Amelia’s Magazine | Lemonade – An Interview

On Monday evening as the sun set and the lights from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) blared onto the street, sildenafil over a hundred protesters gathered to call for an end to government subsidies on biofuels.

agro1

Agrofuels are seen as a green alternative to conventional oil but cause even more damage, adiposity indigenous communities are being dispossessed, ask land that was used for food is being handed over for the production of palm oil. The production of biofuel contributes the the acceleration of climate change through deforestation and its twin results of water and soil degradation . This ‘green’ subsidy is even starting to need carbon offsetting for it to meet government agenda.
Due to protests against biofuels power stations, plans to build have already been stopped at Ealing and Portland among others. However protests are still needed to push the government into action, currently agrofuel power is awarded double the number of subsidies compared to offshore wind farms.

agro2

Joining the demo were a range of musicians that kept up spirits and entertained with witty biofuel songs, as well as several speakers highlighting the issue.

agro5

John Stewart,Fight The Flights, spoke about the aviation industry plans to incorporate biofuels. Companies like BA complain about the increasing tax on fuel consumption using the inequality agenda as an argument. But when considering how agrofuels are largely made by exploiting poor countries while the rich benefit, their argument is quickly invalidated.

agro6

The demo was also held on the International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People, which ironically falls on the same date Columbus discovered the Americas. A large group, part of ‘Global Mobilisation for Mother Earth’ called by Andean indigenous peoples joined us outside DECC and a speaker highlighted the problems faced by indigenous peoples in Latin America.

agro7

The police set up a pen as per usual, making sure the left hand side pavement wasn’t blocked which would obviously have a huge detrimental effect. Instead they crammed us all inside the narrow fences; health and safety you know, can’t have a protest stopping people from having to cross the road to the other pavement to get passed. Anyway we all managed to listen and rally in any little space we could find and as darkness fell continued to put pressure on the energy department in the 100-watt bulb luminous lit rooms above.

Agro4
On Monday evening as the sun set and the lights from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) blared onto the street, order over a hundred protesters gathered to call for an end to government subsidies on biofuels.

agro1

Agrofuels are seen as a green alternative to conventional oil but cause even more damage, web indigenous communities are being dispossessed, land that was used for food is being handed over for the production of palm oil. The production of biofuel contributes the the acceleration of climate change through deforestation and its twin results of water and soil degradation . This ‘green’ subsidy is even starting to need carbon offsetting for it to meet government agenda.
Due to protests against biofuels power stations, plans to build have already been stopped at Ealing and Portland among others. However protests are still needed to push the government into action, currently agrofuel power is awarded double the number of subsidies compared to offshore wind farms.

agro2

Joining the demo were a range of musicians that kept up spirits and entertained with witty biofuel songs, as well as several speakers highlighting the issue.

agro5

John Stewart,Fight The Flights, spoke about the aviation industry plans to incorporate biofuels. Companies like BA complain about the increasing tax on fuel consumption using the inequality agenda as an argument. But when considering how agrofuels are largely made by exploiting poor countries while the rich benefit, their argument is quickly invalidated.

agro6

The demo was also held on the International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People, which ironically falls on the same date Columbus discovered the Americas. A large group, part of ‘Global Mobilisation for Mother Earth’ called by Andean indigenous peoples joined us outside DECC and a speaker highlighted the problems faced by indigenous peoples in Latin America.

agro7

The police set up a pen as per usual, making sure the left hand side pavement wasn’t blocked which would obviously have a huge detrimental effect. Instead they crammed us all inside the narrow fences; health and safety you know, can’t have a protest stopping people from having to cross the road to the other pavement to get passed. Anyway we all managed to listen and rally in any little space we could find and as darkness fell continued to put pressure on the energy department in the 100-watt bulb luminous lit rooms above.

Agro4
efterklang performing parades

The sonically cinematic Danish outfit, symptoms Efterklang, release a live recording of their stunning 2007 release, Parades. I know what you’re thinking, apart from the obvious few, (MC5 – Kick Out The Jams, Mogwai – Government Commissions, Take That – Beautiful World Live, The Who – Live At Leeds) live albums are rubbish. They packages of inferior versions of songs a fan will already own, bought only by completists and maniacs. Who really needs MadonnaConfessions Tour Live, for example? They are usually self indulgent, gratuitous, mercenary money-grabbing affairs.

AnaBenaroya_painting1-1

All illustrations are by Ana Benaroya

Performing Parades is none of these things. It is an inventive and truly beautiful re-telling of the stories told on 2007’s Parades. The presence of the Danish National Chamber Orchestra adds depth and a certain verisimilitude to the songs. Though comparisons to the band, Hood, still stand, the complexity of this album edges them toward Sigur Ros levels of grandeur.

