape that came with Select magazine -- a live version of "Impact (the Earth is Burning)" that was recorded at Glastonbury.  I'm happy to say they're back and recording again and I do like the current single "Tiny Foldable Cities" -- it's got a pleasing weirdness to it that helps it stand out bit over the many, many electronic tracks out there.





I've blogged about Roisin Murphy before -- another dance music survivor who happily puts out off-kilter tunes.  She's appeared on DJ Koze's latest album, another one which Alexis Petridis persuaded me to buy, and one of her tunes is the one I keep going back to again and again.  "Illumination" is pretty great:

 

Tunes heard on KCRW PART TWO

So these are tunes I heard on KCRW just last night and this morning, probably a combined total of 20 minutes, that's it. I "shazam" all the time when I listen to this fantastic radio station. I wanted to keep listening both last night and this morning, but I was listening in the car enroute to things I'm actually supposed to be doing.

In my opinion they're the best radio station in Yankland. Just the fact that I found so many fantastic tunes from listening to them, even just for a few minutes, says a lot. Perhaps I also appreciate them more as radio stations are frequently appearing in the films I'm making...hehe.

Here's what I listened to and found!

Theme from

Mixed post today.  I watched all of 'Detectorists' on Netflix not too long ago and really enjoyed it.  It's a lovely, simple, gentle show about a couple of friends who are into metal detecting.  Great shots of the countryside and an easy, comforting, plot.  And I really liked the folky theme tune, which reminds me of some other theme tunes, so here we go -- a theme for the post, hah.  This is by Johnny Flynn:



Next, the theme to 'Family Tree' by Ron Sexsmith.  The show was cancelled after one season.  It was also pretty nice to watch, like 'Detectorists', but had a bit more going on. And it lacked the lovely scenery. 



And another -- I watched this cartoon with the kids and the track stood out -- it's by George Ezra, from the film 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt':



All of these remind me of Bibio.  And the general theme reminds me of this :) :