Justus Kohncke is a sponge and seems to have soaked in the whole history of pop music with all its inherent, structural beauty and styles. Five years after his debut album of cover versions "spiralen der erinnerung" and two years after his album "was ist musik", Kompakt deemed it high time to wring out the sponge - filled with impressions collected during Justus' numerous spectacular freestyle dj-performances all over the world. Combining Kompakt's techno message with disco jewels of the last three decades the man is full of knowledge and somewhat prone to regular, scientific analyses of his all-time, most favourite songs. Fighting on the front line of new club sounds Justus' track "timecode" was by consensus one of the biggest hits of 2004 - yet he plays the pop card so unashamedly, killing two birds again with one stone. "Schwabylon" is hard and elegant cruising disco funk Daft Punk would have loved to add to their recent album; "herz aus papier" is a cosy ballad called made in cooperation with Barbara Morgenstern; and there is the intoxicating, exotic and psychedelic version of "the answer is yes" and of course Kohncke's famous brand, his german electronic pop music for the charts of tomorrow ("wo bist du", "alles nochmal"). The heart of the cd album is the 10-minute disco track "elan", with a bonus dub for cd buyers.
Spinner 360 Degree Camera
Go beyond the confines of standard panoramic landscapes and capture everything around you in one 360-degree photo with the Lomography Spinner 360° 35mm camera.
A standard panoramic picture yields a 120-degree perspective--the familiar view that we love, stretching wide to cover details running from left to right. Taking inspiration from a futuristic concept in the '80s, the Spinner 360° operates by holding it in one hand, and pulling the cord with the other and releasing it. In one split second, the camera spins around in 360 degrees in its own axis, capturing every detail around you!
The result is a extra-super-wide angled breathtaking image, 4x longer than the standard landscape picture that you know. As with all Lomographic products in our lineup, this camera allows you to experiment with various techniques for multitudes of shooting fun!
Additional Features
A standard panoramic picture yields a 120-degree perspective--the familiar view that we love, stretching wide to cover details running from left to right. Taking inspiration from a futuristic concept in the '80s, the Spinner 360° operates by holding it in one hand, and pulling the cord with the other and releasing it. In one split second, the camera spins around in 360 degrees in its own axis, capturing every detail around you!
The result is a extra-super-wide angled breathtaking image, 4x longer than the standard landscape picture that you know. As with all Lomographic products in our lineup, this camera allows you to experiment with various techniques for multitudes of shooting fun!
Additional Features
- Horizonal View Angles: 360°
- Vertical View Angles: 66°
- Shots per roll: approximately 8 (on a standard 36 exposure roll)
- Shutter Speed: Relative shutter speed equivalent 1/125s ~ 1/250s , slow speed manually
- Aperture: f/8, f/16
- Standard tripod mount
- Built-in bubble level
- Lens: 25mm; Fixed Focus: 1m ~ inf.
- Film Type: 35mm
 |
Product Description
Take the Lomography Spinner 360° in one hand, pull the cord with the other and release it. In a split second the camera spins 360° around its own axis and records everything that’s around you on a frame more than 4 times longer than a conventional landscape picture.
Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station (Simultaneous Dual-Band) (MC340LL/A)
The sleek, easy-to-use AirPort Extreme Base Station with simultaneous dual-band support is the perfect wireless access point for home, school, or small business. It offers fast, 802.11n Wi-Fi access for Mac computers, PCs, and Wi-Fi devices such as iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV.
what can I say. I can do most anything with a computer, Apple or PC, but when I try to configure a network, gremlins keep any of it from working. When my Netgear "lost its settings" spontaneously, they were kind enough at technical support to offer to fix it for me for 99 bucks. When I declined they offered up that I might go to their website for support tips. But I had spent too many hours when I first bought that router, I was done. So I purchased this router and it is just like other reviewers have said: plug it in, stick in the disk, answer a few simple questions, and it's done. THIS is how consumers LIKE computers to work. Bemoan the higher price tag if you want, but I will pay a little extra for things that just do their dang job and don't aggravate me NEEDLESLY!
