<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>minimal pop – Pop Press International</title> <atom:link href="https://www.poppressinternational.com/tag/minimal-pop/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.poppressinternational.com</link> <description>Music Blog, Music News, Tracks, Reviews, Live Music, Photos & More</description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2014 15:15:10 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1</generator> <item> <title>Woman’s Hour Share Live Video of Track “Conversations”</title> <link>https://www.poppressinternational.com/2014/07/01/womans-hour-share-live-video-of-track-conversations/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryan Parker]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2014 15:15:10 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[BLOG]]></category> <category><![CDATA[VIDEOS]]></category> <category><![CDATA[minimal pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Secretly Canadian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[synth pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tracks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[UK]]></category> <category><![CDATA[videos]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woman's Hour]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.poppressinternational.com/?p=15518</guid> <description><![CDATA[Exactly two weeks from today, UK synth pop band Woman’s Hour will release their debut album Conversations on Secretly Canadian. Today, as a lead up to that release, the group has shared a live...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Exactly two weeks from today, UK synth pop band Woman’s Hour will release their debut album <em>Conversations</em> on Secretly Canadian. Today, as a lead up to that release, the group has shared a live video of them performing the album’s title track for Vevo DSCVR. If you’re a fan of minimal, understated, female-fronted pop a la Beach House and The xx, you’ll find a lot to like about Woman’s Hour’s approach. Check out the video for “Conversations” below and <a href="http://www.scdistribution.com/womanshour/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">pre-order the album here</span></a>.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/URFZyKfibkM" width="460" height="285" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Majical Cloudz Share New Song “Savage”</title> <link>https://www.poppressinternational.com/2013/11/20/majical-cloudz-share-new-song-savage/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryan Parker]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 20 Nov 2013 16:20:18 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[BLOG]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TRACKS]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Devon Welsh]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Experimental pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Majical Cloudz]]></category> <category><![CDATA[minimal pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[recommended]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tracks]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.poppressinternational.com/?p=11368</guid> <description><![CDATA[Majical Cloudz have been performing “Savage” in their live set for some time, and the song was originally conceived around the same time as the tracks for the band’s debut Impersonator. Indeed, “Savage” possesses...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F119855000&liking=false&sharing=false&origin=tumblr" height="116" width="500" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <p>Majical Cloudz have been performing “Savage” in their live set for some time, and the song was originally conceived around the same time as the tracks for the band’s debut <em>Impersonator</em>. Indeed, “Savage” possesses the same sparse austerity and lush emotion as the songs on that album. Devon Welsh and Matt Otto have an incredible gift for minimal yet powerful song arrangement and simple, commanding lyricism. I loved <em>Impersonator</em>, and this is as good as any track on it; I’m addicted to it. Nothing more I could write will aid the song as much as Welsh’s own post on their website that accompanied the release of the song. The full text of the post is included below:</p> <p><em>“Savage” is a song we have been playing live for most of 2013. Many people have asked me on Tumblr and Twitter what this song is called and when it will be released, so here it is!</em></p> <p><em>I think it’s important to explain a song a little bit, but not too much. The song is written about a specific set of circumstances and experiences, and Matt and I did such-and-such when we recorded it, but ultimately what the song is ‘about’ is less important than how and why it is meaningful for you when you listen to it. Explaining too much about the details of the song is not the point, so I won’t.</em></p> <p><em>“Savage” is about a friendship, it’s mysteries and it’s moments of excitement, and the way drugs played into all of it. It’s about letting go of a relationship as it changes and the emotions that go along with that.</em></p> <p><em>The song was originally a lot more minimal, just piano loops and bass. As we played it live it evolved a little bit, Matt started incorporating reverb swells and exploring the ways those could be used (along with a number of other additions) to create dynamics in the song.</em></p> <p><em>Happy to be releasing it! It’s been fun to play it live over the past year.</em></p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Album Review: Majical Cloudz – Impersonator (Pop Press Pick)</title> <link>https://www.poppressinternational.com/2013/05/22/album-review-majical-cloudz-impersonator/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryan Parker]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 15:55:03 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[REVIEWS]]></category> <category><![CDATA[#matador]]></category> <category><![CDATA[experimental]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Impersonator]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Majical Cloudz]]></category> <category><![CDATA[minimal pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pop Press Picks]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.poppressinternational.com/?p=8791</guid> <description><![CDATA[Here’s the thing about Majical Cloudz’ new album Impersonator — I can’t figure out what makes is so irresistibly good. And it very much is. More often than not, my brain over analyzes what makes...