Parklife, Perth 27/09/09

2009 was definitely the most mainstream Parklife since its inception in 2006, even selling out in Perth at the eleventh hour. Luckily the Perth leg of the tour appears to have been managed better than its Brisbane counterpart, where stages were closed off as they were too packed, which meant people either had to stay at the same stage all day, or risk missing their favourite act. This obviously lead to fights. The crowd here was massive though, but lucky for me, most acts I went to see were on at the same time as some of the headliners, meaning I enjoyed good spots and didn't have to deal with very much of the electro-flouro-scene crowd.

Walking in, Art vs Science were taking to the Air Stage to quite a large early crowd. And they rewarded those who came early with an energetic set. After grabbing a drink, it was off to the Fire Stage where Bertie Blackman put on a very rocktastic performance.

The Cool Kids

After Bertie Blackman finished, it was time for the first major act I wanted to see, The Cool Kids. The tent at the Fire Stage was absolutely crammed, and the Cool Kids really delivered. Their rhymes were tight, the setlist choice was good, and their laidback style really exuded just how Cool they are. The only issue was that the vocals could have been a bit louder in the mix, but that was a minor problem. Highlights: A Little Bit Cooler, Champions, Bassment Party.

After the Cool Kids, it was back to the Air Stage to catch some of Busy P, who was bringing the party vibes. I was chilling at the back of the crowd, so wasn't fully feeling it, but those in the front definitely were. Then it was back to the Fire Stage, where Sampology was mixing some crowd pleasing tunes together.

Metronomy

Then, it was time for Metronomy. And wow. 2008's Nights Out is an excellent album, but hearing its tracks live was amazing. Listening to Metronomy recorded, one could be forgiven for presuming (as was initially the case) that it may be the work of one person, and would not translate well live, which thankfully was not the case. Each member of the band was adorned with a dome light on the right side of their chest that would flash at preset times. This gimmick was actually quite effective due to its DIY nature. Highlights: My Heart Rate Rapid, Heartbreaker, A Thing For Me.

Back to the Air Stage to see Crystal Castles and the seemingly organized chaos that they bring. Frontwoman Alice Glass came out with what appeared to be a strobelight swinging from her neck, that looked as though it may be used as ammunition to be thrown at the crowd. While her onstage antics were quite impressive, the same can't be said for their sound. However, I was again quite far back, so I think that may have had something to do with it.

Metric

Metric were up next on the Fire Stage, and armed with a tambourine, Emily Haines lead the rest of the band out for what ended up being an energetic and fun set. The setlist consisted primarily of tracks from this years Fantasies, although a few old favourites were thrown in. The new material went down a treat, and the band looked like they really enjoyed playing it. Highlights: Dead Disco, Monster Hospital, Satellite Mind.

After Metric, I thought after all the build up, I had to check out the Empire of the Sun live performance. And it was very disappointing. But with all the hype that has been surrounding the debut live shows, Luke Steele could have been mounted on a white tiger, bounding through the crowd while he performed, and I still would have been unimpressed. Again, I was a long way from the stage, and while it sounded ok, it seems that the philosophy was that an abundance of makeup, lighting and other props lead to a good set. Which is not the case. It was the complete over the top nature that made me appreciate Metronomy's subtle chest lamps even more.

The Rapture

Last but definitely not least it was time for The Rapture who were closing the Fire Stage. A band I have wanted to see for a long time, I was extremely disappointed to hear earlier this year of Matt Safer's amicable split with them. The Rapture's casual and unurgent nature could be interpreted as a lack of enthusiasm, however I do not think this is the case. While their set was excellent, I could not help but wonder how much better it would have been with Safer there. The set also featured possibly the least enthusiastic looking stage-dive from frontman Luke Jenner (whose playing of the guitar was actually quite impressive). And they closed with the song that all Rapture fans love to hate, "No Sex for Ben", which was extremely fun. Highlights: House of Jealous Lovers, Don Gon Do It, No Sex for Ben.

