Aphex Twin - "Blackbox Life Recorder 21f"

Aphex Twin's first official release in five years is the beautiful, shape-shifting track "Blackbox Life Recorder 21f" which is set to appear on an upcoming four-track EP called Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / In a Room7 F760, which comes out next month.

Minotaur Shock - "Qui"

Bristol producer David Edwards, aka Minotaur Shock, released a new, wonderful ep called Qi. All of the compositions were recorded live on one piece of equipment, the Electron Digitone. While there is a formal, rigidness to the beats, recalling the preciseness of Autechre, the keyboards have a wonderful, playful nature. "Qui" is such a track that also recalls the mischievousness of Black Dog, Plaid, and Aphex Twin. It's charming.

Brendan Eder Ensemble - "#20 (Lichen) (Aphex Twin Cover)"

In these crazy times, sometimes you need to step back for a moment and find some beauty in the world to ground you. The Brendan Eder Ensemble takes a classical music approach to Aphex Twin's ambient classic. It's a wondrous cover that soothes the soul.

Jam of the Day: Boundary - "Me Pudiera Dejar De Importar Todo!"

Reminiscent of Aphex Twin's early ambient works, this beautiful instrumental is the perfect way to ease into a Monday.

2018 Honorable Mentions/Overlooked Favorite Records

I selected 25 Favorite Albums for 2018, mainly because work commitments made it difficult for me to even get 25 out there. As a result, there were many albums I wanted to include but couldn't. This is a list of those records that just missed the cut, as well as, some albums that I hadn't listened to until recently that deserved mention.

1. Christine and the Queens - Chris

Sleek and sophisticated French synthpop.



2. Mariah Carey - Caution

Although her voice is not what it once was, it still remains powerful. Caution was a record that seemed to know exactly what it was, and effortlessly delivered a set of tracks devoid of filler.



3. IDLES - Joy as an Act of Resistance.

Blistering post-punk that burns the house down.



4. Rita Ora - Phoenix

Pretty much this year's perfect pop record.



5. Beacon - Gravity Pairs

More elegantly icy synthpop from the Brooklyn duo.



6. Robyn - Honey

While the songs aren't that dancefloor ready, they definitely speak to the rough couple of years Robyn went through.



7. TT - LoveLaws

Warpaint's Theresa Wayman's solo project under the TT moniker was a liquidy, underwater exploration of her band's more electronic leanings.



8. The Armed - Only Love

Intense, experimental hardcore from the Detroit-based band.



9. Aphex Twin - Collapse EP

Richard D. James still has a lot left in him. Collapse shows that his ear and gift for melody is unsurpassed.



10. Soccer Mommy - Clean

Gorgeous indie rock.

Jam of the Day: Aphex Twin - "pthex"

Richard D. James, a.k.a. Aphex Twin, shows no sign of slowing down in his second period of recording. His Collapse EP is some of his best work, including the final track "pthex" that displays all facets of his work, being simultaneously whimsical, warm, and slightly off-kilter.

Jam of the Day: Aphex Twin - "T69 Collapse"

What starts out as a lovely take on prior Aphex Twin tracks suddenly disintegrates into almost madness, with Richard D. James expertly holding onto sanity.

Jam of the Day: Aphex Twin - "avril altdelay"

Stunning, reverb drenched re-imagining of his classic track "Avril 14th."

My Favorite 25 Albums of 2014: 15-11

15.

Cathedrals - Cathedrals EP

San Francisco duo Cathedrals, consisting of vocalist Brodie Jenkins and musician/producer Johnny Hwin, could be described as the R&B Phantogram, and the comparison is not that far off the mark. Both bands rely on programmed beats, eclectic guitar work, and samples, with Cathedrals falling more towards the R&B side of things with Jenkins' simultaneously earthy and ethereal vocals. The five tracks on this EP show a remarkable range that foretells big things for this band. They do quirky pop (opener "Harlem"), buzzy electronica ("In The Dark"), a wicked combination of both ("OOO AAA"), and delicate ballads ("Want My Love"). And they doubly shine on single "Unbound," a haunting meditation on two lovers who are the worst enablers, who "when you are on the down/I'll nurse you back to pieces." All of this framed with soaring vocals, keyboards, and delicate guitars.

