Utility FogYour weekly fix of postfolkrocktronica, dronenoise, power ambient, post-everything improv... and more? Sunday nights from 9 to 11pm on FBi Radio, 94.5 FM in Sydney, Australia. LISTEN ONLINE now! Click here to find the start time for the show at your location! {Hey! Sign up to Utilityfoglet and get playlists emailed to you after each show!}
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Sunday, 24th of June, 2012
Playlist 24.06.12 (11:07 pm)
Tonight's my last show for 4 weeks - off to Europe for a month, so my next UFog is Sunday the 29th of July. You'll be in capable hands in the meantime and I'll keep you updated! Meanwhile, have a DJ mix. Over an hour of hand-selected tunes to pleasure your ears and provoke your thoughts and make your brain cells dance. Thanks to Martin Peralta of Tooths for making me do it! LISTEN AGAIN to tonight's anyway why'n'cha! The usual ways - link at bottom, podcast, stream on demand. Glen Johnson's collective Piano Magic have been around since the mid'90s, making instrumental indie, electronica, pastoral folk, and so on... Their new album is released on Johnson's sterling label Second Language, which has released a range of post-classical, neo-folk, and 'tronic music over the last few years in their beautiful limited editions. Members from various related acts appear on Life Has Not Finished With Me Yet, but the main focus seems to be a kind of '80s post-punk feel, which is strangely appropriate given that Piano Magic was initially modeled on This Mortal Coil. "Regret" follows us with Fiona Apple, who you may be thinking is a bit too "pop" for UFog, but I think she fits the bill in so many ways, and anyway I've been obsessed with her new album this past week or two. At root she's a songwriter, and one of the reasons her music works so well is that it weds bitingly honest, personal lyrics with searingly honest delivery, and absolutely perfect music (to me). The piano-led songs are supported by shambling home-made percussion loops (or not loops, apparently), double bass, found sounds and sometimes layered vocals, and some of the most cutting phrases to appear in a song of any genre in ages. This may surprise you if you remember the publicity around her first album, released as a teenager (and plenty cutting itself), or the more mainstream-produced sound of her second album (the one with the unimaginably long title, far longer than the two lines of poetry adorning the new one). But I can't praise this stuff enough (and I don't need to, since everybody else is doing the same). The orchestral pop of "Extraordinary Machine" reminded me of Jherek Bischoff's orchestrations on his recent Composed album, so I played the ever-charming Mr David Byrne's contribution. As offthesky, Jason Corder has been making mostly-ambient electronic & acoustic works for some years. Kinder Scout is his trio with Home Normal's Ian Hawgood and cellist Danny Norbury. Their very pastoral sounds turn even more ambient, but strangely gripping and beautiful when further processed by Corder. Recommended. We're mostly used to hearing drone from Dag Rosenqvist, aka Jasper TX. In de la Mancha he and Jerker Lund make expansive shoegaze, and their new album The End* of Music is easily their best. Catch, even! Speaking of dronesters, Machinefabriek is back to his reliably extensive schedule of releases, with two this month — a solo album of processed sounds and a live collaboration with Singaporean artist One Man Nation. Nice to hear outbursts of drum machines among the exquisitely produced sounds. Still in ambient territory, we join Kevin Purdy on his new album Illumination, with the beautifully disquieting closing track, featuring the unmistakeable voice of Amanda Stewart. Fantastic. And with more pretty ambient sounds, we hear from New Zealand-based Stray Theories' Micah Templeton-Wolfe, originally from Sydney — and then head down south to Canberra for another take from Shoeb Ahmad's newie, which I've been spruiking the heck out of of late... It's pretty awesome that the Strain of Origin II compilation from Feral Media & Lofly which I played last week on the show is FBi's album of the week this week! Heaps of great Sydney & Brisbane (mainly) acts remixing each other. Tonight we have Brisbane's Anonymeye doing lovely things to an unreleased (I think) track by Sydney's AFXJIM, and then a pretty hilarious breakcore remix of Sydney electropunk kid Simo Soo by that Blue Mountains reprobate Comatone. Sticking in Sydney, we have some intriguing sounds from young artist Shisd, combining indie & post-r'n'b