Belgian Man

[belgianman]

Sounds Good BB <3

Sounds Good BB <3, by Nice Power.

For really real, my attractive and urbane listener. Me and my best friend Alex Meiers were walking along Paris minding our own biz one day when handsome gargoyles on the facade of Notre Dame, or maybe urban falcons–it’s hard to say, arched gracefully overhead and dropped the ableton files for Sounds Good BB <3 carefully into our hands. That’s exactly what happened.

Influenced by Brainfeeder and Soulection stuff, T!be, Dorian Concept, French House, experimental hip hop, sound art, etc. (also with a background in multi-instrumental musical theory); you can’t describe Nice Power because it’s from the future l0l. But you can hear it and it will make you happy! Damn, whp$hhhh!

We would love you to listen!

Much love,

Sam Balfus and Alex Meiers AKA Nice Power <3

Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris

[belgianman]

Since Sixteen, by Fenn Macon

Since Sixteen by Fenn Macon

Since Sixteen is a collection of songs that I’ve written and rewritten over the past five years of my life. It is a record about the search for security, home, friends, a stable relationship, and a better mental state. These songs have been the closest thing I’ve ever kept to a journal, the lyrics come from mantras that continually ran through my head as I've been growing and trying to find my place in the world. I'd like to think that I have things figured out, but I'm sure that I'll look back at these years and realize that I was wrong about everything.

When I was sixteen, I was in a band. By the end of my freshman year of college, all of my peers and I were making music on a laptop. As we’ve been exploring the electronic music realm, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to the music of my past, on long walks and secret drives listening to old mixtapes filled with Death Cab and Brand New songs. I've been trying to find a way to marry the two styles in some form and bring the songs I've been writing on various pianos and guitars to life.

This album couldn't have been made without everyone in my life, and I want to extend a special thanks to Ailey for singing on †rain†racks//ceme†eries, Since Sixteen, and Hopscotch, and also to Marina for singing on Let It Die. I also want to thank Luc Lacerte for his amazing work mastering the record, Paul Puiia for artwork, Jasper Boyd for engineering the vocals, everyone at Belgian Man Records, and all my friends and family for supporting and putting up with me.

[belgianman]

Leaftype writeup in Portals

Faith at Portals just posted a nice piece about Leaftype:

Like his fellow Belgian Man compatriots, the LA-based artist Leaftype, a.k.a. Christopher Knollmeyer, is no stranger to the practice of “extravagant genre hopping,” and his newest release LTEP0008 shows just how nimbly he can jump. On “Ooh,” the producer keeps one foot rooted in the skittering traditions of drum and bass, while reaching, through heady melodic involutions and a structure that disorients like a dream, for something enticingly unfamiliar. The result is at once propulsive and paralyzing, a sensation akin to the pleasurable discomfort of pins and needles.

Thanks, Faith!

Check out the article over at Portals.

[belgianman]

LTEP0008

LTEP0008 by LEAFTYPE

Previously unsettled productions led to extravagant genre hopping, bringing random elements from across the wide spectrum of electronica to a constantly changing gridded canvas, but alas, we are settled at least for now on the pulsating complexities of drum breaks, and some deep rooted bass. This marks the culmination of one single strand of habbits from Leaftype, LA-based recording and visual artist. Backed by Stereocure and fellow students at CalArts, Leaftype has set off on a journey of knowing and not knowing, while persistently staying dank.

[belgianman]

Tokyo Megaplex writeup in Impose Magazine

Dayna at Impose Magazine wrote a glowing writeup of Tokyo Megaplex’s new album:

When a 44-minute 29-track mix of sample-based experimental music drops in your inbox, and then it’s called The Legend of Beefwell, really your only options are to listen and listen hard. With the case of Tokyo Megaplex, helmed by production wunderkind Christopher Rutledge, the melee of sounds follows no real storyline except to prove that sampling, pitch-shifting, and working alongside the lush vocals of both pop stars and rap stars can be more interesting than the same old, same old sad boy junk. The Legend of Beefwell is not afraid of bringing in jazz standards as well as J-pop shine, and in under an hour, it’ll have you asking, “What did I just listen to?” Hardly definable but thoroughly enjoyable, Tokyo Megaplex’s complicated full-length release is like sticking your hand into a box labeled with a question mark.

Thanks, Dayna!

[belgianman]

Tokyo Megaplex writeup in Emerging Indie Bands

Emerging Indie Bands posted a nice writeup of Tokyo Megaplex’s new album:

The LP takes a fantastical journey of a mythical life-story. Ever pressing the edges of credulity – if you get the trippy electronic sounds, this is an LP to get hold of, which is available on bandcamp. Track seven – Groove University – is the longest track on the release running in at just under two a three quarter-minutes.

Thanks, Tim!

