EIC's 10Q's w/ Makeup And Vanity Set

"..sensual Disco-Tech..slowly transcending into moody midnight desert drive music.."

Makeup And Vanity Set

Ultra Modern Sensual Expansive

Makeup And Vanity Set Bio

Makeup And Vanity Set is Armando Apache Putay. He lives in the foothills of the Great Wizard Mountains. Under the light of Jupiter’s moon, he makes jams; and with the help of mighty beasts and magic prophecy, he seeks to discover his true identity at any cost. These are his jams. This is his story.

Hello, how are you?

Life has been all over the place lately. Right now things are good though. My feet are on the ground.

What are you currently listening to?

"Rollin' & Scratchin'" by Daft Punk has been on repeat lately. I go back to it a lot. It's so abrasive and perfect and raw.

Whats with the band name?

Sitting in front of a computer making music for hours is a bit like sitting in front of a vanity in a way. you're sort of staring into it trying to find yourself. It's a weird juxtaposition considering the ski masks.

When did this project come about and whom were your biggest influences for said project?

Musically it's Moroder, Jarre, and Vangelis. There's other stuff in there, but those guys influenced everyone, so it's all relative. I watch a ton of film and that influences me a lot more than music. I love old science fiction movies like 'Blade Runner' or 'Logan's Run' or Tarkovsky's 'Solaris' and their perceptions of what the future would look like. I'm more attracted to the tone of the movie or the tone of a specific sequence. A lot of the music I make operates with the idea that it could live in those places. There's a lot of catharsis in getting lost in that.  

Care to tell us a little bit about your latest LP '88:88'?

Before I'd started writing, '88:88' was an almost finished, high production value / low budget short that I was luckily tacked onto during post production. The director, Joey Ciccoline, was going to license a song I wrote and we hit it off and I ended up scoring it. After spending a lot of time in the film writing the score, an album just sort of happened. The album '88:88' was meant to be a sister to the film - it starts where the film ends and represents where the character goes and what happens to her. It wasn't a planned out thing - it just sort of happened, literally from start to finish, in order. Visual things are so motivating to me. I feed off of that. the film ended up in a ton of festivals and was shown at the Venice Film Festival, almost winning Ridley Scott's YouTube film festival competition. Joey created something really great.

Any plans to tour for said release?

There's always a chance something like that could happen. I started working with a full-time drummer and that's radically changed things. I've been playing shows for a long time and they're so difficult in terms of set up and execution and having to try to make it seem like you're not up there doing your taxes or a spreadsheet or something.

If you could choose any artist(s) to remix your work, whom would you choose and why?

I'd love to work with more filmmakers, honestly. After the experience with Joey on '88', and working with Caspar Newbolt of Version Industries on the album covers, the idea of collaborating with visual artists is infinitely more interesting to me.

Got any other projects we should know about?

I have this other thing called DAAS. You can find it here: daas.bandcamp.com.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?

Choosing one single album would be impossible for me. Brian Eno wrote two of the greatest pieces of music ever written; "The Big Ship," and "An Ending (Ascent)." I could live with those songs forever I think.

Are you living your dream?

Always.

Thanx Matthew!

Makeup And Vanity Set recently released a new single, I strongly recommend you check it out.. (it's free)

Good (FREE) music laying around the interwebs.. Pt. 2

 Young Pharaohs - I Do

&

 Vangelis - One More Kiss, Dear

&

 Sima Kim And Saito Koji - On The Sea

&

 Shisa - Finer Red

&

Sashash Ulz - Herbarium

~njoy.

EIC'S10Q'S w/ A Winged Victory For The Sullen

"..a bit of downer, a gorgeous effervescent disaster slowly unfolding into itself to reform the polar opposite.."


A Winged Victory For The Sullen
Pulchritudinous Flux

A Winged Victory For The Sullen Bio:
A Winged Victory For the Sullen is the first installment of the new collaboration between Stars of the Lid member Adam Wiltzie and composer Dustin O'Halloran. The duo agreed to leave their normal home studio comfort zone and develop the recordings with the help of large acoustic spaces, and to hunt down a selection of 9ft grand pianos that had the ability to deliver extreme sonic low end. Other traditional instrumentation was used including string quartet, French horn, and bassoon, but always juxtaposed is the sound of drifting guitar washed melodies.

