Listen: Chromatics – “Just Like You”

About an hour ago the Chromatics shared the first music from their forthcoming LP, Dear Tommy, which is due out in March and one of my most anticipated lof the year. Check out “Just Like You” below and download it for free courtesy of the band.

Video: SchoolBoy Q - "Man Of The Year"

Hey Ho, real quick before I get into this next post, I just want to call to attention that this is our 2000th post! A much earned thanks to the handful of friends who give time to help out with this little project whenever they can and of course to the readers. Here is to another 2000 posts.

Schoolboy Q dropped a video for his NBA Live 14 track "Man of the Year." Of course the tune famously samples one of my favorite bands, the Chromatics, specifically their tune "Cherry." The video goes with the partying theme and was directed by Dave Free and APLUSFILMZ, look out for Q’s new LP, Oxymoron, to drop on February 25th.

Video: Symmetry – “The Hunt”

Johnny Jewel's Symmetry project just re- released The Messenger on clear vinyl via Italians Do It Better. In conjunction with the release we also got a video for album cut "The Hunt" which you can check out below and  download an mp3 of from HERE. As with most things Jewel the visuals come courtesy of Alberto Rossini.

Video: Symmetry - "Streets of Fire"

In 2011 the ever busy Johnny Jewel released Themes For an Imaginary Film via his Symmetry project. The LP was a top notch Drive soundtrack from an alternate world as it would be and we now have a set of visuals to go along with it. Directed by Alastair Uhlig and featuring a series of scenes in New York City you can check it below along with a brief description on the Symmetry sound…

“Three years in the making, Symmetry - the project that began as a conceptual tangent between Glass Candy, Chromatics, Mirage, & Desire's more abstract sides - finally sees its release this month. Themes For An Imaginary Film is two hours of claustrophobic cinematic bliss compiled for Painters, Writers, Photographers, Designers, Cruisers, Night Walkers, & Dreamers. Adrenaline drips thick like syrup across a horizon where memories become blurred scenes behind the windshield & yesterday's faces fade as the road strobes to aggressive rhythms. Romantic melodies linger in the rearview mirror as chimera bells saturate the electric fog that's slowly rolling in.”

Video: Glass Candy – “The Possessed”

On Monday we shared an extended edit of GlassCandy's "The Possessed", a song first heard on a Paris fashion show runway recently. That song now has a video which sticks to the tried and true hazy footage that longtime collaborator Albert Rossini has been using to showcase various Jewel projects for the last several years. 

Listen: Glass Candy – “The Possessed” (Extended Runway Edit)

The seemingly always busy Johnny Jewel has shared a new tune from Glass Candy, which will appear on the forthcoming Italians Do It Better compilation After Dark II. The version of "The Possessed" is an extended edit Jewel premiered at a fashion show in Paris recently.

Listen/Download: Johnny Jewel – “Black & White / Mix for Autumn”

Johnny Jewel has put together a new mix entitled BLACK & WHITE / A MIX FOR AUTUMN that features tracks from Nico, Kraftwerk, and Blonde Redhead among others. Of course the mix also features Jewel's own music including a Chromatics cover of New Order's "Ceremony", “Fading Faces” from Symmetry and a Glass Candy tune.  Listen to the mix below along side some words from Johnny and the tracklist.

"It's been a crazy couple of weeks...After Paris & Amsterdam...Chromatics flew from London to Australia for two weeks of festivals...Then Natty & I hopped on a plane from Brisbane...to Singapore...to Abu Dhabi...landing in Berlin 30 hours later in time to have breakfast with Ida...Symmetry played our first show that night opening up for Glass Candy in Berlin at Karl Lagerfeld's book release party...Patron with Oko...then Night Flight to Quebec...Brazil in the morning...Glass Candy throws a party in Sao Paulo for Bazaar's birthday. After looping the globe twice...We're finally back in Montreal for one of my favorite times of year. It's the end of Autumn, & all of the Reds, Greens, & Yellows have disintegrated into Black & White. Everything is buried by the snow...Perfect weather for locking yourself in the studio with a synthesizer & your favorite records...I put together a collage of songs that, for one reason or another...always remind me of Autumn."

