Category Archives: Music
Yosuke Yamashita
Yosuke Yamashita is a Japanese musician and artist from Tokyo. He has performed extensively worldwide, and has composed music scores for various films, from the late 60s until the present; most notably for Shohei Imamura‘s 1998 Dr. Akagi. He has also recieved various awards, including Japan‘s Award for Fine Arts in 1999 and the Medal With Purple Ribbon in 2003. Currently, he is a visiting professor at both the Kunitachi College of Music and the Nagoya University of Arts. The ten minute video featured below has its‘ origins in one of Yosuke‘s most intruiging works. This 2008 piece, titled Burning Piano is exactly that; albeit with Yosuke playing an improvised jazz piece on the piano throughout its‘ inflammation. However, this was not the first time Yasuke had played a burning piano. That was some 35 years earlier, when he was approached by filmmaker Kiyoshi Awazu to play a burning piano for his short film of the same name. The 2008 version was filmed after Yosuke had revisited the original work, and thus he felt it needed a revival. The 1973 film can be found on Awazu‘s website: www.kiyoshiawazu.com
Givers
It was splendid to meet the guys from Givers -they were very cheerful, attentive, and courteous. But when they hit the stage last night at The Corner Hotel all that changed. Their indie pop form of psychedelic & melodic rock sashayed from the whimisical to a thrashed out, totally heavy prog-rock finale. They were clearly focussed upon the music only, and not mere pleasantries. The band hails from Lafayette, Louisiana in the deep South, but the vocals (mostly by the enchanting Tiffany Lamson and guitarist Taylor Guarisco) are geographically much more varied; perhaps in need of a definitive style. And although they‘re touring side-shows off the back of the Laneway Festival and double-headlining with Portugal. The Man I believe this young group is still in its formative stage. It‘s not simply their melding of styles; but Givers are incompetent in much of their vocal endeavours, and they perhaps need some kind of ‘hook‘ or ‘thread‘ in their style that will help define their identity. Regardless, and despite my opine that their hit Up, Up, Up is tired and motionless, they did in fact strut their varied talents quite well and I‘m still revelling in the fact they were such a nice group of novice rockstars! Have a listen to Meantime and see what you think:
All Through The Night (Cyndi Lauper)
Ethereal electro-pop is a fairly loose term being bandied about at the moment. The resurgence of this reincarnation of early 80s synthesiser music has arguably been spear-headed by the Winding Refn film Drive. On this soundtrack, Refn invited Cliff Martinez to revisit the score he produced for the 1989 Steven Soderburgh film Sex, Lies, and Videotape. However, the sound emanating from Martinez‘ work goes back almost another decade: which brings us to All Through The Night. This song was written by Jules Shear -a modest 80s music producer that is also credited with the creation of the MTV Unplugged series. He wrote All Through The Night for The Cars and although they recorded the folk ballad, they did not release it on their Heartbeat City album, nor as a B-side on their Drive single. Shear, however, did his own recording and released the song on his 1983 solo album Watch Dog. The next year, following a failed collaborative effort between Lauper and Shear, Lauper decided she would record an unrevised cover of the song. During the recording sessions at NYC‘s Record Plant the track began to take on a new form and was completed in a style that epitomises the early 80s synth ballads which, as mentioned, seem to be experiencing a revival of late. Have a listen to this live version from 1984:
Best of… 2011
And so the festive season has become. Which means booze, fine food, party and hedonistic tendencies will form en masse. And on that note, INFX shall close until the new year has blossomed. Next year we‘ll be upping the ante and drawing focus on specific topics; in pursuit of more underground artists and personalities. Keep watching our Global Profiles series as it too blooms into a somewhat incongrous portrait of life on this Earth of ours.
So that‘s it from us; below are the Top 5 posts that drew the most attention in the past year. And also an Autobox DJ mix recorded live by yours truly, with a host of breakbeat tracks over the ages, to revel in on those sweaty summer afternoons by the pool. May your news be good news, Good luck and goodnight.
