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Portico Quartet - "Ruins" (LIVE)

VideosadminComment

A video of the Portico Quartet performing their track "Ruins" live for Boiler Room. The track comes from the experimental jazz outfit's latest, self-titled album, which you can catch a review for below. This video is actually a part of a series of recently performed tracks by the quartet. Watch s'more of 'em here.

Watch Nicolas Jaar's Boiler Room NYC DJ Set

VideosDannySpits1 Comment

Throughout an excellent debut LP and a handful of stellar EPs, Nicolas Jaar has proven himself worthy in a number of roles throughout the past few years: a producer with fine attention to detail, a justifiably patient songwriter, and a seductive singer. His skills extend to a live context as well, revealing him to be a coherent and focused DJ. This particular talent manifests itself in this set Jaar recently performed in NYC for Boiler Room, which marks the first time he has contributed to the established underground music show.

Over the course of the set's 45 minutes, Jaar pulls together a series of minimal yet hypnotic microhouse grooves which are peppered with interjections from static-infused radio samples. Especially admirable is the way he never loses sight of his aesthetic, maintaining the smooth and seductive vibe which defines his studio material. A subtle approach to the tension-and-release technique also proves rewarding, with Jaar refusing to allow the bass to remain prominent for extended stretches of time, which allows for a stimulating sense of dynamic. The set is consistently understated, but also passionate and vitalizing, hopping from idea to idea with enlivening finesse.

Check a review of Jaar's Space Is Only Noise below:

Manic Bringing Weekend to CT

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We've said it before, new Slumberland signees Weekend have abrasive sound that restores my faith in rock of the noise variety. You could label is psychedelic, too. It doesn't matter. What does matter is their new album, Sports, burns my ear drums and cracks the inner lining of my skull with a baseball bat every time I put it on the hi-fi.

The good people at Manic Productions are bringing the band to my neck of the woods this November, and I'm pumped. If you're from CT, you should head on down. Click here for more info on the show, and click here for a full stream of Weekend's new album via NPR Music. -