PORTASTUDIO SUMMERLIST~ SoundcheckSet 03

PORTASTUDIO
SUMMERLIST/

Soundcheck: Set 03

PORTASTUDIO

The School - Loveless Unbeliever (2010)


*I Proud To Recommended!!!*

It’s finally here. The throne has been claimed. For years, all the fans of the best pop waited anxiously for that group that was going to occupy the space left between THE PIPETTES, LUCKY SOUL and BELLE & SEBASTIAN, heirs of the best pop from the sixties (THE SHIRELLES, THE RONETTES, THE SUPREMES…) and the best Scottish pop (CAMERA OBSCURA, BMX BANDITS…). But it’s finally here, “Loveless Unbeliever”, the debut album of THE SCHOOL. And the Cardiff band, after the singles “Let It Slip” and “All I Wanna Do”, with which they conquered the critics and the public half the world over, in addition to creating uncommonly high expectations, have shown us that they’re the perfect spearhead of a sound that, even today, continues to thrill us. Once again with the production of Ian Catt (SAINT ETIENNE, TREMBLING BLUE STARS, THE FIELD MICE, SHAMPOO, THE BOO RADLEYS…), they demonstrate their incredible ability with melodies and arrangements, releasing an album with more gems than a jewelry store, like “Valentine”, “Is He Really Coming Home”, “I Want You Back” and “Hoping and Praying”, songs that are uncontestable candidates to remain perennially in our stereos.

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The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt (2010)

When fans lined up to see the sold-out Bon Iver performances at New York City’s Town Hall in late 2008, few of them went with any expectations of the opening act. But the audience that night, and on every other night of Bon Iver’s tour that December, were introduced to something special, something unforgettable: The Tallest Man on Earth. This was the first of several tours for the Tallest Man on Earth (aka Kristian Matsson), with obsessive crowds growing each step of the way.

Earlier in the year, The Tallest Man on Earth had released one of 2008’s most powerful records, one that Pitchfork praised, calling Matsson “a natural-born folksinger, earnest, clever, and comforting”. “Shallow Grave” could not have been more simple, just Matsson’s commanding vocals with an acoustic guitar or banjo, recorded at his home in Dalarna, Sweden. Although the album was released on the Swedish label Gravitation without the help of widespread distribution, the story of The Tallest Man on Earth spread far and wide through word of mouth.

It is impossible to discuss The Tallest Man on Earth’s music without acknowledging Bob Dylan. The seemingly effortlessness, the melodic sensibility and the deft lyricism all recall Dylan’s early years. But when you witness the Tallest Man on Earth perform live, you are watching a man possessed. The energy pours out with every word. Full of intensity and raw emotion, he paces the stage, bringing the audience into the palm of his hand, completely lost in his songs.

This brings us to the reason you are reading this. With unbridled excitement, we bring you The Tallest Man on Earth’s second LP, “The Wild Hunt”. It is all here: The words. The voice. The melodies. Ten perfect songs. “The Wild Hunt” picks up where “Shallow Grave” left off, with Matsson doing what he does best. It is unmistakably The Tallest Man on Earth, from the urgent strums of “You’re Going Back” and the sweet melodies of “Love Is All”, to the playful lyricism of live favorite “King Of Spain” and the subtle hook on “Burden Of Tomorrow”. “The Wild Hunt” isn’t just another folk album; this is acoustic rock ‘n’ roll from a man with a story to tell.

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The Golden Filter - Völuspà (2010)

The Golden Filter are an electronic duo based in New York City. Lead singer Penelope grew up in Lismore, near Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia, while electronic and analogue synth programmer Stephen is originally from Ohio, USA.

They produced their first single ‘Solid Gold’ in July 2008, and it went on to be released on 15 February 2009 on the Dummy Records label, backed up with remixes of Russ Chimes, Clouded Vision and Mondkopf. The video for Solid Gold was filmed in Australia, near Melbourne.

Second single ‘Thunderbird’ was released on 16 November 2009 on Dummy Records with a cover of The White Stripes’ ‘The Hardest Button to Button’ as b-side. Single features a dub version of the original and a remix by Belgian producers Villa.

The Golden Filter’s debut is set to release early 2010 through Brille Records, home of The Knife, Good Shoes, Operator Please, etc.

They have also released official remixes of Empire of the Sun, Little Boots, Peter Bjorn and John, Cut Copy, Polly Scattergood and O Children.

