Mouse on Mars - Frosch (1994)

This still sounds great sixteen years down the line.

Alvin Lucier - I Am Sitting in a Room

Handel's Largo

Had the privilege of going to see Handel's opera Xerxes in Budapest's glorious Opera House (above) last Wednesday night. We were up in the cheap seats (the tickets were the equivalent of €3.50(that's three-fifty)) but it was amazing.

The production itself, apart from the incredible singers, bordered on amateurish (the choreography was especially ropey, but it was the opening night), but the 24(?)-piece orchestra stole the show.

To my shame, I had never heard an orchestra in the flesh til then and was stunned. Hearing the heavenly, centuries-old likes of 'Largo' (below) in those surroundings is an experience I'll never forget. If you ever find yourself in Budapest, don't miss the Opera. Spectacular.



'Largo' FLAC (13mb) - hxxp://rapidshare.com/files/339392308/05_Handel_-_Largo__from__Xerxes__.flac

Ganglians - Cryin' Smoke

Great little tune. Unfortunately missed these guys in Dublin during the week.

Jim O'Rourke - All Kinds of People Love Burt Bacharach

Japan-only release of Burt Bacharach covers, so don't feel too guilty about sharing it. Features Glenn Kotche on drums, Thurston Moore and four or five other guest vocalists. Bang of bad karaoke off some of it, but worth checking out overall. A few interesting arrangements.

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?mdvd5wnlind

John Coltrane - My Favorite Things

I love blasting this album when the weather's good. It releases some happy chemical in my brain.

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?zw3lw02i5lj

"Ahead of their time" is an understatement.

Just chanced upon this via a mention in a Jeff Beck article in today's Sunday Times. Tom Dissevelt & Kid Baltan, Philips employees paid to try to come up with "popular electronic music" apparently, in or around 1958. These tracks sound like they came out in the Nineties on Warp Records. Very bizarre that this stuff isn't better-known. Thanks Jeff.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Apologies for my laziness, I'm supposed to be studying.

hXXp://www.megaupload.com/?d=8kdx0prq

Mulholland Drive OST (2001) - Angelo Badalamenti

hmdp://rs760.rapidshare.com/files/211986489/Mulholland_Drive-Soundtrack.rar

Clint Mansell - The Fountain OST (2006)

Epic, gorgeous, explosive stuff featuring contributions from Mogwai and The Kronos Quartet. Moves from ambient drones to plaintive piano music to slowly percolating minimalism to jaw-dropping, terrifying strings.

hXXp://www.megaupload.com/?d=LDHRSIV2

Somadrone - Providence

Somadrone - Providence from ξοgΙιαη κιdηεγ on Vimeo.

A beautiful piece of work from Dublin's Neil O'Connor aka Somadrone and video director Eoghan Kidney.

2001 A Space Odyssey (OST)

hXXp://www.mediafire.com/?yejc68sdlzi

18 years ago.

These New Puritans - We Want War

Quite brilliant. These dudes have taken a mighty step forward since I last heard them. To be honest, I've avoided them since reading that they do things like soundtrack Christian Dior fashion shows - but I have to admit this is pretty amazing. Maybe it's the drums. Maybe it's the spectacularly ambitious structure and production. The horn-section breakdown towards the end. Like all good music, it's probably just a lot of things combining to smack you round the head.

If I was to throw three bands this song reminds me of into the post, I'd say Pink Floyd, Trans Am and Massive Attack. Listening to it reminds me of the first time I heard "Atlas" by Battles. It's something new and you have to admire them for that if nothing else.

Their new album "Hidden" is out on Domino in January. Hope it lives up to this.

Roxy Music - Roxy Music (1972)

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?2yhldzn3xmg

So What - Miles Davis (w. John Coltrane) (1959)

Beach House - Norway (new song live)

My most anticipated album of the next few months is Beach House's Teen Dream, which is coming out on Sub Pop/Bella Union on January 26th. According to Victoria Legrand, "There's a different kind of intimacy, a physicality on Teen Dream." Which probably just means "faster tunes". Introducing this live version of possible single "Norway", , Alex Scally deems it their "spiciest" song. I trust this pairly implicitly to deliver the goods once again, whatever the tempo. They haven't put a foot wrong yet.

Edit - the band have now released this song as a free mp3 teaser for the album.

Norway mp3

The Flaming Lips + Stardeath & White Dwarfs - Borderline

What a fantastic cover. Really looking forward to the Lips' upcoming double album Embryonic, judging by this and the few tracks I've heard from the album they seem to be firing on all cylinders again.

www.mediafire.com/?1kjygj0qude (mp3)

Rachel's - Water From the Same Source

The Beatles Remasters (Stereo/Flac)

Not my uploads. These remasters are incredible, the hairs on the back of my neck have been on end all day.

http://tinypaste.com/d8fa0

Jack Nitzsche - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest OST

Hawaiian-edged melancholia, with several haunting compositions. One of Jim O'Rourke's favourite albums.

hXXp://rapidshare.com/files/124620128/1975_One_Flew_Over_The_Cuckoo_s_Nest_-_Jack_Nitzsche.rar

Nick Drake - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright

I don't know where this recording came from, but I'm picturing a teenage Nick sitting in his bedroom doing endless amazing covers for his own pleasure.

I don't know if this really is Nick Drake or not (there is no known footage of him), but I can't stop watching this clip

Polvo - Beggar's Bowl (new song)

Wow.

Polvo return after more than ten years on hiatus with a mouthwatering taster from the upcoming album In Prism, out in September.

This is Polvo in HD, all jagged shiny guitars and pounding, lean drumbeats. They sound like a new band, oozing belief. If the rest of the album is as good as this, it will be something special.

mp3 available here

Don't Fear the Reaper

Sky Saxon R.I.P.

The Seeds - The Seeds (1966) - hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=S7VRD8TQ



Michael Jackson R.I.P.

Off the Wall - hxxp://rapidshare.com/files/113201472/1979_-_Off_the_wall.rar.html

Thriller - hmjp://www.mediafire.com/?aldmdjwgsk2