Chillout Chicks

Now that I'm living alone again, I've started listening to music while I'm getting ready in the morning. As a result, I've been listening to a lot more chillout/trip-hop/downtempo house music. Because, while I may be a dance music junkie with a penchant for deep bass, most mornings I would rather die than hear that much noise blaring from my stereo. Instead, I've been listening to lots of selected tracks from Kaskade, Poe, Bjork, Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, Imogen Heap/Frou Frou, Mylo, etc... I've also discovered two CDs that have quickly become instant classics in my collection.

Kathy Diamond - Miss Diamond to You

This CD completely took my by surprise. I downloaded a couple songs on the recommendation of iTunes... I had them for months without paying them any mind. But suddenly they hooked me and I downloaded the whole album. This CD is like nothing else I've heard this decade. It's 100% classic disco. But not the cheese that we've been trained to remember disco as being. It sounds like the real disco that you find when digging through the playlists of late 70's disco dj's. It's definitely a "chillout" album... It's nothing upbeat. In fact, it's very dark. And very funky. Kathy Diamond's vocals are a perfect companion to the music, but they are exactly that - a companion. She herself definitely takes a back seat to the music. While this CD is not at all radio-friendly, or even appropriate for playing in today's night clubs, it's a great dance album with a nice lounge-y vibe. I recommend it 100%!

PJ Harvey - White Chalk

I am completely, completely floored by how much I love this CD. It's totally a-typical from what I usually listen to. It's very folky with an old, old, old English vibe. It sounds like it was lifted straight out of another century, really. The melodies are decidedly PJ - haunting, dark and perfectly constructed. The instrumentation really shines through on this CD, too. It's so good, I don't even mind that there's not a single keyboard or electric guitar on any track. One of the best CDs of the year, hands down. They might as well go ahead and dump a truckload of Grammy's at PJ's doorstep. It's that good.

Honestly, I just re-read my review of it and it does this CD absolutely no justice. You just have to hear it.

Eunich

Due to my recent move, I am without Internet until next week. Yes, I miss the internet itself, but mostly I miss being able to download music. In fact, I'm typing this from the Mudhouse in dowtown Springfield where I've logged onto their free WiFi just to download, download, download. I feel like a fugitive, seeing as how they probably frown on downloading hundreds of megabytes in a single sitting. But this is no normal week. Since I've lost net access, the new Kylie single and video have debuted, 15 demos from Britney's new album have leaked and countless other tracks are popping up as part of the annual fall flooding of the music market. Without the net, I feel like I'm missing a testicle.

On a more positive note, I am absolutely loving the new duplex. It's perfect!