The recordings began in one late night session in the famed Grunewald Church in west Berlin on a 1950s imperial Boesendorfer piano and strings were added in the historic East Berlin DDR radio studios along the River Spree. One last final session in a private studio deep in the norther cusp of Italy on a handmade Fazioli piano, and the final mixes took place in a 17th century villa near Ferrara, Italy, with the assistance of Francesco Donadello. All songs were processed completely analogue straight to magnetic tape.

Their secret to harvesting new melodic structures from the thin air of existence was for the duo to push themselves to live dangerously, realizing that clear thinking at the wrong moment could stifle the compositions. The final result is seven landscapes of harmonic replicating ingemination. In “Requiem for the Static King Part 1 (created in memory of the untimely passing of Mark Linkous) they have taken the age old idea of a string quartet and then shot it out a cannon to reveal exquisite new levels of mellow bliss. Of the 13 minute track 'A Symphony Pathetique' Wiltzie says after almost 20 years of struggling to create interesting ambient drone music, I feel like I have finally figured out what I am doing.

Notable guest musicians include Icelandic cellist Hildur Gudnadottir, and violinist Peter Broderick. A Winged Victory for the Sullen is not a side project. This is the future of the late night record you have always dreamed of.


Hello, how are you?
Terrible. I am having the 2nd worst week of my entire life. Let's hope I can survive it.

What are you currently listening to?
Nothing except for music by a Dutch singer named Chantal Acda. She has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard

What's the story with the band name?
I have a long history with coming up with dumb band names. As I may have said before I have a long history of sitting with friends at a bar, and just making lists of the possibilities. There was an atmosphere hovering over us that this project would not just be a single endeavor. Using our names seemed to reek of a doomed one off project. So we chose the road of a certain benign teutonic countenance....

When/where did you to meet?
We met of May 24th 2007 in Bologna Italy. I was on tour playing with Sparklehorse. Dustin came to the show,
and I found him in the dressing room after drinking all the whiskey. It was a beautiful omen.

How did the idea for this project come up/start?
I love his "Solo Piano Vol.2" record. It was may favorite release of 2007, and with SOTL getting in a lot of end of the year best of lists, I was so surprised that no one had heard this record? Sometimes you just have a feeling. Despite our differences in the type of music we make, there is an emotion I feel we both seem to follow.

I heard you will be touring for this release with a string orchestra of some sort, who's organizing that?
Depends of the country, but basically we are organizing it. When you make the kind of music we do, you don't have a lot of promoters who see big $ signs in their eyes. We are basically touring with the potential of financial disaster dangling in front of our heads like a rotten carrot.

If you guys could score a movie (any movie) what would your top choice be?
Blade Runner (that is the answer for both of us) ..we are rehearsing right now, and we keep looking in each others eyes and screaming "VANGELIS"!!!!

In an ideal world whom would you like to see remix your sound?
No one. I am really not a fan of this genre. But I would however love to work with the composer Alexandre Desplat. I would kill to have him help us with some string arrangements, he is one of my heroes.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
This is gonna sound a bit narcissistic, but it would be Sleepingdog's 'With Our Heads In The Clouds, And Our Hearts In The Fields'. It's probably most beautiful experience I have ever had making music, and the songs still inspire me.

Are you living your dream?
More like nightmare for the moment, but AWVFTS could be the therapist that will save me.

Thanx Brian & AWVFTS!

A Winged Victory For The Sullen are currently touring the US, make sure to soak in those glorious ambient waves if you can...

EIC'S10Q'S w/Drifting In Silence

"..washed away to virtual space abyss.."


