TD Tunes

Mary Cigarettes: Burning Bridges That Never Really Mattered

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:06:19 +0000

Mary Cigarettes is an unusual name for this one-man band from the CorpId netlabel. His high, sweet vocals and gently bouncing accompaniment (high hat snare and popping organ slides) add a layer of smokey emotion to this catchy tune. The lyrics are chock full of sly shots at the cliche lyrics of 80s pop songs, too…an audio treat for music fans!

Girls Are Made for Cheating: Si Tu Voulais, Je Te Mentirais

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:24:28 +0000

Wow, I love the electro-retro sound of Girls Are Made for Cheating! There are several band pages to be found online (see links below) and even down-loadable songs on the GAMFC page at Pure Volume. Hans (the name behind this one-man band) has even promised a new EP in July of 2010, to you can count on more songs by Girls Are Made for Cheating in this summer’s podcast episodes!

Danish Daycare: A Purpose To My Sins

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 29 May 2010 13:36:59 +0000

If you love the 80s like I do then you are going to love Danish Daycare!

Released recently on the 23 Seconds netlabel, the album A Story of Hurt is a terrific homage to the dark side of the 80s. Part Psychedelic Furs, part Cure, the shoegazer sound of Daniel Jönsson is a real treat for those who are sick of dance/pop. Driving guitars and dark drums underlay smooth and smoky vocals that bring to mind the darker side of REM or perhaps Sisters of Mercy.

The entire album is terrific and the song A Purpose To My Sins typifies the sound of the entire album. A must-download album for blustery Spring days in the Netherlands!

Ultrahouse Ritual: Melancholy 666 Mix

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:44:56 +0000

Not much to say about this song from the Remix Fight website. The original tune is called Melancholy Afro, the remix is called Melancholy 666. The original singer/songwriter is not cited, nor is there a bio for Ultrahouse Ritual anywhere to be found. With all of these unknowns, this still manages to be a smoky little Gene-Loves-Jezebel number (“Desi-i-ire!”) with a personality of it’s own.

Texasradiofish: Drugs of Choice

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:13:25 +0000

Another fresh tune from ccMixter artist texasradiofish, this time a mashup of Colin Mutcher‘s Drugs of Choice and some sweet vocals called Go Go Gigolo by Leza2unes.

I have featured Colin Mutcher and texasradiofish before here at TD Tunes (including another remix of Drugs of Choice by audiotechnica) and think that they both create terrific music. Colin has a dark and moody voice that texasradiofish somehow transforms into a happier, upbeat song.

Scomber: Obi Wan Kenobi Rides the Spagetti Express

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:50:07 +0000

Just can’t seem to get enough from Scomber. This oddly-titled track is his latest offering on the ccMixter website. It features contributions by Forensic and Zapac and is indescribably fun to listen to. The kitchen sink sound includes a bouncy beat, funky guitars, a horn section, and a wailing harmonica. I am not sure what the lyrics (and title) are all about, but it doesn’t really matter. Scomber & Co are simply awesome!

Scott Altham: Spank (Mix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:10:27 +0000

Scott Altham is an Englishman who lives here in the Netherlands. He makes excellent remixes and shares them on the ccMixter website. Spank is a remix of an original song by Loveshadow, another ccMixter artist. The are plenty of bouncy beats and electro-glitchy effects to enjoy in both the original and this excellent remix.

KALL: Child Labor

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:55:05 +0000

Kelly, Anne-Lise and Lotte (KALL) have put together an amazing song called Child Labor as part of their History of Rock and Roll work with David Jimenez. They have created a protest song with surprisingly upbeat music and haunting lyrics:

“I want to feel alive and free,
I want a future for my family and me.
I want my dream to come true,
I just need the will to pull through.”

You can also hear an example of David’s own work with another Kellie here.

“Me & sky” posted on 16 July 2007 by Asif Akbar on http://www.sxc.hu/photo/828647. Royalty free use with permission.

Emerald Park: At the Mall

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:30:11 +0000

A great pop song from Emerald Park‘s 2008 album For Tomorrow.

This album has recently been (re-)released on the 23 Seconds netlabel and is definitely worth a listen…and download. Thanks for sharing, folks!

Gruber: Kim is Here

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:38:03 +0000

A small chain of events brought me to Gruber, a local electro-dub duo. I had a café lunch at Dudok in Den Haag and picked up a flyer of events coming in January at the Haags Pop Centrum (among others). When I got home, I read through the listings and checked out those that sounded interesting by following the links from the muziekcafé area of the HPC website.

