Soldier, Sailor - And/Et/Y

Indie

As 12 o'clock midnight rolls around, I caught myself listening to Soldier, Sailor's debut album "And/Et/Y" in the midst of a long weekend of work and cupcakes. Not to mention that this is such a soothing album worthy of listening to on repeat for hours; which rather borders on ... well hooked. Indie folk is the name of the game. There's a certain linger about Erica Bonette's album that doesn't want to leave and I don't want to let it leave. She leaves such a pleasant heirloom amongst the many CD's sitting on my desk. So far, I've put to the wayside my albums consisting of Led Zeppelin's many great hits and the more recent Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma. I have even set my guitar aside for the time being.

But enough of my bantering - and on to the music.

"Soldier, Sailor" is a musical pursuit of Erica Bonnette originating in Valencia, California in 2007. Formerly a side-project called Rabbit Loves Kitten, the name was changed in 2012 as an acknowledgment of the new precedence of song-writing in her life. The music of "Soldier, Sailor" emphasizes lyrics and soft melodies, creating a cozy and mellow atmosphere. Influenced by folk, alternative, and pop, "Soldier, Sailor" forms songs that weave between the genres. 


So where do I even begin. The album is full of wistful melodies and a serene sense of comfort, perhaps, the comfort comes from Bonette's voice. I mean, her voice is just so soft and perfect. If you ever considered a night time playlist, be sure to include Soldier, Sailor because an album this daunting and amber deserves some special attention - that kind of attention when you are laying in bed trying to sleep and you can't because you're mind is wondering. It's a kind of attention when you're not so much focused as you are just happy, like you just had a great day and that moment in bed [trying to sleep, but can't] is just you reflecting on the sheer elegance and serenity that your day brought.

Let your mind wonder, but remember to bring it back to really listen closely because with an album like this, you might miss something.

Here's two of my favourites. "Shy" is another stunning track, but I'll leave you to check out her Bandcamp for further listening.

Connect with Solider, Sailor  -  Facebook | SoundCloud | Bandcamp |

• Written by dbattersby
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James Blake (Ft. Justin Vernon) - Fall Creek Boys Choir

Soul Electronic

James Blake released an EP entitled Enough Summer last summer in August of 2011 and I was completely captivated by it. In particular, James Blake's collaboration with Justin Vernon of the renowned indie folk group, Bon Iver caught my ear. "Fall Creek Boys Choir" is the result of their collab. and I cannot get enough of this wonderfully multifarious track.

At first listen, I was quite surprised as to what I was actually listening to. It seemed like such an odd song to me, but after a few more goes I began to realize its beauty. The beauty inherently lies in its awkwardness which I think, is largely gathered from the mix of effects used throughout the song. By far, this is the most beautiful use of Autotune that I have ever heard. That is was largely stood out to me. It really, in essence, muffles Vernon's voice and paves way for a whole new sound that not a lot of people are so accustomed to. It paves way for creativity and originality which definitely scores some points in my books.

I may not know what the lyrics mean in the song, but I want to keep it that way for once. Out of all of the songs that I have heard in my short lifetime, this is one song that I want to remain a mystery. I want to be able to keep my own subjective interpretation of this song without my ideas being misconstrued or impinged upon by someone else's discernment. This is mine.

James Blake and Justin Vernon, being two of my favourite musicians in the game, have created a silhouette for producers to follow in their footsteps. "Fall Creek Boys Choir" has certainly opened my ears to a whole new sound and that initial moment that I listened to this song, was a moment of dissonance that I will not forget. This by my definition of music, is a song. This is the song.

• Written by dbattersby
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Conner Youngblood - Proportions

Bluegrass Singer/Songwriter

It has certainly been a while, but we are back and with some flavour that'll tickle your taste buds. Conner Youngblood, has once again astounded me with yet another killer track only this time, he has taken a slightly alternative approach.  Youngblood has embraced the lo-fi ambiance perspective of music and created a lustful masterpiece of a track.

"Proportions" is a very ardently expressive track that wholeheartedly grasps the concept of what ambiance is all about. Youngblood has created a track that is great for so many different scenarios that I almost don't know where to begin. Actually, I do and I'm going to start by saying this is perfect for setting up a suave night with your special other. Light some candles, rent a movie (or whatever it is that you do), and lay down the tone with this track. Pack yourselves in for a night to remember with this one because it is deep, it is smooth, and it'll set the mood. Longitude, my fellow Rico friends, longitude.

Also, Conner recently released an EP called Sketches Pt. 1 which you can check out here. There's some really incredible and diverse stuff from him, so be sure to take a listen. Lastly, don't forget to connect with OMR cause we like to here from you guys. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musiconmyradar Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/musiconmyradar.

Without further adieu, here's Conner Youngblood's latest single "Proportions":

Connect with Conner Youngblood - Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | SoundCloud |

• Written by dbattersby
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Sameblod - Loud

Electronic

"Sameblod are an electronic pop duo formed by Frederick Rundqvist and Mikael Mattisson and are based in Sweden's capital Stockholm.  After having got to know eachother just over a year ago at school, they shared the same taste and decided to try and work their hand at songwriting and creating music. By February of 2011, Sameblod was born. They released their song Loud from their debut album very recently. Their debut album is set to be released in March 2012."

Loud is such a quaint little track that I really admire. It has a really peppy upbeat vibe going on and that's something that largely seems to capture my attention, especially with electronica tracks. If this is what their album is going to sound like, then I'm a shoe in. Heavy emotional synths is seemingly where my interest lays at the moment. Love it.

Connect with Sameblod  -  Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | SoundCloud | YouTube |

• Written by dbattersby
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Your Song (Butch Clancy Remix) - Ellie Goulding

Dubstep

Bask in the glory that is Butch Clancy ... BASK IN IT, DAMN IT!



Alright, enough of that.  Butch is back with this track which will soon be your favourite Electronic Dubstep song.  How do I know this?  Because it's Butch fucking Clancy remixing a Ellie fucking Goulding song ... C'mon son!!

Enjoy the eargasmic drops.

Connect with Butch Clancy  -  | Facebook | Myspace | YouTube |

• Written by Craig Thompson
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Paper Lions - Trophies

Rock

Paper Lions ran into a bit of a scuffle with their record label and needless to say, they are giving out free downloads of their album Trophies. The group is from PEI, Canada and have been playing music together since a very young age and are a very talented group. Here`s what they had to say:

In August of 2009, we raised the money to rent a studio, hire a producer, and record Trophies. A few months later, we were approached by a record label that wanted to release Trophies on our behalf. After a period of negotiation, we signed a deal with that company. They released the record in September of 2010, and everything was dandy.
Fast forward to the present: we have yet to see a paycheque for a single record sold by them. If you bought our record on Amazon or iTunes, or even at a record store, we didn’t get that money. We don’t know why. We don’t know if it’s being held somewhere, or if it’s been spent.
We asked ourselves, what do we do now? Hire a lawyer? That would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time. Ultimately, we just want people to hear the music. And in reality, this experience has given us an excuse to do something we’ve wanted to do for a long time.
So we’ve decided to give Trophies away in exchange for your email address. And we feel pretty good about it.

Here's a quaint little review of the album "Trophies" here at The Broken Speaker.

Free Download (get it while you still can):

[Video] Their single "Lost The War" from their album Trophies:

Connect with Paper Lions  -  Website | Facebook | Twitter |

• Written by dbattersby
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