Aphera Music

Listening to Elliott Smith again is like a deep conversation with an old friend. As one of the first “modern” musicians that I started listening to, along with Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and Eminem, he holds an incredibly dear spot in my heart. Especially  his album Figure 8 which was on repeat through most of middle school and early high school. I’ve included on our playlist an outtake from the album that I recently discovered. Though the title of the album is derived from this song, “Figure 8″, it was not included. Regardless, still embodies the sound and aura of the album [kudos if you recognized it from Schoolhouse Rock].

Next on the playlist I put on another sad song from the album, “Everything Means Nothing to Me”. I’m not in a bad place now but these slow and low songs just feel pretty right right now. Also, Smith’s death was only 8 years and 10 days ago to this day.

listen to the songs by clicking the player image on the right or right here.

I just heard this track on Gilles Peterson’s BBC radio programme (ha) and this track really caught me. The track is a remix of a Lana Del Rey track who apparently is this up and coming female singer/songwriter type. I don’t know much about her but her voice is extremely beautiful and to add to that the song’s lyrics are some of the most sexually charged words I’ve heard. Really loving the setting too. The remixer, Joy Orbison, is another Londoner working in that style called dubstep that I’m loving so much these days. But back to Lana, she’s hot and making good music which is good for everybody.

Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Joy Orbison Remix) by beatsbaby

Aside from right here, I will not mention anymore the long break that apheramusic took because it was inexcusable and silllllly. I feel like I’m starting a new page and I’m also 21 which I’ve been told means something.

I saw James Blake perform twice in the last 4 months. Both times I can safely say my mind was blown. This guy is taking long strides towards a future of musical domination. His new EP, Enough Thunder, does little for me except for this one song but no worries because he’s got a new EP coming out later this year and I’ve heard some of his unreleased songs when he played them live and they kick ass.

I was surprised to hear that James Blake was being called dubstep so I looked up what dubstep meant and I discovered it has a rich history steeped in two step and house and all those weird genres that come from London. Not only that, but I found out that an electronic artist with whose work I am sorta familiar, Burial, is a pioneer of dubstep. funny. Then I found Mount Kimbie, a group loosely associated with Blake, and I heard this song, “50 Mile View” and it blew me away. A lot of richness to their sound – ear candy for anyone with an ear for electronica. A lot of it comes from the way they use reverb to keep sounds lingering; every new sound sits on the residue of the previous blips and synth struts, lingering and fading simultaneously.

Next, Pitchfork just posted a new track by Gonjasufi, everyone’s favorite stoner electronica raspy-voiced psychadelia singer. That’s right kids. Anyway he’s got a new EP coming out or something and again the tracks are produced by my very favorite Flying Lotus. Listen below but first I’m going to express my excitement over the news that Flying Lotus tweeted about his new album, for which he apparently has so much music that he either has to pare it down or make a double album. Now excuse me while I clean up the mess I just left on my keyboard (eww gross).

GONJASUFI – “EATFISH” w: BLU (Produced by Johnson&Johnson) [aif] by Hydroshare.tv

It’s nice to see you guys again, signing off, this is George aka Yurij.