Coffee Table Music

"Designer lives. Designer films. Designer music." 

Thus proclaims The Guardian (Friday 11th July) in their analysis of thirtysomething lifestyles. The thesis? As we get older, we lose our edge.  We begin to consume, shall we say, more highbrow fare that is easy on the ear or eye.  And with music, the "coffee table" genre is born.

Music that you put on in the background to set a mood. Stuff The Guardian reviews. Bands you might hear at the Latitude Festival.

There is no need to apologise about the coffee table music in your collection.  In fact, as I was reading the article, Sigur Rós's 'Untitled 3' came onto the pod, followed by The Beloved. Attributes such as melody, a downtempo pace, and artistic integrity tend to get bands tossed into the genre (just look at every Mercury Prize winner for the past five years ... pre-Klaxons of course).

Maybe I'm just being defensive.  Gaymonkey did deliver Ebb to the world, after all.

Ebb - "When Dusk Begins"

taken from Loona 

Gaymonkey (GAY17)

Sigur Rós - Gobbledigook

My inbox held a little treat today.  The new Sigur Rós single - available for free download.

It is difficult to write about the work of the icelandic foursome - they are one of my favourite groups, and being a lover of all things scandinavian I have followed them from the moment I was first blasted with their emotional soundscape.  Their success has been incredible - surely one of the most inspiring pop (alt.pop?) groups of our generation (who sing in a language no one really understands).

The new single is a break from tradition.  The frenetic pace and changing time signature carries a childlike quality - which, like most of their music, people will either love or hate.  An like the rest of their catalogue, the accompanying video is a perfect vision of their music ... certainly inspired by Lars von Trier's The Idiots.

The album is produced by Flood - very much looking forward to the results.

It will be interesting to follow the marketing behind the free download. Sigur Rós have a huge fanbase - word will spread quickly of the freebie amongst their audience who are collectors of their work, and will pay to see them live.  In comparison with other artist's recent giveaway stunts, this feels more genuine - more of a thank you and a try-before-you-buy than an attempt at gaining additional PR mileage.