BMORE MUSIC

The ninth annual Transmodern Festival is this weekend in...

friendsrecords — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:57:00 -0400

The ninth annual Transmodern Festival is this weekend in Baltimore, a “cultural phenomenon presenting radical, experimental, expectation-defying work from local, national and international artists.” There are a variety of artists and musicians worth a gander, but one caught our eye.

Saturday night the D:center hosts Crowd Surfing, an installation curated by Katie Kehoe. During the Weekends performance, spectators are encouraged to crowd surf themselves and artwork designed for this purpose.

More info on the Transmodern Festival is here.

Jason Urick - Syndromes Dermatologists beware, this footage was...

friendsrecords — Sun, 13 May 2012 23:09:09 -0400

Jason Urick - Syndromes

Dermatologists beware, this footage was produced by Experimental 1/2 Hour, a cable access program out of Portland by Eva Aguila and Brock Fansler. “Syndromes” is the final track off of I Love You.

E.S.M.B. - Rats (Schwarz Rap Remix) Ft. Issue One of...

friendsrecords — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:29:00 -0400

E.S.M.B. - Rats (Schwarz Rap Remix) Ft. Issue

One of Baltimore’s deepest producers, Schwarz, went sub-zero on “Rats,” a choice cut from one of the finest LPs out of Baltimore this year. Ed Schrader’s Music Beat’s Jazz Mind is out now on Load Records, and more from Schwarz is here.

Pitchfork recently posted an intimate clip of Dustin Wong,...

friendsrecords — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:15:24 -0400

Pitchfork recently posted an intimate clip of Dustin Wong, filmed almost as beautifully as it is to experience Dustin perform live. Yours Truly created the session, which took place a couple months ago in Texas during SXSW.

Chiffon, “Dru Hill” “Dru Hill” began as...

friendsrecords — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:33:00 -0400

Chiffon, “Dru Hill”

“Dru Hill” began as an ode to Sisqo’s crew, but now marks the beginning of a space odyssey concept album. The track’s sci fi-funk is drenched in unholy fluids, a metagalactic-R&B slow burner.

“A cosmic romance of two android lovers who finally meet again after being lightyears apart from each other in a space-noire romance story, which will eventually make up the new album.”

Chiffon’s next show is next week in Baltimore with Hear Hums, Mutual Benefit, and Ferarri Jackson on May 14 at the Golden West.

Read the full article over on Impose.

Rod Hamilton - Mushroom Here are some stunningly beautiful...

friendsrecords — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:41:17 -0400

Rod Hamilton - Mushroom

Here are some stunningly beautiful xylophone jams to help float you through this Wednesday, courtesy of Avocado Happy Hour’s Rod Hamilton. The chromatic percussionist recently uploaded a handful of new endeavors to his Soundcloud, and soon you’ll have your chance to catch his work in real time.

Rod Hamilton, performing with Tim Murphy & Sam “Seguito” Turner, plays the Soft House this Saturday, May 12. The stellar bill includes Microkingdom, Chicago Underground Duo, and Salamander Wool.

More info on Saturday’s show is here.

Animal Collective has posted two new songs on their website....

friendsrecords — Sun, 06 May 2012 22:38:52 -0400

Animal Collective has posted two new songs on their website. “Honeycomb” and “Gotham” are due out June 26 on a 7” via Domino, listen to both here.

Vlonde - Bury Me In Something Prettier Than Dirt Chris Day is a...

friendsrecords — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:45:00 -0400

Vlonde - Bury Me In Something Prettier Than Dirt

Chris Day is a busy Baltimore soul, with his hands in projects like Witch Hat, Dan Ivan, and Vlonde, formerly known as Bear & Pieces. Bury Me In Something Prettier Than Dirt was originally meant to be released on vinyl, but will now see it’s first proper inception via cassette on Friends Records.

Tomorrow night at Floristree will be the world’s first chance at this tape, along with other new pieces from Vlonde, and the aforementioned new split 7” by Co La and Jason Urick. After catching Lower Dens and Celebration at the Ottobar, head over to Floristree for a stacked bill that includes Vlonde, Jason Urick, Co La, Maxmillion Dunbar, and Motion Graphics.

More info on the show tomorrow at Floristree is here.

Show: Jason Urick and Co La 7” Release Jason Urick returns...

friendsrecords — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:01:02 -0400

Show: Jason Urick and Co La 7” Release

Jason Urick returns to Floristree on May 5, on a bill that includes Co La, Maxmillion Dunbar, Motion Graphics, and Vlonde. The show commemorates the release of a new 7” with Co La and Jason Urick via Friends.

May 5 also marks the beginning of tour for Urick, who will play dates with Lower Dens, Dustin Wong and more. Co La’s next show is at the Hirshorn in DC on June 22 with Oneohtrix Point Never.

Show poster is by Chris Day, and tour dates are below.

JASON URICK US/EURO TOUR 2012
Apr 27 Chicago, IL: Public Works
Apr 28 Chicago, IL: Empty Bottle w/ Tortoise
May 5 Baltimore, MD: Floristree w/ Co La, more
May 8 Brooklyn, NY: Cameo w/ Ital, Future Shuttle
May 11 Lausanne, Switzerland: Le Bourg w/ Dustin Wong
May 12 Lyon, France: Sonic w/ Dustin Wong
May 13 Paris, France: Point Ephemere w/ Lower Dens
May 14 Berlin, Germany: Madame Claude
May 17 Leipzig, Germany: La Familia y Amigos Fest w/Dustin Wong
May 19 Stockholm, Sweden: Debaser Slussen w/ Hype Williams
May 20 Copenhagen, Denmark: Loppen w/ Lower Dens
May 23 Krakow, Poland: Green Zoo Festival w/ Lower Dens
May 24 Prague, Czech Republic: Klub 007 w/ Lower Dens
May 25 Vienna, Austria: Chelsea w/ Lower Dens
May 26 Kleinreifing, Austria: Seewiesenfest w/ Lower Dens
May 28 Manchester, UK: The Bay Horse
May 31 London, UK: Birthdays w/ High Places, Lucky Dragons
Jun 2 Innsbruck, Austria: Heart Of Noise Festival

Lungfish - Screams of Joy An unreleased Lungfish track from 1999...

friendsrecords — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:53:38 -0400

Lungfish - Screams of Joy

An unreleased Lungfish track from 1999 surfaced on Brooklyn Vegan yesterday, destined for a forthcoming 12” on Dischord.