“Kim is Here” is from their first CD which is titled “And er yeah things like that.” It appears to be out of print (I checked at the local Plato store), but thankfully there are several excellent tunes on their website. Gruber songs are copyrighted, so I emailed Edith to ask permission to podcast this tune and she wrote write back to say yes. (Thanks for that, Edith!) There are lots of great samples in this one, a nice throbby baseline, plaintive vocals from Benno, and lyrics about my favorite person: Kim!

texasradiofish: Be Cool – Texas Rocks (featuring FORENSIC, David Byrne, Brian Eno)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:00:07 +0000

This is a new one on me: a ccMixter artist named texasradiofish doing a funky mashup of Be Cool by FORENSIC and including audio from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by David Byrne and Brian Eno. Quite a nice combination of sounds and well worth a listen!

Scomber: This is Independence Day

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:45:35 +0000

Another gem from one of my favorite one-man-bands: Scomber. This is yet another goody from the ccMixter website…and it is worth noting that Scomber’s own website seems to be AWOL. Dunno what happened there, but the good news is that all of his excellent work seems to be available on ccMixter, so no worries!

According to the liner notes, this intense techno ballad features DoKashiteru & the Scomber Fingerlings. DoKashiteru is a familar face here at TD Tunes, and the Scomber Fingerlings seem to be those precocious children of his. Well done, Scomber!

Lucky Misu: How To Hold On Tight (Granlab remix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:52:35 +0000

Today’s tune is a Lucky Misu gem from the past. According to Lucky Misu’s website, Daniel Bergström (the man behind the name) is on hiatus (“both inspiration and time have run out”) and there may be no new songs forthcoming. This is a shame and I will continue to feature items from his back-catalog here on TD Tunes. His work can also be found on the CorpID netlabel and in the Internet Archive.

This particular song is a remix by Granlab of the Lucky Misu song How to Hold on Tight. The original song is from his Puzzled album and is part of an album called Repuzzled which features great versions of his music as envisioned by others like Emily in Love and Drei Farben House (who are also on the CorpID label).

David y Kellie: Parent Conf

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:25:32 +0000

Here’s a haunting, ethereal piece from David y Kellie, two awesome artists here in the Netherlands. David is from Spain and Kellie is American, so their unique sound is a blend of, well, things. Give it a listen!

Emily in Love: Half a Chance

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:35:39 +0000

Emily in Love is back with another amazing EP called Let’s Pretend We’re In Love. Shared via the CorpId netlabel, this EP features some amazing work from Emily and her cohorts Pia and Ricardo. The vocals on this track are a terrific mix of hopeful and sad at the same time and would be a great choice for a Say Anything-style romantic pitch. Anyone? Anyone?

State Shirt: I am a Target

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:24:24 +0000

State Shirt rocks and this video proves it. He combines that oddly addictive Slap Chop infomercial with his own sad vocals to paint a grim picture of suburban life in America. Wow…

vitaminsforyou: Six O’Clock Whispers

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:40:15 +0000

And now for more vitaminsforyou out of Winnipeg from the Internet Archive. This is the second tune to be featured here on TD Tunes and is also worth a listen. A bit darker than Being Away Fame and with a quieter start. Have a listen and chill out, eh?

vitaminsforyou: Being Away Fame (A Song for the Xenophobic)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:39:53 +0000

And here’s vitaminsforyou out of Winnipeg from the Internet Archive: “Straight from Winnipeg’s experimental electronic scene, vitaminsforyou has been developing sound and music for theatre, dance, film, video, animation and prose across Canada working with artists in a variety of genres from electro-acoustic sound designers to some of Canadas darling pop practitioners. Recent performances include an invitation to play at Mexico Citys Mutek Festival, Toronto’s Canadian Electronic Ensembles Festival and the Deep Wireless Festival, Montreal’s Mutek Festival, Saskatoon’s Digidome Festival of contemporary sound, music, and digital video, Vancouver’s New Forms Festival, and Winnipeg’s Send and Receive Festival.”

Easy-going electronica with a marching band surprise near the end…so much fun!

Ruin Roads: Death March To Sun Fun City

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:54:31 +0000

Here’s a rough and tumble tune by Sweden’s Ruin Roads. Found on the ccMixter site, it includes samples by FORENSIC and waysidedrive. Although it is, um, “not safe for work”, it is a great song to those times that you want to motivate yourself to get stuff done. Lot’s of hard-driving, metal noise and great vocals!

