Tag: Chromatics

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Music

Chromatics – Cherry (Main Fix)

Tuesday isn’t normally a day for deep thinking, but that’s just how the waves of life can change you – unexpectedly. Whether it’s a grad school application or avoiding an emotional spiral, moments of hard-pressed reflection are necessary. Naturally, inward musing requires a delicately chosen soundtrack, and the Chromatics just seem to have that special touch.

Cherry 
can be very sweet when she needs a friend 
but it’s only 
a mask that she wears so she can pretend 
and I can’t keep running 
all of the time 
no I can’t keep running 
all of the time.”

Cherry is song for long, pensive drives and self-indulged decision making. The drum sequences are dramatically paired with sparkling synths. Ruth Radelet‘s gossamer vocals glide through the melodies, while the wistful lyrics search for meaning. The result is an ethereal  similar to Beach House, but with a heavy bass kick and bright synths. The Portland-based band accomplishes the unique task of making their music just as colorful as their name. Enjoy this track with equal parts starry-eyed dreaming and solemn existential reflection.

Chromatics – Cherry (Main Fix)

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Music

Le Miel du Mois by Steph Lund: Octobre + Novembre 2012

Dwayne Carter Jr. is full of good lines but the following is hands down my favorite…

If I die today it be a holiday…”

If there’s ever a moment in my life when my perspective is so off or I’m doing something so terribly against my true nature that makes me feel otherwise then there’s something wrong. Life is too short to be dishonest with yourself or others and nothing matters that much to put up with bullshit from anyone. I’m lucky to have music, it’s the thing I love, it’s what I do for a living, it’s what makes me happy and it’s never let me down. The more I get into it, the more fulfilling and inspired I am and I thankful for it.

Which brings me to todays post. It’s important to have something to look forward to every day, week, month, year. Keep yourself going and make everyday interesting however you can. For many of us here and our readers of course, one thing that’s made our days and months better is the release of LMDM, our first and most beloved mixtape series by Steph Lund. Recently, I’ve gotten a few angry emails, frustrated request and desperate music love letters from folks asking about the tape. If it’s gone forever, why we’re slacking? etc. We appreciate it all and we listen, if there’s anything that keeps this train going is the passion we have for music and knowing that others share it with us. That said, there’s no excuse, Steph and I are just busy mofo’s these days. We both left NYC this year and have been 100 miles and running since keeping up with our clients, personal lives and so on. EMPT and LMDM we’re created on and still run on pure love so bare with us as we learn to manage the new demands. That said, we’re playing catchup and brining you a combined Octobre & Novembre that is pure concentrated amazing. Decembre soon to follow.

As is customary this tape is nothing like those before it and perhaps the only thing it shares with the them is the amazing feeling you get while listening to it. This one in particular has a great balance, I haven’t seen Steph in a while but I can tell these are the good times. I won’t Speak for her but just know that every song fantastic and the fast forward button is worthless while listening to this, enjoy…

Le Miel du Mois at work? That’s much better than work at work! Download

  1. Chromatics – Lady (YUS Remix)
  2. Roosevelt – Sea
  3. St Lucia – September
  4. Absofacto – Backfire
  5. Robosonic – Thankful
  6. Saint Michel – Katherine
  7. Civil Twilight – River (Ra Ra Riot Remix)
  8. Roosevelt – Soleil
  9. Crystal Stilts – Dark Eyes
  10. Y Luv – Driftin
  11. Nicolas Jaar – Mi Mujer
  12. First Aid Kit – Winter Is All Over (Baauer Remix)
Categories
Music

Le Miel du Mois by Steph Lund: Septembre 2012

A person named Hadders (if thats your real name) left this comment on our wall last week and it said…

Hi EMPT, I’ve been following EMPT for the last 2 years and my welfare depends deeply on your LMdM mixes. They’re unbelievable. Can’t wait for the next one and thanks for the music…”

That made my day and it got me going enough to wake up this morning and finally put together the September 2012 edition of LMDM and unbelievable would be the best way to describe it. As usual, Steph manages to make an amazing tape that is a complete 360 degree turn from the last –

Well, tell me then which of these various styles you think is the best then huh? 
The best I hear is the combined, the best of all styles. Put them together.”

I forget what movie I got that from but it’s the best way to try describe Stephs style – a constantly evolving blend of everything great music has to off.  I love that. If you take a look at the world around us, it seems like everyone is trying so hard to be something, to be classified, defined and identified. There are benefits to that and it certainly is comfortable and makes thing easy to understand but my problem with such thinking is that the second you become so defined you’ve instantly limited your experience. I’m not just talking about music here, it applies to all facets of life and can lead to severe lameness if not carefully observed. You ever meet someone who has it all figured out? It’s boring. The only thing constant is change and that scares a lot people but it’s a beautiful thing, the world keeps moving, everything grows and develops and in my mind that’s something to embrace. That’s the vibe LMDM gives me because I never know what to expect. Each tape continues to seduce and keep me on the edge and it’s wonderful. So Hadder (if thats your real name), I’ll join you in thanking Steph for this great experience. From start to end, month after month it truly is unbelievable, enjoy.

