We have all succumbed to the exquisite resonance of divine melody and rhythm and we have each revelled in its poignant effects. There is an undeniable calmness when smooth sinuous vocals meld with graceful ensemble, a benign comfort if you will. An equally powerful and supposed opposite coexists. Discordant beats that follow no recognisable outline force a mental agitation. Hesitant underlying noise provides an aural battering that the brain endeavours yet ultimately fails to interpret. Now envisage a faultless amalgamation of these two dissimilar themes, an oxymoronic proposition?
I was introduced to a mix tape entitled “Listen with Xela” in August 2004. Xela, also known as John Twells, may be likened to the electronic masterminds Four Tet and Fennesz. Boomkat, an English independent music specialist issued this album as part of their ongoing mix collection, garnished as follows:
“An out of focus world of modified symphonies, alien soundtracks and smokey jazz basements […] - for late night loveliness, the selection just doesn’t get any better……or more inspired.”
This was my first experience of “dissonant euphony”. I had discovered music that could utterly horrify me before effortlessly bringing me to serenity. “Listen with Xela” merges the fear of the night with the wonder of the stars and remains an unsurpassed midnight soundtrack.
Time to say so long, it won’t be too long. Good Night
- 1.edward artemiev - solaris part i (bach) (toei music)
- 2.carbon framework - krane (unreleased)
- 3.night of the living dead OST - driveway to the cemetary (varese saraband)
- 4.goblin - jane mirror theme (dagored)
- 5.goodiepal - flap nipper main (skipp)
- 6.midaircondo - serenade (type)
- 7.kenji kawai - the ring (pony canyon)
- 8.julee cruise - up in flames (warner bros.)
- 9.max richter - iconography (fatcat)
- 10.angelo badelamenti - generique : marcello (philips)
- 11.susanna and the magical orchestra - sweet devil (rune grammofon)
- 12.doris day - time to say goodnight
- 13.philip jeck - wholesome (touch)
- 14.akira rabelais - buciumeana (ritornell)
- 15.angelo badalamenti - mulholland drive (milan)
- 16.signer - night is blurred (involve/carpark)
- 17.julien neto - one (type)
- 18.svarte greiner - radar sound (unreleased)
- 19.fennesz - transit (with david sylvian) (touch)
- 20.carter burwell - fargo, north dakota (tvt)
- 21.susumu yokota - lapus lazuli (leaf)
- 22.john carpenter - dark star (varese)
- 23.porn sword tobacco - pinkys (city centre offices)
- 24.cocteau twins - otterley (4ad)
- 25.david lynch and peter ivers - in heaven (lady in the radiator song) (IRS)
- 26.goldmund - solaris part i. (bach) (unreleased)
I dearly wish for this to come back into print.
Labels: Dissonant Euphony, Eerie
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Unknown, at
December 18, 2006
you can listen to new podcasts from john twells at http://www.typerecords.com/radio/
proper safe stuff.
to stream track