A Moment of Stillness

God is an Astronaut are an instrumental Irish band formed in 2002. Their music is very similar to Mogway or Explosions in the Sky, however, there seems to be a more deep, introspective and spacious attitude in God's compositions. Therefore the name of the band his indeed what you get when you play it. This particular album, A Moment of Stillness, was an EP released in 2006, has 5 tracks and plenty of time for you to enjoy a nice dinner.

Listen to it at home, doing your day-to-day stuff. You'll feel inspired by it.

HELIGOLAND

Far from being as powerful and successful as “Mezzanine” (1998), Heligoland still is and sounds like Massive Attack. Inside, just like the previous albums, the spectrum goes from electronic to tripop. Though Splitting the Atom was the first EP, Paradise Circus is “the song” that keeps it all together. On youtube you can find the videoclip from Paradise Circus, but the interesting is that Massive Attack also promoted the song with an interview to a retired porn star. As the music rolls she talks about her movies made 50 years ago…

Where to listen: in a bar, drinking wine after mid-night, in a good company, planning something more into the night…

MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA

In 1929 Dziga Vertov directed the silent movie “Man with a movie Camera”. By 2001, the Cinematic Orchestra where asked by the organizers of Porto European City of Culture to create a soundtrack for this old picture and present it as the opening event. The live concert was a success, leading the band to tour around the world with those same songs. The album would come out in May, 2003. About the songs, they’re not easy to describe: melodic compositions where the deep bass is the main characteristic, interludes with sounds of boats, and electronic sprinkles to remember us that Cinematic Orchestra are a XXI century band.

Where to listen: pick up your mp3 player in the morning and then get into the rush of the bus, the rush of morning traffic, push play and the word “rush” will go away. In alternative, sit down listening to the album as you cross the river on a ferry boat…

JUKEBOX

Pick some old well known songs, slow the rhythm, join a powerful guitar, moist with a piano and finally, smooth it with Cat Power’s spectacular voice: there you have it, Jukebox. My favorite feminine voice album, released January 2008 begins with the Frank Sinatra’s hit, New York, New York, a wonderful re-interpretation, which nowadays sounds better than the original version (I apologize to all Sinatra’s fans).

Where to listen: to take the full experience out of this album you need to get into Cat’s shoes, meaning, drink at least two glasses of wine, turn the lights of and light up a quiet candle. Listen it loud, loud enough to fill up your room with her voice.

TRANS CANADA HIGHWAY

The band Boards of Canada was formed by two brothers, Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin, in 1986. Their music appeals to sounds of nature, like if you where floating along a river with your eyes closed and listening to music from a seventy's stereo hifi. Their sound is full of small electronic noises resembling a vinyl stylus playing the same record over and over. Launched in 2006, Trans Canada Highway is a 6 track EP by this duo: the songs are peaceful and worriless, without being boring.

Where to listen: the name of the album couldn't be more appropriate, since you can hear it driving along for miles. It's a petty it only lasts 28 minutes...

THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

Created in 1973, it remained on the US Billboard Chart for 14 consecutive years. It represents the peak of Pink Floyd's creativity, along with new recording techniques. This album is the true "concept album" and should be part of everyone's personal collection, no matter if you heard it on tape, cd or even MP3. But sincerely... nothing sounds greater than the old, big, black vinyl!



Where to listen: home, alone, quietly sitting on your couch, drinking your favourite scotch, or Port Wine, don't let nothing bother you for 45 minutes. At the end you'll feel repaired.