A Feast of Beast

Blue Hawaii - In Two

From debut album Untogether

Been waiting for the debut from these guys for the past two years since they blew me away with their Blooming Summer cassette from Arbutus.  I had just picked up the first Grimes cassette, and I was delving further down the Arbutus rabbit hole.  That barely 30min 8 track cassette remains one of my favorites I’ve ever had the privilege to pick up.  Two years later that album’s quality has held up tremendously, and I can’t recommend it strongly enough as some of the most beautiful and exquisite dream pop.  You should probably go download it from BnDcmP right now (name-your-own price)

For better or worse, it seems Untogether has taken things in a fairly different direction.  Immediately coming from Blooming Summer, you hear that this sounds more beat driven, with generous vocal distortion & processing.  I guess the thing that just keeps coming to mind is that Blue Hawaii sounds like they’re trying to sound like Grimes.  Just sometimes.  Makes sense label mates n all, prob best friends, but things sound just a little too similar at times. On first listen I do like Untogether; its a beautiful album with a some stand out tracks…but maybe just not as beautiful as Blooming Summer.  I  do have distinct feeling that it will grow on me.  

Wish I had some information on its release format etc, but there doesn’t seem to be any hard intelligence yet besides that it’ll be out January 22nd.  Let hope this sees a release on vinyl, and keep an eye on the good folks over at Arbutus until then.  While they’re at it, a re-release of Blooming Summer on vinyl would be killer as well.

Grimes with backup specter

Spooky Grimes

Grimes’ specters turned into Skeletors, to provide backup dancing.

Grimes rocked Basilica Hudson tonight, which is this strange mill venue on the outskirts of Hudson NY, next to various abandoned buildings and some idle train tracks.  It seemed as if every able bodied 18-25yr old wanna be Grimes tween and Bro was there, frankly I don’t know where they all came from? 

Claire put up an energetic show, appearing on stage in an old Marilyn Manson (?95% certain) tee shirt, hoodie, and braided pigtails.  I would’ve assumed she’d be all gussied up in her videos, and it was refreshingly down to earth to see her looking so normal.Even just hearing her talk at the end of the set, she sounded like a sweet mannered girl, with certainly not a trace of too cool attitude. 

She danced away through constant clouds of fog, illuminated by strobes and projectors, while somehow managing to process quite a lot of mixing on stage.  The whole scene had a spooky, Halloween is almost here (yay) feel to it.  I imagine its her favorite holiday.  Sometimes electronic shows live can be such a bore, especially if someone is just singing over an ipod loop while possibly playing a keyboard.  But Grimes impressed me with far more live show mixing than I would’ve expected, and her voice sounded gorgeous as always.  She’s basically a 90 pound, adorable DJ princess live.  The backup skeletor dancers flanking the stage didn’t hurt neither.   

Grimes - Shadout Mapes

from her first LP, Geidi Primes released in 2010

A little ol skool Grimes for all you lovers and haters out there alike.  It’s been interesting to see what a devout following of both fans and haters that little Claire has grown over the past 3 years.  Friends of mine that I normally share similar musical interests, recoil at the name drop of Grimes, but when I play Geidi Primes for those same people, they dig it.  Somehow, despite her blowing up, everyone seems to ignore her 1st two albums, Geidi Primes & Halfaxa respectfully.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll harp on it some more, Geidi Primes is a masterpiece, and Visions is great but its got nothing on it.

Fundamentally I understand the relative success of Visions and obscurity of Geidi Primes, being that Visions is much more upbeat & accessible, while the later is a far more experimental & downbeat piece.  I say ‘piece’ to further highlight that Geidi Primes shines best when listening through to it as a whole, with not likely a radio hit here, though Rosa & Avi come close.  If you want to be fair about it, the two are almost in completely different categories, and so I’ll urge haters to give Geidi Primes a fair shot before completely writing off the latest big hipster thing.

Geidi Primes was originally a super Ltd released cassette, later pressed to vinyl, with both OOP.  Unless you wanna drop 50 quid on discogs.    

Anyways all that being said, I’m seeing her play Basilica Hudson tomorrow night, and I can’t wait. Cause I’ve only been waiting 3 years to see her live.  I hope she’ll grace us with at least one or two off Geidi Primes. 

Fingers Crossed.

Grimes - Genesis

Directed by Claire Boucher

Grimes haters be damned.  Nice to see we can tick another check mark next to Claire’s talents, which apparently include directing sweet music videos involving sword swinging posses.  Sometimes the swords are on fire.  I bet she’s into Game of Thrones, books of course.

Charli XCX - You’re The One

If you haven’t already snagged it, grab her free Heartbreaks and Earthquakes mixtape here.  Also Charli XCX and Grimes were on the cover of V Magazene and you can check out an interview of them.  Charli XCX may have the pop diva title snagged, but Grimes still has her bested all around (not to mention 3 albums on her).

But this video is damn catchy if you’re down with some sugar sweet future pop.

Grimes & Majical Cloudz - Song for Ric

Brand new unreleased track from The Ad Hoc Comp, a kickstarter donor reward.

New Grimes + dinosaurs = best!

