Friday, December 31, 2010
CHOON OF THE DAY: DEFTONES, "DIGITAL BATH"
As I type this, the few hours left in 2010 slowly fade away. As the fantastic year, full of memories and experiences, bids its farewell, we say hello to a brand new year of hopes and dreams we have yet to embrace. So with this, I raise my glass to you, 2010, and I bid you farewell. To celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of a brand new one, here's the Choon of the Day, "Digital Bath" by Deftones, off of their 2000 classic, White Pony.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
CHOON OF THE DAY: JESU, "CHRISTMAS"
This holiday season, I have heard nothing but the same 15 Christmas tunes, variations, and such constantly, to the point where I cannot stand it anymore. Luckily, a new Christmas classic arrives... from Jesu? Jesu, aka Justin Broadrick, is a pioneer of doomgaze drone music (so what I made up doomgaze?). He has always supplied sludgy, ambient music you can just get lost in, and now he delivers it with some ribbon and some Christmas cheer. So if you too are sick and tired of all the same old caroling classics, give this song a try!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
CHOON OF THE DAY: ISIS, "SO DID WE"
Due to Ian's constant cocksucking of Isis, I eventually decided to check them out (a month after they disbanded ;_; ) and I gotta say, I was really blown away. Out of all the post metal I listen to nowadays, Isis still stand tall among many other fantastic acts. It's really a shame to see such a great band call it quits, but Isis did leave us with some fantastic gems. So I present you with today's choon of the day (a feature I started on my tumblr blog, an idea I stole from Thrice drummer and personal role model, Riley Breckenridge). Today's COTD comes from Isis' magnum opus, Panopticon.
Monday, December 27, 2010
AOTY List? Yes it is!
In my humble opinion, 2010 has been a fantastic year for music. Some of my favorite releases have come out of this year. Although, when it came to decided the top albums of the year, I was distraught. It was awful trying to rank my favorite albums into a numerical list of superiority. After hours and hours of working at it, I finally came up with a list that I have decided is aptly correct. Without further ado...
My Top 10 Albums of 2010
10. Intronaut - Valley of Smoke
Due to my friendship with Ian Williams, my musical taste has descended into the smokey realms of doom metal, sludge, and most recently, post-metal. Intronaut was one of the first bands he got me into, showing me Void and Prehistoricisms a few months back. I was instantly hooked to their mastery of grooving in off-time signatures, and their ability to transition from erupting "in your face" Converge-esque brutality to creating glowing atmospheres much in the vein of Isis and Neurosis. Valley of Smoke continues the band's awesome catalog of strong songwriting and unforgettable grooves. From the headbang inducing riffs of Elegy to the brilliant clean section in Miasma, Valley of Smoke is full of moments where you'll just become completely lost in the sounds, whether or not those sounds make you want to look up at the night sky or rip a bong and beat the shit out of an elderly couple.
9. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (Remastered)
What do you mean this album came out more than 20 years ago? Well, the reason I've included it in my list is because that this is a whole different monster than NIN's 1989 release. When Trent originally recorded Pretty Hate Machine, he was limited due to the FM based 80's synthesizers and poor recording equipment he used back then. The production was extremely thin, up to the point where listening to it was somewhat of a chore. Thanks to setbacks due to studio labels' ownership of the recordings, reluctant to allow Reznor to remaster his tracks and rerelease them. 20 years go by and finally Trent was allowed to go back to the original recordings, and tweak and improve on the flaws that kept the original release from becoming a classic. Thanks to his improvements, I can gladly say that this album has become one of my all time favorites. The intro drums on "Head Like a Hole" sound as menacing as ever, and the lush reverb laden pads of "Sanctified" have emerged from the mix and are actually now audible, adding much needed texture to the song. This album is a dark journey into the twisted mind of a young Trent Reznor, and what a wonderful journey it is!
Although, it's still funny to hear Reznor sing that the devil wants to buttfuck him in the back of his car.
8. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
Swans, ever since their conception in the mid 80's, have been a force to be reckoned with. Their blend of industrial post-punk and avant-garde rock is what really has led them to stay fresh and relevent for over 25 years. This year's release, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, takes their signature sound and blends it with the gritty sounds of the south. That's right, Swans' newest release features a heavy influence of southern and folk rock, all the while sustaining an dark, menacing tone. Swans newest release is full of huge waning ballads, and songs that seem like they were made to be sang while working in an old western chain gang. Swans bring up a mine full of great songs, and it seems they've struck gold.
7. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Only a few months after releasing the great All the Delighted People, Sufjan's back, and with some fantastic material. The Age of Adz is an album full of beautiful synth textures, frantic beats, and wonderful inspired songwriting. The production on the album is absolutely immaculate, and major props go to Sufjan for imagining such a immense and incredible experience of an album. The Age of Adz features an extreme range of instruments, from square launching synthesizers, to regal horns, to string sections that seem to have been written by Tchaikovsky himself. Sufjan once again proves his musical mastery and blows us all away with the majesty that is The Age of Adz.
6. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
This album is really, really, really cool. Anyone who enjoys electronic music or abstract hip hop will love this. FlyLo once again makes an album as creative as it is fun. FlyLo uses everything as his disposal, from Galaga bleeps and bloops, to soul samples, to even, yes, a recording of a game of ping pong. Even Thom Yorke stops by to make a quick guest appearance in "...The World Laughs With You." FlyLo makes an album that bleeds creativity, mystery, and nostalgia, and it's one of the best albums I've heard in a long time.
5. Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Ever since way back in the day, Deftones have been one of my favorite bands. Every single release of theirs is a great listening experience. Deftones have made a signature sound out of their ton-heavy guitar riffs laden with a majestically disturbing atmosphere. Diamond Eyes is no different. "Diamond Eyes" begins with an unrelenting crushing riff before exploding into a gorgeous submerged atmosphere in the chorus. The songs all feed off of Deftones duality between hell bent intensity and stunningly crisp sound textures, and as a result it's their best since White Pony.
4. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles II
Ever since I discovered their debut album in early 2008, Crystal Castles have stuck with me as one of my favorite bands. Their experimental chiptune/electronic sound has always kept them interesting and great to me, along with my huge crush on Alice Glass. Their newest release, also self-titled, has taken their signature sound, enhanced it, chilled it out, and added buckets and buckets of reverb on top of it. The result is nothing short of entrancing. Alice's vocals have taken an even bigger role this time around, and Ethan's skill for coming up with bizarre yet still danceable choons has made the duo's output stronger than ever. The album is mysterious, unsettling, cold, and most importantly, groovy as hell.
3. Rosetta - A Determinism of Morality
Rosetta have released one of the best post-metal releases I've heard in a long time. The atmospheres are wondrous, the anger is huge, and the result is massive. I mean MASSIVE. The layers and layers of texture just build and build off of itself, creating huge walls of giant sound. It's relaxing, but at the same time, makes you want to attack blindly with a medieval flail. Everything just blends so well, like the most delicious smoothie you ever had, and then some. I might be too soon in saying this, but I think that Rosetta are going to end up stealing that post-metal throne that Isis had abandoned.
2. Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
I don't think there has been a release this year that has both stuck with me all year and affected me personally. For some reason, I was never too big on Motion City in prior years. That all changed when I checked out the stream of this on myspace that cold January night. Everything was so good. The melodies were crisp and exciting, the lyrics were personable and fun, and the instruments were there backing it all up. From the opening lines of "Worker Bee," to the catchy as fuck chorus of "Pulp Fiction," and closing with the shouted refrain of "The Weakends" this album shows us everything that pop punk should be: catchy, connectible, and just plain fun.
1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Nobody saw it coming. Kanye was just a washed up douchebag rather than a voice of a generation. After a failed album, multiple controversies, and a few tragedies in his personal life, everyone thought good old Kanye was a lost cause. Well, here he is, showing his true colors and laying his psyche out on a dissection table for the world to see. Kanye didn't just drop an album. Kanye created an event. This album is so big, just incredibly huge, it's amazing that it can fit in a cd sleeve. The production is nothing short of incredible, the guest spots are unrivaled, and the lyrics are unbelievable. Kanye brings his all on this album, reminding us all why we loved him back then. Fuck Taylor Swift, Yeezy just dropped a bomb.
My Top 10 Albums of 2010
10. Intronaut - Valley of Smoke
Due to my friendship with Ian Williams, my musical taste has descended into the smokey realms of doom metal, sludge, and most recently, post-metal. Intronaut was one of the first bands he got me into, showing me Void and Prehistoricisms a few months back. I was instantly hooked to their mastery of grooving in off-time signatures, and their ability to transition from erupting "in your face" Converge-esque brutality to creating glowing atmospheres much in the vein of Isis and Neurosis. Valley of Smoke continues the band's awesome catalog of strong songwriting and unforgettable grooves. From the headbang inducing riffs of Elegy to the brilliant clean section in Miasma, Valley of Smoke is full of moments where you'll just become completely lost in the sounds, whether or not those sounds make you want to look up at the night sky or rip a bong and beat the shit out of an elderly couple.
9. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (Remastered)
What do you mean this album came out more than 20 years ago? Well, the reason I've included it in my list is because that this is a whole different monster than NIN's 1989 release. When Trent originally recorded Pretty Hate Machine, he was limited due to the FM based 80's synthesizers and poor recording equipment he used back then. The production was extremely thin, up to the point where listening to it was somewhat of a chore. Thanks to setbacks due to studio labels' ownership of the recordings, reluctant to allow Reznor to remaster his tracks and rerelease them. 20 years go by and finally Trent was allowed to go back to the original recordings, and tweak and improve on the flaws that kept the original release from becoming a classic. Thanks to his improvements, I can gladly say that this album has become one of my all time favorites. The intro drums on "Head Like a Hole" sound as menacing as ever, and the lush reverb laden pads of "Sanctified" have emerged from the mix and are actually now audible, adding much needed texture to the song. This album is a dark journey into the twisted mind of a young Trent Reznor, and what a wonderful journey it is!
Although, it's still funny to hear Reznor sing that the devil wants to buttfuck him in the back of his car.
8. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
Swans, ever since their conception in the mid 80's, have been a force to be reckoned with. Their blend of industrial post-punk and avant-garde rock is what really has led them to stay fresh and relevent for over 25 years. This year's release, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, takes their signature sound and blends it with the gritty sounds of the south. That's right, Swans' newest release features a heavy influence of southern and folk rock, all the while sustaining an dark, menacing tone. Swans newest release is full of huge waning ballads, and songs that seem like they were made to be sang while working in an old western chain gang. Swans bring up a mine full of great songs, and it seems they've struck gold.
7. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Only a few months after releasing the great All the Delighted People, Sufjan's back, and with some fantastic material. The Age of Adz is an album full of beautiful synth textures, frantic beats, and wonderful inspired songwriting. The production on the album is absolutely immaculate, and major props go to Sufjan for imagining such a immense and incredible experience of an album. The Age of Adz features an extreme range of instruments, from square launching synthesizers, to regal horns, to string sections that seem to have been written by Tchaikovsky himself. Sufjan once again proves his musical mastery and blows us all away with the majesty that is The Age of Adz.
6. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
This album is really, really, really cool. Anyone who enjoys electronic music or abstract hip hop will love this. FlyLo once again makes an album as creative as it is fun. FlyLo uses everything as his disposal, from Galaga bleeps and bloops, to soul samples, to even, yes, a recording of a game of ping pong. Even Thom Yorke stops by to make a quick guest appearance in "...The World Laughs With You." FlyLo makes an album that bleeds creativity, mystery, and nostalgia, and it's one of the best albums I've heard in a long time.
5. Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Ever since way back in the day, Deftones have been one of my favorite bands. Every single release of theirs is a great listening experience. Deftones have made a signature sound out of their ton-heavy guitar riffs laden with a majestically disturbing atmosphere. Diamond Eyes is no different. "Diamond Eyes" begins with an unrelenting crushing riff before exploding into a gorgeous submerged atmosphere in the chorus. The songs all feed off of Deftones duality between hell bent intensity and stunningly crisp sound textures, and as a result it's their best since White Pony.
4. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles II
Ever since I discovered their debut album in early 2008, Crystal Castles have stuck with me as one of my favorite bands. Their experimental chiptune/electronic sound has always kept them interesting and great to me, along with my huge crush on Alice Glass. Their newest release, also self-titled, has taken their signature sound, enhanced it, chilled it out, and added buckets and buckets of reverb on top of it. The result is nothing short of entrancing. Alice's vocals have taken an even bigger role this time around, and Ethan's skill for coming up with bizarre yet still danceable choons has made the duo's output stronger than ever. The album is mysterious, unsettling, cold, and most importantly, groovy as hell.
3. Rosetta - A Determinism of Morality
Rosetta have released one of the best post-metal releases I've heard in a long time. The atmospheres are wondrous, the anger is huge, and the result is massive. I mean MASSIVE. The layers and layers of texture just build and build off of itself, creating huge walls of giant sound. It's relaxing, but at the same time, makes you want to attack blindly with a medieval flail. Everything just blends so well, like the most delicious smoothie you ever had, and then some. I might be too soon in saying this, but I think that Rosetta are going to end up stealing that post-metal throne that Isis had abandoned.
2. Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
I don't think there has been a release this year that has both stuck with me all year and affected me personally. For some reason, I was never too big on Motion City in prior years. That all changed when I checked out the stream of this on myspace that cold January night. Everything was so good. The melodies were crisp and exciting, the lyrics were personable and fun, and the instruments were there backing it all up. From the opening lines of "Worker Bee," to the catchy as fuck chorus of "Pulp Fiction," and closing with the shouted refrain of "The Weakends" this album shows us everything that pop punk should be: catchy, connectible, and just plain fun.
1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Nobody saw it coming. Kanye was just a washed up douchebag rather than a voice of a generation. After a failed album, multiple controversies, and a few tragedies in his personal life, everyone thought good old Kanye was a lost cause. Well, here he is, showing his true colors and laying his psyche out on a dissection table for the world to see. Kanye didn't just drop an album. Kanye created an event. This album is so big, just incredibly huge, it's amazing that it can fit in a cd sleeve. The production is nothing short of incredible, the guest spots are unrivaled, and the lyrics are unbelievable. Kanye brings his all on this album, reminding us all why we loved him back then. Fuck Taylor Swift, Yeezy just dropped a bomb.
New Mix Up, "End of December"
I am a frequent poster on 8tracks. For those of you who don't know, 8tracks is a site where you can create playlists of 8 or more songs and upload them to the website. My newest mix is entitled "End of December" and is made up of some chill post-rock, electronic, and alternative songs that really capture the essence of this cold season.
"End of December" Mix
Personal 8tracks Profile
"End of December" Mix
Personal 8tracks Profile
Welcome to my blog, Aurora Arkestry!
So I'm starting up a blogspot. I'm shit at blogging, so I expect this to eventually fail.
Anyway, enjoy this song by Brand New, "You Won't Know"
Anyway, enjoy this song by Brand New, "You Won't Know"
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