Minimal techno has always fascinated me. So much is possible, despite the relatively austere sound palette. A clever song construction is necessary to make this sort of music pleasant, and Boris Brejcha more than accomplishes this.
Through almost 8 minutes, the melody is built and re-built around what is easy to dismiss as a relatively straight-forward bass beat. But listen carefully to the changing tonality of that beat and you will understand that this song is anything but straight-forward.
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/00681-BorisBrejchaCommanderTom-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Boris Brejcha – Commander Tom’ desc=’Minimal techno has always fascinated me. So much is possible, despite the relatively austere sound palette.’]
This is one of the most powerful songs I’ve ever heard. The instrumental and vocal buildup takes place wonderfully, but what I really meant with the word “powerful” lies in the lyrics of this song. I could say much more about it, but I’ll let these guys do the talking and you to do the thinking.
“So I’m writing to apologize for all the horrors committed in my name,
Although that was never what I intended, I feel I should take my share of the blame.
All the good I tried to do was corrupted when all the religion got into full swing,
What I thought were quite clear messages were taken to unusual extremes.
My teachings taken out of context to meet the agendas of others,
Interpretations taken to many different ways and hidden meanings discovered
[…]
It was You that built the towers
It was You that invented bombs, and the fear that comes with them
And it was You that invented money, and the corrupt economic systems
You invented terms like just-war and terms like friendly fire
And it was You that didn’t know when to stop digging deeper, when to stop building higher
It was You that exhausted the resources I carefully laid out on this earth,
And it was You that even saw these problems coming but accredited them little worth
It was You that used my teachings for your own personal gain
And it was You that committed such tragedies, even though they were in my name
So I apologize for any mistakes I made, and when my words misconstrued
But this apology’s to Mother Nature, ‘cause I created YOU”
You can purchase the song (or album) from BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Dan Le Sac’s album :).
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/00670-DanLeSacScroobiusPipAngles-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip – Letter From God To Man’ desc=’The instrumental and vocal buildup takes place wonderfully, but what I really meant with the word "powerful" lies in the lyrics of this song.’]
With its sharp sound and amazing attention to detail, this melody made it to the top of my best finds of this 2016. One can listen to this song for a dozen times and continue to find surprising details coming out from liquid depths that wobble and echo.
It’s danceable yet dreamy; at least until the planet-busting laser synth kicks in and turns the entire thing up to eleven. The word “obsessive” doesn’t quite do justice to this song. I have to stop…
“Thinking about you
Constantly thinking about you
Thinking about you
I’ve been thinking too much about you
See the sunset with no sleep at all
Constantly thinking about you
And I can’t get through this at all”
I’ll be thinking about this song for a long time. And, better yet, I’ll come back to it again and again and let my mind attack me with its exotic images.
Last but not least, I recommend watching the video too.
You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Trentemøller’s album :).
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/00622-TrentemollerMoan-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Trentemøller – Moan (Vocal Remix feat. Ane Trolle)’ desc=’One can listen to this song for a dozen times and continue to find surprising details coming out from liquid depths that wobble and echo.’]
Let’s go for some addictive electronic grooves, singed along the edges by the flames of a passing guitar. Combining sounds that remind us of the games of the past, this catchy song comes straight from the soundtrack of Super Meat Boy^. Be careful, it may be more addictive than the game!
You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Danny Baranowsky’s album :).
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/00609-DannyBaranowskySuperMeatBoySoundtrack-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Danny Baranowsky – C.H.A.D.'s Broken Wind’ desc=’Let's go for some addictive electronic grooves, singed along the edges by the flames of a passing guitar.’]
There are very few psybient songs that I don’t like, so it’s difficult to select a Weekly from the dozens I love. This is a recent find so I let its age push it to the top of the list. It’s a really well structured melody featuring good rhythms, layered choirs and a rich sound palette. It’s “psybient by the book” in all the good ways one can interpret the expression.
You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Ephemeral Mists’ album :).
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/00593-EphemeralMistsMoonRitual-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Ephemeral Mists – Gardens Of Reflection’ desc=’A really well structured melody featuring good rhythms, layered choirs and a rich sound palette.’]
Even from the first listen, this song’s atmosphere surrounded and enthralled me. The old man recounting memories of his beautiful moments on this Earth is a perfect enhancer for the music. A relentless didgeridoo is accompanied by powerful vibes while the tribal chants echo from all sides. Oh yes, the tribal vibe is strong with this one.
You might want to check out the fan-made YouTube video too.
“You can hear them sing
You can see them dance
Feel the rhythm
Feel the beat…
You could see them moving in the moonlight night
You could see them dancing in the moonlight night”
You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Ganga Giri’s album :).
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/00573-GangaGiriTravellingToo-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Ganga Giri – Travelling Too’ desc=’A relentless didgeridoo is accompanied by powerful vibes while the tribal chants echo from all sides.’]
Electronic music duo Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland collaborated with singer Karin Dreijer Andersson to create this highly original composition. A lot is happening in this song. It feels quite organic. Bringing the hit home is Karin’s unique way of singing. I should also mention that the video is quite good as well.
“I don’t know what more to ask for
I was given just one wish
It’s about you and the sun
A morning run
The story of my maker
What I have and what I ache for”
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/00533-RoyksoppTheUnderstanding-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Royksopp – What Else Is There?’ desc=’A lot is happening in this song. It feels quite organic. Bringing the hit home is Karin's unique way of singing.’]
Get ready to be snapped away into a universe built by a myriad sounds. There are more things happening here than on some entire albums. And yet… a powerful sense of purpose permeates the melody.
There are very few songs that score this highly on the “mind-blowing” scale. Close your eyes and let your mind reach ecstasy through rhythm. And remember: bad sound ruins good music.
You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Kalya Scintilla’s album :).
This Weekly Song entry has been brought from the FaceBook archive of Weekly Song^. This project was originally started through a FaceBook page, about 13 months prior to launching Mentatul. Slowly but surely, the entire FaceBook archive will be brought here.
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/00536-KalyaScintillaRisesInTheEast-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Kalya Scintilla – Rises In The East’ desc=’Get ready to be snapped away into a universe built by a myriad sounds. There are more things happening here than on some entire albums.’]
When it comes to fusing Oriental influences and soundscapes with the best electronic music, Desert Dwellers are second to none – perhaps tied. This song is best listened using a sound system with some serious bass capabilities – you’ll understand why roughly 90 seconds into it.
A deep, bouncing bass permeates the song, almost as if to assure the listener that these guys aren’t messing around here. Completing the tune is a mystical-sounding chant, perfectly blending in with the flowing, pulsating melody.
You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase a lot of Desert Dwellers from Bandcamp :).
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/00491-DesertDwellersBodhiTreeDub-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Desert Dwellers – Bodhi Tree Dub (Sunrise Mix)’ desc=’When it comes to fusing Oriental influences and soundscapes with the best electronic music, Desert Dwellers are second to none – perhaps tied.’]
Addictive through its tranquility, MIKTEK’s art shines despite its unassuming, subdued tonalities. Yet, even as the solemn bass leaves no doubts about it, the listener will feel a great force in play here. This is the second song from MIKTEK’s “Elsewhere” album that I’m featuring here, and it may not be the last.
You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase MIKTEK’s album :).
[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/00472-MiktekOminousRide-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’MIKTEK – Ominous Ride’ desc=’Addictive through its tranquility, MIKTEK's art shines despite its unassuming, subdued tonalities.’]
Because being informed is just not enough anymore…
