Noble Oak - Past Life

An excellent dreampop album came out today from Toronto based musician/producer Patrick Fiore's Noble Oak. His work, along with Dayve Hawke's Memory Tapes have became my favorite dreampop artists.

I discovered Memory Tapes (then Weird Tapes / Hail Social) back in the early 2000's, making my recent discovery of Patrick's work in spring 2015 a welcomed surprise.

Now released to iTunes, Spotify, as well as in it's entirety on the Noble Oak Soundcloud, his latest 15-track album is available for the world to hear. It's pleasant and introspective without being too somber. The synthetic and guitar melodies carry each song along with well worded vocals that provide depth, and anchor each track wonderfully.

Noble Oak
SoundCloud
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Dark Chillwave: Future Holograms

Future Holograms presents an intersection between the airy, cold tones associated with 'Chillwave', but incorporating some synthy stabs and darker elements in some of their tracks. Vocals are also floating around, which works for most tracks. Good background or upbeat resting music.

Chillwave: Petite Casket - Toxic

Some tracks are reminiscent of the haziness I loved in High Tides.

NOBLE OAK at The Silver Dollar Nov. 2015 Live Concert

Awash in hues of blue and magenta, The one man band 'Noble Oak' crafted a compelling form of emotive chillwave. Originally from Vancouver, ' Patrick' has recently moved to Toronto, Ontario. 

I first heard his music in the spring of this year, and hearing it now still transports me to a tropical, introspective place. Patrick's live show was impressive - draped in his guitar and surrounded by various synthesizers and his laptop and microphone, he performed the work of a whole band single handed my. over was only $7, and provides access to multiple bands. Unfortunately, Noble Oak's synth-based, highly textured sound was in a category of its own that evening. 

In a set lasting 30 minutes, Noble Oak combined smooth, tropical background texture with live riffs from various synthesizers, his guitar, and his voice to create a sonic space that was somber, yet upbeat. Songs ranged from soulful to danceable synthpop and back again. The only disappointing aspect of the set was its relatively short length, as other artists needed setup and performance time.  I and friends eagerly await Patrick's next performance as 'Noble Oak'. C

High Tides ~ ~ ~ Chillwave

High Tides self-titled 1st release is some very relaxing tropical/coastal sounding chillwave (in the vein of Tycho) with a touch of TOBACCO's Psychrock and some wonderful nowave styled looping mixed in.



The pre-release tracks (Coastal Cruise '86, and Sunware) compromised my go-to soundtrack this summer, and I can't recommend High Tides enough:



Five of the tracks even have custom music videos that use recycled vintage 8mm-style beach videos from the 1960s-1980s to further shape the beach aesthetic High Tides flows with. It's a nice touch.

Interestingly enough, some early versions of the tracks are available on a near-forgotten Soundcloud account, but have been primarily released through Rad Cult (Tobacco's label) on their Soundcloud.

The only substantial presence this has is on BandCamp - so go buy this now, as it's worth appreciating in levels beyond the 128k MP3 preview quality.

High Tides - Tropical Chillwave

Wonderful synthwave mixes I didn't make

If I'd kept up making emotionally evocative synthwave dance mixes, they'd sound like those made by BenKaos. I love every one of them - take a listen:





More mixes here: https://soundcloud.com/benzin187


Tracklists:

Ulrich Schnauss - Stars

A Gap Between

I came across an excellent artist based in Portland called A Gap Between thanks to Tycho's Dazed Mix.

The title track is also available for free download an on Bandcamp compilation, Midnight Cassette.






Check out A Gap Bettween's Soundcloud for more hazy, chilled out synthwave with an 80's sound.

http://soundcloud.com/a-gap-between

Games - Strawberry Skies (ft. Laurel Halo)

Stratford Ct. : Amicus Curiae 2014 Retrowave Compilation

The Stratford Ct. bandcamp page also provides a helpful listing of all the artists' SoundCloud pages.

These are some particularly nice tracks from this compilation:
Sazabio - Monki,
SHY WOŁVE - coincé à nouveau,
HOME- - Bohemian Grove,
DINOSAURUS REX x AZTC - Brassier,
and『Tora Tora』 - Skyline

Interview: Tycho - Awake

There's an interesting interview out with Tycho (Scott Hansen) at The Fader.

