Sampha – Process

Being heavily affected by Solange’s Don’t Touch My Hair, I sat down and listened to Sampha’s solo debut album really carefully, without having listened to his past efforts with SBTRKT or having known his songwriting credits for other artists (I did know them, actually, I just didn’t know I actually knew them). I tried to focus on every sound, every word, every reverb and every agony in his vocals, as they desperately try to save themselves from drowning every time a chorus opens. For a second there, I almost had the sense he wants to sound like an American soul crooner, like John Legend, Frank Ocean or even a male version of Macy Gray. But Sampha is everything but that.

He breaks the rules of singing, writing words, building melodies or even composing rhythm sections. He creates from a well-hidden place in his heart, a personal sanctuary, something mystical and mystic at the same time. His songs, though, are not weak, dark or dramatized. On the contrary, they are solid and emotionally bigger than everything he has experienced in the recent past. Process feels more like a personal spiritual catharsis being narrated over pianos and drums and less like a studio album. In terms of music reviewing, that sounds inconsistent, because, as a product, it’s a studio album. But it’s solitary as well. It sounds like he is on a mission, other than selling records.

Process consists of 10 tracks co-produced by Rodaidh McDonald. They all have the same purpose: to communicate the singer’s truth and traumas. Death, health issues and lonesomeness are the main themes, while he uses them as a vehicle to reach his mental well-being and to fully understand his own existence… An angel by her side, all the times I knew we couldn't cope / They said that it's her time, no tears in sight, I kept the feelings close / And you took hold of me and never, never, never let me go / Cause no one knows me like the piano in my mother's home.

This is one of the most sonically adventurous projects during the last few years (I guess). Electronic pads and synths are gradually blending with old school breakbeat drums and piano chords in Blood On Me. Percussions are imperious, delivering an experimental funk performance in Kora Sings. Reversed audio files sound imperfectly perfect in Reverse Faults, which serves as a bridge for the intoxicating Under… I see you manipulate your lover / Take cover, waves come crashing over us. And then, somewhere between the piano ballads and the voice trembling, Timmy’s Prayer comes along, channeling Enya and various ensembles from the Highlands in Scotland. At first, it’s weird. And then, you simply accept the fact that it works.

Process is a soulful album, without ending up being a part of the RnB genre. It’s electronic, reminding us a lot of Jessie Ware’s songs, while it stands on its own as a painful trip to self-discovery. Sampha lost his mother during the recording sessions. He had a lump in his throat, too. The thing is, you don’t have to know these pieces of information to feel his pain. You only have to let the music do the magic. After a couple of hearings, it finally gets you. And you find yourself sketching an image of him in your mind playing the piano in his mother’s home in London. That’s the process.

9/10

Róisín Murphy - Hairless Toys

She had an amazing career with Moloko, she had one good solo album and one great solo album, she had children, she had many collaborations and Italian language covers and finally she has released her third solo project. So what is "Hairless Toys" actually about?

The 8-track album is inspired by "Paris Is Burning", so you can feel the New York drag balls, their glitter and their agony. It's a tribute to the 80's culture, electronic music and sexual revolution. The Irish singer creates the conditions, where she is comfortable to express her feelings and her questions. And these conditions are deep electronic basslines ("Uninvited Guest"), disco synths ("Evil Eyes"), almost breathy vocals, retro production tools and some out of the blue Tarantino guitars ("Exile").

"Hairless Toys" is almost a dance album, but then again it's not. You could expect happy tunes, Bjork-esque aesthetics or "Overpowered" production, but then again you could not. This project is about decisions, many types of "Exploitation", problems created and problems solved and - most of all - acceptance and love of all kinds. It's a love/political album, which is weird at first. But once you listen to the lyrics, it makes sense. It's a 2015 musical revolution like the Chicago House scene, the Detroit Hip-hop and Techno scenes or even the London Glam Rock scene. It's a concept album, a landmark album, certainly her best effort to date.

There is a quality in Róisín, that has not yet been fully acknowledged. It's not about her music or her collaborations or her image or her voice or her artistry at all. It's probably something about her personality. And just because it's a mystery to us (we don't hang out with her, I mean), we will never completely understand what she is doing each and every time. But that's her beauty, too. She is like a David Lynch film - you won't get it at first, but it's also impossible not to watch it again and again.

