a gift from me to you.

one of my favorites of the year.

The great age of democracy (a christmas carol)

I've been searching for this album for ages, and only today I finally decided to buy it -- it took quite a while for me to have a international credit card. And, boy, did I feel like a happy college student.

While mostly (totally) associated with that 90's thing called trip-hop, Bristol had its share of indie bands with the likes of You & the Atom Bomb*. And until today it's difficult to find a band that produced such quirky and adorable sounds, paced with unexpected time signatures, while maintaining its high share of glucose.

I have no idea of the whereabouts of the band, which is a shame. I figure if they first appeared a couple of years ago, when Bandcamp and other alternative mediums of distributing music were finally reliable, they would be all over the place (you can still buy their EPs trough Sink and Stove records).

pw: spooked

*BONUS: an assortment of Christmas songs composed and played by Bristol bands, compiled by these guys. Happy holidays for those who care.

Also sprach JT Meireles

What up honorable dudes? I'm in a double embarrassment here. First, I wish I could provide you with a better quality rip, as I own the vinyl (ripping equipment is way too expensive here); second, I don't know why the hell I didn't post this sooner.

The mid-60's in Brazil, pretty much like USA, were deeply into funk. Sergio Mendes and Jorge Ben were the most proeminent acts to find the perfect balance between funk and samba, while bands like Brazilian Octopus were taking it to another level. For me and many others, I figure, it was the Golden Age of Brazilian instrumental music as a whole. Besides the aforementioned bands, we had fantastic trios, like Zimbo, Tamba, Sambalanço, Milton Banana, etc.

JT Meireles' most famous work was probably the arrangement for Jorge Ben's "Mas que nada" (which is a big deal), but he has an extensive and solid discography, on which even I couldn't get a decent overview. This record, one of the last of this era, however, should motivate you to pursue it as well.

pw: spooked

qualchan. // smashing in the face of youth culture.

sorry to be that guy, but here is my latest album. i recorded this live at various locations here in seattle throughout last year & some of this one. lo-fi ambient synth rubs shoulders with field recordings. if yr interested, i'm going to start posting more of my work here.

& before i totally destroy any shred of respectability i have by posting all of my work here, this will be my last one. chopped & screwed loops of experimental library, funk, soundtrack, & jazz loops. heavily inspired by robert turman, croiners, & the my dream date with boyd rice tape comp. this got released by the lovely scott over at ailanthus. support them here. thanks for putting up with this, i promise i have a few more awesome posts for the next couple of days.

Aki Bamboo Leaves

This one's for those who never thought in Shakuhachi music as avant. Unlike Michihiro Sato, though, Sabu Orimo never had -- as far as I know -- a NY buddy to arrange him gigs and all-star collabs. His recordings are more like intense meditation sessions in a dark room, along with the occasional fits of demonic expurgation (you'll know it).

pw: spooked

ps. I really wanted to post this but couldn't find it in my HDD, so I had to search all over the internets, hence the extended delay 
pps. diggin your posts, jefe!

barzakh id markers.

how can you ever go wrong with my best gal daphne oram?

on the banks of the owchita.

pretty decent soundtrack. many thanks to my friend at work for the album. download it for the title alone.

lagoon night.

a little prime era ennio to brighten yr weary monday.

cosmic surfin'.

just had to share this gem of a jam. haruomi hosono, shigeru suzuki & tatsuro yamashita go hard on this one. lounge-y exotica-esque ocean jams made for that one time when thurston howell ran the casino. download this for the version of cosmic surfin' that predates yellow magic orchestra.

circular doorway.

basil kirchin's soundtrack to the abominable dr. phibes won't be confused with particles, but is still a pleasant listen.

the age of the shrug vol. III

here is vol III for y'all. much dancier than the previous installments. perfect for halloween parties tonight! & not trying to boast, but my side is probably in my top ten mixes i have ever made. straight up bangerz sun.

