Rioux – "R.I.P." (self-released, 2012)

Rioux – “R.I.P.”
self-released 2012

Rioux is a Brooklyn based electronic musician named Erin Rioux (ree-yoo). “R.I.P.” is a teaser of a single, composed of gliding, mid-tempo drum machine rhythms and gentle, buzzing synths, piano, and reverbed vocal chants. A pretty blissed out, trip-hop sound emphasized by the droning, interweaving synth melodies and silky vocals. I could dance to anything, but this song puts me more in a stoned and relaxed mood.



Rioux plays the Cameo Gallery on April 5th in Brooklyn.

More Rioux material: http://rioux.fm/

String Band - All Caps (self-released, 2012)

String Band – All Caps
self-released 2012

String Band consists of Sam Moss from West Hartford, Connecticut, on vocals, guitar, fiddle, and banjo, and Jackson Emmer on vocals, mandolin, and tenor banjo. This is String Band’s debut album and it was recorded in Brattleboro Vermont.

"John the Revelator" features some banjo and guitar instrumentals playing in a pretty folk/blues manner. The vocals are quite soulful and heavy, in that old early 20th century, “American Primitive” style. Throughout the album there are some really pretty harmonies between the duo. This stuff could have made it onto Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. "Arkansas Traveler" begins with some fiddle playing in a sort of country/bluegrass aesthetic, joined by some banjo. There’s a nice cohesiveness and unity between Moss and Emmer playing together, sort of trading off solos and really displaying their technical skills on each respective instrument. "Ragtime Annie", "Pallet On Your Floor", and "Dance All Night" all have a jovial, upbeat, swing/ragtime type of rhythm to them and they might want to make you get up and dance.

CD for purchase: http://sammoss.bandcamp.com/album/all-caps

Hott Tubb - s/t (self-released, 2011)

Hott Tubb – s/t
Self-released 2011

Hott Tubb is Sam Marion on programming, guitar, and vocals, and Phil Cote on synths and vocals. They are based in Philly.

"Crumb Top" starts off with a heavy drum machine beat and synths playing melodies and also arpeggiating up and down amongst the melodies. Kind of an electro vibe going on here. Really dancy, heavily beat-ridden synths. "It’s Alright" starts off with some glitchy synths and drum machine and then breaks down into a real heavy, groovy rhythm with vocals, melodic guitar, and drone-y synths, singing “It’s Alright.” "Balabaristas (remix)" features some beautifully melodic arpeggiating synths with a real funky drum machine beat and that classic, falling, glittery synth sound that I love. Towards the second half of "Tuck" the synths get melodically drone-y. "Like A Kennedy" features what sounds like a kid’s cellphone or something close to 8-bit repeating a short melody. It keeps repeating over a heavy hip-hop beat. Pop sensibilities can be found throughout the album.

Cassette for purchase: http://existentialclothrecordings.blogspot.com/



http://hotttubb.bandcamp.com/

Zombi Jazz - Foreclosure (self-released, 2012)

Zombi Jazz - Foreclosure

self-released 2012

On Foreclosure, Zombi Jazz utilizes a wide spectrum of improvisatory and compositional techniques and textures featuring Michael Foster on sax, bass clarinet, and radio, Alex Hood on trumpet, trombone, and voice, Eric Silberberg on bass and violin, and Dan Stern on percussion. At times, the group bursts into what sounds like a free-form freakout (in the best sense of the phrase), when the quartet is more aggressive, the sounds produced are more staccato, jumpy, scattered, especially the sax and the drums.  They are all able to go full throttle, yet they still remain controlled, together, and attentive, maintaining a constant cohesiveness as a group. Also, the group always builds to these moments, through solo, through melody, etc. Hood’s vocals remind me of an album by Alan Watts called “This Is It". Really expressive, playful, syllabic/textural and a kind of haunted intensity. And when the group transitions into its “softer” moments, the silence is really able to shine. Those are the moments that I really enjoyed listening to in this album. The longer-form, more languid, expansive journeys really feature each member of the group quite well. Legato trombone tones, harmonics on the strings, deep bass drones, high pitched sax sounds, and jangly, chime-like percussion.   It’s also nice that all the members at different times throughout the album are comfortable with dropping out while one, two, or three of the other members are playing. Overall, if you pay close attention and listen carefully, you’ll hear a great exploration of sound and technique on this record, making for a very deep, dynamic listening experience.