Written Radio

Ambient April: Day 30

2011-04-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

This MP3 was found at Dilandau MP3

I made it. 30 days, 30 songs. It's been a journey. There were times when I never thought I would finish. I racked my brain for all the possible songs stored within. I don't know what kept me going. It just kind of released itself from within, years of good vibes and fantasies reincarnating themselves into words and sentences. These stories were waiting to be told, just beneath the surface. Each song has a few different meanings or images it conjures up for me. I release the song out into the world and maybe it gets another listener who will have a different illusion spring forth from the music. Like we're all harmonizing our hallucinations. It's deep stuff, and when I'm writing these posts I get a good vibe going like I'm listening to the latest buzzband.

This song. I can't believe I've had it for almost four years. I can still remember the first time I heard it. And every time since the same set of images has come to mind. It's me. Years in the future. I turn on a speaker system that penetrates every corner of the house with the steady beat and thoughtful-catchy lyrics. I proceed to dance around my mansion in my bathrobe and fuzzy slippers but that's me. What do you envision?

Ambient April: Day 29

2011-04-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hot Venom by WrittenRadio

I see potential and I see squandering. I had really high hopes for Miniature Tigers when I first stumbled across them in 2009. The band was vaguely indie rock but came across much more like steady indie pop with electronic tendencies. They managed to impress me early with the sheer range of sounds in a single track and spot on lyrics. Their latest album, F O R T R E S S, was a bit of a disappointment. For the level of skill and innovation exhibited early on they haven't really pulled through into something amazing. Despite some minor disappointment, their first album did yield some pretty good tracks. This one, Hot Venom, is just what you need to get a taste of the band. Look up more if you like it.

Ambient April: Day 28

2011-04-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

Ambuscade by WrittenRadio

This blog is getting kind of predictable.
Step one: Find good "obscure" band.
Step Two: Download entire album.
Step Three: Pick out most ambient song.
Step Four: Blog about it. So here it goes:

The Broken West.
(2008) Now or Heaven, sophomore album.
"Ambuscade" a noun meaning ambush or a trap laid for an enemy.

This is LA power pop quintet, The Broken West. The band broke up after five years and two albums. Their second album is still worth a download. It had some great tracks which really make the most of the power pop genres with steady drum beats and striking guitar riffs. Yes, this band had great cohesion and they all played their parts wonderfully. The only piece lacking was powerful lyrics or innovation. Without either of those two they couldn't rise past a plateau, and eventually dissolved. As always, appreciate what was, don't lament what was not.

Ambient April: Day 27

2011-04-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

slowly by WrittenRadio

I've kind of been in this trend of finding great one-man bands. Not the cheesy kind that play ten instruments at once for your nickels in front of the state fair but artists with full and complex that just so happen to be a solo act. This artist is known as Coconut Records. It's indie pop from Jason Schwartzman, a comedian/actor you may have seen. I actually knew both Coconut Records and some of his acting roles but didn't know he was behind this amazing self-released album, Nighttiming. The title track of which is superb but keeping in line with the month, here is the most ambient track from that album.

Ambient April: Day 26

2011-04-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

Phenomenons by WrittenRadio

Getting a little out there today. Give the song a fair listen. Reading the lyrics might help. Well, the artist is indie pop quintet, Twin Sister. Their sound has also been called indie electronic and chillwave but the best fit is still indie pop. This track is off their second EP. At this writing, they have not released a full-length album. I don't want to talk too much about it. The track is up there, hit play, vibe out, and relax.

Ambient April: Day 25

2011-04-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Broken Afternoon by WrittenRadio

Helio Sequence is an indie rock duo consisting of Modest Mouse alum, Benjamin Weikel, and his close friend, Brandon Summers. The two are one of the most committed acts in all of indie rock. They've been going strong for about twelve years and have six releases. Even after losing his voice, vocalist Brandon Summers had to re-learn how to sing and released a kick-ass album that spawned this wonderfully ambient track.

