BUMCELLO (ABO#373)

BUMCELLO

... WAS A FRIEND ...

(1999-2009)

Bumcello is a duet. Bum is on the percussions and Cello ... on the cello. Their music could have sounded like jazz but they decided something different. They often have been playing with other bands or artists like Les Fabulous Troubadours (whose "duo" can be heard on their BAISTOPHE ABO#279), with Taraf de Haidouk (idem on their BAISTOPHE ABO#091) or even Mathieu Chedid. That brings some kind of sound that can be assimilated like a remix where it isn't.

Live, Bumcello become an improvisationing band and their songs can last more than 10 minutes. In the contrary, in the studio, the songs are more constructed and are very short. Bumcello can explore so many musical identity with their only two instruments (+ guest musicians or electronic equipments).

This collection is a bit focused on their experimental works where you can also find some pop, soul, rnb, trip hop, dub songs in it. But I think this experimental work is what is more interesting in that band.

My Bumcello TOP :

1. Nude For Love (2002)

2. Get Me (2003)

3. Bumcello (1999)

4. Lychee Queen (2008)

5. Animal Sophistiqué (2005)

6. Booty Time (2001)

MOUSE ON MARS (ABO #362)

MOUSE ON MARS
SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

.

Mouse on Mars is a duo from Germany (Jan St. Werner, from Köln, and Andi Toma, from Düsseldorf) who have been making electronic music since 1993. Their music is a sometimes quirky blend of techno, trance, disco, and ambient with a heavy dollop of analog synth sounds. Their music also utilizes live conventional rock instruments such as drums, bass and guitar.
This compilation, summing up their 15 years long career is not a best of, more of an introduction to the band peculiar and entertaining form of electonica. I put it together like a mix, editing some tracks so to blend them all together nicely. I hope you'll enjoy the result.

RIYL :
Matmos, To Rococo Rot, Autrechre, Prefuse 73

HOT CHIP (ABO #356)

HOT CHIP
COLOURS

With their mix of indie electronica, synthpop and subtle dancefloor tendencies, Hot Chip has become quite an institution among those who know. Not only does the band do good songs they also have a lyrical and musical sense of humor which, if it doesn’t dominate their art, is still very much welcome. With four full-lengths and a handful of EPs, Hot Chip’s talent is not to be demonstrated anymore. This compilation, a 77 minutes exploration of the band’s discography up to this year’s One Last Stand, is only meant to be an introduction to a band that has a lot to offer those of you looking for clever/playful indie “poptronica”.

RIYL:
LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, New Order, The Postal Service

MIKE OLDFIELD (ABO#351)

MIKE OLDFIELD

RETURN TO THE ORIGIN

(1973-2008)

Mike Oldfield is a genius. A schizophrenic. I don't claim it, he does. He even proved it. Just watch his discography : 23 albums. 1/4 pastoral symphonic folk prog, 1/4 celtic instrumental poprock, 1/4 80s FM songs, 1/4 techno ambiant DJing. He even admitted it wildely in his autobiography, saved by the Bells. Because whatever he does, whatever he did, Oldfield will always be remembered for one thing : Tubular Bells. Whichever version you think of.

So how can you try to describe Oldfield's entire career, especially knowing that Oldfield has had quite a few compilations ? I chose to do it in three CDs, following the trend of The Complete Mike Oldfield but extending it. First CD is a 77-minute non-stop suite of his earlier works, told by many as his very best. You'll find an edited version of what still stands as his greatest work ever, Tubular Bells, as well as a 21-minute sum-up of his craziest work, the one-hour-length instrumental extravaganza Amarok.

Second CD is another suite of all his best stand-alone instrumental works between 1980 and 2008. Here you'll find a huge variety of styles, going from flamenco to disco, from classical guitar to electronic music, from celtic rock to orchestral medieval symphony. Some great works are missing here - Music from the Balcony, Arrival, Wonderful Land - but you'll get a very wide picture of Oldfield's abilities... and schizophrenia !

Third CD is exclusively made of pop songs. I know this is what Oldfield's been constantly criticized for, but there were two reasons behind this decision : first, I think he was a truly gifted FM-poprock-hitmaker, even though he would deny it. Second, this is the first and only time that you'll meet a "commercial" compilation of "commercial" songs by Mike Oldfield - all the best of what he did in this musical area, 19 songs back to back, no instrumentals.

