Articles by " Magic Teepee"
Gracie - “Habits” / “Creature Pleaser”
Posted under: 
The best thing about this site is that each of us post about once a week. On a good week, I have many things I want to post, meaning some of that music must find another virtual home or be hoarded in my own private musical stash (do people have these anymore, like stuff they keep to themselves?). This sets up the perfect scenario for an in-home battle of the bands/artists/”I just started playing music yesterday” every time I go to write on PORTALS. I’m positive this experience is mutual between me and all my other fellow PORTAL’ers. So what I’m getting at is this: what you read and listen to on this site is pretty much our personal crème de la crème.
All the above rambling was to properly set the stage for what I’m posting today, two tracks by Gracie, off the upcoming Bleeder EP and 7″ from Small Plates Records. “Habits” is easily one of the best tracks I’ve heard in quite some time. Dare I say, this song is perfect, from the first notes of the familiarly epic keyboard introduction to last high-hat and croon. Be sure to check out the big and bouncy b-side “Creature Pleaser” too. Thanks Gracie, it’s people like you that are only encouraging the continuance of my own habit, forever and happily stuck in this portal.
Majical Cloudz - “Turns Turns Turns (Blue Hawaii Flüchtig Mix)”
In an age where music is becoming more and more electronic, when most of the artists producing that music are using the same software, the future can appear rather bleak. But, never fear, it’s a new year, and believe it or not, new sounds will be created; just like new styles will appear on trains, new T.V. shows will enter homes, new art will fill unheard of gallery spaces, people will find new ways to communicate with each other, etc.
Yes, that’s right, there’s one thing we can count on in this world and that’s change. Speaking to change and the recent electronic music influx in North America, that groundswell of creativity and evolution consistently seems to seep from north to south. Lets face it, Canadians are some of the best (if not the best) electronic music producers this side of the pond, and this remix of Magical Cloudz‘ “Turns Turns Turns” by Blue Hawaii (via XLR8R) is every indication of that. Consider this track a love tap on things to come from Blue Hawaii as they prepare to release their long-awaited debut LP Untogether through Arbutus Records on January 22nd.
Paw Paw - “Kaleidoscopic” (Official Video)
Paw Paw (the lake) holds a special place in my heart, check my previous post here. Fast-forward a year and three quarters, Paw Paw (the artist, Eston Lathrop formerly of Woodsman) has put out 4 albums worth of world space drone looping goodness. Here’s the first look at the video for “Kaleidoscopic”, the stand-out final track off the most recent release Lay Down In The Flower Bed (via Fire Talk). If you like what you hear, be sure to stay tuned for Paw Paw‘s spring 2013 double cassette release entitled Temporalis/Epiphysis.
Blithe Field / Ricky Eat Acid - ‘S/T’ Split
Blithe Field and Ricky Eat Acid are no strangers to PORTALS, and if I was to make a list of “artists to watch” in 2013, these two artists would definitely be on that list. Their new self-titled cassette split comes as a surprise this late in the year, providing many joyous(?) blips and beeps for all the good little boys and girls to hear. It’s the perfect album to synchronize with that single strand of twinkling lights on your Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Grab the split tape here, packaged with care from our friends Spencer and Sam over at Primitive Patterns.
Qurious - ‘Void Vanishing’
Void Vanishing is the recent release from Atlanta duo Qurious. My immediate pull to this album was the irresistible picture you see above. But after further review, I quickly realized Qurious‘s Mike Netland has sage-like abilities on the pads and knobs and Catherine Quensenberry’s vocals are mysteriously comforting and spot on. Void Vanishing has so much depth, and I’m at a loss to describe what it feels like to be lost within its many layers. The void they’re speaking of has clearly vanished. I recommend you listen to the whole album, but if you’re a window shopper, check out the single “Rubies” and my personal favorites: the dense and sinking “Submarine”, the fuzzy lover’s folktale “Rima”, and the hypnotizing howls of “Termina”.