AnaBenaroya_painting2

Perhaps lumping together two northern European bands with a shared fondness for wide-screen sounds is lazy, but to my mind it is the easiest way to convey the sound. But here goes another way. It is vast, it is enormous, it is icy grey seas crashing against black rocks, music to lose your self in, to walk in wind and rain to.

Remember the first time you heard Svefn-g-englar? Remember how amazed you were that this music had existed without your previous knowledge? Remember how hurt you were that you were not the first to hear it? That is what you have in store if you haven’t heard this Efterklang. This is astoundingly, for a live album, a fantastic starting point, a great way to lever this band into your life. Your life will thank you for it.

AnaBenaroya_painting3-2

The accompanying DVD is not so much an afterthought but an essential part of the package. Gifting you with a selection of music videos from the original Parades album including the charming animated Mirador, the wonderful Caravan and the slightly freaky Illuminant. The piece de resistance is the 55-minute Performing Parades concert film – see clip below. It is not only a live performance, but thanks to director Benjamin Hesselholdt, a recreation of the live experience.

In short, if you only buy one hypnotic northern-European post-rock album in your life, buy Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Ros. If you buy two, buy this one as well.

Performing Parades is out on 19th October on The Leaf Label.

Efterklang will celebrate the release with a major concert at London’s Barbican in which the orchestral version of Parades will be staged with The Britten Sinfonia.
The sonically cinematic Danish outfit, look Efterklang, release a live recording of their stunning 2007 release, Parades. I know what you’re thinking, apart from the obvious few, (MC5 – Kick Out The Jams, Mogwai – Government Commissions, Take That – Beautiful World Live, The Who – Live At Leeds) live albums are rubbish. They packages of inferior versions of songs a fan will already own, bought only by completists and maniacs. Who really needs MadonnaConfessions Tour Live, for example? They are usually self indulgent, gratuitous, mercenary money-grabbing affairs.

Performing Parades is none of these things. It is an inventive and truly beautiful re-telling of the stories told on 2007’s Parades. The presence of the Danish National Chamber Orchestra adds depth and a certain verisimilitude to the songs. Though comparisons to the band, Hood, still stand, the complexity of this album edges them toward Sigur Ros levels of grandeur.

Perhaps lumping together two northern- European bands with share a fondness for cinematic wide-screen sounds is lazy, but to my mind it is the easiest way to convey the sound to those who have yet to hear it.

It is vast, it is enormous, icy grey seas crashing against black rocks, music to lose your self in, to walk in wind and rain to. Remember the first time you heard Svefn-g-englar? Remember how amazed you were that this music had existed without your previous knowledge? Remember how hurt you were that you were not the first to hear it? That is what you have in store if you haven’t heard this Efterklang. This is, astoundingly for a live album, a fantastic starting point, a great way to lever this band into your life. Your life will thank you for it.

The DVD accompanying this release is not so much an afterthought but an essential part of the package. Gifting you with, among other treats, a selection of music videos from the original Parades album including the charming Mirador, the wonderful Caravan and the slightly freaky Illuminant. The piece de resistance however is the 55-minute Performing Parades concert film, not just a live performance, but thanks to director Benjamin Hesselholdt, a recreation of the live experience.

In short, if you only buy one hypnotic northern-European post-rock album in your life, buy Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Ros. If you buy two, buy this one as well.

On Monday evening as the sun set and the lights from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) blared onto the street, thumb over a hundred protesters gathered to call for an end to government subsidies on biofuels.

agro1

Agrofuels are seen as a green alternative to conventional oil but cause even more damage, information pills indigenous communities are being dispossessed, land that was used for food is being handed over for the production of palm oil. The production of biofuel contributes the the acceleration of climate change through deforestation and its twin results of water and soil degradation . This ‘green’ subsidy is even starting to need carbon offsetting for it to meet government agenda.
Due to protests against biofuels power stations, plans to build have already been stopped at Ealing and Portland among others. However protests are still needed to push the government into action, currently agrofuel power is awarded double the number of subsidies compared to offshore wind farms.

agro2

Joining the demo were a range of musicians that kept up spirits and entertained with witty biofuel songs, as well as several speakers highlighting the issue.

agro5

John Stewart,Fight The Flights, spoke about the aviation industry plans to incorporate biofuels. Companies like BA complain about the increasing tax on fuel consumption using the inequality agenda as an argument. But when considering how agrofuels are largely made by exploiting poor countries while the rich benefit, their argument is quickly invalidated.

