Articles by " Zen Tapes"
Polytope – “Martian Rain Dance”
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One of the greatest features of Ann Arbor, MI is its rich and always changing music scene. With names like Chrome Sparks and Kohwi recently leaving the city, there is always room for new electronic musicians to come into their own. Meet Polytope, a musical project of Simon Alexander-Adams, a current Ann Arbor student and resident. Polytope is a barrage of sound effects, interesting production choices, beats, and experimentation, and he just released a new 7-track album titled Desert Pyramid on his Bandcamp. The definite highlight for me is the track “Martian Rain Dance”—if I had to classify it with two words, I would call it “space wonk.”
Send Simon a shout on Twitter and Facebook, and if you have a love for experimental video, watch a 10 minute video piece he made inspired by Steve Reich, Aphex Twin, and found footage – also entrancing and worth experiencing.
Lil TExAS – “(Aww) Girl It’s True”
Zen Tapes was recently in Boston, and like any self-respecting lads on the internet, we hit up Trap Arnold and the M|O|D CREW to chill IRL. Trap and possible-roommate/fellow M|O|D man LiL TExAS schooled us with an impressive collection of new works by the Boston trap collective as well as an awesome Vietnamese beef sandwich for $3.50—what a combo!
Sandwiches aside, this crew creates some of the more refreshing beats I’ve heard in quite some time (see Life: Aquatic’s post on M|O|D), and the new LiL TExAS joint is no exception.
A man of few words, LiL TExAS only had one thing to say about the new track:
#Shadolamane
I’ll let it speak for itself. Listen below.
Chalices of the Past – ‘PEACE 4 THA WORLD 2.0′
Sometimes a mass promo email finds a way to burrow its way through my email inbox and into my heart. I’ve always been a sucker for pop music of all kinds, from various decades, but recently my dear friend Pete (also known as Subvader) has welcomed me to the world of electronic dance music, especially those of juke and techno. It seems like my two musical loves are finding a beautiful peace with each other the more I discover, and the newest album from the UK’s Chalices of the Past takes the cake as the juiciest, (frankly) coolest lo-fi electronic-pop album I’ve heard in quite some time.
Recently released on Radical Ritual Tapes, a new London-based tape label, Peace 4 Tha World 2.0 is a trip. You’ve washed ashore and are immediately surrounded by a zany, arpeggiating loop over the backdrop of a laid-back, 8-bit tropical island. This singer welcomes you to his Mac OS 9 generated resort with some native chants. All of a sudden you hear a steel drum and begin to feel at ease.
It’s nighttime, and you’re dancing around a fire in one of the most feel-good, auto-tuned celebrations/sacrificial offerings you’ve ever been a part of. What is going on? I feel like I want to move a million miles per hour as I bounce off the walls of my room when I am tranquilized by a peace noodle.
No, I’m not on drugs. This is the general experience of Chalices of the Past‘s Peace 4 Tha World 2.0, which was released about a month ago. The musical sensibilities of this album are really on point. The culturally fascinating auto-tune instantly grabs my attention and makes aesthetic sense in this structured mess of noisy, electronic, dance pop. I can’t get over the good vibes and captivating grooves of this album. This is the work of a really talented mind, one that seems cluttered and full of randomness; but when it is translated into music, it is real, unique, and refreshing.
You can snag this album on cassette (only 8/50 left – hurry!) from Radical Ritual Tapes‘ store or purchase it physically/digitally from Chalices of the Past‘s Bandcamp. The cassette contains 4 remixes (peep them here) too. The three tracks below will get you hooked.
