Cultus Vibes: Together compilation

I have a Biology final tomorrow that I'm supposed to be studying for. Finals will render this blog mostly desolate this week, but for now I'm procrastinating to tell you about Cultus Vibes! The digital label run by Canada's chillwave kingpin Teen Daze released its first compilation last week, and I still have it on constant rotation. Besides Teen Daze, the (totally free!) comp features ATHID favorites like Ghibli and Des A Boda. I can see almost any of the acts on the consistently great compilation becoming favorites in the future, particularly Slow Magic. Keep an eye on Cultus Vibes, I have a feeling they may be one of few shining lights left in the stagnating chillwave scene. Don't let me fool you into thinking "Together" is a one trick pony however, the last third features ambient post-rock, folk and even a decidedly soft-rock number from Teen Daze side project Little Chords. If this comp can't keep me sane until Christmas break, I'm not sure anything can.

Asura - Unreleasables

Ghibli mastermind Thomas Michael tipped me onto a musical peer of his today, and I've pretty much been foaming at the mouth ever sense. Sure, chopping up vaguely familiar diva wails is far from groundbreaking in 2011, but on "He Sees Through Her" Asura manages to mangle his vocal sources until they're pushed outside the realm of western music. Similarly, tracks like "This Chain" and "Kissing On a Rose" push the line between sonic revelations and straight up heart attacks with their hyperactivity. The album is rounded out by a few remixes of R&B/Rap classics that aren't entirely kosher by copyright standards, including the second remix* of Drake's Over I've heard in the past two days. I'm still not sure what Asura was thinking when he labeled these tracks unreleasable, but I'm certainly glad that he changed his mind.

*Bonus: Here's the first remix Drake's Over I've heard in the past two days:

Over (Drake Vs Starkey) - Midnighter Mashup

Ghibli - Hollywood Snow

Absolute JAM from my buddy Thomas Michael's new project Ghibli. Chopped n Screwed vocals from "Car Wash" soul singer Rose Royce are anchored by smooth strings (and a lil flute) but as groovy as the track is, the middle section is what sets it apart. After a slow build, and perhaps taking cues from the other-worldly bass flutter in James Blake's Limit to Your Love, Hollywood Snow crumples in on its self like a paper ball. After the fallout (I'm thinking that snow must be from nuclear winter) the track slowly rebuilds itself back up. Kinda like a Phoenix y'all.