An artist who uses Autotune, cheap-sounding rhythm machines, and multi-part song formats as profligately as Brandon Bethancourt does is just begging you to hate him. So it's pleasantly frustrating, on the second Alaska in Winter album, to find it so utterly impossible to do so. Bethancourt's secret seems to be a sort doubling-down on irony -- the schmaltzily descending chord progressions, the vocoderish vocal effects, the blissfully bittersweet melodies, and the lovely, straightforward harmonies are so sweetly cheesy that they come full circle and come across as completely sincere. Every song is like a variation on a familiar theme: the synthesizer arpeggios and wheezy keyboard on "Berlin," the house-inflected "Highlander, Pt. 1" (which is paired with an even prettier "Pt. 2"), and the gently chugging synth-and-banjo pop of "Knorrpromenade" all evoke the 1980s in various ways; "Speed Boat to Heaven" is more complex than it sounds at first, with strange harmonies playing off a nervous, burbling synthesizer and unsettled rhythms. At times Bethancourt's charming vagueness threatens to dissolve into self-indulgence, as on "Streetgang, Pt. 1" -- which is pretty enough, heaven knows, but comprehensible lyrics would have made it even better. And the album's closing track sounds like a not-altogether-successful nod to Nick Cave. Overall, though, Holiday is loads of sweet, wide-eyed fun.
One man band Brandon Bethancourt (Alaska in Winter) wrote his first album "in a tiny cabin out in the middle of nowhere Alaska," hence the moniker. His sophomore effort Holiday, released this past November, was recorded while Bethancourt was staying in Germany, hence song titles like "Berlin" and "Knorrpromenade" and the hausmusik influence. While he may wear his songwriting influences on h...
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Music is art. Music is a collective of sounds manipulated by an artist/s to portray or represent said artist/s vision. Exchange the instrument with a paint brush, the audio into visual, the music's message into paint and the CD into a canvas & easel and what you have is a painting.
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This is an electronic project by Brandon Bethancourt. His catchy beats are mixed with vocoder vocals that flow ever so nicely. Zach Condon, most people know as Beirut, has made several features on past albums. This album has got a smooth vibe to it that most electronic albums do not have. Although few of these songs are upbeat, most of them feel like they are in slow motion. its pretty coo
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One man band Brandon Bethancourt (Alaska in Winter) wrote his first album "in a tiny cabin out in the middle of nowhere Alaska," hence the moniker. His sophomore effort Holiday, released this past November, was recorded while Bethancourt was staying in Germany, hence song titles like "Berlin" and "Knorrpromenade" and the hausmusik influence. While he may wear his songwriting influences on h...
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Check out a guilt-free download of the song "Berlin" that is taken from "Holiday." It is a soothing synth pop tune with a throbbing bassline, glistening strings, creative use of the vocoder and Brandon's mesmerizing vocals. "Holiday" will be available in digital download stores on November 18. Following on the heels of his smash "Let It Rock," Kevin Rudolph's new single "NYC" features more ...
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Hmmm... I don't really understand these indie musicians sometimes. I mean, what are the flowers for? Come to think of it, the hat isn't really necessary and those gloves are shit. I suppose he is "making a statement" or something. Anyway... following a new personal best for Not Many Experts yesterday (2,300 visitors!) I decided that we all need a bit of a come down... OK, OK, it's been Christma...
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Music is art. Music is a collective of sounds manipulated by an artist/s to portray or represent said artist/s vision. Exchange the instrument with a paint brush, the audio into visual, the music's message into paint and the CD into a canvas & easel and what you have is a painting.
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Yes! Finally we are up for some more new material by Alaska In Winter . Brandon Bethancourt and c/o are leaving the chilly Alaskian electronic sound for... a chilly Berlinian electronic sound! The difference this time is that Alaska In Winter now are influenced by Berlin and its underground electronic uptempo culture, in which Brandon has lived for a while now. The second album Holiday drops ...
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Brandon Bethancourt, better known to the world as Alaska in Winter, has been cooking up some genius in secret recording studios and hovels of his new home, Berlin. The culmination of his efforts, a new full-length album entitled Holiday, will see release on November 18th. Here's a taste of what is in store [...]
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Yay, we're back for the 14th edition of the Radio Exile mp3 Mixtape. Today is Side A and we'll have Side B on Friday, which is great, so come check out what we've been listening to...
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 "Holiday")