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The School - Loveless Unbeliever (2010)


*I Proud To Recommended!!!*

Stephanie Cottingham was just 13 when she started writing songs and performing, and she was still a teenager when her band Ortolan recorded their debut LP with Daniel Smith for Sounds Familyre, and toured two continents with Danielson. Her years inform her craft but do not limit its scope. As the band— which includes her sisters and sister-in-law— backs her up with sympathetic arrangements built on early rock and contemporary indie pop, Cottingham expresses misgivings and uncertainties that accompany any person’s search for self, no matter their age: “I need the answers for this,” she sings on the deceptively sunny “Opposites”, “but nobody knows how I’m supposed to say things when I don’t even know how they go.”

Such concerns, especially when expressed by a young woman not old enough to drink, are sometimes dismissed as naïve and inconsequential (see also: Taylor Swift, a fine songwriter often derided for lyrics that convey a similar perspective). While Cottingham may not have settled into her songwriting voice just yet, she definitely has something to say about her own insecurities and confusions, and moreover she has a seemingly contradictory means of saying it. Ortolan’s most distinctive trait may be her deeply mannered vocals, which imply that, for her, performing means indulging certain protective eccentricities. Listen to her chew on a syllable like it’s a pen cap, or stretch her vowels out like taffy. There’s no way to spell out her pronunciation of the pronoun “I” phonetically. She’s not an especially powerful singer— she doesn’t have much range or force— but Cottingham manages to convey personality in her vocals. Her tics may turn off some listeners, but they reveal a confidence that Cottingham swears she doesn’t have. “If I hit the wrong chord, please don’t take offense,” she sings on “Mirror Image”. “I’m doing this more, but I don’t mean to do the things that I do.”

Despite her protestations, the music itself contains no such flubs, though it lacks the rawness of her songwriting. As produced by Smith, Ortolan can be resourceful and a bit too controlled. “Once” sounds like a sped-up “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)”, which underscores the fairy-tale quality of the lyrics, while the rising keyboard line on “Just Like Me” is as much a hook as the vocal melody. Ortolan never really cut loose on Time on a String, which means they don’t risk quite as much as Cottingham does, but they do provide a bubbly backdrop for her inner conflict, so that when her songwriting wavers— as on “Insist for More”, about a bratty child, or on “Be So Bold”, about her own bookishness— her family has her back, another protective scrim against the world. Even so, an intriguing friction between boldness and hesitation illuminates most of these songs, which makes closer “Anything” sound all the more triumphant when Cottingham sings, “I’m ready for anything you give me, I’m ready for everything.”— Stephen M. Deusner, March 8, 201/Pitchfork

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The Living Sisters - Love To Live (2010)


*I Proud To Recommended!!!*

The Living Sisters is the trio of Eleni Mandell, Inara George and Becky Stark. Feeling deep desire for more harmony in the world, the Living Sisters formed to meet this need. Their first album, “Love to Live”, will be out March 30, 2010. It was produced by Sheldon Gomberg, the honorary fourth living sister. Their music is devoted to the sheer physical joy of singing. They had so much fun making their album that they nearly became a comedy band for they laughed as much as they sang. They all firmly believe in miracles. Each of the ladies is an acclaimed singer and songwriter in her own right. Eleni Mandell has made 7 full-length records of exquisitely crafted music in a style that spans the genres of jazz, country, pop and folk. The London Times writes that she “has a voice that should be heard by milions.” She shared the LA Weekly best songwriter award with Elliot Smith in 2003. Inara George has recorded 2 beautiful solo albums and an album in collaboration with the legendary Van Dyke Parks. She is half of the jazz-pop duo Bird and the Bee and was also half of the band Merrick. Becky Stark is the voice of orchestral folk-pop group Lavender Diamond and founder of the LA Ladies Choir. She sang the role of Margeret on the the Decemberists’ most recent album, the mythical rock opera ‘The Hazards of Love.” The sisters describe their experience together as “ecstatic” and hope that all people of the world will sing and find strength in harmony.

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Some rights reserved

Portastudio Summerlist - Soundcheck Set Of The Month
by
the portastylistic

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“ EVERYDAY STILL LIKE A SUMMER SOUND! ”

-the portastylistic

Porta's Listen...Monocle Weekly: the first anniversary show

The MONOCLE Weekly

EDITION 52
-27 March

For the first anniversary show of the Monocle Weekly, the team welcome music legend David Byrne to the studio to hear his latest concept album, "Here Lies Love". Also around the table is Penny Martin, editor in chief of The Gentlewoman, the newest fashion title to hit international newsstands, and André Balazs, America's most innovative hotelier and property developer. We also put a call in to Dr Bates Gill, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), ahead of this week's meeting of Arctic coastal states in Quebec.

