Hipster Humpday 3: The Album Leaf

     I don't know where you people are right now, but its early here, barely nine in the morning, I'm barely awake enough to slide over to the kettle and make some coffee. Comparative addiction aside I thought today would be a good time to let you guys in on a little secret, The Album Leaf.

     About a week or so ago a good friend of mine (and fellow publisher) linked a song on my wall, Window, it took me a long time to listen to it but when I did, it transformed me. For the last week or so I've been so thoughtful you'd think I was depressed, I mean I spent yesterday afternoon sitting in the snow by a frozen lake writing poetry, its just that kind of music that can make you slow down, take a look at your life, appreciate the little things.

      Personal reaction aside The Album Leaf was originally the solo project of Jimmy LaValle, formed in 1998 in San Diego, and truthfully I'm having a hard time deciding which label to plaster all over his art. I was thinking ambient, but then he throws in acoustic guitar; so acoustic or indie, but then he has songs completely made with synthesizers and piano; so electronic, but then spacey drum patterns and electric guitar kicked in and post rock was the only possible label. So for now its indieacousticpostrockica, deal?

     Newest album first, Into The Blue Again, is an absolute soundscape, released in 2006 weighing in at ten songs its not necessarily a heavyweight, until you take the time to listen to it. It takes a little bit of time, to look past the obvious sadness and melancholy of the violins and piano to the blazing hope of the acoustic guitar and the steady assurances of the percussion, warning don't listen to this if you have empathetic reactions to music and have anything to do today. 2004's In A Safe Place, is refreshingly similar although with more vocals, this is where the indie/acoustic shows through in comparison to ITBA's post rock/ambient, I recommend having both albums in a playlist starting with 2006 and working back in a steady stream of consciousness and emotion.

     Well thats two albums, all I feel safe giving you guys, I cannot stress this more, support the artist in any way you can even if its by using his website to donate to Japan relief or buying his albums, if you enjoy it please buy it. All of his albums are out there on the internet if you feel so inclined and please take a second to like our Facebook page here.

Toxic Tuesday 20 : Solar Fields and Pyramid

     Welcome to the twentieth edition of Toxic Tuesday, I've got something a little different for you today. Magnus Birgersson, a.k.a. Solar Fields, is a swedish electronic musician. Since he was a teenager he has been playing piano, drums, percussion, and keyboard in several bands, but in 2001 he launched Solar Fields. Solar Fields to me is a musical hallucinogenic, you might as well make this stuff illegal. I mean theres trance music, then theres ambient, but when you combine the two you get  something truly unique.

Solar Fields - Movement 

     Last night when I was roaming around the web looking for an album by Phutureprimitive (we'll save that for later) I stumbled onto Transmission Seed,  wordpress site with a tonne of unique electronic music. I pillaged as much as my computer would let me and spent most of today completely zoned. I was at the eye doctor today and they hit me with three sets of eye drops, which made my eyes burn and diluted my pupils so much everyone I tried buying sunglasses off of thought I was tripping acid. So while my eyes felt like they would fall out of my skull I found my self concentrating on music (before my headphones shitted out), lets just say I had some amazing day dreams. I encourage everyone to download this album, maybe it will help you sleep, maybe it will power you down the highway, whatever the use you won't be the same ever again.

     You may remember way back when, I mean nineteen editions ago, our first Toxic Tuesday, we had an amazing track from french electronic artist Pyramid. Well this last week, celebrating 1000 likes on his Facebook page he released a ten track masterpiece for free.

Pyramid - Lost In Space

     Big thanks to Musigh for catching it, and many others. I thought at one point I had Pyramid figured out, his last album was to me "stereotypically french" don't ask me to explain that, it just sounded like a lot of french electronic. With the release of Lost In Space my classification has been shattered along with any concerns I had for my hard drive space, this is a must download. The entire album is a masterful mixture of synth-pop, bass, DnB beats, and a little french for colour. Grab it up and please consider giving this talented artist some money over at his Bandcamp.

     Hope you enjoyed the twentieth edition, its a big occasion for me and I know todays artists did it justice. Please consider supporting the musicians and blogs I pilfer, as well as following the blog with Google, or liking our Facebook page.