And so the 2009 festival season has officially commenced, and I personally could not have wished for it to start in a better way. Now all I need is to be able to afford them all...

Joker = Prince's Dubstep Reincarnation?

= modern

?

Now I certainly would not be the first person to make this connection, but as I was listening to The Very Best of Prince today, with the lyrics in 1999 saying "The sky was all purple ", and the song Purple Rain, I began to think of Joker. Prince's obsession with purple was obvious, wearing all purple outfits while performing, releasing an album entitled Purple Rain, and even a feature film of the same name.

Joker is also completely obsessed with purple, releasing a track with Ginz called Purple City, and an amazing mix, the Purple Wow Sound Mix. He describes his sound as "purple music" and states he pictures purple as his inspiration for his beats. All of his promotional photos also see him dressed all in purple.

Joker is only 19 (or is he 20 now? He is such an elusive man), and is doing big things in the dubstep world, while Prince was only 19 when he released his debut album, For You. Both artists are praised as being innovative and bringing a fresh sound to their respective genres.

Coincidence? Probably. Stupid connection to make? Definitely.

But if Joker can go on to have as successful a career in the world of dubstep and beats as Prince has in pop, then we are all in for some great music for many years to come.

Bullion - Young Heartache EP

Hailing from London, Bullion is an up-and-coming producer who earlier this year dropped an EP titled Young Heartache.

And wow.

When people compare you to Hudson Mohawke, Samiyam, Flying Lotus, Boards of Canada and Dorian Concept, you know you are doing something right. And while all these comparisons are valid, Bullion manages to bring a fresh new style to the instrumental glitchy beats scene that is constantly impressing.

Sampling old pop records, adding hip-hop beats, and some garage and disco influences proves to be an absolutely winning combo, resulting in a very unique EP that will appeal to fans of the aforementioned artists, as well as fans of electronic music in general. The fact that Busy P, Mr. Scruff, Mary Anne Hobbs and the Gaslamp Killer are all fans gives an indication of just how good his music is.

While the stand-out for me has to be Young Heartache, a bumping hip-hop, electro, garage infused track that bangs along in a chopped up yet very coherent style, all four tracks are absolutely gold (no pun intended) and leave all that listen waiting with baited breath for a full album.

Bullion is definitely "the one, to keep your eyes on".

Snob Scrilla @ Amplifier, Perth 11/9/09

Arriving at a sold-out Amplifier, there was definitely an air of excitement for what was about to transpire, though unfortunately this excitement did not carry over for support acts Trigger Jackets and Epic Fail, who put on solid shows.

However, tonight was all about the man Sean Ray, who in the past year and a half has gone from relative obscurity, to bordering on complete mainstream popularity. On his first national tour in support of his debut album, Day One, the crowd were expecting big things. And they were not disappointed.

As he arrived onstage, Snob Scrilla was greeted by an absolutely packed to the rafters Amplifier main room, and he kicked straight into overdrive. Snob's stage presence is absolutely phenomenal, and with the intensity with which he performs, you can tell he truly loves doing his thing. Not since Roman Tucker of Rocket Science tore Amplifier a new ear hole last year have I seen a performance this full-on at this Perth staple.

Snob Scrilla just doing his thing.

Having a relatively limited, but solid, catalogue meant a good chance of hearing all the favourites, and the setlist on the night did not disappoint. Launching early on into single Houston, and one of the stand-out's off his album, King John, the crowd knew they were in for a good night. We were also treated to Snob's somewhat milder take on the "fuck the police" ethos, Mr. Officer (though obviously minus Del's verse). Favourites Chasing Ghosts and There You Go Again brought massive reponses from the crowd and were performed superbly, with great vigour.

