1Up Props - Leaving Records
Leaving Records is an independent label run by LA electronic experimentalist Matthew David and visual artist Jesselisa Moretti. They put out the kind of abstract beautiful audio and visual stuff you can hear and see in your dreams. It’s pretty god damned wonderful. Lots of their stuff can be downloaded for free as well, music from Matthew David himself, Dak, Oscar McClure & Dem Hunger amongst other things. Check out their website, Leaving Records. Fantastic stuff!
1Up Props - Teebs
Being interested in music and sound in general, you’re always on the lookout for something wild and fresh, someone operating outside of what you thought were the borders, someone who tries to make music his or her own, and just pour out whatever it is hiding inside. Teebs is clearly one of these artists. He’s got some absolutely stunning tracks out on his MySpace site, which also features some excellent paintings of his. Boy’s got talent!
1Up Props - Thomas Hicks
Thomas Hicks is a fantastic animator I came across on Youtube today – he has a montage out of his best work from 2007, and it’s just gorgeously inspiring. At a time when the rather dull productions of Pixar gets all the publicity, it’s nice to see someone truly doing their own thing. The music in this clip is just lovely too, give us a holler if you know what track it is. You can check out Thomas Hicks’ Animation Montage on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWDIUdQG4Nw. There are more animations of his on http://www.vimeo.com/thanimation.
1Up Props - Wixel
Don’t know about you, but I’m getting a tad sick of the generic dubstep sound. Someone needs to bring some freshness back in the game. Enter Wixel. This underground gem of an artist has recently released a free EP entitled ‘Empty Canvas’, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Lush soundscapes floating in and between even lusher dubsteppy rhythms. Mount Kimbie and Lusine comes to mind. You can download this absolute treat of an EP for free at bandcamp. Way to go, Wixel, keep it up!
1Up Props - Nic Hamilton
I came across this guy on an internet forum. He makes some extremely detailed, technical/architect/graffiti-looking craziness, and I absolutely love it. Look at that line-work, amazing. Check out Nic Hamilton’s work on his website.
1Up Props - Burial & Four Tet collaboration
Just a quickie to get this out. I just heard a few minutes ago. Burial and Four Tet in a combo. I know it’s a bit late, but it sounds absolutely breathtaking. Lush, mystical and smooth. Only two tracks, two of the best and original sounding tracks I’ve heard this year without a doubt. Preview them on this website. I’d kill for an album of this stuff. Just beautiful.
1Up Props - Fox Gut Daata
Here’s another great example of how to make playful instrumental hip-hop in the year 2009; Fox Gut Daata. A blip here, a blop there, some underlying awkward synth, vocal cuts spreading out, percussion made of something you probably can’t guess what is – sample heaven. It’s absolutely awesome. You can download his mix from Ballers Social Club here. And check him out on MySpace. He easily wins the ‘most horribly decorated MySpace-site of the year’-award, which also features some rather interesting drawings. Check it!
1UP Props - T95PC
The 95 Percent Community is a Norwegian art collective based in Oslo, and have been creating cutting edge craziness for quite a few years now. The fantastically creative dudes in the collective have just recently released a fabulous little book titled ‘333’, which features some of the art made by them during the last few years. I have a copy myself, and can highly recommend it to anyone interested in hugely innovative, colorful and mystical art. Check out their website for images and more information on the book.
1UP Props - Z.E. Pangborn
Z.E. Pangborn draws fantastic and visionary art, and has an organic feel to his work that is completely out of this world. I first discovered this guy a bit over a year ago, when he himself posted a link to his website on Beinart.org. He has finally updated his website with more stuff. And I’m in awe. Check out Z.E. Pangborne’s website.
1UP Props - Loops Haunt
This guy from Glasgow (where else?) makes some of the most crazy, experimental (instrumental) hip-hop I’ve heard to date. His sound is extremely playful, robot-like machinery-ish at times, but at the same time extremely smooth and well produced with fractured beats and heavy basslines. Check out Loops Haunt on Myspace, and his Mini Mix from Ballers Social Club.