I'm listening now (only as far as contagious) and his ability to create *sounds* is better than almost everyone else in electronic music. Every single noise on this is so textured and interesting. What he does with those sounds is less interesting to me, sadly.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 28 January 2014 18:03 (ten years ago) link
the beginning is quite clunky
― the late great, Tuesday, 28 January 2014 18:29 (ten years ago) link
In fairness I've had the same reaction to all his albums. At the bit where it picks up now and enjoying it more.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 28 January 2014 18:31 (ten years ago) link
cliche of the day: the last track is like the shaft of sunlight at the end of blade runner
― the late great, Tuesday, 28 January 2014 18:43 (ten years ago) link
more cliche would be if it has that embers burning/crackling sound all through it (still not heard this album)
― StillAdvance, Tuesday, 28 January 2014 20:12 (ten years ago) link
warming up to it!
― the late great, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 06:27 (ten years ago) link
i really like the bell tones in the first track, best bell tones since maphive 6.1
― the late great, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 06:59 (ten years ago) link
love how they sound against the bass synth that comes in around 4 minutes
― the late great, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 07:03 (ten years ago) link
i agree with matt dc, this album is really about the sounds.
the second track sounds like a lonely tugboat lost on a foggy, heaving sea.
― the late great, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 07:09 (ten years ago) link
it's so appropriate that it's on ninja tune. so trip hop.
― the late great, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 07:14 (ten years ago) link
struggled with this yesterday, second time around was much better. Rap is the standout for me, anyone recognise the sample?
― cheeseburger, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 11:42 (ten years ago) link
gonna guess it's 'wrap yourself around me' by david grant
― r|t|c, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 12:23 (ten years ago) link
http://www.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF459907-01-01-03.mp3
yeah
― r|t|c, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 12:24 (ten years ago) link
n1
― cheeseburger, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 14:37 (ten years ago) link
i agree with paolo. a lot of this album actually *isn't* that dark - it's the sound of a dude playing around with beats and funny noises.
― the late great, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 15:42 (ten years ago) link
i don't think i'm ever going to "get" this dude's music. nothing happens! what are you supposed to DO to it.
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 11 February 2014 12:15 (ten years ago) link
listen
― sisilafami, Tuesday, 11 February 2014 12:17 (ten years ago) link
xpost, as I mentioned upthread, I found the best time to appreciate Actress is when I'm in a slumber state.
― doglato dozzy (dog latin), Tuesday, 11 February 2014 12:35 (ten years ago) link
yeah. it's music for cold winter nights. hypnotic, eerie, menacing, a little seedy.
actress sounds great in the middle of a playlist of artists working in a similar vein, e.g., burial; shackleton and appleblim (skull disco); various prod.; the livity sound roster of artists; the bug.
― Daniel, Esq 2, Tuesday, 11 February 2014 13:21 (ten years ago) link
shackleton got some vibey feelings on some of the records dunno about the others
― cog, Tuesday, 11 February 2014 13:32 (ten years ago) link
Kind of like that RA went out on a limb and gave this 2.5.
I feel asleep listening to it on a bus a few weeks, and still haven't consciously made my whole way through it. I found it a bit of a trial, but did not dislike what I heard.
Actress live, on the other hand, was one of the best shows I've seen in recent years.
― MikoMcha, Tuesday, 11 February 2014 13:49 (ten years ago) link
A few weeks back, that is... although that bus trip did seem to last forever!
― MikoMcha, Tuesday, 11 February 2014 13:51 (ten years ago) link
Yes - it lends itself well to mixes etc where you want to find a good segue between two ends of a spectrum.
― doglato dozzy (dog latin), Tuesday, 11 February 2014 14:42 (ten years ago) link
the first track on this goes on a while without doing much but I find it strangely compelling
might be its resemblance to the Chrono Trigger 2300 AD world map theme triggering subliminal positive associations
― a chance to cross is a chance to score (anonanon), Wednesday, 12 February 2014 23:05 (ten years ago) link
i had that same thought! that echoing bell.
