Month in Review: December 2014 and January 2015
Welcome to EMAC’s 24th and 25th monthly recaps, where I will look at some of the most notable moments in electronic music and hip hop throughout the months of December 2014 and January 2015. Titles of releases that I recommend highly will appear in bold.
This 17-minute score Arca composed for a fashion show by clothing label Hood by Air frees the producer even further from the conventions of traditional beatmaking, thrusting him down a rabbit hole of heavily processed samples and all-consuming atmosphere until a glorious coda triumphs over the chaos.
Though her songwriting has been more memorable in the past, Björk remains one of the boldest and most singular pop artists alive on Vulnurica. Enlisting Arca and The Haxan Cloak, who bring experience in intricate experimentation and disquieting atmosphere, respectively, to the table, Björk collaborates with these contemporaries to produce an immaculately detailed, dramatic collection of instrumentals that match her intensity as a vocalist.
Death Grips - Fashion Week
While fans eagerly await the alleged final Death Grips release, Jenny Death, the group has released this collection of instrumentals. It is less overtly experimental than their latest output, but its structural directness is welcome in the context of a sonic makeup that is no less confrontational or infectious than usual.
Jeff Bridges - Sleeping Tapes
The premise of Sleeping Tapes superficially reads as absurd: legendary actor Jeff Bridges narrates surreal, soporific ambient instrumentals composed by True Detective composer Keefus Ciancia to lull listeners to sleep. Sink deeper into the record, however, and discover delightfully phantasmagorical production and the grandfatherly charm of Bridges.
Sample collagist Nmesh digs into his archives to release GOD?AWFUL, a previously unreleased record produced in 2009. Predating the inception of vaporwave, the genre in which he has made his name throughout the past few years, GOD?AWFUL instead deals in illbient, a sinister strain of hip hop-indebted electronic music. Despite the moody aesthetic, Nmesh's playfulness is ever present, lending the release an exceptional heft through giddy sampling and a lighthearted attitude.
Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
Panda Bear's new album is one of his most vivid yet, a tapestry of colorful samples and rich vocal harmonies. After the pleasurable yet vanilla Tomboy, Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is a welcome burst of flavor.
The ever-prolific Kieran Hebden took to Bandcamp to release a compilation of singles he produced as Percussions between 2011 and 2014. Though not as essential as a typical Four Tet record, the compilation is a consistently engaging showcase of the producer's talent as a connoisseur of rhythm.
Various Artists - [GST-01]
Newly formed collective Galaxy Swim Team offers an affectionate look at the bright and chipper aesthetics of anime, chiptune, classic video game music and more through the lens of contemporary electronic music.
Aphex Twin - Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2
For listeners who thought Syro lacked adventurousness, Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 is the appropriate response, a short collection of experiments with acoustic instruments and complicated electronics. Despite following Syro mere months after its release, this EP has a distinctly different flavor; it is less grounded, but its accomplished tinkering is riveting.
Antwon - "Kyocera" (prod. Cities Aviv)
BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah (ft. DOOM) - "Ray Gun"
Burial - "Temple Sleeper"
Cities Aviv - "Graced and Blessed"
Dan Deacon - "Feel the Lightning"
Death Grips - "Inanimate Sensation"
DJ Slugo - "Ghetto" (prod. Nicolas Jaar)
Emanative + Four Tet - "Makondi"
The Go! Team - "The Scene Between"
Ham American - "Medelunen"
Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst - "Recruit"
Oneohtrix Point Never - "Rush"
Purity Ring - "Push Pull"
Ratkiller - "Wake N Shake"
Shabazz Palaces - "#CAKE (Animal Collective Premature Deflirt Mix)"
Shabazz Palaces - "Ham Sandwich"
Susanne Sundfør - "Delirious"
Thom Yorke - "You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry"
Toro y Moi - "Empty Nesters"