Featuring tracks from ODESZA, Hopium, Grimes, Wildcat! Wildcat!, La Dispute, Crooked Colours, Slow Magic and Olympic Ayres.
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To download the mp3 file, right click and “save link as” here: The Breakdown with Ben Episode 73
Hello, hello, HELLO! Thank you ever so much for your patience, Breakdown lovers, as I rode a bicycle 4,112km across Australia over the past three months! Admittedly, it is far and away the longest break I have taken from this project since its inception almost four years ago. But it was thoroughly needed, and I am happy to report that it was one of the best things I’ve ever done! If you’ve not checked out the soundtrack I made to my journey yet, it is well worth it. Get around it at: Ride In The Right Direction Soundtrack
I’ve returned to lots and lots and lots of new music. Well, admittedly, some tracks on here may be a little older than normal, owing to the fact that I had almost four months worth of music to sift through upon my return, which I am still in the process of!
Most of the tracks in this episode are single tracks; I still haven’t had much chance to go through all the albums that I’ve loaded up on, but as you well know, that will happen in due course. Although the one album that I have been drawn into and am quickly becoming obsessed with is The Rooms of the House by American post-hardcore band La Dispute. They remind me a lot of At The Drive In, a similar sounding band I was into about 10 years ago. La Dispute have a brilliant way of conveying raw emotion in the simplest of delivery methods. The vocalist uses a combination of spoken word style mutterings that morph into emotion charged screaming, but not in an abrasive way. The instrumentation is very downtempo and even shoe-gazey, but also manages to convey the same wistful, tormented melancholy that the vocals do. You really have to hand it to music, and art in general, when such simple and innocuous subject matter can manage to invoke such powerful emotions within oneself. Mad respect to La Dispute.
Phoebe Lou, the former frontwoman of the recently disbanded Aussie group, Snakadaktal, is clearly still on the move. She has teamed up with Melbourne synthpop artist Hopium to create a fantastic tune in Dreamers. It was a shame that Snakadaktal ended so abruptly after releasing such a cool debut album, but its heartening to see that there is still awesomeness emanating from their creative forces.
Seattle production heavyweights ODESZA are very busy boys. They have just announced the release of their second studio album, set to be released this September. They have also dropped a stunning remix of the very popular yet rather average Zhu tune, Faded. I love it when a producer can take a track and rework it such that it becomes their own. ODESZA have completely transformed this song, with the vocals being almost the only thing that remains of Zhu’s, adding their signature deep, rolling bass sound. Bravo.
Holders of The Breakdown‘s number 1 song of 2012, Wildcat! Wildcat!, are back with a new track in the lead up to their long awaited debut album, due for release in August. They seem to have moved more towards a bassy synth driven sound, which is always welcome in these parts.
Perth, Australia based electro outfit, and long time Breakdown frequenters, Crooked Colours have released an EP, of which the title track is included in this episode. They appear to have moved away from their pumped up sound and more towards the downtempo, with even a slightly glitchy influence. Whatever their direction is defined as, I like it and think that they are maturing beautifully as electronic artists.
Big ups to my Greek correspondent, Stratos, who regularly supplies me with the latest in the Athens indie scene. This time around I got to be introduced to a sweet electronic artist by the name of Film.
I’ve finished off this episode with a super fun novelty track, Dalai Lama Big Banana Marijuana. All excellent things.
Once again, thanks for your patience, lets get this new music show back on the road! Peace, lovers.
Tracklist:
Artist – Song Title (Start Time)
1. Hopium – Dreamers (ft. Phoebe Lou) (00:00)
2. Van She – Idea of Happiness (05:20)
3. ODESZA – Faded (Remix of Zhu) (08:46)
4. Willow Beats – Merewif (12:44)
5. Wildcat! Wildcat! – Hero (17:01)
6. Grimes – Go (Ft. Blood Diamonds) (20:27)
7. Tiny Victories – Scott & Zelda (24:26)
8. Velociraptor – Ramona (28:37)
9. Arkells – Come To Light (31:52)
10. Nsolo – Breathe (35:33)
11. Ghost Estates – In Your Dreams (38:19)
12. La Dispute – Woman (reading) (41:15)
13. Drawm From Bees – Eliza (44:45)
14. Olympic Ayres – Control (48:37)
15. Mosman Alder – Germland (Of Julien Charbonneau) (52:22)
16. Film – Ping Pong with Angels (55:58)
17. Bleachers – Shadow (1:00:43)
18. La Dispute – Woman (in mirror) (1:04:34)
19. Wife – Heart Is A Far Light (1:09:00)
20. Crooked Colours – In Your Bones (1:13:56)
21. Lower Spectrum – Khlever (1:17:30)
22. Slow Magic – Girls (1:22:25)
23. Movement – Ivory (1:26:53)
24. Blackbird Blackbird – Tangerine Sky (1:30:36)
25. Dune Rats – Dalai Lama Big Banana Marijuana (1:35:22)
The Indie Electro Breakdown 