Download the release: Hi Rez ZIP or a smaller VBR ZIP

The dark wet streets sparkle with reflections of neon signs, break lights and mercury lamps. A pulsating aura emanates from cavernous bars, who’s dim atmosphere provides a solace from the harsh reality of daytime life. The drizzle doesn’t impede large crowds from lining the sidewalks, and if anything, adds to the overall brilliance by covering everything in a glistening mist. Almost everyone is in costume – bright clothing, futuristic hairstyles, metal chains, spikes, necklaces, ear-nose-lip-brow ring-studs, over-sized fake-diamond-encrusted glasses. Maybe this is the future we read about in sci-fi novels (minus all the post-apocalyptic drama). Or another planet, somewhere far away from mother earth… Or maybe a dream – an outgrowth of our innermost desires imprinted onto the real world, a fantasy. The neon lights must have generated some sort of portal into this strange world where the unpleasant details, so acutely accentuated by the relentless daylight, are blurred and distorted into agreeable forms, where we can forget about our petty ambitions and abandon the search for meaningless metaphysical entities such as purpose, meaning, reason, love, happiness and maybe for once, actually experience them as they are meant to be experienced – deep down inside – through our primitive animal unindividualized self.

all music by Slava
cover art by Jay Throne

you can also see/download the release on archive.org
or here

Slava on myspace

For your ambient listening pleasure, Moment Sound’s own Lokua has made another contribution to the net-audio community w/ his second release “Water Rock” available for free download at Soft Phase net-label.

Hi, everybody! Next up is another of my favorites! The mighty Protman!

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He is a programmer, an artisan, a craftsman and a musician. All my favorites in this series have this in common: they love what they do, they do it very well, and what they do is electronic music. I’ve witnessed Protman (aka Joe Hahn) create many clever set-ups using video game controllers. On one occasion, during his set at our Electro Buffet series, he danced along with patrons on the dancefloor – all while playing an Xbox360 controller and a Dance Dance Revolution Pad. But my favorite thing about Protman are his rich electronic textures. I also like Protman because when it comes to electronic music, and programing your own interface, he is one of the best in Chicago!
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Protman myspace link

Zip file of recent performance at the Empty Bottle

protman.com

Moment Sound is happy to be part of the annual Motion Graphics Festival!

In its 6th year, MGFest stands as the premier US event showcasing creative motion picture design. The festival presents a year-long, regionally focused program of events focusing on motion design, sound design, and interactivity by hosting: art showcases, workshops, classes, panel discussions, studio tours, theater screenings and industry mixers.

Moment Sound artists will perform at the festival opening after party at the Burlington as well as the Installation Art Showcase (see the events section on the right)

$7 gets you entry to all MGFest events (RSVP on MGFest.com required for each event)

Download the whole release: Hi Rez ZIP or a smaller VBR ZIP

Yet another Chicago artists with a very unique style of his own, Blackdaylight cooks up a deep dish of trip-hop grooves. Sonically heavy, Black’s infusion of gritty vocals and acoustic samples over a sort of 808 purism is cosmic-tribal. The live recordings have sometimes have a rough, raw sound, resulting in very warm and personal feel. It is “deep in the sheets” music – sensual, throbbing and grimy. And while there is certainly a fair amount of “daylight”, the larger portion of this album is dark and serious. Imagine yourself standing on a rooftop watching the city burn as tracks like Quicksand bang relentlessly. This is mood music – intoxicating.

visit Blackdaylight on Myspace

you can download individual songs here: release on archive.org

if for some reason that doesn’t work, then here

…a downtempo set (for the most part) from april 2007 performed with an electribe es1

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later we’ll fire up the percolator

A mix of hot stew – cut up, edited and mashed – from Noleian!
Dark, dirty yet soft and warm at all at once.

links:
black tekno
myspace
audio hosted by infinite state machine

Out of the blue a band called The Bees Knees have emerged and left every dance-floor they’ve played soaked with the sweat of able bodies. Be it a hard core hip-hop crowd, gay stand-up comedy fans, or electronic music geeks such as myself, everybody goes ape shit (just when I thought hipsters couldn’t dance any more retarted). This kind of crowd response is usually reserved for die-hard fans of super-status acts, yet The Bees command the same sort attention from complete strangers. They are the total package of talent, originality, fun, good looks (a marketer’s dream), and while the people shake their goods I can’t help but think it’s only a matter of time before they are signed, sealed, and delivered. I’m almost scared to see what they’ll sound like after some weathering. The lovely Billi D on vocals, S2 on sax, Wizabee on Guitar, and the one Scottfree holding down beats, synths, and other scapes are doing the damn thing. Keep an eye out and if you live in or near Chicago be sure to catch one of their performances (they only play like, every week). Peep the demo and links below for more info.
-Lokua

