Ólafur Arnalds single on Erased Tapes

Great new one from Erased Tapes Records, who I don't get to mention them enough and their good work with contemporary composers, mostly on the electronic ambient side of things and this one from Iceland's Olafur Arnalds is no exception.

The A-Side, Endalaus II, slowly builds a subtle electronic thunder beat under string swells, hissing static loops providing a weird kind of tempo for the subbass rumblings. It would be a fun one to really let loose on vinyl, the background ambience getting phase shifted out of focus towards the end. It's a really live, organic sounding string section getting more forelorn as it continues on, trading places with that beat. An interesting guy and I love that Erased Tapes still finds it important to put out singles every now and then.

Following on from Ólafur Arnalds’ critically acclaimed dance score 'Dyad 1909' (2009) for the internationally renowned choreographer Wayne McGregor, now comes 'Two Songs For Dance' – a limited edition 7" vinyl out August 13th that captures two exciting tracks from two contemporary dance projects.The first 'Endalaus II' was created for 'Endalaus' by Norwegian choreographer Alan Lucien Øyen and is available for full stream as part of the Erased Tapes 5th Anniversary Tour playlist. Fans will recognise the track as one of the highlights from Ólafur's recent live shows, creating an emotional punch against the classical strings. 'For Teda', the second song is for London-based company Neon Dance and part of choreographer Adrienne Hart's on-going project 'Archived'it'.›

Get this one from Erased Tapes, import only...they must have a stateside distro.

Rival Consoles on erased tapes

Completely different direction today with Rival Consoles a digital heavy laptop project of UK's Ryan Lee West.
The track on the A-side 'Helvetica', which I was checking out on his myspace has this simple piano melody with lots of sustain slowly building up to create a foundation for insane Richard James style inhuman drum patterns, all ricochet, ball bearing bouncing ticks. Even at points forcing the hits into something melodic....beats being stretched into ring toned tinny sounds of their own. It's really reminding me of days spent listening to Druqks. It's a little unnerving, un-'danceable', not at all background. Continuing to push the limits of composition technology which I can completely appreciate, however much it usually leads to an uneventfull live show. It's going to end up in the headphones of anyone caring about the experimental side of conceptual electronics

Is it bordering anything near what Aphex Twin is doing? It's skillfully put together but I can't conceive of any new ground this could cover, but it could just be the tip of the iceberg. I'm hearing those same drum attack decay filters that I got plenty of with Rephlex etc. Sure it's probably the best out there with this kind of thing....and shit for 21 this guy is off to an amazing start.
I could always hear the development in albums or even tracks with Richard James, I mean he opened me up to a world I didn't give a shit about, it takes talent to be so good that you literally have to listen to him.

From Erased Tapes and sadly import only:

Rival Consoles is 21-year old IDM-smith Ryan Lee West from Leicester in the Midlands of England. After having supported his city neighbours and label comrades Kyte on an extensive European tour in November 2008, West locked himself away all winter to finish his first full-length album, set to see the light of day in mid 2009. In the meantime fans of his debut ‘The Decadent EP’ will be pleased to hear that TODAY Erased Tapes Records released an exclusive 4-track 7” single / download bundle – Rival Consoles’ take on classical music entitled ’Helvetica’.

Codes in the clouds

With my latest discovery of This will destroy you, I'm all back into anything that rocks and is instrumental, somehow this led me to Codes in the Clouds another rock, cymbal crash swell of distortions. This guy (below) is pretty angry about post-rock...I guess I could see where any of this stuff coming after just might be too much, or once you start finding out about one band, then there's another and another and it's too confusing, you give one bad band your hard earned money and give up.
I can safely say if you want another great quiet-loud rock project, this will fit right into that playlist. I haven't listened enough to the couple tracks on myspace to get the subleties of them yet, but it's more than enough to make a uninformed snap judgement that I like them.
This is going to cost you to have it shipped from England, but then you can be assured it's just me and you..the only two copies in north america.

From Norman records:
Codes in the Clouds are a new act on the wildly eclectic Erased Tapes stable. Erased Tapes have been stalking me on Myspace for months now trying to sell me this damned 7". Well, I'm not buying it but I will do them the good deed of writing a review. Basically, it's like a lo-fi Explosions in the Sky. And erm, that's it. I get a headache in my ballbag trying to write new stuff about post-rock these days. 'Distant Street Lights ' has got come-downs & build ups, has quiet bits & then big fuck off loud bits that might tear your stupid face off if you get too close. so it's really quite good and I'm sure they're well worth catching live. This record is on white vinyl (with bonus CD) so you might have to clean it if you spill red wine on it. Or jam.