Interview: Necessary

This was how I discovered Necessary, via an interview at The Quietus: Necessary had given away their second album, Galgeberg/Gimle, for free, which was fortuitous for my ears, if not for their wallets. It was one of the best pieces of music I heard that year.

I’m not sure which words persuaded me to click on the link: “heavy breaks, turntablism, bass music, hauntological synth work, drum and bass, hip hop, chopped and screwed rap, industrial, choral and funk” … “combined in surprising, provocative and unsettling ways.” Maybe it was the occult chanting, the Persian singer, the Ligeti reference, grime, hip-hop, black metal and doom. Perhaps it was the Spanish civil war samples, the Chilean rapping, dub, goth, world music, or the “Post-Dictatorial Troll-Hop”.

I think it’s necessary for you just to hear it.

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#musicmonday – Death Grips – Guillotine (It Goes Yah)

Nobody understands my pain.

I mean that literally. I wonder what the other passengers on the bus are thinking – there I am with tears streaming down my face, staring at the tiny screen of my mobile phone. Perhaps they wonder if I’ve just been dumped by text. Maybe they just think I’m crazy. 

Rounding off Death Grips week with an incredible concert

I’m utterly spellbound by this NPR live clip of Death Grips from October. JG Thirlwell stood at the side to better see drummer Zach Hill – and he is, indeed, amazing. (I also don’t get the whole double-tracked vocals thing.) I need to get hold of that first album “mixtape“, for Takyon and Guillotine alone.  

First impressions: Death Grips – The Money Store

At the end of the Come Up And Get Me video, I saw MC Ride’s soul: a resigned vulnerability. It was like looking into the face of a bear and meeting the eyes of a man. It’s a slap in the face after being punched in the throat; a startle on top of a shock. He’d seemed only nominally human.

I’m hearing this the wrong way round – The Money Store is the first album. I loved I’ve Seen Footage, but hadn’t heard the rest until now. Too busy listening to No Love Deep Web, the latter album they put out for free a few months back. If No Love Deep Web had been brutal, The Money Store is sheer bloody carnage. It could teach Numb a thing or two about anger, and give Silverfish a lesson in vitriola.

Uh-oh … Death Grips are up to mischief again

So, let’s recap a minute: they leaked their own album, its artwork consisting of an erect, purple member with the title (NO LOVE DEEP WEB) scrawled across its veiny length in felt tipped pen. Then they must have got a bit bored at that point because their new video is nine minutes of silence. The shouty bloke eats some flowers at some point, and generally buggers about a bit, but then …

oh, then

at the 8’45″ mark, things get interesting. 

Top 50 songs of 2012: 10 to 1

10. Buke & Gase – Misshaping Introduction

Buke & Gase have more potential than any act I’ve heard all year. Their last album was startling, if not quite classic; their next should dispel all doubts.

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Top 50 songs of 2012: 50-41

Another one of those obligatory lists. We’ll have to call this “in no particular order” (though the number one spot is thoroughly deserved) …

50. Neneh Cherry & The Thing – Accordion

This jazz covers album wasn’t some vague grab for “credibility” by a worn-out has-been: Don Cherry’s daughter’s credentials run blood deep. Neneh has a warm, rich voice that lends itself well to the fuzzy double bass and scratchy violins. 

Since I’ve wasted my evening doing one of those “20 random tracks” circulars, here they are

ipod on shuffle, blah-di-blah … [I used last.fm and my whole MP3 collection]

Sufjan Stevens – I Walked

10 ways to totally make your day

I’ve had a great day. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a great day, too.

1. Sugar and spice and all things nice

You might recall my campaign to Starbucks from a couple of years back? It seems to have paid off (Yes, I credit my three stupid emails for their national change-of-heart): today, I bought my first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. Worth the wait. 

Death Grips’ No Love Deep Web: Act Of Rebellion Or Publicity Stunt?

Stereogum have published a very persuasive theory about Death Grips and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the release of their new album. To be honest, it had crossed my mind that it was either a publicity stunt or was being spun into one, since the website – complete with download links – came up rather quickly after disappearing.

No Love Deep Web has been downloaded an astonishing 34 million times, amid a flurry of controversy.