WEAR THE OWL

May 24th, 2011 , by


 

Since we released Canta Lechuza from Helado Negro last week, we've received questions from all over the world inquiring about the owl on the artwork. The owl. Elementary school teacher Clarisa Uton from Idaho wrote in, "Dear AK, Canta Lechuza is a lovely album, but why is Roberto [of Helado Negro] taking a bath with the owl? Is that what the kids are doing these days?" And Paul Frank, a tea-shop proprietor asked, "I'm curious about the owl. How could I not be? Clearly, it represents something important. A totem perhaps? But what does it mean? My wife thinks it's meaningless, but I feel it has some importance. Please settle this debate between my life partner and me."
 
We're afraid, Clarisa and Paul and world, that we cannot answer those questions or settle any debates. To do so would mean delving deep into the layered mind of Roberto Carlos Lange (aka Helado Negro), a feat we dare not attempt for fear of never returning. 
 
But what we can do is offer an opportunity to wear the owl. Longtime Roberto collaborator David Ellis has designed a gorgeous and minimalistic take on The Owl, which you can see in greater detail here. It's $14. It may not offer answers, but it will offer style and slight protection from the elements. These days, that's all one can expect from a t-shirt.
 
That is, unless you buy the shirt and the MP3 version of the album for $19. The t-shirt will arrive via mail, the MP3 via your email within 30 minutes of purchase. Both will enlighten, but we make no guarantees. Click here to give it a shot.

FOL CHEN: DAVID BOWIE, SUFJAN. OTHER NAMES TOO. GOBSMACKED.

May 23rd, 2011 , by


 

So, Fol Chen. Desert dwellers. Underculture purveyors. Marketers of glitz and glam. Let's talk.
 
You know David Bowie right? Fol Chen remixed his lovely 1975 "Golden Years," the leading track to his supposedly cocaine-fueled (and non-supposedly brilliant) Station to Station. And Fol Chen does it some serious justice, for KCRW's DJ Eric J. Lawrence's remix-travaganza celebrating the re-master of the album. Hear it (and other great takes on the song) here.  This remix is so captivating, British music Simon Reynolds said it "gobsmacked" him. Sorry about that Simon.
 
You may also have heard of Sufjan Stevens. Yes, Fol Chen covered him too, pulling from the pop-rich lyrically-morose "I Walked." Leading vocals on the cut is Simone White, and when Fol Chen+Simone White/Sufjan Stevens, you get a ballad hit optimus-transformed pop hit. We dare you to listen and forget about it. We triple-dare. Try, on Pitchfork, here.
 
Finally, Fol Chen wrapped up a score on a new documentary from filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, entitled Beauty CULTure. It just premiered, and will be up at the Annenberg Space for Photography for a few months. Similarly, Greenfield's "Fashion Show" mixes filmed footage with still photography of runway shows, all set to Fol Chen's "The Longer You Wait." Watch it here.
 
Did we say Fol Chen has been in the desert? Strange things happen there.

JULIANNA BARWICK COLLABORATES WITH IKUE MORI

May 21st, 2011 , by

RVNG INTL. is releasing FRKWYS VOL. 6 on 12" vinyl in a few weeks, and it includes four pieces composed and performed by our own Julianna Barwick, and Ikue Mori of DNA as part of a month-long installation at White Columns gallery, New York, NY. 

For the installation, a particle-board cubicle was custom constructed and placed at the center of the Project Space. The cubicle wall separated Julianna and Ikue to their respective seated work stations, while web cams captured the musicians at work / play. They became interactive projections manipulated by video artist Erik Mika, illuminating this exercise in simulated engagement. 
 
You can see videos and hear music from the installation, or preorder the 12", here, or stream a cut below. 
 
Julianna is currently on tour in Europe (details here), and she'll be at several festivals over the course of the summer, including Pitchfork, Hopscotch, and Gorilla vs. Bear.


ROBERTO LANGE COLLABORATES WITH NENE HUMPHREY

May 18th, 2011 , by

On display this Saturday in Brooklyn is a collaborative video and live performance from artist Nene Humphrey. Roberto Lange, aka Helado Negro and Epstein, worked extensively with Nene on the music composition, partnering also with songwriter and performer Julie DeLano and cinematographer Christopher Keohane.
 
In what began as a meditation on the loss of her husband, Nene Humphrey layers sound, film and live performance in the piece she is calling Circling the Center. Images of electrical circuit boards, animated MRI's, braiding weaving patterns and a 19th century papier maiche brain model are layered with the sounds of rats serenading each other in a neuroscience lab, human breathing, a metronome and the chanted directions for crafting Victorian mourning braids, creating a film projected on a large scrim. Three women behind and in front of the scrim perform an original vocal dance piece at selected intervals.

