Chthonic: Takasago Army (Spinefarm)

Chthonic: "Takao"

Formed in Taipei in 1997, Chthonic (pronounced “thonic”) plays symphonic black metal rooted in traditional Taiwanese music and folklore. Known to incorporate traditional instruments such as the hena (a two-string bowed fiddle, also known as the erhu in China) and base its lyrics on the mythologies of Taiwan’s history, the band is one of Taiwan’s most outspoken symbols for national independence and thought.

Takasago Army is Chthonic's sixth full-length album and is a concept piece about aboriginal Taiwanese tribesmen who volunteered in the Imperial Japanese Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Musically, it splashes elements of black, thrash, power, and melodic death metal with the emotional cries of the erhu and Freddy Lim's piercing shrieks and guttural screams. The symphonic moments are strategically placed, showing themselves for dramatic effect and melodic accompaniment; the result is an alternately war-like and pensive atmosphere.

- Text by Michael Nolledo and Scott Morrow.

Big Business: Quadruple Single EP (Gold Metal)

Big Business: "Always Never Know When to Quit"

When we last heard from Big Business in 2009, the formerly drum-and-bass sludge-rock duo had become a three-piece and released an epic, theatrical, singalong opus in Mind the Drift. Now the group has expanded yet again, doubling from its original size to a quartet by adding second guitarist Scott Martin, and Quadruple Single is the band's first offering in this form.

These four tunes fall somewhere between Mind the Drift and its predecessors, possibly a reflection of getting acclimated to the new lineup. There's plenty of emphasis once more on Jared Warren's thunderous bass lines and howling vocals, but this time they're rounded out by wailing post-rock accents and by both harmonized and noisy guitar accompaniments.

The most chant-worthy tune, "Ice-Cold War," is immediately followed by the hard-hitting "California Square Dance," which is full of massive bass (both guitar and drums) and agile fills. "Guns" closes the EP with a dose of Big Business' tongue-in-cheek humor, as an overdubbed refrain repeatedly shouts, "Guns are better than everything else" in advance of the group's most guitar-driven breakdown.

Little Dragon: Ritual Union (Peacefrog)

Little Dragon: "Ritual Union"

It's tempting to say that there's something in water in Gothenburg, Sweden. It might be more accurate to say that are two distinct strains — one running dark and viscous (At the Gates, In Flames) and the other as sweet and colorful as Vitamin Water (Jens Lekman, El Perro del Mar). Feeding on a healthy diet of the latter and bolstering the city's mystique is Little Dragon, a dance-pop quartet that just released its third full-length, Ritual Union.

Fans of the band's last release, Machine Dreams in 2009, will find that Ritual Union handles its intoxicating blend of oddball percussion, melodious hooks, and carefree genre-surfing with more poise. Each of its tracks take time to morph from minimal to manic in a fashion not unlike Hot Chip's soulful, dance-floor-ready electronica.

Little Dragon's focal point, on stage and on record, is its vocalist, Yukimi Nagano. Her cooly unaffected R&B delivery is an excellent counterweight to the band's pronounced affection for bouncy, hypnotic synth. Rather than sounding dated or ironically nostalgic, Little Dragon's gauzy pop imagines an '80s where restraint wins out over indulgence, and analog and electronic are not so readily distinguishable.

- Text by Kyle Gilkeson.

Aram Bajakian’s Kef: s/t (Tzadik)

Aram Bajakian's Kef: "Raki"

Brooklyn guitarist Aram Bajakian is yet another in New York City's long line of masterful experimentalists, mixing rock, jazz, noise, and world music into an indecipherable avant-garde blend.

Though he performs with a host of accomplished musicians (including Lou Reed, Marc Ribot, Yusef Lateef, Steven Bernstein, and Billy Martin), Bajakian also leads a number of projects, and Kef reflects his Armenian heritage. A student of world music, Bajakian uses this string trio to expand on the tradition of kef, an Armenian dance style that adapts and electrifies various folk elements.

Here, the string trio — electric and acoustic guitars, acoustic bass, and violin — takes Eurasian folk melodies and runs them through an avant-rock and jazz filter. Between harmonious folk arrangements, the guitar and violin often pair for energetic runs, buoyed by the rich bass textures, and all three instruments offer a wellspring of timbres. After running the gamut for its first 10 tracks, the album then closes with two of its most beautiful tunes in "48 Hours" and "La Rota."

