Antes de acostarme

I like singing while I put on my pyjamas :)

Muchas noches, antes de acostarme me gusta escuchar canciones que me se de memoria... No es que sean mis favoritas, sencillamente es algo que me relaja y por eso me gustan :)

Pastora - Tengo
Nosotrash - Arte
Javier Alvarez - Sunset Boulevard
Jorge Drexler - Mi guitarra y vos
Fabula - Despertar

The image is a "Kahlo Kiss", red gouache and wood ;)

d. List in Spiced Cedar

A warm and soft late winter list, mainly indie and accoustic. Originally a small weekend 'Klatuu' list, this has been modified so many time, it doesn't have any theme beyond mood/dream-pop/psych pop. All the artists has just released either their first or second album. If you are into trippier pop, try Monkey Swallows The univrse, Odran Trummel, In Gowan Ring. High dials is a more up beat psych rock, their second album is worth a try. Enjoy.

01. Monkey Swallows The Universe - Sheffield Shanty
02. The Clientele - Joseph Cornell
03. High Dials - Diamond in the Dark
04. Odran Trummel - Salty Lake
05. Tarkio - Tristan And Iseult
06. In Gowan Ring - Tothrum
07. Rahim - Forever Love
08. Pet Politics - The Cold Wind Blows

Note: to Anna. well, here is the 'Klatuu' like list. Better late than never I guess.
image credit : djking

Rebeldia

(Guest post by LC Franca all the way from Rio! LC wanted to share music from her country with us and I naturally agreed. The link between the songs is the rebeldia (revolt) - each song does it in it's own way: By mixing different rhythms, different instruments or simply by living their lives intensely. Thank you for sharing the music with us, LC.)

Ok, let's see: Chico Science was the leader of the Manguebeat movement. Some years ago I had the privilege to see his first show here, in Rio - it was surely one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life! A great fusion between rock, hip hop, maracatu y otras cositas mas. Their first album is called "Da Lama ao Caos" which translates as "from mud to chaos". Chico died in 1997, in a car crash.
"Dura na queda" is a song that suits perfectly Elza Soares. It rough translation would be "hard to beat" (queda means fall), just like her.
Monbojo is an indie group from Recife, their album "Nada de novo" fusions "chorinho" with flute music.
When reggae singer Papa Winnie came to Brasil without a band to play with, (!?) he started singing as O Rappa. This song comes from the "Lado A Lado B" album. Just like the old vinyls, there's one favela divided in A side and B side. Awful.
Os Mutantes were one of the great bands from the late 60's and the early 70's, their music was very influenced by Sgt. Pepper's. Ando meio desligado dates from 1969.
And last but not least, Ney Matogrosso. FM Rebeldia was a fictional radio station that started the war between the Morro (favela) and, as is called here, the "Asfalto" (asphalt, the streets).

O rappa - me deixa
Monbojo - deixe-se acreditar
Ney Matogrosso - FM rebeldia
Elza Soares - dura na queda
Os mutantes - Ando meio desligado
Chico Science and Nacao Zumbi - manguetown

The graffiti pic was taken by LC Franca in a school near her house.
Note: All the files are in m4a format.

// Distante --- true love fails.

- - - - - - - -

remembering you is
such a sweet sadness.

- - - - - - - -

depuis
d'un long dimanche...

- - - - - - - -

vivo en luto
por nuestro porvenir.

- - - - - - - -

Mojave 3, in love with a view.
Santaolalla, brokeback mountain 3.
Javiera Mena, sol de invierno.
Smog, all your women things.
Daniel Melero, nadie sabe amar.
Santaolalla, the wings.
Tram, now we can get on with our own lives.
Grandaddy, shangri-la.

Arte: I want to go to you by SeanFl.

Paul Anka

Domingo por la noche, mmm... me apetece escuchar el ultimo album "Rock Swings" de Paul Anka :D Si tuviera que definirlo de algun modo usaria las palabras elegancia e ironia ;) No puedo evitar sonreir mientras lo escucho jeje
Paul Anka - Wonderwall (original de Oasis)
Paul Anka - Jump (original de Van Halen)
Paul Anka - Hello (original de Lionel Richie)

La imagen pertenece al personaje de Paul Anka en una de mis series -"despues de comer" - favoritas: "Los Simpson" :P

Will you come back to me?: Radiohead covers

A respuesta del post con covers de los bee gees que issa publico ayer.
En unas semanas el tributo a radiohead, "Exit Music Songs with Radio Heads", sera sacado a la venta por BBE records. Como una autentica radiocabeza no me aguante y lo tuve que bajar via torrents.
La verdad el disco falla en muchos puntos e incluso peca de facilon (por favor chequen esta insipida version "funky" de high and dry de un tal Bilal, detractor confeso de Radiohead), aun asi, me levanto la falda y me quito el sombrero ante este cover de "just" por Mark Ronson:

Mark Ronson feat. Alex Greenwald - just

Aprovecho la ocasion para poner otros covers que me agradan y tenia aqui en la compu, incluida la infame "rodeohead", un medley de cinco minutos a la bluegrass que me saca sonrisas cada vez que la escucho (si no te hace sonreir, es por dos razones: nunca te ha gustado radiohead o no tienes alma).

Osunlade and erro - everything in its right place
John Mayer - kid a
Hard N Phirm - rodeohead
Christopher O' Riley - letdown
Kiki & Herb - exit music (for a film)

La imagen supongo es de Stanley Downwood. Disfruten su fin de semana.
Mmm... more... chilaquiles.