The video performance is at 7pm, Saturday May 21st. More details are here.

Liz Janes to Tour United Kingdom

May 16th, 2011 , by

Dear United Kingdom:
We love you. Your sense of humor is impeccable, your taste sophisticated, and you call backyards gardens. And because you are so great, we’ve sent some music your way. Sufjan has stopped through, Julianna Barwick will be by soon, and today we’re sending over Liz Janes as ambassador, from our little country to your little country. Tonight she’ll play in London. Tuesday, she’ll be in Reading, then Liverpool, and then London (again!). You can see more details here.
Even though the Royal Wedding is over and you are likely feeling a soppy, what’s-missing kind of feeling, we hope that seeing Liz live will fill your hearts with as much joy as she has our hearts over here. If you go – and we hope you do – you’ll be in for a real treat. You can hear her album or her more recent EP here.
Cheers,
Asthmatic Kitty Records

LIZ JANES TO TOUR UNITED KINGDOM

May 16th, 2011 , by

Dear United Kingdom: 
 
We love you. Your sense of humor is impeccable, your taste sophisticated, and you call backyards gardens. And because you are so great, we've sent some music your way. Sufjan has stopped through, Julianna Barwick will be by soon, and today we're sending over Liz Janes as ambassador, from our little country to your little country. Tonight she'll play in London. Tuesday, she'll be in Reading, then Liverpool, and then London (again!). You can see more details here.
 
Even though the Royal Wedding is over and you are likely feeling a soppy, what's-missing kind of feeling, we hope that seeing Liz live will fill your hearts with as much joy as she has our hearts over here. If you go – and we hope you do – you'll be in for a real treat. You can hear her album or her more recent EP here.

Cheers,
Asthmatic Kitty Records

NEW ALBUM FROM HELADO NEGRO OUT TODAY

May 10th, 2011 , by

Canta Lechuza, the second album from Helado Negro, is out today. It is a perfect album for spring; majestic but at the same time welcoming, the music bubbling forth like little green shoots out of black dirt. Canta Lechuza is pop music for sure, but this is Helado Negro, right? He'll never force his way in with over-you-head beats. His riffs are subtle and suave. A wink here, a wave there. You will be charmed as we have. The album is so good, we are listening to it right now as we pen the very news you read. 

If we can be so bold, we recommend you do the same and listen. It's been a while since you just relaxed and listened, isn't it? See below for a full, free stream, or click here.

And if you like what you hear, do buy it. It's $8 for the MP3, $10 for the CD and $15 for the LP. Click here to buy.

JULIANNA BARWICK IN SPEAK EASY SERIES, BROOKLYN

May 2nd, 2011 , by

If you are anywhere near Brooklyn on Tuesday night (May 3rd), we recommend you get even nearer to Veronica Peoples Club on Franklin Street. It's there that Journalist Cara Cannella, whose work has appeared in the Boston Globe, The L Magazine, and Edible Communities, is hosting another of her increasingly infamous SPEAK EASY events.

Julianna Barwick will be there to talk to Cara, alongside Molly Surno of Cinema 16, and filmmaker Joel Schlemowitz. A couple years back Molly commissioned Julianna to score an experimental film by Joel. The three will talk about that process with Cara; how it turned out, the ups and downs, how the music integrated with the film, and so forth. 

Tickets are $10 and you can buy them in advance here.

HELADO NEGRO ON RECORD AT UNION POOL [VIDEO]

April 19th, 2011 , by

William "Zoe" Fitzgerald of Flatblooded Productions created this lovely live video of Helado Negro in the band's new live configuration at Union Pool in Brooklyn. It is a fuzzy video, but we think you'll get the general idea.

Helado Negro have a couple tour dates coming up with saxagenius Montreal-based Colin Stetson and a record release show with our own Julianna Barwick. See here for more details.

Unrelated historical trivia: Liz Janes and temporal vessel of Future Rapper celebrated their east coast wedding reception at Union Pool. Now you know.

EVE SUSSMAN AND THE RUFUS CORPORATION IN LONDON

April 19th, 2011 , by

Helado Negro's Canta Lechuza features the amazing vision and photography of world renown filmmaker and photographer Eve Sussman. It is an honor to have her join the ranks of our talented pool of album artists. Eve's new collaborative group, the Rufus Corporation launched whiteonwhite:algorithmicnoir this last weekend at the Haunch of Venison gallery in London. For those of you on that side of the pond the show runs until May 14th. More information here.

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