Subliminal: Jax (Leodora remix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:37:37 +0000

Here’s a terrific August heatwave song by Subliminal on the ccMixter website. It combines vocals from Leodora by John Anealio and drum tracks called Drum perc beat 1… by audiotechnica. The urgent drone of the vocals (mixed backwards as well as forwards) mix well with the driving tempo of the drumline. An excellent song for biking at night!

Tor Bruce: Heatherstreet main theme

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:26:32 +0000

Tor Bruce creates instumental electro-pop in Sweden that is kicky and fun. (I seem to really like to use the word fun to describe the music I select for this blo/podcast.) Pics on his website show him to be a one-man act: drum machine, keyboards, mixing board.

Try this selection (Heatherstreet) and see what you think!

s:e:m:a: Am Rande der Wörter

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:21:03 +0000

Music on the plpl/++ netlabel seems to run the techno-electro gammut from minimal and glitch to full-blown house/dance tracks. This is a track from the group s:e:m:a out of Köln in Germany. It includes spoken word poetry for an interesting effect that does not distract from the down-tempo, dance-worthy beat. Give it a listen and think of Sprokets: Now is the time when we dance!

Scott Altham: Songs of Triumph

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:49:51 +0000

More ccMixter awesomeness from fellow expat-in-the-Netherlands Scott Altham is a local British expat here in the Netherlands! This one is a techno/dance number with haunting vocals by Anchor Méjans (also a ccMixter artist).

People expect to be happy
Yet pride may trip and then fall.
Lay down your heart as a martyr…
You’ve given your inch – now Your all!

Light the brier with the torches…
Joan of Arc comes in chains…
All of her soldiers now silent…
In her soul burns a flame.

Paper Plane Pilot: The Only Thing

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:53:12 +0000

This is a fun, summery synthpop piece by San Diego-based Paper Plane Pilot on the Corpid netlabel out of Germany. The lyrics are light, the melody simple…in short: Just what we need for a July afternoon!

Incoherent Mumble Train featuring Calendargirl: July (Mumblemix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:06:30 +0000

The aptly-named July by Calendargirl has been remixed into a song that is fun to listen to on a rainy day like today when I am wishing for sun. Incoherent Mumble Train performs the honors and does a terrific job of enhancing Calendargirl’s a capella lyrics with a bouncy synth and drum line. Check out more of their respective work on their ccMixter pages!

Calendargirl uploads on ccMixter

Incoherent Mumble Train’s uploads on ccMixter

Ixtlan: Put Them In

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:41:46 +0000

Ixtlan is one of the most bizarre bands I have seen in quite a while. They are, according to their own website and also their 23 Seconds profile, a Swedish duo consisting of Bo Green and Kent Holm. Large amounts of their profile is apparently fiction…but fun to read. Their music is cosmic and weird but lots of fun, too. Put Them In is quite listenable and safe for work, but listen to their other songs at your own risk!

If There Is Something: Still Dancing

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:26:49 +0000

More fun from Sweden’s If There Is Something on the 23 Seconds netlabel. This one is great for thrashing around with the ol’ iPod on or biking furiously towards the North Sea. The keyboards are my fav thing in this song and I really wish someone at ccMixter would make a megamix out of these tracks, too.

Scomber: Things I Love, Things I Hate

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:09:12 +0000

More awesomeness from the Scomber! His terrific sense of humor with music and the creativity of his own children make this even more fun than White Hippy Suburban Family Business (and that’s saying something). The list of things that his girl likes and hates is lots of fun and the beat to this one (combined with some surprisingly good xylophone riffs, believe it or not) makes it a treat to hear. Brought to you by ccMixter, of course!

Scott Altham: Hear Us Now (poptastic mix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:29:59 +0000

Scott Altham is a local British expat here in the Netherlands who is also a regular contributor on the ccMixter website. This song is just perfect for the warm summer days ahead. The squeak of guitar strings reminds me of the clink of ice in a glass or the far off cry of gulls over the North Sea.

Jonathan Coulton: Creepy Doll

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:32:02 +0000

Okay, so the words to this one are amazing. I mean this is seriously nightmare-inducing…but kind of fun. Check out our latest find from Johnathan Coulton‘s album Thing a Week Four.