Seriously Ad Hoc you have outdone yourself with this epic 48 track monster, almost 4 hour compilation!  I know people sorta gave you shit for making a Kickstarter for so much dough, and following Altered Zones…but if things like this are the end result: congratulations.  I believed in you all long.  What an epic collection of artists you’ve brought together, sprinkling a healthy amount of recently on fire names (Grimes, Julia Holter, Sleep ∞ Over) amongst new and emerging artists alike.  I’m only half way through listening (it is frickin 4 hours of music!), but every track sounds excellent.  

You can be sure I will lazily post a couple more of my favorite tracks this week.  Cannot wait for my tripped-out cassette BOX SET to follow later this month.  Good Decisions Abound.

Grimes - Genesis (live)

The girl sounds great live, and consistently.  Which is pretty essential when most of your music is prerecorded synths. I say that not as a jab b/c I’ve been firm Grimes supporter since the start (my cassette), but watching someone live with prerecorded stuff can sometimes be a major bummer.  I saw Sleep ∞ Over at Pop Montreal this year, and its not that she was bad, just not a terribly exciting live show.  That being said, I would still kill to see Grimes live.  Here’s hoping.

Grimes - Oblivion

Motocrossin sweaty man orgies? Oh Grimes you so crazy.

Tops - Turn Your Love Around

After Claire’s endorsement of label mate Tops during her gvb takeover yesterday, I thought I throw up another track from the cassette.  Pick up your very own copy from Arbutus Records here.

Mac Demarco — Exercising With My Demons

I love me Grimes, and its interesting to see that gvb let her takeover the blog today.  Lots of cool things to check out, but this was definitely my favorite.  The new Tops album is best as well.

It’s a crime that this video has so few views. It was shot on 35 mm by my friend Evan Prosofsky who is an unbelievable cinematographer/ D.O.P. This is one of the best music videos I’ve seen in a long time, and Mac DeMarco needs to get famous asap. He has an album coming out on Captured Tracks soon! If you like this you should also check out the video for Only You. — Grimes

Grimes - Vowels = space and time

Premiere from her new Visions LP

The new Grimes record, Visions is still a month out until release; Feb 21st to be exact from 4AD. With other releases from that label including the sophomore effort from tUnE-YaRdS, I think this label is a nice step and good fit for her constantly growing and morphing sound.

Fortunately for those of us desperately awaiting the latest LP from girl wonder Grimes, it recently leaked its way on to the intertubes. Days ago scattered mediafire links were being yanked as soon as they were uploaded, but the cat is finally out of the box. I’m sure you can find it yourself or drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do. Clocking in at nearly 50min, its quite a refreshing full release in a climate of increasingly >30min “full lengths.” Her voice sounds most refined as of yet, with her signature textured music, building with loops of beats, snyths, and endless vocal tracks.

Visions is best, and I can’t wait for the vinyl. Be a good ol’ chap and support this girl. Buy her record even if you can snag it ahead of schedule. I know I’ve already got mine on order.

Grimes - Visions LP is available to pre-order from 4AD directly here on respectable 120g vinyl and for only $13 bones. That’s practically as cheap as a shitty itUneS digital album and you actually get a physical object (who woulda thought?!) full of rad artwork.

Grimes - Genesis

Here is the latest single release from genius girl wonder Grimes, off what will be her forth release (3rd full length) in under 2 years at age 23.  I’ve been obsessed with her music since her first release of Geidi Primes on Ltd red cassette (see mine above ^^^).  I remember getting that cassette in the mail that summer of 2009 and thinking to myself, ‘damn she sketched this jacket in pencil, and I can see the indentations from her drawing, that is dedication.’  Would love to hear from anyone else that might have snagged a copy if they had the same cover art? 

Well flash forward to now and she’s come a long way.  The new tracks she’s releasing are each a progression and new experiment, and I love in a recent interview how she explains her music is post-internet.  She’s not showing any indication of slowing down, so I keep taking the new music while its coming.

Side note, Geidi Primes is on LP from no Pain in Pop and you might be able to still snag a copy from insound here; the label and most places are out of stock of it.  Her 2nd LP, Halfaxa was delayed from pressing for quite some time, but as I understand it you can finally order a pricey copy from Lorecords here.  That one was originally only on compact disc (sigh….) so I never really gave it my proper full attention.

<3<3<3 me some Grimes.  

Grimes - Nightmusic

More live Grimes.  Damn she makes me weak in the knees. See below:

gVb: When Grimes was in Dallas last summer for our first music fest, she came through to chill at the studio in East Dallas and watch Shabazz Palaces and Yourstru.ly do their thing. She wasn’t planning on playing for us, but in the downtime between sessions, she was cool enough to hook up this magical, completely impromptu candlelit performance of Visions highlight / absolute JAM “Nightmusic.”

Grimes - Oblivion

Sounds killer live, but I kinda like wish I didn’t like hear her talk before she like started playing.  Too cruel?  No matter, I’ll pardon on the assumption that she was super nervous.  Regardless the new album will be best in 2012.  For sure.

Grimes - Oblivion

Yep new Grimes 12” on the way.  Super rad indeed.

Arb:

Grimes’ forthcoming record “Visions” will be released on January 31st, look for 12″ Vinyl, CD, and digital formats! Catch her on tour with Austra across North America this autumn, and at CMJ and New York next week.

Graphic design by Jasper Baydala, and illustration by Grimes – the album features guest performances by contemporaries Majical Cloudz and Doldrums.