Electronic Musician of Many Monikers Remixes Passion Pit, Animal Collective and More

Carlos Pesina is a complex and colorful experimental remix artist and musician from Guadalahara, Mexico. He produces and remixes music under various monikers – Los Amparito, Pepepe and Pesina Siller – on multiple indie labels, which makes it difficult to write about his work.

Nevertheless, his electronic, micro-sampling remixes brim with cheerful, eccentric, esoteric, sublime, even dreamy sounds. In and around Guadalahara, Pesina is best known as Pepepe. The latter is the chosen moniker for his latest album, and second release for indie record label The Poni Republic, Roba Orgón De Plantas Y Animales (available as a free download; see link below).

Recently, Pesina produced a remix of “Little Secrets” for a Passion Pit remix contest to promote the band’s new album Manners. In addition, he created a remix of “Bros” – a standout track from the classic 2008 indie solo release Person Pitch by Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox (aka, Panda Bear), plus a remix of the Animal Collective track “Brothersport” from this year’s most brilliant psyche pop release, Merriweather Post Pavilion.

“Little Secrets” (Passion Pit Remix) – Carlos Pesina, unreleased (2009)

“Stacey You Are A Monster” (Unsexy Nerd Ponies Remix) – Pepepe from Remixes (2008)

“Mirar A Los Ojos Es De Mal Gusto”Pepepe from Roba Orgón De Plantas Y Animales (2009)

“Jacinto Cenobio”Pepepe featuring Cyane from Roba Orgón De Plantas Y Animales (2009)

“Bros” (Panda Bear Remix)Los Amparito

“Brothersport” (Hermano Sport Mix)Los Amparito

Free Download: Roba Orgón De Plantas Y Animales

Pepepe on MySpace

Watch some of Pesina’s self-produced videos on Vimeo.

Among his musical influences, Pesina lists Stereolab, Bjork, The Kinks, Mouse on Mars and many others.

New Album Covers Revealed: Animal Collective and White Denim, Concerts and New Songs

The music blog Gorilla vs. Bear has revealed two new album covers from forthcoming releases by Animal CollectiveSummertime Clothes, due out July 7; and White DeminFits, due out June 22. If anyone has found the track listing for Summertime Clothes, please share.

A track from the upcoming White Demin album has already made the rounds and it’s an interesting, but welcomed, change-up from the alternative garage rockers. “Mirrored and Reversed” is spacey rock; esoteric, driving psychedelic jam.

“Mirrored and Reversed”White Demin from Fits (out June 22)

Last week, Animal Collective premiered a new song, “Bleed”, on NPR’s coverage of the band’s performance at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.

“Bleed”Animal Collective from upcoming release Summertime Clothes.

In case you missed Animal Collective last week on Letterman performing Summertime Clothes, one of the best songs on the magnificent, soon-to-be classic Merriweather Post Pavilion. No one knows what the deal is with the illuminated maggots dancing and writhing in the background, but hey, it is Animal Collective.

Here’s the setlist from the 9:30 Club-NPR performance that you can stream here.

01 “Chocolate Girl”
02 “Summertime Clothes”
03 “Guys Eyes”
04 “What Would I Want Sky”
05 “Comfy In Nautica”
06 “My Girls”
07 “Slippi”
08 “Daily Routine”
09 “Bleed”
10 “Lablakely Dress/Fireworks”
11 “Banshee Beat”
12 “Who Could Win a Rabbit”
13 “Brother Sport”

IRC Artist of the Month: Joseph Denney, aka Spirit Spine

Spirit Spine self portrait
New musicians popping up in recent weeks are beginning to make 2009 look like a promising year for indie rock, electronica and pop.

Yet another relatively unknown talent has caught our attention, and we think his sound will appeal to many people who have reacted so positively to Blind Man’s Colours’ post a couple of weeks ago.

Joseph Denney, aka, Spirit Spine, is a freshmen at Indiana University in Bloomington, who began a “music project” last fall that friends encouraged. His friends were right to encourage him. The result is a collection of sprawling, dreamy, psychedelic and pop-oriented songs that we keep playing again and again.

