Kishi Bashi - Sonderlust (2016)

Considering how tied to the concept of love the wide majority of violinist/composer/loop maestro Kishi Bashi's songs are, it's hardly a surprise that he would find himself creatively blocked when his own love life was suffering a sort of break down. From the tenderly emotive "Manchester" from his debut Room For Dream EP and subsequent reappearance on full length 151a, to the ecstatic giddiness of Lighght's "Philosophilize With It! Chemicalize With It!", love in all its permutations lyrically fueled Ishibashi and grounded his vibrantly colored blend of psych rock and orchestral pop. And after dealing with his writer's block, Kishi Bashi was able to channel that strife into his third full length studio album Sonderlust that essentially manages to pick things up right where he left them.

One of most exciting things about Kishi Bashi's albums - Sonderlust in particular is it shows a growth that's both in line with previous releases while aspiring to be more than just more of the same. Lighght pushed Kishi Bashi's sound firmly into that of his influences in prog rock and jazz fusion and Sonderlust gives the occasional nod to those influences without rooting itself too much in the sounds of Lighght ("Ode To My Next Life", "Who'd You Kill").

While songs like "Manchester" and "Bittersweet Genesis For Him AND Her" introduced darkness into Kishi Bashi's narratives to show the enduring appeal of true love, Sonderlust treats that darkness less as means of narrative shading and more as rooting his tales of love in reality. Real feelings of doubt, insecurity, and sadness. Sonderlust begins with "m'lover", a dizzying but sweet appeal for reconciliation that along with "Say Yeah" obscures their inherent melancholy with upbeat and engaging pop dressings. Even more overt songs like "Can't Let Go, Juno" and never quite forget to be pop songs first and foremost. It's not until penultimate track "Flame On Flame (a Slow Dirge)" that Sonderlust shows any signs of slowing down or toning down its pop mechanics. In this way Kishi Bashi creates an album that's a sort of cousin to friend Sondre Lerche's own breakup record Please: both seemingly operating under the rule that regardless of the intensity of emotion, how negative the feeling that wallowing heartbreak ballads simply will not do.

Sonderlust is essentially an album about putting in the work to sustain the honeymoon of Lighght and the fantastical first love of 151a. Through moving through the shade, its glitchy "It All Began With A Burst" recalling finale in "Honeybody" feels earned. It's the sun appearing in newly blue skies after storm clouds and the rain and Kishi Bashi's playful enthusiasm is infectious and cathartic. With "Honeybody", Kishi Bashi's creative woes and romantic strife appear to be solved for the time being and love wins out, surging to the forefront past the churning bile of the album's negative emotional displays. On record Kishi Bashi employs drums instead of the beatboxing he's done in his live show since ditching him cumbersome drum machine after his first tour and while he doesn't exactly enact that here, his cadence on "Honeybody" is perhaps the closest Kishi Bashi has gotten to the kind of music a beatboxing would feel at place in.

Sonderlust finds Kishi Bashi at his most electronic while still the orchestral pop flair that's become a core part of Kishi Bashi's sound. By focusing on the personal, Kishi Bashi has created a dynamic record that pushes his sound forward by circumventing the easy and predictable. Hardly surprising considering his past output but thrilling nonetheless.



Kishi Bashi's third full length album Sonderlust is out now on Joyful Noise Recordings.

Kishi Bashi - Lighght (2014)

With the success of his debut album 151a firmly in the rear view, violinist/loop pedal wizard Kishi Bashi is stepping out with another collection of bliss-inducing psychedelic-hued orchestral pop songs in Lighght (pronounced just like 'light' and taking its name from minimalist poet Aram Saroyan's one word poem of the same name).

Though taking its structure more or less from 151a, Lighght is more than just more of the same and Kishi Bashi more than just a one-trick pony. Tracks like album opener "Debut - Impromptu" and Eastern flavored interlude "Impromptu No. 1", K. gets to flex his classical chops in a much more obvious way offering up compositions that though brief give a glimpse into Ishibashi as more than a consummate pop professional.

"Debut - Imprompu" rightfully sets the stage for Lighght's whimsical flight of fancy - a delightful bit of "Once Upon a Time..." before the catapulting flight of "Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!". Released earlier as a one-off single, the tune is remixed here adding more colorful deviations if that was at all possible.