Ambient April: Day 24

2011-04-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

Real Live Version

This MP3 was found at Dilandau MP3

My first real post was about Voxtrot and dealing with their metaphorical passing. It was all about the emotions and the creativity that it spawned. In essence, Voxtrot's self-titled and only album does the same thing. Each song deals with a different kind of pain whether it be loneliness, loss, desperation, anger, or the feelings caused by them. This song is perfectly opened by a soft piano melody. Leading to slow and consistent lyrics that delve into complexities of love and inherent social lies. Yeah, deep stuff. It's a really chill slow song that still has a great hook and meaningful chorus.

Ambient April: Day 23

2011-04-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

The Outsider Steps Inside by WrittenRadio

I have so many songs from the 9th and 10th grade with no idea of what they are or where they came from. I was lost in a sea of free music and my head was under the tide too long to notice genres or locations. I was too busy fighting for air, trying to float, or beating the current. I didn't look up biographies, find out about where all the musicians met or any of the other stuff that creates a powerful bond between artist and listener.

The anonymity of my musical exchanges kept me from really connecting with some great alternative bands(I wasn't quite ready for indie yet). So now everyone once in a while, on a weekend like today, a song will come on that is instantly pleasing and completely unrecognizable. I'll spend an hour or two researching the song, struggling to find lyrics or a bio on the obscure artist. I was glad to hear today that this artist, My Luminaries, is actually having a good year and has been gaining notoriety.

Onto the song, it has a 90's feel, back when many people couldn't tell the difference between alt rock and post-punk revival. This track, The Outsider Steps Inside, is one of a few singles released by My Luminaries. I don't know too much about that time period in music so suffice to let the song speak for itself...

Ambient April: Day 22

2011-04-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

little joy with strangers

Mp3Skip.com

This track was a bit of a hard find, but I really wanted to share it with you. I have a few friends who are die-hard Strokes fans. They shun and reject the many side projects to maintain their idea of the "purity" of the band. All it takes is more tracks like this one to give some validation and recognition to side projects such as Fabrizio Moretti's Little Joy. The band is a product of influences mainly from the 60's and carries over laid back instrumentals along with striking vocal performances. The self-titled album is full of quiet little entertaining songs that fill half an hour just perfectly.

Ambient April: Day 21

2011-04-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

Tyrant DestroyedbyTwin Shadow

This track has felt that Midas touch of Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor. He produced Twin Shadow's debut album, Forget. This track has the most ambient feel, some beautiful lyrics, and the quiet feel generated by the bare bones instrumental. If you have the time, look up the artist. He's a Dominican raised in Florida and even though his freshman album is only a year old it seems like the 1980's opened up a vortex and hurled George Lewis Jr. into our consciousness. Watching his videos, it feels crazy to call this "new" music so I just have to settle and call it good music.

Ambient April: Day 20

2011-04-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

Another Likely Story by WrittenRadio

So in previous posts you've seen Neon Indian. In another post you may have heard Au Revoir Simone. This is the remix of Au Revoir Simone's "Another Likely Story" by Neon Indian. I think I'm pushing the boundaries of my already vague definition for "ambient" but I just couldn't ignore this track.

Ambient April: Day 19

2011-04-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

Wetsuit

This MP3 was found at Dilandau MP3

So this band has been compared to the Smiths. That was all they needed to catch my interest. The Vaccines are an indie rock band from England, not really. They're signed to a major record label. So if one of those executives realizes the cash cow he is sitting on these guys could blow up overnight with a commercial spot or viral video.

This track is about as ambient as a ballad to fleeting youth can get. The lyrics have a Goldilocks meaning, not too meaningful or lacking, but just right. It's easy to get into the groove and agree with what they're saying. I like that most of their songs are kind of out there. As proven by the brethren track, "Post Break-Up Sex" which is also off their album, What did you expect from the Vaccines?

Ambient April: Day 18

2011-04-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

patterns by WrittenRadio

So this is a track off the recent Telekinesis release, 12 Desperate Straight Lines. It features the full and arguably better band. There's an emotional aspect to most of the songs on the album but half the time the upbeat and basic rock instrumentals can overshadow the depth of the prose. Not on a song like this. Give it a listen. See how it compares to when Telekinesis was a solo project.

