The Underground of Happiness

One of my favourite record labels is celebrating 5 years in 2011, the Perth-based Hidden Shoal Recordings . They've released some wonderful music in that time. I think it was 2009 I first became aware of them - some of my top albums of that year were from this release list - 2009: A Million Square Miles I might also direct your attention to a couple of Hidden Shoal artists who have been interviewed on the show, German ambient artist Markus Mehr in 2010 and Blake Madden from Seattle band Hotels just a few months ago (links here, or jump straight to the interview below that - you could also follow a search for "Hidden Shoal" at the top of the page). http://theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com/2011/01/markus-mehr-interview.html Markus Mehr Interview Podcast by underground of happiness http://theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com/2011/04/hotels-interview.html And even more recently, the glorious and uplifting pop music keeps flowing from Western Austral...

Antonymes - A licence to interpret dreams (Hidden Shoal) A deceptively simple set of neo-classical instrumentals (there is spoken word on one track), featuring piano, atmospherics and heart-swelling orchestral arrangements, from north Wales' Ian Hazeldine. There's a stillness and glacial beauty about these tunes which inevitably bring existential matters to mind. The maritime pull of The siren, hopelessly lost , for example. Or The Gospel Pass , with a religious bearing brought on by a solemn church organ. The single Endlessly somehow draws a rumbling chord from a series of ineffable tones. An unexpected muted trumpet fanfare opens The door towards the dream , followed by a female soprano signalling the stars. The Reichian piano structure of A light from the heavens is gradually submerged under yearning cellos. Honestly, the fact that one man/the world can produce an album this gorgeous gives hope for the future of the human race. *I must say also that ambient opener A frag...

So we've had our summer here in Ireland, in the shape of an Easter heatwave. Normal service has been resumed now in the shape of rain (sometimes wholehearted downpours, sometimes a cheeky drizzle, just for variety). More great music to listen to (indoors) this month, with chamber pop particularly to the fore. But you'll also find orchestral, psychedelic, garage-rock and IDM flourishes, among others, below. What's a pop music tag between friends anyway. All albums, unless otherwise noted. The Doomed Bird of Providence - Will ever pray (Front & Follow) It's quite unusual to find an album that is the result of, in effect, a research project. What a bonus when the music has a mysterious and compelling quality (although we partly guessed as much based on the band's fine eponymous EP of last year). The research in question, by singer Mark Kluzek, focuses on early Australian history and reveals harrowing tales of death and delinquency in the inhospitable tropics an...

The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Playlist 169 Tues Mar 29th 2011 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM listen live on the web at http://www.blogger.com/www.ucc.ie/ccr *listen back to this show at http://rapidshare.com/files/454945950/UOH_Podcast_Mar_29_2011.mp3 Playlist Josh T. Pearson - Woman, when I've raised hell ( playing Crane Lane Theatre, Cork, May 1 ) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heart in your heartbreak Crystal Stilts - Through the floor ( playing Cargo, London, Mar 29 ) *d'load i'view from May 2009 here - http://rapidshare.com/files/243401241/Crystal_Stilts_UOH_Interview_Podcast.mp3 Antonymes - Endlessly Paper Crows - Fingertips Timber Timbre - Black water ( playing Rhythm & Roots Festival, Kilkenny, Apr 30+May 1 ) Hurray for the Riff Raff - Too much of a good thing Tune-Yards -...