Drum's Alive & kicking (The Unauthorized Session)

01. Jimmy Smith - Main Title from "The Carpetbagger"
02. Fridge - Lign
03. Scott Amendola Band - Masters Of War
04. Curandero - Intuitive Plane
05. Rovo - Ndam
06. Asian Dub Foundation - 1000 mirrors
07. Impractical Cockpit - Passion of a Cop (via 20jfg )
08. Lawrence K Newman - sugar of lead
09. Damon Che - Oh, Suzanna
10. Chevreuil - Bastogne
11. Tarentel - Two Sides Of Myself
12. DisJam - Junk
13. This Heat - Twilight Furniture (via 20jfg )
14. Good for Cows - Le Tigre (higher quality)
15. Minutement - The Glory of Man
16. Yoko Utsumi - Neji
17. Tri Cornered Tent Show - A frozen fish fiend facial
18. The Dead Science - Drrrty Magneto
19. Coughs - Sexual Hijinks (via 20jfg )
20. Rumah Sakit - no one likes a grumpy cripple
21. The Union of a Man and a Woman - Grand Design

chill down :
22. Owen - She's a Thief
23. Grace Cathedral Park - play delicate, desire quiet


note : Big list with jazz, noise rock, experimental, math rock and post rock. Primarily about rythm pattern and beat.
image : Carotid-Kundalini Fractal

Bee Gees: if I can't have you,.. covers.

Night fever, by pandorynha

Conozco a los Bee Gees por mi papá principalmente. Por que él los escuchaba y además salían en el radio, ya sea en los sábados de música dance, o en horario regular con una de sus baladas. Aunque sea música de papás (o música que los papás bailaron, que es lo que quizá haga más ruido), las canciones de los hermanos Gibb se siguen tocando, bailando y covereando a más de 30 años de su época gloriosa. El soundtrack de Saturday night fever (1977) nada más los consolidó dentro del ámbito que estaban acaparando desde los finales de los sesenta. La magia residía en que Barry, los gemelos Maurice y Robin, y en el principio, el pródigo Andy, hacían canciones hermosamente pop, melódicas en sus distintivas voces en falsetto, muy love it or hate it. Desde canciones disco ("Tragedy", "Stayin' Alive", y demás) hasta terribles baladas dramáticas (“New York Mining Disaster 1941”, "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", etc.).

Recientemente me divirtió encontrar el cover de Feist, "Inside and Out", original del álbum Spirits Having Flown (1979) de los Gibb (como "Love You Inside Out"). La versión de la muchacha de Broken Social Scene es groovy y sensual, y muy femenina. Por si no la han oído...

Feist - Inside and Out

+ Me quedo pensando que quizá no eres nadie en la industria de la música hasta que haces un cover de estos señores. Pueden ver en Bee Gees World un listado de todos los que han tratado de hacer suya la música de los Gibb, figurando entre ellos Destiny's Child ("Emotion"), Billy Corgan ("To Love Somebody", ¡horrible!) y David Hasselhoff (sí, él). Por ahí se dice que Will Oldham covereó "Holiday", pero no encuentro la grabación. Las que les recomiendo por esta vez son cuatro:

Low - I Started a Joke
Eagle Eye Cherry - To Love Somebody
Ozzy Osbourne con Dweezil Zappa - Stayin' Alive (haha)
The Levellers - New York Mining Disaster 1949


+if issa can't have you, she doesn't want no other, baby. if issa can't have you, uuuh ahh!

// Princesa Malinche - - fairytales de nubemieles.

.because language shouldn't be an issue.

miel & honey, mar & sea,
azul blue, hola & wave.
fairytell me cuentos de hadas.
los vivire a tus palabras.

Miel, Mar De Metal.
Single, Ven, Ven, Ven.
Carrie, Smooth.
Aural, Olas (Terrestre Mix).
Maga, Azul Cabeza Abajo.
Solina, Desaparece.

este post va dedicado a mi madre
a quien el destino maldijo
al convertir su nombre
en un triste insulto.

Arte: This is my Fairytale por Subterfuge Malaises.

Bossa Nova

Bossa Nova, un estilo musical que me traslada a mundos llenos de sensualidad y ternura. Ultimamente me ha dado por escuchar a Astrud Gilberto mientras dibujo, es tan suave y sexy a la vez :)

Astrud Gilberto - Girl of Ipanema
Astrud Gilberto - Ocean Dreams
Astrud Gilberto - In spite of the Odds
Astrud Gilberto - Como Fue
Astrud Gilberto - Agua de Beber

Y ya puestos en sintonia por que no seguir con la dulzura de Veloso...

Caetano Veloso - Cucurrucucu Paloma
Caetano Veloso - Ay amor
Caetano Veloso -Contigo en la distancia
Caetano Veloso - Fina Estampa
Caetano Veloso - La Barca

The image is a "Kahlo Kiss" I've made with red gouache in my lips

New albums this week + some sort of interview with Man Man

Well, I was interviewing Les Mizzle, from Man Man about the "six demon bag" release, but it seems he kept pooping all the time (I think he was nervous over the release date...) and I could only ask him 3 quick questions not too worthy to read. I'll publish two of the questions anyway:

Moka: Could you tell me some of the artists you guys been listening to on the tour bus?
Les Mizzle: tour bus??? How about Tour Van. Rented. Ouch.
Monorchid, Bablicon, Icy Demons, Cat Power, Bad Brains, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Brainiac, Three Mile Pilot, Mu, The Chronic, Smiley Smile, Judas Priest, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Broadcast, Little Beaver, Battles, Pete Rock, Snoop, The Frogs and more to come...
Moka: (laugh) ...and is man man planning to take their rented tour van to Mexico? or how about Europe... I've heard some really good reviews from you guys in there.
Les Mizzle: Well, we would certainly like to but we have to take it one step at a time. Trying to cover as much ground as we can across the US is our first priority. I couldn't mark our first planned excursion to Mexico or Europe on a calendar for you but, in time it is an eventuallity that we will make the trek to both lands.

I then went asking him to tell me a bit more about the "mexican funeral music" influence on their sound but then "Six demon bag" came out and I lost any track of him, I'll update the post if he ever answers back...
Anyway, if you ever get the chance to see them live, do so. They pull out great shows (to be honest, I've never been to one of their concerts but people keep telling me how great their performances are.) They'll be playing at the SXSW festival which will be taking place in Austin this march, don't miss them if you're there.
Six Demon Bag was officialy released tuesday through the Acefu label.

