Yesterday my day was brightened by two radically different mash ups.
Who wouldn’t want to hear that charismatic STIFF RECORDS HITMAKER, Lene Lovich, dieting with those grimy rascals from Nottingham, the Sleaford MODS?
It is as wacky and amusing as you would hope.
And then there was a French collagist, Magdelaine, who created “There is a crack in everything” which had classy graphics in black and white. He spliced together Leonard Cohen, U2, Danish String Quartet & DR Pigekoret, Alain Souchon, Michel Berger, Souvenir, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philarmonia Orchestra…with quite glorious results.
Take a look at his back catalogue. There’s some wonderfully imaginative stuff.
Were there are musical, literary or cinematic surprises which brightened your week?
VIDEOS IN COMMENTS
Here is Lene ..
and Len.
I read that and wondered if it was the sound of them eating some crunchy salad…
I’m really liking Len/Orchestra/U2.
Those two from Nottingham & L.L. it’s OK for a listen.
Glad you like it @Pyramid.
Here’s some more stuff from MAGDELAINE.
Understanding a little French helps to really enjoy them.
The guy who did that splendid Leonard Cohen mash up is called Emmanuel Magdelaine.
And he describes himself very modestly as a Bidouilleur Musical. In English that’s a Musical Tinkerer. He promises..
Nouveaux mashups-vidéos-bidouillages chaque semaine.
His back catalogue is …formidable.
https://www.youtube.com/c/magdelaine/playlists
I was browsing around about mash ups and came across this excellent NY Times timeline.
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/01/09/magazine/mashup-timeline.html
It names Charles Ives’s CENTRAL PARK IN THE DARK from 1906 as the first sound collage.
It also mentions Stockhausen, the Beatles, Jive Bunny, the KLF, Dangermouse and the Avalanches.
When looking for something to watch earlier this week, I was pleased to discover that MUBI has added French director Louis Malle’s 1958 debut “Lift To The Gallows” (Ascender pour l’echafaud) to their catalogue. I had never seen the film, but do have the fab Miles Davis soundtrack.
I think you would love both.
Excellent suggestion @Alias. To my shame I’ve never seen the complete film. But I do know the extraordinary story of how Miles improvised the soundtrack while watching the movie…
With his French quintet of the day—Barney Wilen, tenor saxophone; Rene Urtreger, piano; Pierre Michelot, bass; Kenny Clarke, drums—Miles composed and in the late hours of December 4 and into the next day in a Paris radio station, recorded a mostly impromptu, modal series of tracks for Louis Malle’s first feature film Ascenseur pour l’echafaud (Elevator to the Gallows) released in 1958.
https://www.milesdavis.com/film/elevator-to-the-gallows/
Great comment here by a TUBER
When perfection meets in both film and music…NOIR should be defined with this clip for the ages. Nothing is better…
Ooh I just picked up the 10″ vinyl of the soundtrack the other day. It’s glorious, isnt it
Mention of Melbourne’s magnificent Avalanches on that NY TIMES timeline made me want to revisit them.
I’m glad I did.
They describe their music as PLUNDERPHONICS.
This is a musical genre which encompasses all manner of interesting artists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plunderphonics?shem=rimspwouoe
Here’s something unexpected, GRAYFOLDED, a plundertronics album based on the work of the Grateful Dead.
Very listenable.
Another magnificent, witty gem from the Avalanches
It’s the first song on this wonderful Plundertronics Playlist….
Something for KFD (@Kaisfatdad)
https://rave.dj/PmW3UErvILktTg