Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Green Music And Solar Powered Recording

We all have heard of ways to go green, from recycling and planting a tree, to driving a smart car or a bio-diesel fueled vehicle. Now, musicians have developed green music, which is a way for them to focus on the environment through music. Many of these musicians, and in particular, the Boston-based band Constants, perform charitable benefit concerts and drive bio-diesel tour buses. All of these things help save energy and the environment in one form or another. Recording studios, however, are major offenders in the conservation of energy.
Will Benoit, frontman of the band Constants, is changing this theory and has created the first solar powered and eco-friendly recording studio in New England. Benoit's intention is to keep the carbon footprint as low as possible. It is refreshing to know that the universe (through solar panels) is helping with the recording process of an album. Music is one of life's helpers, so by recording in a green studio, musicians can help in giving back to the earth.

Here is a video of Will Benoit explaining the studio: http://vimeo.com/9860455

The Healing Effects Of Sound

A study was done some time ago on the effects music has on the growth process of plants. This can also be compared to the growth process of the human brain. The study consisted of taking three different plants and placing each one in a separate room. The first plant was set in a room that had speakers playing ambient/classical music, and this was the only plant that grew normally out of the three. The other two plants were played heavy metal and hip-hop music, and both withered away and did not grow properly. Plants are sentient beings just like humans are, so this study made me realize that too much heavy metal or hip-hop music can have long-term, destructive effects on the human brain. This then leaves ambient and classical music as the healers.
"My music is my lifeline", says Peter Panas, a 36 year old building foreman, who ruptured a disc in his back two years ago and has been having a hard time coping with the pain ever since. Panas spends much of his time at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia. On September 24, 2010, the hospital hosted a special performance by Sydney Symphony musicians, and Panas felt no pain. "You're not thinking about your pain or anything; you feel relaxed and calm", Panas said.
There are many stories similar to Panas's. Classical and ambient recordings have the effect of helping heal both mental and physical pain. Focusing on the music instead of the pain helps patients recover better. There have been studies on ADHD patients, or people that have trouble focusing, where classical music has been played to help calm and focus their minds. Ambient and classical music can also help someone to fall asleep easier. Cancer patients may regain a sense of hope when listening to ambient recordings. One thing is for certain, ambient and classical music both can be used as medicine to help heal the sick.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Lights Out Asia "In The Days Of Jupiter"

First and foremost, Lights Out Asia's music is undefinable. The best way to describe their music would be blissful with a temporary escape from reality. Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this innovative trio leaves the boundaries of traditional electronic, rock, and ambient music. Their newest offering, "In The Days Of Jupiter", make the listener feel just like the title itself, as if he or she was on the surface of Jupiter. This is nighttime, stargazing music, to say the least.
The album starts off with an introduction entitled "All These Words Are Yours", which leads into one of the most epic tracks of 2010, "Except Europa". A slow and consistent air-like synth starts the track off, followed by a layer of hard, hip-hop hitting beats which eventually leads into a climax of distorted, sonic genius. The climax to "Except Europa" marks the album's strongest moment, in my opinion. "Attempt No Landing There" is the third track on the album and resembles Boards Of Canada with droned out vocals. A repetitive glitch synth effect rounds out the entire track and is accompanied by signature Boards Of Canada style analog synth. Clocking in at 8:44, this is the longest track on the album.
The fourth track on "In The Days Of Jupiter", entitled "All Is Quiet In The Valley", may be known to most music fans as interlude or filler, but to me it is more of a meditative sound break (meaning that it gives the listener time to reflect on the first half of the album while preparing for the next half). The track leads perfectly into the hard hitting fifth track "13 Am", which is the most rock infused song on the album. The sixth and seventh tracks "Arbres Paisible" and "Currents Meet The Tide" are electronic, synth infused, masterpieces, which make the listener feel as if he or she was orbiting in space. These two tracks make up the prologue for the eighth track "Then I Hope You Like The Desert". This track follows the same musical structure as the previous two, but adds vocals to the mix. The lyrics say "I've said too much, I've given too much, to stay whole", which lets the listener hear this meditative and heartfelt album through voice. I interpret this verse as the singer trying to give his all and be at peace with others, when in the end there is still something greater missing. The track gives listeners hope in a world of hate. The final track "Bye Bye November" is a slow, ambient closer, that ends the album perfectly.
Lights Out Asia's music is heartfelt on all accounts. I do not hear one thing on this album that is fake or self-indulged, and that is what makes this band and album one of a kind. Anyone that listens to "In The Days Of Jupiter", will feel at home, and at peace, while also hoping for something greater. Do yourself a favor and listen to this newest masterpiece by Lights Out Asia.

