Tor’s “Blue Book” Well Worth The Wait (Review)

Posted by admin on Jun 13, 2016 in Featured, Latest, Noise, Reviews | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

From the opening moments of Blue Book, Loci Records mainstay Tor invites the listener into a carefully crafted world of monolithic ambience. Picking up right where 2012’s Drum Therapy left off, the lush minimalism present on the Canadian producer’s sophomore full-length is all-absorbing.  With attention to detail uncommon even in the nuance-laden sphere of downtempo his work occupies, he’s able to create a ten track trip-hop smorgasbord delectable in both its delicacy and digestibility.  Headphones are all you need to start this 45 minute aural journey, buoyed along by a diverse coalition of instrumentation & driven forward by an oft-shifting, ever-present beat.

Opiuo Traverses Sonic Terrain New & Familiar on “Omniversal” (Review)

Posted by admin on Jun 9, 2016 in Featured, Latest, Noise, Reviews | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Few artists have a hold on my heart (and ears) quite like Opiuo. His wobbly, wonky, oh so funky brand of deep bass glitch-hop reeled me in, and his ability to innovate sonically within his own creative space has kept me hooked ever since. It follows, then, that Omniversal shines as a fresh take on the themes and styles that have long defined the Australia-based producer’s work. Picking up this album equates to obtaining a ticket on the Mid-Tempo GlitchFunk Express – dress code casual, dance parties inevitable.

On “The Dream Is Over,” Pup Confirms the Opposite (Review)

Posted by admin on Jun 8, 2016 in Featured, Latest, Reviews | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

For all the misery Pup espouses on The Dream Is Over, they seem to be having a pretty good time. While the Canadian foursome’s sophomore full-length teems with omnidirectional vitriol, it also teems with insightfully empathetic, listenable music. Thanks to the group’s admirable acumen, these elements coalesce to make up one of the best albums of the calendar year.

Below The Fold: Dreamscape 2016’s Can’t-Miss Regional Acts

Posted by admin on May 4, 2016 in Featured, Latest | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

As we’ve highlighted on several occasions, much of the strength in a Badass Raves lineup lies towards the lower half of the poster. Some of them are established regional names who’ve built a strong rapport with event organizers and please familiar crowds at event after event. Others may be relative newcomers to the scene (or at least the Badass fold), but thanks to careful consideration in the planning stages they’re usually well-suited for whichever event they’ve been booked.

All this to say, Dreamscape is rife with regional talent that you’d do well to familiarize yourself with. Lucky for you, AltFreq loves supporting local music & the artists who play it. Read on to learn a bit more about our favorite locals slated to perform this weekend at Camp Ramblewood in Darlington, MD.

New Tune Tuesday (Dreamscape Edition)

Posted by admin on May 3, 2016 in New Tune Tuesday, Noise | 0 comments

-Written by Kevin Madert

A few short days from now the first sets of Dreamscape 2016 will be echoing through the undulating, tree-dotted hills & of Camp Ramblewood. Lucky for us, plenty of the artists playing this year’s festival have been hard at work churning out new tunes – just in time to unleash them on the masses come May 5-8. Read on to hear the latest from some of our favorite acts on the lineup.

Destructo & Wax Motif Ft. Vanilla Ace – Beatdown

Kicking off the list is, appropriately, a recent song from an artist playing Dreamscape. On “Beatdown,”  Holy Ship don and purveyor of oft-fantastic four on the floor Destructo teams up with capable friends Wax Motif and Vanilla Ace to deliver a winner. The dark tune is quintessential Destructo, packing a serious punch in the breakdown but refusing to view itself through overserious eyes. Attesting to this is the well-sourced hook – a few lines of poignant life advice adapted from “G’d U” by Snoop Dogg helmed hip-hop trio The Eastsidaz. Keep it real and get gangsta’d up with the HARDfather at Poseidon’s Playground to close out pool party numero uno (9pm Friday).

Connect with Destructo: (Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud)

AltFreq’s Daily Dreamscape Guide: Saturday

Posted by admin on May 2, 2016 in Featured, Latest | 0 comments

-Written by Kevin Madert

We’re less than a week out from Badass Raves’ annual festival season kickoff, so it seemed a good a time as any to give our readers the inside track on the festival. Where you should be, who you should listen to, what the heck else there is to do; if you’re looking for assistance in planning your Dreamscape experience, Alternate Frequency is here to help. If you somehow made it here first, find our Thursday guide here and our Friday guide here.

