like a crackling fire
here's a couple of oddities and a pretty tech track:
"Vegetables" by Greg Davis -- yes, this is a cover of the Beach Boys Smile song by this guy, Greg, who is, essentially, an electronic music genius - he's trained in classical and jazz guitar and has a masters in composition from the new england music conservatory (where my friend Dave went... i should ask him if he know's him...). anyway, he primarily releases stuff on Carpark Records, who's roster also includes kid606, marumari and kit clayton - they put out a compilation a year or so ago called Wanna Buy A Craprak? (that title kills me for some reason) which showcases all their artists, and leads off with a Davis song that's great. if you're down with the combination of field-recordings, geetar and laptop foolery, he's also got full-length album out called Curling Pond Woods that everyone has been raving about. check out his, and more carpark stuff, here. v. highly reccomended. [also, check out Davis' own label, Autumn Records.]
"Tobacco Path" by Ahmad Szabo -- this is a fun little song, with loads of filtered effects and guitar (see a theme today?) - i've been told that this is yet another alias for Scott Herren (along with Prefuse 73, Delarosa & Asora, and Savath & Savalas; despite the fact that the website has a full 'write up' about him), and i can certainly hear some of his other projects "sound" in the songs as Szabo, particularly S&S. some of the songs from this album This Book Is About Words, (released on his Eastern Developments label) feel shortened, like sketches for something else; hard to say if that's actually the case, but it certainly seems possible, seeing how the volume of Herren's output is ri-ding-dong-diculously high, he must have another couple dozen or so songs ready to put out as one of these characters. i really do like the wandering sound of this track a lot though. buy it from the lab, sucka.
and
"Daylight" by Osbourne -- this is one of my favorite subtle, pretty techno songs that isn't on Kompakt (ha!); rather, this is Todd Osbourne, working out the groove on this Spectral (strictly tech sublabel of Ghostly) release. the shuffling beat that grows more complex through the song, the beautiful tones of the bassline, the nice layers of keys that meld together so well, and the little ravey bits that pop up here and there in the song just make this song near-perfect - i don't know if i want to dance in a room full of people with my arms in the air or lie on the floor with my eyes closed when i'm listening to this. it makes me really happy whenever i put this on. do yourself the favor of buying this on vinyl because the sound quality (like all spectral/ghostly releases) is really best on wax.