AnArtCalled... 9/10

Marina and the Diamonds - FROOT

When "The Family Jewels" was released, Marina Diamandis had just been through some hard times, so her music was really intense and vulnerable in many ways. The album was critically acclaimed, so she had a hell of a year. And then "Electra Heart" happened and though it was a concept album with a lot of potential, it failed in many ways. Her GaGa synthpop tracks were poor as far as the melodies are concerned and the smart videos did not save the day. She looked damn pretty in those, we have to admit it. So what happens now, in 2015?

Well, Marina is a pure songwriting talent and that's a fucking strong asset. This time, with her third album, "FROOT", she is capable to showcase this exact talent. She has written all the songs by herself and she has co-produced all of them along with David Kosten (Bat For Lashes). And it works. It works like Amy and Tina presenting the Golden Globes.

The sound is still electronic, but she has again found her indie twist. With a voice as powerful as hers, it's smart that she and Kosten chose to produce the songs with a minimal touch, using basic rhythm sections, reverbed pianos, distinctive guitars and throwback synths, so that the vocals can actually be heard. Marina demanded to be produced as a band. And the result is more than rewarding for her and her vision.

If you try to find a big hit in "FROOT", you just won't, so stop trying. On the other hand, you can find many emotional Marinas and though the project is not a concept album like "Electra Heart", it serves as one, emotionally. There is the naked-soul Marina in "Happy". There is the girl-power Marina in the masterpiece "Can't pin me down". There is always the rock star (or the Charli XCX) Marina in "Forget", the 80's pop-funk Marina in "I'm a ruin", the new-wave pop Marina in "Froot" and so on.

Marina and the Diamonds has always been retro as a project, even when she has tried to be mainstream. And that's her thing. She can write catchy melodies in order to put her name in the charts, but she can always be unique with her sound and her image. This time, she is musically exceptional as well, more than ever before. "FROOT" is not only her strongest body of work to date, but also a top-10 album for 2015 so far.

And hands down, earl grey bitches, she is fucking Greek.

AnArtCalled... 9/10

Years & Years - Y & Y (EP)

This electronic trio has, indeed and no kidding, something special to offer to the radio stations and the pop charts. It's not only about the stuck-on-repeat-and-addictive melodies. It's not only about Olly Alexander's powerful and soulful vocals. It's not only about the bands' 90's references. It's actually about having fun and recording dance music with an indie twist. That's why everyone loves Years & Υears - they can be both mainstream and hip.

Their EP, "Y & Y", is their first big step after their Kitsuné departure. They won the prestigious BBC Sound of 2015 in January and "King" became their first No 1 single in the UK a few days ago. So, they are, without a doubt, the next best thing right now.

The timing is perfect for their success. With Kiesza preparing the ground in the UK with her house influenced "Hideaway", tracks like "King", "Desire" and "Take Shelter" can shake the whole Europe and the summer festivals around the world, so that Years & Years can actually be pop's biggest act of 2015. Kudos.

AnArtCalled... 9/10

Madonna - Rebel Heart

When Madonna was recording girl power anthems and classic pop records, she was like 25-30 years old and that was a long time ago. When she recorded her best album to date, "Ray of light", she was a Kabbalah fan and when she recorded "Confessions on a dance floor", she sampled ABBA and she had a hell of a ride. After those, she recorded some great songs, she recorded some crap songs and she collaborated with Justin, Nicki, MIA and other chart toppers. At the end of the day, the question is only one: What does Ciccone's daughter have to offer today in the music industry as a 56-year-old pop star?

Madonna is a case study as far as music business is concerned. Gaga is not Madonna, because she does her own thing and she is primarily a musician and then a performer. Britney is dead and she had her share of success for a full decade and that was more than fair for a blonde, no-talent, troubled girl. And so on. Madonna is the only pop star in the world that has actually managed to maintain her pop reign for almost 35 years, singing pop, electronic, r'n'b, musicals and Bjork. And that's not something you can ignore through the years. Plus, she was never hot or vocally perfect, imagine that.