Here is the video for the track 'Except Europa':

Friday, October 15, 2010

Constants "If Tomorrow The War"

Over the past few years, Constants have earned themselves the title of legendary icons in the space-rock genre. They continue to move forward with this title on their newest sonic explosion "If Tomorrow The War". On "If Tomorrow The War", Constants recruited Godflesh/Jesu mastermind Justin K. Broadrick for production. From first listen, this is the most organic sounding album out of the Constants catalog, and that is because it was recorded and produced in the band's home studio (based out of Connecticut), which uses all solar panel recording. The album features guest appearances by Andrew Neufeld (Comeback Kid, Sights & Sounds) and Mike Hill (Tombs). This is hands-down the most focused, developed, and melodic album Constants has ever released. Tune in and drop out!!!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Collapse Under The Empire: The Sirens Sound

Hamburg, Germany’s Collapse Under The Empire have yet again written and produced another sonic post-rock/ambient album entitled “The Sirens Sound”. While previous Collapse Under The Empire releases stuck to the traditional post-rock strategy, “The Sirens Sound” takes more of an ambient and psychedelic approach, but it still has their post-rock roots. The listener may find his or herself bombarded by the distorted and delayed guitars one minute, similar to the noise a space shuttle makes during take-off, but the next minute the listener will be free floating in space. The post-rock genre is famous for quiet and loud time changes, but Collapse Under The Empire stray away from this technique and create something more distant, and not so traditional.

The most shocking thing about Collapse Under The Empire is that they are a duo. You can call them layering masters if you will, and in my personal opinion, that is exactly what they are. “The Sirens Sounds” starts off with the track of the same name, and as quoted by Collapse Under The Empire themselves, “The Sirens Sound is the most psychedelic recording we have ever created since our inception in 2007”. The album continues with the track “Grade Seperation” which is my favorite track off the album. The song starts off with an ambient glitch synthesizer effect, which recalls that of The Album Leaf, and then takes off into a full distorted melody.

One thing is for certain, Collapse Under The Empire play with heart, and it is heard throughout the first two tracks, as well as the last three tracks “Violet Skies”, “Beware/Lost”, and “A Different Complexion”. These last three tracks take a similar approach to the second track “Grade Seperation”, which leaves the title track as their most unique to date. One thing is for certain, Collapse Under The Empire makes post-rock listeners, or instrumental music fans in general, dance one minute and remain poised the next minute. The duo is still young in their career and have already made a name for themselves in the instrumental genre. I am very thrilled to hear what they come up with next!!!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Yppah: You Are Beautiful At All Times


 Houston, Texas native Joe Corrales Jr., known to most as Yppah, brought a new twist to beat-oriented music in 1996. He has remained under the radar as an independent artist all of these years and in 2009, he released his album “They Know What Ghost Know”. It is very easy to applaud Yppah’s underground approach, especially since the music on “You Are Beautiful At All Times” was not even a thought to most artists in 1996. Combining elements ranging from rock and shoe gaze, to electronic, dance, and hip-hop, one will not be able to pick out all of the styles the first take around. Lush synthesizers, guitars, and pummeling drum beats make up the majority of Yppah’s work, giving the music the moniker of low-key, blissful, instrumental hip-hop/shoe gaze.

Genres aside, Yppah takes you places that you never knew existed in music. Think of the delayed shoe gaze approach of My Bloody Valentine, mixed with the hip-hop beats of Wu Tang and the electronic wizardry of The Chemical Brothers. This is a far-out comparison, but relevant enough to give the listener a sample taste of just a few of the elements he or she may consume.

“You Are Beautiful At All Times” is a solid album all around. Yppah became a visionary with this album in 1996 and has continued the process over the years. I am not sure how Joe Corrales Jr.’s mind works, but in 1996, he was well beyond the music realm. Go get yourself an earful!