The Underground of Happiness

*Dedicated to LK who loves autumn*

Autumn. Fall.

I’ve been threatening to do one of these for a while.
What are autumn songs? What is autumn music?
There are the ones that reference autumn explicitly.
Leaves. Wind. Rain. Colours. Sun lower in the sky. Those unforgettable moons.

But beyond that there’s the metaphor of time passing.
A certain mood.
The beginning of the end of something.
That can still be beautiful.

Lots of music taps into this well for its atmosphere.
A certain meditative quality might be in it.
A contemplation of something.
Maybe nostalgia.
Often a minor key. Or at least bittersweet.

(Possibly related – many of the tracks here feature woodwind. Flutes. Clarinets. Double recorder.
The force of breath? There’s even the sighing of an accordion. And a harmonica.)
There might even be spirits involved. Souls. Halloween. Contact with another world.
Or like birds taking off for warmer climates some kind of migration.
Transformation.
Death or decay.


Enjoy…

The human voice.

Singers. Vocalists. Solo. In groups. Harmonies. Dissonance.

A capella.
Sotto voce.
Screeches.
Swoops.
Croons.
Devotional.
An attack.
A glide.
A growl.
A swoon.
A yearning.

Jazz. Blues. Folk. Pop. Psych. Electro. Classical. Doo Wop. Whatever.

Sometimes the simple effect of massed voices.
Sometimes singing just for the joy of it.
Sometimes a voice not technically great but still with something great about it.
Intonations are involved too. Maybe not even words. A voice below the brain. Giving breath to feelings.


Backing vocals. Sometimes so crucial and innovative they are the true heart of a song.
Backing vocals that don’t deserve to be called backing.


Some of my favourite singers and vocal arrangements and performances.

Enjoy.

**************************************************

Playlist
Cocteau Twins – Cherry coloured funk (4AD)
Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares – Pilentzee Pee (4AD)
Julianna Barwick – The magic place (Asthmatic Kitty)
Todd Tobias…

A collection of recent favourites here at UOH Towers.

Mostly new or upcoming releases.

Across genres. The way it should be.

Plus a few of an older vintage.

Enjoy.



Playlist
Elaine Malone – You
Josephine Foster – Shepherd moon of starry height (Fire Records)
Todd Tobias & Chloe March – Lillavva (Hidden Shoal)
Kamasi Washington – Will you sing (Young Turks)
Szun Waves – Moon runes (The Leaf Label)
Spike & Debbie – Always sunshine (Tiny Global Productions)
The Free Design – Make the madness stop (Project 3)
Alison Statton & Spike – Open portal (Tiny Global Productions)
Terry – The whip (Upset The Rhythm)
Comet Gain – If not tomorrow (Tapete)
Hater – I wish I gave you more time because I love you (Fire Records)
The Chills – Deep belief (Fire Records)
The Big Lovin’ – Adiadiadio
The Honey Hahs – River (Rough Trade)
Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread – When (Full Time Hobby)
Lee Hazlewood – My autumn’s done come (Light in the Attic)
Kathryn Joseph – we have been lo…

An instrumental mix for this summer/autumn crossover (sum/tumn).

Some of my favourite soundtrack cuts in here. Also a few notable new releases. Some on the experimental end.

Plenty of drones.

Enjoy.



Playlist
William Tyler – I’m gonna live forever (If it kills me) (Merge Records)
Glenn Jones – From Frederick to Fredericksburg (Thrill Jockey)
Richard Osborn – Streets of Laredo, A Pastorale (Tompkins Square)
Spindle Ensemble – Moonbow (Adderwell Music)
Sebastian Reynolds – Mahajanaka (Remix by Emseatee) (www.sebastianreynolds.co.uk)
Bernard Herrmann – Scene d’amour (from the soundtrack of the film Vertigo, Varese Sarabande)
Moondog – Theme (Columbia)
Soccer 96 – Button basher (Slowfoot Records)
Infinite Music – Magenta (Infinite Music: A Tribute to La Monte Young, Fire Records)
Jodie Lowther – Dream of the Melting Plane (The Blow Vol 4, Front & Follow)
Eat Lights, Become Lights – Modular Living (Rocket Girl)
Tangerine Dream – Teetering scales (from the soundtrack of the fil…

A review of the year so far in music.

Some great sounds in 2018.

Enjoy.



Playlist 489 - Best of 2018, Jan-July

Kacy & Clayton – The siren’s song (New West Records)
Kacey Johansing – The hiding (Night Bloom Records/Melodic)
Jessica Risker – Anyway when I look in your eyes (Western Vinyl)
Jim Ghedi – Sloade Lane (Basin Rock Records)
Szun Waves – Constellation (The Leaf Label)
Spindle Ensemble – Moonbow (Adderwell Music)
Nightports w/ Matthew Bourne – Exit (The Leaf Label)
Get Well Soon – Martyrs (City Slang)
Caroline Says – First song (Western Vinyl)
The Saxophones – Aloha (Full Time Hobby)
Jack Hayter – At Crossness Pumping Station (Gare du Nord)
Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread - Less than positive (Full Time Hobby)
Jennifer Castle – Texas (Paradise of Bachelors)
Kamasi Washington – The Space Traveller’s Lullaby (Young Turks)
Django Django – In your beat (Because Music)
De Lux – 875 dollars (Innovative Leisure)
BOYTOY – Mary Anne (Stolen Body Records)
…

Now and again a record comes along that just seems to suit the atomsphere.

As in the actual weather.

One album has dominated the last two months for me. It has soundtracked my heatwave. Almost as if it was written specially for it.

The sound is dreamy. There’s a shimmer to it. All acoustic guitars, staccato picked electrics and upfront airy synths. Back of the room drums with plenty of toms. Pitter patter basslines.

And a voice that conjures nothing but a warm summer night.

You might say a California sound.

This album was released last year in the US but thanks to the people at Melodic in England it’s getting a second life.

The vocals deserve another mention. They’re an absolute dream.

Soulful.

Swooning.

Persuasive with gorgeous tumbling bittersweet melodies.

At times the between the eyes purity of a Christine McVie. At times the drifting enigma of a Victoria Legrand.

At all times the most convincing natural thing in the world.

And not just t…