XLR8R Seeks S.F. Web Intern

XLR8R.com is looking for an editorial intern who knows the difference between Junior Boys and Boys Noize, techno and electro, lazer bass and drum & bass, hip-hop and trip-hop, and who won’t have to be told 10 times how to make a hyperlink.

Duties include writing and posting content to the News, MP3, and Podcast sections of the site, assisting with web graphics, archiving old content, and some data entry. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and HTML a plus.

Internship is unpaid, and requires a commitment of 8-10 hours per week for 4-6 months. Journalism students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and 3-5 published or unpublished writing samples to Managing Editor Jennifer Marston at [email protected].

The Advisory Circle’s Suburban Anxiety

On The Advisory Circle’s debut EP, Mind How You Go, a disembodied voice echoes forth the slogan, “The Advisory Circle–helping you make the right decisions!” Innocent, promising words perhaps, especially as a light bed of Moog synthesizer (straight out of ’70s British TV adverts) hums below. But it’s the delivery–a cold, state-certified Big Sister voice–that belies something much more sinister. And it’s that lurking Orwellian tone that’s at the core of The Advisory Circle, the brainchild of Derbyshire, U.K.-based sound experimenter Jon Brooks.

Brooks says The Advisory Circle’s music is about hidden coercion, both political and supernatural. “It’s about the State which says, ‘We’ll look after you, everything is going to be all right,’ with a caring smile, whilst it’s preparing to institutionalize you,” he offers. “It’s paranoia and psychosis. It’s witchcraft and the occult. Folklore and tradition. Ritual.”

A member of the U.K.’s Ghost Box collective/record label, which includes artists The Focus Group, Belbury Poly, and Mount Vernon Arts Lab, Brooks and his labelmates share an affinity for haunted places, psychedelia, analog synth sounds, and “library music” from British children’s programs and documentaries of the ’60s and ’70s. It might sound like an aesthetic already mastered by Boards of Canada, but Ghost Box ventures into darker and more abstract realms. “For me, the main appeal of ’70s library music is that although it’s functional music, it can also be very experimental,” Brooks says.

On his records, like the recent Other Channels, Brooks melds numerous instruments, including moldy, “steam-powered” synthesizers, with TV samples and field recordings. The result plays out like a soundtrack to the life of a British suburban housewife in the ’70s. She’s settled in a comfortable home, “and she’s absolutely bored to hell with all of it,” Brooks explains. A perfect example is the soap opera-themed “Mogadon Coffee Morning,” which Brooks describes as the sound of “a housewife living in her bubble, pie-eyed on barbiturates, trying to leave the straight life behind.”

On top of this ennui is the Cold War paranoia that Soviet nuclear bombs could rain at any moment. That feeling dwells in the track “Civil Defense is Common Sense,” where a grandfatherly voice announces the title before Brooks plays a hymnal, analog-synth melody that resembles a gloomy, patriotic call-to-arms.

“Everything’s fine, but there is something not quite right about it,” is one way that Brooks describes the atmosphere of The Advisory Circle. You might call it gallows humor, if you’ve given “Frozen Ponds PIF”–a PSA to keep kids off frozen ponds (complete with sounds simulating grave misfortunes)–a spin. Other tracks aren’t nearly as self-explanatory, but Brooks maintains the mystery. “If I told you how I’d envisioned all [the tracks], it would kill [it], so I won’t,” he says. “I want every listener to get their cogs whirring and form their own interpretations.”

Mweslee “Jamas Jame Jamon”

Up next in the All City Records 7 x 7 Beat Series is a track from Mweslee. Known for is layered instrumental hip-hop and electronic compositions, the Galiza, Spain-based producer cites everyone from Freestyle Fellowship and Hot Chip to Tadd Mullinix and Yo! MTV Raps as influences on his music. “Jamas Jame Jamon” is the flip to the soul-drenched “Chandal 500” track, and features an amalgamation of heavy synths, hand-claps, and, somewhere buried beneath all the electronics, some shades of hip-hop.

