Article by soul1@thesoundofconfusion.com
This
playlist draws 4AD up from the roots to explore the branches that
have grown since those luscious early 4AD years when the label was
associated with sonic exploring and genre boundary-pushing, while
somehow achieving an incredible sense of harmony and potent mixture
of bliss and melancholy. What better way to start this trip than with
projects involving the respective members some mainstay bands from
the label's "golden age" and branching out from there. If you want to stream each of these tracks straight through then skip to the playlist at the bottom, and feel free to share!
Snowbird - All Wishes
Are Ghosts
With 2 tracks from
Simon Raymonde's new project, featuring Stephanie Dosen on vocals,
we've chosen this track because the other well, sounds like a carbon
copy of Liz Fraser and you'll already be getting your dose of Liz in
this playlist.
This bliss-filled
track was taken from his latest LP 'Fortune', released in 2012 on
Robin's own label Soleil Après Minuit, through which he has also
released his collaborative works with Mark Gardener, Harold Budd and
Eraldo Bernocchi. Ultimate recommended tracks from this album:
'Forever Never' and 'Kings Will be Falling'.
The golden songstress
herself returned to the stage in 2012 for some exclusive shows. This
track was performed live with Steve Hackett at the Meltdown Festival
in summer 2012.
A main pillar of the
epic band Dead Can Dance and since gone solo (as has Lisa Gerrard),
this track is taken from his latest album 'Ark'. Same deep haunting
voice, fortunately.
One of the most
legendary women in rock history, as a member of both Pixies and
The Breeders, we would not leave Kim out of this playlist and we
solidly salute her here. Check out this lovely rendition, delivered
solo, with links to a two part interview on her solo direction
available on the Wears The Trousers' Soundcloud page. In 2012, the
reunited Breeders lineup of Kim and Kelley Deal, Jim Macpherson, and
Josephine Wiggs announced a tour to coincide with a 20th anniversary
4AD reissue of 'Last Splash'. There is only one Kim Deal and she will
always be a big deal.
This is the new project
of Louise Trehy, radiant starlight of dreampop/shoegaze duo Swallow,
who released their debut album 'Blow' on 4AD records in 1992.
Having made the transition to the epic Saint Marie Records, we can
expect her new LP to be out by summer. Produced by Marc Joy, known
for his work with Lights That Change and Golden Fable, this release
clearly already promises something special.
Certainly a band with
an essence more reminiscent of 'This Mortal Coil', 3 of 3 of the
band's releases on France's Commission 45 have involved Robin
Guthrie's production skills. We earlier introduced you to snippets of
their work here
and here.
Featuring Karen Vogt on vocals, their music is evidently rooted in
4AD. The band also has an extensive back catalogue, with 3
full-length LPs, 3 EPs and numerous singles.
Yet another band to
have grown up under the Cocteau influence, who we introduced
here and whose latest
single we also wrote about, Ummagma's ethereal bliss resonates
with an added punch-pulse factor a la Pink Floyd. Nicely straddling
that fine territory between dreampop, ethereal wave and shoegaze,
this music would be a perfect fit for 4AD then or now. Guthrie has
also remixed a track for the band, purportedly to be released on Ear
to Ear Records towards mid-2014 (hopefully it will also be available
on vinyl).
Another project based
in France, whose EP 'Dead Letters' also involved Guthrie behind the
mixing board. Returning to this band after including them in a
previous
playlist, Sealight features Sandra Rossini on vocals, sometimes
bordering on ethereal ambient.
Sealight's website
Daughter - Home
One band currently
being released on 4AD who happen to retain a sense of the mystique
of the label's early years. Thank goodness that it has not all gone
in the direction of Grimes (regardless of whether or not we actually
like her)… There's something to be said for tradition, you know?
And it's served them well - just look at them go (and glow)!
Golden Fable is the
delicious brainchild of Rebecca Palin and Tim McIver, both from North
Wales, both having been members of Tim And Sam's Tim And The Sam Band
With Tim And Sam prior to that. In follow up to their debut
album Crossfire, they began work on their second album at Bryn
Derwen studios in the summer of 2013, to be released on Bella Union,
so we are definitely looking forward to hearing this.
Golden Fable's website
Laetitia Sadier -There is a Price to Pay For Freedom (And it Isn't Security)
I've decided to end this playlist on a spatial note (spatial as in "space"). The dreamy vocals of Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier take us on this cosmic ride, this track taken from her second solo album 'Silencio', released in 2012 on Drag City.
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