In 2015, Madonna has released/leaked her new album, "Rebel Heart". She released "Living for love" as the first single, she took a fall while performing it at the Brit Awards, she is posing for the cover like she is 15 and she is still trying to be the queen of pop. The thing is, she is trying. And, according to her, "that is not Madonna, bitch".

"Rebel Heart" is a mix of good melodies, good and mediocre production by A-list producers (Kanye, Avicii, Diplo, Blood Diamonds, Ryan Tedder), teen vocals and lyrics about female power, Illuminati, drugs and heartbreaks. She sings like a "Like a prayer" Madonna in "Living for love". She sings like a "Love Profusion" Madonna in the radio-friendly "Devil pray". She sings like an urban "Give me all your luvin" Madonna in "Iconic" (one of the best tracks on the album) and "Bitch I'm Madonna" (one of the best tracks, also). She sings like a "Music" Madonna in "Holy Water". In general, Madonna is trying to relive her old statuses all over again with new songs, having nothing new to offer to music, apart from some (really) good songs, that are actually difficult to identify among all these old look-alikes.

Her most electronic/hip efforts are her most confident uptempo moments also, like "Iconic" and "Bitch I'm Madonna". She sounds like her 56-year-old self while singing the folk-pop "Body shop", her best and her most heartfelt song on the album, while the second half of the album ("Holy Water", "Wash all over me" and "Inside out") could literally create a new sound for the queen if she wasn't so desperate to still be the queen. Oh well...

"Rebel heart" is not a bad album. It's always better than "Hard candy" or "MDNA". But it could have been great if Madonna had not tried too much to reinvent herself with old tricks and old production. Listen to the second half of the project and then the first one and figure this out. It's like a greatest hits album with some additional new songs, which in this case sound better than the old ones. Ok, I shut the fuck up now. Mic dropping sound.

p.s. Beyonce is the new queen, but please, DO NOT tell Madonna yet, she is not ready.

AnArtCalled... 6/10

Bjork - Vulnicura

When "Homogenic" was released, Bjork became an icon and a pioneer in electronic music, combining epic melodies, killer string arrangements, trip-hop beats and spooky vocals. It was the first time that it became actually obvious she is an elf from Iceland or something, leaving behind her dance and MTV era. "Vespertine" and "Medúlla" made clear that Bjork was not about to return to something mainstream anytime soon, thus revealing her constant desire to experiment with her productions. It took her three years to produce something you can call "almost mainstream" with "Volta" (Timbaland was involved), using percussions and horns all through the album, while her next effort, "Biophilia", was her first multimedia project with an extensive use of tablets, musical instruments especially designed for her and unusual time signatures. So what's next?

"Vulnicura" is next. Her brand new album has just leaked/been released, so it's available anywhere. With nine tracks written and produced by herself and Arca (Kanye West, FKA Twigs), this project could easily be the sequel of "Homogenic", using the same technology and the same instruments as "Biophilia". It's the most fragile and sensitive Bjork in years, for sure.

"Lionsong" is almost a pop song with an experimental arrangement, proving that when she wants it, she can write an actual chorus in a song (she did it in "Crystalline", too). "Black lake", the best track in here, creates a fragile utopia of her and her ex-lover ("Did I love you too much? Devotion and me broken. So I repent, destroyed."), but with a sense of an apology letter, not an actual situation. In "Family", The Haxan Cloak has helped in the production process, while in "Atom Dance", Antony Hegarty is singing along with her in full baritone mode and some heavy drum programming. "Notget" could and should be used in a brothers Nolan film about an uninhabitable planet. "Mouth mantra" works as a drug - you want to inhale every vocal, every violin and every sci-fi synth in it. It goes back, when Bjork used to sing electronic music produced by Nellee Hooper, so this is probably her most "Post" moment as far as "Vulnicura" is concerned.