<3
seymour glass

ps this is spookcity's 300th post! thanks for sticking around for so long!

a ghost is born.

i'm going to take this post to address a few things.

a) lou reed passing is a deep deep blow. his music was incendiary & the feeling it exuded was sheer coolness. i don't wanna ramble for too long because everyone is feeling the same exact way as me right now & there are a lot of people talking about it. it's just a bummer ya know?

b) john cameron's psychomania is a dreamily reverbed out biker rock soundtrack. if yr into stone or werewolves on wheels then this will be right up yr alley.

c) i will be posting a little more frequently now that the weather has turned gray outside up here. i have some great gems hidden up my sleeve, so stay posted.

d) if you ever look at the right bar, you might notice warped sounds which is my cassette review blog that i run with my brother. if you want yr cassette reviewed, write me!

East meets (Middle) East

Sup guys, sorry again for the lack of posts. In a blogger's block, I guess. Well, I figure most readers here are acquainted with Tuvan undertone singing and its wonders. And while I could post something from more traditional acts, like Chirgilchin or Huur Huun Tuur, I preferred Sedaa for its Persian blend. "Blend" probably isn't the most appropriate word to address religion in Middle East, but it better demonstrates my fascination at it. Zoroastrianism in Iran (Persia), Buddhism in Afghanistan, Orthodox Christianity in Turkey... there is so much beyond Jewish-Islamic "dualism" to learn and appreciate, and music sure is a good starting point.

Saturday morning anime

I find very interesting how natural avant-garde music evolved in Japan, to the point where it seems to coexist quite harmoniously with the country's mainstream -- as well as the no-so-mainstream -- culture. This record by Otomo Yoshihide (Ground Zero, New Jazz Ensemble, bazillion of other projects) is a good example.

While not the most well-known anime soundtrack composer, Takeo Yamashita's work on widely popular Lupin the 3rd series was enough to grant him a timeless fanbase (Otomo included). In addition to that, guest vocalist Charlie Kosei also contributed to the lovely Katamary Damancy's (a PS2 game) soundtrack.

As for the record itself, while it isn't the most experimental stuff you'll hear from Otomo -- more jazz-focused --, it's a solid addition to his discography.

pw: spooked

Free From Jazz

Seb Rochford is one of my top drummers alive, not only because of his drumming, which is quite awesome, but for his side projects as well. Amongst them are Acoustic Ladyland -- probably the most well-known, and my least favorite one --, Polar Bear -- serious quality jazz -- and Fulborn Teversham. It's comprised by an unusual drum-sax-synth combo, seasoned with Alice Grant's lovely vocals.

Quirky, ingenious, mindblowing album. Thanks for reminding me of it, guys!

pw: spooked

Hermanos tejanos

Hola amigos, hermano ryan (this one's for you, buddy). Though having listened to lots of Lydia Mendoza, I wasn't properly acquainted with the Tejano movement, when a lastfm friend (you'll find my page in my profile, if yer interested) brought in the term. Then I recalled Conjunto Bernal, which is arguably considered -- as I'd discover later -- the best Tejano Conjunto, delivered here for your pleasure.

Whilst I can't tell exactly what defines Tejano nowadays, those early records certainly had something going on. I find many similarities between Mexican and Brazilian music, specifically countryside-wise, and that explains a little why I feel such a deep empathy for that country and its culture.

pw: spooked

the age of the shrug vol. II

the second volume of my split mixtape series with my brother. cop it if you were into the last one or my mountaineering mix. see you amongst the trees amigos.

<3,
seymour

Time of the Sea / Sun

There was a time when I considered myself a hardcore Boredoms fan -- as well as with Noise and its variants in general. And while they still are one of my favorite bands, it kinda seems that one day* we both realized we've had grown up. Their lack of releases, aside the Super Roots EPs (only own the first), and my need for more structured music might explain it as well.

Seadrum/House of Sun is listed as their last release, and not exactly a fan favorite. Many will recommend Super Æ or Vision Creation Newsun over it, but there's something I find really appealling in this record. To me, it sounds more laid back, sincere and texture-focused than the others. More or less like a celebration for what they've had achieved, and in that way it does sound like a proper farewell, even if uncalled for.

* 77Boadrum, perhaps

pw: spooked

Jamming the Norwegian woods

Long before having full-time internet access, I used to spend a lot of time searching for new music in the discount bins of big record stores. Sometimes, after stacks of forgettable stuff, I'd stumble upon a couple of interesting CDs at a very low price. This was one of those.