sounds with dark ambient drones. Scissor Lock contributes one of the remixes on the Charcoal 26th May single out now, with the full EP out soon on Wood & Wire. Austrian trio Trapist have a new album out, their first in 8 years, exploring again mystery-laden worlds of postrock, electronic and improv. It's fitting that their middle album was on Thrill Jockey, and they now find a comfortable home with Staubgold. They can be challenging listening at times, but they're all venerable musicians for good reason. Finally, a track from Zelienople's new album, initially (as is Type's rather irritating wont) vinyl only and now out digitally. The promo as usual hypes up the Talk Talk comparisons, which I can't help think are overplayed. Zelienople do have the understated grace of Talk Talk, but stick to a narrower palette on the whole. Still, it's contemplative music, low-key music deserving of close listening. Piano Magic - Judas [Second Language] Listen again — ~ 154MB
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Sunday, 17th of June, 2012
Playlist 17.06.12 (11:06 pm)
A very krautrocking good day to you. Two tracks open tonight's show from Russia's Oceania, from an excellent EP of dubstep/bass music with a pop edge. In 1997, Mute released a 2CD set called Sacrilege, featuring remixes of the legendary krautrock group Can in various contemporary electronic styles. I didn't really know Can at that stage, but I loved my drum'n'bass and experimental electronica, and that was here in spades. I'm well acquainted with Can's legacy now, but I still have a fondness for these remixes, however of-their-time they are. A Guy Called Gerald here delivers a track which could hardly be accused of containing any references to Can's original, but is a storming piece of beat-choppery whatever. So, Can. There's not much need for me to introduce them — one of the most important groups in the legacy of "krautrock", a genre name redolent of anti-German bigotry, but strangely embraced by its proponents (on the whole, I think). Can's influence can be felt across punk & post-punk, electronica, postrock, ambient music and so much more. For me, Jaki Lebezeit's propulsive funk-influenced drumming is the core to their best tracks, some of which are heard tonight — along with the adventurous analogue sampling, and the stream-of-consciousness lyrics from their two main vocalists. We heard some previously unreleased gems with both Malcolm Mooney and Damo Suzuki tonight from The Lost Tapes boxset, including a 12 minute soundtrack excerpt which is a sort of extended jam on the brilliant "Vitamin C". Sydney's Kevin Purdy has certainly ingested a lot of krautrock in his time, and some of his earlier albums, along with his duo Tooth with Sir Robbo. His new album is his take on ambient music, but isn't lacking in beats and experimentation either. Hopefully next week I'll play a longer, freakier track! We heard a couple more takes from Shoeb Ahmad's newie, Watch/Illuminate, which was launched at London's Cafe OTO earlier this week. I can't recommend the album enough. Also appearing at that show, launching their own new album, was Leverton Fox, featuring Sam Britton of Icarus along with live drums and trumpet. Improv meets electronics, with some very beguiling sounds. Oneohtrix Point Never has a new EP out shortly of remixes and collaborations from his Replica album. Mostly short and sweet, they include Matmos and Surgeon, plus two vocal renditions of his tracks. Roger Robinson of King Midas Sound drops his characteristic vocals over "Replica", with OPNon the subtle edits. Meanwhile Richard Youngs, of all people, turns "Nassau" into a howling, distorted mess. Quite disturbing, really :) Two Australian labels, Sydney's Feral Media & Brisbane's lofly, have teamed up for their second remix compilation, Strain of Origin II. As with the previous volume, it pits artists from the two cities "against" each other, but in a "team" fashion, so the same artists don't actually remix each other. Very fine from my first quick listen, and it's a free download from Bandcamp! Launched this weekend in Sydney was Clan Analogue's tribute to Severed Heads, entitled Headspace. It's strange to hear covers of and artist with such an iconic sound, but there sure are a lot of catchy tunes in Tom Ellard (& co)'s catalogue. We heard two Sydney artists, Kazumichi Grime and Aeriae, doing very distinctive but still recognizable takes — plus I had to play something by Severed Heads from my favourite late-'80s-to-early-'90s period. After an epic special on Amon Tobin a couple of weeks back, I've been shying away from playing too much more, although there's a plethora of great material. Tonight I had Julia Kent's cover of "Surge" as my excuse, and I played a couple of very beautiful multi-tracked cello pieces from her as well. Next up, a little special I've been meaning to play for a while on Japanaese electronica artist Geskia!, including a remix from the always brilliant Bracken. Crunchy beats and ambient textures. Ending with one more cut from Shoeb's album, preceded by one short track from the new glitchy opus from Markus Mehr — definitely recommended, more from it next week. Oceania - Mantra [7even Recordings] Listen again — ~ 159MB