CARL SCRASE: http://infx.com.au/2011/03/04/carl-scrase/
NEXT T-SHIRTS: http://infx.com.au/2011/11/11/next-the-future-of-t-shirt-graphics/
MONK EY: http://infx.com.au/2011/10/28/monk-ey/
BARBARION: http://infx.com.au/2011/04/14/barbarion/
VEIN ONE: http://infx.com.au/2011/08/05/veinone/
DJ Dexxx1
Some months ago INFX featured a short tribute mix by DJ Dexxx1 to the late Gangstarr MC Guru. This time we return to the turntable maestro (and beatboxer/ drummer) on a lighter note; to check out the skills our man was droppin‘ during a practice routine back at his place last night.
One of the true underground hip-hop DJs on the West Coast, Los Angeleno DJ Dexxx1 AKA DJ Dexterity is a keen fan of the late JDilla, and frequently drops Dilla‘s beats during his sets and routines all about L.A. Dexxx says of Dilla‘s productions that “the type of rawness on the beat among others shows you not only does Dilla have that Neo soul,The Ummah, SV type soul on lock, but he also has a dark rugged steez as well in his repertoire. Rip to in my opinion the illest beat maker in hip hop history...” and you can hear it as he tells it in this mini-routine right here:
Wu-Tang Clan & Jimi Hendrix – Black Gold
Mash-ups are always a gamble, especially when taking songs from well-established musicians. They have the potential to be brilliant reinterpretations of beloved fan favourites, or disastrous clashes that were better left alone. Fortunately, Tom Caruana is well aware of this risk and has carefully produced yet another outstanding mash-up album of two legendary forces in black music – Jimi Hendrix and the Wu-Tang Clan. Having received widespread online acclaim for his previous release Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles: Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers, this latest offering on Tea Sea Records, titled Black Gold is a unique reawakening of two timeless artists, infusing Hendrix‘s warm and dusty guitar riffs with the ferocious verses of the Wu; all complemented by original, solid beats. Though perhaps not as hooky as its predecessor, this release is just as inventive, and serves as a warm welcome back to the roots of some of the world‘s finest rock and hip-hop music. I anticipate that there are big things on Caruana‘s horizon.
www.teasearecords.net/tomcaruana.cfm
Circle Jerk
Do you consider 5.1 surround the real sound? No way that you would in comparing it to the Circle Jerk audio-visual bonanza that‘s coming your way.
This gig involves 100 speakers; all calibrated to immerse the spectator in an epic aural assault that will mesmerise & seduce, offend & embellish: with 5 huges rooms spanning the most of Revolt, a tailored warehouse venue in Kensington, get ready for the Circle Jerk (presented by the What Is Music? Festival). Featuring a cavacade of Sound and Media Art works, Live digital art, and Performance pieces; it is truly an event for the senses. At once you will find yourself surrounded by sounds and visuals -venture to any of the performance areas: there‘s the chilled Screening Room with Media Art installations conversing with Short Film and Video Art, the Ballroom with Live ensembles that will thrash through and manipulate sound as you‘ve never experienced. Dash into the Side Room to check a live performance piece, or make your way down to The Dock where gigs by the likes of Wrong Room will be splitting sound into the 4th dimension. Tickets just $12 (Con.) and $15 Full -totally worth it! Saturday, 10th December at Revolt, 12 Elizabeth St. Kensington (Metro Station is Macauley).
The Warriors
Californian hardcore group The Warriors have been making some of the most aggressive music of the last 9 years, and yet they seem to remain one of the most under-rated bands of the genre. Since their inception in 2002, the band‘s lyrical and sonic maturity is evident in the fact Marshall Lichtenwaldt‘s voice has seen significant changes between the groups‘ early, raw material to their current sound.
Combining the poetry of Rap-influenced lyricism and crushing metal-influenced riffs, The Warriors create a sound that will have you both engrossed and wanting to throw fists. The passion and aggression bleeding from each track is reminiscent of bands such as Rage Against The Machine that explore themes of social injustice and despair. These guys have largely remained under the surface through numerous record label and band member changes, and their varied progression in sound.
Listen to ‘Set The Stage‘ from their 2004 EP War Is Hell (Redux) below:
Media Arts 1+2
This week, Wednesday 2nd November: Come party with the RMIT Media Arts crew.