These 10-songs were recorded and mixed by Craig Bowen at Baltimore’s A.C.R. Studios but never released. After the session the band decided to continue writing new songs – ultimately recording at Inner Ear Studios what became Necrophones (2000). Six of these songs were re-recorded and released on Necrophones, while four others remained unreleased, until now.

A.C.R. 1999 is out on May 14, 2012.

Rick Rab - Dolphin Dance Rick Rab’s shimmering new...

pplz — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:39:14 -0400

Rick Rab - Dolphin Dance

Rick Rab’s shimmering new instrumental is a rainbow-laden, dubbed out tutorial on flossin’. Drum machines, synths, and violin flourishes are all played by Nick Rivetti, member of Food For Animals and Breeeze, who also pioneers Rick Rab.

“[I] hope to hear some rappers on this beat eventually, but for now u can just chill - headphones, listen, dream, love, etc,” says Rivetti. His new LP Prance is on the way soon from HOSS Records.

Wing Dam - Blanket A gorgeous new video for Wing Dam’s...

friendsrecords — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:16:04 -0400

Wing Dam - Blanket

A gorgeous new video for Wing Dam’s “Blanket” by Abe Sanders, who was also responsible for the whirling tides in Moss of Aura’s “Bling”. Wing Dam’s “Blanket” is a careful tune displaying a dark beauty that is portrayed stunningly in this short.

Check out more from Wing Dam here.

Show: Ed Schrader’s Music Beat LP Release Floristree...

friendsrecords — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:28:19 -0400

Show: Ed Schrader’s Music Beat LP Release

Floristree boasts a two-stage stunner tomorrow, celebrating the release of E.S.M.B.’s new LP on Load Records. Black Pus, Mounds, Butt Stomach, Witch Hat, and Buck Gooter are all on support while Asa Osbourne will be DJing “nu-nu-metal hits from yesterday today and tomorrow.”

More info is here, and Jazz Mind is here.

Semya - Golden Days Taken from the new album by Semya, Golden...

friendsrecords — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:44:32 -0400

Semya - Golden Days

Taken from the new album by Semya, Golden Days. Semya’s spiraling melodies reflect a more meditative and introspective side of Alex Deranian, whose other projects have included Ferrari Jackson, Lexx and more.

Get the Golden Days cassette from Leaving Records here.

Show: Future Islands and Chester Endersby Gwazda Announced...

friendsrecords — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:44:00 -0400

Show: Future Islands and Chester Endersby Gwazda

Announced today, this happens Thursday at Ottobar. All proceeds will go to Baltimore By Hand, a literary magazine publishing K-12 students.

More info on the affair is here.

One Hitter Wonders

friendsrecords — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:26:08 -0400

There’s a lot of different ways you can write a song. Mailing an envelope with $7 and your own poetry to a small cassette label in Baltimore for some musicians you don’t know to finish the job is generally not one of them.

More on Culture Dealer’s new song compilation here.

Jacober - Arrest Jacober is the project of a busy Baltimore soul...

friendsrecords — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:37:26 -0400

Jacober - Arrest

Jacober is the project of a busy Baltimore soul - a force that drums for Dope Body and the Dan Deacon ensemble, and is one half of Holy Ghost Party.

Water Karaoke is his debut collection of weird pop music, an introspective adventure through the things you tend to fascinate over when you’re not moving at full speed. Like Jacober’s other projects, it pulls from a variety of sounds, never quite getting too comfortable in any certain realm.

Check out the sub-aquatic video for “Steps” by Mark Brown.

Pay what you want to download or order the tape right here.

Lower Dens - Propagation As if we weren’t already stoked...

friendsrecords — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:33:42 -0400

Lower Dens - Propagation

As if we weren’t already stoked enough for the new Lower Dens LP to drop in May, Celebration just got added to their hometown bill at the Ottobar on May 5. “Propagation” is the latest single from Nootropics, another piece of droning beauty taken from the band’s stunning follow up to their debut.

More info on the show is here, the LP is out May 1 on Ribbon.

Dan Deacon discusses his score for Francis Ford Coppola’s...

friendsrecords — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:07:06 -0400

Dan Deacon discusses his score for Francis Ford Coppola’s Twixt, what it’s like to layer 75 tracks of violin on a song, and the apocalypse with Pitchfork.

Chester Endersby Gwazda - Changing Your Life (Future...

friendsrecords — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:26:01 -0400

Chester Endersby Gwazda - Changing Your Life (Future Islands)

This comes from a magical Baltimore soul that has worked on some of my favorite records, Chester Endersby Gwazda. Gwazda has produced the majority of the Future Islands catalog, and is also Dan Deacon’s go-to.

Turns out Chester is even more amazing than I thought, as he just unleashed a stellar album called Shroud this week. Shroud’s eight tracks of weird pop bliss are capped off with this uplifting take on Future Islands’ “Changing Your Life”, the lead track from their Little Advances EP.

Download Chester Endersby Gwazda’s Shroud right here.