Even nowadays I wonder how or why this album managed to be released here, by a unknown, maybe defunct label. It's basically a straightforward jam session with three Norwegian musicians, therefore, you can expect something in the likes of Jaga Jazzist and Xploding Plastix, albeit in a much more organic shape.

Well, I was and still am crazy into Rhodes piano, so anyone who shares the same appreciation shall find great pleasure in this release.

pw: spooked

Rivers that keep A-flowin'

Well then, Rio is quite nice indeed, if you've been wondering. Its architecture is fascinating and diverse, but for me, its natural features are much more overwhelmingly beautiful -- no city will ever be a match for the beauty of the sea.

That said, one thing that particularly moved me was listening to Samba in its natural habitat. Even though it was in a fancy Art-related party, and there were no black musicians in the band, it still felt just right -- we've had free booze and snacks too, I must add. And when they asked the audience what the final encore should be, my gf and a friend yelled "Paulinho da Viola!" (they were aware I was a big fan of him), then the band gladly played one of his most famous songs, which is also the title of this album. Perfect.

Paulinho da Viola (viola is a popular way to say "classical guitar" in Brazil) is nothing less than a living heritage and one of the chillest guys in Rio. There are no words, in quality or quantity, which make justice to him, even in Portuguese. All I could do was my best in trying to translate the most recognizable part of the song:

A river that flowed alongside my life
and my heart let itself be carried by 

pw: spooked

Like Rio de Janeiro in winter

 
This is a quick post, as I finish the preparations for my first trip to Rio de Janeiro. A tad late, I know -- I'm almost 30 --, but I shouldn't bore you with the reasons. I'm quite sure it's a beautiful city, though I'll probably won't enjoy the beaches as much as I imagine, since it's winter down here (hence the album and title choice for today).

Telebossa is a fairly new Brazilian-German duo which amalgamates samba, bossa-nova, classical and electronic music with keen sensibility and a good dose of melancholy. While this kind of experimentation itself isn't quite novel, this is one of the only albums I really recommend. In fact, I can't recommend it enough.

(please support, if you like it)

pw: spooked

Mosrites mos def (ughh)

From all the artists I've "inherited" from my old man*, the Ventures are one of the most dearest. Many years would pass until I'd be familiar with the expression "big in Japan", which can't possibly suit them better, so I always thought they were actually a Japanese band. And they sure were and still are big in that Island, enticing thousands of young and elder Eleki fans to sold-out gigs. Even the sleek Mosrite guitars are object of praise among the avid, spring reverberated, Japanese tremolo-pickers.

I've mentioned earlier Baden's Live in Paris as one of the best live albums ever recorded. Put this one on that list too, this concert is tight as fuck. And the funniest thing is to realise how today's concerts are more about circus monkeys than real performers. I mean, just look at this fellas:

Badass.

pw: spooked

*bonus fact - he actually played the drums in a surf music band here in Brazil.

the age of the shrug vol.1

hullo hullo hullo! a quick interruption to post something my brother & i have done together. a mixtape of exotica, funk, soul, jazz, kosmische synths, & heavy psych rock. if you were a fan of my young person's guide to mountaineering mix, then you'll dig this amigos!

much love to my comrade for steering this ship through some heady waters. yr dedication & selection never ceases to impress & inspire me. keep on fighting the good fight.

love,
seymour

The disgrace in bringing in the Fado

Amália Rodrigues' music is often mistaken for Fado itself, such was her importance to the wailful, beautiful Portuguese genre. How fortuitous was destiny to put her and tenor sax giant Don Byas together for a recording session. A single recording session.

That's right, it is said they recorded the entire album -- a superb one, if I may add -- in just one take. Jazz fans will be probably disappointed, as Byas' respect towards Amália's performance made his somewhat timid, but I figure no musical instrument would be a match for the powerful voice of the Queen of Fado.

pw: spooked

It's wrong to create heroes; it's not possible for them to fit the perverse folds of one's imagination.

Well, this marks my 10th post and I'd love to hear some feedback from you guys. You must be tired of Brazilian music, amirite? If so, fortunately I've decided to divert from it a little and dedicate this one to my jefe and accomplice, ryan (I hope you haven't listened to this one already, buddy).