Ambient April: Day 17

2011-04-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

Washed Out - "Feel It All Around"

It's become far more likely these days that chillwave may burn out as some hipster microtrend. I'm still always going to believe in it and look for it, but evidence is evidence. There's been a flooding of the marketplace brought about by initial appeal. Too many low-grade or incorrectly-labeled artists are being added to the scene everyday.

So whether or not chillwave forces itself into the history books as the next big genre after alternative there will no doubt be some highly specific book chronicling this particular movement by someone who had nothing to do with it. If such an author is worth the paper he/she writes upon, this song, and more of this artist will appear consistently throughout.

Ambient April: Day 16

2011-04-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

rust by WrittenRadio

So yeah there's a million songs dealing with the heart and allusions of coldness or lack of loving capacity. But here's one that let's you forget about cliche's and feel something real for two minutes of bliss. Steady beat and a new take on an old classic elevate this simple track by Telekinesis, a project originally started solo by Michael Lerner. The band now includes several other members and has released a new album with an appropriately fuller sound.

Somehow I still find myself going back to this early work, intrigued and pleasantly surprised by the complexity of what is essentially an entire LP made by a one-man band. That album was made in collaboration with Chris Walla, of Death Cab for Cutie fame. There's a lot of great tracks there if you want to check it out. A good mix of upbeat and ambient tempos and lyrical content. We need more people like this, unafraid to challenge norms such as the 3 or 4 piece band.

Ambient April: Day 15

2011-04-16T01:35:00.000-07:00

black balloon

This MP3 was found at Dilandau MP3

It's a little after one but I'm gonna count this as the 15th. Black Balloon by indie band The Kills. Currently playing this year's Coachella. Very few vocalists and bands can pull off a song like this and with as much finesse. This has to be their best song, or least the best I've seen from that album. I'm not gonna go on any longer. It's late. And I'm busy this weekend. But I'm still committed to bringing you ambient hits. So hit play and drift away...

Ambient April: Day 14

2011-04-14T22:19:00.000-07:00

Satellite

This MP3 was found at Dilandau MP3

So I'm running a little late today. Sorry about that. I wanna make it up to you by bringing you my favorite track from alt rock band, Guster. They've managed to stay under the radar for many years thanks to meager album sales. Give this song a listen, and anything else off their album Ganging Up On The Sun.

I really enjoy this track. I found it off a Pandora station I created by starting with, "Young Folks" definitely a contender for best song ever. This song is soft and sweet, great lyrics without dwelving into cliche's and sticking with their unique sound. I give a lot of credit to these guys and I'm sure they'll continue to impress me for years to come.

Ambient April: Day Thirteen

2011-04-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Vcr

This MP3 was found at Dilandau MP3

So I'm deviating from my usual professional soundcloud today. This is from a site I've used for quite some time called Dilandau. I stopped using it because it was kind of hit-and-miss and the interface didn't mesh well with my slow Internet at the time. So besides that gripe, allow me to bring to VCR, a well known single off the self-titled debut of the xx. It's indie rock from London, circa 2009. I really enjoy this track simply because of the amazing vocalists which bring a new layer to the music to be appreciated and enjoyed. The rest of the album is one of the best albums from 2009.

Ambient April: Day Twelve

2011-04-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

Fern Beard by WrittenRadio

So here's a track from my absolute favorite female vocalist of all time. Blake Hazard of The Submarines, a indie pop duo out of Los Angeles. The Submarines have been very successful considering their modest collection of songs and albums. I personally enjoy their whole aesthetic, the slight electronic influences coupled with bare bones instrumentals. All their songs achieve a perfect sense of balance and rhythm, this slower selection is called Fern Beard and is perfect for Ambient April. If you like the sound, download the rest of Honeysuckle Weeks.

