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Can you believe this is already Mixel Pixel's fifth release? I know I can't, it seems like just yesterday that these guys were the new kids on the block,, now they are veterans of the New York indie scene yet they are still making some rookie mistakes. For one thing the band has once again decided to experiment with it's sound, which may not be a bad thing most of the time, but on Let's Be Friends they strip away half of what we've come to love. Gone are the psychedelic guitar sounds, replaced electronic sounds that could have come from 80's video games. It's a lame switch and it makes Mixel Pixel seem like they are trying to conform to the times instead of influencing the times they are living in. It's not a terrible record, but it's definitely lighter then anything the band has done before and I was kind of expecting a bit more from them. Oh well, at least we know they can still put on a pretty solid live show!Mixel Pixel - "Great Invention"
Mixel Pixel - "Cats"
I had heard people talking about the Finnish collective known as Paavoharju but I don't think I was quite prepared for what I would hear from them. They had told me it was dance music, but this is a strange form of dance music to my ears. With ambient drones, electronic pieces, and some wuiet female vocals, this is a more subtle form of dance music then what I'm used to. I was thinking it'd be more like the Swedish pop artists, but it is nothing like that. Instead it's more like Panda Bear on a KTU kick. It's a weird sound, but definitely something I find myself being intrigued by and something I need a lot more listens to to fully digest everything going on here. There's definitely some stand out tracks like "Kevatrumpu", but there's also songs on here that are a bit loose in definition and not really quite dance music. But like I said, I definitely need a little more time with it before I fully grasp the album. Take a listen, what do you think?Paavoharju - "Uskallan"
Paavoharju - "Sumuvirsi"
Friday June 13th:
Fiasco - "True Story (The Aquarium)"
A Sunny Day In Glasgow - " Summerlong Silences"
Oneida - "Inside My Head"
Saturday June 14th:
The Budos Band - "Chicago Falcon"
The Great Unwashed - "Mirage A La Mode"
The Physics of Meaning - "Down at Columbia and Cameron"
Vampire Weekend - "M79"
Sunday June 15th:
Mission of Burma - "Outlaw"
2 comments:
I can't understand why certain press people are being so critical of mixel pixel. i think they're new album is really pretty exceptional. in my opinion its easy to find fault with this kind of home made music... but seriously, this album is special. It's about the thing as a whole - something mixel pixel has maybe failed to do in the past - which is to stick with one set of ideas and one of their various 'sounds'. It's not as if they haven't ever done casio-driven. All of their previous albums have at least one or 2 of these kind of jams. It may not be their most mature style but hey I think people need to lighten up a little.
Whoever told you Paavoharju make "dance music" must have either been joking, or they categorized the group (primarily two brothers) after only hearing "Kevätrumpu", which is nothing like 99% of their other songs. In fact, I would say it's an insult to even try to squeeze them into a single genre/category (especially one so shallow as "dance music", eghck). I recommend listening to their first album, Yhä hämärää, for a proper introduction to their gorgeous world.
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