Acknowledging I'm far from being literate in North American music history, it's quite evident, though, how essential John Fahey's sub-chapter was, whether ethnomusicologically or compositionally -- in a similar fashion to Lomax, even though each one excelled in a different field.

I was starting to really get into Cul De Sac (one of my favorites bands until today) when I first heard this album, and having listened to one thing or another from Fahey, I thought it would blow my brains out.

Yeah, I'll admit It wasn't quite like that. This is something you'll probably read around there: at a first listen, the album doesn't sound exactly a collaboration, but a Fahey/Cul De Sac split, with no real interaction between them. I listened to a couple of songs and kinda gave up.

But just like with alcohol, when I got older -- and after getting more in touch with Fahey's works -- I gave it another try and suddenly felt something very compelling about it. And then I would find the missing jigsaw piece [for those who owned a physical copy of the disc *cough*, this was no secret at all]: Glenn Jones' liner notes on making the album. One would argue that music should speak for itself, which I agree in some extent, but sometimes music simply isn't big enough to embrace the life which surrounds it. As Fahey would put, through Jones, "recording is an opportunity to be in touch with his inner self and his emotions", and likewise, notes are somewhat a more intelligible way to translate the relationship between the artist and his work.

I'll go so far as saying that reading the piece is equally inspiring as listening to the album, so go ahead, print it, frame it and place it over yr bed.

pw: spooked

The scoutmaster of awesome music

Since my last post was about Dominguinhos, I thought it would be nice posting something of mr. Baden Powell de Aquino too (in august 6th it'd be his birthday). If there's something in my life I deeply regret is missing the opportunity of seeing him playing in my town, as he would eventually become one of my top artists of all time.

Despite being usually associated with bossa nova -- quite demeaning, IMO -- , he was proficient in countless styles, with a rare combination of compositional and technical prowess. This record, his first album I've heard, gives a glimpse of that -- you'll know when you hear his rendition of Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Consolação's utter madness.

The tracklist is close to perfection, which makes me consider this one of the best live albums ever recorded.

pw: spooked

Little sundays that will be missed

 A friend recently told me that Baião, with its characteristic upbeat, accordion-driven rhythm, is arguably the most Brazilian of all musical styles -- Bossa Nova had Classical music and Jazz infused in its Samba, which in its part was largely derived from African rhythms, and so on. I've had never thought of it, but didn't even bother to do a research. In fact, like in many folk traditions, one of the most definite (and unfortunate) indication of its "purity" must be the lack of a suitable liege to represent its legacy. And that's exactly what happened a couple of weeks ago: we lost the great Dominguinhos (Wikipedia translates literally to "Little Dominic", but I find"Little Sundays" to be more colorful), pupil and protegé of the one appropriately regarded as "The King of Baião", Luiz Gonzaga.

Unfortunately indeed, unlike his master, Dominguinhos never clearly passed the crown to any of his pupils, probably because he just couldn't find one that deserved it. Or perhaps his and Gonzaga's mission, to make Baião known around the world, was already accomplished. Nonetheless, it's not like we won't miss him, eh?

About the album, I've gladly discovered it while writing this post. It's from a popular live TV show -- there are short interviews between songs --, with Dominguinhos on the accordion, one playing the triangle and another on the zabumba drum. Raw and heartwarming, just like you'll still hear in the remotest desert-like corners of the Brazilian northeast.

pw: spooked

ps. this song he co-wrote with Gilberto Gil is one of the most beautiful Brazilian songs I know. It's a shame there isn't a remotely proper way to translate it.

Una palabra de cuatro letras

This one's a personal favourite, a perfect soundtrack for the earliest hours of the day. Even though the good-looking Eydie Gormé doesn't have any Spanish heritage -- Italian Jewish dad and Turkish mum --, she managed to record a top-notch bolero album, with an aid from the legendary Trio Los Panchos. A charming and pleasing album, romantic but not too corny -- very appropriate for making an impression on las chicas, of course.

pw: spooked

Most concerts of traditional Japanese music is attended by old men and women with no teeth

