Mixtape #64 has arrived with the sublime new track ‘The Ego’ from Nicolas Jaar who will be gracing our fine shores in early 2013 for appearances at Sydney Festival & Laneway. City Riots have a second single out off their debut LP, City & Colour have recorded a lovely cover of a Kristofer Aström track, Melbourne artist Scott & Charlene’s Wedding have a new single, Rohypnotise former NZ ex-pat living in NY has dropped his debut & Forces end the mixtape with their take on indie trance.
Nicolas Jaar – The Ego
The newest track from electronic pin-up boy Nicolas Jaar is a tripped-out, hauntingly fun collaboration with the mysterious Theatre Roosevelt, that features a mix of heavily distorted, spoken-word vocals and upbeat keyboard sounds. The vocals are apparently provided by none other than Theodore Roosevelt, if the cheeky title and accompanying picture are anything to go by, but they’ve been playfully messed with to a point beyond recognition by the talented American, and deliver more of a beat than actual lyrics. The track slowly introduces new layers, and gradually builds to an almost tropical-feeling conclusion, and although it has glitchy edits and an eclectic array of samples, Jaar somehow makes it all work, creating a cohesive and thoroughly satisfying song. Lucky for us, Nicolas Jaar will soon be on Australian shores for the Laneway Festival in February next year.
City Riots – Catch The Sun
‘Catch The Sun’ the second single off City Riots brilliant debut full length LP ‘Sea Of Bright Lights’, has a much dirtier sound than their first single ‘Wait For You’, but this is good thing as it’s still consistant with the trademark City Riots sound coupled with a super dreamy vocal from Ricky and a killer guitar melody. Definitely a track to add to your summer road trip play list. Make sure you catch City Riots who are currently on their album tour along the east coast of Australia.
City & Colour – How Come Your Arms Are Not Around Me
Despite being busy with Alexisonfire’s farewell global tour, the inimitable frontman Dallas Green has somehow managed to find the time to record another track under his solo project moniker of City & Colour. This time,it’s a cover of Kristofer Aström’s beautiful ballad ‘How Come Your Arms Are Not Around Me’. Doing what he does best, Green uses his stunning vocals to tell the story of a heartbroken man in the depths of longing. While this may not be one to add to your summer playlist, it’s sure to be a staple come the inevitable sad times.
Scott & Charlene’s Wedding – Epping Line
Craig Dermody is a Melbourne bred guitar-twanging; Twerps-mingling; New York-living singer-songwriter who’s named his project after one of the biggest moments in soap-opera history, Scott and Charlene’s Wedding. His low-brow choice of moniker is fitting, as the subject material stays pretty down to earth. Emphasis on down. On this cut from his album Para Vista Social Club, he laments about a devastating phone call with his father, all set under the backdrop of “a sad sad day/ on the Epping line”. The mood is pretty downtrodden, but the Velvets-inspired blanket of guitar solos and vocal flourishes which undercut Dermody’s sullen lyrics help turn what could be a miserable listen into something truly endearing.
Rohypnotise – Fade To Grey
Originally from New Zealand, Rohypnotise is the stage name Lucola Bang or more formally Luke Benge who some of you may remember highjacked the Beat magazine cover earlier in the year when he left as their typesetter, using a naked drawing of himself. Quite clearly he has moved onto bigger and better things, now based in New York and having just released Rohypnotise’s debut single ‘Fade To Grey’. Reverb drenched instrumentation sees this dream pop song float above punchy drums, leaving the song with an irresistible feel.
Forces – World In Focus
Pulsating the deepest of trance, the heart racing beat in ‘World In Focus’ provides a strong platform for the duo to explore the vastness of the electronic genre. The repetition in the track works to great effect, as listeners are left constantly energized by the characteristic prog/trance beat. The experimentation Forces have employed in the vocal department provides a mysterious space-esque theme, tying in effectively with the usage of aggressive synth phrases.