Everyone is trying (once again) to figure out what Bjork and "Vulnicura" stand for. But the interesting thing is that Bjork stands for music, nothing else in particular. And that's all. She can write dance and pop music, but she does not give a fuck about doing so, she is beyond that. She uses technology, she arranges strings and horns the way no one has done in the past, she is constantly breaking time signature rules. She is the one and only musician today who has created something no one has not even dared to dream of creating. Bjork is a musical phenomenon. In 30 years, she will be a course in music schools and a legend in our laptops and our cd collections. That's what Bjork and "Vulnicura" stand for - music history, once again.

AnArtCalled... 9,5/10

Kele - Trick

We can talk about Kele's sophomore album and confess it's a great dance effort. We can also talk about Bloc Party, his band, and comment that it was totally expected of him to record electronic tracks once again. Forget all that review shit, cause it's coming anyways. "Trick" is an album we can dance our asses off and - wait for it - have great sex listening to it. Cause it's so damn HOT.

Back to that review shit... I have to be honest, this album sounds like Burial producing songs for Delphic and Katy B. It's all about dark loops, house basslines, melancholic lyrics and strong, soulful vocals. But yet again it's a great pop album overall, so that anyone can appreciate it - from Bloc Party fans to dubstep freaks.

"Doubt", arguably the best song in here, combines the star quality and  the rock attitude of its performer, but still manages to be as dance as Kele is trying to sound, without damaging his indie persona. "Coasting" is all about Burial's dubstep tricks, while "Closer" makes it clear that everyone has a cheesy side that leads to a recording mistake. "Year Zero", "Like We Used To" and "My Hotel Room" are all about sexiness and sensuality. So let's focus on those, please (!).

Have I really mentioned the words "sex", "sexiness", "asses", "hot" and "sensuality" in a music album review? Oh well...

AnArtCalled... 8/10

El Buho - The First Heartbeat (Single)

El Buho (a musician and scriptwriter based in Athens) has listened to a lot of pop music as well as film scores in the past. So it's almost obvious that he is trying to combine his two favorite music genres into an ethereal piece of music - his single "The First Heartbeat". That could seem and sound weird as far as the continuity of the production is concerned, but on the other hand it feels like he knows what he is doing.

Many songwriters, producers and arrangers in the past have combined different styles of music in their work, from Air and Daft Punk to Craig Armstrong and Trent Reznor. Electronic pads and drums, concrete music, strings and orchestra ensembles, vocals and guitars - the tools can be countless. El Buho has wisely used here his mentors' flexibility in music creation and has produced an ambient track that showcases his ability to flirt with a good melody and his age of innocence, thus creating a landscape full of childhood memories in a shiny day. Well, that's my visual utopia listening to "The first heartbeat" and that's the actual thing here - listening to it, you can create your own images.

Minus: Too much reverb, which he actually likes and always uses. So, maybe, it is somekind of signature.

AnArtCalled... 8,5/10

Links:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/elbuho
http://open.spotify.com/track/3xjK31GMrnmlTYQhmDJKkD
https://itunes.apple.com/gr/album/the-first-heartbeat-single/id926016164
https://soundcloud.com/buhomusic 

FKA twigs - LP1

When I first saw the cover of this album, I thought the girl in it has some kind of issues with the "Avatar" film. Anyhow, it's not important. It's just the fact, though, that, while I was listening to her music for the first time, I thought FKA twigs is a weird girl. An almost mythical creature, a person that impersonates many roles through her videos and tries to be anything but normal. It was this exact point of view that I thought it could fade away, as I was trying to understand her musical goals. Maybe I have never been more wrong in my life as far as an artist is concerned. Because, in fact, in every word she sings, her uniqueness gets more and more confident and stronger. That much, that it's getting actually weirdly weird.

The first full-length album for FKA twigs is actually an electronic r'n'b masterpiece. It's like placing Beyonce in the studio with Weeknd, James Blake and Jessie Ware and yet, it's not enough to fully create a picture of her sound. She is fragile and strong at the same time and she is singing from a place that is certainly not her throat or her diaphragm. She sings from her heart and it's not a human heart; it's a divine heart, a heart full of power, sensuality, deep breaths and reverb. You can listen to it so clearly; her voice is recorded from another time and another place, not a studio in the UK.

