Don't Speak
About a month ago at the Tofu Hut, I posted a series of songs that were done entirely acapella. Turnabout is fair play so I figure we're due for a selection of obscure and tasty instrumental cuts.
Accordion Tribe - "Boeves Psalm"
A five piece accordion band isn't exactly my idea of a good time but Accordion Tribe overcomes preconceived notions of the instrument with this hopeful and ecstatic piece.
As each player steps in to add another layer, "Psalm" gains in momentum and when the bottom finally drops (around 2:11 in) this achieves the transcendental.
I love the "WHOOO!" from the audience; this may be the first time in history that a "WHOOO!" has been appropriately evoked by an accordion.
Buy "Accordion Tribe: Live" from Amazon.
Our European readers can buy the disc direct from Intuition Records.
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Learn more about Accordion Tribe.
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Instrumental is a nigh ungooglable British sextet of string musicians who orchestrate and perform covers of electronic dance music.
This particular track is one of my favorite Orbital songs, off the "Snivilization" album. It captures the fragility and sweetness of the song almost better than the original.
Buy "Acoustek" from Amazon.
Features string covers of songs by Orb, The Shamen and Plastikman.
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Visit the Instrumental website.
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Matmos is best known for their stint as producers on Bjork's "Vespertine" album; musicheadtypes know them better as noise artists with a much more varied and complex sound.
This cut, the first off of their 2003 album, "The Civil War", personifies a restless itch with its echoes and stabs of sound. And that bagpipe! Hardly easy listening but strangely calming.
Buy "The Civil War" direct from Matador Records.
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Visit the official Matmos site.