Kishi Bashi has a talent for timbral play and musical world building that's both enviable and impressive. While layering is an integral part of Kishi Bashi's method, the fact that each part seems so beyond superfluous is a feat of real artistry. While expanding his own already characteristic sound, Kishi Bashi is able to imbue some of his evident influences namely those of jazz-fusion/prog rock variety to create absolute majestic moments ("Once Upon a Lucid Dream (in Afrikaans)").

On Lighght, Kishi Bashi's most playful moments are subtler than 151a, more lyrical centered than the more pop-centric clap-laden "Bright Whites" or "It Began With A Burst". On the whole, Lighght establishes Kishi Bashi's sense of restraint - the lyricism potent and poignant and on just the right side of seriousness. The grand music moments occasionally earthbound instead of the continuous rapid flight of its predecessor. That's not to say Kishi Bashi has clipped his wings but rather by spending more time grounded truly earns those moments when he allows the Earth to give way and the melodies to soar. By spending less time aloft, Kishi Bashi avoids a caricature-esque turn from seeking bigger and bigger music moments while adding additional layers of depth. It's exploration meets innovation, experimentation in brilliant technicolor shades that manages to be both forward-seeking and strangely centered; the very definitive property of Kishi Bashi's effusive charm.

Kishi Bashi's sophomore record Lighght is out May 13th on Joyful Noise Recordings. Pre-order available now. You can stream it via Bandcamp.

Pitstop: Jordan Klassen

(photo by James Moes)

After I returned home from the tempestuous whirlwind that is SXSW and had time to survey the wreckage, I noticed something peculiar - in the pocket of one of my favorite button down shirts was a business card. That by itself isn't all that strange but the fact that I could not place where I had picked it up was. Though I make it a point to remember absolutely everyone I possibly can that I meet, I could not remember who or even when I had received this card. The card advertised one Jordan Klassen and his rather short SX sojourn; shows I had clearly missed.



A perfunctory amount of research revealed all I needed to know to hook me - chamber folk. Yes. Orchestral folk. Double yes. Whatever Klassen choose to call it, I was sold instantly. Klassen's self-assigned fairy folk classification is as fitting as it is subversive. The Vancouver singer/songwriter's most recent full length Repentance is light with surprisingly darkly colored flourishes, springy without coming across the slightest bit whimsical. From the twinkling "Sweet Chariot" that manages to be both spacious and grand, Klassen's instrumentation choices are as fascinating as his songwriting, as a part of his overall character as his narrative options and popsmithery. Klassen has this uncanny knack for capturing beautifully fleeting musical moments and fitting them for an all out glide, providing his own wind for his skyward traverses.




One of the clear indicators of Klassen's musicianship is just how much time he gives his arrangements to breathe, often firmly establishing that complementary part before the introduction of any other. His songs don't take on undeservedly extensive lengths because of it however and therein lies the most impressive of Klassen's feats; his instrumentals retaining their pop sensibility while feeling fully flushed out. And yet, Klassen is not the type to solely let his arrangements speak for him. Many of Repentance's most endearing moments are those that strip back the forest of orchestral lushness for the comfortably bare.





Overall Jordan Klassen simply displays a remarkable amount of versatility deployed with a svelte and effortless ease. Pay attention. Something tells me Klassen's only just getting started. Hear more tunes at Klassen's Bandcamp.

Watch: Owen Pallett - In Conflict (Album Trailer)

I got so excited with the fact that Canadian composer/arranger/violin + loop pedal virtuoso Owen Pallett was doing the arrangements for fellow Canadian Foxes in Fiction's upcoming record that I totally forgot that it was about time for Pallett to put out a new record of his own. While album trailers tend to be a frustratingly teasing affair, Pallett makes sure that you certainly get your money worth as he stretches the standard 30 second or so trailer length out to two minutes for his In Conflict trailer. In that time frame, your learn a surprising amount about of album details: The most eye-catching and excitable fact being Brian Eno will be making an appearance. Also noteworthy is In Conflict will feature a whole orchestra - the Czech FILMharmonic Orchestra to be precise. There's all sorts of information too from record's various studio recordings took place, to the cast of musicians Pallett assembled for the task all soundtracked by the soaring strains of adventurous "Infernal Fantasy".

