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Runtime: 20'03''
«Now for some easy chillout breaks, for a change. LA based Norman Fairbanks doesn't do what we like to call 'difficult listening music'. No, he doesn't. Instead, he crafts some of the best lie-down-and-try-not-to-think kind of tunes that I've had the pleasure to listen to this year. Take a look at his website and tell me if those Hollywood streets aren't just the perfect scenario to enjoy the kind of lush downbeat tracks that make up this Graceland EP, while driving to your Corvette at cruise speed.
If you've listened to Norman's previous release on Pentagonik - West Hollywood EP -, you'll see that this is a rather different outfit. Instead of electro beats we've got smooth pads. Instead of body dance music we've got mind chill electronica.
Opener 'PCH1' stands for 'Pacific Coast Highway 1' and features very nice drumpads and all around great chillness. Sooothing synth melodies and quirky old school hi-hats with a dubbish reverb feel are also included.
'Mystified' goes back to Boards of Canada's earlier future nostalgia material, nineties. Starts off with acoustic guitar plucking, very pastoral, and turns into the most danceable track of the EP.
'90026' goes more downbeat ways again with more old school synth lines, and 'Graceland' finishes off with more upbeat beat programming, close enough to minimal techno that one could easily dance to it.
This EP perfectly encapsulates the sunset drive-by-feel of hollywood streets and boulevards. Chillout, LA style. Enjoy.» - Pedro Leitão |
Downloads:
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• PCH1 ........................................................................................ |
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[5'32'' • 7,62Mb • 192Kbps] |
| 02 |
• Mystified ................................................................................. |
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[4'00'' • 9,16Mb • 320Kbps] |
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• 90026 ....................................................................................... |
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[4'23'' • 10,0Mb • 320Kbps] |
| 04 |
• Graceland ............................................................................... |
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[6'08'' • 14,0Mb • 320Kbps] |
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• artwork ................................................................................... |
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[PDF-Zip • 1,76Mb] |
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• all tracks + artwork ................................................................ |
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[Zip • 37,6Mb] |
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Reviews:
«Norman Fairbanks y su álbum "Graceland EP" (tube039). Un chillout que contiene cuatro temas de electrónica displicente y emotiva. Desde las calles de Hollywood, nacido en 1968 ha trabajado en varias publicaciones. Ha compuesto, como el dice: montado en su courbet descapotable donde las filas de palmeras lo han acompañado toda su vida. Lo dicho, desde laberintos plásticos hasta playas de agrado, este sello nos muestra muchas versiones de artistas independientes que ponen aquí una de sus obras para ser bajadas líbremente y dar a conocer así sus oficios. Piezas recomendables.»
- Caja Musical / July 19, 2006
«Norman hat das Team gewechselt. Neu ist er bei Test Tube unter Vertrag. Sein früherer Release unter Pentagonik ist kaum mit dieser EP vergleichbar: Sanft kommts daher, manchmal fast zu sanft. So hat man beim Intro das Gefühl, dass es bald voll abgehen würde, doch schnell mal schieben sich ruhige Pads unter den Beat und lassen dich zurücklehnen.»
- Starfrosch / May 09, 2006
«Ein neues ambient meisterwerk gibt es auf testtube, dem portugiesischem vorzeigelabel für ambiente und experimentelle chill out-klänge. Norman Fairbanks hat hier ein wunderbares werk erschaffen. Irgendwo zwischen fax- und elektrolux-haften klängen wird der hörer in einer traumlandschaft gefangen aus der es nur dann einen ausweg gibt, wenn der player nicht im repeatmodus läuft. Leider sind die zwanzig minuten laufzeit viel zu kurz, aber es ist ja auch nur eine ep.
Norman ist ja vielleicht dem ein oder der anderen noch im ohr mit seinem letzten release auf pentagonik, welches ja auch hier besprochen wurde. Auch auf seiner homepage liegen die ein oder anderen sounds, alle extem hörenswert und in bester qualität.
Ein name der bestimmt noch für so einige zauberhafte hörgenüsse verantwortlich sein wird.»
- Mogwai's Blog / April 27, 2006
«La nouvelle sortie de Test Tube n'est pas forcément des plus passionnantes, à mon goût. Très (trop ?) ambiante, voire new age. Bon, c'est loin d'être désagréable, honnêtement, mais ce n'est pas non plus transcendant, comme du sous William Orbit (période Torch Song) en quelque sorte. Après une bonne journée, en sirotant une bière, ça passe facilement. De là à dresser une statue, non.
Par contre, techniquement, c'est très propre.»
- LaFresto / April 11, 2006
«It is still very early in the morning, and i am listening to 'Graceland EP', the new Norman Fairbanks for Test tube.
The sky is bright white as the ones in the pictures on Fairbanks website and artwork. Nothing is moving around, except some seagulls turning and going from a roof to another. A quick glance on the tracks: "PVH1 - Mystified (a probable index for an investigation which will not happen, it is too early) - 90026 - Graceland (who still cares) - then, what remains of these 4 tracks? an indefinable charm? an air tune of guitar (mystified)? yes, it seems that it is partly a question of air in there, but a car is passing in the street and my thought with it. "Graceland" wakes me up from my torpor, and i still want to play it again. Norman Fairbanks hides behind a certain vacuity of things, one calls it: to have elegance.»
- Thierry Massard / April 06, 2006 |
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Copyleft:
cover:
©2005 Norman Fairbanks
©2006 aeriola::behaviour
music:
©2005, 2006 Norman Fairbanks
©2006 test tube
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