Album Review: News From Nowhere

"A highly emotive, harmonically sound trip through digitized music that move to a genuine human heartbeat.'" - SPIN

Released in February 2013

Unlike Darkstar's debut album North, News From Nowhere takes on a melodic, pillowy and sonically soothing sound.  Darkstar abandoned their punchy-hard drum and bass and moved into a concept that is an airy and bright feel that still has the group's terrifying undertones.  The new album takes on an original style within the entirety of its composition.

 

After the 'North' tour Whalley, Young and Buttery retreated back to Yorkshire to write and record News From Nowhere.  Whalley expressed that News From Nowhere entirely new set of melodies are the running force behind the album.  The melodies are original, new, and created by a juxtaposition of the music on North.  Darkstar used vintage analogue synthesizers and classic tape machines that allowed the group to craft songs that reflect the sci-fi name of the album, (which was named after the classic book by William Morris).  The album tittle conveys a concept, the mix of retro instruments and modern textures translates perfectly into 2013, in that the music's mix of old and new is completely relevant to the listener.  The organic and electronic sounds resonate into one sonic experience that flows, and the result is an innovative and unpretentious album.  Each song is intentionally crafted, heartfelt, beautiful and a little scary.

 

image from self-titledmag.com

The album's songs flow in a perfect manner and it's hard to pick out a single track. However, it's not one of those albums where "the songs all start to sound the same" if you don't listen close enough. Rather, the tracks on News From Nowherebuild off of one another, and the previous song provides context to the next as the structure of the album calls to an aural-visual interpretation.  Light Body Clock Starter's soft beginning quickly turns into a dark, fuzzy cluster of sounds encompassing the intensity of the vibrating synths which all leads to its sudden end.  The sharp silence is calmed by the spinning-ticking-clock-melody of Timeaway - a distraction to the haunting end of Light Body Clock Starter.  Then, Amplified Ease comes on, with sounds that are reminiscent to Animal Collective.  And, later Bed Music - North View.  It's all over now.  The beginning is light, and makes you question if those sounds are from the album or something outside of your headphones.  Then the vocals come in like words are stretched out as they travel forward and are reflected back into the beat as they lighten the heavy drums. Until the finale of the album ends with Hold Me Down and the whirlwind of sound conceptuality and then it's all over.

--Jessie Helgesen, Music Director & Accrosound

Show Review: Jim Jefferies

Vulgar and irreverent—Jim Jefferies delivers as expected.

Club Nokia at LA Live was the intimate venue that hosted Australian comedian, Jim Jefferies. I like this little place, because even when you have tickets all the way in the back, which is con- veniently close to the bar, you don’t feel so far away as to not actually be in the room.

Fresh from the debut of his new Comedy Central series, Legit, Jim was quick to remind us why we like him—no bull, right to the point. Attacking current events and throwing the truth right where no one really wants it—into the daylight, the evening was filled with humorous ramblings about gun control, raising a child (as Jim has newly joined the ranks of fatherhood), and some very frank discussion about penile cancer (of which Jim is a survivor).

 As the night continued, with the bar just behind us, several patrons were having a very good time. Jim, who has been known for his constant drinking during some of his performances, stuck with water tonight. Whether an acknowledgement of his cancer recovery or new responsibilities to his son, it was not clear. Even so, when challenged by at least one member of the audience who thought he could heckle Mr. Jefferies, Jim responded as good comedians do, with a good old verbal beat down. It was all in good fun, as evidenced by Jim’s choice to sit on the edge of the stage and make it a friendly, yet thorough, beat down.

I was most impressed with Jim’s decision to share with all of us that he had, when younger and poorer, been a character extra in a British pornographic film. Not necessarily a big deal, but most entertaining to have Jim explain why he felt all movies should end with the money shot that is traditional in pornographic films. While I love my classics and do not think that Star Wars (4, 5 and 6 at least) should not be touched, I couldn’t help let out a hearty laugh at the thought of many movies I have had to endure that might have redeemed themselves with a good old money shot.