“And there’s the creepy doll
That always follows you
It’s got a ruined eye
That’s always open

And there’s a creepy doll
That always follows you
It’s got a pretty mouth
To swallow you whole “

If There Is Something: The Joy Of

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:30:59 +0000

Hard driving fun from this Swedish group’s debut album Put your jacket on on the 23 Seconds netlabel. Not much more to say but my usual “Enjoy” remark…and look for more from If There Is Something in future podcasts!

Scomber: UhOh (microwave recipe mix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:27:58 +0000

This is more Scomber on the ccMixter site.

He is undertaking a pretty cool project: a new songe every day for an entire year. My hero! This is song number 28 and is listed as “urbanstreetcase/alternative dance”. I like the bouncing, rolling beats and the peppy vocals by Jacinda Espinosa, whose original tracks have been remixed several times already.

Azeda Booth: Samoan Girls

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:53:07 +0000

More great music from 23 Seconds. This is Azeda Booth, a Calgary-based quintet that creates shoegazer style music that is quirky but relaxing. The droning and tripping of the instruments combines with the quiet mumbling of the vocals to create a soothing mix of murky delight.

C behind 12: Brain pain

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:38:07 +0000

Wow, 80s shoegazer pop from the 23 Seconds netlabel. The music is by C behind 12 out of Gothenburg, Sweden. There is almost no info about this music on the 23 Seconds site, just a couple of odd pics and the following description: “Mangoo and his electric machines.” Not sure what it all means, but the song is terrific.

Rudebot: San Francisco

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:58:22 +0000

From the 23 Seconds Netlabel website for Rudebot: “Electronic music maker from Gothenburg, born in Kumla some time in the 70`s. Builds up his sound with strong melodies and a hypnotic, happy groove that most electronic music makers only could dream of copying. Turns any dull day into a big smile. E-pop at it´s best! Check out his tunes ‘San Fransisco’ and ‘Hello Floppy’ on the 23 Seconds compilations Awake and Gothenburg, dance and beg for more!”

scarecrow: Mississippi Kite (featuring Kristin Hersh)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:50:47 +0000

Dark, minimal, funky. This is scarecrow‘s take on the acapella tune Mississipe Kite by Kristin Hersh. The vocals are scratchy and scary, so scarecrow has added just enough beats and bass to make the thing bounce a bit more than it might have in another mix.

Scarecrow’s profile on the ccMixter site doesn’t tell us anything about her/him. Kristin Hersh, on the other hand, has her own page at www.kristinhersh.com. It is full of music, images, and words…but no helpful info about who she actually is. Hmm…

Lucky Misu & Bleulel: Pozo

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:53:53 +0000

Another melancholy tune from Lucky Misu’s ultimate (as in final) album. This is another Eno/Cale flavored number with a nice relaxing beat that made my rainy Sunday afternoon a little bit nicer.

Mason Proper: Unsafe for the time being (MC Jack in The Box mix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:20:07 +0000

This is Mason Proper as remixed by MC Jack in The Box on the Remix Fight! website. Sometimes the remixes on Remix Fight! are mangled beyond recognition and enjoyment, sometimes they are greatly improved. This is a case of the latter, of course.

While the original (available on Mason Proper’s MySpace page) is quite good, I found the music a bit muddy. MC Jack in The Box has punched up the instruments a bit and clarified the vocal wailing into a more coherent tune that is worth repeated listening.

Vieux Farka Touré: Ana (hisboyelroy’s smooth dub)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:13:15 +0000

Another gem from ccmixter, this time from The Vieux Farka Touré / “Ana” Remix Contest, which was won by hisboyelroy.

From the ccmixter contest page: “Vieux Farka Touré is the son of the late international superstar and two-time Grammy Award-winner Ali Farka Touré. An historic passing of the torch from father to son is represented by Vieux’s debut. He has crafted a globalminded style all his own with original compositions displaying flourishes of rock and reggae amidst Saharan Blues and traditional Malian melodies.”

Leza2unes: Take you higher (scmixer electro tech mix)

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:49:58 +0000

The profile page for s.c.mixer apologizes that he is “Not a musician but trying to make electronic music…”, an unnecessary bit of self-effacement in my opinion.

Leza2unes, a university student from the OK, counters with: “I am a singer songwriter enjoy and sing in variety of styles such as blues, folk, pop, pop rock, soul. I love dance tunes and would love to incorporate some medieval guitar and folk vocals into it. Or even a classic piano rave tune with soulful voice.”