Tycho is one of the few electronic artists I've followed since my university days. It's interesting to read about his changing approach to his music, in particular the difference between the production of 'headphone music' with what he called an "instagram" approach - and the cleaner, higher fidelity band-centric approach of his new record. Having experienced Tycho live in Toronto last year, I'm excited about this new approach.

I've always found Hansen's music very introspective, like you're drifting through positive - if sombre - memories. It was interesting to read in the interview above Hansen's comments about his music in this sense:

"...one of the beauties of instrumental music is that it doesn't define, it implies. I try to use the music as a framework for you to transpose your own emotions onto it, just like you've articulated it."



 
I'm really enjoying the new tracks he's posted on SoundCloud (above). If you're new to Tycho's music, I'd strongly suggest picking up his previous album, Dive.

   

On a related point, I used a few of Tycho's tracks in a mixed set I made 2012.  Download here, or listen below. If you like his music, check out the track list of the mixset for similarly sounding music.

Com Truise Remixes Mix

A fellow on YouTube posted a mix that compiles 24 different Com Truise remixes. 



It'd be great to hear some of these spun before Com Truise plays live at his Toronto gig (Feb 12th @ Wrongbar) this year.

Also worth listening to are two Com Truise tracks originally released in his 6th mixtape series Komputer Cast ("Surf" and "Subsonic"). Polished/redone versions of Subsonic can be found in Com Truise's next EP.

TurboDrive April 2013 - Dreamwave Mixtape Set by DJ Blayne

Free .MP3 download of DJ Blayne's remote-set.

Dark-Ware.org hosted - DJ Blayne Turbodrive Set (Rightclick, Save-as)

Backup Upload.net hosted - DJ Blayne Turbodrive Set

TURBO DRIVE Dreamwave Mix by DJ Blayne by Djblayne on Mixcloud

Setlist:

Latest Tracks

 Soundcloud is a great site. Taking the best elements from the old myspace, last.fm, and other music-related websites, it's created an amazing resource for finding new music.

For an every growing array of synthwave, chillwave, and other music that sounds like it came from an alternate universe circa 1980, visit the 'ThisStuffIsWonderful' Soundcloud 'like' page.

Memory Tapes: Walk Me Home 1 & 2

Thanks to the magic of Soundcloud's notification system, I received word today of a new mixed set by Dayve Hawk of Memory Tapes. One of the first artists I actively followed online (from his time with Hail Social, to Weird / Memory Tapes) - he consistently creates excellent music. The Walk Me Home mixes in particular have a vintage, spooky vibe to them.

Walk Me Home 2 by Memory Tapes

Also,  Memory Tapes "Walk Me Home" mix [free download link], was created originally for the excellent ARAWA.fm back in 2009.

http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/13506-walk-me-home/

DJ Blayne Mixtape: Memory (2012)

Memory Mix (2012) by thisstuffiswonderful

DJ Blayne's : Memory 2012 (Mix Tape):
A mix of chillwave, electro-ambient, and electro-synthpop I find emotionally evocative.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD (Free MP3)

1. Aslan Osiris - When Our Moon Falls vs. Tycho - Ascension [DJ B Edit]
2. Apparat - Arcadia (Telefon Tel Aviv Remix)
3. Telefon Tel Aviv - The Birds [DJ B Edit]
4. M83 - I Guess I'm Floating
5. Kevin Shields - Goodbye (Lost In Translation OST)
6. Cool Angels - Don't Feel Like Holding On (Ft. Stef Hodapp) [DJ B edit]
7. Memory Tapes - Run Out
8. Telefon Tel Aviv - Helen of Troy
9. Gypsy & the Cat - Time to Wander (Joan of Arc Remix)
10. DIIV - Follow (Memory Tapes Remix)
11. Eight and a Half - When I was Twenty Nine
12. M83 - Slight Night Shiver
13. Tycho - A Walk

Mix also streaming on Mixcloud:

DJ Blayne - Memory 2012 Mix Tape by Djblayne on Mixcloud

If you like the artists included in this set, buy their music. Some tracks are already available for free (Soundcloud) or for purchase (via Bandcamp). Mixtape created using Adobe Soundbooth and Premier.