Man Man - feathers

Drum's not dead, the third album by The Liars was released monday via the mute label. Too soon to make an honest review but I've been finding this album very addictive. This is my favorite track so far:

Liars - a visit from drum

Talking about them, this tuesday, 20jazzfunkgreats uploaded three tracks from artists keeping the drums alive and kicking (Impractical cockpit, coughs & this heat), I particulary agree on adding "this heat" when talking about Liars but I'd like to add some Can and Einsturzende Neubaten to the kicking drum mix:

Einsturzende Neubaten - sabrina
This Heat - sleep
Can - halleluwah (edit)

And my last recommendation goes to Chihei Hatakeyama's debut, Minima Moralia, out on the kranky label this week.
Minima Moralia is full of beautiful escapist hymns for people who can't stand the pop culture anymore. It must mean something that I've finding it very lovely today.

Chihei Hatakeyama - towards a tranquil marsh

Image: Man man in session.

Ah yes, go watch this video with a really cool cover of "total eclipse of the heart"- say, could someone please give me some information on this strange kitchen players?

b. List in White

MdM does groove. There is music and there is sonic filler. One big item that distinguish them is rythm, a pattern in time that hold a music construction together. Without rythm, a music piece might as well performed by a clever circus monkey doing random noise. It won't have that satisfying depth. And from all rythmic pattern, groove is the most complex and advance of them all. It's practically an architecture spanning over entire song, sometimes without repeating even a single moment yet holding the overall pattern. It's as true music as it gets. So get ready. This list is groovy.

01. Beastie Boys - Groove Holmes
02. Mary Lou Williams - Praise The Lord
03. Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Theme de Yoyo
04. US3 - Cantaloop
05. Medeski, Martin & Wood - The Lover
06. Medeski, Martin & Wood - Ekoostic Hooka (Live)

Esto no es una cancion

A peticion de algunos lectores, les subo canciones en espanol que me han estado alegrando los dias ultimamente (me costo descifrarlo, pero al parecer nosotrash si estan cantando en castellano y no en catalan como originalmente creia) :

Las Escarlatinas - buscando el relax
Mecano - hawaii-bombay
La casa azul - tantas cosas que arreglar
Nosotrash - nadadora
Pure - la vaca
Cafe Tacuba - arboles frutales

Y para seguir endulzando mi mala leche, la segunda hostia va por cortesia de Mecano:

Mecano - no hay marcha en Nueva York

Por ultimo y a complacencia de Anna, musica progre del 77: Hope de Klaatu, los cuales siempre me han sonado como a un estilo de Mccartney mas piradon (o un Alan Parson mas fresa, segun como lo quieran ver), tocando obsesivo su clavicordio de Casio.

Klaatu - hope

Pop image by Alain Jacquet.

Somewhere far away, down by a stream...

(Guest post by good friend Makrugaik, who's currently living down in South Africa, location where he almost got run over by Hugh Mazekela some weeks ago. Thanks for this great (in many ways) post mkrgk.)

... lives a group of people, in a quiet village. They do not seem to talk much.

Last year while going through the downloads on my other favourite music blog, Bumrocks, I came across a link to the site of Tim Sweeney, who was doing a guest post week for Sensei Andre. Being a DFA fan I decided to check it out. I downloaded a mix that he'd done featuring something called Can't Be Beat by The Quiet Village Project. The song really made an impression on me. I had to know more. I rifled around and ended up finding a site for the record company credited on the mix list. Whatever We Want Records. There was a message saying that they would soon have mp3's availible for download. That message is still there. I emailed the address on the site, telling them that I really enjoyed the track and I'd really be interested in getting it. I told them that I thought it was beautiful. A guy called Carlos emailed me back, saying that it was really cool that someone in South Africa had heard this stuff and directed me to a site called no ordinary monkey. Turns out that these guys were putting on a show with said Quiet Village playing. And then, lo and behold, a message came up on Beats In Space one day saying that Quiet Village would be doing a mix on the 1 November 2005. My birthday! I downloaded it as soon as I could. It was great. Who were these people? Turns out that Quiet Village is none other than Matthew Edwards of Radio Slave and Joel Martin. Well, I didn't have a clue.
Radio Slave were apparently a DJ'ing pair that made a huge impression on the undergound house scene. Matthew Edwards had recorded previously as Rekid. He also bought out a single on Skint (label that originally released Fatboy Slim) under the name of Matthew E, one of the tracks was recently posted on 20jazzfunkgreats. Hell, even they didn't know who he was. And they live in the same town. Quiet Village are supposed to be releasing an album soon. All I can say is, dudes, it better come out, man. As far as the label is concerned, speak to Etienne De'Crecy. In Atsthtok, they call him "The Wolf". The story so far for them is as follows: Can't Be Beat/Pillow Talk, Too High To Move/Drax and The Fragments Of Fear Halloween mix, which has been feautured on this blog previously in the comments.

Map Of Africa are made up of two people. Both are famous. The first one is a chap called DJ Harvey. He was one of the original DJ's at The Ministry Of Sound (like, when it was still good...). You can read a bit more about him here. The other guy in Map is Thomas Bullock formerly of ARE Weapons and currently of Rub 'n Tug. Rub 'n Tug made serious waves last year with their mix of Open Letter To New York City by the Beastie Boys. To say that it was better than the original would be an underst... The track Dirty Loving features DJ Harvey on vocals. Or Thomas. Can't remember now. Suffice to say that in an interview with i-D they mentioned that they had finally fufilled their boyhood dreams of becoming Lemmy (Hawkwind, Motorhead).
The other guy in Rub 'n Tug is called Eric Duncan. He did a mix for Beats In Space that was truly awesome. After I listened to it I emailed to tell him that I had coined a new phrase. Eric Duncan don't f_ck around. He said that he really liked that phrase. He's so cool that he didn't even let Tim Sweeney list the records he had played on BIS. If you listen to the mix you can hear Tim listing the stuff at the end, while Eric hesistantly answers when Tim's not too sure of the titles. Eric was probably making the titles up. Special mention needs to go out to Andre Bumrocks. Andre has put up with alot of inane questions from me over the last year or so. He's even had to deal with me asking about cricket, which in fact does not interest him in the least. Andre's the man. Who else could have inspired me to purchase Double's album Blue (got it for only five rand so...). At the time that it came out I would have been shot for buying it. His discoveries are always a revelation. And thanks for posting Tango Terje's Edit of Andreas Vollenweider's Belladonna. You brightened some very dark days...and Luscious, keep phasing in from the other dimensions.