The post title was taken from the liner notes of this album, and something you'd imagine John Zorn would write -- he also produced it. While I don't fully agree, Gagaku probably wasn't very known outside Japan by the 80's at all, so going to NY was a smart move for the young and ambitious Shamisen player Michihiro Sato. In fact, there wasn't a better place for him to be, since he was starting to trail the free improv path -- a trail with no shape, that is. The stellar cast -- Tom Cora, Bill Frisell, Fred Frith, to name a few -- indicates how auspicious this meeting came to be.


pw: spooked

From Merrie Melodies to Basslines Generators

Sorry for the delay, chaps, this week's been a busy one. As a compensation, I'll share the fantastic collection of bleeps and bloops by the maestro Raymond Scott. He was to radio what -- ryan's and our beloved -- Suzanne Ciani was to television, composing many tracks using only LFOASDR in all its glory, promoting analog synthesizers while contributing to its development as well.  

His Jazz work is excellent too. Perhaps I'll post it here eventually.

Oh, one of his sons recently finished a documentary on his life, which I'm eager to watch. Buy the DVD, kids.

One more thing, the title song is arguably one of the most lovely tunes created on a sequencer.


part one
part two
pw: spooked (added in the zip file too)

Lloyd Miller, Dr. and wheatgrass juice advocate

I could spend a considerable amount of time writing about Dr. Lloyd Miller and many of his anecdotes, like the time he was scheduled to play at Woodstock but didn't make it due to helicopter logistics -- he was paid, though --, and his rant on E natural, but what for? The brah is a fucking living legend, having devoted his entire life to eastern music, particularly Persian -- from where the "Dr." came. Devotion is such that he completely despises any "modern" genres such as Rock, Hip-Hop, Electronic, etc, despite having recorded with The Heliocentrics in 2010 (terrific album, btw). A well-deserved statement for someone who, it's said, can play close to a hundred of different instruments. This treat -- which is not the East-West release -- is an early compilation of several singles and EPs. We salute you, doc.

pw: spooked

Yeah scrubs

I'm posting this because: a - I've been re-hearing it all week; b - everybody else should as well. Clinic is a tricky band. They've created such a distinctive sound that it's quite difficult to notice the nuances between their records -- about 10 so far --, thus giving the impression that they might've gotten engulfed by it. To be honest, I couldn't cope well with frustration and had kind of given up since Winchester Cathedral. The most recent one, Free Reign, was ok, although it was Daniel Lopatin's version that made it worth. Perhaps this collaboration could lead to more interesting outputs in the future. Meanwhile, Internal Wrangler is more than you'll need to root for this guys.

pw: spooked

A preamble to dr. LM

This one isn't exactly novel [within the blogoverse] nor as exotic as it might look. John Berberian is an Armenian-descendent born and raised in NY. Notwithstanding, he managed to become an authority in the Oud (worth mentioning his father was an accomplished player himself), bringing considerable western attention to the instrument and middle eastern music in general. This record is probably the most accessible and delightful one, with all the honours. I can't find a single moment in the album that I dislike.

pw: spooked

ps. for the scrobbler chaps, I've given up finding an ideal way to tag his albums.

Home is the farthest place from home

Choosing the first post was though, but I thought it would be nice to honour my Braziland -- nothing to do with football, I swear. Y'all probably have read something about the protests bursting around here, after a long democratic slumber. Without getting too much in-depth, the greatest victory was, indeed, actually going out to the streets and claiming the right to do so. It wasn't always like this until recently, tough.

Fernando Falcão was an active voice against the military regime, which lasted from 1964 to 1985. And like many of other libertarian artists, like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, he was forced to seek exile in another country. He chose France, where he eventually met his wife and made a life for himself. It was also the place where he recorded Memória das Águas (Water Recollections) along with dozens of excellent musicians (ryan and fellow Blacklodgers will probably recognize Raymond Guiot from Jazz Baroque Quintet). An absolute masterpiece on percussion and mood building.