Owen Pallett might've offered up a considerable more than we're used to in his album trailer but offers up what may in fact be the biggest tease of all - In Conflict won't street until May. There's a hell of a lot of time between now and then and hopefully Pallett softens the blow a little bit with a continuous streak of musical offerings (however small) before then. Until then, check out the album trailer for In Conflict:


In Conflict, Owen Pallett's fourth studio album, is out May 13th on Domino.

Pitstop: Wintercoats

I'll admit I have a tendency to take music suggestions with far more than just a grain of salt - an unprovoked suggestion is regarded with the most intense of suspicion. I prefer to discover great music at my own pace so when someone tries to lead me there out of the blue completely unwarranted, it tends to be a bit jarring and I quickly throw said suggestion into the farther reaches of my mind until I am ready to deal with the potential consequences. That's essentially why it's taken me over a year to warm up to Wintercoats. Awhile back Rafael over at Heart & Soul recommended Wintercoats most likely based on my love of all things orchestral pop and my response was all suspicious arched eyebrows instead of open ears. There might've also been some yelling.



Melbourne violinist James Wallace aka Wintercoats' reliance on ethereal electronic incorporating sounds isn't what you'd normally think of when you think of orchestral pop but there's no denying that in addition to the delicate care in which Wallace crafts his lush layers, there's definitely ear catching quality. Wintercoats' tracks aren't all gorgeous, ambient free falls, although they do tend to be the musical equivalent of elaborate ice sculptures. Tracks like "Blood Prints" and "Halogen Moon", combine their intricate construction with the necessary forward push of a good pop song.





Wintercoats songs contain multitudes within them. One part dazzling atmospheric instrumentals, others included beguiling sincere vocals, Wallace creates tunes that are chilly but not inhospitable, dreamy but with reality firmly in the periphery. In a world where a pop-oriented violinist will either be compared to Andrew Bird or Owen Pallett, it's nice to hear an artist who casually and rather inoffensively defies not only that instance of pigeonholing but also surpasses any hard genre classification.

San Fermin - San Fermin (2013)

I encountered Brooklyn based San Fermin due to a suggestion of them as chamber pop band of note. While the suggestion was wrong in that there's really far too much going on under the surface of San Fermin for them to really qualify as chamber pop, I suppose it's a fitting moniker for the brainchild of composer Ellis Ludwig-Leone. In what is rapidly becoming a trend, Ludwig-Leone emigrated to Canada in a fit of post-grad "What now?" shock where he started working on what would become San Fermin. San Fermin and the self-titled album are rare in that the narrative voice isn't in the spotlight. Ludwig-Leone has surrounded himself with a group of consummate musicians and trusted them to interpret his vision - a page right out of the classical music handbook. But San Fermin isn't a contemporary classical music ensemble by any means. Ludwig-Leone's chosen voice (at least on parts of the debut record) is that of modern indie pop. 

A concept album, San Fermin tells the story of two protagonists experiencing a crisis not unlike the composer/songwriter's own. "Renaissance!" starts the album with a sense of drama and intrigue and epic grandeur and establishes the album's ambitiousness right off the bat. The album balances the two characters by giving them dramatically different sounds - the male narrated by the Allen Tate's booming baritone and voiced by pervasive melancholic folk while the lady's role is overtaken by the female duo at the forefront of fellow Brooklyn band Lucius and features moments of lush, resplendent pop mastery. After establishing the two separately in "Renaissance!" and "Crueler Kind", the album shifts between the two in track-by-track call and response - a dialogue extended over the course of a little less than an hour.

While adopting this kind of reactionary songwriting format, Ludwig-Leone also makes extensive use of musical interludes of his compositions which while very good technically and aurally, don't really do much in service of his established narrative choice. In a way, they're the composer's attempt to make his own voice heard after relegating those duties to others. 

San Fermin is an ambitious album, of that there is no question. It's also a very good album - but it's not an album free from weaknesses. San Fermin's weakness lies in its ability to more seemlessly integrate its various influences. It's a case of many plates spinning in the air that actually distract from a rather interesting concept and even more interesting bit of absolutely gorgeous musical moments. It's clear and obvious strengths are in those moments Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe make their presences known and are given the focus ("Crueler Kind", "Sonsick" "The Count", "Oh, Darling"). Non-coincidentally these are moments when the album is at it's poppiest, it's most accessible; it's most fluid and forward moving. Allen Tate's voice is an anchor - firmly grounding everything but so rarely given to the vibrant flights of fancy of Laessig and Wolfe. The exception to this being when their union in "Bar" and triumphant sun-speckled "Daedalus (What We Have)". 