Quiet Village - Can't Be Beat
Quiet Village - Pillow Talk
Map of Africa - Dirty Lovin'

Quiet Village Mix for Beats in space:
Part 1
Part 2

Jordi Savall was one of the first classical musician's to take an interest in re-creating early music in a way that it would have originally sounded. I first came across him through the All The Mornings Of The World soundtrack in late 1996. The film, from 1991, was based on a book that fictionalised a mentor student relationship between two composers, Marin Marais and Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. The idea of the story is that Sainte-Colombe teaches Marais how to play the viol da gamba at his home. Sainte-Colombe used to play at the royal court and now doesen't, and Marais is trying to make it into the royal court or something. I wouldn't actually know for sure because I still haven't seen the film. The main reason why the music makes such a strong impression is because the viol is an awesome instrument to listen to. A pre-cursor to the cello, it is a bowed bass string instrumet. When it's played in duet, the effect is quite astounding. Savall is actually one of the most revered modern day viol players. But his story goes so much deeper. He has also been a major force is resurrecting early vocal pieces, with his wife Monterrat Figueras and the ensemble Hesperion XX, now Hesperion XXI. To get an idea of how much stuff this guy has recorded check this out. One of the best things I've ever heard by him was Bach: The Art of Fugue, which was never performed in the way that it was originally intended before Savall. I'm pretty sure that's what it said on the CD cover...The way I understand it, The Art Of Fugue is usually performed on the organ or something. Anyway, Jordi Savall is leet. No doubt about it.

Les Pleurs (Sainte Colombe) version a 2 violes
Cadenet (fl.c.1200-c.1230) S'anc fui belha ni prezada
Troisieme Lecon de Tenebres a 2 voix (F. Couperin)

The words:
Los enemigos se han valido
de aquello que ella mas amaba;
ahora ve como los extranjeros
entran en el santuario:
aquellos, Senor, que no admitias
entre los tuyos en la asamblea.

Todo su pueblo gime
mientras suplica alimento,
para poder comer,
cambia bienes preciosos,
y asi recuperalas las fuerzas.

"Senor, fijate en mi,
que he quedado humillada."
Aquelos que pasais por el camino,
a todos os es indiferente!

Mirad bien y vereis
si hay un dolor como este:
el dolor con el cuel me atormneta,
con el cual Senor me aflige,
ahora que esta indignado.

Del cielo ha enviado en fuego
que ha consumido mis huesos;
me ha puesto una trampa en el camino,
de pronto me ha hecho caer.
Me ha dejado abandonada,
enferma todo el dia.

Me carga las infidelidades comor un yugo:
con su mano las anuda
y me las carga en el cuello;
me agota las fuerzas,
El Senor me pone en manos de gente
a quien no puedo enfrentarme.

Jerusalen, Jerusalen, conviertete
a tu Dios y tu Senor.

I think I speak for modern Occultists everywhere when I say this track contains some serious power for change. Check this one out, Harmony (I wonder if he reads blogs). I can also recommend the novel Thais by Anatole France.

Last tracks are for Moka. Never ignorant soul, as Malkmus would have said. How exactly does one start a blog and makes it super famous in just five months? Must be magic.
Speaking of which, the first song is none other than the theme tune from Atsthtok, The Magic Number by De La Soul. From the album 3 Feet High and Rising, this is probably one of the most infectious hip hop tracks of all time.
Zooropa made an enormous impession on me when it was released in 1993. First U2 album that I had bought in years. Achtung Baby is pretty good though. In early 1994, due to a bizarre sequence of events, I was fortunate enough to fly over Europe from Greece to London listening to this album on a walkman. Epic. Something I'll never forget. Till now, I never thought I'd feel that way again...

De La Soul - The Magic Number
U2 - Lemon
U2 - Stay (Faraway So Close!)

Image by John Constable.
Go and check out Makrugaik's mp3 blog, Aythtok, for a dose of more great tunes. Today he posted three songs from one of my favorite records from the 90's, Moon Safari.

Kevin Johansen

En el post anterior propuse un par de canciones del inclasificable cantautor Kevin Johansen. Por su calidad, sus ideas, sus letras, su bilinguismo y originalidad hoy le dedico enterito este post, una dulzura llena de ritmo y personalidad :)

El circulo
McGuevara's o Chedonald's
Sur o no sur
Down with my Baby
No me abandones
Puerto madero
Cumbiera intelectual
La falla de San Andres
El palomo
Guacamole
Hotel California
Sombrero Song

PS: Ver a un hombre afeitandose siempre me ha parecido una imagen de lo mas sexy ;)

let there be more light

morning sunshine,
by mistermichaud

[intro: a silver mt zion - stumble then rise on some awkward morning]

estaba espiándonos por la ventana, como un voyeur ansioso de intimidad. tú ya estabas despierto, asustado y cálido, probablemente víctima de otra pesadilla de gente con la misma cara. seguí el brillo ciego de tus ojos, y lo encontré. no eran voces, ni imágenes que te perseguían. era luz. pura luz y miedo. un astro radiante que vigilaba nuestro sueño, que se nos dejaba caer encima.

[climax: manta ray - sol]

moría por agarrarlo y destrozarlo con mis manos, alejarlo de mi vida perfecta. ¿qué hacer en caso de meteorito gigante? mantener la calma. empacar maletas. disculparte con el jefe. evitar usar el ascensor. hilo dental. llevarte a algún lugar, a otro planeta, donde nadie pueda tocarte. ni siquiera ese maldito sol de las seis y media de la mañana que asoma su cabeza por la ventana.

[outro: a silver mt zion - 13 angels standing guard 'round the side of your bed]

sometimes it's warm
by indie-cisive

+plus some sun-warm songs to cheer up

the new pornographers - july jones
dream theater - surrounded
jewel - morning song
rilo kiley - my slumbering heart

note: if there's any problem downloading the tracks, please let me know. ezarchive is not working properly.

// Mercury Rev --- cubre los clasicos.

Lately I've been on a Mrev mood.