As I said at the top, I don't want to spend hours tearing apart and troubleshooting my network at home--home is for relaxing and enjoying time with friends and family. The AirPort Extreme is ideal as one building block of that equation.
Sound and Motion, Vol. 1 (2000)
This is a great electronic videos collection. But I can see why some people only give it 2 stars. As I read some people reviews, it seem like they dont know what they are talking about. These are not your daytime "MTV videos". You would only see these videos on MTV if you are an insomiac who watches AMP around 2 A.M. For the trance listeners who made a complaint, what do you people expect on this dvd? Paul Okenfold, Paul van dyke, Sasha & Digweed? I think it is bias to write a bad review just because you are not a fan of a specific electronic genre like Drum N Bass. One reviewer trashed the dvd just because he wasn't interested in DnB. Any REAL drum n bass fans would appreciate Roni Size, Diesel Boy, Photek, Talvin Singh and Goldie even if some have better tracks than others.
I give this 4 stars because of my personal tastes. Eventhough I think Fat boy slim, Chemical brothers, Crystal method, and Prodigy are great on the DVD. I think their videos on this DVD are for a mainstream purpose since they target the average listners. This dvd would have taken a step further if it was to have Aphex Twin, Bjork, Portishead ect. But that is just me, i'm just a snob and going for that Indie/Break Through videos mentality.
Do buy this dvd or just stay up around 2 am hope MTV plays electronic music.
ION Audio iCUE3 Discover DJ System
DISCOVER DJ is the easiest way to become a DJ. This computer-DJ package is perfect for anyone from people wanting to be a DJ to music lovers who have never tried DJing before. The DJ system harnesses the processing power of your Mac or PC and enables you to DJ parties, events and even clubs using the music that is already on your computer. DISCOVER DJ consists of a hardware DJ control surface with a convenient, standard USB connection and powerful MixVibes CROSS LE performance DJ software.
Be the DJ!
DJ With Your Computer
You can mix and scratch your music, including your iTunes Music Libraries using two large performance platters and a central mixer section with a crossfader, buttons and knobs. DISCOVER DJ is laid out in to carefully recreate the two-decks-and-a-mixer setup that professional DJs prefer. On screen, the MixVibes CROSS LE software is a virtual extension of the DISCOVER DJ hardware, with two decks. Just load your tracks to either Deck A or Deck B, and then control it, cueing up the start point, performing advanced transitions and even scratching.
You can mix and scratch your music, including your iTunes Music Libraries using two large performance platters and a central mixer section with a crossfader, buttons and knobs. DISCOVER DJ is laid out in to carefully recreate the two-decks-and-a-mixer setup that professional DJs prefer. On screen, the MixVibes CROSS LE software is a virtual extension of the DISCOVER DJ hardware, with two decks. Just load your tracks to either Deck A or Deck B, and then control it, cueing up the start point, performing advanced transitions and even scratching.
Familiar, DJ-Friendly Controls
DISCOVER DJ has complete DJ controls such as pitching the music up and down so you can perfectly match the tempo or BPM between tracks and create seamless mixes. The system also has an automatic beat-matching feature that takes the guesswork out of this tricky piece of DJing. Bass and treble control enable you to shape your sound with ease. You can easily extend the mix by looping your favorite parts of their tracks. Yet, with all of this power and capabilities, DISCOVER DJ is easy enough for virtually anyone to learn on. You can even record, play back and share your performances thanks to recording capability.
DISCOVER DJ has complete DJ controls such as pitching the music up and down so you can perfectly match the tempo or BPM between tracks and create seamless mixes. The system also has an automatic beat-matching feature that takes the guesswork out of this tricky piece of DJing. Bass and treble control enable you to shape your sound with ease. You can easily extend the mix by looping your favorite parts of their tracks. Yet, with all of this power and capabilities, DISCOVER DJ is easy enough for virtually anyone to learn on. You can even record, play back and share your performances thanks to recording capability.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
DISCOVER DJ works with Mac and PC computers. Its hardware component connects via USB and does not require a power adapter.
