Series: Matthew Waldman | Vol. 14 Music Review 2010 Summer

A Summer of Heavy Rotation

Vol.14 Music Review 2010 Summer

This summer, I’ve been listening to, sifting through, and actually buying a lot of music in search of songs that would blow me away, or at least serve as the soundtrack to my summer. Luckily, I’m well-acquainted with my favorite music labels, so I can always keep my emotions in a special state by getting preview sample CDs of upcoming releases. Below is a little list of what was on heavy rotation at the Nooka office.

Words and photos by Matthew Waldman

Enjoy this review, as the analogies are well-crafted!

For example, Matthew Dear’s *Black City*, which I’ll introduce below, defies genre. It’s like an imaginary metropolis where despair, heartbreak, and impulse without judgment reside. Much like almost any literary work set in New York, *Black City* is a place of love and hate, as dingy as a nightclub dressing room and as alluring as worldly power.

*Black City* by Matthew Dear
Matthew Dear is a New York-based musician, but in *Black City*, he lives in a world of music unlike any other. It’s an unparalleled work, shaped by the shadows of urban life—the swaying, creaking, trembling, and late-night screams that jolt you awake.
*Black City* is Matthew Dear’s third album, released on the label Ghostly International. It’s his darkest and most captivating, a landmark release.

*Atlantique* by Minitel Rose
A solid new retro-futuristic pop sound from my favorite French electro-pop label. By being more 80s than the 80s, it’s like 80s x 2 = 160s!? I think so. They always create music that cheers me up with their accented English and a continuous stream of falsetto supporting the vocals.

*Disconnect from Desire* by School of Seven Bells
School of Seven Bells truly wields magic. Symbols, myths, and mantras are in the hands of vocalist Alejandra Deheza and guitarist/producer Benjamin Curtis (formerly of On! Air! Library! and Secret Machines, respectively).
This *Disconnect from Desire* by School of Seven Bells is the second album from the Brooklyn trio, following their Ghostly debut, *Alpinisms*. Its title is taken from a sentence on one of the cards in Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies (a set of cards co-created by Eno and Peter Schmidt).
It’s a mystical album. The imagery is of arcane symbols. Energy is contained within the mystical forms, and a will emanates from the entire album. The true magic of *Disconnect from Desire* is the life that exists within its music. Ten far-reaching tracks. A phantom dream-pop from a band demonstrating its peak power.

*Maya* by M.I.A.
Clever, intriguing, and captivating. Under the unforgiving summer sun, a hot, sweaty sound like a New York sidewalk, filled with people, where all shapes and colors bounce with sexy heat. I was very impressed.

*Night Work* by Scissor Sisters
Last year, I was invited to a secret concert under their pseudonym Queef Latifa, and I’m proud to say I heard the tracks from *Night Work* there. However, it seemed they discarded that collection and reworked all the songs. And I had to admit: it was better. I was hoping to hear their cover of Roxy Music, but perhaps that song was a single coupling?
It feels like Frida’s *Something’s Going On* met SWEET’s *Desolation Boulevard* (US version).
This description best summarizes their album. I still don’t understand why they aren’t famous in this country when they are so well-known in Europe. Nor do I understand why Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s speech.

*White Magic* by ceo
This is undoubtedly the most peculiar album I’ve purchased on iTunes this year. A surface-level, almost unbearable naivete fused with purely auditory moments of brilliance and, in any case, a very strong expression of pop music. If Panda Bear is the alternative Beach Boys, then ceo is the electronic ABBA.──The analogies in this review are well-crafted. It’s not surprising at all that they are from Sweden (for those who are into Swedish indie, this sounds like a strong connection, because it basically is).

*Crystal Castles (II)* by Crystal Castles
If you’re looking for your favorite sounds from a band, chances are all the songs will sound the same. Like STEREOLAB, for example. There’s a sense that repeating what you do well is best, like branding. Does anyone want to enjoy a different flavor every time at McDonald’s? Well, Crystal Castles doesn’t fit into that mold. This album is excessively diverse, exploring pop, dance, electro, and moody soundscapes without fail. They might be a bit intense on stage, but that’s fine. I’m too old for festivals anyway.

*Dark Night of The Soul* by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse
And finally, one last album. There’s no jacket photo, but first, the list of collaborators is outstanding (David Lynch, Julian Casablancas, and Iggy Pop!). And it’s great that adult-oriented pop music is still being produced for what might be considered a teenage goth sensibility. It’s the perfect music for driving alone or for solitary nights. Furthermore, who wouldn’t love something called ‘sparklehorse’? This album makes it seem like ‘my pretty pony’ (an indie rock band from the TV series *Veronica Mars*) has truly matured.