From 7pm, we shall inhabit a specially-chosen and almost purpose-built venue to strut our collective self on the big screen. We‘ll have a few drinks, feel the beat, and settle down for an hour-long feast of video and filmic works by 1st and 2nd year Fine Arts students. Following the screening, the DJs will come to the fore: featuring Utopian Swagger‘s Faggot Swagger tunes accompanied the visuals of the Bearded Ladiezz (A.K.A. Permian La Cube), a VJ set by Andy Turland (our supremo host), yours truly spinning Autobox DJ styles and the main man, Rob McDougall kicking out the tech later in the piece; spinning ‘til stumps.
So get your Art on and groove on. Get your travel down on up into this bitch, and jig along to 14 Hardy Street, Brunswick (just off Albion St). Nearest Station is Anstey. Check it.
‘Monk Ey
This is one of the fresh, hip-to-the-game, young tings runnin‘ tings in Mexico City. ‘Monk Ey recently featured in Mexico‘s Street: Active Lifestyle magazine, mapping out his musical and contemporary cultural endeavours. He has achieved notoriety as the founder of Square Root Of Pi, known officially as √π and along with the Pi posse, they‘re lording it over the underground scene in Mexico.
I caught up with the mad monk in between his DJ gigs and the cutting edge live band, hip-hop and electronic music ensembles that √π is renowned for:
INFX: What kind of tunes are you working into your DJ sets at the moment?
‘Monk Ey: Old Chicago House, House, Disco, Acid And Techno, Basically.
INFX: What do you make of the club scene in Mexico City, And how do you fit in?
‘Monk Ey: It‘s Kinda Bizarre. It‘s Not Merged, It‘s Not United, It‘s Not Going Anywhere. Most Of It Are Playing The Same Tracks (Psycho Dubstep @ 160 BPM), It Sucks. It‘s Difficult To Push The People To Other Style Of Music. Some People Love My Sets, Others Hate Them. 120-130 BPM That, For Me, It‘s The Best.
INFX: Seems like they prefer the Happy Hardcore - When was the last time you dropped Acid in a club?
‘Monk Ey: Actually, A Month Ago. The Results… Everybody Loves It, Nobody Knows It For Real. When I Play Acid It‘s When The People Go Nuts Dancing And Screaming Like There Is No Tomorrow, But They Aren‘t Aware Of It. It‘s Like Acid Is A Party-Only Music.
INFX: It‘s a fucken party alright. Finally, though, tell me: Do you know of any mad real cocktail recipes?
‘Monk Ey: Indeed, I Do! A Friend Told Me About “Mascara De Gas“, Or In English, “Gas Mask“. It‘s A Drink With Vodka, Whiskey, Tequila And Fire. They Mix Up All, Put Flames On It And, Keep The Gas In A Glass Upside Down, You Take The Shot And Then, You Breathe All The Gas On The Glass, Then… You‘re All Dizzy. Ha!
Well, no doubt my man ‘Monk Ey will be busy gettin‘ dizzy all weekend. Big Up‘s to the monk, and stayed tuned for an upcoming exposé on the √π crew. Meanwhile, here‘s a sneak peek of ‘Monk Ey and the team in action:
Fundraiser For Familia
For Familia is a music gig coming up at the end of the month. It is in aid of the Familia Moja Children‘s Home in Kenya. The benefit features music from the Tantrums, Lowtide, Baptism of Uzi, and Sydney‘s Melodie Nelson. DJs are also on the scene, with Shags (Lost Animal) and Chris (New War) dropping tunes on the night. The gig starts at 8pm on Friday, 28th October. It will be held at The Worker‘s Club in Fitzroy. For a mere $15 you will be happy in the knowledge that all funds will go directly to the Familia Home in Kenya; where Westerners have volunteered to help the locals build a permanent structure & facilities. The project is aimed at helping children that are affected & displaced by diseases including AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The project provides a nutrituous diet, shelter, and clothing to suffering poor of the country; with a view to educate and improve the overall well-being of the local community. The home itself is also being built with sustainable technologies and the Familia certainly needs all the help they can get!___________________________________Event On Facebook
George Tipton
Hopefully, the weather has shed its tumultuous start to Spring; and as we warm-up into the summer; this is the man you want on heavy rotation!