DISCOVER DJ works with Mac and PC computers. Its hardware component connects via USB and does not require a power adapter.
Decksaver Protective Cover and Clear Faceplate for Pioneer CDJ-2000
The club environment can be harsh, with smoke, dust and sticky liquids being daily hazards for DJs and club owners to keep in check. Decksavers are specifically designed to keep your technology investment safe and sound. Decksaver covers are tailor-made to exacting standards to fit the Pioneer CDJ-2000 like a glove. Rather than using cheaper inferior acrylic, each one is made from Polycarbonate - a very hardwearing plastic used in bullet proof glass - and made to fit your gear as closely as possible. The use of Polycarbonate means that thinner material can be used, making for discrete, strong yet attractive protection for your Pioneer units. Indeed, great care is taken to trim each Decksaver to achieve the best fit and still leave cables in place. The CDJ-2000 Decksaver package also includes a clear faceplate. Sitting firmly on top of the CDJ-2000, the faceplate has been designed to keep the new shiny CDJ pristine. Made from 0.5mm super clear material, the faceplate is laser cut to ensure the finest tolerances are achieved and the best fit maintained. The finish is of the highest quality - a trademark of Decksaver.
Manners [+digital booklet]
I feel "Sleepyhead" is in the top three best songs of 2008. I feel "Sleepyhead" is in the top three best songs of 2009 [thus far]. Confused yet? Well, "Sleepyhead" was originally released last year on Passion Pit's debut EP "Chunk Of Change" and has been brought back with some slight alterations to this debut LP. Not much is different but there are enough changes to reestablish my proclivity to leave this song on repeat again after completely playing it out last year. It's basically all the same patterns and effects. However, levels have been adjusted for the better. For instance: some of the samples have been slightly muted, while others have been seeming thrust into different channels, which to be truly appreciated should be listened on a surround sound setting. The most notable difference is the extremely well timed bass has been turned up. It adds more depth to the song (especially in the bridge and chorus) and allows it to rise above the previous version which will now likely be considered a demo version.
As far as new additions go, nothing is slacking here. "Moth's Wing" is spectacular. The chorus is so climatic and it's sporadic which helps make this song a notable listen to the very last second. "Eyes As Candles" briefly starts off a tad bland with a simple drum beat and organ pad. However, it quickly gets interesting, and after the first chorus takes you somewhere serendipitous, the song reintroduces the hypnotic bass melody for the second verse. I'm not sure I've heard a more melodic moment on an album this year. Listen to this song in your car and tell me you don't catch yourself subconsciously singing the "na na na-na-na-na, hey hey heeeey" and I will instinctively check your pulse for a beat. "Swimming In The Flood" starts off with a melancholy violin melody that sounds straight out of There Will Be Blood. Enter the dirty drum machine beat, bass, and keys and you find another stellar, hypnotic melody and suddenly I'm a huge fan. "To Kingdom Come" is straight lovely. "Let Your Love Grow Tall" shows these dudes have fun production value down to a science. "Seaweed Song" is like a fun upbeat 80s electronic r&b song and one of my favorites.
This album took a brief moment to grow on me. After my first listen, I wasn't blown away. At least not like I was when I first heard "Sleepyhead" last year. And I think that's where my fault was with regards to this album initially: I craved an album full of "Sleepyheads", songs to just blow me away. You won't find that here. What you will find, simply, is fun, hypnotic electronic songs that I ultimately feel are one of the most cohesive collection of songs released this year. I certify here every song a worthy listen and more than several are just plain spectacular. If there isn't a Passion Pit fan club yet, I want to start one, so, I can proclaim: "I'm not just a member, I'm the President."