Mweslee – Jamas Jame Jamon

Lucky 13 By Toph One

Each month our resident cycling fiend and S.F. DJ legend Toph One drops 13 bombs for your listening, watching, and wearing pleasure.

It’s about hopping on the bike with nothing to do, nowhere to go, and just riding for the pure joy of riding and being alive. Lazy Saturdays along the Portland riverfront and fast Tuesdays around S.F., and the weird and productive thoughts that come with them. The brilliance of Burroughs, Steinski (check the new retrospective, What Does It All Mean?), and Crayone. A well-placed mug of pink grapefruit juice or the perfect sourdough toast can make any day. And there isn’t a bill in the world that a good bartender and the open road can’t fix.

1.Lightning Head “NPG”
Lion Head/UK/12EP
Glyn “Bigga” Bush of Rockers Hi-Fi fame heats it up once again with this Afrobeat burner for the summertime sessions. Good God, man, how’d this guy get so funky? Open up the doors and windows and invite the neighbors–this is the joint.

2.$mall Change
“Steviano Italiano”
Bstrd Boots/US/7
My man $mall Change is anything but, and he throws down some big soul sounds on this lil’ nugget. Track it, and damn near anything else, on this bootleg label. Take my word for it: girls + art shows + free wine + this = good times.

3.Santogold
“Creator”
Downtown/US/12
Freaky-deak! Like some mutant blend of M.I.A. and Bonde do Role with a bit of Berlin thrown in ta’ boot, Santi White forges a heavy, electrified alloy that both confounds and delights.

4.James Pants
Welcome
Stonesthrow/US/LP, CD
All you need is a strobelight and a fog machine and you’re set. Sexxxy electro-lust for aging hipsters and kids too young to even know. Delicious.

5.M.I.A.
“Paper Planes (Homeland Security Remixes)”
Interscope/US/12
Hotness! As if guest verses from the likes of Bun B weren’t enough. As if King Ad Rock on the reggae remix isn’t enough. As if the original wasn’t already one of the hottest shits out there–we got DFA with a serious dub-disco stomper to shake things up and get the job done right.

6.Makestaples/Le Feelings
“Close Your Eyes and Sleep/Day By Day”
indie/US/7
Houston’s MakesTapes comes through with a warm, fuzzy head-nodder on the a-side, while Le Feelings (best band name ever?) works the exotica angle on the flip. When I get my own bar, both these guys will have their own nights.

7.Peabody & Sherman
“Chicago Blowback Remix”
Super Bro/US/12
Loopy, dubby goodness from my second favorite place on Earth. Come to think of it, it does kinda sound like a ride on the Red Line El. Music to get “defragged and slightly plastered” (their words) to. My kind of lads.

8. The Archives
“The Dream Came True”
white/US/12
A solid vinyl debut from this underground tape slanger from Oakland. Big soul samples carry side one, while the West Coast funk shines through on the flip.

9.Existereo & Deeskee
“Cry Me a River”
Nice/US/7
Twisted hip-hop and strange tales from the southland. It’s as if John Lydon were sitting in the corner of the Paul’s Boutique sessions with the Dust Brothers. M-Fusion adds the outer-space funeral-dirge vibe to his remix on the b-side.

10.B.Dolan
“Live Evel”
Strange Famous/US/12
It’s hard not to love a record dedicated to the memory of Evel Knievel, and joined by Sage Francis and Alias on “Heart Failure,” B.Dolan gives up the goods. Long live that real American badass.

11.Protassov
Shalina Music
Switchstance/GER/CD
Jazzy downtempo grooves from Germany’s Protassov, and a fine label to get acquainted with as well. Look for the new Ancient Astronauts disc on the label, too. Tasty stuff indeed.

12.K’naan
The Dusty Foot Philosopher
Interdependent Media/US/CD
Even though this album was originally released in 2005, K’Naan’s voice and music sound new and vital on this domestic re-release. A native of the war-torn streets of Mogadishu, Somalia, this cat was rapping in English before he could even speak the language, and now he holds it down with the best of them.

