Frequency of the Week No. 6: Defunk

Posted by admin on Apr 6, 2015 in Featured, Latest, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Once in a while an artist comes along that captures you attention and refuses to relinquish it. Defunk – a native of Calgary and the topic of this week’s FotW – fits that description like a snug sweater. His arsenal of production tools is formidable even by 2015 standards and he possesses a unique dedication to re-imagining the music of yesteryear from a modern-day perspective. With the word “genre” nowhere in his vocabulary, Defunk is a multifaceted producer poised to carve out a serious niche for himself in the world of electronic music.

Festival Frequencies: The Six Festivals That Should Kick Off Your Summer

Posted by admin on Apr 3, 2015 in Featured, Latest, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

While music festival scheduling has expanded to encompass just about the entire calendar year, summer is still the true peak of “festival season.” Days are getting longer, the air is getting warmer, and before you know it your jeans and jackets will be relegated to a dark corner of your closet in favor of booty shorts and pasties – er, t-shirts and shorts.

If you’re looking to start the summer off right, you may want to start planning a late May or early June getaway. That’s where we come in; read on for a quick rundown of AltFreq’s can’t-miss early summer festivals.

Weekend Warm-Up No. 15: Metalcore Edition

Posted by admin on Apr 3, 2015 in Featured, Noise, Weekend Warm-Ups | 0 comments

–Words and list by Mike Hogan

I’ve been on a bit of a roll with metalcore this week (you can blame August Burns Red for that one). It’s seen me revisiting the genre, and listening to some of my favorite albums, whether old and new. As we prepare to begin our weekend, I figure there’s no better way to get pumped than some good ol’ breakdowns and ridiculous guitar work.

So here are 10 tracks that’ll get any circle pit started, almost all from bands that you can go out and see live right now. Enjoy, and as always let us know what you think; we’d love to hear what songs you would have chosen for this playlist!

Review: Hecq – Mare Nostrum

Posted by admin on Apr 3, 2015 in Latest, News, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Evan Witten

On Mare Nostrum, film composer and general tuneweaver Ben Lukas Boysen (the sole mind behind Hecq) takes you to Barcelona, Spain to discover the haunting beauty of the world’s 9th largest super computer. Using field recordings of the glass-ensconced monolith – which finds its home inside an old chapel – Hecq creates a four track, 60 minute masterpiece. The glitch work of his past is only amplified by Mare Nostrum’s own organic blips and whirs. His use of space in the sound design makes this a wonderful work of art, as man and machine come together.

Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Asunder, Sweet, and Other Distress

Posted by admin on Apr 1, 2015 in Featured, Reviews | 0 comments

Written by: Mike Hogan

Writing a review of a Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a tricky thing, honestly. They’re such a monumental figure in the post-rock scene; anybody who could possibly be reading this review is already well aware of what they’re getting into. And then of course, there isn’t really anyone quite like GY!BE. The post-rock sound can get pretty unique and eclectic, but there truly is no band quite like these guys. The only benchmark is themselves, but that is a rather lofty benchmark, indeed.

New Tune Tuesday (3/31/15)

Posted by admin on Mar 31, 2015 in Featured, Latest, New Tune Tuesday, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Nero – The Thrill (Fawks Flip)

Firing it up this week is Fawks, a multi-talented producer who’s quietly carved a home for himself in genres ranging from future house to liquid drum ‘n’ bass. This tune is a beautiful exercise in the latter, making the most of the uplifting synths and massive kicks of Nero’s original tune and augmenting them with skilled subtlety. The original vocals are kept intact, a choice that works to both connect the listener back to the original and pairs perfectly with the tempo shift. Grab this one as a free download and show support for a rapid riser who you’ll be hearing plenty more from in the near future.

GRiZ – Say It Loud

Funky see, funky do: The long-awaited follow-up to Rebel Era is finally here, and it’s a statement from the Detroit-based sax symbol. The message? “I’m here to stay and I’m ready to play.” The formula remains relatively unchanged, as Grant brings his tenured ear for funked-out productions and his laudable skills on the saxaphone (Big Gigantic who?) to bear on eleven new tracks. Where the producer’s fourth album differs is in the details. Say It Loud gives us a wider range of genres and production elements than its predecessors, a testament to GRiZ’s maturity as an artist. Check back soon for a full-length review!