There's moments on the album that feel truly earned due to the rotating narration and staggered pacing - "Oh, Darling" is probably the true moment where the female protagonist doesn't shine like a beacon of light - draped in dazzling, catchy pop melodies and boundless confidence. "Oh, darling, I've been so miserable/I can't describe" and the male rouses from his wallowing and offers comfort, countering "When you're off alone and your heart is gone to sea, leave your lonely here with me". For all the bells and whistles afforded to San Fermin from it's orchestral accompaniment and reliance on moments of lush majesty - the most moving moment is its most lyrically focused; it's most simple and its most bare. 

While "Daedalus (What We Have)" provides the male's bookend moment of transformation - the actual moment not occurring lyrically but compositionally. The storm clouds disperse and Allen Tate's vocals glisten in bright moments of musical catharsis. It's a testament to Ludwig-Leone's skills that while having a considerable amount of plot going on that the defining factor in character growth lies in the music. 

What keeps San Fermin from being a truly, truly great record in terms of cohesion and it being the type of album you want to listen to in full over and over again lies in a perceived inability to unite Ludwig-Leone the talented composer and Ludwig-Leone the incredibly gifted pop songsmith. When the lines between these two sides of the creative coin marry, the results are sure to be astounding. San Fermin seems a bit disjointed, with parts that either seem a bit superfluous or dragging. Regardless, San Fermin is an excellent and intriguing debut with its fair share of album highlights. It's a richly engaging listen with a slew of rewards that reveal themselves on each subsequent listen if you're diligent enough to stick around. 

Pitstop: Floating Compass

A guaranteed way to stumble upon great new music has always been/forever will be to stick tight to your favorite bands/artists. That's how I discovered the indie orchestral pop collective Floating Compass. The brainchild of Tim Cronin, a member of the Camera Obscura live band and featured trumpeter on Freelance Whales Diluvia, Floating Compass' Tales of Yesteryear presents a distinctive brand of medieval flavored chamber pop that could very well inhabit the same realm as Joanna Newsom's Ys or Have One on Me.



Ironically their embrace of the past sets Floating Compass on an innovative level apart from the band's contemporaries. Using accordion and trumpet in a decidedly different way than their most well known advocate Beirut, Floating Compass' use of them seeks not to wisp you to the shores of  the Mediterranean but a far bolder task of throwing you back in time transporting you to crowded cobblestone streets a stone's throw from the crisp sea air and the nearest lighthouse.



With tracks like "Cathedral", "Buoys" and "Pendulum" that features recordings of the songs namesakes - church bells and the like, the thing that keeps Tales of Yesteryear and its various experimentations from being contrived or too on the nose is pure commitment. That and the songs actually being good. You can't argue a field recording's hokeyness when it inspires an enjoyable song, or a cohesive album. I mean you certainly can semantically but I know I sure won't.



You can stream Floating Compass' debut album Tales of Yesteryear now.

Listen: Lost in the Trees - "Lady in White"

I have no idea what it is but Lost in the Trees' Ari Picker has a talent for just creating these arresting knee-jerk emotional reactions in his music. It's a skill that in all honesty I thought will dull over time and find myself surprised and elated that Picker's compositions are still so emotional effective. I guess I'm also surprised at short amount of time between releases it takes him to create these completely sincere, visceral pieces.

Coming off the immensely powerful A Church That Fits Our Needs - a musical tribute to Picker's deceased and troubled mother, you'd think "Lady in White" would be lighter, if not more fun. Not even close. While easing up slightly on Picker's ability to reduce you to tears, it still finds that elegant balance between mournful beauty and forward moving slice of pop. Based mostly on piano and Picker's doleful tenor, it's the rare Lost in the Trees track that reduces its string arrangements to ornamental flourishes for the sake of maintaining a sense of an otherworldly aura. It's artfully done like just about every other thing Lost in the Trees do.

