FADE TO YELLOW

RECORD OF THE WEEK

My Education – A Drink For All My Friends

Austin’s own My Education have just released their latest album, A Drink For All My Friends, on an Austin based record label, Haute Majie. This is a heavier sounding album that what My Education normally bring to the party, and it also has some samples thrown in there for good measure. This is 47 minutes and 7 tracks of pure instrumental music heaven. My personal favourite on this release is Black Box, but the other tracks do run a close second. From the opening notes of the vibraphone on ‘Introduction’ to the ending of the cacophony of sounds that is ‘Homunculus’, this is an album that deserves to be put on repeat. Their is an endearing quality about My Education’s music, and this album is just going to endear them more to fans old and new.

The photos below were taken at the ND in Austin on the 30th November 2012, it was the CD release party for ‘A Drink For All Our Friends’ and these were taken during the soundcheck to that show.

Record Of The Week

Dergar – 12.11.2012

Greece based Dergar has just released the latest in the one day series that the Greek record label Somehow Ecstatic Records have been releasing. It is what it says, a project to compose/write/record and mix in one day from beginning to end. And this latest release by Dergar really is a think of beauty. Just over 48minutes in length spread evenly over 4 tracks.   Electronic sounds and processing with soundscapes in the background. Pretty melodies to the forefront weave in and out of the tracks. Each track is like a variation of the previous track, and they all blend well together or they are listenable as stand alone tracks. Really minimal instrumentation but played with a warmth and a sound that surrounds you. What makes it all the more appealing is that it was written and recorded in one day. A real aural ambient treat from Dergar. I also like his previous work, and this latest release is one that he and Somehow Ecstatic records must be very proud of.

From the Somehow Ecstatic Records website

One day series is a project in which artists and bands create an album,mini-album or ep within a day. They compose/write/record/mix etc  their “one day” album from the beginning, in a set date, which date is each album’s tittle.Our purpose through this experiment is the spontaneous creativity and the randomness of first-moment inspirations.
All the one day albums are released in only 30 hand numbered copies and they are free for download through our bandcamp page. The packaging is completely DIY, made by a one page hand stamped cardboard paper, with a foam cd holder hub attached on the back.

The first hour of this show was dedicated to the music of Yellow6, an ambient, post-rock artist from England.

You can check out selected Yellow6 releases here

And you can check Yellow6 biography here

Check out Yellow6 discography here

You can hear the interview with Yellow6 here

 Record Of The Week 

Dawn Of Man – In Constellations

Wisconsin based Dawn Of Man have just released their debut full length album titled In Constellations. Two years in the making, and oh how it shows. Just over an hour in length over 10 tracks, ranging in length from 40 seconds to over 16 minutes. This is a band who have many aspects and genres within their music. There is a 4 part song on the album called ‘Black Hole’ and really this is the centerpiece of the album, particularly part IV called ‘Superluminal’ which is just such an amazingly put together track on so many levels. This is the longest track on the album and it has everything, post, psych, space and prog rock in abundance from the electronic soundscapes and guitars to the syncopation throughout the track. They have some organ on this track as well, which you don’t hear a lot of in post-rock. It ebbs and flows and goes off on various musical directions that are all very coherent and seem to make sense. But don’t dismiss the other tracks on this album, it just seems that they started off playing more straightforward post-rock but evolved during the writing and recording of this album to have that second or third dimension musically, which can separate an OK sounding band into a band that has something more sonically interesting to say. I believe that they are going in this longform direction and I would encourage them to do so. They will pick up fans from across genres with their varied and well executed musical styles. I am also giving a nod to the shortest track on the album, it just drives for that whole 40seconds.

Great debut album from a band who are promising even greater things in the future. Hopefully it won’t be too long till the next album is released.

