Wtorek 31 Sie 2010, 12:32

Track: Little People (Black City)
Artist: Matthew Dear
Album: Black City
Tags: deep house, retro 80s, avant pop, cowbell, my gang rotw
Video: Click the pic…

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/hlr87bUT5pI/default.jpg YouTube, audio upload

One of the tracks that will define the summer of 2010 will be this one from Matthew Dear - Little People (Black City).

At over nine minutes long, in three sections roughly divided into three minutes each, it is a highlight from a near perfect album.

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/11/l_fe5fa08f429d42b0b98c65b65e31b836.jpg
(Source: MySpace)

Black City is darker and poppier than earlier work, taking it away from dance floor fillers to appeal to the wider world. Weird catchy little hooks, unexpected words in strange lines and otherworldly imagery typify the new direction. His vocals are deep and mannered, recalling the style of many artists of the early 80s, who in turn were inspired by Bryan Ferry. This is music for gentlemen in suits and long overcoats, the brims of their hats obscuring a dash of black eyeliner.

The nod to the past doesn't stop there. Beginning with early 80s post-punk, art-rock and new romantics, we have funky grooves, mid-80s hip-hop, old skool club classics of the early 90s, right up to the morose tones of The xx, who Dear has remixed for.

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/38612413/Audion.jpg

The darkness is sexy. It's the sleazy, sweaty, dirty variety from shady corners of nightclubs. Unlike earlier albums, all the track names are 'safe for work', again appealing to a wider market, but the sexiness remains and if anything, is intensified for the restraint.

That's just the umbrella. Embedded in the layers as you go deeper are details which only reveal themselves on repeat listen or on headphones. Tiny quirks, little flashes of sound, odd rhythms. They can throw you off your stride as you dance, catching you off guard and cause you to wonder what happened if you're following them. Glamourous little jewels to catch your attention.

The album closes with the emotional Gem, a beautiful, ethereal ambient piano piece with Dear's vocals over distorted, distant vocals in the background and choral oohs.

Matthew Dear is described as one of America’s foremost minimal techno producers, with a career that goes back about ten years. He and Sam Valenti IV created the record label, Ghostly International. Over the decade, he has remixed for and collaborated with others, and worked under a number of aliases, including Audion. He lists Talking Heads, David Bowie, Adonis, Nitzer Ebb, and Roman Flügel as inspirations.

Babs

- My Gang

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My Gang Reco of The Week http://static.last.fm/matt/tinyradio.gif

Disclaimer: Mines

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Admin: Stats as of today:

Last.fm listeners of this track - 5,975
No. of plays scrobbled in Last.fm - 14,074
Position in Last 7 Days: 2 / 2,228
Position in Last 6 Months: 181 / 10

Video
Date Added: August 09, 2010
Views: 8,293, Ratings: 10, Comments: 5, Favourites: 96

Stats after 7 days:

Last.fm listeners of this track - 7,093
No. of plays scrobbled in Last.fm - 17,240
Position in Last 7 Days: 2 / 1,993
Position in Last 6 Months: 59 / 77

Video
Views: 11,445, Ratings: 10, Comments: 5, Favourites: 117

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