Ambient April: Day Eleven

2011-04-11T22:56:00.000-07:00

Float On by WrittenRadio

Blackbird Blackbird is your run of the mill solo chillwave project by Mike Maramag. He's managed to make a name for himself by remixing indie favorites both new and old. From Modest Mouse to Local Natives this guy seems to have impeccable taste and a great work ethic. Here is his remix of indie gigantic record, Float On. If it's notable for one thing, let it be that it is the only track I ever said was too short.

Ambient April: Day Ten

2011-04-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Blood-bank by WrittenRadio

A hundred years ago calculus was only available to about the top 1% of society instead of being offered in high schools like it is now. The trip from California to New York used to take months if not years. The point is, as a society, we are advancing at an ever increasing rate. And for the most part it's a good thing, except when it's not.

In the future-obsessed, evolution orientated, next big thing world we live in simple has become mundane. We have become intolerant of the bare bones strategy. So I submit to you today, Blood Bank by Bon Iver. A song that excels on crisp vocals alone. An understated steady beat and soft harmonies only bring recognition to Iver's excellent voice and songwriting abilities. He is a quiet star in the indie-folk scene.

Ambient April: Day Nine

2011-04-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

12 The Ghost Inside by scchica

Here's a track by "space rock" duo, Broken Bells. It's crazy what they call a genre now. But what's even worse is the people who get mad about it. I mean come on, it's just a name. If you don't use it the name shouldn't affect you right? If people wanna call certain rock groups with futuristic sounds and space visuals space rock then so be it.

Legions of fans are trying to create connections, name a new genre that wasn't there before. Then there's the backlash of older fans saying that all the genres have already been named or that new genres are invalid. Why isn't their a group of people trying to do opposite? Why don't we band together and do away with genres? They're simply names, names that make people close minded. I remember a good label, music. Let's do that just call it all music. No more names. No more fighting. No more close minded ignorance.

Ambient April: Day Eight

2011-04-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Jamie Long - Years by WrittenRadio

I remember being a passive listener. Back when all my music came from the radio and other people and commercials. Those were good days. Those were easy days.

It's different now. I spend way too many hours getting lost in the endless links of Wikipedia. Hearing the auditory equivalent of feces on the hype machine.

All of it, for that moment, when you click the big arrow on some odd-looking music player and the music that it releases is actually good. An epic quest for mp3's is the daily life of many listeners.

So without any further ado, here is an mp3 I stumbled across on Last.fm and have really been enjoying. It's low grade, bedroom chillwave with a surprising amount of skill and potential.

Ambient April: Day Seven

2011-04-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

Beach House - Zebra by subpop

Here's another track I've been dying to show you. If you're looking to relax you can't do much better than dream pop duo, Beach House. Their most recent album, Teen Dream, has delighted fans and critics alike. If you're into the sound of this track check out the rest of the album.

Ambient April: Day Six

2011-04-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

Go Outside by Cults

I'm really excited to bring you this track. I'm not going to go into geeky detail about the subtle beauty of the vocals just listen to it. Let it relax your soul. It's up there with songs like Young Folks or Pumped Up Kicks but surprisingly stays under the radar. Probably because of the fact Cults is such a unknown band. They don't even have a wikipedia! Oh well, all I know about them is they made an amazing track called, "Go Outside".

Ambient April: Day Five

2011-04-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'll admit it. I'm scrambling. It seems the internet is an obstacle in my journey to bring you an Ambient April. Random record labels are crawling out of the cobwebs to say I don't have the right to distribute "their" music. I don't see why they're so mad. Don't we want the same thing? To get their client's music to the masses? That's all I'm trying to do. Not make a profit. Hell, I'm doing their job. Now I'm mad. Maybe I should get paid?

Beach House. Little Joy. Voxtrot. The Bravery. Whitest Boy Alive. Broken Bells. All of them have airtight copyrights. I'll get them up eventually, though maybe not in the way I wanted. So think of this whole Ambient April thing as one of those 10 trillion piece puzzles. It may be a bit too ambitious, i'll try not to quit half way through, but it's all because I want you to see something, one piece at a time.

You can think of this next song as one of those missing pieces you find under the couch a week later that doesn't seem to fit anywhere, but yet it still came with the box...