Honorable Mentions

The Blind Shake: Seriousness (Learning Curve)

Cerebral Ballzy: s/t (Williams Street)

Dex Romweber Duo: Is That You in the Blue? (Bloodshot)

Isis: Live V 07.23.06

Laddio Bolocko: The Life and Times of Laddio Bolocko reissue (No Quarter)

Machinedrum: Room(s) (Planet Mu)

Rival Sons: Pressure & Time (Earache)

Rummaging through Nostalgia
by Katie Haegele

I've been thinking a lot about nostalgia lately. Actually, I've thought about it in one way or another for years, since I was old enough to want to buy my own clothing but didn't have any money and started hunting the Salvation Army for the grandma jewelry and waitress uniforms I turned into outfits.

I love old things, especially kitschy, outmoded, and obsolete ones, and I spend a fair amount of time digging for them at rummage sales and thrift stores, even in the trash. These things call to me, and I have spent a lot of time trying to understand and articulate exactly why that is, but it's hard to grasp the feeling. There's something about the sadness of castoff things that touches me, for sure, but it's not only that. It's also the feeling that each object has a story, a history that's not my own. That history is both loaded and freeing at once. For next to no money, you can buy the thing and take it home. That coffee canister or wicker handbag or owl figurine will be yours, but it will never feel like it's only yours.

More than an owner, you're like a caretaker. In exchange, you get to borrow the thing's history and have a piece of its ready-made comfort — a comfort like the feeling you had in the cozy living room in your grandparents' house, or the kitchen of a friend from grade school who's grown fuzzy in your mind over time. You can, in fact, feel nostalgic for something you don't even remember.

Zine-making is another huge part of my life. For several years now, I've made print zines — ones with poems in them or collections of interviews or stories about my adventures at rummage sales (White Elephants No. 4)  — and brought them to zine fairs to hang out with my fellow nerds. I first started making zines because I'd been working as a writer for newspapers and magazines, and though I liked this work and was proud to do it (most of the time), it did not always afford me the freedom to say whatever I wanted, however I wanted. I craved that, so I took a handful of found poems I'd written, and I published the collection as a zine. By doing so, I plugged into a vibrant community of other people who want to say what they think with no restriction. It has been tremendously inspiring and a lot of fun.

But these zine folks, a lot of them are nostalgic too. As digital becomes the default mode of communication, these little handmade books only become more special — "fetish objects," says N. Katherine Hayles, editor of Electronic Literature: New Horizons for the Literary — and the physical experience of holding paper in your hands is a palpable pleasure.

Beyond that, I've noticed some younger folks in the zine community holding up the riot-grrrl zines of the early '90s as a kind of standard, preferring to use only typewriters and clip art, and putting it all together the cut-and-paste way (which, incidentally, is the only way I’ve ever done it because it’s the only way I know how). Riot grrrl was a cultural revolution that many of these writers are too young to remember, but it excites them still. I'd venture to say they feel nostalgic for it even though they didn't experience it, that they enjoy borrowing that history and building on it, echoing it, referencing it, and making it their own. Zines may be all about freedom of expression, but they have their conventions too.

One thing I see in a lot of "perzines" (zines of personal, memoir-style writing) is a back page that reads "This zine was made to the sounds of…" with a list of bands or songs. It has become a zine standard — a staple of the genre — and though I've made dozens of zines over the years, I've never included a playlist in one, so I'd like to do that now. This mixtape is composed entirely of music I've discovered in zines, through zine friends, and from zine readers who have sent me mix CDs and tapes in the mail as trades or gifts. What a treat. I guess I should add that to my ever-growing list of reasons to be a zinester: new music from new friends.

PS: If you E-mail me (katie@thelalatheory.com), I'll send you this mix. It sounds really good.