Drifting In Silence
Tranquil Cadence Chasm

Drifting In Silence Bio:
Drifting In Silence, is Shoegaze meets Dancing Shoes. To the trademark shifting layers of aural light and shadow, composer/multi-instrumentalist Derrick Stembridge had added driving, motive rhythms that provide a new edge that you’ll be hard-pressed not to dance to. Voices, processed and pumped through vocoders, achieve new prominence. Complex, industrial-strength (but never pedestrian) percussion keeps everything moving, while lyrical keyboard lines weave through and tie everything together.


Hello, how are you?
I’m great!

What are you currently listening to?
Currently I’m listening to a mix ranging from Kraftwerk’s "Computer World" to Led Zeppelin's "III".

When it came to sculpting your sounds into what they are today, who would you say were your biggest influences?
For sound sculpting pads and ambient landscapes, Brian Eno and Vangelis are major influences. When it comes to guitar, I think of Robin Guthrie, and Robert Smith of the Cure. For drums, hands down, John Bonham. And vocals… I mostly use a vocoder so my main influence in that area would be Styx.

Tell us a little bit about "Lifesounds". Is there a theme or narrative with it?
“Lifesounds” comes from the combination of the words “life” and “sounds” to create a new word meaning, “…the experience of stones skipping across waves of sound. A digital diary in the form of sound.”

Will you be touring for said release?
Yes, a tour is in the works for later this year so be sure to keep an eye out on the Drifting in Silence website.

Got any side projects we should know about?
Yes. Back when I was working on "Facewithin" in 2009 I started a project called Longthenight. In this project I was experimenting with more acoustic-based instruments and creating organic sounds. I’m currently working on a followup EP for Longthenight that’s due to be released later this year.

What movie could I watch on mute that would sync with your music?
I would have to say either Eraserhead or Enemy Mine.

What's your least favorite form of electronic music?
I actually like all forms of electronic music.

If you can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ... which album would it be?
That would definitely be Marvin Gaye’s "Here, My Dear".

Are you living your dream?
Yes.

Thanx Derrick!

Drifting In Silence is currently working on a tour schedule for his latest release as well as a follow up for his side project Longthenight...

EIC'S10Q'S w/White Car

"..lovers of artsy/dark Post-Punk/"(anti)establishment/political" themes mixed with post neo-modern Electronic/mechanistic backdrops.."

(Photo credit: Zara Katz)

White Car
Methodological Neoteric Sentiment

White Car Bio:
In the rough and humble south side of Chicago, 22 year-old Elon Katz and his counterpart Orion Martin manufacture an Industrial Space Funk sound that taps Ballard and Dionysus on the shoulder to remind them their time hasn’t run dry in 2010. The music struts a particular brand of artifice with a panache swagger that always finds new potential in its birth city’s past revelations- think the Wax Trax lexicon with touches of classic Chicago House. Katz serenades the tracks of "No Better" with 16-bit crushed vocals and the listener is accosted into a paranoid tale of contemporary reality: the mind’s capacity in relationship to the abundance of databanks, hunting as hobby, sexuality as commodity and the ever entangling web of online identity.


Hello, how are you?
Hello. I am good, but feeling a bit stressed.

What are you currently listening to?
Honestly, music has been kind of annoying me lately... But I have been digging on classic Chicago House jams, early techno stuff from the big 3 (Atkins, Saunderson, May), Colin Newman's "A-Z", Butthole Surfers, early IDM stuff, 90's jungle tracks my friend Mike Vallera plays me, Severed Heads, Pink Industry and been getting into The Durutti Column, it's really strange and beautiful music.

Where does the name “White Car” originate from?
The name is a direct reference to the Cabaret Voltaire song from the album "Code". It is also in reference to the concept of 'vehicle'- the idea of a vessel or tool that facilitates new ways of moving, working and thinking.

Are you guys officially signed to any label/are there any prospects?
I haven't signed any binding contracts and I'd prefer to keep it that way. I am currently working on a LP to be release by Hippos In Tanks with a possible buddy label, sometime in the summer of 2011.

