Video: Red Bull Music Academy Lecture - Trevor Jackson

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BlackPlastic has to admit it knew nothing about this but as part of their annual Music Academy, Red Bull have been running a series of lectures and music events across London and whilst this is the last week BlackPlastic didn't want to let the events pass without comment.
The video above is Playgroup Tactics, one of lectures, and this one featured one of BlackPlastic's long saluted stars Trevor Jackson, the man behind Playgroup and the Output label - check it out to get his insights into graphic design and the (frankly hugely under-rated and important) Playgroup record.
If you are an artist or fancy getting into the industry there are a stack of interesting videos on the site from the likes of Kieran Hebden (of Four Tet fame) and Philippe Zdar (of Cassius). Check them out on the Red Bull Music Academy Website.
There are still a few more live events happening this week including 12x12 (12 artists, including New Order's Peter Hook and X-Press 2, each playing for 12 minutes) and the Closing Bash featuring 2ManyDJs and DJ sets from Friendly Fires and The XX.  More on the site.
To be honest one of the best things about all of this is the rather excellent collection of radio shows that Red Bull have put together. There are far, far too many to mention over on the site (which is actually an offshoot of the main site here) but you may want to start with this one from James Murphy and Pat Mahoney of DFA / LCD Soundsystem.

Enjoy - BP x.

Video: 026 - The Good The Bad Vs. The Nuclear Brunette

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This jaunty little number recently landed in the old BlackPlastic inbox and instantly struck us as something a bit different.  What BlackPlastic doesn't know about The Good The Bad isn't worth knowing. Probably:

  1. The are from Copenhagen, where this video was shot.
  2. The video is directed by Bob Harlow and Martyn Thomas from Stichthat.tv and quite possible is NSFW.
  3. Their songs appear to be numbered rather than named, which appeals in a ruthlessly efficient type way.  '026' is taken from the imaginatively titled forthcoming album From 018 to 033.
  4. This song totally kicks the arse out of your day.

So that's it.  BlackPlastic's girlfriend said: "What's the betting this song will end up on a car advert by the end of the year?!", to which BlackPlastic replied: "None - the ad men just aren't cool enough".

Enjoy.

BP x

Album Review: ...And Then We Saw Land - Tunng

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Tunng's new album greets listeners like a long lost friend coming in and giving you a big romantic passionate kiss. ...And Then We Saw Land's opening track 'Hustle' is so infectious that offering it upfront without the listener having put in any effort whatsoever feels like a treat akin to early payday in December.

The problem with early pay is that it leaves you feeling short-changed in January as the weeks drag on. BlackPlastic wouldn't go so far as to acuse Tunng of giving us the same feeling but the tone and pace of the album innevitably dips from this heady start.

Yet ...And Then We Saw Land is a lovely piece of melodic folk music that manages to contain electronic flourishes and reflects elements of anti-folk in it's lo-fi feel and the likes of múm in its playfulness. And when it works it really bloody works: 'The Roadside', for example, features a fantastic wandering, almost meandering introduction and builds in a lovely cinematic fashion.

So Tunng's album is by no means a mixed bag - it just has some good bits and some utterly sublime bits, like on that album opener or the stop-start rhymic vocals of 'Sashimi'. ...And Then We Saw Land is a grand day out of a record. A joyful, joyful experience - it feels like a car journey at the beginning of a holiday.

Download 'Don't Look Down Or Back' on MP3 by Tunng, taken from ...And Then We Saw Land [right click, save as].

BP x

...And Then We Saw Land is out on tomorrow, available from Amazon.co.uk on CD, LP and MP3 [affiliate links].

Video / MP3: Grindin' - Nobody Beats the Drum

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This new video for Nobody Beats the Drum's new track 'Grindin'' initially look like a simple, all be it cool, computer generated visualisation of the track... Only when you are a third in does it become apparent that it is actually stop frame animation.

The video is honestly seriously cool and really reminds BlackPlastic of Michel Gondry's work and since he is our favourite ever music video director that is glowing praise.  The video was actually made not by some high profile director but by the band's own VJ / visual artist Rogier van der Zwaag and it is comprised of 4,085 photos stitched together to create one continuous whole.  The end result is a bit of a head fuck - it seems to gradually build up until so much is happening that it becomes a little unnerving.

The tune itself is decent too, a nice wonky electro anthem.

Download Nobody Beats the Drum's 'Grindin'' on MP3 [right click, save as]

If you are interested in seeing how the video was made there is a making of short film on YouTube too.

BP x