Latest Experimental Posts

[Interview] TMN Chats It Up With Yeah Boy

Posted by Matthew Bloss - September 19, 2013

Yeah Boy
Can't Get Enough

So rarely does a music project debut as a fully developed and functioning artistic medium, but when they do, it is especially easy for us here at TMN to take notice. Such was the case with the side project of Parachute Youth’s Johnny Castro; Yeah Boy, and his electronically textured debut single “Can’t Get Enough”, which dropped back in August. This one, due out October 6 on Baked Goods, follows the path of a funky, feel-good Summer groover, but is awash in elements from a multitude of genres. A flitty electric guitar, which wouldn’t be out of place on an 80’s funk record tones the tune, while a beatific melody ties together a reverb soaked vocal track, deep synth work and housey piano licks. The resulting product was a sound we just couldn’t get out of our heads, and one which warranted some probing for more information from the largely mysterious Yeah Boy.

We had the opportunity to dig a little deeper into the psyche of Johnny Castro and his music project(s), finding out what is on the horizon musically in the coming months, what his recording process has been like, Daft Punk, Pink Floyd concerts and a whole bunch more. Check out the entire transcript below:

We imagine that your two-piece Parachute Youth takes up quite a bit of free time. What was the deciding factor in sort of breaking away for a bit to focus on your solo work with Yeah Boy?

I think it was simply wanting to write something different and having a completely different approach in my songwriting. I’m loving going back to my roots and writing/singing more soulful/funky vibes and its something you need to explore on your own I think when you have a band with a completely different sound.

What sound differentiations are you able to focus on with Yeah Boy that might not have gone over as well with Parachute Youth?

I think going more hip hop/soulful, which is where I started in the first place. Parachute Youth has a distinct sound and we push that sound to define who we are as a band, I’m ready to do the same with Yeah Boy, which explores my inner love for experimental hip hop/soul.

With basically only one single out at this time, can you enlighten us a little more about your forthcoming EP, such as title, release date, etc. Will most of the material be in the same instrumental vein as “Can’t Get Enough” or have you been playing with all different types of sounds?

There’s going to be some changes of course! ‘Can’t Get Enough’ was a great door opener and showed that I do love writing something very different than usual that can still come across as a pop record. I’ll be working with different artists for this EP also to explore the true potential of Yeah Boy and where I want to go with it. It’s still early days but expect a cool EP 🙂

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[Dream-Pop/Electronica] Vinyl Villain – Pretty Evil EP

Posted by Matthew Bloss - September 18, 2013

Vinyl Villain, or V/V as they are largely tracked through the blogoshpheres, maintains as a project shrouded in much mystery, leaving only a catchy, but haunting brand of electronic leaning dream-pop to speak for them. When their latest collection of tunes, dubbed Pretty Evil, graced our in-house monitors there was a collective air of beauty suddenly infused into our souls, while a shot of reverb tinged vocals and minimal-pop slunked its way down our gullets simultaneously. V/V manage to pull from their listeners a smorgasbord of emotions while coming across as equal parts Lana Del Ray, Deerhoof and pure pop prowess. As their first body of work, Pretty Evil no doubt will latch onto many indie purists and more blogs alike while lifting their veil to a slew of music publications as well. As an even greater treat to our Ninjas, Pretty Evil was released as a free download, so please don’t miss your chance to be one of the first to sport it on your iPhone.

’V/V – Lights’

’V/V – Amsterdam’

’V/V – Cufflinks’

’V/V – Champagne’

’V/V – Done’

[Chill] Four Tet – Parallel Jalebi

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - September 17, 2013

Four Tet
Parallel Jalebi

Soundcloud

“Parallel Jalebi” has to be the most brilliantly titled track of the year. For those of you unfamiliar with what jalebi is, it’s basically a dish made of fried batter that’s coiled together and soaked in a sugary syrup, generally found in India and certain surrounding countries. That contradiction in the name alone though isn’t what makes the title so clever. If you take a look at the waveform of the track on SoundCloud, you’ll be able to see that the “strands” of the beat basically look like straightened pieces of jalebi (especially since jalebi is orange). That amount of complexity in such a simple song makes it all the sweeter to listen to.

Remain on the lookout for Four Tet‘s upcoming album, Beautiful Rewind, set to drop on his label, Text, sometime this year.

[NEW] Sleigh Bells – You Don’t Get Me Twice

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - September 16, 2013

Sleigh Bells
You Don't Get Me Twice

Buy

Loud, brash, abrasive, yet ultimately sweet. That’s what you’d expect from a Sleigh Bells production, and the pair don’t disappoint with their brand new single, “You Don’t Get Me Twice.” Utter chaos is abound, as screeching guitars and thumping percussion lead the charge on this ice cold breakup anthem. Check out the track above, and prepare yourself for the pair’s upcoming third studio album, Bitter Rivals, in stores October 8th.

[Electronic] SBTRKT – IMO

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - September 14, 2013

SBTRKT
IMO

Soundcloud

I may have lied in my last post. This is the perfect way to cap off an excellent week of great material. Actually, I’m not even convinced that we’re done here given the amount of quality music that keeps streaming in by the hour. With SBTRKT currently working on his sophomore release, we’ve been given the opportunity to get a sneak peek of what to expect from the new project. According to the British producer, “IMO” is an unmixed/unmastered track from his recording sessions. That description seems somewhat daunting though, because if this is what his unmastered material sounds like, we have no idea what results to expect from his polished off releases. The hypnotic new single is compliment by equally stunning neon visuals which were crafted by Lorenzo Durantini. As excited as we are for this song, it does come with somber tidings, as this is dedicated to Jerome’s late brother, Daniel. Get lost in this breathtaking soundscape, and be on the lookout for

[Post-Soul] BANKS – Bedroom Wall (Prod. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs)

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - September 11, 2013

BANKS
Bedroom Wall (Prod. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs)

Buy

If BANKS and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs decided to record an entire project together, I would not complain. After dropping her outstanding LONDON EP yesterday, the LA songstress comes through with one of the project’s standouts, “Bedroom Wall.” As the title suggests, the track is meant to be heard in a very specific space, and at a specific time even. It’s the type of song that you unwind to at the end of a late night, where you find yourself lost in the willowy, atmospheric production as BANKS guides you along with her delicate, velvety vocals. Seriously, I can’t tell you how many times I found myself closing my eyes and zoning out as I wrote this (that also might have to do with my sleep deprivation, but I’d like to believe otherwise).

If this single doesn’t finally convince you to grab a copy of BANKS’ LONDON EP, then I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe it’s time to invest in some new headphones, because you’re definitely missing out on something special.

[NEW] BANKS – This Is What It Feels Like (Prod. Lil Silva & Jamie Woon)

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - September 10, 2013

BANKS
This Is What It Feels Like (Prod. Lil Silva & Jamie Woon)

Buy

Ever since BANKS emerged earlier this year, she’s been on constant rotation around the ~~top secret~~ TMN offices. “This Is What It Feels Like” represents yet another spectacular hit to add to the LA native’s repertoire. Upon pressing play, the eerie intro instantly evokes images of a spaceship touching down on Earth for the first time, almost as if affirming BANKS’s arrival onto the scene. The groaning bass and ethereal synths from Lil Silva and Jamie Woon are soon overtaken by crisp and ruminating vocals, all of which help the single achieve a sound that is both menacing and exhilarating at the same time

After playing the “Waiting Game” for much too long, we finally have our hands on BANKS’ LONDON EP and are absolutely in love with it. Make sure to grab yourself a copy on iTunes, and look out for BANKS in your city as she tours with The Weeknd.