Category: Shoegaze

VARIOUS - THE BFW CHRISTMAS ALBUM 2012

12/28/2012

1. Amygdala projects - Betelgeuse
2. Bing Satellites - New Horizons
3. Eko_Fisk - Outside 'Angels' 241285
4. JCM - 24th Rusharound
5. Killer Haven's Insanity Claus - MF Xmas
6. Poodleplay Arkestra - The Heavenly Tea Dance
7. The Reverse - First Christmas
8. Magic Mountain - Sublight
9. ROGUE SPORE - The Beguiling Black Ice Nymph
10. Jon Johnson - Peppermint Twists
11. Shane Morris - The Ghost of Christmas Future
12. Elypixa - The rain subsided
13. Cousin Silas - Lights Aglow On Christmas Island

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THE BFW WEB SITE

Finding the "All Is Calm 2012" set reminded me of another annual collection I think of when I think of Ambient music, "The BFW Christmas Album". And sure enough, the eclectic label, for the third year running, issued their free digital Christmas set. Though BFW initially made their name with Ambient, they tend to be far more wide reaching, and the variety I was looking for from "All Is Calm" is much more in evidence here. I'm still not in an Ambient state of mind at the moment. But I did think the Bing Satellites track on the BFW album, "New Horizons", had more energy and direction. Cousin Silas charmed, here, once again with a lovely Ambient number, "Lights Aglow On Christmas Island". But, beyond the Ambient, there was an interesting assortment of sounds. As a wonderful change of pace, BFW included a pretty much straight Indie Folk effort from The Reverse; "First Christmas" might seem out of place, but it works exceedingly well, probably because it's such a well written song about a first Christmas without someone dear. From "we hold these cliches dear", I was putty in their hands. "The BFW Christmas Album 2012" also features some electronica, some music that's much more New Age than Ambient, and a dash of Zombies up top from Amygdala Projects. All in all, another nice package from the label where everything's free, BFW. Download it at Bandcamp, and pick up their previous holiday sets while you're there.

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VARIOUS - A POLAROID FOR CHRISTMAS 2012

12/21/2012

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1. Monnone Alone - Everywhere At Once
2. Vadoinmessico - Sleigh Ride
3. PICA PICA (Rebekka from Maribel) - Winterwonderland
4. Life & Limb - Only The Lowly
5. Joyce In Pola - End Of The Ocean
6. She Said Destroy - Brigitte
7. Derby Sunshine - Italo Riviera
8. Neverending Mojitos - Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy (The Tams cover)
9. Johnny Render - Have a Very Render Christmas
10. ED - All You Need Is Love (The Beatles cover)
11. Montgomery feat. Tempelhof - 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
12. Wolther Goes Stranger & Federico Fiumani - SOMEtimes (Bombanella mix)
13. Love The Unicorn - Sssuperstarsss
14. Setti - Sasso Natale
15. Spakkiano - Africa et cetera DOWNLOAD FREE FROM POLAROID

One of our absolute favorite "off the beaten path" annual holiday collections comes from the Italian blog, Polaroid. Every year, the writer of that blog contacts a few of his friends from the Indie music world and asks them if they would mind recording a seasonal track; or, if not a seasonal track, at least a little something to keep him company while he decorates his tree. And, man, does this cat have friends! They always come through with some spectacular stuff that you're not going to find anywhere else. Not all of it is holiday related, but it's all great. I mean, I'd love to dial up a musician friend and have them record a cover of The Tams "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" some time--Christmas or whenever. Fortunately for those of us with either fewer or, perhaps, less talented friends, the whole collection is shared out so the rest of us have something to keep us company on those long winter nights.

There's a bit of synth pop and techno pop and a dollup of experimental electro noise pop, but most of the set falls squarely in the Indie/Alt Pop and Indie/Alt Rock vein, some on the Lo-Fi side, but that's actually quite a wide swath of musical sounds and it's all wonderful. And the artists are all linked up, so you can learn more about them. For example, Rebekka of Maribel (who have their own new Christmas single out, "Christmas Blues") contributes an absolutely dreamy version of "Winterwonderland" as Pica Pica. Italian artist Setti offers up a sweet Indie Pop number in his (their?) native tongue, "Sasso Natale". Alt Pop/Rock fans should enjoy Vadoinmessico's "Sleigh Ride", and Monnone Alone's "Everywhere At Once" is great fun. She Said Destroy give good garage on "Brigitte". ED gives us an awesome Indie cover of the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love". And, speaking of the Beatles and dreamy, the original "Have A Very Render Christmas" from Johnny Render is not only dreamy, it sounds like it could have been the closing track from a late 60s Beatles Christmas album; it would certainly do nicely as the closing number on your mixtape. But, hands down, my absolute favorite on "A Polaroid Christmas 2012" is the previously mentioned cover of "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" by the Neverending Mojitos. It might not be a Christmas track, but it has the feel of a bunch of (very talented) friends sitting around the tree on Christmas morning and sharing a song. It made me smile from ear to ear. A lot. My face hurt, I smiled so much.

Head straight to Polaroid and grab the whole bunch. Poke around a bit and you might find some of the earlier sets, as well. Enjoy. And "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy". It's nearly Christmas after all.

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BENJAMIN SHAW & FIGHTING KITES - THIS CHRISTMAS

12/16/2012

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Here's a new Anti-Christmas anthem released last year that hits the spot about now. Benjamin Shaw & Fighting Kites with a Lo-Fi Indie Pop masterpiece, "This Christmas (I Just Want To Be Left Alone)". I know how you feel, Ben, truly I do. All proceeds raised will go to the UK's Shelter.org, but it's a "Name-Your-Price" download at Bandcamp (re-released by Audio AntiHero), if you're not feeling particularly charitable. I think you're going to like it. A lot.

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THE SKY DROPS - CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

12/15/2012

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A few years back, grunge/shoegaze duo The Sky Drops amazed and amused with "Christmas Feels Like Halloween". For 2012, they're back in the festive mood, this year covering Vince Guaraldi's "Christmas Time Is Here". Get BOTH tracks free, for a limited time, from The Sky Drops web site.

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VARIOUS - THE BFW CHRISTMAS ALBUM 2012

VARIOUS - A POLAROID FOR CHRISTMAS 2012

BENJAMIN SHAW & FIGHTING KITES - THIS CHRISTMAS

THE SKY DROPS - CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

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