If You Can't Sleep by WrittenRadio

Ambient April: Day Four

2011-04-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

So SoundCloud has these rules against uploading certain types of copyrighted music. So for this post I'm using ol' reliable, YouTube. This song is a bit of departure for the Black Keys and really lives up to the Blues genre they are so often labeled with. Nice and slow, with plenty of emotion that is not pleading or overdone. If you haven't heard of the Black Keys then get out from under your rock and look up any of their other five albums. This one, Brothers, has to have one of the best album art pieces I've ever seen. Simplicity. That's what these guys have going for them. They can get a bit repetitive but that's only because they dominate their blues/alt. rock niche.

Ambient April: Day Three

2011-04-03T17:33:00.001-07:00

Stay Golden by WrittenRadio

Short and bittersweet, the track captures the essence of a failed romance. Au Revoir Simone is a dream pop trio operating out of Williamsburg. A brilliant mix of lyricism and pop sensibility makes each carefully synthesized and crafted track a work of art. I find a lot of their songs to be the perfect background music when you don't want to be distracted, but pay attention to subtle nuances in the beat and you'll be encompassed by the raw musicianship exhibited by each member of this phenomenal band.

Read along to the lyrics and see for yourself.

Ambient April: Day Two

2011-04-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

Hammock by WrittenRadio

I recently downloaded iTunes and wasn't impressed. I missed so many of the features I had grown close to with my Zune software. I actually still use it even though I don't own a Zune anymore. It wasn't all bad, iTunes is still a great piece of software. It's very intuitive and is always trying to provide the best experience for the user. One of the best ways it does this is recording the number of times you play a song. Looking at my iTunes, this track is far and away the most played.

Hammock off MillionYoung's Sundreamm EP is one of the greatest songs I've heard in a while. The beat is catchy and infectious, I feel almost wrong labeling it under Ambient because every time I hear it I get happy and sway to the beat excitedly. So if you need a little pick me up or want to extend a good mood just click play and let the beat carry you away.

Ambient April: Day One

2011-04-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

Sleep Paralysist by WrittenRadio

People always tell me they find starting something to be the hardest part. Not me. I'll probably start complaining two weeks in. But for the first track, it was a no brainer. I knew I wanted something from Neon Indian, my favorite chillwave artist. It was just a matter of picking a song with the right mix of lyrics, beat, and hook.

This particular track, Sleep Paralysist has been a conversation piece between me and my friends for weeks now. The song is composed by frontman Alan Palomo with the help of producer-genius Chris Taylor so it seems like a match made in heaven. Until you find out it was all paid for by Green Label Sound, a record label for Mountain Dew! Yeah, so basically does the sheer awesomeness of this track forgive the corporate sponsorship? Figure it out for yourself.

Announcing the Launch of Ambient April

2011-04-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

am·bi·ent

Pronunciation: /ˈam-bē-ənt/
Function: adj

:creating a relaxing atmosphere< ambient environment>

It's been a while. I know. Blame it on my stupid college aspirations and lack of a computer. But I have a treat for you. I wanna make it up to you. I'm embarking on this ambitious project of mine. I'm calling it Ambient April. Thirty days of steady songs you can sit and vibe to, chill out, etc.

I'm starting a little late (today is the 3rd) but it's all for good reason. I didn't want to start on April 1st it would have been too easy just to get lazy and post up that it was all a big April Fool's Joke. So that wouldn't be fair. I should have started yesterday but I spent all my time generating the awesome logo you see above. So today all be backtracking and getting you three ambient songs.

Guilty Pleasures

2011-01-04T19:24:00.001-08:00

Katy Perry is my teenage dream. There I said it. Of all the artists who frequent MTV or grace magazine covers, Katy is the only one who warrants a second look. Embracing such a cookie cutter pop artist isn't easy. When her tender, pure voice first breaks a silence I look around before taking my Zune out of my pocket and turning Teenage Dream up as high as it will go. I have never divulged my passion for the songstress to any of my friends. The anonymity of the net is my only frontier into admitting the odd musical tastes that classify as guilty pleasures.