LUCKY 13
Universe Crew w/ Adrian Sherwood
Live at the Double Door
12:10–Forty-Five Films/US/DVD
For fans of the Midwest Funk zone, or On U Sound collectors, this little nugget captures a night in Chicago back in ’97 with Toledo’s U-Crew and the legendary Adrian Sherwood working the board, and the collaboration is brilliant.

Photo of James Pants by Darcy Caputo.

Burning Star Core Challenger

Over a dozen years and a deluge of releases, Cincinnati multi-instrumentalist C. Spencer Yeh (who heads Burning Star Core) has zig-zagged across subterranean strata of noise, drone, avant-rock, and minimalist composition, summoning images of violinist Tony Conrad collaborating with Vibracathedral Orchestra. Challenger finds Yeh at his most compositionally disciplined. Drones still dominate, but they‘re sculpted with a rigor and melodic nuance that recalls Stars of the Lid and William Basinski. For Yeh, refinement doesn‘t equal staidness, rather it accentuates his considerable compositional gifts. Additionally, Yeh‘s keen ear for odd sound sources (warped mouth harp, uninflected uhs, cheetah growls, face slaps) lends surprising textural chiaroscuro and piquant Dada flavor to his eloquent drone poems.

Huge Hephner “Jack N Coke”

Huge Hephner is the alias of producer Billy Dalessandro, co-founder of Siteholder Records and an artist frequently credited with merging the respective 4/4 worlds of Chicago and Europe. Dalessandro first used the name a year ago, when he released The Booty Drop EP on Siteholder’s digital sub-label. Since then, he has curated his first vinyl release, Pimp Slappin’, as well as his debut full-length, Nymphotech. Despite the vaguely hip-hop-sounding titles of these releases, the Hugh Hephner style remains firmly rooted in house and techno, mixing the warm, upbeat vibes of Dalessandro’s hometown Chicago with the dark, sinister sounds more commonly found across the ocean.

Huge Hephner – Jack N Coke

Housemeister Who Is That Noize

Can a techno album sound like a puppy? Because Housemeister‘s Who Is That Noize is just that playful. Housemeister packs this album with plenty of buzzing synths and weirdly processed vocals (“What You Want”) and cheery bloops (on the Kylie Minogue-ish “Hallo Lieblingsmench”). Most impressive, though, is that Housemeister has mostly done all this without being insufferably twee. The album does sacrifice depth to stay constantly kinetic, which can be exhilarating (“Hifi Positiv”) or irritating (“Gorilla Marketing”), depending on your mood. And if the record as a whole never feels particularly ambitious, it stays consistently fun.

Aesop Rock Plans Summer Tour

He’s known as one of the most abstract wordsmiths currently on the indie hip-hop circuit, and Aesop Rock is ready to challenge and puzzle live audiences once again, with a fresh handful of summer tour dates. The longtime member of the Definitive Jux crew will be hitting major U.S. cities this August and September, showcasing material from 2007’s None Shall Pass. Def Jux labelmate Rob Sonic, along with DJ Big Wiz will join him on the road.

08/15 Boston, MA: The Roxy
08/16 New Haven, CT: Toad’s Place
08/17 Brooklyn, NY: McCarren Pool
08/19 Philadephia, PA: Trocadero Theater
08/20 Washington, DC: 9:30 Club
08/22 Columbus, OH: Skully’s
08/23 Chicago, IL: Abbey Pub
08/25 Sioux Falls, SD: Nutty’s
08/26 Duluth, MN: Pizza Luce
09/12 Pomona, CA: Glasshouse
09/13 Los Angeles, CA: Troubadour
09/14 Los Angeles, CA: Troubadour
09/15 Los Angeles, CA: Troubadour
09/17 San Diego, CA: Belly Up
09/18 Fresno, CA: The Exit
09/20 San Francisco, CA: Treasure Island Festival
09/22 Bend, OR: Domino

Photo by Chrissy Piper.

