These are the tunes that have been on high rotation inside and outside the ENCODER Sound Mastering Studio over the last few weeks. Available in playlist form at your preferred streaming service, follow the links: Spotify | Apple Music [If you really love an artist’s music, scoot over to Bandcamp to send them a few dollars more directly]
Ruby Fields — Airport Cafe, Been Doin’ It For a Bit (2021) — A magic vocal performance. And this style of intimate vocal moving to an explosion of polished garage guitars is lovely.
How to Destroy Angels — Parasite, Welcome Oblivion (2013) — The whispering vocals contrast the gritty distorted textures in an interesting way. Similar to Nine Inch Nails the hooky pop aesthetic is not lost in the sonic experiments. [Originally on the How to Destroy Angels EP (2010) release but exists in Apple Music as a bonus track on Welcome Oblivion]
Spoon — The Hardest Cut, Lucifer on the Sofa (2022) — I love Spoon’s stripped back orchestration. Just a nice hook, a catchy riff, and played with intent.
Gotye — Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra), Making Mirrors — Super big tune, really nice storytelling. The arrangement is beautiful in the way melodies are handed around between instruments and samples.
Lonesome Dove — Burning Bridges, Awwww EP (2021) — I’m finding this the catchiest tune on this playlist, leaving the studio with it circulating in my head. There’s a honest rawness to it.
Methyl Ethyl — Ubu, Everything is Forgotten (2017) — A West Australian classic tune. Nice, loosely layered vocals and some really cool ear candy in the upper mid-range, I think they are processed claps and percussion, which sounds awesome.
Beck — Diamond Bollocks, Mutations (1998) — I love the drum kit on this track, and the vocals sit really nicely. As is common on Beck’s best work there are some twists and turns that keep the track interesting.
alt-J — In Cold Blood, Relaxer (2007) — Nice chunky guitars on this track and the horns sit really well in the mix.
PJ Harvey — Big Exit, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2020) — The chord progression moving into the chorus is awesome, low and powerful. Compression kinda clamps down on the chorus dynamics wise, but it’s a high energy vibe.
Holy Holy — True Lovers, Paint (2017) — I really like the vocal production on this, super transparent and subtle. It has a similar thickness to the production of Ubu, mentioned above.