News: Modest Mouse confirm new album in 2015

Posted by admin on Dec 11, 2014 in News | 0 comments

After teasing new music on their Instagram with a picture of a record labeled “Lampshades on Fire”, a representative from Epic Records has confirmed that Modest Mouse will be releasing a new record during the first quarter of 2015. This will be their first release since 2007.

In the meantime, the aforementioned single, “Lampshades on Fire” will be making its radio debut on December 15th.

News: Dance Gavin Dance finish recording 7th studio album

Posted by admin on Dec 11, 2014 in News, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Dance Gavin Dance have announced that they have finished recording their 7th album, the follow up to the critically acclaimed (especially by me), Acceptance Speech. No word on a release date yet, but I can assure you that I’ll be waiting quite impatiently for this one. If Acceptance Speech is any benchmark, DGD7 is sure to be one of the albums to watch in 2015.

We will be sure to keep you updated on any news regarding this album as it becomes available.

News: Thomas Erak Leaves Chiodos

Posted by admin on Dec 10, 2014 in News | 0 comments

–Written by Michael Hogan

In some the most conflicting news of the day, Chiodos guitarist Thomas Erak announced via Twitter (see below) that he has left Chiodos in order to devote more attention to his recently resurrected former project, The Fall of Troy, and their highly anticipated upcoming album.

Hey guys, I have stepped down as the guitarist for Chiodos to focus on TFOT’s new album and home life. I wish those guys the best with all!

— Thomas Erak (@Thomas_of_Troy) December 10, 2014

The mind bogglingly technical and unconventional post-hardcore band announced their haitus back in 2010, leaving Erak free to join Chiodos in early 2013. In December of 2013, The Fall of Troy played a few reunion shows in Austin, TX. Since then, they have been hard at work on a self-released, free album, which we should be seeing a bit sooner now, thanks to Erak’s departure from Chiodos.

New Tune Tuesday (12/9/14)

Posted by admin on Dec 9, 2014 in Featured, Latest, New Tune Tuesday, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

Culprate – Deliverance

Inspected mainstay and general beat peddler Culprate seems to make two kinds of music: straightforward and anything but. Deliverance is decidedly the latter – so much so that I’m struggling to fit it into a category, or indeed compare it to anything else. Sure, some of the more atonal elements are indebted to Amon Tobin, and perhaps you can hear shades of Tipper in the expansive downtempo soundscapes. But “Deliverance” is an album that rises above its influences; Culprate swirls them together like a sonic chemist, utilizing the elements he already possesses to manufacture wholly unique compositions. “Acid Rain” is a bloop-fueled, breakneck sprint through no less than four genres. “Within” bubbles and builds into what could almost be called dubstep – if only for a few measures. Throughout, acoustic guitars twang, ethereal voices vocalize, flutes toot, bells ring, and all manner of other sounds round out the vast sound palette Culprate has constructed. This is a daring endeavor, and it paid off; Deliverance is an easy contender in the top ten albums of 2014 conversation.

D.V.S* – Comfort Zone

A while back we reviewed the first single from this album, “We Could Be.” It was a sultry future jam that had us itching to hear more, and today is the day. “Comfort Zone” is an eight-pack of steady downtempo brimming with chilled-out energy. Released on Loci Records – the label run by fellow chill expert Emancipator – this album is an appropriate accompaniment for the cold months ahead. “Winter Is Coming,” for example, plods along in perfect emulation of the season it’s named for. Other tracks, like the disco-bouncing “Elbow From the Sky,” and the off-beat “Scents And Paints,” stretch the definition of “downtempo,” yet even these don’t feel frantic or overwhelming. It’s an interesting direction for D.V.S*, and we hope his partnership with Loci is just beginning.

Tincup – City Lights

This young producer is quickly rising through the future-trap ranks, and with “City Lights” he’s delivered another dancefloor-ready speaker-shaker. It’s just heavy enough to satiate those traditional trapheads, and just playful enough to appeal to the more informed listener, with more than enough of the glitchy, non-traditional sound Tincup has grown more and more comfortable utilizing. It’s head-nodding, it’s not overly serious, and it’s damn catchy – plus, it’s available as a free download.