-DJ Blayne 
[ blaynescott@gmail.com ]
http://events.dark-ware.org

Goldroom: Pacific

Goldroom is an interesting producer that's I've followed through Tracasseur for a few months since hearing his track, Fifteen.

A newer track of his called Pacific caught my ear today with its spacey, chilled out synth.
Goldroom - Pacific, downloadable for free here as part of an online compilation. 

DJ Blayne Mixtape: Retrowave & Other Futuristic Music

The Hope That Was - Mixtape by thisstuffiswonderful


DJ Blayne's : Retrowave & Other Futuristic Music (Mix Tape):

Current artists whose songs evoke an '80s futuristic sound 

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD (Free MP3)

1. Power Glove - Nightforce
2. ActRazer - We Own The Night
3. Mega Drive - Neo Tokyo 2019 [DJB Edit]
4. Thomas Barrandon - The Quiet Earth
5. Perturbator - There Is No Love Highway [DJB Edit]
6. Makeup and Vanity Set - A Glowing Light, A Promise (88:88 film score)
7. Steve Moore - Frigia [DJB Edit]
8. SquareWav - 4 AM Sunrise [DJB Edit]
9. Com Truise - Polyhurt
10. Maethelvin - Plan B
11. The Outrunners - Diamonds [DJB Edit]
12. Noir Deco - Fantisy Noir

If you like the artists included in this set, buy their music. Some tracks are already available for free (Soundcloud) or for purchase (via Bandcamp). Mixtape created using Adobe Soundbooth and Premier.

Update 2013: Now available for streaming from MixCloud:

The Hope That Was: Retrowave & Other Futuristic Music Mix by DJ Blayne by Djblayne on Mixcloud

-DJ Blayne 
[ blaynescott@gmail.com ]
http://events.dark-ware.org

The many names of '80s Homage Music

A critique that the Chillwave term is too broad, or too confining for artists feels similar to debates about what is/isn't Witchhouse. I defer to the saying coined by the supreme court: "I'll know it when I see it".

This genre is really hard to pin down, and it's probably better for it. North American & European pop music, video game and movie soundtracks from the 1970's and 1980's all appears filtered through memory, and into this 'genre'. A single track that carries with it a chill, '80s vibe could be called one of many different names: synthwave, dreamwave, outrun, nu-disco, synthpop, retrowave, 80s revival, etc. - and honestly, with the exception of 'outrun', it's in the ear of the beholder. Genres are useful tags to help people find similar sounding music, but it's best not to get too hung up on what goes where.

Regardless, each artists offer something different than actual 80's pop or straight-up homages to italio disco/space synth. Listen for yourself, and track down more by the artists you like.

Power Glove - Nightforce


The Outrunners - Diamond


What many people think of as '80's synth is a byproduct of the hardware used in in that era by musicians. The strong, unfiltered synthesizers (Korgs, Rolands, etc.) once had significant limitations, including but not limited to: how many bars of music could be programmed/looped, lack of filters outside analogue studio equipment, etc. Newer artists recapturing/emulating that sound take it in interesting new directions though, as many work without the hardware limitations, thanks to newer equipment, or editing software workarounds.


Com Truise is another of my favorite synth-heavy, vintage computer sounding artists. Just about everything the guy touches is steeped with a catchy, vintage sound.

Check him out on Soundcloud:
http://soundcloud.com/com-truise/

Or his blog/site:
http://comtruise.com/




Com Truise - Polyhurt


Com Truise - Brokendate




Com Truise - VHS Sex


Com Truise's also does some excellent remixes. Neon Indian's original track Sleep Paralysist is good, but the dual remixes Com Truise produced take it to a different level.

Neon Indian - Sleep Paralysist (Com Truise 'Eyelid' Remix)


Neon Indian - Sleep Paralysist (Com Truise 'Disorder' Remix)


While College's live performance sound like looped 80's house music, it's another nu-disco outfit with an 80's synth sound that's produced some catchy tracks. I saw this solo act perform live in Toronto recently while on tour with Anoraak, and both put on a good show. It's little wonder they produce great collaborative tracks like Fantasy Park:

College - Fantasy Park (Feat. Anoraak)


College - Amira


College - Desire