George Tipton is a funky folk-soul composer; know for his music production, film and television scores (including The Golden Girls and The Love Boat). However, this musical great didn‘t just meander around TV studios cheesing it up. He also worked extensively with Harry Nilsson during the 70s and produced hits including Nilsson‘s Everybody’s Talkin’ and, earlier, the skewed pop music by Star Trek‘s Mr. Spock: Leonard Nimoy. Tipton went on throughout the 70s belting out funkadelic tracks such as Cotton Comes to Harlem (from the film of the same name) and other greats including his composition of Renaissance lute piece Gassenhauer (from the 1973 film Badlands). Also noteworthy is his arrangement of the Light My Fire cover version by José Feliciano. He‘s also the man you want to be tracking down for some excellent breaks: many of which can be cut from the album Nilsson by Tipton. Definitely one cool cat for the hawt summer.
Sugar Mountain Festival 2012
The newest musical ensemble feast to hit Victoria is now upon the horizon; once again hosted at The Forum in Melbourne‘s CBD. The first lot of Sugar Mountain tickets went on sale yesterday: for the event in January 2012.
The first half of the line-up has just been announced too; with the awe-inspiring John Maus headlining alongside other knock-out acts including Deerhoof, Prince Rama, local upstarts World‘s End Press and many more! Their website is kicking it too; teeming with photography, artwork, and free download mixtapes by Oscar Slorach-Thorn, Nick Allbrook, and Rat Vs. Possum (among others). The site also features a swathe of information on the festival (as you‘d probably expect), and Oscar also treats us to a somewhat impromptu interview with CoCo Rosie; before endowing us with a video for his Oscar + Martin track Recognise. Also, in the Film section you‘ll find a video documenting work by street art maestro Two One and a clip by The Forest City Rockers Ft. Thee Oh Sees. Sugar Mountain presents us with a grab-bag of contemporary, studious musical greats and complements them with film screenings, photography, and art exhibitions. Hurry in and get your Early Bird tickets to this artistry exposition at: http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/1300473897C72C8C?
sugarmountainfestival.com
Machine EP Launch
Tomorrow night, the Grace Darling in Collingwood presents this highly-anticipated EP by lords of rocking, psychedelic sounds; the band we know as Machine. And if you‘ve yet to hear their tunes; check out this sneak-peek from the forthcoming EP:
In what can only be described as a virulent assault on the aural senses of your ears, Machine toil and tumble through a cavacade of sonic excess that will put a smile on your face and a dent in your appreciation of music. Simply put; if you haven’t seen them already, then get your arse down to Smith Street and witness this event for yourself. The show begins at 9pm, with excellent support from The Process.
2011 Moon Lantern Festival
This Saturday, 17th September hosts the 2011 Moon Lantern Festival. Now in it‘s 16th year, this community festival has grown from a Viet-centric event to one that encompasses the entire North Richmond community; providing arts, food, and entertainment from local Chinese, Vietnamese, African, Timorese, West Papuan, Turkish, Pacific Islander and indigenous Australian communities.
Held on the grounds of the North Richmond Housing Estate, this event encompasses the aforementioned multi-cultural bonanza; showcasing art installations, music, and foods: Asian, Middle Eastern, African and more! The festival is free and is held on the Saturday only. Highlights include a circus workshop by Westside Circus, performances by Polyglot Puppet Theatre and the fascinating Punjabi Bhangra Dancers. Prior to the fireworks finale, witness the magical Moon Lantern Parade, amongst the sea of candles.
North Richmond Housing Estate: Cnr Highett & Lennox Streets, Nth Richmond
Death Valley Mustangs EP Launch
Next Saturday, the 3rd of September heralds the launch of the much-anticipated, brand new EP by the Death Valley Mustangs.
Titled “Tijuana Bible” this release marks the advent of a more refined sound from The Mustangs: their music has consolidated into a purely rock sound,which is distinctly their own. This latest incarnation also features a refined range of vocal talent, and a musical confidence unheard in their earlier EP. The Death Valley Mustangs play at Pony -doors open 8.30pm until late, with support acts Bugdust, Rayon Moon, and Dan Kirk. $9.
INFX is also offering the chance to WIN A SIGNED COPY of the EP in advance of the launch!
SIMPLY EMAIL infx@email.com a few words that are persuasive enough to merit the prize.