I really love “your style” of Industrial music (seriously, keep it up please), can you recommend any current or new projects that may sound similar?
To be honest, there are very few contemporary "Industrial" acts that are interesting at all, I am more interested in artists who share similar ways of thinking about electronic music and popular music culture, some of them sound Industrial at times... People who I like and can recommend are Gatekeeper, Beau Wanzer, TENSE, Oneohtrix Point Never, Tearist, Light Asylum, Von Haze, George Quartz, Teen INC, D'eon, Slava, Gavin Russom, Geneva Jacuzzi, Mutant Beat Dance, Melvin "Traxx" Oliphant III and Nation Records, Medio Mutante, Azari & III, Salem, Love Concept, Brett Naunke and Catholic Tapes, Positive Shadow/Henry Glover, Andre Ferreira and Pacific Housing Authority, Mike Vallera, Mahjongg, Andy Ortmann, Alex Barnett, Ga'an, Mr. 666, Beautiful Swimmers, Weird Records, Veronica Vasicka (Minimal Wave) she is more of an cultural anthropologist than a record pusher- its inspiring and fascinating, her releases may not be new, but they are more than current!

You’re based out of Chicago right? Have you ever considered teaming up with Kill Memory Crash and releasing what could be one of the best Industrial albums of the last 10-20 years?
Not really familiar with them, don't care for those sounds really... I work best alone or with close friends... also not really interested in releasing the "best industrial record" of the last 10-20 years, I found serious inspiration in Industrial Dance music when I first started this project around two years ago, but that doesn't mean White Car will always sound like that... my interests fly by night and I am not thrilled with the idea of becoming a tired dog performing the same tired tricks.

If I was to watch a movie on mute while listening to your latest EP, which movie would sync up the best/act as a good visual representation of said EP?
Background splatter frames from Ren and Stimpy with the characters of Barbarella and Cobra Verde superimposed on them...

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Vangelis "Opera Sauvage" ; serious bubble bath music, I could float in it forever...

Are you living your dream?
In a way...

Thanx Elon!

White Car recently released "No Better", you should probably buy it...

EIC'S10Q'S w/Active Child

"..one of 2010's standout acts, as well as one of the most promising Nu-Gazer debuts since the term Nu-Gazer actually popped up.."

(Photo credit: Brent Mullins)

Active Child
Nu-Semblance Totality

Active Child Bio:
Active Child is the new project from choirboy-turned-indie pop musician Pat Grossi. His debut collection of songs features the skilled use of various 80s-tinged synths to create ethereal, soaring soundscapes, punctuated by crisp electronic drum samples and handclaps. All of this lays the groundwork for Grossi’s exquisite vocals, which, with their unearthly sound and evocative lyrics, take on an enchanting, hymnal quality that would not be out of place amongst the richly colored sunlight of a church’s stained-glass interior.

Active Child’s songs are an intriguing study in contrast. The organic elements of Grossi’s angelic vocals and the occasional delicate strumming of a harp cast light on the eerie darkness created by the haunting synths and cavernous reverberating of percussion.

Grossi cites the musical environment in his childhood home as an early inspiration for his own desire to make music. After participating in a school choir as a child, he joined the Philadelphia Boys Choir at age 10. The influence of chorale singing, along with the sensibility of non-secular music, is as apparent in Active Child’s work as the influence of 80s Synth Pop bands like New Order, Joy Division and Tears for Fears.


Hello, how are you?
I'm good, we have the day off in Tallahassee so its nice to stop and take a deep breath and see the city a little bit.

What are you currently listening to?
Right now on this tour we have been listening to a little bit of everything. But the new National album has been on high rotation as well the Twin Shadow album "Forget", really amazing piece of creation there.

How is the School Of Seven Bells touring treating you?
Tour so far has been a blast. Although its been really long and I think we are all ready to be home for a while, it's been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Just being given the opportunity to tour with School Of Seven Bells and play for so many new people is something I am incredibly grateful for and something I will never forget.

Where did the title “Active Child” originate from/is there a story behind this name?
No story on this one, sorry. I usually skip this question, ha.