12 tracks for September. With one bonus. A month that rolls from one season to the next, September leaves us desperate to keep the sun but the season will change no matter how bad we might not want it to. heres to celebrating what was and whats to come… “

Le Miel du Mois at work? That’s much better than work at work! Download

Tracklisting:

  1. Crystal Fighters – At Home (Passion Pit Remix)
  2. Elite Gymnastics – Here in Heaven
  3. ALPINE – Hands (Goldroom Remix)
  4. Yuno – Sunlight
  5. Night Panther – Snudge
  6. Silent Rider – I Was A Bomb
  7. Cheers Elephant – Leaves
  8. ODESZA – Above The Middle
  9. Chromatics – Circled Sun
  10. Teen Daze – The Future (Jess Ruins Remix)
  11. Pale Seas – Bodies (Tropics Remix)
  12. Work Drugs – License To Drive
  13. Bonus: Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Categories
Classics Covers Music Remixes Soundtracks

Chromatics – Into The Black (Voxels Remix)

It’s very hard to top a classic such as Neil Young‘s rock anthem Into The Black but what Chromatics did to it and then Voxels on the cover… This is just nothing short of amazing.

Here’s the thing. I believe the original is very good, but it is only when you take it down a notch from the fast paced rock that you actually take in and the lyrics take on another colour of sorts. Now, the Voxels further dramatize the best moments of the track like a roller coaster – at times going faster and other slower. The bridge is just magical on their rendition.

I don’t want to neglect other special mentions in the covering of this song, such as Battleme’s version that soundtracked the eerily sentimental moments of the Sons of Anarchy Season 3 Finale. On this rendition Battleme stripped it naked almost completely – leaving only the wet crooning vocals over a piano.

I rated this 5 stars on my iTunes and this is probably one of the sickest remixes of a cover that I own. By far. I can’t help myself but to also share with you the original cover of Neil Young’s classic by the Chromatics and Battleme‘s.

The composition in this song is the common denominator and is as powerful as it gets:

Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There’s more to the picture
Than meets the eye.
Hey hey, my my.

Out of the blue
and into the black
You pay for this,
but they give you that
And once you’re gone,
you can’t come back
When you’re out of the blue
and into the black.

The king is gone
but he’s not forgotten
Is this the tale
of Johnny Rotten?
It’s better to burn out
Than fade away
The king is gone
but he’s not forgotten.

Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There’s more to the picture
Than meets the eye.”

Let these amazingly powerful lyrics –expressed in different ways– hit you and knock you out.

Chromatics – Into The Black (Voxels Remix)

Chromatics – Into The Black

Battleme – Hey Hey, My My

Categories
Music

EMPT Presents – S U M M E R : a n t i – w i n t e r 1C by Ryan Radler

Alright it’s official, labor day has passed so it’s no longer cool for chicks to wear white and summer is fictionally over. You gotta love labor day, yet another completely random holiday with no real significance. I refuse to acknowledge this symbolic end of the season so until the sweaters and jackets are back in rotation it’s all s u m m e r: a n t i – w i n t e r over here baby.  Speaking of which, mixtape connoisseur Ryan Radler sent me his latest installment of the anti-winter series over the weekend and I’ve been keeping it all to myself. I’m like Gail Wynand with art, I get attached to it and I want to keep it all to myself except I have a EMPT and all I do is share music, oh the juxtapositions. This tape like all the others is skip free listening because the song selection from start to finish is fantastic. I mean Herb Albert in between Bath & Pandit, Space Age Bachelor Pad Music? Yes.

I have no medical or scientific findings to support this statement but I’m pretty sure that listening to Ryans tapes at least once a day may be a great way to lower cholesterol, relieve stress and regain youth. I mean try to listening to this with a frown, I don’t care what cosmically insignificant problems you’re dealing with at the moment, it’s impossible. I have to say, I’m a huge fan of all these tapes but on this Tuesday morning 1 C is spot on, enjoy.

S U M M E R : a n t i – w i n t e r 1 C

1. Zimbabwe – NEW NAVY
2. Please Stay – SUMMER HEART
3. Aminals – BATH
4. Music To Watch Girls Go By – HERB ALPERT
5. Kathryn, My Love – PANDIT
6. Hands In The Dark – CHROMATICS
7. The Gaudy Side of Town – GAYNGS
8. Diet Mtn Dew – LANA DEL REY (OXFORD REMIX / RAD EDIT)
9. More Than This – BRYAN FERRY& ROXY MUSIC
10. Psychic Chasms – NEON INDIAN (ANORAAK REMIX)
11. Pocket – SAM SPARRO (THE PRESETS RADIO MIX)
12. History – GROOVE ARMADA (FEAT. WILL YOUNG)
13. The Old House Is Gone – ST. LUCIA
14. Punching In A Dream – THE NAKED AND FAMOUS
15. Hours – TYCHO

EMPT Presents – S U M M E R : a n t i – w i n t e r 1 c by Ryan Radler by Et Musique Pour Tous

Categories
Music

M.I.A. – Boys (The Twelves Remix)

First of all, this remix is amazing. Now that we’ve addressed that let’s go to the post… While everyone was at the Jay-Z concert on Friday I chose to go seek out some business and catch The Twelves DJ set at NYC’s Webster Hall. I got to the event pretty early so by the time the Brazilian duo started rocking I was a bit tired but my what good music can do for your energy.

In short, The Twelves aren’t the most technical of DJ’s; you won’t get much scratching, looping or cutting from their set, but what you will get is impeccable taste, great song selection and seamless execution.  As many of you know, one of the most exiting things about these guys is their knack for unique dance remixes and their set on Friday had some cool ones I’d yet to hear.  The best part of the show was in fact the remixes, their production decisions and style are nearly unmatched in the remix game, it’s very impressive.  So without further ado, I bring you a special treat today, The Twelves first official mixtape – 30 Minutes of Twelves. After this tape they’ve released another called Episode II, which I also have but will save for part 2 of this post. In the meantime make your Monday a good one and put this on at work, you won’t regret it. To be continued…

M.I.A. – Boyz (The Twelves Remix)

MP3

The Twelves – 30 Minutes of Twelves (Download)

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