“My new album,” Denney wrote in an email to IRC, “is self-titled and has been compared to “Panda Bear + MGMT + New Order” and ‘The Beach Boys fronted by Lou Reed high on Nyquil and Redbull’ I was greatly influenced by Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” Technique as well as Surf Rock and 80’s Pop.”

That’s an excellent comparison. You can hear more of his other influences – like Joy Division and Beck, in Denney’s music as well, not to mention the obvious Animal Collective influences.

Denney says he created all of the music using the the computer software program Garageband on the Mac and some 8-tracking. This is an amazing example of how one talented young musician in the technological age can write, record, manufacture, distribute and market his own music for the rest of us to enjoy.

Highlights from Spirit Spine’s debut include “Trickledown”, “Crashers (Highs and Lows)”, “Heart Races”, “Raptures” and “Faustian Vice”.

Spirit Spine is a force to be reckoned with in 2009, and hopefully many of you will agree. The album Spirit Spine is available on iTunes through Lovegiffrae Records.

“Trickledown”Spirit Spine from s/t
“Crashers (Highs and Lows)” Spirit Spine from s/t

Spirit Spine MySpace page

Check back for a follow-up review on this amazing indiest of indie releases for 2009.


Animal Collective Releases Stunning New Video for "My Girls"

The wild popularity of Animal Collective’s newest release, Merriweather Post Pavilion, has fans and music critics already calling it one of the best albums of the year. Hello? It’s only January.

Under usual circumstances, this would be enough to hold off for a while before making such a proclamation. But after listening to Merriweather over and again, it’s hard to believe that it will fizzle out or lose its appeal coming later this year. It’s just amazing!

Right now the band has an awesome Flash-created music video unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Yet best of all it’s for the amazing, sweeping and sparkly song, “My Girls”. Click the photo above to start the video, sit back and soak it up. Chances are you’ll watch it more than once, especially if you are an Animal Collective fan. :)

Even if you’re not an Animal Collective fan, there’s something magical about Merriweather, and if you’re new to their work, check out Merriweather first. Animal Collective kicked off an extensive 2009 world tour last evening at New York’s Grand Ballroom.

“My Girls” – Animal Collective

Stream Merriweather Post Pavilion uninterrupted in its entirety.

Animal Collective’s MySpace page
Animal Collective official website
Animal Collective label website

Animal Collective Will Take Their Eccentric Indie Pop on World Tour

San Francisco’s eccentric indie group Animal Collective is set to launch their 2007 worldwide tour with shows and gigs in Europe, the U.S., Canada.
The group will perform for their cult-like and adoring fans whom enjoy the band’s strange, unique, dark and often malformed musical compositions.

You can click on the venues below for more specific information (when available) and to find tickets. Otherwise, check out TicketMaster.com

Animal Collective’s 2007 Tour Show Schedule (updated: June 27th)

Wed, 09/05/07 -8:00 PM
Avalon
Boston, MA
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Tue, 09/11/07 -6:00 PM
First Avenue
Minneapolis, MN
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Tue, 09/18/07 -8:00 PM
Henry Fonda Theatre
Hollywood, CA
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Tue, 09/25/0709:00 PM
Cannery Ballroom
Nashville, TN
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Wed, 09/26/07 -8:30 PM
Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, GA
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Sat, 09/29/07 -8:00 PM
Starlight Ballroom
Philadelphia, PA
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Sun, 09/30/07 -8:00 PM
Webster Hall
New York, NY
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Mon, 10/01/07 -8:00 PM
Webster Hall
New York, NY
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For Fans Outside the U.S., Animal Collective will be playing the following dates abroad. If you have never heard of them, check them out – we love them here at IRC!

Fri, 09/07/07 -8:00 PM
London
Bronson Centre

Sat, 09/08/07 -6:00 PM
Phoenix, AZ
The Phoenix Concert Theatre

Sat, 09/15/07 -8:00 PM
Commodore Ballroom
Vancouver, BC
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