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Thursday, 14th of June, 2012
New Weird Australia - fill-in 14.06.12 (10:13 pm)
Stu Buchanan is away, so I get to play in his new weird Aussie garden! Cock and Swan - Stash (Part Timer remix) [Lost Tribe Sound]
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Sunday, 10th of June, 2012
Playlist 10.06.12 (11:24 pm)
Late start rainy night! Had the second of my gigs at the Rocks Popup and zoomed in, to start about 15-20 minutes late. Featuring the best in new electronic and folktronic sounds, and some epic heavy riffage near the start. Having gotten hold of another of his albums, Airs of the Ear, I thought I'd start once again with the amazing Richard Youngs. I think this might be one of his very best albums, and "Fire Horse Rising" is classic Youngs - traditional English-sounding song, but with psychedelic electric squiggles over its long tail end. Next up, the awesomely intense live version of Swans' "Sex God Sex", with the massive bassline, massive drums and intense Michael Gira vocal. This is from the tour that took them to Australia last year, now released on a stunning 2CD set called We Rose From Your Bed With The Sun In Our Head. The new studio album (also 2CD!) later this year can't fail to be immense. Speaking of immense, we now hear all 18 or so minutes of Jesu's "Sundown" from the Sundown/Sunrise EP, which I somehow missed in 2007. Heavy riffs and shoegazey vocals/electronics, as is his usual approach with Jesu. Just lovely. I've been spruiking Shoeb Ahmad's new album for a few weeks now, and I'm not about to stop. It's out Monday week, June 18th. Premier Aussie indietronica, indie, drone, well, whatever you want to call it, just great songs and textures, guitars with drum machines and crazy string samples and pianos and low-key vocals. Dig it. Great to have a new release from Melbourne duo Peon. Two percussionists take up digital and analogue effects and synths along with their usual instruments, and this time they're produced by the fabulous Lloyd Swanton, bass player in The Necks, who also joins them on the double bass for a couple of numbers. Released by Wood & Wire, the new label from Stu Buchanan/New Weird Australia. That man never rests, I tell ya. Collarbones have a new single out in anticipation of their new album. Fuller bass — altogether pretty hefty production, and meanwhile Marcus's vocals are getting more impassioned in their r'n'b influence. Dubstep label 7even Recordings have a new EP from Russian producer Oceania, a warm pop approach, with vocals from someone credited as "N" on a couple of tracks. It's a great listen from start to finish, definitely recommended. Also in this sort-of Bass region of genres, we have Howse, on the fêted (see what I did there) Tri-Angle label with some very nice bass-friendly beats, and then we have RYAT, on Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder. Sadly even these days, female artists are few and far between in the electronic world, which is surely a reflection of the environment rather than the female artists themselves — in any case, this is an excellent album of wonky experimental electronic beats and processing. The second track I played is a beatless exploration of layered, eventually processed vocals. Memory Drawings is the long-awaited new project from Richard Adams of Hood and The Declining Winter, along with hammered dulcimer player Joel Hanson and Declining Winter member Sarah Kemp on violin. Richard's brother Chris aka Bracken contributes a remix, and leaves us desparate for more new material - hopefully a new album on Anticon later this year! And The Rachels' Rachel Grimes contributes piano plus a remix as well, while fellow mellow post-classical folks Dakota Suite also appear on remix duties. A star-studded release with beautiful packaging from Second Language Music. The strings remain with a couple of tracks courtesy