Something Old.
Something New.
Something Borrowed.
Something Blue.

"In other news...The last couple of mixes for After Dark 2 are finally done. Five years in the making...Wow! It seems like a blurry dream. I just got the fully remastered test pressings for "BEATBOX" & the first "AFTER DARK" today via Canada Post. We're doing limited runs on Crystal Clear Vinyl with foil covers. We are also adding two new beautiful Chromatics T Shirts & a hot new "After Dark 2" T Shirt into the store in a few days...XS,S,M,L,XL...and if you live in the southeast...Make sure you catch our last party of the year. Chromatics in Miami For Art Basel next week.

Enjoy the music!"

1. Lamuka (Johnny Jewel Edit) - Zazou Bikaye Cy1
2. The Fading Faces - Symmetry
3. Nuit - Xeno & Oaklander
4. The President is Gone - John Carpenter & Alan Howarth
5. Dans Mes Reves (Test Pressing) - Desire
6. One Night at the Raw Deal 12″ - Twisted Wires
7. Ceremony (16 Track Demo) - Chromatics Feat. Ida No On Lead Guitar
8. Stars and Houses (Feeling Without Touching 12″) - Glass Candy
9. It’s More Fun yo Compute (Symmetry Edit) - Kraftwerk
10. Home is in Your Head - His Name Is Alive
11. Alone in the Ring - Bill Conti
12. As We Could Ever - His Name Is Alive
13. Boy Girl - Blonde Redhead
14. Afraid - Nico

Video/Download: Chromatics – “Cherry”

The Chromatics return with another slice of their trade mark dark synth-pop in “Cherry,” which is another hazy sounding nighttime tune the band has become so well known for. Look for “Cherry” and more first-class work from the band on the forthcoming Italians Do It Better compilation album After Dark 2 due out in the very near future.

Filmed by long time collaborator Alberto Rossini while Recording In Montreal (April 2011) & In Chromatics' House In Portland.

Listen/Download: Chromatics –“Running From The Sun" (Full LP)

What a treat from the Chromatics camp as they share 35 minutes of unreleased music. Johnny Jewel took to Soundcloud to share a collection of material from the band's sessions for this year's excellent Kill for Love saying this about the whole affair…

“Jet lagged & buzzing from Friday's show in Paris, I couldn't sleep...so I stayed up all night with Oko talking about color based dreams while blending these tracks together. Since the album came out, a lot of people on the road have been telling us they are curious to hear some of the unreleased music from the Kill For Love sessions...Recorded November 2009 through December 2011, these songs were all mixed between 4 & 6 a.m. After hours of tracking at the studio in Montreal, we'd clear the channels on the mixer, open a bottle of wine, & feel around in the dark...working our way through the atmospheric elements & peeling back layers of rhythm...throwing the songs into the abstract pile & playing them while driving home in the snow. In Amsterdam right now trying to upload it from the hotel. Fingers crossed...

This is a lullaby for you... 

Sweet Dreams! 

xo 

Johnny Jewel”

Track Listing:

Dreaming In Color (00:23-03:08)
Red Car (03.09-07:27)
Kill For Love (07:27-11:30)
Last Wish (11:31-15:01)
Running From The Sun (15:02-19:13)
Disintegration (19:14-22:31)
These Streets Will Never Look The Same (22:32-30:53)
Blue Moon (30:54-34:38)

Listen/Download: Chromatics' Johnny Jewel - “Let’s Kiss/Sunday Morning Mix”

Johnny Jewel and the rest of the Chromatics released what is easily one of my favorite records this year with Kill For Love, Jewel is specific has been very busy with various projects outside of the Chromatics but still made time to put together this mix. I’ll let his words explain it all below…

A lot of people have been asking us for a non interview version of the FYF mix from three weeks ago in Los Angeles. I didn't bother to record the mix...so i put it back together this morning at home with a space echo & holy grail for you while having breakfast. 

I ran out of time in L.A. , so i didn't quite get to all the tracks that i intended on sharing...so there's a few extra songs at the end. 