This show was partly dedicated to playing tracks from two very recently released Post-rock compilation albums. One was from France and the other one was from from Greece. They were released within a day of one another. The French compilation was put together by Julien of My Own True Desire , while the Greek compilation was put together by the independant post-rock collective, Unseen Our Voice. I do normally play a few tracks from most compilation albums as they are released but I thought that I would play 4 tracks from each release. Musically, choosing the tracks was the difficult part, there were so many amazing songs on both releases. I hope that you do go check out both these compilations, they are free on Bandcamp and serve as a teaser for many of the artists on there.

Record Of The Week 

Ana Never – Small Years

Fluttery Records seem to have a knack of signing artists who release great albums. This latest album release by Serbian based Ana Never is more than great. This is epic post-rock, 4 tracks on this album, titled ‘Small Years’ spans over 75 minutes. The shortest track, Half Way is nearly 5 minutes long while the longest track, To Live For, is just slightly over 28 minutes long. The opening track Future Wife has a slow entrance, and equally slow exit, at just over 26 minutes in length, there is no real hurry to go anywhere. the song builds, almost drone like, then transforms into this long form post-rock sound that is patiently building and building before ebbing away. The last song, ‘To Live For’, moves along at a slightly different pace to the other three tracks on this release. Ana Never do have a history of long form songs and it works perfectly, it certainly never feels that long when you are listening to it. So, Fluttery Records triumph again with this release and their seemingly endless stream of signed artists from all over the globe who produce music of the highest calibre.

Band Members

Srđan Terzin – guitar, bass, keys
Dejan Topić – guitar
Goran Grubišić – drums, guitar
Davor Bašić Palković – bass
Boris Čegar – keys

Press Release from Fluttery Records

Ana Never Has Crafted A Masterpiece : Small Years

Ana Never creates one of the most essential post-rock albums of the year. We will never forget the

moment we have received the recording and start listening to it. When we heard the whole album,

we knew how lucky we were. “We have listened to one of the greatest post-rock album of all the

times.”

Ana Never is a band from Subotica (Serbia) exists since spring 2002. Shaped in a spirit of

friendship and sensibility, it emerged out of exploration and experience of music and life of its three

members, Srdjan Terzin (guitar), Dejan Topic (guitar) and Goran Grubisic (drums), who were

friends since they were children.

Existing more than ten years, a few other musicians got through this band, in the latest constellation

band have five members. Consisting of: Srđan Terzin (guitar, bass, keys), Dejan Topić (guitar),

Goran Grubišić (drums, guitar) Davor Bašić Palković (bass, guitar), Boris Čegar (keys). Former

members were Ivan Čkonjević on the guitar, bass (2004 – 2010) Ivana Primorac on the base guitar

(2003 – 2006).

Through the decade Ana Never emerged as one of the most respectful bands of post-rock related

music in the Balkan region. The band have played all around the south east and central Europe,

shared stage with Jeniferever, Kayo Dot, Heirs and many many others. They have been hosting and

promoting Nadja, Dorena, Khuda, Sun Glitters, Port-royal, Shaking Sensations and dozens of other

bands and artists for their live shows in Serbia. They are in our family since 2010, their self-titled

debut album was a superb.

On their new album “Small Years”, Ana Never creates exciting and sensual atmosphere and waves

of sounds in a lonely planet. We are landing this planet with 26 minutes and 34 seconds long track

“Future Wife” where droning guitars slowly runs to climax. The special guest, Tijana Stankovic on

violins has made a great contribution to the album and the violin lines of “Future Wife” make the

song wear wings accordingly to to quietly plucked guitar notes and drum rolls. We continue

traveling with “Half Way” which is the shortest track of the record. We find a coherent dark story

here driven by piano / broken hearted guitars. The third track; “Gorgeous One” brings us to the most

peaceful areas on this planet, there are lots of things picture here in the 16:14 run time. The last

track To Live For is the longest track of the album which brings an energetic and dark conclusion to

the album. It’s not safe enough to listen while driving because the violent tornado may take you in,

you should hide behind your inner shadows before it unfolds gently.

In short, we believe Ana Never has crafted a masterpiece in their four track, 75 mintues 34 seconds

long album. Let’s make reference to Joy Division here: They share a dream, no post-rock fan can

step outside.