I've compiled some of my favorite covers from different singles and compilations; and i added Mirror for a Bell, a wonderful outtake from Secret Migration, which I consider one of their best songs (sweet sweet psych.melancholia) but sonically doesn't match the album - reason strong enough for side-bism.

Compilado he algunos de mis favoritos temas cubiertos por la banda; agregandole Mirror for a Bell un outtake de Secret Migration que aunque no encaja en el sonido del disco - de ahi su condicion de ladoberista - es una de las mejores canciones del grupo.

Planet Caravan, (Black Sabbath).
Caroline Says Pt. II, (Velvet Underground).
Tugboat, (Galaxie 500).
Blue Skies, (Berlin).
The Sun Machine, (David Bowie).
Mirror for a Bell, (Secret Migration outtake).

Arte: Mercury Rev on Jools Holland.

Turn on, tune in, synth down II

Mas canciones con sintetizadores coquetos de ayer y hoy para su deleite, les incluyo un cover de los beatles y una joya perdida de 1981 (world invaders), cancion que se supone, fue creada como una especie de tributo al mitico guru electronico malencarado de italia, Giorgio Moroder (si no te hice leer eso dos veces, no estoy haciendo mi trabajo bien).

The "skeletons and the girl-faced boys" song comes from their upcoming record "Idol Tryouts Two", due in March. This is one of my most anticipated releases this year, their first Lp, Git, was really outstanding. Kudos to Scotto at comfort music for travelling to the future to get this one. For another dose of synths, go right here.

Pluton and Humanoids - world invaders
Skeletons and the girl-faced boys - fit black man
The infadels - murder that sound
La prohibida - love forever robot
Zongamin - spiral
Zodiac - Pacific
Cristina - drive my car

Image: vintage-gate.

Pequena criatura

Aqui van un punado de canciones que me ha gustado mucho escuchar y cantar en voz baja :)

Ismael Serrano - Tierna y dulce historia de amor
Ismael Serrano - Amo tanto la vida
Ismael serrano - Pequena criatura
Los Deltonos - Horizonte Electrico
MClan - Miedo
Fitipaldis - Siempre estoy sonando
Andres Calamaro - Algo contigo
Kevin Johansen - Cumbiera intelectual
Kevin Johansen - Guacamole

The image is from Monkeehub

Small list

A small weekend night list with favorite pieces.

01. Bach - Aria from Goldberg Variation [hp]
My idea of perfect music, serene and well balanced. Elegant. A piece is so delicate, it reveals the temprament of any musicians who plays it. Either it's there, or not.

02. The Nels Cline Singers - Suspended Head
A small group lead by avant jazz guitarist Nels Cline, amazing works. Their CD is worth owning.

03. Matmos - The Struggle Against Humanity
High quality IDM. It deserves wider recognition for their cutting edge work. A decade from now, we will still dabble with what they are doing. There is certain poignant hope in their mechanical like texture. Very elegant.

04. Lauren K. Newman - Bleak, Ruined Choir of One
She is a brave one, screaming her head off. Her pieces are like a giant storm, coming in and wiping everything out with raw emotion.

05. The 90 days men - The Methodist
An obscure Chicago mathrock group. Three decades ahead of their time.

06. Fridge - Lign
This 40 seconds work sums up perfectly what post-rock is. It says what it has to say then end. Honest and sweet.

image : Cesàro Fractal

Kinky Collection VI

Notes: both "zoizoi" and "sexy girls" are old songs that were ripped from vinyls so you'll have to ignore the low recording quality of the time (it's really not that bad, besides, the songs were ripped to 320 kbps).
Art ensemble of chicago made it to the kinky list for the lyric "Your fanny's like two sperm whales floating down the Seine" and well... all the sexual tension within those screeching saxophones.
I posted that Benjamin Biolay song some months ago but I'm finding it very sexy these days and I feel it deserves a second listen. Sorry for reposting. Have a nice weekend.

Art ensemble of Chicago - theme de Yoyo
Red Astaire - marvin's groove
Shivaree - Oh, no
Benjamin Biolay - little darlin'
France Gall & Cesar Camargo Mariano - zoizoi
Gert Wilden & Orchestra - sexy girls

Image by Richard May.
Kinky collection V can be found in here.

songs of loss

fallen child, by sally mann

lani > i'm losing you
[from "baz luhrmann's something for everybody"]

No use me staying
No use me saying
Or begging you to change
I know that I've lost you

My heart is breaking
The time is taking
Our love away I see it fade
And with it my happiness

I can't believe it
I won't believe it
I won't accept your love is gone
Just when now more than ever
I need you
I need your love
I'm losing the love that I knew
Losing the love that I knew
I'm losing you


+plus,

illya kuryaki and the valderramas > humeda
giant drag > my dick sux
placebo > leni
babasonicos > estertor
pink floyd > marooned
antony and the johnsons > cripple and starfish
a perfect circle > the hollow, acoustic take


issa is sinking into post-valentine's depression.

Like A Eagle: THE MOVIE!

A 20 minute mini-movie starring me, Like A Eagle....I mean, how else can I explain my absence from the wonderful Motel de Moka except through an audio adventure filled with elegant romance and high action through sound! Travel with me if you dare!...

My adventure began simply enough, I was walking down the street with my mind in the clouds, thinking of how to please my dearest one on Valentine's Day. (Sand - Lovin' You). Then out of nowhere....ROBOTS! Attacking! They picked me up and carried me off! What was I to do?! (Boom & Birds - Marcha de Robots). I passed out to find myself traveling across an intergalactic desert in a caravan of space missionaries, they take me deep into a cave...where are these dirty space hippies taking me? (Ghost - Who Found a Lost Rose in the Warship?). They bring me before their leader who tells me I will be sold as a space slave! NO! I'm looking around...how do I get out of here?...this can't be happening! (Broadcast - Microtronics Seven). Out of nowhere a little friendly robotic insect comes to my aid and picks the locks on my shackles. (Brother - Leaf Hopper). TIME TO ESCAPE! I dash through the dark corridors of the cave maze and try to find daylight. (Ennio Morricone - Gil Intoccabili). At the exit to the cave I find the swankest space cruiser I've ever seen...It's got leather interiors, ground effects, mini tv screens in the back of the seats, and a boomin' system. The robotic insect crawls on my shoulder says, "you know what to do." I jump in the sweet ride, crank the tunes, and now I'm heading back to Earth. (David Last - The Push Pull). I find my way home just in time to have the closing credits roll...a sun sets in the distance, I'm back to my Valentine at last...phew...that was close. (Nick Harrison - The Loner).