Who/what are the main influences behind Active Child?
Big influences for me are The Knife/Fever Ray. I think Karin Dreijer Andersson has one of the best voices in music these days. Bjork is also a big influence melodically and production wise. And I am always inspired by big synthscape artists like Vangelis, M83, etc.

What kind of album were you trying to make when you made “Curtis Lane”?
I don't think I was consciously trying to make this or that. It all started with no expectations, just me sitting down putting together sounds that really resonated in my head, things that I was hearing in my head. Big drums hits, layer upon layer of vocal, sharp synth stabs, all that good stuff.

What’s your favorite track off it?
My favorite changes. "Wilderness" holds a special place in my heart mostly from the memory of when I made it, takes me back to a special time in my life Denver with a special person.

Is there a tentative title/release date for your debut full length yet?
No release date as of yet. Still need to get home and write more new stuff, but I am hoping for it to be out sometime in the spring of 2011...

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Wow, that's really not fair. Maybe I could live for a while with this old James Brown album "Live At The Apollo..", yeah I think that would have some longevity.

Are you living your dream?
I think I am starting to, I mean touring beats waking up for a 9 to 5 everyday right?

Thanx Pat!

Active Child recently signed to Vagrant (Congrats Pat!!). Look for the debut LP sometime soon!

EIC'S10Q'S w/Universe

"..feeling a black hole burst between my headphones and suck me into a dimension I could never fathom.."


Universe
The Void Above As Seen From Below

Universe Bio:
Universe has pushed itself further to create a bold, beautiful and unique album. Pulling in aspects of pop, psychedelic, new age, and bedroom rock. Hunter John, the projects creator hides nothing in his voice or lyrics. In an era where bands use heavy effects to hide behind; you can hear all his dreams, hopes, and fears. Universe is universal.


Hello, how are you?
Hello! Right now I am Decent. I just got back from a camping trip with my fiancee. We went up to the Sequoia National Forest. We took really long windy ways there that totally went off the directions. Up mountains, down mountains, through deserts, past Maricopa; Taft...and all the way past Bakersfield to that crazy mountain pass. We did some swimming, went to this place called like "The Land of 100 Giants", where you walk around looking at all these HUGE Sequoias. I have never seen on before...Have you!? You can go inside them, I guess they used to hold cattle in some of them. There were random Cows wandering around the forest, the smell was pine-y. I got to take an outdoor shower, which is always awesome. I really wanted to read the Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark triolgy to my fiancee, but i didn't have them. mainly I was craving to hear the story about the Wendigo. I've been obsessing over wind. On the way back we even took a crazier route home, which ended with us looking at some ancient Chumash cave paintings and hanging out at Neverland Ranch. I filmed the entire trip on VHS-C.

What are you currently listening to?
This second I'm listening to a dog walk around, there is some sounds outside, I was trying to find some music to listen to earlier but was distracted by trying to figure out how to file for unemployment, and reading about the Wendigo. Musically though, I've been really into this song by Vangelis track called "Rachel's Song". His stuff is always so amazing. "Never Die Young" by James Taylor is pretty good. Those Lovely Ladies of Strawberry Switchblade have a lovely demo called "Dark 7" I've been listening to Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark a bit. I have a tape of their album Organisation in the car...Their song "Promise" has like the coolest bassline I've heard in a really long time. "VCL XI" off that album is great too. That bands status in the states is so sad. Many people just know them from John Hughes soundtracks, that stuff is waay past their prime. "Organisation" sounds like the next lost Joy Division album or something. I feel like that has some serious respect over in the UK. I'm always listening to David Sylvian, Grouper is good, although she's an uncomfortable person to try to have a conversation with in person. I've tried a few times to chit-chat with her and she always seems to not want to. I've given her some of my music very politely and shes never thanked or written me about it. It's not that I think I'm entitled to her approval, but it's just a nice thing to do. I did the same thing with Ramona from Nite Jewel and we became friends out of it. I consider Nite Jewel an acquaintance to Universe on the L.A electronic scene. I guess I was expecting that sort of thing, but when you throw yourself out there to strangers looking for friends I guess sometimes you're asking for it. I just was so amazed by her music and felt some sort fo strange connection bewteen Univers and grouper. But I do enjoy Grouper. I think "Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill" is a very important album, and I think she should have been chosen to score Where The Wild Things Are. I Can't listen to "Traveling Through A Sea" without being bummed that that song doesn't play on his journey. Fuck Karen O. Fuck Yeah Yeah Yeah's. they had their time. Back to Grouper...'Little Gray Cat" is a beautiful song, and for that Liz, regardless of you lack of contact...I thank you.


