The music featured in this week’s round-up is almost certain to render the blood currently coursing through your veins to ice. That may not sound like the most inviting way introduce you to this batch of songs I’m about to share, but I assure you each of these predominantly electronic tracks are stunners. Contemplative, challenging, and downright sexy – these tunes will give your weekend the left-field dimension you didn’t even know it needed.
Johnny Jewel – “Digital Rain”
With every release, Jewel – perhaps best known for his work with Chromatics and Glass Candy – appears to be leaning more and more into his strength at scoring dramatic works. His last album, Windswept, served as the soundtrack to the widely celebrated revival of Twin Peaks. While “Digital Rain” isn’t necessarily correlated to another piece of media, it certainly sounds like it could/should be. Here’s how Jewel describes the ideal listening process: “Digital Rain is a mirror image of itself designed to play as a singular liquid movement.” I highly recommend that you take him up on that instruction as soon as possible, but for now you’ll be able to find plenty to enjoy within the title track alone.
Eric Copeland – “Neckbone (Cooper Saver Remix)”
This one is a work out and a half. Eric Copeland has always specialized in electro head scratchers that are often a lot of fun to listen to, but fall just on the wrong side of danceability. Enter local producer extraordinaire Cooper Saver. I genuinely believe he has never met a track that he couldn’t remix into a dance floor ready banger. This re-worked stand out from Copeland’s most recent LP Goofballs keeps that pattern going strong. Put it on, and sweat it out.
Yokaze – “Look At”
This song made it’s way to me innocuously enough last week through an email submission, but it has become my primary obsession ever since. It’s sleek, seductive, and just off kilter enough to feel a bit dangerous. Listen to this one on your way out, and you’ll feel invincible all night long.
(Johnny Jewel photo: Anna Austin)