Download Edition 52 (mp3)

Have you read today's Monocolumn? Read now.

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CONTRIBUTORS
THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO
-27 March

Tyler Brûlé
Editor in chief

Andrew Tuck
Editor

Rob Bound
Culture editor

Penny Martin
Editor in chief, The Gentlewoman

André Balazs
Property Developer and Hotelier

David Byrne
Musician, Producer, Artist

SPONSORED BY

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THIS WEEK'S TRACKLIST

David Byrne & Fatboy Slim
Track 1: "Here lies love"
Track 2: "Ladies in blue"

From the album "Here lies love"



Credits

Producer: Alexander Mills
Sound Engineer: Chris Sharp
Editor: Aleksander Solum
Photographer: Olivier Hess

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THE PROGRAMME

Hosted by editor in chief Tyler Brûlé, The Monocle Weekly is a mix of smart discussion, previews, field reports and feature interviews. From our studio in London and our bureaux in Tokyo and New York, Monocle's editors focus on the stories shaping the week ahead.

Culture editor Robert Bound is a regular with his weekly playlist of artists established and obscure and editor Andrew Tuck is at hand to moderate debates and pull in contributions from our correspondents in far flung corners of the world.

must see and listen more on...monocle

You can listen to the broadcasts at The Monocle Weekly website or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Portastudio Playlist: A COSY SOUNDTRACK FOR WEEKEND+Live Session 09

A COSY SOUNDTRACK
FOR WEEKEND
+LIVE SESSION 09

portastudio

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For my family day this week i will pay respects to my ancestors at
the cemetery in a Chinese tradition known as Cheng Meng,
to round off set to the portastudio playlist, the Portastylistic welcome

"King of Convenience live in Bangkok”
@moon star studio, 23 March 2010

King of Convenience indie folk-pop duo from Bergen, Norway.
Consisting of Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe,
the musical group is known for their delicate tunes, calming voices,
and intricate and subtle guitar melodies.
Øye and Bøe both compose and sing the songs.





the portastylistic joined in to select the highlights and favourite live music
tracks of the past this weeks. I proud to present the fantastic greatest
indies pop legend bands and It continues to have a strong following
and inspire musicians, not just in the UK but around the world with new labels,
clubs and bands devoted to the sound, to set of experience cosy power pop music
by the +live session. Musically its key characteristics were jangling guitars,
a love of sixties pop and often fey, innocent lyrics. Unique sound
is the legend music has been used widely around the world
have hit the charts throughout Europe, the UK and the US.
To set off the playlist get to everybody in the mood of weekly.



This Cosy life night weekend for your experience cosy music playlist
with some familiar on your weekend in indie-pop legend.
our panel which also includes selected by the Portastylistic
every Saturday at 8pm. Bkk, Thailand time.

ARTIST
THIS WEEK IN PLAYLIST

By the Soundtrack Weekend’ inaugural music guideline,
with exclusive live music from Portastudio's playlist.
Including Kings Of Convenience, Orchids, Belle & Sebastian, Pelle Carlberg,
Lake Heartbeat, I'm From Barcelona, My Little Pony, Giorgio Tuma and Pajaro Sunrise.
so conclude +Live music performing at the perfect way and welcome to
your life join with the cosy music performs a set of songs on this session.

{01} 'Mrs Cold' | {02} 'Another Saturday Night' | {03} 'I'm A Cuckoo'
+Live by Kings Of Convenience |+Live by Orchids |+Live by Belle & Sebastian

{04} 'Fly Me To The Moon' | {05} 'Golden Chain' | {06} 'Oversleeping'
+Liveby Pelle Carlberg | +Liveby Lake Heartbeat | +Liveby I'm From Barcelona

{07} 'Skipping Down The Street' | {08} 'And Three Parasol Stars' | {09} 'Hungry Heart'
+Live by My Little Pony | +Live by Giorgio Tuma | +Live by Pajaro Sunrise

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Some rights reserved

PORTASTUDIO PLAYLIST
A COSY SOUNDTRACK FOR WEEKEND +LIVE SESSION
BY
The PORTASTYLISTIC

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“EVERYDAY HAS A SOUNDTRACK!”