As far as new additions go, nothing is slacking here. "Moth's Wing" is spectacular. The chorus is so climatic and it's sporadic which helps make this song a notable listen to the very last second. "Eyes As Candles" briefly starts off a tad bland with a simple drum beat and organ pad. However, it quickly gets interesting, and after the first chorus takes you somewhere serendipitous, the song reintroduces the hypnotic bass melody for the second verse. I'm not sure I've heard a more melodic moment on an album this year. Listen to this song in your car and tell me you don't catch yourself subconsciously singing the "na na na-na-na-na, hey hey heeeey" and I will instinctively check your pulse for a beat. "Swimming In The Flood" starts off with a melancholy violin melody that sounds straight out of There Will Be Blood. Enter the dirty drum machine beat, bass, and keys and you find another stellar, hypnotic melody and suddenly I'm a huge fan. "To Kingdom Come" is straight lovely. "Let Your Love Grow Tall" shows these dudes have fun production value down to a science. "Seaweed Song" is like a fun upbeat 80s electronic r&b song and one of my favorites.
This album took a brief moment to grow on me. After my first listen, I wasn't blown away. At least not like I was when I first heard "Sleepyhead" last year. And I think that's where my fault was with regards to this album initially: I craved an album full of "Sleepyheads", songs to just blow me away. You won't find that here. What you will find, simply, is fun, hypnotic electronic songs that I ultimately feel are one of the most cohesive collection of songs released this year. I certify here every song a worthy listen and more than several are just plain spectacular. If there isn't a Passion Pit fan club yet, I want to start one, so, I can proclaim: "I'm not just a member, I'm the President."
MGMT Poster - F Flyer W/Display Sleeve
MGMT promo Flyer -Includes Display Sleeve and hanger, BEAUTIFUL print job. very crisp and clear. Worth every penny. Love it!
Features
- Flyer promo MGMT Oracular Spectacular
- MGMT promo Flyer
- Size 11 x 17 inches approx (28 x 43 cm)
- Window display/ Telephone Pole Flyer sized Poster
- Includes Display Sleeve and hanger
Product Description
MGMT promo Flyer -Includes Display Sleeve and hanger
/\/\ /\ Y /\ [Deluxe Edition]
In the past, M.I.A. had the luxury of releasing her albums quietly. Her feisty debut, Arular, was quickly devoured by fans of her prior mixtape with Diplo, Piracy Funds Terrorism, and immediately garnered overwhelming critical success... but not much else. Word of mouth caused her sophomore album, Kala, to debut at an impressive number 18 on the Billboard 200, but she still remained a relatively well-kept secret in the music world until one of the album's tracks, "Paper Planes," crept up and became the surprise mega-hit of 2008, while also almost single-handedly winning the album a gold certification from the RIAA.
Suddenly, Maya had gained commercial success to match the critical praise, which I'm sure she found incredibly hard to grapple with; all of a sudden, this outspoken, opinionated, passionate, but ultimately misunderstood artist--who was accustomed to small venues and notoriety strictly limited to the Pitchfork crowd--was being heard and watched by millions. Millions who, quite frankly, don't "get it." Millions who, although they now have a newfound desire to listen to her, don't necessarily want or have the intelligence to truly hear her. During the months leading up to the release of her third effort, her words have been twisted, her jokes have been misconstrued, her political statements have been dismissed as empty threats (or, even worse: publicity stunts), and her lyrics have been robbed of their meaning by the mainstream audiences and media. To quote a track from Arular, it seems this crowd of new fans would rather see her as "fun for the people" than "armed and equal." Even more detrimental, though, was the now infamous profile of the artist for a May issue of the New York Times Magazine, in which the author, Lynn Hirschberg, reduced Maya to a walking contradiction: a silly, hypocritical, and paranoid little Tamil girl who rambles on and on about the injustice of the recently defunct Sri Lankan Civil War that she knows nothing about (even though she lived through part of it and her father abandoned her family in order to become one of the most notable figures of the Tamil struggle, mind you), all while idly munching on truffle French fries, anxiously waiting to return to her son and wealthy fiancé at her million-dollar-plus abode.