Even though it was pretty smart to promote the album with the best track in it, "Two weeks", you cannot underestimate the other songs. "Video girl" and "Lights on" are tracks that Kelis, Solange or any other sophisticated r'n'b diva that respects herself could kill for. The production here is flawless. It is "britishly flawless", as I often write about a James Blake record. It's fresh, it stands on its own and most of the times it's dark. Just like a personal secret you really cannot tell to anyone, because someone will die!

FKA twigs, a former dancer in Jessie J videos (what the odds), has released an album that has so much potential in it, it is on the verge of already becoming an instant classic; great songs, great voice, great production, great artwork, great timing and critical reception. Not to mention, a beautiful and stylish woman.

AnArtCalled... 9,5/10

"ISAM" Amon Tobin

Γιατί να σε απασχολήσω με τον Άμονα τον Τόμπιν;
Θα αναρωτιέσαι και θα 'χεις και τα δίκια σου, γιατι να απασχοληθείς με το θέμα του πειραματισμού στην ηλεκτρονική μουσική;
Η απάντηση είναι να μην ασχοληθεις!
Δικό μου κόλλημα είναι ο βραζιλιάνος θρύλος, και πιστοί ακόλουθοι δηλώνουμε.

Αυτο συμβαίνει γιατι οι παλιες αγάπες δεν ξεχνιούνται εύκολα, και εμεις γνωρίσαμε αυτη την "αγάπη" μεσα στον ενθουσιασμό μας για την drum 'n bass. Ερωτευθήκαμε σφοδρα, όπως και με οτιδήποτε αλλο εμπεριείχε την έννοια ή έστω την υπόνοια "break".
Μετα βέβαια ο Amon ξεφυγε απο οποιοδήποτε ορισμό και έφτασε στο σημερα, οπου το μονο που σου μενει ειναι ο χαρακτηρισμός experimental, που σαφώς και τοποθετείται σαν έμβλημα, στα νοήματα που δεν μπορουμε εμείς οι απλοι θνητοι, να εντοπίσουμε εύκολα.
Καλα, μην φανταστεις οτι ειναι και η Λόρι Άντερσον...

Το καλό είναι πως ο τύπος εφτιαξε μια 50λεπτη μίξη των 12 tracks και στην παραδίδω να βγάλεις άκρη.
'ISAM' - Full album with track-by-track commentary from Amon Tobin by Amon Tobin

Αν σου αρέσει κανένας "music designer" και θές να το παίξεις μούρη.

Electronic Athens Three

Η Ntrop συνεχίζει την εξαγωγή μουσικής από την Αθήνα σε όλο τον κόσμο, παρουσιάζοντας νέους ήχους αλλά και ήδη γνωστούς μουσικούς, με μοναδικά κριτήρια το πρωτότυπο του ήχου και την αρτιότητα στον τομέα της ηχογράφησης και του performance.

Το τρίτο μέρος της σειράς electronic Athens περιέχει επιλεγμένα από πρόσφατες κυκλοφορίες βινυλίων αλλά και ακυκλοφόρητες παραγωγές των καλλιτεχνών που αποτελούν το core του label.

Στα τέσσερα διαφορετικά format της κυκλοφορίας (cd, mp3, wav και βινύλιο) συμμετέχουν οι Joalz, Felizol & The Boy, Savas Pascalidis, Lemos, Leon Segka, Olga Kouklaki, Sunday Luv, Βroken Synths, Lank, Mary & The Boy, Sutekh, Βουqetoes, καταγράφοντας την εξέλιξη της ετικέτας στον ήχο της χορευτικής electronica.

Felizol & The Boy : O.h.i.o
Leon Segka : Inside you ( Sutekh mix )
Broken Synths : Lamet
Bouqetoes : Braut von Korinth
Savas Pascalidis : Outfit
Leon Segka : Mosanto
Joalz feat. Sunday : Sweeping range ( Felizol mix )
Mary & The Boy : You you you ( Leon Segka mix )
Joalz feat. Olga Kouklaki : Falling together
Lemos : Techeran

Το ELECTRONIC ATHENS THREE διατίθεται ήδη στα δισκοπωλεία.

info@ntroprecordings.com
www.ntroprecordings.com