The urge to write a long(er) essay about the album -- and how unfair history has treated it -- is almost unbearable. Just hear it for yourselves, guys.


oh, I've added a password in the mediafire link: spooked. Won't hurt being extra careful these days eh

intro

hello, fellow spookcity residents and vagrants. I'm the one entrusted to keep the sounds coming on, not without questioning my competence on the duty and trying to dissuade our good buddy ryan from leaving in the first place. while I can't guarantee amusing and spot-on descriptions like his, I promise to do my best in contributing to the fine assortment of sounds he collected here. until he's back full-force, of course.

namaste

so long & farewell.

after more than a year of this, i'm walking away from spookcity. i have lost interest in the internet, & spend much more of my time outside instead of in front of a screen these days. i'll be handing the reins over to the quite capable hands of a brasilian compatriot of mine. thanks for following this humble blog amigos.

for my final post, here is a mix i have been working on for the last month or two now. there are inferior versions of this floating around, this is the final mix. a lot of hard work & love went into this one. think of this as a response to brother flash's exotiste mixes. screwed library, funk & soundtrack jams for summer afternoons when the heat is heavy & lazy dust motes float through hazy shafts of sunlight.

thank you, & good night.

saturnin rhythms.

based benin funk workouts.

technological slavery.

more desert blues for my main man mike.

beat boutique.

the spanish end of yeh yeh. fun sunny pop for summertime!

sun ship.

This is one of those albums that encapsulates the very raison d'etre of a reissue label like Finders Keepers, or Trunk for that matter. John Hill's Six Moons Of Jupiter is a dizzying cocktail of avant-garde jazz, cosmic psychedelia and electronic experimentation, intermittently augmented by the poetry of Susan Christie who recites text over parts of certain tracks. There are drum-fuelled beat tracks like 'Io' or the David Axelod-like 'Amalthea', and then there's some woozy, electroacoustic soundscaping on the hazy, effects-laden 'Ganymede', all of which are ideal fodder for library hounds, but 'Callisto' and 'Elara' mark the real creative peaks here, eschewing the kind of exotica-appeal that tends to taint reissues with a hint of kitsch. The latter of these compositions draws a certain amount of influence from Messaien's Turangalila Symphonie in its ambitious, often erratic harmonies and its mingling of conventional and electronic instrumentation. The album is capped off with an alternate, instrumental rendition of 'Europa', which it has to be said, benefits from the absence of Christie's reading - which itself is isolated as a final piece on the album, 'I Am The Storm Of Dawn'. This amazing concept album will undoubtedly appeal greatly to anyone who fell under the spell of Jean-Claude Vannier's L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches and generally to followers of weird and wondeful musics from the archicives. Wonderful stuff - Essential Purchase. - boomkat (sorry, i have to leave for work so i have to use their description)

amazing avant future library cosmic jazz. this is a mind warper.

a profound hatred of man.

for those days when you want to destroy civilization.

still in our dreaming.

avant garde nu classical... drone pieces & cut ups on first cd. second cd is long form guitar meditations. get on it.

pt. 1

&

pt. 2

propagation of civilization.

gorgeous songs about guns, violence, & the fast life sung by a man with the voice of an angel.

i shall soon rest in the desert.

a real honest to god mountain woman playing beautiful bluegrass.

walkin' after midnight.

eerie musique concrète-ish library jams from a well known yet mysterious bloke (my money is on andy votel or one of the demdike dudes). ideally suited for midnight listens while heading to the crossroads to sell yr soul.

ps not my rip, so thanks to whoever original upper is.

a new dawn rising.

really good compilation of downtempo minimal drone, ambient, & dance tracks from wanda group, huerco s., bantam lions & a grip of others.

be brave.

eccentric french cold wave from the mid eighties.

coming close to an end.

modern day drone with beats... mirroring maybe hype williams at their most abstracted point of dance? there are also cats who call this vaporwave, & in the same breath mention hypnagogic pop, & then go onto describe it as close in sound to rangers... i don't know about all that shit. it's pretty good, whatever you want to call it. if yr into laurel halo/notnotfun/oesb, this will be right up yr alley.

a western tale.

pure beautiful harsh noise.

return of the reyog ponorogo!

one of my most popular posts, rising from the grave like some modern day lazarus. if you didn't get this the first time around, here is yr chance. revel in the sheer mindfuck that is this tape. ecstatic chants mingle with beautiful gamelan & tribal rhythms to make one of the best things i have ever heard, ever. not sheer hyperbole my friends, genuinely this was/is a record that i visit & hear something new that always is expanding my mind every single time! wfmu, here's looking at you bb!