Will the Avalanches ever release a follow up?

[portiss]

“Frankie Sinatra” was the most challenging track to complete, with the pair working through over 100 mixes in a two-and-a-half year span.” The same can’t be said for several of the pair’s personal favorites, which failed to make the album, because “they didn’t fit the overall feeling of the record … Once we had the feeling right we just built upon it, selected tracks that fit it. It was kind of like making a mixtape.” However, these unreleased tracks could see release later this year in an archival box set.

Oh shit! There might be more coming this year as well!

[Nottoolate]

http://www.theavalanches.com/

SO.

Preordered that shit in record time. The Australian shop gets some cool bundled goodies (shirts, posters, and buttons), Vinyl Me Please is doing limited edition red colored vinyl (international I suppose), XL has the standard vinyl for the EU, Newbury is doing a limited edition alternate cover (probably US), and for now the US shop has standard CD and Vinyl options. Apparently people who preorder now in the US (such as myself) will receive "Exclusive merch upgrades" emails on June 10th. So I'm really excited to see what that is!

[The Telepathic Kid]

Also, I'm really surprised by the things people are saying about their first album. It just sounds like pretty boring dance music to me. Nothing I haven't heard before.

Alright here we go;

You know what that thing in music is which keeps you coming back? Everyone has one, you could call it a buzz, an energy, it's that supernatural feeling which is comparable to unadulterated joy, grief, blissful love, despair.
You can't explain why it happens, but it happens. Only a few records do that for me, like Astral Weeks, Bryter Layter, Geogaddi, to name a few.

Since I Left You also does this, as well. I feel it's more than dance music, because it can't be played at a club, it's not just background music because it's far too rich and textured. and despite its creation it's barely electronic because it's made entirely from sampled material.
Now you can say it's another Endtroducing, and I love Endtroducing, that's a great record. But for me, that record is painted blues and greys.
Since I Left You runs the gamut of blues, reds, brilliant yellows and shimmering greens. By this I mean it's an evolving and imaginative journey, one which stimulates every part of my body from my brain, to my head, all the way to my feet.
It's more ambitious and eventful with its highs and lows, and the stylistic range of the record is unmatched in modern music.

Since I Left You is also more than just dance music in that due to the nature of its creation it feels like a living breathing organic thing. The way it's structured in how the samples are looped, and are brought in and out of the mix are reminiscent of the cover art.
The record is continuously moving in waves, like tide lapping around your ankles as you walk along the beach at 2 am after a party with your lover.
The way the tracks segue into each other also help confirm this idea, and I guess due to this the record has grown with me as I've aged. I've found deeper joys in its textures, and I've found value in repeat listens as I always take away something. As I've aged, it's moved from simply dance music into something more emotionally affecting and enthralling.

That's it in short, I can go deeper into it if you need.

[A_Northern_Soul]

So good to hear new Avalanches- the new one will take a few listens, but it's pretty good and I'm keen to hear more.

As for SILY, I don't think it's fair to dismiss as "boring dance music" - it's a really special album. It's one that really seemed to connect with people - I know I associate with a lot of nice memories; very specific to a time and place. And strangely everyone I know who likes the album says similar - it has an ability to work it's way into you...

[Skimming Stone]

Repeated listens over the last few days are definitely indicating that SILY is something special. Calling it boring dance music is doing it such a huge disservice. I love Entroducing but for me this is on a whole new level.

Also thanks for bringing up Astral Weeks TTK, I've been meaning to check that out for a while.

[North by North]

“Frankie Sinatra” was the most challenging track to complete, with the pair working through over 100 mixes in a two-and-a-half year span.” The same can’t be said for several of the pair’s personal favorites, which failed to make the album, because “they didn’t fit the overall feeling of the record … Once we had the feeling right we just built upon it, selected tracks that fit it. It was kind of like making a mixtape.” However, these unreleased tracks could see release later this year in an archival box set.

Oh shit! There might be more coming this year as well!

Would be a treat to say the least!

The MF Doom appearance was also a nice surprise.

[The Telepathic Kid]

I sincerely think SILY has more in common with records like Pet Sounds or The Soft Bulletin rather than an average dance record.

[Skimming Stone]

New track is brilliant. I am officially excited for this. Not expecting a masterpiece, but more top notch tracks like this would be amazing.