I remember clearly the only occasion, I allowed an outgoing girl to view my music in its entirety. She had skimmed through four songs on shuffle when she came across perhaps the most embarrassing track I had, Falling For You by Colbie Caillat. She instantly started dancing and singing around to the tune. Friends of mine noticed and I had to play the whole thing off. Since then, I have kept artists such as Katy Perry and Colbie Caillat under lock and key. Never again, would I allow my guilty pleasures to haunt me.

In her most recent Teenage Dream Katy manages to capture a sense of a singularity and profound meaning in a genre that usually spurts out new artists following the same old strategy. I know the subject matter isn't exactly compelling and many argue her vocal range leaves something to be desired but those are the details. At the end of the day, she plays on the same old conventions with a new spin, accomplishing something great with simple tools.

Voxtrot

2010-12-29T23:35:00.000-08:00

(Voxtrot 2005-2010)

I always have a tough time describing Voxtrot. Indie Pop, Indie Rock? Does it really matter? Voxtrot manages to keep one foot on either side of the line through the use of lyrical prose and distinct melodies. Their lyrics read like poetry, each line of nonsense like a piece of broken glass. Beautiful in its own right, but also as a part of a whole. Each song is complex and can be listened to with a new meaning every time.

Now before you go out and expect Voxtrot to be your new favorite band, I have some bad news. Voxtrot played their "final shows" earlier this year. I don't want to make this a somber post. Voxtrot certainly doesn't seem depressed in their farewell post. Voxtrot followed the mantra, "Do it because you love music. Do it with passion."

Caught up in the fanfare and popularity explosion that came from three EP's and one full length album, Voxtrot lost that crucial component that fueled their early music. Passion. The inspiration ran dry, and while its possible they could have survived another few years making lackluster records they made the smart decision and broke up. The last flicker of the flame was seen in Voxtrot's brief stint into the synthpop genre with songs such as Trepanation Party.

So I offer to you a trio of my favorite songs from the band that was Voxtrot. Remember them as they were. I know somewhere, decades in the future I'll stumble upon one of these songs and remember fondly was Voxtrot was, and not curse what they weren't. This is Written Radio, feel free to tell me your thoughts on Voxtrot or about other bands that broke up this year in the comments.

Voxtrot - The Start of Something
Voxtrot - Kid Gloves
Voxtrot - Brother In Conflict

The Shy Girl

2010-12-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a song will come on the radio and I'll whisper a name under my breath. Some lost love, a kindred spirit, or a semi-forgotten crush. For me, the songs don't simply remind me of these women. In my mind the song and the woman it reminds me of are intertwined. The song is the frame of the picture I have of her in my mind. She may have changed but I know whenever that song comes on I'll remember her in all her beauty of that moment. I was raised on love songs and I guess I never really distinguished music and women...

I've always been enamored by shy girls. The wallflower that I spend more time daydreaming about than she does daydreaming about vampires. Their quiet disposition and soft voices draw me in. I can't help but want to dig deeper, find the qualities that make this girl unique, to share in her solitude. The shy girl captures the essence of indie music. A shy girl who is counterculture by nature, not by choice. Nothing is faked. My natural aversion for the outgoing and popular girls finds its counterpart in my music. The obscure band, hanging on by thread to a third rate label entices me more than a top ten pop artist ever could. As in any great love, once it develops it grows to define me, I want to shout it to the rooftops and tell all my friends. That's part of the reason I started this blog. To bring some lesser-known and deserving bands to curious new listeners. I don't share in the philosophy that if it's good nobody should know about it. In closing, I guess I have to say that my musical taste is not absolute. Other genres will always break into my consciousness and find their niche. In the same way one girl can change what I think about her peers, one band has the power to redefine a genre or capture the minds of listeners from all walks of life. I will always be fascinated by the shy girl but I am not foolish enough to miss something truly great when it passes by. I want this blog to be a forum for all genres either through my own experimentation or guest writers. This is Written Radio, feel free to make requests in the comment section.