The "I Heart Zinesters" Mix
By Katie, with thanks to the makers of these fine zines: Childlike Empress, Functionally Ill, Today Terrific, The Internet – Enriching and Sucking My Life Away Five Hours At a Time, Ampersand After Ampersand, and Dumb/Sulk Trigg-er

1. Dylan Campbell: "Diggers"
2. Iron and Wine: "Resurrection Fern"
3. Beach House: "Master of None"
4. Ann Peebles: "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down"
5. Cats on Fire: "Higher Grounds"
6. Plumerai: "Home Again"
7. Lush: "Hey Hey Helen"
8. Captain Beefheart: "Tropical Hot Dog Night"
9. Hot Chip: "Thieves in the Night"
10. Santogold: "You'll Find A Way"

And they’re nice — like deep-South nice.  Maybe that’s why Robert Moog decided to spend the last 25 years of his life there.

Moog, an innovator in electronic music, created his legendary Moog synthesizer after experimenting for years with the Theremin.  His patented Moog equipment gained popularity at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and now, because of the newly reimagined MoogFest, Bob Moog has again been introduced to a new generation of music lovers.  In the midst of the irony of this throwback to analog, when people are arguing its merits against digital, Moogfest brings it all together, hosting a diverse lineup of artists that blend electronic elements with spellbinding showmanship (Jónsi), face-melting pop rock (Sleigh Bells), and folksy acoustics (Mountain Man).

After five years of being a low-key, one-night show in New York, this year AC Entertainment took the reigns, moved Moogfest to Asheville, and turned it into a three-day celebration, complete with performances, workshops, and lectures.  This year also marks the first year that big-name national acts like Big Boi, Massive Attack, MGMT, Thievery Corporation, and Hot Chip all converged over the course of a full weekend, joining a jam-packed list of talent that also included El-P, RJD2, Bonobo, Matmos, Jon Hopkins, Emeralds, Omar Souleyman, Four Tet, Dan Deacon, The Octopus Project, DJ Spooky, and many more.

The move is indicative of AC Entertainment’s desire to create more “lifestyle” festivals, like its already-established Bonnaroo.  Asheville is the right kind of town for such events, with its bohemian demographic and geographic accessibility.  Set in the hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is home to great natural and architectural wonders, like the Biltmore Estate and the Grove Park Inn.  Citizens have easy access to outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and rafting, yet Ashevillians also enjoy the pleasures of urban life with a downtown that’s walkable and filled with unique local businesses.

Music and art have become an important part of the community landscape, and Moogfest gives credit to what locals already know:  Asheville is a hub for culture.  There’s a thriving “busking” (street-performing) scene and a weekly drum circle.  Residencies by the Smashing Pumpkins and Beastie Boys at local venue The Orange Peel first brought attention to the Asheville music scene.  Band of Horses and the Avett Brothers (both have native NC band members) have recorded at Asheville’s Echo Mountain Studios. And The New York Times recently ran an article titled “36 Hours in Asheville,” whose 2007 article of the same name dubbed the mountain town the “Appalachian Shangri-La.”

As proud citizens, Ashevillians speak incessantly about maintaining the tradition of the town. They are adamantly focused on sourcing locally, from food to culture.  There were protests when the new Urban Outfitters went in downtown.  Ask almost anyone to share a CSA (community-supported agriculture) membership, and they’ll be down for it.  They take their community seriously.  They also take leisure time seriously.  In a town where people want substance with their good times, a festival with a focus on educating its attendees fits right in.

The design of the festival also fits Asheville’s vibe and Moog’s focus on connectivity, via electronics or people.  Taking place across multiple venues, MoogFest 2010 (October 29-31) allowed local businesses to show guests what Asheville is about (Asheville Brewing Company, for example, made batches of “Moog-filtered ale,” commemorating the festival and its namesake’s legacy).  The boutique approach to the festival allowed each show and venue to foster a unique music adventure, and the proximity of venues to local bars, coffee shops, restaurants, and galleries made it possible for festival-goers to truly experience the town.

Moog would’ve been proud.  This year, nearly 8,000 people attended each day of the festival, bringing awareness, commerce, and an eclectic mix of costumes through a small town in North Carolina.  “He planted the seed,” said Michelle Moog-Koussa, Moog’s daughter and the executive director of The Bob Moog Foundation.

He did.  And it’s blooming in Asheville.

Taking place over Halloween weekend, from October 29-31, Moogfest 2010 will host performances in venues all over the historical city. Our favorites include El-P, Matmos, Jon Hopkins, Dan Deacon, DJ Spooky, Massive Attack, Four Tet, Jónsi, and RJD2.

