Can you believe its already October? Sheesh! Time is really flying. Let’s all take an hour out of our week to chillout with this classic mix of International electronica in genres including downtempo, world beat, drum ‘n’ bass, and electro-pop, packed with intriguing vocals and oodles of mood. And don’t forget — this episode contains 7 free downloads. Bonus!
I’m back with another eclectic electric chillout mix and plenty o’ free downloads! This week highlights new material from downtempo superstars, Zero 7, who have a brand new album coming out MONDAY September 28th, when they will also be kicking off a UK tour. I saw them a few years back and really enjoyed it. Anyway, there’s a few new bands to the show this week plus more from some of your favorites, so kick back, relax, and enjoy…
This week I present the new video for “Gravity” by San Fran band, Under, from their debut album. Under were one of the very first Chillcast Artists of the Week; if you haven’t already, please check out my review of More Pleasant Grey which includes a free mp3 download. Thanks to my show sponsor, eHarmony: the #1 trusted relationship site. Get 1 month free dating service when you buy 3 months using promo code EHAnji at eharmony.com
The band are really excited about finishing up their upcoming album! Ryan and Anji talk the mixing process, discuss what’s next, and chat about some of the promotion they’ve already begun. Anji asks listeners to send in questions for the in-studio videos they are uploading to the Lovespirals Facebook page, and urges them to add themselves as fans. The duo also talk about spending the day at Village Studios for the Audio Underground talks, attending the Blame it on Rio show at Hollywood Bowl and Bob Weir show at the Greek. Be sure to join the band email list to keep up with album release news and to get a free download of Lovespirals’ cover of “Cymbaline” — which the band play a clip of at the show’s end.
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The show continues this week with more lovely last-of-summer Latin-infused chillout. This time around, however, we travel beyond the sounds of Brazil to include artists from Argentina, Venezuela, Spain, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Plus there are a few folks from the US, Canada, and Europe that have a Latin flair. I’ve really been loving the past two mixes, but I do promise to get back to a more standard format next show.
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Thought I’d share some of the video I took at this weekend at the Blame It On Rio Fireworks Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl. It was fantastic to see Bebel Gilberto perform with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra out under the stars. The music is so achingly beautiful and romantic… Seu Jorge was amazing, as well, he has such a strong voice and stage presence. And their ending finale was simply magic! To say nothing of the Brazilian Carnaval dancers, drummers, Capoeria artists and out-of-control fireworks display… Man, what a night! I actually had a sense of what the bowl must’ve been like when it was first built, with the lovely vintage orchestra arrangements and that old school sense of glamor that Gilberto and Jorge brought to the stage. Sigh…
Bebel Gilberto performs “Tanto Tempo” with the LA Philharmonic Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl
Lovespirals are in the final stages of producing their 4th full-length album, tentatively titled, Future Past. The 11 songs comprising this new collection include some of the band’s most ambitious work to date. Band founder, Ryan Lum, has achieved what he feels is truly a big-studio sound in his private home studio. His attention to detail in sound design is born of a true love of the craft, and he’s been perfecting these skills since his first indie release, Idylls, back in 1992. Lum has updated his musical equipment and recording system quite extensively since Lovespirals’ 2007 album, Long Way From Home. This might be most noticeable to the listener in the range of guitar and keyboard sounds used on this album. In addition to the Rhodes piano and Hammond organ featured in the past, Lum has enhanced his vintage keyboard palette with analogue synth and string machine sounds. And guitar tones too have been pushed into new future retro sonics, utilizing both vintage and modern boutique guitars, tube amplifiers, and effects pedals.
Band vocalist, Anji Bee, who began collaborating with Lum in the early 2000’s, has also worked hard to improve upon her sound and performances. Armed with a new microphone, cabling, and preamp, she has pushed her voice to new heights, exploring diverse vocal territory. From deep, sultry rhythm and blues soulfulness to bright, ethereal breathiness — and all points in-between — from a single voice to a 3-part harmony; Bee is the vocal equivalent of a one-man band. And lyrically, Bee has dug deep to unearth some of her most revealing and intimate lyrics yet. Though her song topics have always touched upon more than personal relationships, the abundance of such fare in the past has led critics to label Lovespirals as purveyors of “love songs.” Bee feels confident that will not be the case this time. Interestingly, the two songs most obviously tied to romance are not ballads, but upbeat numbers; “Feel So Good” is soulful funk with a distinctly retro feel, while “Love” is an atmospheric drum ‘n’ bass song, reminiscent of the duo’s earliest work together.
Not that this new album is wholly composed of electronica vibes; on the contrary. Lovespirals have achieved a fine balance between their various influences, including moody classic-rock ala Pink Floyd or Fleetwood Mac; groovy late-period Motown soul & funk; bittersweet electropop in the vein of Air or Zero 7 — with a sprinkling of sensual slow-burning blues, and a dash of the soaring ethereality that the band has long been known for. Somehow Lum and Bee are able to take such disparate elements and combine them into an easily identifiable sound that can only be described as “Lovespirals.” Though it’s hard to label their music for today’s highly genre-defined culture, Lovespirals are not concerned. The joy of independent music is that it is not bogged down by marketing research and sales strategies; it exists because of the creator’s love of music. And Future Past is certainly a labor of love for Lovespirals.
Anji Bee in Chillcuts Studio working Lovespirals’ new album
Ryan Lum in Chillcuts Studio working Lovespirals’ new album
Please add yourself to the Lovespirals newslist to stay informed of release date, news, events, and specials.
Bazooka Joe, host of the excellent solipsisticNATION podcast, invited me to participate once again in an “exquisite corspe” mix. The basic gist is that 9 electronic music podcasters – including Joe – each selected one song, based solely upon hearing the track that was selected right before them. Joe took all the tracks and edited them together, choosing to keep the podcaster comments until after all the music had been played. You can check out the fascinating results on today’s show!
I’ve got a real treat for you this week; a 90 minute DJ style mix of Brazilian music. And everything is a FREE DOWNLOAD! This weekend I’m going to the big Blame It On Rio Fireworks Finale at the Hollywood Bowl featuring Bebel Gilberto and Seu Jorge, so that is partly my inspiration here. Plus it has simply been far too long since I last featured this countries’ lovely and diverse music. I guarantee that once you hear this episode, you will fall in love with the sounds of Brasil, too! A big THANK YOU goes out to all of the labels who made the choice to go Podsafe with their artists’ music.
* Sorry, this free mp3 download link has since expired…
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