Podcast 44: DJ Magneto

Carpinteria, California-based DJ Magento describes himself as a “funk enthusiast, soul lover, dubwise master, sampling freak, burger blogger, and taco quality control consultant,” and this exclusive mix he curated for the XLR8R podcast is as much fun as his title. Heavy on soul, hip-hop, Latin, and tropical sounds, this hour-plus-long mix sees the man born Manny Roldan mashing up different styles of beats, pushing high-energy dancefloor numbers, and supposedly there’s a sample from The Price is Right buried somewhere in the music.

In addition to producing, Roldan has held a seven-year residency at the First Friday Super Jam night in Portland and is known to cause ruckus on dancefloors worldwide. Check his releases on labels like Six Degrees, Thirsty Ear, Portland’s BSI Records, and One Drop.

Tracklisting
1. En Vivo Desde La Habana “El Telefonito” (Lideres Entertainment Group Inc.)
2. King Most “Jeep Ass Nuh (Remix)” (Plug Label/Play It By Ear)
3. Manteca “Tremendo Boogaloo” (Freestyle Records)
4. Sabo “El Fuego” (Sol Selectas)
5. Red Astaire “NYC” (Homegrown)
6. Palov & Mishkin “Rata Del” (Rebtuz)
7. Señor Coconut “Trans Europe Express” (New State)
8. S.O.S. “Colegiala Dub” (Sol Selectas)
9. Fidel Nadal Vs. El Hijo de la Cumbia “Tu no Vas (Remix)” (Unreleased)
10. DJ Magneto “El Rey Tut Cumbia Breaks” (Unreleased)
11. The Heatwave “Trick Me” (Punchline)
12. Tightalizer feat. Cypress Hill “Copa Loco” (Unreleased)
13. Pacha Massive “Don’t Let Go (DJ Bennett When To Go Blend)” (Unreleased)
15. Sade (Sonidero Style) “Give It Up (Trackademicks Re-edit)” (Unreleased)
16. Banda Black Rio “Maria Fumaça” (Atlantic)
17. Sugarloaf Gangsters “Samba SWAT” (G.A.M.M.)
18. Madeline Bell “That’s What Friends Are For” (Castle)
19. Sugarloaf Gangsters “Avant Le Jazz” (G.A.M.M.)
20. Samba Soul “Mambo #5” (RCA)
21. Family Tree feat. Sharon Brown “Family Tree (Norman Cook Disco Edit)” (EMI/OST)
22. Coke Escovedo “I Wouldn’t Change A Thing” (Street Beat)
23. Beatfanatic “Broken Descarga (Album Version)” (Soundscape)
24. Beatconductor “Swing feat. CL Smooth” (Soundscape)
25. Juan Luis Guerra “Los Dinteles (DJ Magneto Edit)” (Vene Music)
26. Sabo “Easy Star Uptempo” (Sol Selectas)
27. Yosaku “Aint It Funky Now” (G.A.M.M.)
28. Knee Deep “Latin Deluxe feat. Kenny Bobien” (Kneedeep Germany)
29. DJ Day “Manha (Yosaku Remix, Unmastered v.1) (Unreleased)
30. Yosaku & DJ Day “The Bottle (Guan Guanco)” (Unreleased)

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Podcast_Mix_2008_07_10

Deerhunter Unveils New Album Details

Across the web, there has been much buzz about the forthcoming Deerhunter album, a follow-up to 2007’s Cryptograms, and finally, those vital details like release date and track titles have been announced.

Bradford Cox and Co will drop Microcastle on October 28 through Kranky in the U.S. and 4AD elsewhere. “Nothing Ever Happened” will be the first single off the album, to be released as a limited edition 7″. Also of note, Black Lips’ guitarist Cole Alexander lends his vocal skills to a track.

A forthcoming tour kicks off at the end of this month. In the meantime, Cox has posted a Deerhunter demo on the band’s blog worth picking up.

Microcastle Tracklisting
01 Cover Me (Slowly)
02 Agoraphobia
03 Never Stops
04 Little Kids
05 Microcastle
06 Calvary Scars
07 Green Jacket
08 Activa
09 Nothing Ever Happened
10 Saved by Old Times
11 Neither of Us, Uncertainly
12 Twilight at Carbon Lake

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