CCP Ep. #239: Rosetta by Vangelis

Let’s traverse the cosmos to check in on our oft-mentioned composer of all things ‘space’, the one and only Vangelis. Although marrying electronic music to space-oriented themes is fairly intuitive, Vangelis, who cornered the market on it, also happens to have a penchant for paying homage to specific space missions. This time around, that homage is Rosetta, the musical play-by-play of the eponymous ESA probe’s voyage to Churyumov–Gerasimenko [comet 67P]. From the origins of the comet to Rosetta’s decade-long journey, to its dramatic end-of-mission impact—and let’s not forget about our brave little lander Philae—Vangelis has more than enough fodder for some juicy composition, as do we for some juicy discussion! Oh and our topic, you ask? Totally unrelated… SPACE.

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CCP Ep. #219: Monument Builders by Loscil

Let’s have a look at an album called Monument Builders by Loscil, a project by composer Scott Morgan. An ambient/electronica work at its core, Monument Builders was inspired by the Philip Glass score to the experimental film Koyaanisqatsi. The album spurs us to tackle a rare form of composition—the Vancouver native’s unique brand of structured ambient minimalism—before entering our follow-up discussion on the importance of volume in music. (Hint: it’s pretty important.)

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CCP Ep. #213: Love Streams by Tim Hecker

Brace yourself for Love Streams… the “streams” being the conjurings of one Tim Hecker, a Canadian electronic artist who, with the help of his Icelandic colleagues, has turned out a record that focuses more on the indistinct (and occasionally indistinguishable) textures/soundscapes than on more well-defined figures. Sporting a whirlwind of choir, woodwinds, static, and plenty of food for discourse, we’ll be analyzing Love Streams from top to bottom before indulging ourselves in a topic on music listening habits. From time and place to ambiance and mood, how do we slice up our daily routine to accommodate the wide world of music? When a specific mood is on the docket, who should accommodate whom?

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CCP Ep. #210: Carved From Tides by Message to Bears

This week, Crash Chords takes a gander at Message to Bears, the one-man project of multi-instrumentalist Jerome Alexander, and his latest album Carved From Tides. Though replete with talented session musicians, this one-man show tugs at our heart-strings and challenges us with a few head-scratches before spurring a scintillating topic on lyrical expression at [1:28:50].

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CCP Ep. #182: PARA by Lord RAJA

This week we’re diving deep into the world of Lord RAJA (the solo project of New York-based producer Chester Raj Anand) and his latest release, PARA. Join us as we dissect the trials and triumphs of this eclectic album and stick around for our topic (at 1:28:48): an honest discussion of the two-headed monster called “Feedback”. What do we want out of it? Should we want anything? And can it can make the world a better place? Press play to find out!

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CCP Ep. #60: Kveikur by Sigur Rós

Those episode numbers just keep on climbin’, don’t they? Well, for our 60th, we thought we’d vacation to a quiet corner of the world, rife with geologic wonder, cool air, and the soothing textures of ambient Post-rock. The place is Iceland, and the band: Sigur Rós. How did our trip go? Find out in this week’s review of Kveikur, the band’s latest album. Then be sure to join us in an intense discussion on the public education system, the fostering of creativity, and where music stands in the midst of it all.

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CCP Ep. #54: Tomorrow’s Harvest by Boards of Canada

Hope you have a chill pill on hand, because this week we’re diving deep into the droning depths of Ambient music (with a Techno twist) in our review of Tomorrow’s Harvest by the veteran Electronica duo, Boards of Canada. Then stick around for a quick listing of each of our best and worst concert experiences, as a brief precursor to an upcoming discussion on live music.

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