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Last month my good friend Ari AKA Release celebrated his debut LP. Four years in the making, Release From Within is a 23 song labor of love featuring many Chicago based MCs and singers, as well as instrumentals often maintaining a unique air of humility (like my personal favorite “Young Sun”). The entire album can be downloaded for free at Cypher Infinitum (be sure to check out Lord 360’s weekly comic strip Anti-Pop Gun while you’re there).

-Lokua

Hi, everybody! It’s me, Uncle Garo, and I’m doing a series highlighting some of my favorite electronic musicians. There are many here in Chicago and abroad, but I guess I’ll just have to start one by one…
This is Ipaghost:

Ipaghost is one of the most creative and hard working musicians in Chicago. His style is one of my favorites. Think IDM, Electro, video game music on amphetamines and steroids. I’ve watched Ipaghost play many times, and I must say, he has a serious command over his machines and performance. Here are some links to his music and related projects:

An excellent Live PA he did at our Darkroom night:

Some more songs.

MySpace.

Iron Chef of Music event series.

You know, my friends, it warms my heart when an electronic musician is working hard for the people; an artist who presents their improvisation, ideas, and machinery in a cohesive, enlightening and well crafted manner. Stay tuned for part 2 of “These are a few of my favorite things.”

Here is a two part mix of classic hip hop instrumentals featuring some of my biggest inspirations like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, RZA, Large Professor, J-Dilla, Molemen, Diamond D, etc. Most tracks are from the mid to late 90s but there quite a few from the late 80s and 00s. I apologize for not providing a track-list but if you want to know what’s what, email me (lokua@momentsound.com) with the time the track occurs and I will do my best to honor your request.

Download: 320 kbps ZIP (hi rez) or VBR ZIP (lower rez, smaller file) *if the links don’t work try the ones at the bottom of this post

A Waveplant is a union between different elements that combine to create a singularity with hybrid vigor. Rather than keeping strictly with any genre, Waveplant extends this idea into tracks and scores that share this blend of approach: fresh and forward, human and resonant.

The music featured on this release was created by taking fragments of live improvisation sessions, and combining them into new tracks in realtime. In essence, it is an album about using the studio to boil down the best aspects of live performance to a concise whole.

There are 2 sets, downtempo (1 – 5) and minimal house (6 – 8), each with different scenes, or tracks that are meant to be listened continuously.

Waveplant website: www.waveplantstudios.com

you can download individual songs here: www.archive.org/details/moment_004

***if the above download links do not work you can also download the ZIP file here as well as individual songs here: http://momentsound.com/releases/moment_004_waveplant/

I’ve been listening to The Opus (Mr. Echoes and The Isle Of Weight) for well over a decade. They were the first hip hop producers I’ve seen bring all their hard-ware to a show and improvise live on the spot, causing heads and bodies to violently sway as if possesed. The world’s greatest beat-makers all have their signature. Dj Premier mastered the chop, Pete Rock brought a lot of soul, J-Dilla brought that bounce, the wompy bassline. The Opus’ sound is most recognized by their use of hard-hitting drums and intense break-like patterns. Moods ranging from war-like to enlightened are all spoken for. To put it simply, they are DOPE AS HELL. On top of being underground heroes here in Chicago, The Opus has also worked with an impressive list of world reknown artists such as DJ Krush, Aesop Rock, and Murs to name a few. This live-set is from Moment 8. For more about The Opus visit www.theopusonline.com
-Lokua

download the release:
high quality zip | slightly lower quality zip

Moment Sound celebrates the release of “Sunflower”, a diverse collection of songs from one of our primary founders, Slava. For the past several years Slava has been playing and organizing events throughout Chicago focusing on the advancement of live electronic music and art culture. Like his many performances, Sunflower spans a wide array of styles while maintaining a certain atonement that is uniquely “Slava”.

Beyond the use of complex harmonies and unpredictable yet familiar melody lines is an almost obsessive approach to texture and timing. This is what happens when you put a jazz-man on a beat machine. His coolness transcends the temporality of trend and the artistic result is well-rounded music. Simultaneously ingenious and humble, the overall sound of this release can be described as contemplative, ambient yet attention grabbing, aromatic. Stay tuned for more release and live recordings from Slava in the near future.
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