Spacelab

sonlux: A year ago today, I began work on We Are Rising, an...

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:30:46 -0500

A year ago today, I began work on We Are Rising, an album I would write and record in 28 days. I generated a ton of images, video, and audio documenting the process, all of which NPR kindly hosted. To follow sequentially and relive the album coming together, start at the bottom of that page and work up.

In this InDigest Magazine article, I describe the reason I decided to make We Are Rising. It wasn’t on a dare, as some have said, from NPR. It was an intriguing challenge I chose to undergo, which placed the limitation of time at the center of my creative process. From the article:

I slowly realized that I’d always assumed the slow way was the only way for developing Son Lux material. That was kind of stupid. Not that I suddenly think the slow way is inferior. Neither approach is better, they’re just different. There’s something to be said about a piece of music culled from a long, deep process of experimentation, and there’s something else about a burst of unjudged, unfiltered creativity. They both have the potential to be great.

In a way, without realizing it, I had made Time a fundamental, self-imposed limitation from the outset as Son Lux. It’s just that I had always insisted my process be labored, thorough, and informed by constant exploration, right up to the end. The time-it-takes had to be long. And in February, I finally tried the opposite.

This month, I’m closing a chapter of sorts, on We Are Rising. I have tons of exciting news and music planned for this month, so stay tuned! Some of it may surprise you…

Leila - “Welcome To Your Life” (video) It’s glitchy,...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:48:58 -0500

Leila - “Welcome To Your Life” (video)

It’s glitchy, bass-heavy and full of life. Turn this one up loud …

Just when you thought The Pirate Bay was down as a place for you...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:21:56 -0500

Just when you thought The Pirate Bay was down as a place for you to find new music, comes a Pirate Bay alternative. And it’s being launched by the Pirate Bay itself. Called The Promo Bay, it gives independent musicians the ability to promote themselves. It’s not just limited to music, independent film makers, authors and artists can get in on the action too. Find out more.

The Sony Music Unlimited streaming music service will soon be...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:26:20 -0500

The Sony Music Unlimited streaming music service will soon be available as an iPhone app and iPad app for iOS.

The Big Pink release their new album Future This this week, a...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:01:28 -0500

The Big Pink release their new album Future This this week, a fresh set of track for the electro-rock / shoegaze inspired band from London. Check out some of the new songs in action on their spankin’ new 4AD Session.

Exitmusic: coming across with vocals like a new Grace Slick of...

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:50:03 -0500

Exitmusic: coming across with vocals like a new Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane, Aleksa Palladino wails with exhaustion and strength as the songs go back and forth from quiet loud quiet loud, building in intensity each time.

There’s a new David Lynch remix out for the Zola Jesus...

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:47:08 -0500

There’s a new David Lynch remix out for the Zola Jesus song “In Your Nature,” in which he applies his “Lynchian” cinematic vision to an already surreal soundscape of Zola Jesus’ music. David Lynch picked the song himself off of the album Conatus.

Grinderman are set to release a Grinderman remix album titled...

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:42:00 -0500

Grinderman are set to release a Grinderman remix album titled Grinderman 2 RMX on Mar. 12/13 via Mute Records. Nick Cave and co. recently called it quits on the Grinderman experience in an effort to move on to new projects.

Rdio CEO: Streaming Music Sites Will Replace Music Downloads

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:46:25 -0500

Rdio CEO Drew Larner on whether streaming music sites like his will replace music downloads: “Absolutely. That’s the goal: from ownership to access.”

Flaming Lips Cover The Beatles on “I Am the Walrus” (video)

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:41:45 -0500

Flaming Lips famously went all out on their cover of Dark Side of the Moon in it’s entirety in both the release of an album and a tour, could the same be said for their new cover of “I Am the Walrus” by The Beatles? The Flaming Lips launch into a full-on, distortion-soaked version of “I Am the Walrus,” in their studio, complete with some sort of plastic device to modify the sound of Wayne Coyne’s vocals.

Sub Pop to Release Fresh Electronic Sounds from Spoek Mathambo in March

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:13:20 -0500

New Sub Pop artist Spoek Mathambo is getting ready to drop his first album for the label with Father Creeper on Mar. 13. It’s South African street meets American R & B with some electronic music stylings and a nod to hip hop, dubstep, and anything else that Spoek Mathambo is finding interesting at a given moment. He’s prone to experiment with sounds, so what Father Creeper will bring us is anyone’s guess. Check out the song “Put Some Red On It.”

READ THE FULL STORY

ROBOTS OR DINOSAURS?

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:46:39 -0400

robots

Small Black have been working with Das Racist’s Heems on some...

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:25:09 -0400

Small Black have been working with Das Racist’s Heems on some new music, and a new track has surfaced with “Two Rivers.” It’s a slow mover, vibe-oriented thing that slacks along. There’s a new Small Black mixtape titled Moon Killer due on Nov. 11, and a full-length new Small Black album due out next year. Stream courtesy of The Fader.

The Small Black sound is slightly lo-fi-ish with programmed beats and an understated anthem quality to it. There was a “small” Small Black tour earlier this year with Cults, check out what they sound like live in a performance at KEXP. Also try videos of “PhotoJournalist” and “Bad Lover.”

A Place to Bury Strangers Sign to Dead Oceans

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:08:12 -0400

A Place to Bury Strangers have signed to the experimental label Dead Oceans, and will release a new EP of five songs in 2012.

The Black Keys will release their new album, El Camino on Dec....

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:05:45 -0400

The Black Keys will release their new album, El Camino on Dec. 6, via Nonesuch Records. They have a super-creative approach to letting everyone about the release of El Camino, which so far has included the selling of an … El Camino.

Yessss: Phantogram Will Release a New Album Titled Nightlife in November

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:44:29 -0400

Phantogram aren’t wasting anytime with the gains they’ve made in the past two years, they’re already dropping a new full-length album titled Nightlife on Nov. 1 on Barsuk Records.

Gorillaz Announce 'The Singles Collection' as Greatest Hits

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:42:55 -0400

Gorillaz will release a greatest hits album titled The Singles Collection: 2001-2011 later this year, an interesting list of material from their previous albums and other releases. It arrives on Nov. 28/29 on Virgin/Parlophone and includes remixes, singles and videos and comes in CD, DVD, download, vinyl and a special limited edition Gorillaz box set.

New Metric Album In 2012: No Weakness

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:41:21 -0400

Metric last checked in with the world on the album Fantasies, then the remix album Fantasies Flashbacks. Now it looks like 2012 will be another year with a new Metric album that they’re looking to release it in the Spring.

Flying Lotus Is Makin' a Movie

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:17:00 -0400

Flying Lotus might be better known for his surreal soundscapes of electronic music, but his first love is apparently film, and he’s currently looking at making a movie over the next year. It’s unclear how this will affect his music schedule, but there’s no doubt the film score to any Flying Lotus movie will be awesome.

FlyLo is the LA-based DJ who you may know from mind-expanding albums like Cosmogramma, a jazz and hip-hop-influenced effort that saw him break new ground as a DJ-producer.

Esben and the Witch Will Release a Spooky Music EP in November + MP3

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:52:44 -0400

Earthy, pagan-esque sounds rumble through their music, making it a good soundtrack for things like … your next trip to Stonehenge.