First Things: The best thing you’ll witness all weekend kicks off at 11am, as 1,000 Drunk DJs take over Poseidon’s Playground for two hours and one entire bottle of Johnnie Walker. If you’re a Saturday-only kind of partier, one day tickets are yours for the purchasing, and gates will open at 11am to receive you.

AltFreq’s Daily Dreamscape Guide: Friday

Posted by admin on May 1, 2016 in Featured, Latest | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

We’re less than a week out from Badass Raves’ annual festival season kickoff, so it seemed a good a time as any to give our readers the inside track on the festival. Where you should be, who you should listen to, what the heck else there is to do; if you’re looking for assistance in planning your Dreamscape experience, Alternate Frequency is here to help. Our Thursday guide can be found heren, and Saturday’s is right here.

First Things: We’re hoping you remembered to pack your swimsuit & floaties for the daily pool parties. If last year is any indicator, believe us when we say things get rowdy and *had to do it* wet. Poseidon’s Playground gets going at 11am, and with the mix of headliners and highly capable locals you can bet it’ll be a wild ride from start to finish. If you’re unable to attend all weekend – real jobs are a pesky necessity, right? – Friday arrival is permitted beginning at 11am; save a little cash with two-day tickets.

As Massacat can attest, it might get wild

AltFreq’s Daily Dreamscape Guide: Thursday

Posted by admin on Apr 30, 2016 in Featured, Latest | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

We’re less than a week out from Badass Raves’ annual festival season kickoff, so it seemed a good a time as any to give our readers the inside track on the festival. Where you should be, who you should listen to, what the heck else there is to do; if you’re looking for assistance in planning your Dreamscape experience, Alternate Frequency is here to help. Friday’s guide can be found here, and Saturday’s is right here.

First Thing: Arrival at Camp Ramblewood is permitted beginning at 11am on Thursday, May 5. Attendees are encouraged not to arrive earlier than this, as they’ll most likely be turned away and told to return at 11. Music will begin poolside in the aptly named Poseidon’s Playground at 1pm, so those looking to max out their weekend should plan accordingly. AltFreq also reminds all attendees to thoroughly review the rules & regulations – some of which have changed since last year. The biggest change involves alcohol; none will be allowed to be brought onsite, but there will be adult beverages available for purchase each day until 2am. The full list of allowed/prohibited items, plus plenty of other important info, can be found on the Dreamscape website -> http://dreamscapefestival.com/info/.

Better Know a Genre: Five Post-Rock Bands You’ll Probably Love

Posted by admin on Apr 10, 2016 in Featured, Noise | 0 comments

-Written by Kevin Madert

Earlier this week, Explosions in the Sky put out a highly anticipated record called The Wilderness. It’s less a step in any specific new direction than a pivot around the central themes and styles that have defined their career – one foot stays grounded in their post-rock roots while the other spins through sonic inspirations ranging from spacey electronica to down-home folk.

Listening to The Wilderness a few times through inspired a digital crate-diving adventure courtesy of Spotify. After much clicking around, and even more headphone isolationism, here are a few bands amply equipped to satiate your post-rock craving. Some should be familiar to long-time fans of the genre, while others may be brand new to readers (much as they were to this writer).

Dreamscape 2016: Hear Music From Every Act Playing This Year’s Festival

Posted by admin on Apr 4, 2016 in Featured, Latest, Noise | 0 comments

–Words and list by Kevin Madert

You can feel it in the air. The sun’s a little warmer, the days a little longer, blizzpocalypses and snowmageddons all but forgotten. Spring has sprung (officially, if you doubt it) and for us in the musicsphere that means something wonderful: Festival season is upon us.

Our year is shaping up to begin with Dreamscape, the longtime Badass Raves brainchild that began as an indoor all-nighter known as Psychedelic Dreamscape before expanding last year to a two-day fest at secluded Camp Ramblewood in Darlington, MD. This year it’s a full-weekend affair, with three days of 11am-5pm music slated for May 5-8.

In the dual interest of channeling our anticipatory excitement and educating anyone who cares to listen, we’ve compiled a playlist to kick off our coverage of the festival. Organized into loose genre categories, it features every artist slated to perform* and is intended to acclimate readers to the lineup; plenty of in-depth writing on all things Dreamscape will follow.