All Tiny Creatures Make MAGNET A Mix Tape

All Tiny Creatures was the perfect choice for this week’s MAGNET mix tape, considering the Madison, Wisc., quartet already has some experience in that department. In order to give listeners a sneak peak at its debut album, Harbors (to be released in 2011 by Hometapes), the band is issuing An Iris Mixtape, an actual tape featuring contributions from Justin Vernon, Matthew Byars, Ryan Potts and Roberto Carlos Lange. The tape is limited to a pressing of 250 and will be available on All Tiny Creatures’ tour of the East Coast and Midwest, starting tomorrow. Check out the mix tape made by band members Thomas Wincek and Andrew Fitzpatrick below.

“An Iris” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/AnIris.mp3

An Iris Mixtape Side A (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/IrisSideA.mp3

An Iris Mixtape Side B (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/IrisSideB.mp3

For an ordered playlist of this Mix Tape on YouTube, go here.

Side A (Thomas’ Side):
Philip Glass “Floe”
Many critics don’t give the album Glassworks very high marks, but the reasons have always been unclear to me. Like North Star, Glassworks contains more succinct and digestible compositions, but the style, process and quality seem the same as—or better than—his more agreed-upon classics like Music In 12 Parts. “Floe” is the best example of this for me. A frenetic tangle of double-, cut- and triple-time arpeggiations, it makes your chest swell from the first note. Video

Michael Rother “Sielberstrief”
The same thing could be said for Michael Rother’s post-Neu! stuff. He was striving for something else while using the same tools, but people didn’t want to talk about these songs when Neu! got rediscovered in the late ’90s/early ’00s. I think it has something to do with the stigma associated with the ’80s. This song is one of my favorites from the period. Structurally, it’s built as meticulously as a Swiss watch, but much more ethereally haunting. Video

The Field “Everyday”
I really fell out with techno for a while, but when this record came out a few years ago, my interest was renewed. There’s so much complexity culled from seemingly simple things. Lots of 3/4 rhythms of overlapping micro-edited samples creating something that should sound static, but has this wonderful texture and a great feeling of beauty and movement. Video

Ashra “Kazoo”
Another overlooked ’80s song from a German rock legend. I had this song on one of those ambient compilation mix CDs back in high school, but had no idea it was from another time and place. Personally I find this album (Belle Alliance) to be more musically interesting than his E2-E4 album that saw a resurgence of interest a few years back. Video

Joker “Digidesign”
My favorite track from my favorite dubstep producer. He really knows how to get inside a song. It ends up being more about the things he takes away rather than the things he adds that will make a track. In jazz, my favorite drum fills are the ones that are maybe just two or three well-placed hits or total silence where a whole freak-out could have taken place. I get the same feeling listening to this. Video

Side B (Andrew’s Side):
Moebius & Plank “Rastakraut Pasta”
Dieter Moebius and Conny Plank released their first record as a duo in 1980: an interesting blend of dub-influenced cosmic rock music. I had the pleasure of meeting Moebius a couple years ago; he radiated kindness. I’m sure they had a good time making this record. This is the title track. Video

This Heat “Cenotaph”
This Heat changed my perception of what a “rock group” could be. Both of their LPs are stellar, but I listen to Deceit a bit more often than their debut. I think this is my favorite track on the record: very foreboding and angular. Video

The Beach Boys “‘Til I Die”
A beautiful song. Note the drum machine. Video

Brian Eno “Dunwich Beach, Autumn, 1960”
The soundtrack to a blurred memory. Video

Flying Lotus “Nose Art”
Psychedelic and juicy. The bass line is ridiculous. Video