I hope you'll enjoy this baistophe, it's been quite a hard work but sometimes real fun. The most incredible part is that, although it is 3 CDs long, if you like it you still have some sides to Oldfield's work that weren't revealed in there yet. So have fun with this, and don't forget : the compiler was a bit schizophrenic, too.

-BAKER-

BAKER's MIKE OLDFIELD prog TOP 3 :

1 - Tubular Bells (1973)

2 - Tubular Bells II (1992)

3 - Amarok (1990)

BAKER's MIKE OLDFIELD pop TOP 3 :

1 - Crises (1983)

2 - Heaven's Open (1991)

3 - Discovery (1984)

BAKER's MIKE OLDFIELD BOTTOM 3 :

1 - Tr3s Lunas (2004)

2 - Light + Shade (2006)

3 - Tubular Bells III (1998)

NILS PETTER MOLVAER (ABO#341)

NILS PETTER MOLVAER

WINDOWED

(1997-2009)

Jazz has nowadays become a much more underground music than ever before. So often considered unfairly as an elitist music, it has prove to show how it has evoluate. This evolution has been the hardest to get because of conservative purists. Not as hard as for classical music but much harder than for pop/rock music.

Nils Petter Molvaer is one of those talented Jazz musicians who managed to cross the forbiden limits of pure Jazz. The union of his beloved traditional Jazz with the most modern electronic music is one of the greatest enlightenments of this new century.

I'm sure that Miles Davis wouldn't have deny this filiation and I hope you won't either!

With only 5 "real" albums (plus 1 live, 3 remixes and one OST), NP Molvaer has enhanced Jazz like so few others did.

My NP Molvaer TOP :

1. Solid Ether (2000)

2. Hamada (2009)

3. Khmer (1997)

4. ER (2005)

5. NP3 (2002)

TANGERINE DREAM (ABO#324)

TANGERINE DREAM

FROESEN

(1970-2008)

Baistophing Tangerine Dream is a work of self-abnegation. You need to take time. To ponder over everything. And to forget absolutely everything you knew about this band. And this 5-CD (!) Baistophe is exactly what it's aimed for : make people forget EVERYTHING about TD. But it won't be easy. TD is known for two main characteristics : doing nothing but new-age electronic stuff, and having released hundreds of albums. The former will, I hope, be erased with this compilation. But the latter...

Covering a period from 1970 to 2008, the 5 CDs include 86 tracks from 74 (!) different albums. Studio albums and soundtracks mainly, but also EPs and singles, compilations of unreleased works, and most of their famous "live albums" that weren't quite live but included astonishing new material. 5 CDs from the same band might seem way too dull, but don't be afraid. First, it is not exactly the 'same band'. Tangerine Dream has always revolved around its leader Edgar Froese, but line-up changes brought draconian changes amongst the musical styles. Also, get ready to be surprised. I mean really SURPRISED. Not all 86 tracks look alike, far from it. As a matter of fact, you'll find surprises all along the five CDs, including the very first track (which may bother some of you - go ahead, there are 85 more to forgive this one !).

So what will you find in there ? Synthesizers, of course. Sequencers, too. Drum machines... sometimes. And many, MANY other things. I don't want to spoil it. Just rest assured that if you haven't heard at last 20 of their albums, you don't know what Tangerine Dream is. Hell, some even proclaim that Edgar Froese himself forgot what TD was about ! So relax, close your eyes, and get ready for 6 hours and 21 minutes of one of the biggest epics in the history of rock bands. Oops, did I say... rock ?

-BAKER-

PS : If you've got what it takes, listen to this compilation in Dolby Prologic II. Some tracks have AMAZING effects.

