Up a Tree

Tree Wave
Tree Wave @ MySpace

I was a touch disappointed that I had not heard of Tree Wave until a local festival in late March. Even if partially mitigated by the fact that they seem to have been on a sort of hiatus for a few years there, this is an act that I think I should have known about. Now, to get to to the actually music. Similar in set-up to Crystal Castles in the sense that the duo relies on 8-bit nostalgia and sounds to build their songs, vocalist Lauren Grey prefers a smoother, more subtle and non-digitized lyrical style. I think a more apt comparison is to say that Tree Wave is Stereolab for the electro age. Unlike Crystal Castles, Tree Wave goes for a smoothed out style with maintaining the glitchy fun of current electro acts like Dan Deacon. Moreover, some songs are built around a live playing of a game where the moves are translated into sound giving the act a serious organic feel.
2008 looks like the year Tree Wave might actually break out of Dallas some, playing at SXSW this year and beginning to line up a few shows here and there. While they only have a short 3-song ep out, the music is worth it. I plan on catching as many shows as I can now.

Review: The One

The One @ Amazon.com
Shinichi Osawa @ MySpace

I discovered this electro artist by accident a couple of months ago and have loved his stuff ever since. Shinichi (I think that's his last name unless they've Americanized it) produces the same type of dance-floor fused pop music that the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and Digitalism produce, only, I think, more inventive. The One was release in October of last year but it's still not available in the States, which is a damn shame. Fans of Soulwax or Shitdisco would love what Shinichi has to offer. It's not italo by any means but the music does have the shimmering sound that makes italo-disco so lovable. Still, fat key basses and minimalist backgrounds are used to great effect, particular when Shinichi finally drops the beat. This is electro properly done with some real club bangers mixed in with a few softer, Ellen Allien-style numbers. Few of the songs actually top six minutes making this album distinctly different from the euro-style club music and more inline with the SMD and Soulwax format. Grab a couple of tracks from elbo.ws or wherever you can. The import, while worth it, is a touch pricey.

Review: Made in the Dark

It's been about a week since Hot Chip dropped their new album Made in the Dark and I've had enough time to absorb the album for a proper review. The money shot on the album is that, while not like their previous effort this album lacks the truly amazing songs Hot Chip is capable of. On the other hand, it also lacks the songs that made it an album you had to occasionally skip tracks on. Instead, Made in the Dark is a solid album, playable from beginning to end. The album is front-loaded with the known songs with Shake a Fist and Ready for the Floor falling in the second and third spots respectively. Yet this is not necessarily a draw-back as you are left with another ten tracks of quality music that fit together like an album. In particular are the trio of tracks set in the middle of the album--Made in the Dark, One Pure Thought, Hold On--show the range of Hot Chips abilities. Even though Pitchfork wasn't enamored with the album for it's lack of distinctive hits and seeming continuation of their genre-splicing style without any forward movement.
Of course, I have to offer my disagreement. I don't believe in bands having some grand scheme in the way they release albums (except for Radiohead, who passed from this realm sometime in 1996 and came back superheroes). But I do believe that some albums are necessary in the career of a band. Where their slew of remixes and brilliant second album brought them hits and fame, this, their third album, shows the limits of their genre-jumping. The album the Pitchfork staff label as flawed but likable is probably the last of its kind for Hot Chip.
It goes without saying their production values are top-notch, but I think they will need in the future a producer who curtails some of their more self-conscious, fourth-wall breaking moments. The risk though, is that some of the fun will fall out of Hot Chip's style, but we won't know that until they ready their next album. I don't want them to become too serious. But considering their style thus far, I don't think that's too great of a risk. Either way, I do get the feeling that their next album will surpass The Warning in brilliance while maintain their album wide listenability.

The Waste Land

Ghostland Observatory @ MySpace

I've forgotten to do this enough so I'm posting about Austin act Ghostland Observatory. I've tried very hard not to like these guys, my natural tendency is to recoil from anything with any kind of hype. But their mix of glitchy electronics and spastic vocals have gotten to me, enough so that I'm actually anxious for their next album Robotique Magistique to drop at the end of the month. But for the moment I have to settle with three tracks from the forthcoming album. Check it.

More Deacon, Less Religion

Dan Deacon Ultimate Recap - ultra8201

Adding to the already reviewed Dan Deacon show at Emo's this past Friday is this round-up by Ultra-blogger ultra8201. There are links to show reviews, pictures and even a full video provided by the people at SwitchBurn. For the Dallas crowd, let these images burn in your mind as the proper way to get down at a show. Stop posing and start dancing, damnit, or I'll turn this car right around.

Professor Murder Discovers the Flex-it Formula

I originally found this new track by Professor Murder from RCRD LBL so while I'm using Imeem to stream the song, you can download it yourself if you just follow the link. I like the slight changes and additions. It's a good progression from the first e.p. Professor Murder Rides the Subway. Unlike some groups who over do it on the electronic side, Professor Murder only uses it to add to the overall party feel of the song. I'm quite pleased with it and this song will make it onto my next mix.