Listen to the one-off gem "Lady in White":

Alexander von Mehren - Aéropop (2013)

Chris Holm is one busy little bee. When not playing Norwegian orchestral pop sextet Young Dreams or crafting music of his own, he's off serving up his talents elsewhere it seems. That's how I learned of his contributions to as member of Norwegian composer/producer/pianist Alexander von Mehren's live band.

Alexander von Mehren's debut full length Aéropop falls somewhere on the spectrum of Sondre Lerche's early lounge rock days, the orchestral splendor John Cale's "Paris 1919" and the sensual decadence of Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson. That's a lot of ground to cover for sure but von Mehren's jazz-flavored brand of piano pop behaves more like those easy breezy classics than any of the more aurally challenging works of today. It's more than a bit of jazz classicism however. While Aéropop is remarkably svelte and engages in pristine melodic presentation  tracks with synthy touches like "La Variation de Douche"  and "Neuschwanstein" make it very clear von Mehren can engage in a bit of updating if the need arise. It's use is slight but provide the tracks with an added textural depth.

Alexander von Mehren's Aéropop is easy listening for the modern era, tracks birthed and bloomed within the confines of even the tiniest of attention spans, containing a double dose of your standard tracks while still clocking in at under an hour. Even on von Mehren's extensive "Natural Selection", a stylized simplicity exists. Interesting musical ideas come and go without any sort of conceptual hang ups - merely an emphasis on groove. At 20 tracks, Aéropop succeeds due to wealth and fluidity of ideas. von Mehren embellishes where he must but isn't afraid to let good musical ideas run their natural course instead of milking them for all their worth. The result is a balancing act of rather epic but effortless seeming proportions.  

Listen: Art Decade - "No One's Waiting"

Boston symphonic rock outfit Art Decade may have just released their debut full length Western Sunrise last year but that doesn't seem to have stopped them from getting back to work on a follow up. "No One's Waiting", the first peek at a forthcoming record finds Art Decade right where they left off - out of bristly forest of the punky rock jams and back among a blanket of glistening string arrangements.

Rather like "Western Sunrise" or "The Impossible", "No One's Waiting" vocals are downright anthemic, building from a subtle climb that slowly incorporates the strings with it's driving drums. Another example of Talmi's genre-straddling abilities, "No One's Waiting" doesn't rely strongly on either the indie rock growl or the orchestral pop flair, taking what's necessary from both and balancing them alongside each other. The result is a sort of ebb and flow that always returns to the middle ground but plays with that balance in interesting ways before embarking on a climactic rise that walks both influences hand and hand to a rather cathartic release.
  

Pitstop: Canon Blue

If there's one thing I've learned from paying close attention to Efterklang from about the time I discovered them back in 2010, it's that the trio contains some of the most top shelf taste both in terms of collaborators and in general music likes. Their touring members have consisted of absolutely amazing musicians in their own right: Budgie, Heather Woods Broderick, Peter Broderick, and now you can add Nashville singer/songwriter Daniel James aka Canon Blue to that list. 

Touring with Efterklang in support of  their excellent Magic Chairs afforded Canon Blue's sophomore album Rumspringa with an absolutely amazing production team that not only included Efterklang but Sigur Ros' go to string section Amiina. The result - an orchestral pop album of stately beauty that certainly doesn't skimp on the pop element. So intrinsically intertwined, Rumspringa combines the majestic grandeur of a fully flushed out string section with undeniable danceability or just good old fashioned ear-catching infectiousness.



Even stripped of Rumspringa's legion of masterful musicians, Daniel James has an abundant wealth of musical ideas and skilled effective delivery. Just take the Chris Taylor (of Grizzly Bear) assisted debut Colonies which contrasts stark textures and introspective lyricism with the telltale signs of poppiness that would flourish into Rumspringa. The leap from arty to accessibility is not unlike Efterklang's occurring at a slightly quicker pace. It's enough to make me positively giddy to see what he'll do on the next Canon Blue album. Hopefully it's not too long before then.



Now and for a limited time you can snag a free download of Rumspringa with some extra goodies (b-sides, sketches, remixes, etc.) from Noisetrade. Do it.

Pitstop: Art Decade

                                                            (photo by Hadley Brooks)

  

Back when I interviewed Young Man's Colin Caulfield about his latest album Beyond Was All Around Me, he mentioned the assistance of Boston based composer/arranger Ben Talmi. While I had kind of naturally assumed that was merely all there was to Talmi - a go-to arranger for artist's looking to have the string arrangements on their album really sparkle, I discovered however that Talmi had a project of his own: an orchestral pop rock band by the name of Art Decade.

