New Röyksopp- Junior

Just checked out part of the new Röyksopp album "Junior" out today on their website. Love the first track I heard called "Royksopp Forever." Fitting, since I think I'll be a fan of them forever!

Keep chillin'

Chris

Great chillout tracks at M2 chillout!

Check out M2chillout for some great chillout tracks. The French not only know wine and cheese, but they know how to chill as well.

Listening to Goodbye by Mauro Picotto right now and it's very chill.

Here's the link again- http://www.m2radio.fr/index.php?m2=chillout

Keep chillin'!

Review- Chillout Sessions XI

Ministry of Sound- Chillout Sessions XI

This compilation was very hit and miss. As I mentioned on Twitter to @Brett Borders it sounds like whoever put this compilation together recently fell in love with 80’s synth pop. A lot of the songs fit that mold but there is a section on the second disc that really hits the mark. Perhaps the presence of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” was the reason they went for the 80’s synth pop sound, but doing so turned it into a dance album rather than a chillout album. The aforementioned middle section and end of the album really saved it from being a total loss. I still recommend picking this one up as it does have some very good tracks.

Here are the highlights-

Weird Fishes/Arpeggi from Radiohead’s most recent release appears on this compilation but it seems out of place on a chillout compilation. It’s great to have Radiohead on a chillout compilation, but I would have went with All I Need, Nude, or House of Cards from that album, which are definitely more chill than this track. Since this one wasn’t really a downtempo album, I can see why they decided to include it. I was hoping for at least a remix of this track from In Rainbows, but it is just the album version. There’s an urgency in this track in the pace of music as well as the lyrics. He talks about escaping to follow a loved one. I’d say that’s quite an urgent matter and would be a very good reason NOT to chill. House of Cards has the perfect downtempo beat and light guitar which make it a much better fit here. But I digress...

After the Radiohead track, a cover of Teardrop (one of my favorites from Massive Attack) is done very nicely with acoustic guitar by Jose Gonzalez.

So Sorry follows up Teardrop as another acoustic number and Leslie Feist puts on a great vocal performance, which makes it simply a great chillout song. “Les” is more in this case (so sorry, bad pun!)

Made in the Dark- Hot Chip

Sounds like something you’d hear in a dark, smoky hotel bar with a guy on piano. Very nice vocals with bluesy background guitar make it a winner.

Ghosts (Modwheel Mood Remix)- Ladytron

(this one is from my notes during my listening session)

FINALLY! A true downtempo mix after a ton of 80’s synth pop tracks. Nice slow beat, trippy female vocals with ghost-like/haunting effect- very fitting to title of the track.

Great guitar on the bridge and towards the end…end sort of sounds like Joy Division.

I’m not sure if I really like this song or I’m just happy there’s finally a true chillout song on this album.

With You Forever- PNAU

This decent track closes out the first disc. Has a light beat with some airy vocals and leads us out of the disaster that is the first disc on a higher note.

Above the Clouds- Aeroplane

This was a great chillout track that built nicely with a cool synth melody to go along with a catchy guitar rhythm in the background.

Here Today- Al Usher

A great driving bass line and synth percussion melody with some airy effects in the middle makes this my favorite on the compilation.

Love Love Love- Low Motion Disco

Sexy track that continues the great beat from Here Today…great transition from the previous track. Great vocals that echo the Beatles in saying “All we need is love”

Great piano accompaniment helps makes this a favorite as well.

Folk I Farta- DiskJokke

Huh? This one also has some interesting piano work at the beginning that leads into a great bass line and a funky synth melody. Very cool synth whistling, then it all comes together 3 minutes in. For such a weird title it’s definitely worth the listen!

Tiergarten (Supermayer Remix)- Rufus Wainwright

The closing track has a nice churning beat. Some very cool operatic chanting leads into the verses. Some creepy bells and the sound of rain lead us out of the compilation. Definitely another great late night listening track.

Tracklisting from Wikipedia

Disc One

1. Kasper Bjorke feat. Allison Pierce - "Doesn't Matter (Trentemøller remix)"
2. Radiohead - "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi"
3. José González - "Teardrop"
4. Feist - "So Sorry"
5. Lisa Mitchell - "Neopolitan Dreams"
6. Bat For Lashes - "What's a Girl To Do?"
7. Ratatat - "Falcon Jab"
8. Hot Chip - "Made In The Dark"
9. The Presets - "If I Know You"
10. Sam Sparro - "Black & Gold"
11. Empire of the Sun - "Walking on a Dream"
12. MGMT - "Electric Feel"
13. Cut Copy - "Feel The Love"
14. Sébastien Tellier - "Divine"
15. Ted & Francis - "Erlend"
16. Metronomy - "Heartbreaker"
17. Ladytron - "Ghosts (Modwheel Mood Remix)"
18. The Do - "On My Shoulders"
19. PNAU - "With You Forever"

[edit] Disc Two

1. Aeroplane - "Above the Clouds"
2. Al Usher - "Here Today"
3. Low Motion Disco - "Love Love Love"
4. Mission Control - "Innerspace (Long John Saliva remix)"
5. Kaoru Inoue - "The Secret Field (Todd Terje remix)"
6. Popular Computer feat. Pacific!) - "Lost & Found"
7. Shazam - "Luckier"
8. 40 Thieves feat. Qzen - "Don't Turn it Off"
9. Cazals - "Life is Boring (Ali Love/Harder Remix)"
10. Amy Winehouse - "Tears Dry on Their Own (Al Usher Remix)"
11. CSS - "Move (Cut Copy Remix)"
12. Panthers - "Goblin City (Holy Ghost Remix)"
13. Black Kids - "Hurricane Jane (Twelves Mix)"
14. Bag Raiders - "Shooting Stars"
15. Fred Falke - "909 PM at the Beach"
16. Pacific! - "Break Your Social System"
17. DiskJokke - "Folk I Farta"
18. Rufus Wainwright - "Tiergarten (Supermayer Remix)"

Blip.FM!

What a great tool to use on Twitter and add to a website. Check out my Blip.fm station at the bottom of the page.

It's pretty addicting and so far I've been able to find all but one song I was looking for. Check it out!

Chillin' at work?

One of the main reasons I got so heavily into chillout music was the fact that I could listen to it for hours at work and it seemed to pass the time.



What got you into chillout? What are some of your favorite compilations? I want to hear from you!

I think my favorite (at least my "go to") compilation is Ultra Chilled 01 which I reviewed previously here on ChilloutScene.com. Anything by Zero 7 or St Germain is usually going to suck me in.

James Talk

I stumbled upon this great mix from James Talk on the Ministry of Sound Club website today.

http://club.ministryofsound.com/club/newsfeed/article/jamestalkmix

It's more of a trance/club mix than a chillout mix, per se, but it is a nice light mix with a great dance beat. He brings in some horns throughout the mix as well. James Talk appeared at the London club this past Saturday (28 Feb). If anyone has been there before or can provide a review from last night, email me at chilloutscene@gmail.com and I will post your review to the blog.

On a side note, I am going to start a forum to discuss the Chillout scene. Anything goes. The music including artists and albums, chillout clubs and bars, etc.