Other than your music sounding 'spacey', is there a reason you chose the name 'Universe'?
Well, the real story isn't so interesting, but one night I was on Youtube and this weird add came up for this place called "Tiger University", but the add was being cutoff but another window being open, so I was like what is Tiger Universe???? I really liked that named. Universe was originally called "Tiger's Universe", but after a while I just shortened it to Universe. I think out there somewhere are demos under the name Tiger's Universe. On some nameless computer in some nameless part of the world. Possibly Omaha. Now to me Universe means Universal. This project can shift, form, and be anything. The album that will come after "Gazing, Gazing" is totally different.

How long have you been working on this project?
Universe has been going on since February of 2007. Although it was officially named in July of 07. Before that February, I was going under the name Red Square, which a bunch of songs made in Reason. Before that I was going by the name Tape Noir, which was kind of Industrial...Covenant meets Ladytron. ANNND before that I went by Shepard's Teenage Suicide...Which is the coolest band name yet. Universe started when I had a mental breakdown and forced myself to only work on stuff off the computer. It really helped and I believe I became closer to what I've always wanted to be musically when I made that switch. I still have all those demos. Someday I want to do a release with them. Faces, which can be heard on "Gazing, Gazing" is one of the early demos; evolved.

Now that "Gazing, Gazing" is out do you plan on touring the US with it?
Oh god, I'd Love to. I feel so out of the loop and disconnected from other musicians touring and releasing. I've been teased with Record deals for so long now that I just always end up self releasing. It sucks because I really really believe in "Gazing, Gazing". It's just going to be a matter of time, and finding the right person to release it. I'll admit that I seem to have found more of a niche for my stuff thee days, and people are really responding to Universe more than ever. It's all about patience and perseverance. But yes, I would love to tour the US with Universe. I've driven across the country 7 times and and love playing shows in Oklahoma. It totally freaks them out. But they will remember it forever. I'd love to tour Australia too....Hint hint Aussie connections.

Have any 'embarrassing/funny' tour stories?
Not really. Last summer I was living with an ex girlfriend in San Francisco. I was getting a good amount of shows but she was really threatened by any girl I would become friends with. A friend of mine who I met at one of my shows asked me to play at her house for a party. I did. My ex came with me and forced me to not talk to anyone. It was really weird. I played this show and then had to leave without saying anything to anyone. Am I getting to personal on this interview? Haha!!! I also had the best band in the world Love Like Deloreans Crash at her place when they were on their west coast tour. That was awesome. we played some shows and I got them this awesome gig at a huge house party randomly. We had just played a show at The Knockout Bar in SF, and we went to this party. I was like guys...you NEED to play here! show SF what real music sounds like! I kept running around the party trying to find who lived in the place. I finally found the owner, and was like.."Listen...the BEST band from Brooklyn just got here tonight..I am their manager and they NEED to play here"...That is probably one of my favorite music memories. They played on guitar amps. It was awesome. You can see video footage of it HERE..I'm dancing like a fool:

If you could score any movie or TV show of your choice what would it be?
I actually went to film school. I scored some stuff there, and always have wanted to get into it more. People always tell me that Universe would sound so awesome in movies. It will probably pay the bills someday, so that's what I'm currently trying to get into. I've always wanted to scored a children's T.V show, and as far as movies, my dear friend Joshua Brandon is working on his first feature length. I'd love to score it but he is going a different route for the sound. Perhaps I can do a version for it. you can see the trailer HERE.