Over the course of the frenetically paced gig, there were many stage invaders, which Snob seemed to love (though the same can't be said for the security guards), giving hugs and hi-fives. After asking the crowd if they wanted an encore, because he wasn't walking all the way out of the main room and back in, and getting a resounding "yeah!" from the crowd, he invited anyone and everyone to get on stage, much to the dismay of the security (and his keys player).

Snob Scrilla addressing the fans.

He then dropped his biggest single to date, Heartbreak Scorsese, accompanied by a 50-odd onstage crowd member choir (of which I was one), to wind up an absolutely amazing set, one which will be remebered fondly by most present for a longtime to come.

A blurry shot of crazy crowd onstage antics, with Snob still going.

After the gig, Sean was more then happy to pose for photos, and have a chat and a beer with his fans.

Snob posing for a snap with my friend and I.

A top gig from a top bloke.

Perfect Music to Study To

If you are anything like me when it comes to study, then it is impossible to sit there and concentrate with complete silence. The mind wanders, and everything becomes infinitely more distracting.

However, with the right music on in the background, it can help me focus on the task at hand and keep my mind from wandering.

With exams next week, thus studying being required, I present my favourite albums to study to. As lyrics can often be a distraction, this is predominately instrumental music, consisting of instrumental hip-hop and "post-rock".

Note: These are all absolutely amazing albums listed below, perfect for listening to at anytime. All of this music can be distracting for different reasons, usually due to its sheer brilliance, but I still find these albums to be a great study aid.

First the traditional instrumental music:

Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid
Stars of the Lid are a duo from Texas who create what is most commonly described as "drone-based ambient music". This is their sixth album, a double album, and features long, slow songs that utilise a wide range of musical instruments, played in an unconventional manner, to produce their signature sound. The songs feature a very subtle progression, and thus are not to invasive to distract, rather perfect background noise to keep you focused.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Probably the most respected band in the post-rock genre, who are sadly no longer creating music, this is GY!BE's third album (again a double album). It is composed in a very traditional "post-rock" sense, in the fact that it closely resembles a classical composition, and as such features cello, violin, horns, and a range of percussion, as well as the traditional instruments of a rock band. There are some, though unobtrusive, vocal samples, which will not distract one from their studies. The album features slow build ups in the music, culminating in a climax, and then it all comes crashing down, once again settling at a slower pace. It can be quite loud in parts, so you might not want to have this one as loud as SOTL.

Explosions in the Sky - The Earth is not a Cold Dead Place
From the most respected, to probably the best-known band in post-rock, Explosions in the Sky create a somewhat more accessible sound then GY!BE or SOTL. While this means in parts it can get quite fast paced and somewhat distracting it is still amazing background music to study to. Think film-score.


Now to the instrumental hip-hop:

MF DOOM - Special Herbs: The Box Set Vol. 0-9
This is the complete collection of underground hip-hop heavyweight MF Doom's Special Herbs series, which are different collections of his production work. There are vocal samples throughout, though no rhyming on these tracks, so the distraction is minimal. He samples a wide range of artists, including Quincy Jones, Whodini, Steely Dan, Isaac Hayes, Boz Scaggs, as well as TV shows and video games. This all culminates in a myriad of tracks perfect to stop the mind from wandering too much.

J Dilla - Donuts

Donuts is considered by many to be the magnum opus of "your favourite producer's favourite producer". It was released just three days before his tragic death at age 32 of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a rare blood disorder. Like Special Herbs, it contains an astonishingly wide range of samples, but has a much more traditional R&B sound. Artists sampled include Shuggie Otis, 10CC, Beastie Boys, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, amongst others. This is a must have, for both study and general listening.

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow's critically acclaimed debut is credited as being one of the first albums to be compiled entirely from sampling. Therefore it is not possible to list all the samples here, but they include everything from old and modern hip-hop, old R&B, grunge, 70s rock, jazz, movie samples, and different interviews. The result is a phenomenal album of instrumental hip-hop, with the above elements scattered throughout, that is again a perfect companion for study.