-the portastylistic

Hot and Covered...Mori Girls

Meet
The "MORI GIRLS"
A New Japanese Subculture!

Tokyo trend watchers have been hungering for a new subculture ever since the Yamamba last sported an overripe tan in 2004. Finally there is something new and noteworthy. Half a decade later, however, the newest clan to emerge couldn’t be more different from those panda-eyed irreverent teens beloved by street-gawkers and fans of the outrageous. Meet the Mori Girls, a new band of women with a penchant for layers of delicate vintage and DIY fashion. In addition to knitting, journaling, and haunting second hand bookstores, these urban dreamers can be found with their heads in the clouds—or literally in the forest. “Mori” means “forest” in Japanese.

While the Japanese media (and marketers) are fond of giving clever names to new looks, this latest fashion development is self-branded. According to legend, one friend told another that she “looked like she belonged in a forest,” leading to the coining and subsequent cult-age of the “Mori Girls.” Said friend (the one who looked like she came from the woods) founded a community for like-minded women (and men too) on Mixi, Japan’s enormously popular SNS site, in the summer of 2006. While membership to Mixi requires an invitation from an existing member, the communities are self-selecting groups based around a shared interest—with themes that vary from lovers of ketchup to fans of photographing abandoned train stations.

Just shy of three years later, the Mori Girls community is now over 30,000 strong. If the GothLolis have Harajuku, and the aforementioned Yamamba had Shibuya, then these figurative forest dwellers are colonizing an area of cyberspace with profile pages and blogs devoted to their yarui (loose and relaxed) lifestyle. Considering that Mori Girls are, by nature, somewhat loners and prone to solo leisure activities, this online component gives the clan a unique cohesiveness.

So how do you know if you might be one of them? The Mixi community profile page spells out upwards of 60 characteristics of Mori Girldom. Fashion wise, there is an affinity for floaty a-line dresses, an admiration of lace, puff sleeves, and retro prints, a fussiness over natural materials, and a preference for warm, earthy hues and deep traditional colors like navy, wine red, and forest green. Oft-spotted accessories include leather satchels, fur stoles, tights, round-toed shoes, pocket watches, and handmade jewelry.

More than meeting a fashion requirement, however, Mori Girls exude a certain aura of a dreamy slow life. Picture them strolling one of Tokyo’s few remaining bohemian neighborhoods, like Shimokitazawa or Koenji, analog SLR camera in hand. Or scribbling in a leather-bound journal from the corner of a café where none of the teacups match (but are served as a matter of course on saucers). It is likely that a number of them can make macaroons from scratch.

While hardly aggressively counter-culture (appearing instead almost limply indifferent), Mori Girls do posses a certain against-the-grain quality. They make their style choices based on the “atmosphere” of an item, as opposed to its trendiness or brand name value. Consequently they shun conventional fashion magazines and mass-produced items in favor of handmade, original pieces. Quirkiness is important. Age is not. There is nothing in the creed that singles out youth or a particular generational experience. And unlike teenage fashion cults like the Shibuya gyaru (who see many members “graduate”), there is nothing about being a Mori Girl that rebels against growing up. / By Rebecca Milner

Sally Scott

Part of the charm of the mori girl lifestyle is that it offers a quiet brand of escapism. And there are few things more appealing to would-be escape artists than an imaginary life. Akira Minagawa's fashion label Sally Scott offers just that.


Sally Scott's brand concept revolves around the life of the imaginary girl (lives in Ohio, no dogs, two cats) after whom the brand is named. Of course, this means the label's catalogue is filled with charming images of a quiet little life many mori girls would aspire to.

Of course, Sally Scott would have to be immersed in a vintage-inspired environment careful not to be too cloying and sweet but cosy nonetheless.

She is frequently seen around rabbits and cats that possess strangely human qualities.

Needless to say, Sally Scott participates in all manner of quaint recreational activity, from blowing bubbles to bicycling.

And as any full-fledged mori girl would tell you, life imaginary or otherwise would not be complete without a few long walks through some foliage.

Sally Scott manages to do all this all the while clad in sixties-inspired frocks, pretty printed skirts and cute collared blouses.

A charmed life indeed.