[Perch]

Singles, anyone?





What are your thoughts?

[Berselius]

Also, they uploaded their full Primavera set - you can listen to it here: https://www.mixcloud.com/stereoscent/th ... desk-tape/

"Put this show together an hour before showtime after visa fuckups nixed our live band plans. Thank fuck we had our vinyl with us. Special thanks and much love to Jamie xx who came through for us with the classic 'good times' acapella at the last moment! Mixing is ruff as fuck, but that's the way we roll. None of this ableton bullshit, this is punk rock kids!” - The Avalanches

[The Telepathic Kid]

Colours is nice, Frankie Sinatra didn't do much for me.

[Perch]

I feel the same, Frankie Sinatra to me felt like something I'd hear in a comedy movie. Colours, however, I've been playing nonstop since last night. I love it, but I think part of the reason I keep wanting to hear it is its lack of clarity. Between the reverse stuff and the completely drowned out vocals, it's hinting at sounds that I want to hear but can't.

[Kyla]

I think it's unanimous that Frankie Sinatra is a major... "16 years ! really Avalanches ??"
I love colours. But I'm not entirely sold on the Len like vocals in it.

[Berselius]

I really like Subways, and also Going Home is stuck in my head - really looking forward to this album.

[Scotronica]

Wildflower such a headphone album - a worthy successor indeed

[Nottoolate]

Yeah after like 10 listens I can confirm that this album is fucking amazing

[Nottoolate]

Yeah after like 10 listens I can confirm that this album is fucking amazing

[Mexicola]

First listen last night. Loved it on the whole, but I need to give it time to sink in I feel.

[The Telepathic Kid]

ultimately how I feel after... I dunno how many listens, a lot, I've come to this verdict;

It's great, a good return, doesn't touch SILY, but not much else made by man does.
I appreciate the shift in focus from string sections and disco on the first record to pastoral folk, hip hop and psychedelia on the new one.
Wildflower lacks in most places where SILY succeeds, like the songwriting, the transitions and the feel of melancholy which SILY had.

The songs feel less like fully formed ideas and more like short motifs which are transitioned between over the course of an hour. Perfect example is The Wozard of Iz, which isn't even a full track, it's two halves, and I Wish I Was a Folkstar isn't really a song, it just fades into view, and then halfway through Toro Y Moi sings for a bit, and then it ends. While the initial little idea is amazing and I can listen to that loop they put together on repeat for ever, it never really changes melodically or progresses.
Also Subways, which again, I really think the initial idea is pretty wonderful, Warm Ride is an underrated classic, but it just moves lazily between two ideas, and it feels like the track is stagnant by about 2 minutes in.

The only track that has any movement melodically without any wild change up or 180 flip from what I can hear is Harmony, and that's by far my favourite track on the record.

The record, even in it's meatier and longer songs, feels far too fragmented, and the transitions don't feel like smooth segues between the tracks, but either crossfades, or the use of vocal samples and found sounds helping the transition. Nothing like the string of tracks from Flight Tonight to A Different Feeling, where the beat is completely unbroken and seemingly keeps the same tempo (I'm sure there's slight adjustments here and there, but they're geniuses so they know how to disguise it.)

The interludes are hit and miss for me, some of them feel very necessary in that they provide a melodic idea or a worthwhile transition, like the title track or Livin' Underwater. Others feel forced and unnecessary, like Light Up.

The guest spots are great, and fit really well into the aesthetic of the record. In particular Jonathon Donahue's vocal contributions on Colours and Kaleidoscopic Lovers feel as if they're sampled, which is what I assume they were going for.

Despite my issues previously stated, it's incredibly listenable. It's so easy to put on and let it play while walking or just chilling. It's fun, warm, and more nostalgic and glistening than SILY. In comparison it makes their first record look morose and desperately longing (which it is, but the comparison accentuates it)

While I'm not huge on comparing records, when you release a mammoth which rocks the entire music world and then stay quiet for over a decade, the follow up will be subject to comparisons.

It's definitely not a failure, and it may be a quiet triumph, but it's not a masterpiece like I've seen people say.

Overall a great, yet flawed record., and is very tentatively on my loved list.

[Skimming Stone]

Completely agreed on pretty much everything you said TTK. Good album, but doesn't hold a candle to SILY.