of wonderful English duo Geese. One of their characteristic remixes to start with, of Plaid's collaboration with composer/pianist Will Dutta, and then a solo (I think unreleased) live piece. You can download the remix via the link in the playlist. Awesome string arrangements drawing from electronic music. Then we go on to two fabulous artists on the Lost Tribe Sound label. Vieo Abiungo, who I did a fascinating interview with last year, has a new album out with a DVD by film-maker Pete Munro, which was funded by a Kickstarter campaign. And a limited-edition version of the Cock and Swan has equally lavish packaging, a gorgeous hardcover book with colour-printed artwork, fake-woodboard "wallpaper" and one of those rubbery buttons to plug the CD onto. The music's equally brilliant — Vieo's usual world-inspired percussion and acoustic instruments, unfettered melodies and all. And Cock and Swan apparently used to be a whole lot more electronic, but here turn to acoustic instruments, ramshackle percussion and homely vocals, recalling Broadcast but really all their own. I can't recommend either of these albums enough. Before one more appearance from Shoeb, we have a delightful track from the new EP by Kate Carr, head of the Flaming Pines label. It's a homage to New Caledonia, and features burbling water presumably recorded on the island, along with subtle drones. She's doing some amazing work with the label creating and curating site-specific sounds and musical performances meeting field recordings, and her own EP is a perfect example of that art. Richard Youngs - Fire Horse Rising [Jagjaguwar] Listen again — ~ 142MB
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Sunday, 3rd of June, 2012
Playlist 03.06.12 (11:12 pm)
So, a mad day of flying to Townsville and back for a gig in the one day, all so I could still play music to you tonight! (and admittedly so I could go to work tomorrow) Started with an excerpt from the upcoming(?) album(?) from Bee Mask on ROOM40 — wonderful soundscapey analogue synth work. Bee Mask is coming to Australia this month, and can be seen at Serial Space on the 15th of June. Montreal's CFCF, whose work is usually more directly aimed at the dancefloor, has released an album of Exercises, featuring piano and synth, plus some subtle syncopated beats. It sounds quite indietronica to me, in the best possible way, and is absolutely charming and a little bit melancholy, perhaps in a Boards of Canada type of way. We heard some new Montano last week, and tonight, more new tracks plus another from their 2005 self-titled release: two New Zealanders meet in Melbourne and create minimalist electronica entirely from field recordings. The new album introduces some other sounds, but is still solidly based around field recordings, and it's intriguing and beautiful. Melbourne's thoroughly modern jazz quintet motion have a new album out through listen/hear collective. We heard driving basslines with clattering percussion and sax/keyboard melody. The second track has a fine an example as you're likely to find of live drum'n'bass jazz drumming. And thence we're into our big Amon Tobin special — well, let us just insert another heavy, rolling drum'n'bass-meets-dubstep remix of björk by current value, well suited to the recent Amon Tobin sound. Finally, one other artist slips in at the end. We'll hear more from Parenthetical Girls' Jherek Bischoff's orchestral pop project next week, but tonight the Brazilian connection via Caetano Veloso. Wow! Bee Mask - Vaporware (excerpt) [courtesy ROOM40] Listen again — ~ 162MB
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email: utilityfog at frogworth dot com bsky Mastodon 
Utility Fog teeters on the cusp between acoustic and electronic, organic and digital. Constantly changing and rearranging, this aural cloud of nanotech consumes genres and spits them out in new forms. Whether cataloguing the jungle resurgence, tracking the ups and downs of noise and drone, or unearthing the remnants of glitch and folktronica, all is contextualised within artist & genre histories for a fulfilling sonic journey. Since all these genre names are already pretty ridiculous, we thought we'd coin a new one. So "postfolkrocktronica" it is. Wear it. Now available: free "Live on Utility Fog" downloads! We got tasty rss2 or atom feeds - get Utility Fog playlists in your favourite RSS reader/aggregator. There's also a dedicated podcast feed. Click here to subscribe in iTunes. Archives of all previous playlists and entries are available:
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