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/majical-cloudz-impersonator.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8792" alt="majical-cloudz-impersonator" src="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/majical-cloudz-impersonator-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/majical-cloudz-impersonator-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/majical-cloudz-impersonator-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/majical-cloudz-impersonator-50x50.jpg 50w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/majical-cloudz-impersonator.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a>Here’s the thing about Majical Cloudz’ new album <i>Impersonator — </i>I can’t figure out what makes is so irresistibly good. And it very much is. More often than not, my brain over analyzes what makes music great, immediately identifying the subtle synth melody or how tom-driven drumming makes a song more nuanced, but with Majical Cloudz I’m still sort of mystified. Of course, the sounds and loops across the collection of experimental pop tracks are well arranged and sequenced, but there’s something else.</p> <p>It helps to look for clues in the duo’s live performance, during which Matthew Otto fades into the darkness near the back of the stage, pumping out sound, while Devon Welsh takes the spotlight to deliver lyrics. When the group played in Austin, Welsh stood almost immobile, bowing oddly as he meandered through dark, ominous vocal tones. And people loved it. Not just people who were already fans or who adore off kilter indie music. Concertgoers seemed unilaterally and emphatically drawn to this strange performance, and me with them. I pondered this for days, baffled.</p> <p>Then, I tried to pinpoint what it was that had me so consumed by Devon Welsh and Majical Cloudz. Memories of his almost shy, awkward directness with the crowd floated to the surface of my consciousness. I thought about the minimal, low-pulsing synths, the slight rhythms, the almost melodies wandering by poetically like a car with a half-flat tire. In their live show, there’s almost no show. A similar conclusion can be drawn about <i>Impersonator</i>. Welsh and Otto have cut away all the fat, and left only minimal flourishes of sound and incredibly naked lyrical performances. What’s arresting is the purity, the earnestness in a world obscured and obstructed by pretense.</p> <p>On <i>Impersonator</i>, Welsh and Otto are anything but. They have created a direct and immediate collection of hauntingly powerful experimental pop songs, brilliant in their simplicity and minimalism. It’s the subtly and the mystery that keeps us listening, drawn toward the end of a dark hall by an unexpected and faintly glowing light.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Bouquet Shares Video for “Falling”</title> <link>https://www.poppressinternational.com/2013/05/15/bouquet-shares-video-for-falling/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryan Parker]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 15:23:21 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[BLOG]]></category> <category><![CDATA[VIDEOS]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Bouquet]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dark Pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Finches]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[minimal pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[videos]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.poppressinternational.com/?p=8617</guid> <description><![CDATA[With every post we write about Bouquet, we have to say from the start that we’re superfans plain and simple. We first saw the band under the most perfect conditions imaginable, splayed out...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With every post we write about Bouquet, we have to say from the start that we’re superfans plain and simple. We first saw the band under the most perfect conditions imaginable, splayed out on the floor of a desanctified old church as the group created their moody, dark pop. We were lucky enough to debut the band’s song “Drifted” <a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/2012/08/09/exclusive-new-music-from-bouquet-drifted/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">right here</span></a> on Pop Press International, and our writer Chris Witte out in LA <a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/2013/01/31/bouquet-live-at-the-smell-in-la/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">made a trip</span></a> to see the band live in January. The group has been gaining notoriety and just performed at All Tomorrow’s Parties festival at Camber Sands in the UK.</p> <p>So, it’s with great elation that we post this new video from the band for the song “Falling.” The song represents the most lilting and lightest work we’ve seen from the group, but the delicate minimalism remains and is reflected in the video, which was directed by Dawn Carol Garcia. Watch “Falling” above.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>The xx with Austra at ACL Live</title> <link>https://www.poppressinternational.com/2013/02/13/the-xx-with-austra-at-acl-live/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryan Parker]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:41:26 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[FEATURES]]></category> <category><![CDATA[LIVE MUSIC]]></category> <category><![CDATA[#tour]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ACL Live]]></category> <category><![CDATA[art pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Austra]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Live Music]]></category> <category><![CDATA[minimal pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The xx]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.poppressinternational.com/?p=6101</guid> <description><![CDATA[The xx have defied all probability since 2009, because they’ve been a buzz band since 2009. Rather than burning out in a blaze of productivity or fading away with a hurried, lackluster sophomore...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-6145" alt="The_xx-2" src="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a>The xx have defied all probability since 2009, because they’ve been a buzz band since 2009. Rather than burning out in a blaze of productivity or fading away with a hurried, lackluster sophomore effort, The xx meditated all their initial hype into their impressive second album, the critically acclaimed <i>Coexist</i>. Now, the band has embarked on a massive world tour, which stopped in Austin early this week for two shows. I don’t think I have to state the level of incredibility realized in selling out back to back nights at ACL Live.