What is your favorite genre of music and why?
I don't have a favorite genre. I'm not even sure if I believe in genres anymore. These past few years I've really been adapting to music that makes me feel really good, and can be respected and appreciated in multiple settings. I like stuff I can listen to in the car. Echo & The Bunnymen are great at this. They can be listened to loud, quiet, headphones, cars, parties. Amen to those dudes. There is so much amazing music out there, I can't even begin to pick one kind I like better than others.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
I read this one a lot before Making a decision, but it would have to be "Secrets of the Beehive" by David Sylvian. Sylvian is the most important musician to me EVER. its a serious hard tie between "Secrets of the Beehive" and his Album called "Gone to Earth". "Gone to Earth" has some of my favorite songs ever on it, yet "Secrets of the Beehive" is so coherent, so personal, so perfect. It sets a really amazing mood. has some great borderline pop songs (Orpheus, Let the Happiness In). An album should capture a theme. It should flow and relate to itself. Secrets does this perfectly. it's pretty near being a perfect album.

Are you living your dream?
It's all a process. In terms of having albums out there, and touring and meeting creative people...No I'm not fully there yet, although hints of it keep breaking through. "Gazing, Gazing" is a dream. It came out wonderfully and I really want people to hear it. I want to do this as a career. I want people to be touched and inspired by Universe, much how I'm respected by their projects. Hopefully in the times to come, I can turn the dreams of being a working musician to a reality.

Thanx Hunter!!

Universe just released "Gazing, Gazing", get it, soak it in, become obsessed, and then go get the rest.

REVIEW: Universe - Gazing, Gazing

8.75 out of 10

Find it here.

If you know me, you may know that I have a decent size crush on all things "spacey/cosmic". The scenery is mysterious/filled with infinite possibilities and the sounds (oh the sounds) are generally represented by meditative, surreal, and comforting noises. It should be no secret (knowing what I just told you) that when a good representation of galactic narratives comes out I tend to swoon over it. Whether it be something Ambient like Brian Eno's "Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks" or something more "trippy/bizarre" such as Pink Floyd's "Saucerful Of Secrets", or something a bit more "modern" such as M83's "Digital Shades Vol. 1" I am/will always be a sucker for feeling a black hole burst between my headphones and suck me into a dimension I could never fathom. Enter "the new dimension", Universe (a perfect name). Universe combines elements of Vangelis, with Jean Michel-Jarre, Brian Eno, a few "modern" aspects, honest vocals, and yes, that "black hole" in music that I constantly crave.

Space Pop may or may not be an easy craft to master, but for the artists that do so it seems all of their "big" albums stand the test of time and always receive high appraisal. Universe's "Gazing, Gazing", Hunter's (Mr. Universe) 3rd full length under the moniker, is a beautiful piece of cosmic nostalgia that will indeed stand the test of time AND, if people catch on, will receive LOTS of compliments . Synthesizer is the main instrument which definitely gives it that "futuristic/meta galactic" feel. However, the element of electronic drum loops and "easy to listen" Pop vocals make this a unique representation of said genre "Space Pop". Tracks like "I" remind me of the later Glam Pop days had they been reproduced by the likes of Tangerine Dream. "Minerals" is pure space pulp, gorgeous swells and bubbly synths are in pitch perfect form on this one. For the most part this album is very relaxing (upbeat at certain points), comforting (you'll either smile or feel content), and surreal (I imagine Mr. Universe penned all of his many compositions while traveling in parts of the galaxy no other man has gone yet). "Gazing, Gazing" is just the way I likeLOVE my music. Carl Sagan eat your heart out.

Hand's down one of the best releases 2010 will see. A perfect score for the space traveling astronaut in all of us. Outer space is Universal. Universe is right here on Earth. If you can reach for something that significant why wouldn't you. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Standout Tracks: All, but mainly; I (ear crack), Minerals, Faces (the chord's on this one remind me of Philip Glass), Ginger Gold Light, Nova Albion (I'd be OK with this lasting forever), Mountains & Minds