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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Things no blogger wants to receive

Of all the emails I’ve received this week, this was the least welcome:

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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Lamenting the impossibility of narrowing down the best tracks of the year

If I’ve gone quiet, it’s because I’m trying to create a Spotify playlist of my top 50 tracks of the year. Trouble is, there have been so many songs in 2012 that I’ve enjoyed that narrowing it down is simply impossible. Just to take the acts I’m really struggling with, which is the best Bat For Lashes song out of this 

Why artists shouldn’t stick to art

Written for Collapse Board

Everett True reckons that Artists Should Stick To Art instead of making mixtapes of obvious dad rock. If mixtapes made by artists are so disappointing in real life, I think we should invent some fantasy selections.

For example: 

This is a Necessary public service announcement

Whatever you’re doing, stop it right now, go to this site and download FOR FREE a copy of Galgeberg/Gimle by Necessary.

“I think the genres covered are basically everything that we’re interested in, which would include hip-hop, dub, goth, world music, drum & bass, ambient techno and industrial. I guess I should invent a catch-all term like Post-Dictatorial Troll-Hop, but I hope to still be making music in a year.” – Necessary’s Tony Wilson to The Quietus