![](/../../../brain/images/nightmaresknow.jpg)
samples:
samples:
samples:
The Darla Bliss Out series, designed to allow ambient pop stars to spread their message and love to the world on a monthly basis, continues with this, it's 19th entry, from Japancakes of Athens, GA. Japancakes have released two full-lengths and an EP on Kindercore, and have drawn comparisons to bands like Macha and Air with their instrumental-with-electronics music. It's cohesive, full-sounding, grooved-out, and, yes, ambient, but also very innocent.
Let me be honest here. I grew up in Queens, so I like my rap to sound a certain way. While I can appreciate the insanity of groups like Outkast and southern production geniuses like Timbaland and the Neptunes, I'd rather be listening to Cam'Ron, Nas, Jay-Z, Cormega, or the Wu-Tang Clan.
samples:
Now this is a great idea. Every month Insound release a limitededition CD by an artist/band while they're on tour, 500 availablethrough the site and 500 at their shows. For a mere $6.18 you get a lotfor your money: four home recordings, a dozen live songs and half adozen amusing audio postcards from around the world, nearly 72 minutesin all. If the homemade stuff is a precursor of the new album, it'sgoing to be fantastic. "Astral" especially ... how many times have Ilistened to that song this past week alone? So simple yet sobeautifully understated. Like everything they do, really. A woman in"Sassari, Italy" apologetically mistakes the Calla trio for SonicYouth. Not quite. Of the live songs, there's five apiece from the s/tdebut album and the follow-up 'Scavengers' plus two classic covers. Irecently saw Calla play for a rather indifferent Nick Cave crowd in anAustin open-air amphitheatre. It sounds like these tracks were recordedin small clubs (or a radio station) where the intimate atmosphere ismuch more suitable for Calla's quieter moments. All of their drama iscaptured nicely here. The last two are tender tributes to GeorgeHarrison with "Long, Long, Long" and Neil Young with "Harvest Moon".For the latter, the chatty Tel Aviv audience sweetly joins in on thechorus and is impressively silenced by the end, then erupts inappreciation. Of the two discs, this is the one to get.
samples:
samples:
samples:
samples:
samples: