Now this is an awesome concept…an app that provides a  soundtrack that changes with the listeners environment. I wonder if more composers, especially ambient artists, will start to embrace this type of application. Reminds me of long walks through the Lower East Side with the Esper Edition Bladerunner bootleg (yep…get up on ya’ Vangelis homie) resonating in my headphones. Incredibly surreal.

This app contains 13 ‘dreams’ – soundtrack sequences -  many of which were not heard within the movie and are accompanied by ambient ‘sonic effects’. Each dream can be ‘collapsed’ by either being still, being active or moving to a loud or quiet space.

Although the technology of this app may be a bit out of reach for most musicians (Ah, the things one could do with $600 million in net earnings…), the concept is one easily accessible and open for exploration.

Take the Auckland War Memorial Museum in New Zealand. They’ve created a nine-track compilation (http://bit.ly/dvs9m) composed by local artists to be used as the  soundtrack to a visitors experience as they pass through the museums exhibits.

Museums, art galleries, neighborhood walking tours and countless other installations could benefit from this type of enhancement.

It’s good to see more and more recognition being given to the immersive, emotive power of music in our lives.

You can find more information on the FREE Inception iPhone app here: http://inceptiontheapp.com/.

Download: The Dream Suite – featuring Andreya Triana (Mediafire link)

From the hypnotic beats of Flying Lotus, to the downtempo vibes of Bonobo, Andreya Triana has taken the world of electronica by storm. Her voice floats effortlessly from heart-wrenching soul to the most abstract of timbres. Andreya’s honest delivery and total commitment to every word that falls from her lips have begun to captivate hearts all across the globe.

The Couch Sessions pays tribute to this princess of soul by way of The Dream Suite. The audio experience is blended as a 31 minute mix showcasing some of Ms. Triana’s back catalog, remixes and rarities, sprinkled with ambient hip-hop instrumentalism and field recordings from the great city of London.

Enjoy.

Tracklisting

1. TM Juke & the Jack Baker Trio (feat. Andreya Triana) – That Gut Feeling
2. Natural Self (feat. Andreya Triana) – The Rising
3. Aaron Jerome (feat. Andreya Triana) – Angel Lady
4. Hocus Pocus – Piece No. 14
5. kidkanevil (feat. Andreya Triana) – Good Morning, What’s New?
6. Lokua – A Thousand Pages
7. Some Freak, Andreya Triana, Ritorell – The Light (Dorian Concept Remix)
8. Andreya Triana – Lost Where I Belong (Acoustic)
9. Hocus Pocus – Piece No. 6
10. Bonobo (feat. Andreya Triana) – Eyes Down (Floating Points Mix)

Download: The Couch Sessions Presents: Sunrise Suite

Are you a “morning person”?  That elusive, desirable trait of successful people?

I wouldn’t know…the most frequent question I’m asked before 10am is, “Are you alright….?”

It’s not that I hate mornings in themselves. I hate the noise and bustle that disrupt the peace & tranquility of sleep.  Loud news show hosts.  Popular radio.  Traffic.  “Honey Do” lists and “Honey why didn’t you do” lists that begin to form as soon as my beautiful wife gains consciousness.  The chorus of random, loud cell-phone banter.

But there’s a lot to love about mornings.  The fact that we’ve been given another day of life.

Stretching, reading scriptures and drinking green tea in peace before the city awakens.

Music has always facilitated the peaceful transition from the private world of my thoughts to forced world of chaos all around.

This play-list is inspired by that sentiment.  No too sleepy…not to ambient…stimulating, but in a calm, gentle way.  Forgive me if that sounds like a laxative…guess it kind of is…albeit a mental one.

Acoustic Jazz, hip-hop and soul is the blend with electronica sprinkles.

Headphone & morning commute friendly.

Peaceful journeys.

Tracklisting:

1. The Cinematic Orchestra – Prelude (live)

2. Mentz – Introduction II

3. Robert Glasper feat. Bilal – All Matter

4. The Roots feat. The Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Dilchestra – Antiquity

5. Tycho – Dictaphone’s Lament

6. Seal – State of Grace (acoustic)

7. Bebel Gilberto – August Day Song (king britt remix)

8. Stevie Wonder – Lookin’ for Another Pure Love

9. Common – Ghetto Heaven part 2 (instrumental)

10. Tonda Trio – Tide

11. Shafiq Husayn – Love Still Hurts

12. Dilla – Flyyyyy

13. Saine – Live a Little

14. The Cinematic Orchestra – Breathe (live)

Download: Audio Relaxation Therapy – Comfort Fit

Words: J.S. Yingling

Music: Comfort Fit (Download Forget and Remember LP HERE)

Download: Audio Relaxation Therapy – Black Gold 360

Random thoughts by JConda.  Soundtrack provided by Black Gold 360.

Dig the sounds?  Download the album (legally) HERE.

Massive Attack – Paradise Circus

Tomorrow marks the official release date (U.S. and Canada) for Heligoland, the 5th proper studio album by Massive Attack.

Whereas the 2003 release 100th Window glistened with mechanical accuracy and disciplined minimal techno, Heligoland finds the Bristol duo returning to the dirtier, dubbed out sound of 1998′s Mezzanine.  Analog synths bubble around ethnic drums, abstract textures, traditional instruments and vocals in a seamless tapestry only Massive Attack could weave.

Heligoland is not a simple collection of ‘singles’…the album is assembled like the soundtrack to a journey through crowded streets, perpetual darkness and rain, seedy hotels and desperate love.  Texture and mood are given precedence over easy to digest pop song structures.  One gets the idea that Massive Attack could care less about their music being played on radio.  Heligoland is an album, meant to be consumed in its entirety, meant to transport the listener and hold them captive in a distant yet familiar world.

We also note that Massive Attack’s penchant for collaboration has gone unchanged.  Guest vocalists Damon Albarn (Gorillaz), Martina Topley-Bird, Tunde Adebimpe, Hope Sandoval and long time collaborator Horace Andy work wonderfully within the framework of Massive’s moody production, Andy delivering one of his most melodic performances atop the menacing bass line of “Girl I Love You”.  Guy Garvey of Elbow lends his subdued tenor to “Flat of the Blade”, a song that could easily find its home in a Luc Besson film. “I’m not good in a crowd / I’ve got skills I can’t speak of / Things I’ve seen / will chase me to the grave” Garvey croons in his believable, thick, monotone.

Heligoland is not all doom and gloom, however.  The album is sprinkled with bright moments of uplifting sonic emancipation.  The near-pop turn around in Pray for Rain.  The beautiful string arrangements of “Splitting the Atom” and “Paradise Circus”.  These moments break through the tech-noir soundscape like rays of angelic sunshine, adding wonderful humanity and balance.

Heligoland reaffirms Massive Attack’s legendary status.  Some will complain that the album is too similar to Mezzanine and doesn’t offer anything new.  But as countless electronica bands fall back on robotic 80′s, overly arpeggiated and soul-less sounds, Massive Attack has returned to do what no one else can.  Blending influences from across the globe, they have created a wonderful work of art, full of light and shadow, free of cliché, imitation and predictability.  Their sound is so unique that an entire genre was created in an attempt to pigeon-hole and market them.  Notwithstanding, Heligoland displays the duos ability to transcend genre and classification to create a wonderfully engaging, aural experience.

Pray for Rain feat. Tunde Adebimpe: Tundes voice exists perfectly in the abstract world of samples, ethnic drums and heavy piano work.  The song builds to an unexpected, near pop-like climax of beautiful harmony only to resolve back into the menace of the main groove.

Babel feat. Martina Topley-Bird: Martina’s voice falls into the track like a lovely instrument amidst the patchwork of rhythm guitars and analog synths.

Splitting the Atom feat. Damon Albarn: Very Gorillaz-esque staccato organ accompanies Grant Marshall’s signature baritone which contrasts wonderfully with Horace Andy’s high tenor on the hook.  Albarn’s background harmonies add mystery and depth and texture as the song is lifted by glorious string textures during its final moments.

Girl I Love You feat. Horace Andy: Horace Andy lends his signature vocals over a menacing bass line and Mezzanine-ish guitar work.  The track is transported to another dimension with intricate horn work.

Psyche feat. Martina Topley-Bird: Chopped, jangly guitars wrap Martina’s vocal in an intricate texture of urgency.  By all means check out the Flash Treatment remix by Christoffer Berg featured on the Splitting the Atom EP.

Flat of the Blade feat. Guy Garvey.

Paradise Circus feat. Hope Sandoval: One of the most hopeful uplifting tracks on the album, production-wise.  Hope delivers her intimate performance in the midst of gentle piano work, hand claps and dub bass.  Lovely.

Rush Minute: Del Naja makes up for any lack of vocal ability with the introspective opening line “I wanna be clean but I gotta get high”.

Saturday Comes Slow feat. Damon Albarn: A very nice delivery from Damon Albarn could almost be accused of being out of place…that is until the guitar textures creep in at the 2:20 mark.

Atlas Air: A building near 8 minute groove that takes us close to 100th Window territory is the albums closer.

Download: Audio Relaxation Therapy – “Live With Me” (Zip File)

Today we’ll share Mr. Terry Calliers pain as we take an objective look at 2010.

Adventuresome without being abstract, authentic without being inaccessible.

Analogue Transit – 1983

The group Analogue Transit comprises of vocalist/guitarist Kwaku Aning and producer Jeff Shreiner.  The opening lines of their debut album, Gearheart, set the tone for the duos philosophy – “I am the truth / the thing you long to hear / I am analogue”.  Thankfully, the album is not a mere rehashing of the analog vs. digital battles that litter forums across the internet.  Rather, Analogue Transit aim to incorporate both worlds into their audio landscape…and the results are impressive.

Mr. Shreiners sound tapestry takes analog elements and melds them seamlessly with the editing and arranging techniques common  in modern pop-electronica.  Acoustic guitars and pianos, full of room noise and ambiance, find their way next to synth warbles and stuttered vocal effects.  Small touches, like the ‘roomy’ claps in the song 1983, add a welcome warmth, a human element that is usually missing from modern productions.

The song-writing and vocal arrangements are solid and radio ready.  Not many cliched lyrical concepts are to be heard.  Mr. Aning lends his capable, honest vocal to the songs.  His vocals are very clear with an ever so slight edge – reminiscent of a Darius Rucker.  One could even imagine that with a slight change in intonation Kwakus vocals would easily fit into a pop-rock or modern country context without sounding forced.

All in all this is a good release, adventuresome without being abstract, authentic without being inaccessible.  We should keep a close eye on the duo as they continue to grow stylistically and get comfortable in their own skin.

photo courtesy of BostonBill via Flickr

Download – Audio Relaxation Therapy, December 09th, 2009

Today we announce a new download-able zip format for today’s A.R.T. session.

We’ll fall into the sounds of The Cinematic Orchestra as we take a minute to think about that place we call “home”….

Martin Luther – While My Guitar Gently Weeps

It’s amazing how unscripted good art can be.

In a world of information overload, where a simple Google search on “songwriting” pulls up over 2 million responses, the true artistry and craftsmanship of songwriting begins in a natural, beautiful place.

The heart.

Don’t get me wrong, art needs technique – to a certain extent.  However, when technique begins filter and regulate the creative process from beginning to end, well, then suddenly, creating art becomes “manufacturing product”.

What am I babbling about?  OK, an example.  The Beatles double album (known as “The White Album”) contained the enchanting lyric and melody of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.  It is documented that George Harrison began writing this song after choosing to create a song based on the first two words of a randomly opened book.  Those words were “Gently weeps”.

To help us see the true beauty of the lyric and melody, we call upon Rebel Soul Brother Martin Luther.  In the 2007 film production of “Across the Universe”, Martin Luther played a Jimi Hendrix-esque character by the name of Jo-Jo.  “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was Jo-Jo’s solo.

Martin Luther exemplifies the laid back, honest nature of true artistry.  And I suppose that’s the point of my ranting.  “Radio Single”, “Branding” and “Marketing” are necessary terms…but need to separated from the artistic process.  Let your heart speak first.  Relax.  Have fun.  Create.  Never allow the mental critic (or the guys in suits) to hinder the love.

Silhouette Brown – Check In (Calling You)

If you ever find yourself visiting Atlanta, one of your destinations must be Moods Music in the Little Five Points area of the city.  It would be un-neighborly of me, however, not to warn you of the potential dangers of visiting this musical oasis.

First of all, come with a pre-determined amount of cash.  If you do not heed this advice, Daryll will take your money, as you will not leave the store without 5-10 CD’s – whilst all the while smiling and shaking your head as you explain to friends that you only came to get the new Erro.

One of these moments of unbridled spending passion led me to Silhouette Brown – a London-based nu soul, broken beat, downtempo outfit consisting of keyboardist Kaidi Tatham, producer Dego MacFarlane and siren vocalist Deborah Jordan.  I explained to the sister on duty what type of mood I was in and she suggested several albums including that of the aforementioned.  The scary abstract teddy bear cover didn’t do anything to boost my confidence in her selection.

The album washed over me with sparse, patient instrumentation, delightfully off-beat (and BANGIN’) drums intertwined with excellent songwriting and call-response vocals.  Today I share this bliss with you in the form of “Check In (Calling You)”.

Welcome to the first installment of Audio Relaxation Therapy.  A.R.T. began as a humble email blast sent out to office workers across the United States, Toronto, Hong Kong and Japan.  The email consisted of positive thoughts, good music and the encouragement to back away from the monitors, don the headphones and breathe.

A.R.T. has now found a gracious home here at The Couch Sessions and I look forward to sharing music and thought with you each Wednesday.

Are you ready to breathe?  Let’s go…

Shingo Suzuki – Eternal Sunshine

Why is music so universal?  Spoken language takes years to learn, lifetimes to master.  Visas, border patrols, budget constraints and National Security stifle face to face interaction.  The ignorant leanings of the imperfect human mind cause many of us to clench tightly to our comfort zones.

But none of these can fully hinder the power of music because music is received by the heart, not the mind.  That’s why music makes us cry, hate, love, fight and dream.

So when I hear dirty, crackly samples over laid back dilla-esque drums come from a nihonjin brother who wakes up under a “different sun” than I do…I understand.  At least my heart does.

He’s speaking my language.