Good morning, Midweek. Spring is officially here. I've opened the windows.  First thing I checked out today was the title track of the upcoming new collaboration between Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA , Scaring The Hoes .  The distinct and character-rich voices of each artist aside, the snare beat sounds like it was mic'd in a crawlspace, scratchy tenor sax scribbles across the track like a kindergartner enthusiastically dragging a marker across paper with a tight fist. Add a simple bass groove and claps.  I love it.  When thinking about minimalism in terms of production, the tinniness and sonic anemia of trap/drill beats and the ubiquity that this sound has had over the last decade or more across a multitude of artists hasn't had consistent appeal for me. That said, I get it: soundtracking a club, the bass drops are effective and the vibe is the draw.  But, "Scaring The Hoes" is minimalism done well. Looking forward to this album. __________ The Laurie Anderson all...

To whom it may interest, Collecting sounds over the past couple weeks for a new entry for my  2020 Playlist . I'd been largely absent for most of July thanks to the demands of my day job, the high doses of pain killers I had to ingest thanks to a severe back issue, and other distractions and otherwise tiring things that required attention and focus. I'm hoping to have more to say in the coming months, (though I've made THAT promise before). If you've hung in there, thank you. If you haven't, maybe I can win back your approval. Hope you're all well and staying safe. Please wear your masks. Enjoy. _________________________________________ numün :  "voyage au soleli" (via Clandestine Label Services / Musique Impossible / YouTube) Album Pre-Order https://music.joelmellin.com/album/voyage-au-soleil via Clandestine Label Services Numün is a trio of New York City soundscape designers who combine a wide range of music ...

Liars Mess Mute Released: 3.24.14 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

So, there are 500 of these available for pre-order .  If you have money and meet the appropriate criteria recommended before purchasing, (like, if you're a Liars fan and you really want to own their upcoming new album, Mess , in some physical manner), you should probably think about picking this up.   Me?  I'm broke.  I know that the asking price of $35 is generous, but it's a couple days till payday and the family has to eat. And, to be honest, this is the type of specialized, high-value album I would NEVER play.  It's a vacuum-sealed gate-fold with REAL string housing clear vinyl: it checks off all the little boxes that qualify the release as both inventive and instantly collectable.  And, then there's that whole "limited edition" thing.  While the designer and visual fetishist in me believes that this album is somehow necessary for the preservation of my ability to work creatively and remain inspired (which, to some extent, might be true), the au...

Electro-pop trio, Moderat , has released its new album, II . "Bad Kingdom" is the first (and I think only) single from the album and it has a pop-melodic hook and soulful vocal strong enough to grab my attention. Check out the single and peruse the information below, which is courtesy of Mute. MODERAT – II OUT NOW Berlin based electronic music trio, Moderat have just released their meticulous and dynamic sophomore LP, II via Mute. Comprised of Sascha Ring ( Apparat ), Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary ( Modeselektor ), Moderat represent the very best in innovative electronic music infused with infectious and poppy vocals. IIhas dialed in the aesthetics of Modeselektor’s throbbing bass and tricky beats while maintaining the delicate vocals we’ve come to love and expect from Apparat. II is the most diverse and complex piece of work released by Moderat to date - confidently and capriciously capturing a broad range of the emotional spectrum. You can watch the ...

The Knife will be releasing "Raging Lung" as its next single.  The fact that it borrows some lyrics from Fugazi , "Raging Lung" is one of standouts from The Knife's Shaking the Habitual , itself an interestingly eclectic and dizzying two-album release.  And, from the looks of the single's cover, it would appear that loud, obnoxious color combos reamain a fully realized pursuit.   Check out the video below.  All info provided by Mute. The Knife & Sorklubben Present… Shaking The Habitual Show Live Video “Raging Lung” Announced as Next Singl e   The Knife announce new single “Raging Lung” and have released a Shaking The Habitual Show live video set to the track. The video, self directed by Sorklubben (The Knife performance collective), is the first officially released footage of the Shaking The Habitual Show , and contains a montage of live footage filmed at The Knife's headline show at Hangaren Subtopia in Stockholm in May 2013. The t...