agro6

The demo was also held on the International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People, which ironically falls on the same date Columbus discovered the Americas. A large group, part of ‘Global Mobilisation for Mother Earth’ called by Andean indigenous peoples joined us outside DECC and a speaker highlighted the problems faced by indigenous peoples in Latin America.

agro7

The police set up a pen as per usual, making sure the left hand side pavement wasn’t blocked which would obviously have a huge detrimental effect. Instead they crammed us all inside the narrow fences; health and safety you know, can’t have a protest stopping people from having to cross the road to the other pavement to get passed. Anyway we all managed to listen and rally in any little space we could find and as darkness fell continued to put pressure on the energy department in the 100-watt bulb luminous lit rooms above.

Agro4
On Monday evening as the sun set and the lights from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) blared onto the street, website like this over a hundred protesters gathered to call for an end to government subsidies on biofuels.

agro1

Agrofuels are seen as a green alternative to conventional oil but cause even more damage, information pills indigenous communities are being dispossessed, land that was used for food is being handed over for the production of palm oil. The production of biofuel contributes the the acceleration of climate change through deforestation and its twin results of water and soil degradation . This ‘green’ subsidy is even starting to need carbon offsetting for it to meet government agenda.
Due to protests against biofuels power stations, plans to build have already been stopped at Ealing and Portland among others. However protests are still needed to push the government into action, currently agrofuel power is awarded double the number of subsidies compared to offshore wind farms.

agro2

Joining the demo were a range of musicians that kept up spirits and entertained with witty biofuel songs, as well as several speakers highlighting the issue.

agro5

John Stewart,Fight The Flights, spoke about the aviation industry plans to incorporate biofuels. Companies like BA complain about the increasing tax on fuel consumption using the inequality agenda as an argument. But when considering how agrofuels are largely made by exploiting poor countries while the rich benefit, their argument is quickly invalidated.

agro6

The demo was also held on the International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People, which ironically falls on the same date Columbus discovered the Americas. A large group, part of ‘Global Mobilisation for Mother Earth’ called by Andean indigenous peoples joined us outside DECC and a speaker highlighted the problems faced by indigenous peoples in Latin America.

agro7

The police set up a pen as per usual, making sure the left hand side pavement wasn’t blocked which would obviously have a huge detrimental effect. Instead they crammed us all inside the narrow fences; health and safety you know, can’t have a protest stopping people from having to cross the road to the other pavement to get passed. Anyway we all managed to listen and rally in any little space we could find and as darkness fell continued to put pressure on the energy department in the 100-watt bulb luminous lit rooms above.

Agro4
lemonade band by-andrew-eisberg

Lemonade are Callan Clendenin, look Alex Pasternak and Ben Steidel, order three gents from San Francisco who brought their party to Brooklyn shores, in search of dance music domination, toeing the line of eclecticism somewhere between oft-improvised Gang Gang Dance and !!!. Entrusted with wizardly producer, Chris Coady, who has previously twiddled knobs for TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the aforementioned !!!, the trio have made an album that’ll spread their rapturous spirit across to this continent, where they’ve already got Rob Da Bank‘s backing. The band speak to Amelia’s Magazine through the powers of electronic mail about studio time, aspirations and good old fashioned partying.

You have an eclectic mix of sounds in your music, which individual members have brought which elements to the table?

We just all liked all the elements and contributed quite equally despite each other’s expertise. We began the group during a period of massive musical exploration, and were listening to so many new things, so a lot of different sounds and ideas ended up in the music. We used to say that Alex brought the Middle Eastern and Latin sounds, Ben brought the techno and house elements, and Callan brought the more conceptual and new age-y stuff but that isn’t really all that true because everyone brought everything really.

What do you feel is the perfect track length?

That is funny, because all of our songs on the record are quite long. When we wrote them we just wrote them for dancing, and we wrote until the groove climaxed or whatever and they came out long. As a band though we tend towards patient listening, long tracks, minutes of intro, like LCD Soundsystem’s E2E4.

lemonade2

Tell me about you in the studio…

We sequence electronics rather crudely on a laptop. It usually starts with one person’s idea, then everyone sorta messes with it. Once it’s done we have added all our ideas. Then we teach ourselves to play to it, filling in the gaps with live bass and percussion and vocals. Once it is barely ready we start playing it live on different systems. Then based on the reactions to it, we adjust it accordingly.

Which track of yours was the hardest to finish and why?

If they were hard to finish we probably dumped them. Usually if we like a track it writes itself. We can feel if it’s just flowing out of us and if its not flowing really quickly it doesn’t get far. Big Weekend was probably written in one session.