14.

Lemonade - Minus Tide

NYC-via-SF tropical dance act Lemonade have always put forth effervescent singles that make one long for warmer climes but, up until now, their albums as a whole have never seemed to capitalize on those stunning tracks. With their sleek and infectious third record Minus Tide, this early promise has finally been fully realized. Expertly straddling the line between Balearic club play and more atmospheric tracks, Minus Tide is a glossy, shimmering collection that never outstays its welcome. From the pounding beats of tracks like "Stepping," "Clearest," and "Orchid Bloom," to the more introspective songs like "Come Down Softly," "Durutti Shores," and the exquisite title track, Minus Tide is nothing less than a captivating listen.

13.

Neneh Cherry - Blank Project

Only 18 years after the release of her last solo record, Neneh Cherry has come back stronger than ever on her fourth solo album, the blistering Blank Project. Recorded and mixed in a 5-day period, the record was produced by Four Tet (Kieran Hebden) and features work with prior collaborators RocketNumberNine. What is most noticeable right off the top is how Cherry is still doing what she wants to do, without copping to current trends. The record is a lean, minimalist offering, speaking to electronica, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and pop without directly referencing any of them.Blank Project is uncompromising Neneh Cherry at her best. There is almost no filler here, each track building off of and complementing each other. I only hope that it is not another 18 years before we get more new music from this trail-blazing artist. Blank Project is seminal Neneh Cherry.

12.

Tove Lo - Queen of the Clouds

I have been touting 26-year-old Swedish singer/songwriter Tove Lo for well over a year now when I first stumbled across her single "Habits (Stay High)," and even though it has finally become a hit single here in the States it is still a song that makes me stop and listen each time, never losing its impact. I was concerned that when her debut came out it would be that one great song and the rest a bunch of unlistenable filler. Thankfully Ms. Lo has proved me exceedingly wrong. Queen of the Clouds, a concept record about the cycle of a love affair, is a surprisingly smart, witty, and extremely catchy set of tracks that prove Ms. Lo is anything but a one hit wonder. From cheeky tracks like "Like Em Young," sung-so-fast-you-might-miss-it power pop like "Timebomb," to moving tracks like "Got Love" and "Moments," Lo is in complete control, and when the killer chorus for "Habits" hits you again like a ton of bricks, you know this is merely the tip of the iceberg for her.

11.

Aphex Twin - Syro

For his first album under the Aphex Twin moniker in over 13 years, Richard D. James certainly knows how to make a statement. And strangely, that statement is not a change in sound or purpose, instead, Syro is merely James coming back with 12 exquisitely produced and mixed tracks that can only be from the one and only Aphex Twin. The songs draw from his varied career but are not mere rehashes; each track brings something fresh to the proceedings. The most startling thing about the record is how James makes everything seem so easy, and that it seems that everyone else is still trying to play catch up with the master.

New: Aphex Twin - "minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]"

Finally. Our first listen into Aphex Twin's upcoming record Syro.

Non-Sequiturs

Yes.

If I had a body like that, I would be looking at it all the time as well.

Cutie beef.

Delicious.

Furry hotness.

Beefy.

Damn.

Locker room booty and back.

Wow.

UNF.

Haaaay.

Adorable.

Ginger tatts.

Cute and beard.

Thick.

Yawn.

Stretch.

Daddy beef.

Solid.

Brawny man.

Woof.

Perfect.

That body is amazing.

Dapper.

Sexy smirk.

Cutie cub.

Grrrr.

Lick.

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

Isn't the point of a committee to do the task they have been assigned?

