TASTE Vol.1 with Bastille, D.A.R.E, The Whendays, and Victories At Sea

1 November 2011

TASTE Vol.1

It has been a long time since I put mixtape together here on The Blue Walrus – but thanks to the folks at 8tracks giving me an extra nudge I have decided to start a new series with TASTE.

As it should be, the mixtape is jam packed with some of the jams getting me hottest under the collar right now featuring the likes of Bastille, The Whendays, and Victories At Sea. And as before, you can grab all the songs individually below, or pick up the whole lot in a zip file below.

Skruncha-roo is the stage-name of Kyle Vento from Houston, Texas who creates mesmerising and utterly schizophrenic DJ Shadow-esque jams. Thanks to Josh for the tip.

D.A.R.E have come out swinging with smooth 80s electropop that just drifts and sways into a lullaby. Hat tip to Matthew for this one.
Escapades by D.A.R.E.

Disclosure have done the remix duties on Jack Dixon‘s Coconuts fitting it out in a glossy coat of glamour and turning it into a shimmering beauty. Thank to Rhian for the heads up.
Jack Dixon – Coconuts (Disclosure Remix)

The Whendays are the latest to be having a record put out by the fine folks at Cascine (home of personal favourites Pandr Eyez) and have produced a deep groove, a tune that bounces around the inside of your skull before dropping into your heart.
The Whendays – 01 Untru Love II by CASCINE

Bastille has reworked that 2001 classic What Would You Do from City High. It’s nostalgic but brought bang up to now, with his voice wrapping around that moment.
What Would You Do? (City High Cover) by BASTILLE

Victories At Sea have managed to produce electropop that goes far beyond the smoulder that I usually pen about, and instead embraces the evening, embraces the dance-floor and the beat. Embraces what should be a cross-over hit. This is another find from Matthew – the boy’s been killing it recenetly.
FUTURE GOLD by victories at sea

Bastille make another appearance on the mixtape, this time with Dan getting his remix hands dirty on To Kill A King‘s wonderful Bloody Shirt. The emotion is accentuated, the beauty central, and the chorus there to lose yourself. Oh fuck yes I love this.
Bloody Shirt – Bastille Remix by To Kill A King

CITIZENS! close the mix with one of my favourite tunes from the last week that keeps one foot embedded soft subtlety, whilst the synth bassline tries its hardest to break out and start the fight. And thanks to Neon Gold for this one.

Citizens! – True Romance [download @ Neon Gold]

Let’s see if I can make these mixes regular shall we…

Here’s the mixtape on 8tracks:

Download whole mixtape as a zip file

[image courtesy of NeoGaboX]

Immersed in Wires with Jai Paul, Feldberg, DRUGS

By: Tim

2 August 2010

In: Mixtapes, News & Leaks

4 comments

I have been listening to a good deal of softer, quieter and more laid back electronic tunes over the last few months, which has meant this mixtape slowly building and evolving since last December. So some of these tracks are brand new, whilst others are some of my favourites from the end of 2009 – it has been my most played playlist though so I though it was about time I shared.

The mixtape opens up with Television Keeps Us Apart, who are a Swedish band who just make some of the most beautifully layered and melodic soundscapes – and have released their most recent EP for free right now.

Future Islands have been a favourite of mine for a good long time now, but here In the Fall slowly and effortlessly drags itself along and Katrina Ford is on hand to add to the vocal beauty on display.

The Boston duo behind Magic Man beak understated vocals through a heavily distorted and verging on the chaotic beat, beeps and squeaks.

Pallers build from a simple and repetitive synth line and beat, with strings and vocals that roll around the room allowing you to lose yourself in the moment. Stunning.

Alan Pownall has been feature on TBW before, but here Seams gives him the remix treatment – turning Colourful Day into something reminiscent of Postal Service as it trips, clicks and falls its way through the four minutes.

The Lost Levels are on here with just a slow vocoded melody and a whistling synth behind it, but that is all this song needs. It’s a slow labour of love.