</p> <p><a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-6.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-6111" alt="Austra-6" src="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-6-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-6-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-6-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-6-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a>Opening the night was Toronto art pop outfit Austra, a somehow surprising and simultaneously sensible choice, the band hasn’t been too active recently but is devoted to a distinct artistic vision. While Austra sounds great recorded, built on the vocal dexterity of frontwoman Katie Stelmanis, their live show impressed beyond expectation. ACL Live is a perfect venue for this kind of avant-garde pop music; the sound system is impeccable and the lighting is top notch. Splashes of purple, green, and red lit the stage in rapid flashes as Stelmanis danced and posed. Austra performed an incredibly tight, if brief, set filled with solid songs, but closer “Lose It” dominated all others before. The song’s pulsing beat ended the set on a memorable note. Austra has a full-length slated for release later this year that will come with an opportunity to solidify their status as an indie mainstay.</p> <p><a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-16.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-6131" alt="The_xx-16" src="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-16-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-16-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-16-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-16-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a>The buildup for a set like The xx’s is immense. They haven’t been to the U.S. for years, while we’ve all been clinging to this tiny island of songs. Now that we’re riding the life raft of a second album across the ocean, the ship on the horizon and potential salvation lies in a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Calm and collected, The xx began their set beautifully with “Angels,” the song that first emerged preceding the release of <i>Coexist</i>. As I said above, the sound and lighting of ACL Live was immediately essential to the night. As electric notes rang out through the theater and crisp, booming tom hits thundered in sync with pulsing, blindingly bright white light. Continuously, throughout the night, the lights corresponded to the structure of the songs, and as Jamie (as he is endearingly called) stood behind two customized Lucite blocks each etched with a giant X, I couldn’t help but meditate on what a brilliant job the band has done with branding their minimal pop. When the images for the iridescent X that adorns the cover of <i>Coexist</i> surfaced last year, the entire internet went berserk.</p> <p><a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-25.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-6122" alt="The_xx-25" src="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-25-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-25-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-25-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-25-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a>Over the course of the evening, It felt like the band played almost every song from both albums, making sure they hit vital numbers from their debut record like “VCR,” “Intro,” and “Crystalised,” as well as new songs like “Chained” and “Fiction.” Although the group’s onstage charisma didn’t include dancing or energetic rocking out, the tightness of the songs was transformative. This approach makes perfect sense with the decisions of the band. Rather than explosive energy, they supply sustained focus and gentle cathartic release.</p> <p>As the band ended their set, before returning to perform their encore, a singular, giant X illuminated the screen onstage—of course, the crowd completely lost it. It almost reminds me of some indie-rock bat signal. After outstanding sets back to back nights in one of the city’s finest venues, I don’t suspect that’s the last time we’ll see that X towering over the music fans of Austin.</p> <p><a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-1.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-1-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-1-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-1-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-2-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-3.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-3-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-3-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-3-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-3-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-4.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-4-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-4-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-4-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-4-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-5.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-5-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-5-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-5-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-5-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-6.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-6-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-6-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-6-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-6-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-7.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-7-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-7-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-7-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-7-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-8.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-8-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-8-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-8-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-8-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-9.