Image source: Sally Scott

Syrup Spring 2010
Catalogue

The Syrup catalogue is consistently and unfailingly enchanting. Their beautiful pictures always inspire me to live a slightly sweeter life. The three concepts shaping the Syrup Spring 2010 collection are not only charming but also strike a chord in the hearts of mori girls. I have no doubt that the clothes are but a fraction of Syrup's charm.

The first concept, 'Syrup Culture Club,' brings to mind a quiet lifestyle filled with piles of books eagerly waiting to be read, old movies and solo voyages.

The clothes this time around are a bit more urban than those in their previous collections. The brown loose cuffed trousers and the khaki coat (in the first picture) remind of adventurer Tintin. Skirts are paired with loose tops, and the long-sleeved worn under the one-piece dress makes yet another appearance.

The second theme is a picnic at the botanic gardens. Personally, I love picnics, and I'm certain many mori girls share these sentiments. They're a great, hassle free way to feel a little closer to nature, even when you live in the city.

I love the different picnic set-ups in each picture. A-line dresses are featured liberally in this photoshoot and offer a comfortable way to enjoy picnics in comfort.

The third concept features lots and lots of flowers, primarily indoors and in pretty vases. The models are pictured in such beautiful surroundings. Anybody coming home to a house like that everyday would be lucky indeed!

The first dress has a lovely, elongated silhouette that's made a little cuter with white sneakers and apatterned top. The models always look so contemplative that just looking at these pictures calms one down right away.

Image source: Felissimo

Mori (Forest) Girls

I would love to be a Mori Girl.

Have you heard of Mori Girls?
Here is a little description from Mori Girls blog:

The mori girls (森ガール) belong to a subculture which began in Japan. 'Mori' means forest in Japanese, and if you're looking for the simplest description of mori girls, they are girls who look like they live in the forest. Indeed, the unique appearance of the mori girls is what attracts most people to join in their adventures.

Mori girls are often seen in loose dresses or smocks, vintage blouses, puffed sleeves, A-line skirts tights and leggings and many-layered ensembles. They delight in beautiful fabrics and textures, preferring natural to synthetic materials, and are impartial to autumnal shades reminiscent of forest glades such as deep reds, greens, blues and browns. They keep warm with knits and furs in winter, and ponchos and leather boleros in the fall.

The childlike nature of mori girls sets them apart from the more aggressive and carnivorous women in the city. They shun stiletto heels for flat shoes and prefer to keep their fingernails short and skin fair. Mori girls are also drawn to animal, candy, checked, floral, vintage or polka-dotted prints. However, they avoid looking overly cute. They wear little makeup, but when they do use it some like to draw pick circles in the centre of their cheeks as a homage to the dolls they played with when they were younger. While every mori girl is a child at heart, they are endlessly fascinated by objects with a history. Vintage items such as pocket watches, small gold pendants and analogue cameras captivate mori girls.

Mori girls are also characterised by certain attitudes to life. While most mori girls really live in the city, they maintain a pace of life that may be considered slow by others, preferring to stop and savour the tiny delights that many deem insignificant. Mori girls like to explore old neighbourhoods, discover hole-in-the-wall shops and read in cafes. Many mori girls enjoy expressing their creativity, never mind if nobody will see or applaud their efforts, for instance through photography or journalling. Scandinavia is for many mori girls a dream destination, and Scandinavian design influences often appear in mori girls' style.

In her own quiet way, the mori girl is an individualist. She does not care that the world may live differently from her. She lives consciously and chooses her own lifestyle. The mori girl often looks whimsical or quirky. When she shops, she buys something based on how it makes her feel, rather than on how fashionable or expensive it will appear to others. While she may enjoy the company of others, the mori girl loves her own company and indeed has embarked on many of her most memorable adventures alone.

How lovely! And the best news is these Mori Girls don't shy away from a bit of Mori-girl-meets-1960's-retro style action! Which suits me just perfectly!

Oh, and I am desperately wanting one of these winter coats (above) from Japanese store Franche Lippee seen on Mori Girls Blog. They would be just perfect for my Tokyo holiday next week.

You can find out more about the Mori Girls here.

Posted by Hello Sandwich

“When you called these girls 'Muji Girls' as we would spot them chilling in the Muji Cafe in flats and tent dresses. I love them! they always had super cute muji boyfs as well!”

Special Thanks to post and researcher to fashionsnoops, morigirl, hellosandwich

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"atmosphere"

Age is not, there is nothing
about being a Mori Girls
that rebels against
growing up.

Items in favor of handmade,
original pieces!

the portastylistic