Category: Reviews & Commentary

New Ulrich Schnauss Track

We’ve been waiting a while for new music by Ulrich Schnauss, which is one reason we were so behind Winterlight’s Hope Dies Last with it’s Schnaussian shoegaze moods.  Schnauss reports a new direction and album is in the offing.  Meanwhile, he’s completed a project with Mark Peters called “Balcony Sunset” that has the earmarks of…

New Age Music Reborn

It took 22 years, but I knew if I waited long enough New Age would become hip again.  The Los Angeles Times has given its code of approval to a new wave of musicians like Animal Collective and Blues Control (Who have a tune called “Paul Winter’s Solstice”), who wave their New Age flags high.…

An Icon of Echoes Returns: Patrick O’Hearn.

Patrick O’Hearn has been a mainstay on Echoes from the beginning.  In fact, his music is one of the reasons why Echoes was created.  It’s been four years since his last release during which time he’s been touring and recording with John Hiatt. But he’s getting a new album ready for a late summer release…

Alu’s Casket Salesman

While we wait for a new CD by LA goth chanteuse, Alu, she’s just released a video of one of her quirkier songs from the album,  Lobotomy Sessions.  Hear interview with Alu from 2009. John Diliberto ((( echoes )))  

Moby @ Moogfest 2011

Moby has just been added to the already impressive line-up of Moogfest 2011.  He’ll be playing with a full band.  His shows in 2009 were stunning.  (See review)  In addition, they’ve added the Lunz Project, which is the ambient chamber music collaboration between Tim Story and Hans-Joachim Roedelius who is already on the bill with…

New Eno Produced Track from Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

Brian Eno is apparently out producing African music again.  He did a great job with Geoffrey Oreyema and Baaba Maal many years ago. This time he’s paired with Seun Kuti & Egypt 80.  I can’t say I hear much of an Eno-effect here and you’re unlikely to hear it on Echoes, but it’s a pretty…

Moog-Minimalist Pioneer David Borden makes rare Concert appearance.

Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece Co. Re-opens for Business. Back about 1972, David Borden founded the trio, Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece, Co.   They were arguably one of the first performing electronic ensembles and used Moog Modular synthesizers and other keyboards, all pre-computer, pre-digital and live.  They preceded groups like Tangerine Dream in creating, cyclical, sequencer based…

Agnes Obel leads Philly Concerts This Week.

Concerts You Should See in Philly This Week LAST WEEK Henry Threadgill performed a nice, if overly cerebral set in the second of Ars Novas AACM series.  He showed you can still be out there and hit a groove.  I just wish he did it more often. Dustin O’Halloran-He fought bar noise, fire engines and…

Tangerine Dream Headlines Moogfest 2011.

MOOGFEST 2011, OCTOBER 28-30 IN ASHEVILLE, NC, ANNOUNCES INITIAL LINEUP! THE FLAMING LIPS, PASSION PIT, STS9, GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY, CRYSTAL CASTLES, CHROMEO, BATTLES, UMPHREY’S MCGEE, MAYER HAWTHORNE & THE COUNTY, M83, TIM HECKER, TORO Y MOI, AUSTRA, MATTHEW DEAR, GOLD PANDA & more to play this year’s festival. In a battle of diametrically opposed electronics, German…

New Eno Download

In the new marketing paradigm of dribbling out tracks and downloads to gin up excitement for new releases, Brian Eno has let out a non-album track from the sessions for his forthcoming album of poetry-cum-glitch electronics, Drums Between Bells.  This one features Rick Holland’s words, but Eno’s vocals and it’s called “Imagine New Times.”  It’s…