Craz – Multicolored Diamonds

As a total unknown turned Bassnectar collaborator, Craz has got to be feeling pretty good about himself. The New York native co-created a white-knuckle banger in “Thursty,” and I was hoping beyond hope that his follow-up, “Multicolored Diamonds,” would live up to the lofty expectations set before him. The layered, slow-building tune oozes with Nectar influence, and possesses a production level befitting a much more seasoned producer. It’s both delicate and in-your-face in all the right places, and in my mind solidifies Craz as anything but a one-collab-wonder.

Bleep Bloop – 10 Watt Lazers

Self-described as his “favorite” of all the music he’s ever made, this three-track EP is trap at its oddest and most intriguing. It has all the hallmarks – the high hats, the gang vocals, the heavier-than-heavy sub-bass. It also has a uniqueness about it that fans of Bleep Bloop know quite well, opting to use a small amount of stems and samples instead of overloading each track with unnecessary sound. The result is three tracks that are both sonically normalized and hugely diverse within their defined parameters. In less words, it’s quite good.

Stel*Leo – I Told You

Unsurprisingly, the Friends With Robots crew continue to pump out fresh, quality tunes. Ahead of the release of FWR03 (set to be an all-throwbacks mixtape), collective member Stel*Leo just dropped a futuristic track with some creepy altered vocals and a hell of a bassline – not to mention a fun little breaks interlude. It’s a short, sweet track; a perfect primer for FWR03, due out this Thursday.

Weekend Wind-Down No. 11: Liquidity

Posted by admin on Dec 7, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Noise, Weekend Wind-Downs | 0 comments

–Words and list by Kevin Madert

It’s always fun when we can wind it down in the same sphere of the musical universe as we wound it up. It’s is a dreamy meander compared to Friday’s frantic sprint – the term “liquid drum ‘n’ bass” is a loose one from where I’m standing.  Yet if you give it a close listen you’ll hear all the same structural elements, albeit stripped down to various degrees. We’ve got some lifter-uppers –  Fred V & Grafix’s “Downpour” stands out – and plenty of mellow-outters – the second half of the list should satiate anyone with that desire. Grab a pair of headphones and let the impossible gentleness of these ten tracks soothe your weekend-bruised soul.

AltFreq Weekly Planner (12/7-12/10)

Posted by admin on Dec 7, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Thursdays for the “Weekend Planner” where we’ll cover the most important 72 hours of the week.

Weekend Warm-Up No. 11: Liquidity

Posted by admin on Dec 5, 2014 in Noise, Uncategorized, Weekend Warm-Ups | 0 comments

–Words and list by Kevin Madert

There’s perhaps nothing more uplifting than a well-executed liquid drum ‘n’ bass tune. Need proof? Look no further than the kick-off track of this ten-pack, Fred V & Grafix’s “Major Happy”; those subtle pulsations atop that eternally familiar 808 drum pattern are aimed straight at your feels. That’s not to say it won’t get heavy – Blokhe4d and Dirtyphonics can attest to that. But even as it builds and crashes like some great sonic wave it still maintains that sly smoothness; nary a trace of the oft-abrasive tendencies of drum ‘n’ bass to be found.

AltFreq Weekend Planner (12/4-12/6)

Posted by admin on Dec 4, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Sundays for our “Weekly Planner,” where we’ll cover the remaining four days of the week.

New Tune Tuesday (12/2/14)

Posted by admin on Dec 2, 2014 in Featured, Latest, New Tune Tuesday, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

In case you weren’t aware, Tuesdays are a music lover’s best friend. Although some of these came out a little less recently than today, they’re all essentially new and they’re all definitely worth a listen. If you think we’ve missed something (and with the sheer amount of music released daily, we probably have) drop me a line at kevin@thealternatefrequency.com. Sharing is caring, after all.

AltFreq Weekly Planner (11/30/14-12/3/14)

Posted by admin on Nov 30, 2014 in Featured, Latest, Noise | 0 comments

–Written by Kevin Madert

It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Thursdays for the “Weekend Planner” where we’ll cover the most important 72 hours of the week.