From the opening strains of guitar riffage, I feel like I’ve been transported back to my teenage years (the eighties / early nineties). Then I’m like, is that a cowbell? Surely not? But ZOMG, I’m having flashbacks. The hair. The jeans. My Samik bass. By two minutes in, I’m singing the refrain from ‘Trial By Fire’. This is an instant in the feelings. Continue reading
The filmography of Studio Ghibli and the films of Hayao Miyazaki hold a beloved place in the hearts of many fans. The musical genius of longtime Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi, including the first scores he ever wrote, for Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind in 1983 are some of the most famed soundtracks ever heard. This includes traditional scores and highly regarded “image albums” musical cues from animated films that breathe life into characters. Now the classic scores to nine Studio Ghibli are seeing a deluxe reissue on vinyl for the first time this November 3rd via the Tokuma label. Pre-order information and links are below. Now listen to the firest teaser of the albums, The Wind Forest’ from My Neighbor Totoro:Continue reading
French Blackgaze leaders Alcest have forged a career out of merely being artists following their will, rather than the passions of what fans want them to be. By setting the artistic ideal almost too high from the first ghost-notes of The Secret in 2005, to the twist and turns of Souvenirs d’un autre monde, through the evolution from Écailles de Lune, and more recently the brilliant Shelter in 2014, the band has charmed and confused equally. Continue reading