In addition, attendees can watch big names like MGMT, Big Boi, Hot Chip, and Girl Talk.  No matter who you see, however, the three-day festival should be a pretty monstrous Halloween bash.

Tickets will be available to purchase starting on August 13, at 12 p.m. EST. Individual day passes and weekend passes will be on sale. Fans can get an extra level of interaction from the festival's workshops, installations, film screenings, panel discussions, and art exhibitions.

To buy tickets or to view the complete festival lineup and venue information, visit moogfest.com.

An iconic poet/musician whose soulful spoken-word style helped give rise to rapping, Gil Scott-Heron has been proclaimed a major influence in hip hop, neo-soul, and acid jazz. His political activism has been at the forefront of his noted career, which includes the acclaimed poem/song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."

Now, marking another landmark moment in his career, Scott-Heron has released I'm New Here, his first full-length since the 1994 album Spirits, which too was something of a "comeback" — his first studio album since 1982.

Produced by XL label owner Richard Russell, who convinced Scott-Heron to go back into the studio, I'm New Here is an atmospheric, down-tempo disc of diversity.

Acoustic pseudo-ballads are accented by electronics, dramatic strings, and piano in a combination of new poems, covers, and interludes. It's a release that feels extremely personal, whether from the lyrical content or Scott-Heron's familiar voice.

Gil Scott-Heron: "Where Did the Night Go"
Gil Scott-Heron: \"Where Did the Night Go\"

Pillars and Tongues: Lay of Pilgrim Park LP + download (Endless Nest)

With just three members, Pillars and Tongues manages to craft powerful folk abstractions and interwoven, trance-inducing vocal dynamics. Both composed and improvisational, these shifting forms evoke spiritual vibes in their soulful essence, heavenly harmonies, and repeated patterns.

Violin, upright bass, and drums and other percussive elements slowly build and fall. Each member contributes to the layered vocal harmonics, often trading rounds of the same melody or balancing pitches as a low or intermediate voice begins a wordless refrain. Fans of Huun Huur Tu, Charming Hostess / Jewlia Eisenberg, and other vocally driven experimentalists will love this.

Pillars and Tongues: "The Center of"
Pillars and Tongues: \"The Center Of\"

Arsis: Starve for the Devil (Nuclear Blast)

A major force in metal just six years after its debut, Arsis is a Virginia quartet that boasts tireless harmonized shredding. Thrash and black metal, gently crossing into death metal, form the basis of a sound that leans on flawless technical proficiency in accessible time signatures.

Starve for the Devil trends towards the melodic end of the band's material, but there's no shortage of full-speed aggression. Riff lovers will get their money's worth with this one.

Hot Chip: One Life Stand (Astralwerks)

Hot Chip's brand of synthesized dance pop has allowed the keyboarded quintet to climb the UK charts and garner heaps of attention in the United States.

One Life Stand is another disc chock full of dance-floor albums, albeit a bit more restrained than on albums past. The gentle vocals of Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard will continue receiving much of the attention from casual listeners, but One Life Stand really shines with its diversity of synth sounds and instrumental complements (such as the touches from Trinidadian steel-pan player Fimber Bravo).

Massive Attack: Heligoland (Virgin)

Seven years after its last studio offering, commercially thriving electronic producers Massive Attack — closely tied to the trip-hop explosion of the early 1990s — have finally released their long-awaited fifth album, Heligoland.

With Grantley Evan Marshall, a.k.a. Daddy G, back on board in the studio, the group attains a multitude of electronic styles on Heligoland, thanks to its divergence of tastes as well as the usual assortment of guests.

This time, Massive Attack collaborates with Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio), Damon Albarn (Blur), Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star), Martina Topley-Bird, Adrian Utley (Portishead), and Billy Fuller (Beak). The result is a minimalist electro dreamscape, one that should appeal to a sizable cross-section of music fans.

Honorable Mentions

Bluebrain: Soft Power (Lujo)
Galactic: Ya-Ka-May (Anti-)
Georgia Anne Muldrow: Kings Ballad (Ubiquity)
Shining (Sweden): VI / Klagopsalmer (Indie Recordings)
This Moment in Black History: Public Square (Smog Veil)