- otori - Gakushuu (学習)
- PENs+ - Tabi ni detai, to itte (旅に出たい、と言って)
- Joywave feat. KOPPS - Tongues
- Humans* - Faith
- Longwalkshortdock* - Choked by Robots
- Saxsyndrum* - Maceonectar
- Madeon feat. Dan Smith - La Lune
- Purity Ring* - Sea Castle
- Braids* - Taste
- Project Pablo* - The Feeling
I've got some exciting news: I'm reviewing the Next Music From Tokyo concert Vol. 7 for CJSF! I'm super, super stoked for this. As far as I know all are within the indie rock umbrella, with otori and mothercoat being super mathy while PENs+ is more like standard J-rock (from what I know anyways right now).
It's a way to educate myself on the Japanese indie music scene, since I actually don't know much at all about emerging talent in my own country, having only really lived there for 5-6 years. I'm actually learning more about Japanese music through CJSF! Strange how things work in this rapidly globalizing world right? :P
It's on at the Biltmore Cabaret, June 17. Tix only $10! Sweet deal, right? ;)
The rest of the set are some really awesome electronic stuff, starting with some awesome alternative electropop from Joywave (who was featured on that Big Data hit "Dangerous") and Humans (my favourite Vancouver-based electropop duo).
We then go into some really glitchy dystopian-sci-fi-meets club beats in "Choked by Robots", from East Van Digital artist Longwalkshortdock. I hadn't actually heard LWSD's newer stuff prior to showcasing the track on air so that was a very weird but extremely intriguing discovery! They're charting on the CJSF charts as well, at #3 (for the week ending May 26).
After that was another electro instrumental from Montreal duo Saxsyndrum...this time a lot prettier but still captivating synthy track. "Maceonectar" is a featured track on the Oh Hi vol. 1 compilation album that *should* be added next week...stay tuned for that folks. I'm reviewing it for the station, and I think the compilation's the best I've gotten from the review bundle.
Afterwards it's a lot more electropop-oriented...starting with what sounds kind of like a house remix of a Bastille track by French producer Madeon and Bastille singer Dan Smith. Then we move on to two awesome Albertan electro artists, Purity Ring and Braids.
We then wrap up the set with some house-influenced track from Project Pablo, quite a popular one here at CJSF. Project Pablo is signed to Vancouver-based label 1080p, though the artist is based in Montreal.
I'm kind of trying to make my Jumbalaya sound seamless by learning how to crossfade songs at well-timed moments so it sounds like the tracks play into one another. The transition between Joywave's and Humans' track worked well, for example - percussive ending of the former track into the percussive beginning of the latter. Oh, and Alt-J's "Bloodflood Pt. II" and Hozier's "Take Me to Church", with the piano cadences. (Though this example isn't very ideal, given that the latter is a Top 40 hit. :P )
It was influenced by one DJ workshop I attended about a year back. I now treat the mixing board as an instrument, and I often try and find two songs that would play well together...kind of like being a club DJ!
Hopefully that'll make my show stand out...somewhat. :P