Jai Paul is one of the artists I’m most excited about right now after first hearing him over at Abeano. Soft-natured and crackling harmonized vocals on top of some almost dubstep bass. Rumour has it XL just got their hands on him…

The Good Natured and Portmanteau then up the tempo as the drum pops and bassline squelches throughout Your Body is a Machine

Feldberg‘s wonderful Dreamin’ is remixed by Kyte, turning the pop gem into something more spacious open as the synths sweep across and the beeps splash the senses.

Tropical Depression‘s Miniature Mountains is soft, clean and at times uplifting but hints of desperation and despair.

Thieves Like Us have produced a wonderful piece of synth-pop that subtly and calmly glides through its 3 minutes.

NewIslands are remixed by Is Tropical who throw in a growling bassline over the hauntingly beautiful vocals of the original.

D/R/U/G/S ends the mixtape on a high note with their mesmerising and elegant Love (Love/Lust). It’s fragile, simple and enduring.

01. Television Keeps Us Apart – Voices
02. Future Islands – In the Fall (Featuring Katrina Ford)
03. Magic Man – Darling
04. Pallers – The Kiss
05. Alan Pownall – Colourful Day (Seams Remix)
06. The Lost Levels – Robot
07. Jai Paul – BTSTU
08. The Good Natured – Your Body is a Machine (Portmanteau Remix)
09. Feldberg – Dreamin’ (Kyte remix)
10. Tropical Depression – Miniature Mountains
11. Thieves Like Us – Forget Me Not
12. NewIslands – Out Of Time (Is Tropical Remix)
13. D/R/U/G/S – Love (Love/Lust)

Or you can download the whole mixtape as a zip file:
Immersed in Wires

The Lost Mixtape vol.2

By: Tim

17 May 2010

In: Mixtapes, News & Leaks

2 comments

Here we go, a mixtape of some of my favourite artists and songs of 2010 so far. Posting has been rather sporadic on here as per usual, but I think we have more than made up for that with this (and the other two that are in the works). We’ve got summery indie pop all the way through to some thundering and swaggering rock and roll – but I can’t try and take all the credit for finding these – at least a couple were spotted by the fine folks over at The 405 – so hat tip to them, and thanks to Lee Jordan for the photo.

Art Museums kick off this mixtape with some wonderfully rough around the edges piece of indie pop. Strummed guitars, a foot tapping beat and all beautifully under produced on a Tascam 388 tape machine.

Lil Daggers continue in that vein of home recordings, but they ste up the tempo, and throw in some organ that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on an old Doors record. Short,sweet, fuzzy rock and roll.

We’ve featured ABC Club on here before, but we’ve got more from them here in Tinkering teacups. Sweeting, and soft guitar over rolling drums and understated vocals.

Long time favourites of mine Good Shoes are back with a new record to promote, so here we’ve got the B-side of single The Way My Heart Beats. Tight guitar, thumping drums and a chorus that will stay with your for days. This is part of a free dowload package along with more songs and videos avilable for joining their mailing list.

Swedish duo The Sweet Serenades wrap you in in soft vocals and catchy guitar and synthline whilst the drums thunder at you through the clouds.

All The Damn Kids clatter straight in with a summer-synth drenched indie-pop, before falling away to harmonies and rebuilding that will lift anyone into the sunshine.

The Fine Arts Showcase continues the perfect summer indie pop theme, with a simple piano-chord led delight that should get anyone moving. They have a habit of writing songs that define my summer.

Du Paque thunder in a bass and drum heavy offering, with Matilda Månsdotter’s desperate vocals pouring the emotion into the track.

Kick Up The Fire stomp along with melodic post-hardcore anthem, with shouted harmonies, tight guitars and double time drums. If they carry on lik ethis they may well eclipse The Cooper Temple Clause from whose song they take their name.

Temder Trap have taken a new direction with the addition of Elizabeth Morris and Katrina Dixon, as this is a tour de force of swaggering, fuzzy indie pop, that sails through its two and a half minutes at a pace.

Chapter24 takes that swagger a step further with Hepcats, that stomps its way through this eminently danceable piece of indie rock, with an added element of vocal freak out screeching that has helped them become one of the most exciting live acts around.