Well, on M.I.A.'s third effort, /\/\/\Y/\, the apparently self-contradictory facets of her personality work to her benefit, ultimately creating a widely varied and exciting, yet balanced, listen. It's hard to imagine the thrashing duo of angry, loud, gritty, anarchic, and slightly hard to digest rock-inspired "Born Free" and "Meds And Feds" could be coming from the same woman who on just the track before--the wandering, sing-songy "It Iz What It Iz"--frankly states, "they all got issues, but I got a bit more." The artist herself explains it best on one of the album's highlights, the smolderding and quietly rebellious "Lovalot:" "I really love a lot, but I fight the ones that fight me." This sort of dichotomy between her aggressive, playful, Arular-esque and her more vulnerable, introspective, Kala-esque self is spread throughout. " The reggae-infused "It Takes A Muscle," one of Diplo's only contributions here, is the closest thing to a love song she has ever crafted, while the first four song chunk will satisfy anyone craving the rambunctious, adventurous Maya from her first effort.
"Steppin' Up" is the most impressive track of the bunch, and it immediately stands out as such. How could a song that begins with percussive power tools not? "Teqkilla," with its cheeky, alcohol-referencing lyrics, is also a standout. The closest thing to "Paper Planes" here, in regards to effortless catchiness, is the endearingly naïve and earnest "Tell Me Why." (If any one song from this album becomes a bonafide smash hit single, it'll be this favorite. My other guess would be the ethereal "Space," whose spacey environment is rudely--and brilliantly--interrupted by cluttered rhythms as soon as the listener becomes a bit too comfortable. "XXXO," the first official single, also has some pop appeal.) And two of the bonus tracks, the scatterbrained "Internet Connection" and the soothing, R&B-like "Caps Lock, (along with the awesome lenticular album cover), prove to be highlights and reason enough to choose the deluxe edition over the slightly cheaper standard edition.
The production on this album, handled by M.I.A. and the likes of Rusko, Switch and Blaqstaar, is simpler and more rough-around-the-edges than her past two efforts, and is much more concerned with electronic music, the internet and America, in contrast to the world travels that inspired Maya's previous world music melting pot of an album. This may turn some people off, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's not as complex, layered, or textured as Arular or especially Kala, but there are still some extremely intrepid moments here, like the playground of sound Rusko builds at the end of--and throughout--"Teqkilla" and the many interest ways Maya uses auto-tune, not just to enhance her voice, but moreover, to add interesting distortion and nuance., among other aural experiments heard on this record.
To put it simply, /\/\/\Y/\ is not as polished or complex as her two previous classic, five-star albums. So is it a failure in regards to living up to the utter brilliance of her past efforts? I suppose, if you must look at it in this light. But is it a failure in regards to creating a still great, homogenous, and exciting album? Absolutely not.
This will end up being a polarizing album, for sure. Critics like Pitchfork, Entertainment Weekly, and Time Magazine have already indicated that they have no clue what to make of it. But part of me thinks Maya wants it this way. Maybe this will, in one fell swoop, alienate and eradicate all the Lynn Hirschbergs in her fanbase, who don't want to see her progress, challenge herself, or leave the box they've put her in. Let's just hope she doesn't post all of their cell phone numbers on Twitter!
