Dear Listeners
On Wednesday night, I saw something I never expected. Live performance by mysterious British vocalist and producer Jay Paul.
Filled with glitches, strangely compressed sounds, and spliced samples, Paul’s music is unmistakably a product of the digital age, but his artistic persona is steeped in social media oversharing and streaming service savvy. It’s not far from the days when it was done.he gave known interview, in 2011. His only full-length release was leaked unfinished in 2013. Although it was enthusiastically received, the break-in would suffer what he later described in a statement as “a sort of breakdown”. 04-13 (Bait Ones)” was not officially released. Most of the tracks were still labeled as “unfinished” on this album.
What is it about the mysteries of music that fascinates us? Paul’s story tells the story of other artists who have struggled anonymously to avoid the spotlight (like the reclusive but highly prolific folk musician Jandek). ) and artists who have chosen not to follow up to the point of surprising their devoted fanbase. Beloved records (like Neutral Milk Hotel, the band behind 1998’s beloved indie-rock landmark “In the Airplane Over the Sea”).
The faster the culture moves, the more it seems to respect these artists who have fallen out of the musical rat race. So many links lure us into clicking — there’s a relief when you come across artists with limited discographies or abandoning traditional promotional routines in favor of making their art stand on its own.
That was certainly evident at his fourth concert with Jay Paul. His return was subdued in every sense — he didn’t tease his concerts with new material, and there was an endearing awkwardness to his stage presence — but audiences respected it. , we were all there to appreciate his reticence, his increasingly rare stance of rejectionism and, of course, the enduring mystery of his music.
Today’s playlist is a tribute to artists like Paul. A collection of moderately ephemeral, gently melancholic tracks from an artist who has cultivated a certain mystique. Joining Paul and the Neutral Milk Hotel is the long-lost (and finally found, thanks to the Oscar-winning documentary, Looking for Sugar Man) singer-songwriter Rodriguez. Sue, a brooding, shape-shifting R&B collective. and finally unmasked, but still enigmatic, British electronic musician Burial, not including Jandek, as the album could be as elusive as any of his streaming services.
As you read, listen here on Spotify.
1. Jay Paul: ‘Str8 Outta Mumbai’
The first proper song on Paul’s only album is a kinetic explosion of textures centered around Vani Jairam’s exhilarating sample. “Baramain Bairagan Fungi” What she wrote with Ravi Shankar. He wrapped up Wednesday’s live show with it. (listen on youtube)
2. Neutral Milk Hotel: ‘Holland, 1945’
The crashing, harrowing, tearful jerker from underground hero Jeff Mangum’s 1998 piece “Holland, 1945” was the main song when Stephen Colbert chose it as his final song in 2014 in honor of his deceased family. I had a brief moment on stream. Appeared in “The Colbert Report”. (listen on youtube)
3. Rodriguez: “Crucify Your Mind”
For decades, ominous rumors swirled that Detroit-born folk singer Sixto Rodriguez had died on stage. In his remarkable 2012 documentary, Looking for Sugar Man, Malik Benjelloul said that not only is Rodriguez still alive, gigantic in South Africa. Sooner or later, the film inspired a deserved Rodriguez revival. (listen on youtube)
4. Sue: “Wildfires”
The music of prolific R&B collective Sault speaks for itself. No interviews, no press photos, no music videos. It’s not entirely clear who is in Sue. What is clear is that there are passionate and passionate artists who give voice to collective struggles, such as “Wildfires,” a soulful meditation on police brutality on 2020’s disastrous album, “Untitled (Black Is).” It’s about making intentional, hypnotic songs. (listen on youtube)
5. Burial: “Street Halo”
“I’m a low-key person and I just want to make songs,” Will Bevan wrote on Myspace in 2008, “coming out” as the anonymous but influential producer Burial. (He broke a certain corner of the internet six years later when he posted a selfie of him. The title track from his 2011 EP Street Halo. (listen on youtube)
6. Jay Paul: “Jasmine (demo)”
The stuttering production and hiccups on Paul’s second single, “Jasmine (Demo),” convey an introversion of tremendous longing. Like much of Paul’s best music, it has a sonic embarrassment, but also a deep stream of tenderness.listen on youtube)
I was born to crucify your heart.
lindsey
amp playlist
Listen on Spotify. This playlist will be updated with each new newsletter.
“Magical Mystery Musicians” tracklist
Track 1: Jay Paul “Str8 Outta Mumbai”
Track 2: Neutral Milk Hotel, ‘Holland, 1945’
Track 3: Rodriguez “Crucify Your Mind”
Track 4: Sue, “Wildfires”
Track 5: Burial, “Street Halo”
Track 6: Jay Paul “Jasmine (Demo)”
Bonus track
New newsletter alert! Madison Malone Kircherthat story Taylor Swift Merchandise I linked you to last week’s Amplifier, where I showed you my weekly letter about all things called the Internet it happened onlineThe first part is on sale today, it’s ridiculously interesting.Subscribe here.
i went back and forth Rodriguez Including the song, I went to “Crucify Your Mind” last minute. But also listen to the poetic and heartbreaking songs I would have chosen. “Cause.”
“Tuesday night at the Knockdown Center in Queens, about 2,000 people were handed fragile items and silently begged not to break them.” John Caramanica went first Jay Paulwrote excellent reviews at two New York shows.i also enjoyed Zia Tolentinoof report In The New Yorker, she penetratingly wrote: He was ahead of the music of the last decade, and now he was playing his 10th anniversary nostalgia show, which was also his debut. ”
For more music recommendations, check out this week’s playlist Includes new songs from Jack Harlow, Jessie Ware, Four Tet and more.