So these are my top choices to help you focus when study is the last thing you want to focus on. I hope they help you and give you as much joy as the have given me.

MF Doom Cubeecraft Toy

So on a random trawl across the interweb, a stumbled upon a little website called cubeecraft.

The site consists of many different designs on how to create a paper figurine of countless pop culture icons, ranging from movie stars, video game characters, real life celebrities, and of course, musicians. All you need is paper, a printer to print the design, scissors, and some patience. The designs are completely ready to assemble, with various tabs folded into cut slits, meaning no glue or adhesive is required.

Being the underground hip-hop head that I am, I could hardly contain my excitement when I stumbled up on an MF Doom cubeecraft toy (the design for which can be found here for the body and here for his head).

My attempt did not go 100% to plan, as shown here (excuse the dodgy phone photo):

First, his skin colour printed out green on my dodgy ol' printer. Second, there appears to be a design flaw with Doom's head, as it is not a cube, meaning the bottom of the head could not properly connect to the body.

Still, I think it's pretty cool, and there are worse ways to waste one's time then listening to some beats and making a paper toy of one of their favourite MCs.

God I'm a nerd.

iTunes Visualiser

Now at the risk of sounding like a plug for an extremely well known application by a company who needs no advertising, there is a cool feature of iTunes that went unbeknownst to me for many years.

Whilst listening to a song, go to view --> visualiser, and make sure iTunes Visualiser (not classic) is ticked. Now go back to view, select show visualiser, and for best effect choose fullscreen. Press m on the keyboard to cycle through different visualiser styles, and you are in for a visual and (depending on the tune) aural treat.

I have found that while all songs look pretty cool, more bass heavy tunes (i.e. some good dubstep or DnB) make it do some wild things. Also, for those this way inclined, it is best viewed under the influence of your substance of choice.

Here are some shots of what it did while I was listening to this joint.



I hope you get as much enjoyment (i.e. wasted time/procrastination) out of this feature as I have...


Note: I thought this would be a good thing to have in the background whilst studying, but I soon found it to be extremely distracting. I have spent (wasted) many hours watching the different patterns.

Apricot Rail - Apricot Rail

Apricot Rail are an amazing band from Perth, Western Australia. Their music would most commonly be described as "post-rock" (aka alternative instrumental), with minimal lyrics. They utilise a range of instruments, from the standard guitar, bass and drums, to clarinets, trumpets, and electronic sampling.

Most post-rock groups approach their music in what could almost be described as a classical composition style, with tracks commonly clocking in at over ten minutes, utilising a build-up and fall to convey varying emotions. Apricot Rail have taken this, and adapted it to a somewhat more conventional style, making it more accessible to the casual listener. Now I am a massive post-rock fan (although I still use this term that most bands labelled as it despise), so I am in no way implying that this is a bad thing, or that they are less skilled then their more "traditional" post-rock counterparts, rather that they have put a fresh twist on it.

Their music definitely draws an emotional response from the listener, and is a must listen for fans of post-rock, instrumental, or alternative music in general. In fact, anyone could enjoy them.

And they have recently released their debut, self-titled album, available through Hidden Shoal Recordings Here

Check out some of their tunes here:
http://www.myspace.com/apricotrail
http://www.last.fm/music/Apricot+Rail

And a few free downloads here

Blog eh?

So... not too sure if anyone will actually be reading this, but if some actually do, I'll let you know what you can expect from me.

This blog was created out of boredom (procrastination), and will probably consist mainly of things relating to music, whether it be a heads up on a new release, a gig review (from Perth, Western Australia) or just amazing things that in my opinion more people need to hear.

I'm sure there will be other random things thrown in along the way, I hope you enjoy it.

If you disagree with something, cool let me know. If I am wrong on something, let me know and I'll change it.

And yes (if anyone was wondering) the title of this blog is taken from MF Doom lyrics from the Daedelus track, Impending Doom.