In the wake of David Bowie's death, it seems almost trivial to discuss music by other artists. When someone as beloved and admired as David Bowie passes, there is a lot of reflection about that persons legacy and the memories of their life. Bowie in some way or another arguably effected every musician making a go of it today, and ultimately changed the way we think about and process popular and independent music. How could anyone ever come close to filling such a polarizing figure's shoe? The answer is, they couldn't. There will never be another Bowie, but instead of searching for his successor we should really be celebrating the vast trove of sonic visions he bestowed upon us. Bowie paved a path for glam and funk artists of the 70s and even spawned a new wave of outsider music that framed the sound of the 1980s. His embrace of music videos, synthesizers, and androgynous imagery are what eventually made possible the exuberant pop music we hear from artists such as Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Adam Ant, and even Madonna. Today, Bowie's presence is inescapable, and his high wire dance between pop and the avant garde, still viewed as something of true admiration. We can easily point out his influence over large artists like LCD Soundsytem and even Lady Gaga, by why not probe the lesser known acts like Geneva Jacuzzi, who really shine in the ultra violet light of the weird. Jacuzzi has been weirding people out since 2008, with her own brand of sleaze-pop, that stands in line with with artists like Ssion, or Ariel Pink. The synths are heavy, the beat banging, and the vocals echoing through an endless slinky, dripping with motor-oil. The video here for Cannibal Babies, is filled with minimal imagery: Jacuzzi languishing infornt of a white background as the pixels distort in and around her. She's clad in a Bowie-esque unitard and her teeth glisten with a dark substance, as she sings about "cannibals coming out of my sex." Jacuzzi dredge's up feelings of nostalgia for ancient discos packed with popping freaks. While at the same time she consistently brings a vibe entirely her own to her tracks, giving this and all her songs a blurred sense of the past and the future. Bowie may have written the book, but he no doubt would have given a thumbs up, to the next chapter, being written by Geneva Jacuzzi and other's not unlike her.
Caroline Polachek, the prolific frontwoman of Chairlift, the Dev Hynes, Jorge Elbrecht, Washed Out collaborator, and Beyonce songstress is materialising once again, with a new solo project by the name of Romona Lisa. Based on this first single, Polachek (or Lisa) is in the business of conjuring up misty Avant Garde melodies centred around synthetic pads and haunting vocalizations. This nouveau sound swirls somewhere between Gregorian chant and Vashti Bunyan. What is it that Polachek is pining for? No one knows. But one thing IS for sure: this new LP is bound to be to riddled with mystery....
Here's a fun clip of Ms Ferreira covering Mr. Pink's My Molly. SF does a grunged up Hole-esque version of Pink's original jam. Both Sky and Ariel are featured in the clip, horsing around a white back-drop, dressed like the avant garde pop stallwarts they most certainly are. Check this out:
One of the most aptly titled creep-pop songs of the last 40 years, Ghosts demonstrated a complete metamorphosis for Japan from Avant Garde Glam stars to nuanced New Romantics. Ghosts was released in 82',two years before Depeche Mode, put out similar sounding and slow building Blasphemous Rumours. Relying on virtually zero rhythm section, the song unwinds around a series of unconventional synth patches and David Sylvian's esoteric, baritone vocal delivery. Despite its bizarre melodies, this single proved by a top 10 hit, one of only 2 that the band ever had. Bellow is a terrific 'live' performance of the track where Sylvian seems to glow with a ghostly hue, as the haunting tune floats out into the ether. DIG IT::::
One of the most aptly titled creep-pop songs of the last 40 years, Ghosts demonstrated a complete metamorphosis for Japan from Avant Garde Glam stars to nuanced New Romantics. Ghosts was released in 82',two years before Depeche Mode, put out similar sounding and slow building Blasphemous Rumours. Relying on virtually zero rhythm section, the song unwinds around a series of unconventional synth patches and David Sylvian's esoteric, baritone vocal delivery. Despite its bizarre melodies, this single proved by a top 10 hit, one of only 2 that the band ever had. Bellow is a terrific 'live' performance of the track where Sylvian seems to glow with a ghostly hue, as the haunting tune floats out into the ether. DIG IT::::