It's good to be back...thanks for having me.

// Electrohumanos - trobo cork

-- DISRUPT -- DISRUPT - --
BREAKING THE MOOD OFF ALERT

midweek /./
in the mood for sweating...

miercoles es 2x1
-- almost everywhere.

musica de energia nuclear.
dance music for robots.
not funny dorky robots.
glooming awkward robots.
a-short-circuit-away-from-killing-sprees robots.

..ojala y pudiera bailar asi..

because lately the remixers are the true rock stars:

Daft Punk, Technologic (Vitalic Remix).
Benjamin Theves, Texas (Sebastian Remix).
Wolf & Cub, Thousand Cuts (Phones Slasher Remix).
Juliette & The Licks, Got Love To Kill (MSTRKRFT Remix).
DFA 1979, Blood On Our Hands (Justice Remix).

algunos otros Justice remixes @ Palms Out Sounds.

Arte: some old mexican movie poster googled in (with an interesting plotline).

for those coming from Hype Machine expecting something else, sorry for the credit labeling.

Songs of Immediate Beauty

(Second guest post by friend Carl Kruger. If you enjoyed the compilation "velvet laptop..." he arranged for us last week, I assure you wont go wrong with this one. Thanks again for your time and this incredibly delicate and solemn second compilation, Carl.)

Manual - wake
Arve Henriksen - parallel action
Tape - sand dunes
Manyfingers - ballybane
Colleen - everyone alive wants answers
Triosk - chronosynclastic infundibula
Raz Mesinai - ghosts of the gulag (reprise)
Philip Clemo - depth (edit)

Image by Carl Kruger.

Indie to Shoo Off the Tourists

Ah yes, sightseers. It is not all pretty in here. Sometimes we like our ditties small, somewhat obscures, mildly annoying... or in other words those brave indies folks. Don't worry, it's not abstract IDM night, avant-Jazz or minimalist modern week yet. Check out Alkaline Treo. Anyway, don't enjoy the scene so much. We like it underground in here. (... and kinky, the boss says so.)


Les Savy Fav - The Sweat Descends
Alkaline Treo - Trouble Breathing
Gogol Bordello - Not A Crime
Quasi - The Rhino
Death Cab For Cutie - Title and Registration




image : James Rowe

Just follow her lips

The night before...
Koop - tonight

He tells her, "And I said I'll never leave you":

Captain Beefheart - her eyes are a blue million miles
Lou Reed - satellite of love
Johnny Cash - oh, what a dream
Tom Waits - sea of love
Johnny Ray - such a night

She answers, "And you never will. But where I'm going you can't follow. What I've got to do you can't be any part of. Someday you'll understand"

Bows - king deluxe
Mint Royale - little words
Shirley Bassey - where do I begin?
Kid Loco - love me sweet

Feliz dia de San Valentin, mi tarumba, gatoto. Image by Marc Chagall.

Valentine Day

"The Ritual in Black and White"

Scene from a ritual: three cool cats, a girl who wants to be called salty dog, a wish, an encounter, and another wish. What is it that make us start it all for that special somebody? The little flips, the little roles, the excitement of encounter, a wish upon a beginning. A chance for dissolution into another state of being. It doesn't even seem to be a sensible reasoning, yet perfect. Just because... 'Your are mine, your experiance calls for me. You think like a whip on a horse's back. I can tell you taste like sky, cause you look like rain". A hope and a gaze. This is 'list c'.

Ry Cooder - 3 Cool Cats
Cat Power - Salty Dog
Morphine - Take Me with You
Devendra Banhart - Santa Maria Da Feira
Morphine - You Look Like Rain



"Galaxy, Centuries, Eternal Dust, Red Earth"

'list d.' Permutation of a story. A 3 a.m. slow core list with a good mix of psychedelia. It seems to be a perfect style to end the sketch. Slow rythm stretching a song into mere texture. Suspending time, revealing delicate first voice, and letting the narrative out. Fountain of fire is my favorite in the list. It captures perfectly the serene feeling of solitary being seeing it all unfold. "Last night in a dream. I travelled for years and years. Galaxies, centuries. Red earth, eternal dusk. Changed my destiny in the shivering light. I've arrived. When you see me, burn me down". Cassandra Wilson rendition of Son House 'Death Letter' is one of my personal top chart. A dark tragedy of knowing lost opportunity of love. 'I didn't know I love him, until they lay him down'. Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah' is also a classic. Happy Valentine day.

Hope Sandoval - Around My Smile
Tara Angell - You Can't Say No To Hell
Elysian Fields - Fountains On Fire
Cassandra Wilson - Death Letter
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah

see also : list a, list b
image : Thomas Hawk, Todd K

Poppy seed

A few pop songs that got stuck on my head this week. Las plantas en mi jardin florecen, dan semillas, perecen.

Lali Puna - Bi-pet
Stereolab - captain easychord
Grand National - peanut dreams
David Kitt - teenage riot
Gogi.Ge.Org. - post industrial boys
Faunts - memories of places we've never been to
Whitey - can't go out, can't stay in

Bad news for me: Signe Hoirup Wille-Jorgensen (Jomi Massage), has delayed her album "from where no one belongs, i will sing..." because the cover shows shows her in burka-like outfit in the colours of the Danish flag (read more).
If her name doesn't ring any bell to you: she has collaborated in the past with murmur, speaker bite me and the lush (now extinct?) trip-hop act, Bows.

Jomi Massage - like weather
Bows - Britannica

Image by Arthur Boyd.

