Category Archives: Blog

Listen to C Duncan’s cover of Cocteau Twins’ ‘Pearly – Dewdrops’ Drops’

19 January 2016

C Duncan - C Duncan EP

Scottish composer C Duncan, who last year released his Mercury Prize-nominated debut album Architect, has a new EP on the way. The effort features four previously unreleased tracks and it will hit stores on February 19th.
As the press release puts it, “the EP can be seen as a summary of the journey that the singer’s career has been so far; it brings together songs written at various points in his life and gives the listener practical insight into Christopher Duncan’s musical approach and inspirations”.
C Duncan quotes Cocteau Twins as a major influence and inspiration and as a tribute to the legendary Scottish band, the EP’s closing track is a wonderful cover of their 1984 track ‘Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops’. Take a listen now.

C Duncan has announced a number of shows throughout February and March, with several dates in the UK and France, including a show at London’s Union Chapel on February 19th.

Anna Meredith drops new single, ‘Taken’, ahead of debut album

14 January 2016

Anna Meredith - TakenWe’ve been waiting for Anna Meredith‘s debut album to come out for a long time. Varmints arrives on March 4th via Moshi Moshi, and the electronic contemporary composer has already enticed us with two ace tracks, ‘Honeyed Words’ and ‘R-Type‘. Now she has shared another single off it, ‘Taken’, and it makes us glad that the record is just around the corner. Listen to ‘Taken’ now.

Anenon shares first single from upcoming third album Petrol

13 January 2016

Anenon - Petrol

Anenon, the moniker of Los Angeles based saxophonist, producer and artist Brian Allen Simon, dropped the Camembert EP last October. Back then, he also announced a third full-length album was on the way. More details have now emerged about this release. Entitled Petrol, the album is the fruit of improvisational sessions between Anenon and drummer and collaborator Jon-Kyle Mohr that took place in their native Los Angeles, a place whose way of life punctuates the album. In the words of Anenon, an Angeleno is “one who understands the beauty of distance and the consistencies of irregularity”.

Petrol arrives on March 4th via Friends of Friends. Ahead of it, Anenon has shared the first single ‘Mouth’. Here it is.

In other relates news, Anenon has been invited by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles to curate and perform in a yearlong series titled Monument, that will pair musicians and sound artists with particular art pieces or galleries.

Video premiere: Le Millipede – ‘Neue Welt’

12 January 2016

LE MILLIPEDE - NEUE WELTHailing from Munich, Le Millipede came to wider attention last summer when his wonderful self-titled debut album came out. Largely the work of multi-instrumentalist Mathias Götz, Le Millipede crafts beautiful pop melodies with a plethora of instruments including piano, xylophone, trumpet, glockenspiel, Moog synthesizers, a harmonium, and several percussion instruments. His live performances come to life with the help of friends Micha and Markus Acher (The Notwist / Tied & Tickled Trio), Cico Beck (Aloa Input) and Stefan Dittlein (Karl Hector and the Malcouns).

Le Millipede is ready to follow his debut album later this month with a 7″ single, featuring two brand new marvellous tracks, ‘Neue Welt’ and ‘Lenity’.
Today, Cast the Dice is thrilled to unveil his new video for ‘Neue Welt’. The track opens with the enigmatic and joyous sounds of a clarinet and piano, before a rising trumpet, alongside Le Millipede’s characteristic percussion, transports the listener to a cinematic world. ‘Neue Welt’ builds up gently turning into a mad and explosive affair towards the end.

Neue Welt’/’Lenity’ is out on January 22nd via Alien Transistor. Now press play and drift away.

In other good news, Le Millipede has announced a 7-day tour in Germany. Take a look at the dates below.

More…

Watch the video for Tanya Tagaq’s ‘Aorta’

08 January 2016

Tanya Tagaq - Aorta

We love Tanya Tagaq‘s breathtaking third album Animism to bits. The effort came out in the UK/Europe a year ago, following an earlier release in North America. The immensely talented Inuit throat singer released last November a new mighty track called ‘Aorta’.  As the press release puts it, ‘Aorta’ “goes deeper into the body, to a place where we can feel the pulse, the rush and the ebb of life itself”. Produced by violinist Jesse Zubot, ‘Aorta’ was composed to accompany footage shot at the Emmanuel Vigeland Museum in Oslo, Norway. Tagaq had this to say about it:

“This video was made to pay homage to Emmanuel Vigeland, whose frescos fill his own mausoleum. The frescos depict life from conception to death. This penetration of the unsaid philosophies of life in conjunction with the outstanding acoustics of the room has inspired my own work since visiting there in 2002. Hopefully we encapsulate the darkness and the light to his liking.”

Watch the video for ‘Aorta’ below.