Ever since Halloween ended, every single store all over the country has been playing the same three Christmas songs on repeat. I am a big fan of holiday spirit, but it does get grating at a certain point. For this MDF, here’s a little bit of ambient to calm you down after you just heard “All I Want for Christmas is You” for the fifteenth time.
“Metrobolt” by Casino Versus Japan is a quirky indietronica piece that sounds particularly 1990s. Other major pioneers of the genre are Massive Attack, Burial, and Goldfrapp, trip-hop became super popular with “The Matrix” coming out in the late nineties. My favorite part of the track is the interlude about halfway through—it sounds spacey and futuristic but in a very real and coherent way. The melodies and notes clash occasionally, but it always returns to the same frequency.
“Blainville” by u-Ziq is an interesting choice for me—the loud, distorted synth is not always my favorite. I tend away from more abrasive sounds and shrill tones in the music for this column, which this song features a lot of. I get headaches a lot, and even just having drums on many tracks bother me. That being said, I love this track. Maybe because of the contrast between the smooth synthesizer and the shrill feedback, and maybe because the mechanical drum machine sounds so synthetic yet so nostalgic.
“Juju” by Mouse on Mars is another low-key track by an ambient powerhouse. The band was founded in 1993 and has a myriad of influences ranging from IDM to Krautrock. This particular track was released in 1997, and again, came out at the same time as the darker, electronic dystopian hip hop genre was really setting in.
“When Face Was Face” sounds warmer than every other track on this list, and is by far my favorite band here. I adore the drums, and this song basically hypnotizes me. I feel like one of the snakes in a basket that is being entranced by a beautiful blend of noises. I often criticize overblown and lengthy music, but I could listen to this one specifically forever.
“Skin With Me” by Mira Kalix is a quick-paced electronic track that feels uniquely alien. The tempo is the driving factor here. It feels uniquely endless. The electronic drum machine adds to the anticipation, making you feel like you’re running from something inhuman.