It's no secret with my love of bands like Friend Roulette and Young Dreams that the way to my heart is with artful utilized strings and that's exactly what Art Decade does so well. Instead of your standard chamber pop bands that seem to rely on certain instruments as mere ornamental fodder, the strings of Art Decade are very much a part of its DNA, at least in terms of their recorded output. 

You see, Art Decade is composed of your standard rock foursome of instruments: Guitar, bass, drums,  a multi-instrumentalist every-man and sometimes that's exactly what you get like in the case of "Weapon" or "Steam Punk Sticker War". It's an interesting juxtaposition to say the least. That Art Decade can go from roaring dance-rock to delicate orchestral pop in the course of a single album. The transitions are less jarring than you'd expect due to Talmi and company blending the rock and orchestral elements so effortlessly, able to strip them back or color them in without it seemingly like anything is really missing. 

What sets Art Decade apart from all the other orchestral pop bands I have heretofore pledged my allegiance to is just how much they lean into a notable rock influence at times. It not all pristine artfully detailed musical moments; there's moments of high intensity grooves and true rock grit. Basically there's a little something for everyone as Art Decade hits every gradation of symphonic rock. 

So if Art Decade's orchestral rock pop sounds like your forte you can stream/buy/download their debut album Western Sunrise here.

Watch: Young Dreams - "Footprints"

When it was announced that the next single from Norwegian orchestral pop sextet Young Dreams would be "Footprints", I was elated. In addition to being one of my absolute favorite tracks on the pretty immaculately spun Between Places, I was excited to see what frequent collaborator Kristoffer Borgli would do with the jubilant track.

Considering the previous videos for "Fog of War" and "First Days of Something" seemed to both disregard and utilize the tracks' lighter moods for dramatic effect - creating interesting dark narratives soundtracked by Young Dreams' mirth, I was intrigued how to Borgli would proceed here. Instead of spin an entirely new tale, "Footprints" revisits Young Dreams' rather brief past. Using cuts from their Modular Studio sessions as well as bits and pieces from their previous music videos (even going as far back as "Young Dreams"), it's a nice little retrospective of just how much the band has achieved in a rather short time-frame. Not all the selected scenes are happy ones but the lightning-in-a-bottle joyfulness of "Footprints" is inescapable.

Borgli's video for "Footprints" is a well-deserved celebration of  a rather young band that's enjoying a bit of success. A success I hope continues for as long as Young Dreams continues to make good music. Here's hoping that's a long, long time.

Young Dreams - Between Places (2013)

Bergen, Norway's second largest city, tends to be a particularly rainy place. So it makes a strange sort of sense that instead of writing gloomy, dismal ballads that instead the Norwegian sextet Young Dreams turns toward warmer climes crafting a sort of bright, dreamy, and most importantly sunny style of tropical infused pop rock.

While largely marketed as a orchestral pop band, the real surprise of Between Places is that there's much more at play in Young Dreams than that. Sure, there's some rather stellar string arrangements featured among many of its key songs (The dazzling "Fog of War" outro immediately springs to mind) but the majority of Young Dreams' members wield very rock-friendly instruments. There's no denying a symphonic influence, especially when listening to sprawling 10 minute opus "The Girl That Taught Me To Drink And Fight" and its delicate ebb and flow or the choir-like stylings of "Through the Turnstiles" but many of the tracks on the album take their marching orders not from the classical-leanings but instead a very evident desire for pop mastery. They're ear-catching, the melodies simple and clear; a sort of foot-tapping danceability scattered among most of them.  It's the best of both worlds, actually. The poppy lilt carrying the songs forward while the arrangements transform them into truly memorable musical moments. The sweeping string ornaments making Young Dreams' ability to pull at heartstrings even more successful, more pronounced. 

Between Places is escapism at it's finest. Not only channeling the Bergen six-piece's dreams of greener, less wet pastures but also suiting up their love songs in all sorts of fancy dressings. That's not to say all the songs rely as heavily on fantastical narratives like "Fog of War" and it's gladiator epic but they're far more than your typical sappy love songs. On Between Places, Young Dreams tap into exactly how it feels to be in the midst of youth; hopeful, passionate, vaguely nostalgic but always forward-looking. 