BAKER's TANGERINE DREAM TOP4 :

1 - Stratosfear (1976)

2 - Rubycon (1975)

3 - Force Majeure (1979)

4 - Madcap's Flaming Duty (2007)

BAKER's TANGERINE DREAM BOTTOM4 :

1 - Electronic Meditation (1970)

2 - Mars Polaris (1999)

3 - Rockoon (1992)

4 - Melrose (1990)

BAKER's TANGERINE DREAM live albums TOP3 :

1 - Logos (1982)

2 - Encore (1977)

3 - Poland (1984)

BAKER's TANGERINE DREAM soundtracks TOP3 :

1 - Sorcerer (1977)

2 - Thief (1984)

3 - Shy people (1987)

BAKER's TANGERINE DREAM soundtracks BOTTOM3 :

1 - Deadly care (1992)

2 - Transsiberia (1999)

3 - Flashpoint (1984)

THE ART OF NOISE (ABO #292)

THE ART OF NOISE
BE HAPPY OR DIE

Art of Noise were an avant-garde synthpop group formed in 1983 by producer Trevor Horn, music journalist Paul Morley, and session musicians/studio hands Anne Dudley, J.J. Jeczalik, and Gary Langan. The group's mostly instrumental compositions were novel melodic sound collages based on digital sampler technology, which was new at the time. Inspired by turn-of-the-century revolutions in music, the Art of Noise were initially packaged as a faceless anti- or non-group, blurring the distinction between the art and its creators. The band is noted for innovative use of electronics and computers in pop music and particularly for innovative use of sampling.
The name of the group alludes to the essay The Art of Noises by noted futurist Luigi Russolo.
Another great selection by Diod.

RIYL:
Yello, Thomas Dolby, The Orb

BRIAN ENO (ABO#289)

BRIAN ENO

INSTUMENTALS I& II

VOCALS I & II

(1975-2009)

Eno or to give him his full name Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno PHEW !

Known to many as simply Eno, so lets just call him that for now. Producer,Composer,arist,author

or man who has claimed to have drunk his own pee ! creator of ambient music, founder member of

70s Art/Glam band Roxy Music, inventor of Oblique Strategy cards, whatever that is.

I'm sure we all know something he has done, whether its an album by U2 he's produced or

when you used to load up your old PC with windows 95, yes he wrote that.

Music alone he is very prolific, whether collaberations or solo work or contributions

to other peoples albums.

These 2 sets are split into "instrumental" & "Vocal" work and pull from all

stages of his career and aside from solo work and includes selections form work

he has done with others, for more info on that see notes in file.

I have used as a starting point the two box sets Vocal & instrumental ( sadly no longer available)

but have also but have also chosen some from my surprisingly extensive Eno collection which

I felt were worthy of inclusion, I have included some selections from albums released since

after the box sets, to bring it up to date.

Despite listening to Eno since his Roxy days, I am still surprised by the variety of his music,

from the punk guitar playing of Robert Fripp to the gentle sound of his ambient work.

Hope you enjoy it.

-TT-

Brian Eno The Plateaux of Mirror
envoyé par raphdub. - Regardez des vidéos d'animaux mignons.

JAY-JAY JOHANSON (ABO #282)

JAY-JAY JOHANSON
SOLITUDE

From his early crooning trip-hop to the electro-pop of 2002's Antenna to the state of total despair depicted in his latest album (Self-Portrait), Jay-Jay Johanson has gone through many stages always keeping it real and staying true to himself. Largely unknown in most countries, he built a strong following in both his homeland of Sweden and in France where his jazz influences, trip-hop arrangements and subtle arrangements seem to have fitted best. This compilation covers his seven solo albums released from 1996 to 2008. A little over a decade of one of the most unique and underrated artists of today's scene. I hope you'll like it as much as I do. Enjoy the dreamy, and sometimes gloomy, art of Jay-Jayohanson..

My JAY-JAY JOHANSON Top 3
1 - Self-Portrait (2008)
2 - Tattoo (1998)
3 - Poison (2000)

RIYL:
Portishead, Scott Walker, Johnny Hartman

EMILIE SIMON (ABO #274)

EMILIE SIMON
CHANSONS DE TOILE

Can you imagine what a mix of Kate Bush, Björk and Allison Goldfrapp would sound like? Well, that's about what you'll hear with Emilie Simon's music. Of course, she's a lot more than just a copycat act, she has a sound of her own and being French probably is a defining element and being a skilled composer and arranger certainly is another. This compilation spans her four studio albums so that you can witness her grace and talent before buying her whole catalogue. Yes, Emilie's that good.

My EMILIE SIMON's List
1 - Végétal (2006)
2 - Emilie Simon (2003)
3 - The Big Machine (2009)
4 - La Marche de l'Empereur (2005)
5 - A L'Olympia (2007)

RIYL:
Kate Bush, Björk, Goldfrapp