Seduction in Skin Tone

"If love is a danger, should we avoid it...?", so begins the sketch that will end at Feb 14. This is 'list a', the first of valentine week series, slowly flow with music, hopping from blog to blog telling story. It begins here and will end here at Feb 14. Each list tells a story and hints what the next will tell. It might be broken, incomplete, imperfect, frustrating, followed by small revelation and momentary smile, just like the "memory of love". "Is it too much fooling around, in this game of romance? .... won't it be a happy end? you gotta do what you gotta do."

DJ Krush - Danger Of Love
Gotan Project - Una Musica Brutal
Lovage - Everyone Has A Summer
Hooverphonic - no more sweet music

image : sebastian miquel

El punchi beat que mato la fiesta

If you hate unchallenging monotonous songs surpassing the 120 beats per minute and clocking around 7 minutes I'd really recommend you to steer away from this selections and check out other posts around here instead. On the other hand, if you'd like a more epileptic approach to hyperactive music you might want to go back in time and check this other post with working links to songs by Liars, Paul Kalkbrenner and Jackson and his computer band. Dun dun doo doo dun dun. Enjoy your saturday.


Einmusik - e keli
Kosovo - loose change
Aphex Twin - windowlicker (kriece remix)
Mark Broom - any number between 1 and 17 (autechre remix)
Munk - androgyn

Photo credit: Old song by Plasticfairy.

// Sweet Gone Sour - - - pure, t@nto como teenage crush -

fascinacion. rendirse sin lucha siquiera. el extasis del eureka.

Volovan, Flor Primaveral.
Sidonie, Fascinado (Acustica).

// sometimes it's hard to cope with you.
most of the time it's harder to cope with myself.
helpmeloveme.

Garzon, Rompeolas.
Clovis, Mundo.

she blames me. she never had any control so she assumes that i was the one holding the reins, she can't comprehend that in matters such as these, control is a luxury we just can't afford.

Lori Meyers, Viaje de Estudios.
Los Vulgares, Pasara.

indierockpop de casipuras bandas noveles. Volovan y Los Vulgares son de Mexico, el resto es de Espana.

Arte: I Wanna Write The Perfect Song por Jorge Teixera.

Velvet Laptop/Crickets in my motherboard

(Another guest post, this time by a true gentleman, Mr. Carl Kruger. Now, Carl specifically told me that he didn't want any text on his compilation so I'll just leave you these 10 songs in here and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I did. Thanks again for your time and the music Carl.)

Oren Ambarchi - summa afrique
Mikkel Metal - ezla
Isan - hugs now, no kisses (hugo's sleep time)
Ezekiel Honig & Morgan Packard - tropical ridges
Sogar - for a pulse or two
Ian Andrews - andadevoranto
I/Dex - texture
Tujiko Noriko - machi-no-kakera
Flanel - maps and diagrams
Asamo - sang, nami

Image by Carl Kruger.

Room #9: Visitors Ward

(A guest post from my friend, Deadfishy. Nicely done, deadfishy.)

And so, this is the first post I have ever done in a blog and I must say, I feel honored that my first post is here at the Motel.

But where are my manners? Please, let me introduce myself.

I am known as DeadFishy, let us just leave it at that, and Moka happens to be a very good friend of mine (yes, I am bragging), we attended the same High School and shared a couple of teachers. Needless to say, I have always harbored a great deal of love and respect for the manager of this lovely motel, which I have come to call my "home away from home".

For this my first post, I have taken the liberty to upload for you a small list comprised of 5 songs which I have been listening to a great deal over the past weeks.

To begin with: Jose Gonzalez.
I am ashamed to admit that I did not know of this man's existence until recently a friend of mine passed on the songs "Heartbeats" and "Remain". After listening to those two songs, I swiftly flew out of my chair and bought the album Veneer. To tell you the truth I'm a sucker for classical guitars and melancholic voices, and Jose, I believe, nailed it with this album. So, here I present to you all "Hearbeats" and "Remain"

Next we have the lovely lady Norah Jones. I just love the ring of this woman's voice, so jazzy, so sexy. This song "Don't Miss You at All", is just the perfect denial song. Every time I listen to it I am filled with an unknown nostalgia that can very well break my heart for no reason whatsoever.

Moving on, we find Lamb.
Ok, right now, most of you must be saying to yourselves... "I already know all of these artists" or "I already have these songs", let me just put your minds at ease and clarify that this post is not meant to be avant-garde , it is just a simple compilation of songs which I hold dear to my heart.
Ok, so where was I?... Oh yes, Lamb. This duo was introduced to me when I discovered Portishead a couple of years ago, and like so many, I loved them and kept them in my heart as well as my playlists. This song, "Angelica" is a beautiful cover of Claire de Lune *nods to Moka, winks*. Just close your eyes and let it flow.

Last but certainly not least MOLOKO! Ok, now this I just LOVE with all my heart and soul, this is one of the bands that marked me forever and that will stay with me until I die, when I am in my coffin I want the song "Indigo" to be playing in the background!!! Here I present to you a non-album track "Take My Hand". For those of you that are as much in love with Roisin Murphy as I am, you will love this song, and for those of you how are not… come on, how can you NOT love this song?!?!?! There are no words that will fully do justice to what I feel towards Moloko... so I'll just sigh... *sigh*...

Thank you Moka, for letting me post, much love.

Jose Gonzales - remain
Jose Gonzales - heartbeats
Moloko - take my hand
Lamb - Angelica
Norah Jones - don't miss you at all

The image is a self-portrait from Deadfishy.

9 songs I play ad infinitum.

Here's some songs that I could definitely handle listening to forever, they’re the songs that I never, ever get sick of hearing. If there's some songs you never get sick of hearing through the years and feel I have sinned for ignoring them, then post a comment about them.

Estas son algunas canciones que nunca me aburro de escuchar, como cualquier junkie musical, a cada rato me dan obsesiones por alguna cancion o algun album, encontrare algun nuevo narcotico y lo escuchare una y otra vez mientras pienso: "Esta cancion es la mamada!, nunca me voy a aburrir de escucharla" y luego, por supuesto, sucede. La mataste. Todo lo bueno se acaba, pero luego estan estas canciones que son tan buenas que son indelebles al paso del tiempo y las que siguen a continuacion son las mias. Si tienen alguna cancion que nunca se aburren de escuchar y creen que he pecado de omision, dejen un comment con la susodicha. Besitos a todos. Duermen rico.