Young Dreams' incredible debut record Between Places is out now worldwide. You can stream it here as well as buy it from the wide majority of retailers. I highly recommend doing so. 

Watch: Young Dreams - "First Days of Something"

For their second team up with director Kristoffer Borgli Norwegian orchestral pop rockers Young Dreams provide less of a music video and more of a short film. The video for "First Days of Something" begins very much like the one for "Fog of War" with the protagonist narrating a crucial point of drama through which the rest of the videos plot tries to extrapolate upon. In this instance, the narrator has just broken up with his girlfriend and debates moving away to go back to Australia with his family.

After settling on his major life decision, there rest of the scenes are a hodge-podge of listlessness; of scenes almost aimlessly without direction, seemingly random with nothing of real import happening in them. He visits his hangouts but has no real fun at them, parties with friends but doesn't appear to really enjoy being there. One of the main and most relatable instances is where he narrates how he wants to listen to one song as much as he can so that he can connect that song with how he is feeling at that very instant. It's why he plugs his iPhone into the turntable at a party, why he listens to it on his snowy rambles, or why it's on pretty much every single one of his electronic devices. It's responsible for one of the the few times we see him smile.

Borgli's piece is interesting in that Young Dreams' "First Days of Something" never plays all the way through. Various parts of it are played at different points and repeated almost ad naseaum before something happens to make the songs start again. Eventually the whole thing is heard but in bits and pieces, never occurring in a single continuous line. It's an interest concept for a music video - to have the song featured but not exactly highlighted. It becomes much more about the story than it is the music accompanying it. Seemingly content with his newfound singledom, the events soon spiral into a series of anger-soaked idylls as it's revealed he's much unhappier than he appears, his only solace "First Days of Something" which he repeats incessantly.

Young Dreams - First Days of Something from Kristoffer Borgli on Vimeo.

Young Dreams' debut full length Between Places is out March 5th in the US on Modular Records.

Listen: Young Dreams - "First Days of Something"

Since the announcement of Norwegian orchestral pop outfit Young Dreams went live, I've been eagerly awaiting this moment. When we'd get another taste of their delight multi-layered jams and with their brand new single "First Days of Something", Young Dreams certainly don't disappoint. It's bouncy with a bright, sunny guitar licks that make you righteously pumped for warmer days.

With a dancier pulse, "First Days of Something" skirts more on the line of rock than their normal orchestral leanings and that's a-ok. Good to change up the formula every now and again. It also establishes Young Dreams as band full of anthems. Indie-pop's answer to the old school punk band; filled with their fair share of important things to say about youth just dressed up in crisp, clean pop rock suit and tie instead of fiery vitriol, breakneck speeds, and guitar pyrotechnics.



"First Days of Something" definitely accomplishes it's job of making you even more excited for the album than you thought possible. Luckily Young Dreams full length debut Between Places will be out  March 5th on Modular Records. Just 30 days away. Completely doable, right?

Jherek Bischoff - Composed (2012)

It's hard to imagine I almost missed this record: there might not be record so relevant to all of my interests than Jherek Bischoff's Composed. And yet that was almost the case. I had no idea of its existence until "Eyes" was featured on Sondre Lerche's Best of 2012 Spotify playlist and was reminded to check out the whole album by it's featured spot on We Listen For You's Overlooked Albums of 2012.  

Jherek Bischoff's record certainly boasts an impressive list of players; from legendary heavyweights David Byrne and Caetano Veloso to somewhat newer acts in Deerhoof's Greg Saunier and Mirah Zeitlyn (of Mirah and Thao + Mirah fame) but the featuring of such a talented and eclectic bunch of performers is secondary to Bischoff's own talents. Featuring an enormous orchestral sound, Composed is more of a display of Bischoff's excellent producer talents than anything. Recording friends, collaborators, and co-conspirators separately and layering them to get sound of an orchestra.

Despite it's opening and the rather straightforward David Byrne led "Eyes", Composed is a lot more than clear trodden lines and accessible fanfares. On, "The Secret of the Machines", Bischoff plays with instrument timbres and employs their percussive qualities and drafts fleeting ornaments before allowing everything to unravel noisily into a slightly jarring outro. While dark, languorous "The Nest" plays like an interesting mix of cabaret and gypsy song. With it's rotating cast of players, the album's truest source of cohesiveness comes from Bischoff himself and his artful arrangements to keep things from sounding like too many hands on the jukebox.  

