Nest - Nest

On the net there is a label called Serein. It's very good and I recommend nearly everything on it; the artists there are among the best "folktronica," or "electro-acoustic" artists out there, or whatever you want to call them. Tape is probably the best reference point, though others like Christian Fennesz, Max Richter, and Flim come to mind as well. Real instruments, mixed with samples, noise, and other goodies, producing a sound almost impossible to describe.

And the kicker is, they provide all their releases for free on the net. You can download the entire album guilt free, and then if you like it, buy a hard copy. I hope they're doing well; I intend to buy this and perhaps a few others as well.

Anyhow, Nest was the first artist I investigated from Serein. The main instrument is a piano, and each track has it augmented by another sound - a plucked mandolin, perhaps, or strings, or a distant train's whistle, or things less identifiable. It's stark, beautiful, and although they're not alone in the genre, Nest produces a singular sound which I have been coming back to for weeks now. It's short: a 26-minute EP, but it's a comfortable length and now that I consider it a unit I wouldn't want any more or less of it. Give it a listen, and check out Serein and their other acts.

Here's "Cad Goddeu," by Nest. If you like it, check out the rest on Serein's site.

Comments

[Oliver H Primus]

Great site guys!

Oliver

www.thefourohfive.com

[Tanner]

Lovely track -

Nice site too btw, nice assortment of music - just wanted to say thanks for the NES Mp3 post a while back, i recently reposted it to our forum.

If you're interested in Ambient / Drone / noise / psych, and it looks like you are, maybe you'd be interested in taking a look at our forums, blog, and label.

Thanks again!

www.aethereverywhere.com

[Tiffany]

ANDY MULLEN: THE TOENAIL JAR

Is He Folk Music’s New Bad Boy?

“Andy Mullen sports the rich baritone of Crash Test Dummies' Brad Roberts and a sense of humor somewhere between Bob Newhart and a classic cast of Saturday Night Live. “
_ Performing Songwriter



Andy Mullen plays music that he describes as, “folk fusion,” but don’t get the wrong idea, there is nothing sedate or staid about it. Rather, his music bursts out of the speakers in a stream of imagery and sound, and Mullen’s command of his craft is so palpable that in listening, one immediately knows they are hearing an artist with his own unique vision of life and music.

His new self-produced album, The Toenail Jar, downloadable for free at his site www.andymullenmusic.com, showcases the NYC based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist coming of age both as a musician and as a person in a multitude of ways.

His clever lyrics will instantly grab your attention, but behind the humor is a man with a fierce intelligence and the soul of a poet. His ability to fashion the insane beauty and unexpected heartache of everyday life into short, well-crafted songs with catchy melodies and sharply etched image is remarkable.” _PlanetOut.com

Featuring his exceptional finger-picking style on guitar, the songs’ arrangements are uncommonly skillful, with light and subtle touches, like the fiddle and djembe on “Sun Goes Up, Sun Goes Down,” and the galloping banjo on “Quit Quittin’,” all which inspire a quiet sense of joy and wonder.

The utterly moving “So Does The Beer” tells the story of the death of his father, who died while he recorded the album. The song is an affectingly wry observation on love and loss; his vocals perfectly convey the balance of sadness and acceptance, while never succumbing to excessive sentimentality.

“Simple and stunning acoustic folk.” _Hybrid

But the album is also a showcase for Mullen’s wry and subtly wicked sense of humor, befitting an artist who calls himself “Folk Music’s New Bad Boy.” “Crooked Deck” inspires a multitude of smiles, in his description of himself as a man in possession of only, “The same rhyme all the time/Smokes and jokes and a dozen lines/They say that all I ever sing about is booze.” It’s ironic without being at all jaded, and in that, it is utterly invigorating.

For more information on Andy Mullen, contact:

Tiffany Nathaniel
PAI Media Ink
212.206.1598
tiffany@paimedia.com

Download The Toenail Jar at: www.andymullenmusic.com

[hong]

It's been much too long since your last post. I have spent the last few months in the world of music wandering aimlessly, with no direction, no purpose. I need your guidance! Where are you?

[hong]

Over half a year and still no update! We need more robosexual.

[Eva Bunnyhead]

Wow, what a quality post. I'd never heard of this label before, I am checking their site out now.
Your description of the music they put out there sounds like it will be something new and fresh to my ears and I eagerly await a download to finish.

Have bookmarked your blog, hope you post some more gems : )

[Luosheng]

Great site!! I love it, your description of various ablums rocks!!