Vibrations 17.1

Having unreliable internet means two things: (1) I can't post as much as I used to (duh), and (2) I am much slower "catching up" on stuff ... I can't as easily gauge what is"new" and "old" ... I have a sort of constant internet jet-lag, if there is such a thing.
Regardless, here be a few bands for you to listen to.
Novillero is another one of those feel-good groups that plays music that sounds sort of like old Madness songs ... lots of horns, light ska, dancey, and raspy vocals. Cool to see this sort of music taking off again (even if it is taking off in a small-ish scene).

Novillero - Aptitude
Novillero - Hypothsist

I've always had a special place in my heart for Island Records ... they were a big label, but one that was willing to take chances, it seems. They were the guys that signed like, Plastics back in the late 70s when the B-52s were taking off and no one even knew that Japanese people made pop music. Island has changed quite a bit, but they still seem to like supporting "underdog" acts ... bands that appear smaller than they really are. The Feeling is such a band. Classic rock through and through ... sunny poppy melodies, enchanting harmonies, and slightly annoying guitar solos. But they've got chops, and are certainly worth a listen.

the Feeling - Modern Classic

Four Tet is everyone's favorite folktronic artist (whatever the hell that means), right? Folktronic is a buzz word, to say the least ... everyone wants to make some kick-ass folktronic tunes, but ... I dunno, maybe it's just the ambiguity the name implies ... no one is quite as cool as Four Tet. Pedro is gettin' there, though. He's got that sort of "falling apart" sound that makes Four Tet so interesting ... disintigration jazz or something like that (to sound all goofy and esoteric).

Pedro - Fear & Resilience (Sirconical remix)
Pedro - Fear & Resilience

Lastly, I'll throw a Japanese thing here. I like Tujiko Noriko a lot. She has this incredibly unique style which combines traditional (otherwise known as, ahem, dissonant) Japanese music with spacey electronics, spooky wails, and excellent, atmospheric production. Damn unique musician. She's done a lot of collaborative work, and the most recent thing she's collaborated on was RATN (with Riow Arai). The resulting record, J, sounds like the soundtrack to an early-80s sci-fi thriller or something. It's very focused, I guess you could say, and that makes it seem like it should have some sort of plot that accompanies it. I've uploaded this song for your listening pleasure ...

RATN - Ato Mou Ikkai Dake