January 13, 2017 – 10:07 am
Exray’s by Gabriel Wheeler
In 2010, San Francisco group Exray’s landed a song in The Social Network, the critically-acclaimed film about Mark Zuckerberg’s founding of Facebook. The track, “Hesitation,” gave the crew instant visibility, and was perhaps the best song from their very-good debut album. But in hindsight “Hesitation”—an edgy, hard-charging rock track—is unlike anything else in the band’s catalog. Over the course of five years, and as many releases, Exray’s have gradually transitioned to a more lo-fi aesthetic, writing albums full of spacey dance songs.
On their latest album, Twelve, the band furthers that interstellar approach; the result is their most streamlined work to date. We spoke with three Exray’s members —vocalist/guitarist Jon Bernson, and DJ/producer Michael Falsetto-Mapp—about the group’s early days, crazy conspiracy theories, and why cyborgs exist in real life.
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January 13, 2017 – 10:05 am
Gabriel Garzón-Montano by Joe Hollier
It’s hard to tell where Gabriel Garzón-Montano’s studio ends and his bedroom begins. There’s a fully-assembled drum set nestled in the bottom of the singer/producer/instrumentalist’s closet. An array of synthesizers, keyboards, and speakers occupy most all of his desk space. And, behind the door, looming over the room, are a stack of black crates filled with exotic percussive instruments—from the tiny Brazilian tambourine that graced “Keep on Running” to the Tibetan bells that open “Fruitflies,” a track from his upcoming LP Jardín. In an age of sample-pack and VST-based musicians, the presence of so many tangible analog instruments is refreshing. Of course, there’s a laptop too; it sits atop a vintage Oberheim synth on his desk. But, it’s clear that when Garzón-Montano says he plays everything in most of his songs, he really plays everything.
The walls of Garzón-Montano’s bedroom studio are adorned with a similar blend of music and personal mementos. Most notably, amid the concert flyers, vinyl LPs, and pictures of his idols (including an ornately-framed pencil drawing of Lil Wayne), are portraits of his parents. His French mother’s knowledge of classical harmony and Colombian father’s love of cumbia rhythms pulse through his music. In the end, Jardín’s 10 tracks of genre-bending soul play much like his room looks—the work of a man with as many talents as sources of inspiration.
Ironically, working from home is difficult for Garzón-Montano. “It’s something I’ve resented.” he says as we discuss the years he’s spent writing Jardín in his room, “I’ve loved going to studios or leaving my place to work.” It’s hard to imagine he’ll be spending much time at home in the upcoming months. Bishouné: Alma del Huila, Gabriel’s first EP, sent him on a world tour opening for Lenny Kravitz, then to California to sign with Stones Throw Records. Jardín is set to propel him even further. The question is no longer how far, but how high?
In the days before his debut LP’s release, we talked with Garzon-Montano about how Jardín came together, and his efforts to grow as a performer.
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January 13, 2017 – 7:14 am
Last month, the new arrivals section was flooded with holiday-themed albums, but even amidst that avalanche of seasonal records, there were some jazz gems to be found.
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By Editorial
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Posted in featured music
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Tagged Andrew Durkin, Ayumi Ishito, Best of Bandcamp Jazz, Drawing Hands, Kind of Mosh, Mor Thiam, Nakama, Sound Etiquette, Tony Cattano, Uncivilized, Yonathan Avishai Modern Times
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January 13, 2017 – 7:12 am
Photos by Robert Winter
Six albums into his globe-trotting career, Ghanaian-born rapper Blitz the Ambassador has finally discovered a depth and breadth in his voice and style that allows him funnel his experiences into the music he makes. His latest release, Diasporadical, adopts a modern and globalized style, blending the struggles of African-evolved people worldwide and an awareness of musical history with boom-bap beats and breaks. By doing so, he’s helping to advance rap music, giving it a worldwide viewpoint that’s perfectly suited to our modern, everyone-is-connected moment.
“I’m everywhere but nowhere at the same time,“ Blitz says. “My personal evolution has evolved from making Ghanaian music, to making hip-hop based Ghanaian music in New York City. Then I toured the world after my first albums, and I gained a sense that hip-hop culture was a global phenomenon. Now, I’m gaining an urgency in my message. Because the world is shifting, and socio-political commentary is becoming more important than ever before. People need to find the connection to the global hip-hop diaspora. I’m not on a label, I wasn’t on a schedule, and I took my time to make the best record possible.”
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