Join Mark Malan on Thursdays at 1PM when he hosts your STD’S (Show Tunes, Disco and Soundtracks)

--Mark, STDS

Show Review: Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

KDTU has not lost a beat since the bands last tour in 2009.  This improvisational upbeat funk group played covers of the Beastie Boys, Bob Dylan and Miles Davis.  Karl keeps an amazing energy flowing onstage with his pulsing percussion and popping flute style.  His 95 min set was full of dynamic range, very soft flute/ trumpet duets to full madness bring down the house.  The crowd of mostly thirty somethings seemed engaged and stayed until the last note.

 

--Brandon, Guns and Kittens

Show Review: Borgore

If you have a passion for big dubstep basslines, modern EDM theatrics and scantily-clad dancers, Borgore (AKA Asaf Borger) is definitely the DJ to see. The man is not on a mission to teach his audience any complex philosophical lessons; he simply gets up there to make people lose their minds for a few hours, and he does it well. His sexy-dessert-themed “Christmas Creampies” tour comes at an opportune moment, after three EPs and several remixes within the past year.

Borgore and his dancers, before they took off their clothes

This was my first time at a Borgore show; still, I have listened to a fair amount of his music and seen a couple videos so I recognized several tracks. Now, not to knock Borgore’s skills here (I still like him as a DJ), but it’s interesting to note that my favorite track in his set was actually not one of his own productions: Prodigy’s “Smack My B*tch Up,” remixed by Noisia.

I didn't know it was Noisia's remix until the next day, upon further research—when it dropped, I just thought “Wow Borgore, hot tune!”). The point is, big ups to Noisia—because this is the second time that their work has significantly elevated my enjoyment of a DJ’s set, without my realizing it! The first time was at Outsidelands 2011, when Deadmau5 (yeah yeah, I know he says he’s not a DJ) played “Raise Your Weapon” (Noisia Remix) and all I thought at the time was “Damn Deadmau5, you got better at dubstep!” Of course I learned the next day that it was Noisia... what would DJs do without those talented mad bass-scientists?

 

Anyway, Noisia tangent over now. Borgore still deserves plenty of credit for selecting that sweet remix, and for mashing it up perfectly with Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River.” And he played plenty of his own remixes as well, taking his audience through a variety of humorous, aggressive, sexually charged and straight-up beastly sonic realms. Most of the set consisted of the wub-wubby, bitcrushed, frequency-modulated-synthesis basslines characteristic of the Borgore production style, but things took a turn for the trappy at the tail end. The dubstep rage gave way to hip-hoppy grooves, sending the audience reeling with bouncy 808 kicks and wonky synth lead lines. Although part of me sighed at how rampant trap music has become in just about every DJ’s set—it’s almost like the new party default—I have to admit that Borgore picked some solid trap tunes that kept me dancing the whole time.

 

One particularly high-energy moment occurred when Borgore played his recent single, “Decisions,” and called Miley Cyrus out on the stage to sing her part.

My immediate thoughts on Miley: Wow her hair is short… Hey, she can actually sing! My, how things have changed since the Disney channel days. Too bad I'm standing behind too many tall people to get a good photo of her...

But really, this celebrity guest appearance injected some much-needed humanity into an occasionally flat performance. The stripper/pole-dancers looked sort of bored at times and Borgore himself was a distant silhouette in headphones, looking tiny in comparison to his giant neon-light ice cream truck display.

The ice cream trucks around USC might get more business if they looked like this.

 However, he did leap out into the crowd at one point, so it’s not like he ignored the audience...

Borgore’s show was over-the-top with glamour; the man is a showman if nothing else. It was no symphony orchestra concert, but I was thoroughly entertained... Christmas Creampies for all! 

 

Confetti explosions aplenty!

--Connor, SONIC SHAMANISM