In Case You Missed It: Tor’s Way-Chill “Drum Therapy”
–Written by Kevin Madert
It’s been a long time since I’ve come across an album as appropriately titled as Tor’s 2012 debut Drum Therapy. If Neil Peart and a few enlightened monks started a side-project, the general thrust would be pretty similar: there’s never a lack of forward-moving percussive elements, but the entire album listens like a slow stroll down a long beach. It’s this tightrope between heavy and light that Tor traverses with deftness befitting a producer albums-deep into a career, and it’s how well he pulls it off that has kept this album on heavy rotation two years down the road.
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Emancipator announces Loci Records showcase, premieres new track “Diamonds”
-Written by Kevin Madert
It’s always a good day when Doug Appling releases new music. It’s an even better day when that music is coupled with an announcement of even more music. And it’s an even better day still when said new music will be a free showcase of the brightest talent in the downtempo scene. By these parameters, yesterday was certifiably fantastic: Loci Records – the label Emancipator founded in 2012 – will release a compilation album entitled Season One entirely free of charge. Featuring tracks both new and old from Tor, D.V.S*, Nym, Stratus and more, the nine-track collection promises to be a delectable sampling of the independent label’s artist offerings.
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Nine Non-Headliners You Need To See At Moonrise Festival
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
Moonrise Festival is less than a week away, and we’re getting pretty damn excited about it. We’ve already picked out our top three outfits, made enough Kandi to choke a team of glovers, and are putting the finishing touches on our sign (“KASKADE: If u can read this, check out our boobs!”).
Jokes aside, we’ve been waiting for this weekend since the unfortunate cancellation of last year’s event, and now that we have the single day lineups we can make more concrete plans – and start imparting our musical tastes upon our readers. We know you’ll be banging your head at Bassnectar and crying your eyes out at Kaskade, but here are nine can’t-miss below-the-fold acts you should familiarize yourself with so you get the most out of that ticket price.
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Weekend Wind-Down No. 1: Trip-Hopping
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
Here’s the first in a series of playlists we’ll be running weekly via Spotify: our Weekend Wind-Downs. In the words of the oft-marginalized Semisonic, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” No matter the amount of debauchery, the number of mistakes, and the richter-scale magnitude of your hangovers, weekends end (hell, it’s in the name). We’re here to take that back-to-reality transition and make it a bit smoother for you in ten-song, hour-long segments.
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