How and why did you form a band?

We all have backgrounds in music so it was inevitable that we would do something somewhat serious with it, but the fact that it was Lemonade was a nice surprise to us all. We formed the band when we were all in San Francisco and someone asked Alex “hey you are in a band, do you want to play a show?” We had a band name, so he said yes, and we played a show after just a few practices. It was pretty primal and there was a lot of excitement and wild dancing.

lemonade3

Which act did you aspire to be like when you were teenagers?

When we were teenagers we listened to indie rock and hardcore punk and stuff like that. We certainly didn’t think that dance music was cool and actually thought that ravers were totally lame. Nobody that we went to high school with expected us to end up playing club nights and writing epic piano breaks, though given our interests in extreme music and DIY communities, it kinda makes sense that we ended up at such antipodes.

Which current music acts are you particularly liking at the moment?

Brackles, Shortstuff, Joy Orbison, Delorean, Glasser, Girls.

Are there any particular individuals that you are thankful to?

We have had great relationships with the people at our labels – True Panther in the States and Sunday Best in England. We are thankful for all that they have done for us. We are thankful to Chris Coady, who gave so much of his time to record us simply because he believed in us. Also all the people who used to bug out and dance at all of our early shows and for those who still do.

What is the last gig you went to that you weren’t playing at?

Alex: random free jazz show at work last night- does that count? (yes)
Ben: I saw Twitch from Optimo DJ recently and that was pretty rad. Apparently I left before he played Human Resource’s “The Dominator”, which is a bummer.

What are you geeks about?

Ben loves snack foods and diet soda. All of us are record geeks, though some of us don’t really buy vinyl anymore.

Do you have any bizarre tour bus habits?

We make music on our laptops and text really inane questions to a question answering service.

Lemonade

Describe your ultimate party…

The ultimate party is a place where everyone is on the same level, and everyone is communing with one another and sharing an experience. Your usual friends are there but everyone there is your friend too.

Which countries have the best party spirit and why?

Spain has the party. Brazil has the party. Latin and tropical countries are way more likely to have a street party with tons of drummers and dancers. The best party spirit is certainly not in the states, but that is what is so good about throwing a great party in America is that people really remember it, and it feels so different and new.

What are your aspirations as a band, short-term and long-term?

In the immediate we just want to stop working any other jobs that keep us from realizing our potential as artists… and to eat well whenever we want. In the long run we all want houses with decks and stuff like that, but I think more importantly we want people to have really meaningful connections to our music, even if it is just remembering a great party where they got really loose.

Lemonade’s self titled debut album is out now.

Categories ,chk chk chk, ,Gang Gang Dance, ,girls, ,lcd soundsystem, ,lemonade, ,new york, ,rob da bank, ,San Francisco, ,TV on the Radio, ,yeah yeah yeahs

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Amelia’s Magazine | Gang Gang Dance

When I heard Gang Gang Dance were to grace us with their presence at Cargo this Wednesday I let out a high-pitched puppy like yelp. I apologise to my fellow passengers on the 29 bus but I’ve been waiting quite a while for this one. You see, Gang Gang Dance are responsible for one of my albums of the century, God’s Money, a musical offering so brilliant that within 5 minutes of listening I was ready to have their faces tattooed on my forehead. If you’re lucky enough to receive a copy, grab on and never let go.

Hailing from Brooklyn and working up quite a buzz in their hometown over the past few years, they’ve garnered a loyal following all the while remaining reassuringly underground. Commercial they aren’t and whilst to some it may just be a lot of indecipherable noise to others it all makes perfect aural sense. The crowd at Cargo seems to agree with the latter. So, after being entertained/confused by the one-man variety show that is the bespectacled Dan Deacon we were all sufficiently weirded out and ready to accept whatever came next.

The four-piece took to the stage, a quick hello from lead singer Liz Bougatsos (sporting an oversized Ghostface Killah t-shirt) and we’re off. Describing their sound isn’t easy, neo-tribal is thrown around rather a lot and to a certain extent it’s accurate. Firstly they aren’t particularly fond of ‘tracks’ in the traditional sense. Their set contained just 3 pauses, purely to give the group (and the audience) a chance to breath. Their music is very much a continual flow, with changes in pace throughout-hinting at drum n’ bass one minute and post punk noise the next, In essence it’s all a bit freeform. Vocals are of the primal variety, Liz’s voice as much an instrument as anything else, howling (but never screaming) admittedly I couldn’t make out a word but this was never going to be a good old sing along. However, above all it’s percussion that’s at the core of their sound, specifically heavy rhythmic drumbeats driving the music forward and dictating changes in speed and mood to great effect.