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-9-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-9-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_xx-9-120x120.jpg 120w, 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https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-12-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-13.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-13-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-13-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-13-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-13-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-14.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-14-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-14-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-14-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-14-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><br /> <a href='https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-15.jpg'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-15-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-15-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-15-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Austra-15-50x50.jpg 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Album Review: Lost Animal – Ex Tropical</title> <link>https://www.poppressinternational.com/2013/02/11/album-review-lost-animal-ex-tropical/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryan Parker]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:35:07 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[REVIEWS]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ex Tropical]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hardly Art]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hip-hop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[island]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lost Animal]]></category> <category><![CDATA[minimal pop]]></category> <category><![CDATA[quirk]]></category> <category><![CDATA[reggae]]></category> <category><![CDATA[synth pop]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.poppressinternational.com/?p=6053</guid> <description><![CDATA[Lost Animal is the work of Jarrod Qarrell, an audacious creator of genre blending music whose debut Ex Tropical might be described as synth-punk centered folk-rap. Most of the songs’ rhythmic lyrics are...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lost_Animal-Ex_Tropical.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-6054" alt="Lost_Animal-Ex_Tropical" src="http://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lost_Animal-Ex_Tropical-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lost_Animal-Ex_Tropical-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lost_Animal-Ex_Tropical-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lost_Animal-Ex_Tropical-50x50.jpg 50w, https://www.poppressinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lost_Animal-Ex_Tropical.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a>Lost Animal is the work of Jarrod Qarrell, an audacious creator of genre blending music whose debut <i>Ex Tropical</i> might be described as synth-punk centered folk-rap. Most of the songs’ rhythmic lyrics are delivered with a brash, lip-curl sort of affectation over thumping bass and pulsing synths. That “rap” descriptor might be a stretch, but with titles like “(Intro) Beat Goes On,” which contains lyrics like “Take your hip/ and let it slip,” I think the case is there to be made. Only a moderate amount of digging online yields the fact that a majority of the album’s lyrics were improvised directly onto tape—another hallmark of hip-hop. What’s for sure is that <i>Ex Tropical</i> emerges as a mysteriously intriguing collection of expertly crafted songs.</p> <p>Swirling atmospherics back an odd, circus-like organ on the album’s first single, “Say No to Thugs,” which also features beautiful piano and a profoundly eerie bass line. Like most of the songs that follow, it turns from merely interesting to deeply provocative with each repeated listen, slowly revealing itself to the listener. The album’s tropical influences are felt on “Buai Raskol” with its steel drum and brassy elements. “Buai” refers to a popular nut in Papau New Guinea that makes the mouth extremely red, while Raskol gangs are bands of criminals in that same country.</p> <p>After the down-tempo and smooth “Don’t Litter” ambles through lines that recall the absurdity of Bob Dylan songs like “Ballad of a Thin Man,” the bass-heavy thumps of “Cold Cut Nature” revitalize the album’s hip-hop elements. The title track proves to be one of the least arresting, though the brief trip through the synthetic world of mysteriously foggy synths makes for a pleasant interlude.</p> <p>“Lose the Baby,” the album’s second single, is easily it’s most accessible and straightforward song. In this way, it may not be as oddly provocative, but it is definitely a pop gem. Pretty piano chords and steady snares back Quarrell as he sings, “Listen boy you better run, run…run.” That slight hesitation before the delivery of the line’s final word functions excellently, and he executes this technique repeatedly throughout the song. I get the feeling that this lean pop tune isn’t Quarrell’s favorite track on the record, but it is undeniably the one to which listeners will gravitate.</p> <p>Quarrell follows this up with two more of the album’s most traditionally arranged songs, “Greylands” and “Old Lovers.” The former sounds something like 80s David Bowie and the latter is a drifting synth pop track with escalating harmonies and pretty xylophone. Both tracks make me realize that almost all of the songs, these included, have a Leonard Cohen/Nick Cave feel.</p> <p>Although <i>Ex Tropical</i>’s sounds are generated primarily from keyboards, it’s a deep record, rich in texture. I completely underestimated the album on a first listen and found myself repeatedly astounded as I peeled away the complex layers of this album. Hardly Art Records has carved out a place for themselves as purveyors of off-kilter but impeccable pop in recent years, releasing the quirky pop debut from Deep Time last year. <i>Ex Tropical </i>is an album that fits into that same category. While much of the independent music community seems content to keep chewing on bland leaves of the same variety, Hardly Art serves up luscious feasts of delicacies for those willing to expand their aural palate.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>