Memory Cassette Asleep At A Party

There is a song that’s sat quietly but consistently in my music library for perhaps a year now, which I listen to maybe every few days. The act that spawned it has since snowballed into a slightly bigger thing- Memory Tapes- but nonetheless ‘Asleep at a Party’ by Memory Cassette remains, in my view at least, the best output by one relatively quiet Dayve Hawk, the creator of both ‘Memory’ incarnations. Overall, what I love about this song is that it is a dreamily surreal, even tired- in the sense of lethargy- take on an excellent melody. In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that in my view Washed Out created one of the albums of 2010. Their drowsy stupor was hypnotising, and so it is with ‘Asleep at a Party’. Memory Tapes, like Washed Out, since fell under the beguiling but annoyingly termed and media-constructed combination of matter: ‘chillwave’, when Hawk released his first album, Seek Magic. (We have since of course heard the phrase, ‘illwave’- trumpeted I have noticed by The Guardian’s Music blog for the likes of Perfume Genius and HTDW.)

But I digest. I have really found that I can listen to ‘Asleep at a Party’ without ever getting bored. Fuzzy, enigmatic but continually alluring, I hope Dayve Hawk’s brief preceding period as Memory Cassette was part of the reason for blogs such as Gorilla vs Bear, Pitchfork and later even titans of the British print press to pay attention: both blogs posted the song when it went online. More recently, Memory Tapes have posted a new track and announced a second album. You can find their blog here and newbie song here. Or just lower your chin a bit. That’s it.

Memory Tapes- Today is Our Life

Best Coast

An up 'n' coming band called Best Coast have been making waves (ha!) for a string of summery, noisy pop tunes since the start of 2010. Just search them on Hype Machine for an idea of just how rampantly hysterical indie blogs at home, and especially in the States have become about them; writing about their latest track and debut album especially (see?). The LA band are fronted by Bethany Cosentino, whose deliberately slurred vocal style has led her cheeky little outfit to be dubbed "chillwave"- a (very) loose term for a range of American lo-fi bands that have mixed fuzzy production values with a relaxed breeziness in the melody and vocals. See Memory Tapes, Neon Indian (great tune by the way) and Washed Out for an idea. Really, Cosentino's music could simply be described as the solo record Julian Casablancas of The Strokes might have made had he possessed different junk in the cupboard under the stairs (been a woman), and not ditched his band's crackliness. Best Coast's first 7" vinyl releases on the Black Iris label were a total hit. Printed in limited numbers like most niche alternative artists, copies of 'When I'm With You' (original production 500, USA only) have been sold on ebay in the US for $42. Can you see why?

Best Coast– When I’m With You

Sure, the deliberate claustrophobia is hard to stomach sometimes on this record, especially when Cosentino's not-so-delicate decibels push the microphone over the edge. New track 'Boyfriend' is perhaps more mainstream-radio friendly, having lost much of that distortion, but once again they have made catchy seem effortless. Pull a lever, and Cosentino will create it:

Best Coast– Boyfriend

To celebrate the release of their debut album Crazy For You on 2 August, I might do a few star jumps. Second, the band will play at Cargo in London. Be warned though: they are that cool that anyone thinking of going probably won't turn up.