New song and video from Liars along with tour info, a mini-documentary, special occasion shows and a contest.  Are they not giving? Liars' last album, 2012's WIXIW , was reviewed at No Ripcord . All info is courtesy of Mute.  Offer Free Download of Two New Exclusive Tracks With Mini Film Play The MET on May 18th & Le Poisson Rouge on May 19th European Tour Starts Next Week Including Primavera, Sonar, Manchester Parklife & Brighton Festivals Before LIARS embark on their European tour next week, they will be playing two very special shows in New York this weekend. They will perform at The MET in the Temple of Dendur on Saturday, May 18th and Le Poisson Rouge on Sunday, May 19th. The MET show is sold out, but tickets are still available for Le Poisson Rouge show – grab them while you can ! As they get ready to head out on the road, they are also sharing a special surprise: a free download two brand new tracks – “I Saw You From The Lifeboat” and “Perfume...

Two Inch Astronaut : "Blood From a Loyal Hound" (via Exploding In Sound Records) blood from a loyal hound by Two Inch Astronaut Indian Handcrafts : "Bruce Lee" (via Noisey /Sargent House) Big Deal : "Dream Machines" (via Mute) The Child Of Lov : "Owl" (featuring DOOM ) (via Life or Death PR) Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

It takes Mark Lanegan 's involvement for me to discuss a Moby release.  This partnership produced the Record Store Day curated "The Lonely Night" 7" along with a video built from moving skies, desert landscapes and dilapidated and abandoned wreckage.  All info comes courtesy of Mute. Watch the new video for Moby and Mark Lanegan’s “The Lonely Night” RECORD STORE DAY LIMITED EDITION 7” VINYL Moby and Mark Lanegan “The Lonely Night” Available April 20 Today, Moby and Mark Lanegan have unveiled the beautiful time-lapse video for “The Lonely Night” , available on limited edition 7" released for this year's Record Store Day, April 20. Watch 'The Lonely Night' on Moby's YouTube channel here. Directed by LA-based cinematographer Colin Rich , 'The Lonely Night” captures California as never seen before - flitting between the desolate and far removed terrain of the Mojave desert and the endless city expanse of Los Angeles. Rich sa...

Liars released a new video for "The Exact Color Of Doubt," from their 2012 release, WIXIW .  WIXIW was reviewed at No Ripcord . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

A new video from Liars : This is the title track from their most recent release WIXIW , which was reviewed in 2012 at No Ripcord . In addition to their new video, Liars will be playing two New York dates, one of which will take place at The Temple of Dendur in The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  This is one of the best ideas I've ever heard and apparently it's all part of an exhibit dubbed PUNK: Chaos to Couture .  The show is unfortunately sold out, but nevertheless, information on the event is available below. The video and all links and info were provided by Mute. LIARS   New Video for “WIXIW”   This past June Liars released their sixth studio album, WIXIW , along with a string of remixes and videos for their singles “No.1 Against the Rush” and “Brats”. Today they unveil the NEW video for “WIXIW”directed by the Los Angeles-based artist Alex/2Tone . Unsettling and captivating the video for “WIXIW” has a momentum indicative of the album as a whole, ...

Though I'll admit it gets a tad overwrought toward the end, I really enjoyed listening to Junip 's "Line of Fire" this morning, finding it both gorgeous and affecting.  You can listen to it below. Junip's self-titled album will be out via Mute on April 23rd. All info, links and music were provided by Mute. New Self-Titled Album out April 23rd, 2013 Last week Junip released “ Line of Fire ”, the first single off their sophomore album Junip , out April 23rd. Featuring vocals by José González with Elias Araya on drums and Tobias Winterkorn on keys, “Line of Fire” showcases a bolder, more mature Junip – once again eager to embrace you with their infectious blend of percussion and passionate, immeasurable waves of genuine emotion. Already receiving high praise, this track is a true stunner and expressive of what's coming down the line. Within a few seconds of devouring “Line of Fire” you will take note of the ease with which Elias, José and Tob...

In case you don't remember as far back as last November , I posted a video of the song "Science for a Better Life" by Diamond Version , a factorial and minimalist work of automated paranoia currently releasing a series of five EPs that will lead to a full-length release later this year. EP3 will be physically out in late February, (the digital option available on January 29th if that's how you roll), and a new video, "Turn On Tomorrow," was unleashed today. All info comes courtesy of Mute Records. DIAMOND VERSION EP3 OUT FEB 26th on 12” & JAN 29th VIA DIGITAL DOWNLOAD WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "TURN ON TOMORROW" Diamond Version will release EP3 next Tuesday January 29th via digital download and on February 26th via 12”. EP3 is the third EP release in a series of five and features the tracks Turn On Tomorrow, Sense Of Urgency and Turn On Tomorrow (Version). Diamond Version has also released a video to accompany the final track. Echoing the...