Argentina’s s.c.mixter shares this new mix of Leza2unes’ vocals for Take you higher via the ccMixter website. Powerful singing, a thrumming bassline, and some rattling drum licks make this a Depeche Mode-like rock ballad for the summer. Best enjoyed with a mojito in the back garden.

Scomber: Heart Attack

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:18:59 +0000

A bit of Fine Young Cannibals vocal stylings mixed with Communards-esque dance piano and a driving drum line… Just so much fun once it gets going. It reminds me of parties I used to go to in college back in the late 80s and early 90s.

This is Scomber (yet again) on the ccMixter site. Enjoy the flashbacks!

Lucky Misu & Bleulel: Unwanted Dance Battle

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:10:03 +0000

Sad news from the Corpid Netlabel website:

“Dear fans of Lucky Misu, I’m sad to say that this could be the last Lucky Misu release ever. Both inspiration and time have run out. Hopefully there will be a comeback some day, but I wouldn’t count on it. Some plans have been made to produce music with other artist but only time will tell how that will work out. As a ‘Goodbye’ I teamed up with Argentinian artist Bleulel for a split/combo EP. Bleulel files were sent across the Atlantic for a Lucky Misu treatment and the result is this included in this release. It’s ironic, but this is by far the best Lucky Misu release… ”

This song reminds me of the Eno/Cale album Wrong Way up with its drum machines, blips, and tough but tight harmonies. We’ll miss you, Lucky Misu!

Smothered In Hugs: Blank Test

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:59:09 +0000

Here’s an honest, rockin’ tune by Smothered in Hugs, a quintet from Prince Edward Island. The earnest, wailing vocal harmonies remind me a bit of Big Country or The Proclaimers and the driving drums give the entire song an upbeat urgency. This is great opening tune for the Spring Break season. Thanks, killbeat music, for sharing this one out!

audiotechnica: Possible

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:47:46 +0000

This is a new mix by audiotechnica from the ccMixter site. It features sample tracks from four other ccMixter artists, notably Colin Mutchler‘s spoken word track called Drugs of Choice. This mix is great and I am happy to include it here, but I am also curious to find out what others have done with Colin’s vocals. More on that front later!

Woodpigeon: Love In The Time Of Hopscotch

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:30:57 +0000

Calgary-based Woodpigeon has created an amazing blend of vocal harmonies and soothing strings (and a zippy tamborine for good measure) that sets my toes tapping and leave me wanting to hear more. I found this oddly named gem on killbeat music and have been listening to it over and over (as I tend to do). I will look for more good stuff from Woodpigeon and see what I can find!

Scomber: White Hippy Suburban Family Business

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:40:38 +0000

What the heck is this? From the ccMixter site, I present you with Scomber‘s White Hippy Suburban Family Business. This odd, bouncy song includes spoken word lyrics by “Uncle Frank and Colin”…cute and random things from Colin, somber title lyrics from Frank. (Think Frank from Donnie Darko on this one.) Enjoyable on several levels!

Jonathan Coulton: We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:51:46 +0000

I love cover songs and this little acoustic number by Jonathan Coulton is no exception. He turns this rock anthem by Queen into a mellow, downbeat stroll. The harmonies are all there, but the feel is completely different this time around. Nice job, Jonathan!

The Entry: Snapshot

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:00:29 +0000

This is the first of what I suspect will be many songs from The Entry that will be posted here on TD Tunes. A former producer for Pureape, Andrea Pestoni has gone solo with this deep, dark, bouncy debut song which is available from the alpinechic netlabel on their new iChic sampler.

The Entry also has his own website at www.theentry.net. Check for more songs and show dates there!

Nattvaktaren & Moe Lodin: Baby Lemonade

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:42:00 +0000

Like something from a rock musical soundtrack, this tune changes rythm and style several times, seeming to tell a story…but I have no idea what that story might be! Sometimes it’s fun to be on the outside, and that’s exactly what you get with this fun song.

Brad Sucks: Fake It

Aaron Tyo-Dickerson — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:59:49 +0000

New music from Brad Sucks! The lead song Fake It has already been remixed on Remix Fight, but I like the original even more than the remixes. This song has guitar lines that remind me of Love and Rockets and lyrics that are begging for a thrashy sing-along in a darkened bar somewhere. Play at high volume!