Suddenly, Maya had gained commercial success to match the critical praise, which I'm sure she found incredibly hard to grapple with; all of a sudden, this outspoken, opinionated, passionate, but ultimately misunderstood artist--who was accustomed to small venues and notoriety strictly limited to the Pitchfork crowd--was being heard and watched by millions. Millions who, quite frankly, don't "get it." Millions who, although they now have a newfound desire to listen to her, don't necessarily want or have the intelligence to truly hear her. During the months leading up to the release of her third effort, her words have been twisted, her jokes have been misconstrued, her political statements have been dismissed as empty threats (or, even worse: publicity stunts), and her lyrics have been robbed of their meaning by the mainstream audiences and media. To quote a track from Arular, it seems this crowd of new fans would rather see her as "fun for the people" than "armed and equal." Even more detrimental, though, was the now infamous profile of the artist for a May issue of the New York Times Magazine, in which the author, Lynn Hirschberg, reduced Maya to a walking contradiction: a silly, hypocritical, and paranoid little Tamil girl who rambles on and on about the injustice of the recently defunct Sri Lankan Civil War that she knows nothing about (even though she lived through part of it and her father abandoned her family in order to become one of the most notable figures of the Tamil struggle, mind you), all while idly munching on truffle French fries, anxiously waiting to return to her son and wealthy fiancé at her million-dollar-plus abode.
Well, on M.I.A.'s third effort, /\/\/\Y/\, the apparently self-contradictory facets of her personality work to her benefit, ultimately creating a widely varied and exciting, yet balanced, listen. It's hard to imagine the thrashing duo of angry, loud, gritty, anarchic, and slightly hard to digest rock-inspired "Born Free" and "Meds And Feds" could be coming from the same woman who on just the track before--the wandering, sing-songy "It Iz What It Iz"--frankly states, "they all got issues, but I got a bit more." The artist herself explains it best on one of the album's highlights, the smolderding and quietly rebellious "Lovalot:" "I really love a lot, but I fight the ones that fight me." This sort of dichotomy between her aggressive, playful, Arular-esque and her more vulnerable, introspective, Kala-esque self is spread throughout. " The reggae-infused "It Takes A Muscle," one of Diplo's only contributions here, is the closest thing to a love song she has ever crafted, while the first four song chunk will satisfy anyone craving the rambunctious, adventurous Maya from her first effort.
"Steppin' Up" is the most impressive track of the bunch, and it immediately stands out as such. How could a song that begins with percussive power tools not? "Teqkilla," with its cheeky, alcohol-referencing lyrics, is also a standout. The closest thing to "Paper Planes" here, in regards to effortless catchiness, is the endearingly naïve and earnest "Tell Me Why." (If any one song from this album becomes a bonafide smash hit single, it'll be this favorite. My other guess would be the ethereal "Space," whose spacey environment is rudely--and brilliantly--interrupted by cluttered rhythms as soon as the listener becomes a bit too comfortable. "XXXO," the first official single, also has some pop appeal.) And two of the bonus tracks, the scatterbrained "Internet Connection" and the soothing, R&B-like "Caps Lock, (along with the awesome lenticular album cover), prove to be highlights and reason enough to choose the deluxe edition over the slightly cheaper standard edition.
The production on this album, handled by M.I.A. and the likes of Rusko, Switch and Blaqstaar, is simpler and more rough-around-the-edges than her past two efforts, and is much more concerned with electronic music, the internet and America, in contrast to the world travels that inspired Maya's previous world music melting pot of an album. This may turn some people off, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's not as complex, layered, or textured as Arular or especially Kala, but there are still some extremely intrepid moments here, like the playground of sound Rusko builds at the end of--and throughout--"Teqkilla" and the many interest ways Maya uses auto-tune, not just to enhance her voice, but moreover, to add interesting distortion and nuance., among other aural experiments heard on this record.
To put it simply, /\/\/\Y/\ is not as polished or complex as her two previous classic, five-star albums. So is it a failure in regards to living up to the utter brilliance of her past efforts? I suppose, if you must look at it in this light. But is it a failure in regards to creating a still great, homogenous, and exciting album? Absolutely not.
This will end up being a polarizing album, for sure. Critics like Pitchfork, Entertainment Weekly, and Time Magazine have already indicated that they have no clue what to make of it. But part of me thinks Maya wants it this way. Maybe this will, in one fell swoop, alienate and eradicate all the Lynn Hirschbergs in her fanbase, who don't want to see her progress, challenge herself, or leave the box they've put her in. Let's just hope she doesn't post all of their cell phone numbers on Twitter!