David Bowie - letter to hermione
I first heard this one when I was like 14 years old because an uncle gave me his records "space oddity" and "dark side of the moon" as an "open your eyes" present. I then decided I was going to trade nature for music, it was the epoch that I discovered I was born under the sign of music and all my views towards life were completely renewed. Im no fucking buddhist but this was my enlightenment, right there, listening to this certain song on repeat whilst lying on bed with headphones and staring at the roof without being quite sure of what I was supposed to do.

Bob Dylan - most of the time
The song that formerly introduced me to Dylan. And I'm sure Dylan fans will hate me for this, but I first found out about the existence of this one through the high fidelity soundtrack. I didn't even watched the movie, a friend had the soundtrack and I was instantly hooked to Dylan after hearing this very song. I haven't stopped listening to it since then.

Nick Drake - pink moon
In it's amazing simplicity, this song is passionate enough to break your heart and catchy enough to sell millions of volkswagens. The whole "pink moon" album is still one of my favorite records.

Red House Painters - all mixed up
Another one that was later used on an ad, this time from GAP and yes, it's a cover from "the cars". Songs for a blue guitar was one of the albums I listened to the most while growing up. This specifical song brings back many good memories, even all the way back to my childhood when my father used to play his records from "the cars" at his office.

Radiohead - no surprises
I still haven't found an album that has struck me as much as Ok computer. Sure, if you listen to it now it's very far from the original impact it created on music at the time but still, this album has a great effect on me because it was there with me during 3 years on repeat and while there are many Radiohead songs I'm happy to hear constantly, this is the one I could listen to gladly everyday of my life. And this one's definitely playing on my weeding someday...

Cat Power - metal heart
At my most alienated, Chan Marshall's voice has always been there by my side. I rarely listen to my cat power albums anymore and I really don't care that much about her last releases but I know this one by heart because I've backed-up this song in every computer I've ever used.

Tom Waits - Alice
A jazzy breathtaking masterpiece, my very adored Mr. Waits emulating the style of his very adored Louis Armstrong. This is my idea of a romantic song. Which reminds me, recently jefitoblog did a pretty good idiot's guide to the whole Tom Waits discography. The mp3 links are broken already (very soon I'd say... it has barely been a week since he posted it...) but I recommend you to take a peek anyways if you still haven't dared to listen to this magnificent man.

Ralph Vaughn Williams - the lark ascending
I think I'm done with the lousy descriptions that will never do justice to this songs. I'll just follow the advice of Clem Bastow and I'll give you the poem instead:

He rises and begins to round,
He drops the silver chain of sound,
Of many links without a break,
In chirrup, whistle, slur and shake.

For singing till his heaven fills,
‘Tis love of earth that he instils,
And ever winging up and up,
Our valley is his golden cup
And he the wine which overflows to lift us with him as he goes.

Till lost on his aerial rings
In light, and then the fancy sings. - George Meredith

Debussy - claire de lune
My all time favorite song. I've been hearing it since birth and I'll hear it until death. No matter what time of year or my emotional state, this song is as welcomed and necessary as water in my life. It does what great music is meant to do- it makes a connection. I well up everytime I hear it. I'm actually hearing to it right now...

The image is from Marc Chagall, an artist whose work I could stare at forever. (Well, maybe not technically forever, but certainly for a long time).

Soptheonal - We All Float

"THROUGH me you pass into the city of woe:
Through me you pass into eternal pain:
Through me among the people lost for aye.
Justice the founder of my fabric moved:
To rear me was the task of Power divine,
Supremest Wisdom, and primeval Love.
Before me things create were none, save things
Eternal, and eternal I endure.
All hope abandon, ye who enter here."

-Dante Alighieri ,
The Divine Comedy. Inferno. Canto III

And thief of Paradise! Him long of old
Thou didst debel, and down from Heaven cast
With all his army; now thou hast avenged
Supplanted Adam, and, by vanquishing
Temptation, hast regained lost Paradise,
And frustrated the conquest fraudulent.
He never more henceforth will dare set foot
In paradise to tempt; his snares are broke.

-John Milton
Paradise Regained. Fourth Book.


"Seven Visions of Hell"

01. Transmo - Ouija
02. Glenn Branca - Lesson No. 2
03. Aix Em Klemm - Sophteonal
04. The Third Eye Foundation - Urchin-Snuffed Candles
05. Nocturnal Emissions - Earthlights
06. Lustmord - Pyre (Necro Cristi)
07. Yo La Tengo - Don't Have to Be So Sad

"Paradise Regained"

01. Hooverphonic - We All float
02. Morcheeba - Blindfold
03. Nightmares On Wax - Les Nuits
04. Lemongrass - Journey To A Star

note: first list is IDM/abstract ambient, second is chill downtempo.
image : Infernal punishment for the Seven Deadly Sins by Nicolas le Rouge

Proposal for a soundtrack to a suicide #8

"My heart, like wax, has melted in the midst of my bowels" (Psalm 22 , 14). Dios santo, haz lo que puedas hasta que te tire mis huesos a la cabeza!

El suicidio como cualquier otro intento de salvacion, es una acto religioso (E.M. Cioran).

Departure Hymns:

Arvo Part - fur alina
Gavin Bryars - Titanic Hymn
Samuel Barber - adagio for strings (op. 11)
Ketil Bjornstad & David Darling - the river I

The death muses:

Jasmine Star - sky decides
Sibylle Baier - the end
Lydia Lunch - gloomy sunday
Nico - the end

Songs playing on the stereo when they found your body:

Frank Zappa - watermelon in easter hay
Labradford - P
Stars of the Lid - I will surround you
Lexaunculpt - le elancholia

And finally, songs to play at the funeral:

Violeta Parra - gracias a la vida
Cesaria Evora - carnaval de sao vicente

Lecturas suicidas recomendadas: "El ocaso del pensamiento" y "El libro de las quimeras" ambos de Emil Cioran, y bueno, ya si estas muy topo, uno de esos manuales para suicidas de aquellos que proliferan en la web.
Image credit: Melancholia by Edvard Munch.