Dzarif Wan

Leisure

Critical Voices: James Blake, Overgrown

A sensitive dubstep artist who’s been known to collaborate with Bon Iver isn’t exactly the kind of musician you find in droves these days. So, James Blake is somewhat of an anomaly in this sense, though the tremendous appeal of his idiosyncratic, folksy electronica is impossible to deny. With his sophomore effort, Overgrown, the London-based singer-songwriter proves that he’s in no way contained within the boundaries of genre.

By April 11, 2013

Leisure

Critical Voices: Atoms for Peace, Amok

When a couple of Radiohead members, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, and a drummer from R.E.M., get in a recording studio together, it’s difficult to imagine anything mediocre coming out. Propelled by Radiohead singer-lyricist Thom Yorke, the supergroup Atoms for Peace has managed to produce Amok, a strong debut marked by magnetic bass lines and heavily produced electronics, though it doesn’t quite meet the standard expected of such a talented yet motley crew.

By February 28, 2013

Leisure

Critical Voices: Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob

An indie act’s transition into the mainstream is often fraught with risk, the familiar accusation of “selling out” typically bubbling to the surface before you can say, “radio single.” Treading this pop-laden path deftly is a daunting task, one that Canadian twins Tegan and Sara, unfortunately, fail to achieve as they make a deliberate effort to infuse more pop and electronic influences into their sound.

By January 31, 2013