As you’d expect this works a treat live and prompted much head nodding and involuntary trance like swaying. The crowd couldn’t get enough, clapping and cheering for more once they finally left the stage. Return they did. However this was far from your normal encore. Guitarist Josh Diamond proceeded to offer the front row a variety of different instruments and suddenly we had a whole new line-up. Drums, vocals and guitar were now in the hands of the sweaty enthusiastic volunteers and with Liz at the helm they did a surprisingly good job. It was a nice touch, making the point that this wasn’t about being a pretentious ‘art-noise collective’ to name check at parties but just a group of people who enjoy experimenting with sound. Their skill isn’t so much in their obvious musical ability as their determination to try something new. Pretty simple really but it works an absolute treat.

Categories ,Album, ,Gang Gang Dance, ,Maximo Park, ,Review

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Amelia’s Magazine | Album Review – Gang Gang Dance: Eye Contact

gang-gang-dance-eye-contact-cover

It was probably down to skepticism that it took me some time to get into the latest Gang Gang Dance album. After all, erectile how on earth could they follow 2005′s Saint Dymphna, page in which Lizzie Bougatsos & co managed to mix psych, free form, drone, noise, high-pitched vocals, dance, urban music and more using both analog and digital instruments? What could possibly be left to borrow, crush, mash and cover in gold in order to convey the same sort of amazement that any listener of Saint Dymphna must surely have felt at the moment those drums kicked in around minute two of Bebey?

gang-gang-dance-by-noemi-martinez
Illustration by Noemi Martinez Santiago.

Well here it is: Eye Contact was released on 4AD on the 9th May… think overwhelming motifs, syncopated velocities, spinning rhythms and sidereal vocals. Paint it all in silver and fluorescent pigments from the brightest star in the sky and you’re quite close to what Eye Contact sounds like. Instead of trying to fullfill similar expectations the album cleverly shifts the focus onto different musical frontiers, taking more inspiration from the electronica with hints of Far Eastern melody. Once again Gang Gang Dance manage to surprise.

Bebey from Saint Dymphna:
YouTube Preview Image

The tracks perfectly intertwine with each other in an almost endless techno-psych trip that can be listened to over and over again. In fact, with its uplifting beat and at times aggressive mood, it’s the perfect album to have on your iPod while whizzing through the heat wave in a city, thinking of faraway tropical paradises and sparkling Bollywood nights.

gang-gang-dance-by-noemi-martinez_2
Illustration by Noemi Martinez Santiago.

The album starts with Glass Jar, an 11 minute masterpiece of spiralling sidereal melodies and cosmic atmospheres. As a wave it gently carries you to ?, a sonic interlude that leads to the core of Eye Contact: Adult Goth, a hypnotizing lullaby in which the glistening keyboards and pressing beats layer with Lizzie Bougatsos’ otherwordly vocals. Chinese High has a syncopated theme and gold dust coloured clinks that sounds more Bollywood soundtrack than anything Chinese. The pulsating Mind Killa is one of the most ‘pop’ tracks on the album, and it has taken over the blogosphere with its whirling motif and tribal beats.

Mind Killa music video:
YouTube Preview Image

Separated by the rest by another two whimsical ? (namely, ?? and ???, little evocative aural curtains) are the last 3 tracks of the album. Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor lends his vocals to one of the most accessible tracks of the album, Romance Layers, a luscious nu(est)-disco post-soul piece that would figure well in the playlist of a party on one of the Saturn rings. Sager and Thru and Thru follow the zigzagging sprawling line traced by the first minute of Eye Contact. Think of silver sunsets on purple beaches and parties on yet-to-be-discovered planets. As I get off my bike a voice claims ‘we are forever’ at the very last second of Thru and Thru and already I could play the album all over again. The ride is over but the energy of this record will stay with me all summer.

Gang Gang Dance will be playing at Animal Collective curated ATP on May 13th to 15th and at XOYO on 16th May. For the luckiest ones, not to be missed is their performance at Primavera Sound, Barcelona on May 26th to 28th. Eye Contact is out now on 4AD.

Categories ,4ad, ,Alexis Taylor, ,Alternative, ,Animal Collective, ,art, ,atp, ,Blogosphere, ,Bollywood, ,Cosmic, ,Eye Contact, ,Gang Gang Dance, ,Hot Chip, ,Lizzie Bougatsos, ,Mind Killa, ,new york, ,Noemi Martinez Santiago, ,Primavera Sound, ,psychedelia, ,Saint Dymphna, ,techno-psych, ,XOYO

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