[belgianman]

The Legend Of Beefwell

The Legend Of Beefwell by Tokyo Megaplex

Tokyomegaplex is a 21 year old guy from just outside of Boston who makes weird music and silly cartoons. His first album of original music, Real avant-garde Kanye shit. Seriously. Dead-ass. was released a little over a year ago (September 2012) to critical acclaim.

A couple of months ago he decided to stop taking drugs and make an even better album. A year of production later, this is the result: 29 tracks, 45 minutes, the Legend of Beefwell is a tragic tale of a boy who begins his journey with nothing but a spoon and the clothes on his back, only to be soon after eaten to death by a scary dragon thing made of rocks.

The album features remixes by B∩MSTEAD, Ryan Ines, and Kuh-Lida.

[belgianman]

RYV interview in Decoder Magazine

Decoder Magazine just posted a FANTASTIC interview with RYV. Super interesting tidbits about his life in Japan, his creative process, and his new album, Hwut.

[belgianman]

RYV featured in Portals!

RYV was just written up in Portals. Check it out:

RYV‘s Charlie Abbot creates an otherworldly soundscape on his latest release, hwut. Between manipulated hiccups, sighs, and little burps of beauty, “yaspring” keeps the listener on their toes. Currently abroad in Japan, Abbot has been inspired by local artists like Magical Mistakes and Seiho. The result of which is made clear in this short, though statement-making, release.

[belgianman]

hwut

hwut by RYV

Original Belgian Man RYV came through from Japan with this incredible sonic collage, replete with beautiful textures, blips, and sounds. He's been working round the clock to develop this sonic explosion. It's finally ready to hit your eardrums.

RYV is Charlie Abbott, repping Oberlin, OH from Tokyo, Japan. Fans of Lapalux will appreciate his ability to create ethereal, immersive aural landscapes, gained from years of worship at the altar of sound.

[belgianman]

High Adventure

High Adventure by Kuh-Lida

Holy shit peep this STELLAR new tape by Belgian Man favorite, Kuh-Lida

This new collection of fuzzed-out breaks and radio drama collages from the back catalog of Stereocure co-founder Kuh-Lida (aka Myles Emmons) sometimes reads more like a sound walk through his own thrift store than a beat tape. Veiled behind layers of dust and tape hiss, the veteran producer presents us with a sound world that he has created out of found objects and hazy imagination, shattered bits of magnetic tape and broadcasted nostalgia. Directing our senses through a maze of swerves and spin-outs at every turn, the music somehow fits together like a jigsaw puzzle, or a vinyl record chopped into a hundred pieces and reassembled with paint and peanut butter. Through thickets of glitch and throbbing blotches of rhythm, this A/B tape release is an auditory adventure from start to finish.

[belgianman]

Space Disco (Owen McGarry Remix)

Space Disco (Owen McGarry Remix) by Owen McGarry

This is the Owen McGarry remix of Space Disco, originally by RobotSexMusic.

Owen McGarry's new remix, violently birthed from the stems of RobotSexMusic's spawn, will make forceful, tender love to your ear drums, first the right one, and then the other one.

This song will allow you to party harder, faster and more efficiently than humans.

Owen McGarry has seen colors with pigments darker than black, and has only ever experienced true love. He doesn't have parents and is from the future.

If Owen McGarry could feel gratitude, he would express it for cheese cake, and for David Yanofsky's art direction.

[belgianman]

Muddy Your Feet EP

Muddy Your Feet EP by FLWRS + Maralisa.

This is our debut EP We worked really hard Please enjoy it and Muddy your feet with us We love you

Thank you for listening, please share with your family, friends, and enemies!

—Emiliano & Maralisa

Featuring remixes by BUMSTEAD and Fenn Macon.

[belgianman]

Wake

  Check out FLWRS + Maralisa’s first single on Belgian Man!

Their Muddy Your Feet EP, to be released on Wednesday, June 26th on Belgian Man, displays their versatile sound and style. Wake is the first single off the EP. It’s really fantastic.

[belgianman]

FLWRS + Maralisa

Belgian Man Records is proud to announce the signing of Electronic Avant-Pop group FLWRS + Maralisa!

Each pursuing music in their respective cities, longtime friends Emiliano and Maralisa have recently joined in the collaborative musical endeavor FLWRS + Maralisa. The project features floating vocals in the jazz/soul idiom with lyrics written by Maralisa, while Emiliano’s full production of this avant-garde electropop sound provides a heavy underbelly. The two hope to begin booking shows under the collaborative title FLWRS + Maralisa, appearing soon in the NYC area.

[belgianman]

5am Live! with Astronautica

Belgian Man's own 5am is playing at San Diego's The Stage on Thursday, May 30th, along with Labels and Astronautica. You should go. Deets on Facebook

[belgianman]

Liz Wood at Club Passim May 25

Liz Wood is playing at Club Passim Saturday May 25th as part of their Campfire festival. Copies of her self-titled debut album will be available at the concert.