Writing the songs himself on ukulele before expanding them into the orchestral pop majesty you hear at play and shining a spotlight on those who offered to take it, it's rather unsurprising that Bischoff's album escaped widespread notice last year as he seems more than content to work from the sidelines, providing all the tools for an impressive victory while taking so very little of the credit. A humble record bursting not only with talent but a myriad of ideas skillfully employed.

Get a taste of the brilliant record with this sampler from Brassland:

Watch: Young Dreams - Fog of War (Modular Session)

If you're anything like me, you dream about being able to see Norway orchestral pop maestros Young Dreams live. Since being tipped off their existence by Sondre Lerche's Best of 2011 Spotify playlist, I've been following the young band pretty closely hoping upon hope that they'd be some sort of announcement that they're leaving the comforts of Norway and Europe for a good old fashioned US tour. No news on that front yet but with their debut full length Between Places about to drop and a good friend in Sondre Lerche, it's highly possible that might be a good thing they have on the horizon. Or at least I'm certainly hoping so.

Until the day when I can see them without having to skip the continent, videos like these will always be a treat. Shot on a rooftop in Berlin, you get to see the core six members of Young Dreams rocking out to "Fog of War". The video is in this cool, panning circle that shows each member at a specific point in time so you can see just what they contribute to the whole. In case you were curious just how many instruments were at play on the most basic level of Young Dreams you have your answer. This and other videos like this just might tide me over until Young Dreams arrive on US shores. Maybe. Either way it's a pretty incredible live video of a pretty incredible live band. Check it out:


Young Dreams' Between Places will be out March 5th in the US on Modular Recordings.

Listen: Young Dreams - "Feels Like We Only Go Bachwards" (Tame Impala Cover)

Just when I didn't think I could like Young Dreams any more stronger than I already did they prove they're not quite done impressing me and reaching previously unknown levels of devotion. The Norwegian orchestral-pop collective decided to cover label mates Tame Impala's already pretty fantastic track "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" and put their own little spin on it as well they should've including a clever bit of wordplay hinting at their orchestral flair: "Feels Like We Only Go Bachwards" was born.

After a rather similar intro, Young Dreams zig when you think they're going to zag exploding into a dreamy but still rocking take on Tame Impala's track. Tame Impala's sunny, backbeat jam becomes a slightly-quicker moving beasts with Young Dreams lovely harmonic arcs thrown in for good measure. And reminding us it's still very much a remix we're given a little afrobeat musical outro which pulls more unexpected tricks. There's a pretty awesome tail that quotes Bach. Resolution both compositional and in that "a-ha!" moment when you get the name change? Yes. Young Dreams, don't ever change. 

Listen to Young Dreams spin on Tame Impala:

Watch: Young Dreams - "Fog of War"

Young Dreams create music with such an epic far-reaching scope that when they announced the video for "Fog Of War", I was absolutely besides myself with excitement and glee. After discovering the gladiator-themed lyrics of the single, I had foolishly assumed they'd go with something at least partially similar to that. Wrong. If you think you know what the Norwegian orchestral pop group has up it's sleeves, chances are you're not even on the same page. I'm glad they didn't go with a more literal interpretation of the lyrics and the Kristoffer Borgli directed video is more beautiful and wonderfully cinematic than that. Beginning with a monologue spoken by the video's female lead, it foreshadows a darkness that creeps at the video's edges.

Two French teenagers left to their own devices for a time. It's more or less what you might expect: Pot-smoking, alcohol-guzzling, furniture wreckage. But even then your expectations are alluded and/or exceeded. After the young lady established the non-romantic relationship with the man-friend she invites to share her empty family home with, you're looking for romantic entanglements pretty much the whole video. Also there's an established danger that's hinted at but never quite addressed head on. The boy wields a crossbow menacing while the girl solely chuckles, he breaks probably expensive pottery and the girl and her friends follow suit, it's not until the video's end where everything really comes to a head. I won't spoil it but it's not anything you're going to guess.

And yet, as this evasively dark tale unravels, there's the jubilant strains of Young Dreams "Fog of War" which somehow makes it all okay. A pretty excellent pairing.