Lonely, loping folktronica with a healthy shoegazer sheen.
TRS-80
I keep thinking CLOADM “donkey”…sorry. I actually played a Donkey Kong clone on my TRS-80, loaded from cassette. These tracks are much better than Donkey Kong; reminiscent of DJ Shadow’s work with UNKLE.
On!Air!Library!
The chin-stroking ambience of O!A!L!’s 2003 material (see “Ex’s and Ho’s Oh’s”) makes way for a more diverse palette of bristling pop and sprawling sonic gems in ’04.
Four Tet
The “As Serious As Your Life” B-sides come in all flavors: Jay Dee and Guilty Simpson capitalize on the original’s funky underpinnings with b-boy savoir faire while the live version pushes the limits of both RAM and patience.
Adem
Intricate, next-level folk music from Fridge bassist Adem Ilhan.
Say Hi to Your Mom
This pick inspired by Sam’s 3/4/04 pick: SHTYM is what you’d expect from someone who grew up using a Commodore 64, Atari 2600, Compaq Portable II, and an Epson dot matrix printer. Now he’s making music on those machines about the girlfriends who beat him in Centipede.
Her Space Holiday
We’ll keep adding MP3s ’til the wheels come off… Our growing talent showcase proves again (if needed) that emotronica wiz Marc Bianchi can play confessional singer/songwriter, bedroom beatslinger, or sampler symphonist with equal artistry. And yet, somehow, my man still finds time to get his remix on.
Tree Wave
Warm, familiar, soothing tunes — just what you’d expect from a Commodore 64, Atari 2600, Compaq Portable II, Epson dot matrix printer, and a 100% human chanteuse.
Pedro
Manchester based Melodic Records first birthed Pedro, then cranked out a whole litter of releases. Twenty, in fact, since 1999. A fine lot of electronic glitches, strums, and rhythms. From Melodic’s site: “Full mp3 tracks, not CD quality, but good enough for you to get addicted.” Actually, they’re nowhere NEAR CD quality, but I’ll be damned if they’re not spot on with the warning of dependency.
Kim Hiorthoy
A sampling of favorites from 2003. This Scandanavian multi-talent builds mystery and melody from scraps found on the cutting room floor.