Bells And Robes - Jackal And The Moon

Electronic music will always have an alien appeal, as we cannot see the strings, skins or reeds vibrating. There is some kind of disconnect, almost fantastic or magical. And for me that is why I'll be drawn to it. It's personal in how your brain receives it and where it takes you. That said, the best compositions tend to lead listeners to the same place, perfecting their storytelling. And that is the case with the latest from Bells And Robes, "Jackal And The Moon" as 'narrated' by Kaisune.

Following on the heels of their exquisite and out of this world Pleasures Of The Mind EP, "Jackal And The Moon" again eases into ears with wondrous, warm instrumentation and shimmering synth work. Comparable to Daktyl, Lido and Flying Lotus the mixture of sounds and styles makes for not only an unmistakably moonlit atmosphere but a chilling one at that. The room left for each element to play its part, and Kaisune's killer vocals to come out on top, is yet another example of Bells And Robes' brilliance. But for my money, the reason this track is such a stunning success is its ability to so seamlessly sew life and humanity into the combination of electronic and organic sounds. Find it free via Bandcamp and Zen Fresh Records, and be sure to check out more of their captivating catalog here.
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2016 Grammy Nominations Revealed, Does Anyone Care?

The Grammys are fighting to retain some kind of relevance and I'm not sure they're succeeding. How long ago was it that Homer Simpson gave away his Grammy? Do people even care? What's the point?

The joke, that is the Grammys, continues to flounder and beg the question what are the criteria for these awards? Apparently, the rules call for voting based on quality alone, and not be influenced by sales, chart performance, personal friendships, regional preferences or company loyalty. Quality alone. Hmm, that's not very clear, what kind of quality? Whatever quality they are talking about, they have spoken with their latest list of nominees. There are the usual suspects and there are the usual seemingly random unknown nominees (see Al Walser's 2013 nomination). Below you'll find my take on the four categories relevant to this blog; Best Dance Recording, Best Dance/Electronic Album, Best Remixed Recording (Non-Classical), and Best Producer (Non-Classical).