Enjoy! 

xo 

Johnny Jewel.  

TANGERINE DREAM / LOVE ON A REAL TRAIN 

SYMMETRY / OVER THE EDGE
TIM THALER / DAS BOOT
NICO / MY FUNNY VALENTINE
SYMMETRY / JACKIE'S EYES
TRISOMIE 21 / COMING FROM DARKNESS
FARAH / SHADOW OF A DOBT (Sonic Youth Cover / Unrealeased Demo From The "Into Eternity" Sessions / November 2008)
SYMMETRY / BLOODSPORT
KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA / ROSEMARY'S BABY (Piano Theme)
PATTY WATERS / MOON, DON'T COME OUT TONIGHT
SYLVESTER MUSIC COMPANY / WATERFALLS
MOODS / TROPICAL BIRDS
TELEMUSIQUES / NO. 37
TWILIGHT SINGERS / DON'T CALL (Desire Cover)
HANDEL / SARABANDE SUITE NO. 11

Video: Chromatics - "These Streets Will Never Look the Same"

Chromatics have released their 6th video from the truly great Kill For Love LP. "These Streets Will Never Look the Same" was shot on videotape live on location in Las Vegas, Mexico City and Montreal. Once again directing duties came from Alberto Rossini, who has shot a number of videos for the band.

Video: Chromatics – “Into the Black" (Neil Young Cover)

Here is one I missed. Seems that Portland’s Chromatics, dropped this video from their excellent 2012 LP Kill For Love some time ago, by my count that’s 6 now? Tapping Alberto Rossini for filming and directing once again, the Neil Young cover of “Into The Black” gets a similar treatment to what we have already seen from the band in regards to the visuals. Shot on location at suite 304 in December of 2009 you can now enjoy both the sights and sounds of the Chromatics below, if you like what you experience I recommend going straight to the source and buying the full record for a very affordable $5 from The Troubleman Unlimited/Italians Do it Better Store. 

Listen: Chromatics – “Kill For Love” Full LP

I’m not usually one to post a full stream of an album that is officially out but I’ve been listening to this album heavily since it dropped earlier this week, it will most certainly be on my 2012 best of list and I obviously highly recommend it.  For those  who have been patiently waiting for the latest LP from Portland’s Chromatics, wait no longer,  the bands dreamy synth sounds get right under our skin, and they have very kindly put their full LP ‘Kill For Love’ on soundcloud for us all to stream. You can purchase it in full right now on i-tunes but if you are anything like me and actually like to own the music you pay for I recommend going straight to the source and buying it for a very affordable $5 from The Troubleman Unlimited/Italians Do it Better Store.

Video: Chromatics – “Back From The Grave”

Wow yet another new track from Portland’s Chromatics, this one is called "Back To The Grave" and it’s the 5^th tune the band has shared form their forthcoming LP, Kill For Love.  Again the tune is top notch building on the hazy disco pop sound that the band is becoming known for. Alberto Rossini sticks to directing duties; the footage was shot at Rossini’s chalet in February of 2010, located on Yellowhead highway in Valemount, British Columbia.

Video: Chromatics – “Candy”

Another new track from Portland’s Chromatics, this one is called "Candy" and it’s another slice of dreamy indie pop that fits in nicely with what we have so far heard of the bands delayed  Kill Your Love LP. Alberto Rossini once again took on directing duties; the footage was shot at the House On The Hill back in the Autumn of 2011.  This marks the 4th song that the band have shared from the LP which makes the delay somewhat strange, if delaying something means we get to hear chunks of it ahead of time, and for free, then I’m all for it.

Video: Chromatics - "Lady"

Portland’s Chromatics are back with their third single from their forthcoming LP Kill For Love. “Lady” plays nicely into what we have heard of the LP so far, further exploring the hazy disco sound reminiscent of a dirtier time in nightlife. The video plays right into the sound looking like some sort of footage from Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. Filming took place at Silver City in 2011 during a prom of all places, and features photography by Rhys Balmer and Alberto Rossini who also in turn edited the footage.