If you want to catch someone in a lie about something, ask them a yes or no question. It is much harder to lie when you don't have wiggle room to fabricate an answer.

Although I am happy with my job at the moment, I have job search engines send me job openings every week just in case some dream job pops up. LinkedIn obviously has a bizarre process, as I keep getting job openings in completely unrelated areas of work.

I rarely de-friend someone on FB; you have to be a complete dick for me to do that. But if all you do is whine or be pessimistic about everything, I assure you I will hide you from my feed.

Exactly.

It amazes me how much my tastes have changed as I have gotten older.

One of the worst band names ever: I Blame Coco. Thankfully they changed their name.

It is sociologically interesting seeing that there really is a sort of caste system in the office. Partners of course are the upper class, followed by the associates, then staff attorneys, paralegals, then rest of the staff. All partners and associates have offices with windows, while most of the staff has interior offices or workstations. As a staff attorney, originally I was given an interior office, and it was interesting that some of the staff would treat me different from an associate; different in that there was a bit of a dismissive attitude towards me. When I got my exterior office, certain people who had been rather ugly to me, now are sweet as pie. It makes me roll my eyes that this still goes on.

If I don't like you, I will just ignore you.

Love it.

Paperwhites are so pretty. Too bad their smell makes me want to retch.

Seriously, some people need to get on meds, or up their dose.

Daft Punk's Random Access Memories is the most overrated record ever.

Sensitive skin formula body wash from Target is awful. It won't even make a lather.

I judge you if you can't use "your" and "you're" properly.

So disgusting, but soooo funny.

Personally, I don't understand why someone would want to be in a Sir, boy, pup, etc. relationship, but I don't care if someone wants to be in one. Does that make me judgmental?

What is the damn point of celery?

I find it ironic that FB gets mad if you send a friend request to someone you don't know personally, and yet there are at least 3 people in my "people you should know" window that I have no friends in common with. In a secondary note, "people you should know" should sometimes be labeled "people you would like to fuck."

You can't force a relationship, whether it be a friend or a partner.

No comment necessary.

Burning Man seems like a lot of work.

The Leftovers keeps pulling me further under its spell.

I may have another inguinal hernia. Sigh. Well, good thing is, I have been through it before, so I know what to expect.

Your cute for the day.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"Flipping out the light trying to survive this endless fight
If we shoot them down, we can make it right, we'll make it right
And they light the sky as they multiply, they multiply
No matter what they try, they won't take away our will to fight
If we shoot them down, we can make it right, we'll make it right

They broke the walls we guarded
But we don't care about it
We'll finish what we started
So promise me that
We'll be the lionhearted
For we don't care about it
We'll finish what we started
So promise me that they'll fall

So promise me that

No matter what they try, they won't take away our will to fight
If we shoot them down, we can make it right, we'll make it right
And up against all odds, take a thousand lives, a thousand lives
So if you shoot them down, we can make it right, we'll make it right."

Porter Robinson
"Divinity"

"Little light shining
Little light will guide them to me
My face is all lit up
My face is all lit up
If they find me racing white horses
They'll not take me for a buoy.

Let me be weak, let me sleep and Dream Of Sheep.
Oh I'll wake up to any sound of engines
Every gull a seeking craft
I can't keep my eyes open
Wish I had my radio
I'd tune into some friendly voices.

Talking 'bout stupid things
I can't be left to my imagination
Let me be weak, let me sleep And Dream Of Sheep
Ooh, their breath is warm,
And they smell like sleep
And they say they take me home
Like poppies, heavy with seed
They take me deeper and deeper."

Kate Bush
"And Dream of Sheep"

Appealing Things

New Aphex Twin record
Getting geared up for Folsom
The new Porter Robinson record Worlds is my not-so-guilty pleasure
Zaxby's
The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman
Spoon's "Do You?"

Annoying Things

The thought of having surgery again and not being able to lift for 3 months
The new Taylor Swift song
How horribly tabloid-esque all the news channels have gotten
Plain oatmeal