The Underground of Happiness

A bit of a baroque kick on the show this week. Lake Ruth is a Brooklyn 3-piece with wonderful flourishing melodies and shimmering arrangements around treble-y basslines and analogue synths. Jean-Claude Vannier – famous collaborator with Serge Gainsbourg – patented a brand of baroque pop with those up front basslines once again. This is one of his vault treasures as issued by the Finders Keepers label some years back. Charlotte Gainsbourg has a new album full of great melancholy arpeggios. A kind of downbeat baroque pop. Also some exotica. From the past Eden Ahbez . A dream of a life of freedom that shimmers. From the present The Saxophones . A dream of pop music with flutes. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 481 Tues Mar 6 2018 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8...

A couple of themes in this week’s show. Voices. The wonderful bruised croon of Ken Griffin of August Wells , coming back again to Ireland to play in April. The epitome of soul. The pure heart-piercing tones of Brona McVittie , from her beguiling new album. Eden Ahbez , a lost treasure from 1960, imagining an idyllic existence amid hushed and spellbinding exotica. Jack Hayter , a gritty maybe eccentric folk voice, contemplating the outpourings and emissions of a city. And Orquesta Akokán , a Cuban group on Daptone. Irresistible frenetic Latin rhythms. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 477 Tues Feb 6 2018 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *listen back to this show here goo.gl/A8EBmW Playlist Aug...

Something about the spareness and spaciousness of this music went perfectly with cool breezy nights in the middle of nowhere French countryside lately. Piano and cello is all that’s involved for the most part... ...well that and the essential element of the room in which it was recorded. The space. Long cello bows. Hanging piano notes. Plus of course the unbeatable touch of Mr Bourne . Classical music (if you wish) with a wonderful feel and tons of heart. A beautiful record. Isotach by Matthew Bourne

Another sublime cut of ruminative piano from the upcoming new album. In among the spare plaintive notes are the most beautiful cello swells. Ambient ebbs and floes. A deep register and a harmonic upper note working together. Like a rumbling sea with its own waves crashing. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that get you through and this is one of the best of those. Isotach by Matthew Bourne

Aching piano instrumental from the North of England artist ahead of a new album in the summer. Matthew Bourne has spent the last few years exploring the edges of improv with Moog workouts, audio visual collaborations and Kraftwerk interpretations (sometimes all at the same time). While those were fascinating, there’s something very satisfying about this return to piano, to territory reminiscient of his wonderful Montauk Variations album from 2012. Plaintive and spare piano notes gather long contemplative cello drones leading to a surprisingly suspenseful atmosphere. It’s a thing of beauty and I can’t wait to hear more from the album. Candela (for Sascha Heeney) by Matthew Bourne

A selection of dreamy kosmische cuts this week. Jane Weaver making something vulnerable and really beautiful out of interweaving synths. Percolator with lovely gauzy shoegaze textures. The Saxophones have a veil thin dream pop. And Matthew Bourne is back with sublime instrumental piano music. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 444 Tues Apr 25 2017 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *listen back to this show here goo.gl/M33CKO Playlist Jane Weaver – Slow motion ( playing The Lexington, London, May 22 ) Percolator – Yellow fire ( playing Coughlan's, Cork, Apr 28; Bello Bar, Dublin, Apr 29 ) Autre Monde – Customs Me and The Bees – Spinnin The Saxophones – If you’re on the water Nightlands – Dependi...

A lash of new music with various psychedelic shades this week. The beautiful pulsing kosmische of Jane Weaver . The lush dream pop of Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble . The wonderful Go Team-ish 60s girl gang sound of Whyte Horses . The swooning psych folk of Entrance . Some instrumental cuts too, including two great soundtrack pieces. Nicholas Britell from Moonlight & Brian Gibson of Lightning Bolt s'tracking the video game Thumper . Plus Matthew Bourne back at the piano to majestic effect. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 442 Tues Apr 11 2017 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *listen back to this show here goo.gl/GCxQmq Playlist Entrance – Always the right time ( playing Shacklewell Arms,...

Matthew Bourne's Montauk Variations is one of my favourite albums of the year so far - you can read more of what I think about it on this link. http://theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com/2012/01/matthew-bourne-montauk-variations-leaf.html News today that Matthew has begun a residency in China . He's started a blog about his stay there - it's entertaining and self-deprecating (a bit like his music really) and it'll be interesting to follow him over the course of the six weeks. Here's episode 1, which features photos of some huge meals. http://matthewbourne.com/blog/?p=94 As we're in Oscar week, and given that a silent film has just swept the boards, let's remind ourselves of Matthew Bourne's sublime version of the Charlie Chaplin tune Smile .

The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Playlist 205 Tues Jan 24 2012 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *listen back to this show here https://rapidshare.com/files/517000224/The_Underground_Of_Happiness_Jan_24_2012.m4a Playlist Arvo Part - Fratres for string quartet Mint Julep - Aviary Band of Clouds - The great silence of snow Peaking Lights - Tiger eyes (Laid back) (Adrian Sherwood/On U Sound Remix) Lower Dens - Brains Phantom Limb - The pines Slow Place Like Home - Carte blanche Flare Acoustic Arts League - Yes I do (Merry go-round) Emphemetry - Old dreams Oliveray - The book she wrote and in the time Matthew Bourne - Smile ( Montauk Variations album launch, Cafe Oto, London, Feb 15 ) *next week's show will feature music from Land Lovers, Milagres, Songs of Green Pheasant, Tanl...

I'm no jazz afficionado. I probably know as much about jazz as the average pop music fan. Which is why I'd previously only been aware of the pianist Matthew Bourne at arm's length, through references in regular mailings from the Leaf record label. Now, Leaf are releasing what is apparently his first ever solo studio album, and his first outing with the label. From what I read about Bourne, it sounds like he doesn't wear the jazz tag easily; he's been a serial collaborator over the last decade - piano trios, free jazz/noise groups and even a project seeking out broken pianos, Songs from a lost piano (which sounds intriguing and I must check it out this minute). I've no intention of attempting anything like a review of this album. I'm not qualified and I hate it when people wander into territory where they're clearly out of their depth. However, there is an obvious "way in" for me here - a version of the Charlie Chaplin tune Smile , which ori...

The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Playlist 203 Tues Jan 10 2012 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *no podcast this week - see below for video/audio links Playlist Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons - You're a song (that I can't sing) (Best of 2011) Chairlift - Met before AU - rr vs d Grimes - Genesis ( playing Forbidden Fruit Festival, Dublin, June 3; also Primavera Festival, Barcelona, May 31-June 2 ) Matthew Bourne - Smile ( Montauk Variations album launch, Cafe Oto, London, Feb 15 ) Emphemetry - Old dreams Metronomy - The look (Best of 2011) Connan Mockasin - Forever dolphin love (Best of 2011) Dark Captain - Submarines (Best of 2011) Slow Place Like Home - Carte blanche Other Lives - Tamer animals (Best of 2011) Oliveray - Harmonics Bruce Haack - Program me *n...