Catching Up With The IT Dept. (v2.1)
It is a new year, the last year if you believe the Mayans or Mitch Daniels. This makes your choice of tunes all that much more important.
And so I begin the year with a smattering of songs I have been listening to in the very recent past that I want to share under the guise of new tunes from the IT Dept. I think I will hit Metronomy, Chad Valley, Elite Gymnastics, Craft Spells and Mansions on the Moon. Call this the electro-downtempo-chill-dance-jam session of the IT Dept. Whatever. Can’t fade me…
So on to the streaming goodness.
Metronomy – The Bay
Playful. Fun. Groovy. All words I would use to describe this track from Metronomy. The project led by Joseph Mount put out the album The English Riveria way back in April 2011. It was tucked away until I heard a track on some streaming station out of England, maybe BBC6? One of four really strong jams on the LP including “Everything Goes My Way” which was released as a single in November.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Metronomy-The-Bay.mp3]
Chad Valley – Now That I’m Real
Parenthetical How Does It Feel? Feels pretty good. Call it what you want, chill-disco, this is an infectious groove that took it’s time getting to the US digitally. Now that it is here, it is favorite go to mood enhancer. It makes me happy. Don’t really care what it’s about. Rose Dagul has guest vocal duties and they are awesome.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Chad-Valley-Now-That-Im-Real-How-Does-It.mp3]
Elite Gymnastics – Here in Heaven 2
I used a snip of this song in a video recently; I have to give it a run on the site. It is a beauty. It maintains the haunting atmospheric tone, layers added and subtracted with chilling effectiveness. James Brooks and Josh Clancy are Elite Gymnastics. This track is like a well-planned, well-executed rainy day.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Elite-Gymnastics-Here-in-Heaven-2.mp3]
Craft Spells – Given The Time
April was a good month last year. Again, a story of rediscovery, Given The Time is my most played track off of Idle Labor. I don’t know what triggered my reacquaintance with the track, but I wish I did so I could write it a thank you note. Thanks, me. Thanks, for digging up another gem for me. Likely the most digital of the tracks on the album, do you have to wonder why I latched onto it?
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Craft-Spells-Given-the-Time.mp3]
Mansions on the Moon – Athens
This bit of electronic pop is floating around out on the web right now, found it on soundcloud, availble for a like. I think it is the band’s best song. I think they may have some serious potential. The song has a Postal Service lead in, then settles into layered vocals and synth progressions. I like the break down/rebuild, no matter how formulaic. Keeping an eye…
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Mansions-on-the-Moon-Athens.mp3]First IT Department of 2012, react.