― clouds, Wednesday, 12 February 2014 23:56 (ten years ago) link
he mentioned that he's released music without the actress handle and it appears that stuff is out under the name levantis. should definitely check out the 12" that's out. great stuff. just like ghettoville but more beat oriented. he mentioned in some other interview that there was an earlier version of ghettoville that was a lot more techno influenced and it seems like some of those tracks could be these.
― illegalblues, Friday, 28 February 2014 18:34 (ten years ago) link
love this tune
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0kpKw075ZCY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
― illegalblues, Friday, 28 February 2014 18:36 (ten years ago) link
ahhh how the hell you edit a post, now i look like a grandma
― illegalblues, Friday, 28 February 2014 18:38 (ten years ago) link
I love how interactive ghettoville is, it practically begs you to fuck with the bpms. Also the shitty packaging ensures each person's copy will have a signature of minor damage.
― brimstead, Friday, 28 February 2014 19:00 (ten years ago) link
i picked it up on vinyl and i swear most of the songs sound like they were originally conceived for 45' tempo
― illegalblues, Friday, 28 February 2014 20:00 (ten years ago) link
https://ninjatune.net/release/actress/xoul-ep
― brimstead, Thursday, 24 July 2014 00:15 (ten years ago) link
Out of stock already :/
― paolo, Thursday, 24 July 2014 10:48 (ten years ago) link
dj kicks is a ***** masterpiece
― the late great, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 05:11 (nine years ago) link
How well does it flow? Heard some of the transitions were a bit on the jarring side.
― millmeister, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 10:11 (nine years ago) link
Given that 'Pen Expers' is on there I can't see how it could be anything but.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 11:46 (nine years ago) link
smitten with this. outside of spotify irregularly making a hash of track transitions it flows v well
― ogmor, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 11:48 (nine years ago) link
pen expers arriving is amazing, just listen to it ffs
― ogmor, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 11:49 (nine years ago) link
can't wait to hear this.
― p:s nerds know (dog latin), Wednesday, 13 May 2015 11:58 (nine years ago) link
After a quick listen this morning, there's not a lot of mixing going on, the transitions are quick but mainly OK. Obviously, it's mainly about the selection of tracks.
― MikoMcha, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 12:28 (nine years ago) link
(I am quite a fan of jarring transitions btw)
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 13:06 (nine years ago) link
pen expers arriving is amazing
It really is! The mix itself is great throughout but sort of... shapeless? Just when you think it's going somewhere it decides to wander off and see what's in another direction entirely.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 13 May 2015 20:29 (nine years ago) link
i only felt it was jarring the first couple of times i listened through, when i was listening for beat matching and finding none. after a few listens it really opened up for me. i feel like he is really pushing the envelope as far as matching up moods and vibes in tracks. almost every mix makes perfect sense to me now, and i'm amazed at the connections he makes between tracks.
― the late great, Thursday, 14 May 2015 08:10 (nine years ago) link
that's what he's best at though, is my thought on him - finding diagonal connections in music, that is.
― p:s nerds know (dog latin), Thursday, 14 May 2015 09:25 (nine years ago) link
Yeah it does feel like a consistent progression in terms of mood, if not in momentum.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 14 May 2015 09:29 (nine years ago) link
this is very fine work
― nakhchivan, Saturday, 16 May 2015 10:17 (nine years ago) link
thread title has put me off listening to actress until now.... but i really like this!
i don't think it's shapeless at all! most mixes i will stick on and zone out which is often exactly what i want. but the way this mix evolves suddenly and kinda strangely really keeps my attention focussed. i've found it great for running to.
― tpp, Tuesday, 4 August 2015 19:35 (nine years ago) link
dude's music is just as enervating and like listening to paint dry when he calls himself levantis as when he calls himself actress
― lex pretend, Monday, 16 November 2015 17:57 (eight years ago) link
did you just fart?
― brimstead, Monday, 16 November 2015 21:53 (eight years ago) link
one of the worst all time thread titles
― J0rdan S., Monday, 16 November 2015 21:57 (eight years ago) link
Actress is a totally amazing recording moniker though.
― Whoremonger (jed_), Monday, 16 November 2015 21:59 (eight years ago) link