1234
You may not know it by name, but you've probably already heard Leslie Feist's "1234," in that iPod commercial that runs about a hundred times a day. It's certainly one of the more winsome pop tunes from Feist's second album "Reminder," and the one that seemed to cling to her folky-pop roots. It's a bittersweet little love song, but played with colourful, innocent exuberance.
"One, two, three four/tell me that you love me more/sleepless, long nights/that was what my youth was for," Feist croons over an acoustic guitar. But with "oh, teenage hopes are lying at your door" it blooms into a sprightly pop confection, which manages to be just a wee bit symphonic, and very catchy.
It's an unabashedly sprightly little song flavoured with some bittersweet little reflections on a love that just ain't what it used to be. "Sweetheart, bitter heart/now I can't tell you apart/cozy and cold/put the horse before the cart," Feist sings during one of the quieter moments.
It's not the only song here, though. "1234" is paired with Feist's collaboration with Mocky, "Fightin' Away the Tears." It's a sensual, rainy tune full of beats, electronic ripples and a mellow guitar tune. Mocky and Feist alternate their vocals, and they actually sound pretty astounding together.
These two songs actually fit together very nicely, though one is acoustic indiepop and the other is a sort of downtempo folk. That's because both have a reflective, slightly sad quality, set to a melody that can make you want to dance... at least a little bit.
And they both have a melodic backbone of acoustic guitar, but it's got plenty of instrumentation wrapped around it -- strings, smooth ripples electronica, a twangy banjo, plinking piano, guitar and blaring trumpet. Handclaps take the place of typical percussion in the first song, but there's a hollow, slightly rattly drum in the second.
But the highlight is Feist's pretty vocals -- peppy and fun, or languid and torchy, singing songs with innocent insight ("one, two, three, four, five, six, nine, and ten/money can't buy you back the love that you had then"). There are tiny imperfections in her delivery, but that just shows that there's no studio gloss in there.
The "1234" single is a solid pair of songs -- while their styles are very different, they have the same wistful prettiness. Nice.
"One, two, three four/tell me that you love me more/sleepless, long nights/that was what my youth was for," Feist croons over an acoustic guitar. But with "oh, teenage hopes are lying at your door" it blooms into a sprightly pop confection, which manages to be just a wee bit symphonic, and very catchy.
It's an unabashedly sprightly little song flavoured with some bittersweet little reflections on a love that just ain't what it used to be. "Sweetheart, bitter heart/now I can't tell you apart/cozy and cold/put the horse before the cart," Feist sings during one of the quieter moments.
It's not the only song here, though. "1234" is paired with Feist's collaboration with Mocky, "Fightin' Away the Tears." It's a sensual, rainy tune full of beats, electronic ripples and a mellow guitar tune. Mocky and Feist alternate their vocals, and they actually sound pretty astounding together.
These two songs actually fit together very nicely, though one is acoustic indiepop and the other is a sort of downtempo folk. That's because both have a reflective, slightly sad quality, set to a melody that can make you want to dance... at least a little bit.
And they both have a melodic backbone of acoustic guitar, but it's got plenty of instrumentation wrapped around it -- strings, smooth ripples electronica, a twangy banjo, plinking piano, guitar and blaring trumpet. Handclaps take the place of typical percussion in the first song, but there's a hollow, slightly rattly drum in the second.
But the highlight is Feist's pretty vocals -- peppy and fun, or languid and torchy, singing songs with innocent insight ("one, two, three, four, five, six, nine, and ten/money can't buy you back the love that you had then"). There are tiny imperfections in her delivery, but that just shows that there's no studio gloss in there.
The "1234" single is a solid pair of songs -- while their styles are very different, they have the same wistful prettiness. Nice.
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