[single serving] Thrupence – Silk

Thrupence comes through with a mixture of Bonobo and Tycho that befits the first real week of fall in Portland.

[single serving] Tycho – See (Beacon Remix)

Beacon delivers a phenomenal vocal track over the remix of Tycho’s See.

End of the week playlist: daytime edition

While the average end of the week playlist here focuses on sounds you would seek out from the hours of 9pm to 3am, this one should be able to carry you through everything in between. It’s a smattering of things with the common theme of an absurdly catchy chorus: a breezy Kygo remix with one of the best vocal-chopping hooks you’ll hear,  a funky pop tune seemingly from another era brought to you by UK lady group JUCE, a couple of heartbreakers from the HAIM-esque Shura, finished off with Banks’ newest jam. This is tested-and-true park-lounging music.

Bonus tropical chill remix of Swedish House Mafia’s ONE. What!

Midweek: Jam Slow

A Bat for Lashes-esque offering from Pitchfork favorite FKA Twigs, an audacious take on Disclosure’s Latch that completely upends both the production as well as the vocals, new Jessie Ware then the debut of A. K. Paul, who is none other than Jai Paul’s brother—and boy can you tell. Do what you will with this list.

Throwback Thursday: Health – USA Boys

Back in 2010, LA band HEALTH was having a moment. Their release of the raw-synth laden USA Boys fit right in with the likes of Crystal Castles and has managed to stand the test of time, being both an on-trend tune at its release and an equally compelling listen four years later. Around the same time they released a remix album, with equally great results. One standout was the remix of Nice Girls by Little Loud, who eventually became Tourist, which has one of the most overwhelmingly euphoric second-acts you’ll ever here.

HEALTH – USA Boys

HEALTH – Heat (Javelin Remix)

Elder Island – The Big Unknown

Elder Island returns with their second single of 2014—The Big Unknown. It stands out as one of the better crafted, understated pop songs of this year: the nonchalant singing, lo-fi guitar, focus on rhythm and the slow acceleration make for an all-round pleasant affair.

Swimming Pool/Daytime Disco

If yesterday’s fuzzed out sounds from Jungle didn’t quite satiate your need for sitting-around-in-the-sun music, then go ahead and try on this hour of slow-jam disco. Grab your favorite wine cooler and portable speakers and go get your sunburn on.

A couple of notes: 1. The first two songs are from my personal favorite mixtape of all time, Goldroom’s Sole Fixtape 7 and in tandem they were made for vacations. 2. A well-done edit of The Bee Gees can never go wrong and 3. The nine-minute re-imagination of Toto’s Africa to cap off this playlist is deserving of its self-described epicness.

Tycho masters the audio/visual experience

Never have an artist’s visual and aural collections so perfectly worked together. Scott Hansen, known as the musician Tycho and as the designer ISO50, couples his washed-out, pastel-tinged prints and photography with the ambient downtempo sounds as a perfect pairing.

This might be best exemplified by the video for Ascension, which is used for visuals during the Tycho live performance:

Below are two songs from his most recent album, which was the first record from Tycho employing a full band.  While you’re listening, check out the handful of his visual offerings below (more can be found at ISO50).

Awake 

Spectre 

 

 

Phoria – Undone

New track from Phoria out today. A subtle, melancholy tune that expands the group’s repertoire but continues the sound you’d expect after the last few releases, included in the study/focus playlist from a few weeks back.

For your focus. For your study.

Today’s list is for focus. Be that studying, working, or making sure you aren’t thinking.

The first three are from Phoria, a band showing a lot of potential with their latest release ‘Emanate’. It’s the most intense of the whole list, beautifully crescendoing over four minutes, beginning with vocal harmonies and snips and snaps, and ending with utterly overwhelming synth. Definitely a highlight of the last couple of weeks.

The rest is a smattering of mellow sound that’s light on well-annunciated vocals. It’ll give you a good 50 minutes of calm concentration, spend that how you will.