Stephen Vs Stephen: "And Yet EP"

I think it is only musicians (especially prior to the mid-90s) that swear musical purity, as they swaggered about swearing they were in one genre or other, this scene or that, and treaded around criticisms if they ever deviated from their self-imposed labels. Music fans, on the other hand, rarely have these hang-ups. From electropop to goth and anything in between, the archetypical music fan has a plethora of music that lends itself to play the game what-doesn’t-belong-in-this-group? It is obvious from one listen that Stephen Vs Stephen (the moniker of Stephen Sandknop) is a music fan; with this five-track debut, “And Yet EP” (23 August 2011), SVS dismisses any musical purity and distills more 80s than may be healthy for the average person. From dream pop-esque vocal arrangements, post-punk urgency, synthpop infectiousness, shoegaze distortion, electropop bleeping, noise pop fuzziness, etc… and yet in this profusion of musical references, which quite often are not compatible with one another, is a euphoric EP that demonstrates musical vision, songwriting chops, and the potential of this nascent musician.



I learnt of Stephen Vs Stephen during my summer long vacation into much needed inconsistency; it was Microfilm that made me aware of the “And Yet EP.” Normally I find myself put off when anyone tells me about new artists or what I should listen to, but as I consider this house duo to be genius, I had to take a listen. I was blown away immediately by the first track. I did a futile search for information on Stephen vs. Stephen – futile because there is little to no information available about this truly a nascent artist. But any lovers of music, especially those of 80s music (from post-punk to synthpop), should listen to this EP.

The “And Yet EP” opens with “The Void.” As a point of comparison (and the highest compliment I can pay any artist by comparison), the song sort of reminded me of The Cure’s “Out of Mind” (the b-side of “Fascination Street” or “Lullaby,” depending where in the world you are). Though not as “post-punky gothic,” the sound and visceral effect of the guitar are similar. However, this is not that gothy ditty in the least; added here are some nifty synthpop elements gone industrial, big ambient keys, and heartfelt, layered vocals. Though you would swear when first listening to the music that the vocals will be of the matter-of-fact tone, what you get are vocals that demonstrate the conviction towards the lyrics and the sincerity of the words. In a nutshell, can you say track of the year?

The second track, “The Difference Between Us,” instantly reminded me of those near dance-ready 80s electropop songs that made you want to shuffle side-to-side. With a steady beat, intersected by nifty drum rolls during the chorus, musically the most mesmerizing moment is the bridge, when the beat fades away and you are drifting in a dream pop meets synthpop interlude of etherealness. The song is remixed by Microfilm (“Microfilm’s High Contrast Mix”) for the final track of the EP. True to form, Microfilm recreates this song completely, conceiving it into a real house song, keeping the vocals intact. The collection then falls into the ballad “A Strange Kind.” Loaded with a chiming ostinato and subtle jingly guitar arrangements, it is the interplay between the ambient keys and dreamy vocal arrangements that really is the focus of the song. Hauntingly sweet, it is one of those songs that can best be described as a sigh.

The last track before the remix is the titular “And Yet…” Near six minutes, all the post-punk and shoegaze tricks come out during this epic: repetition that keeps on building, distorted musical arrangements with big ambient keys, and matter-of-fact (but harmonious) vocals. When the beat finally drops, the acoustic strumming adds depth to the range of sounds. But soon after, the song immediately crashes towards its end four-minutes in; what remains is sheer distorted noise creating a semblance of the song – someone here must have heard his My Bloody Valentine.

Now starts my mission to convince Stephen Vs Stephen to answer a few questions.

Track Listing:
1. The Void
2. The Difference Between Us
3. A Strange Kind
4. And Yet...
5. The Difference Between Us (Microfilm's High Contrast Mix)

Here is a video clip of “And Yet” from the SBSandknop YouTube Channel, followed by an embed of “Void” from the stephen-vs-stephen Soundcloud page.



01 The Void by Stephen Vs Stephen

Head over to Stephen Vs Stephen’s Bandcamp page where you can preview and download the “And Yet EP.” As I receive more information on this artist, I will keep you posted. Read more ...

"The Homecoming" (Microfilm Remix)

My thanks to Microfilm for keeping SDM Blog in the loop.

Posted below is a remix of Sarah Nixey’s upcoming single, “The Homecoming” (18 July 2011), by Microfilm. Microfilm’s remix to the song takes this acoustic number into the world of deep house, and of course they were more than happy than to share this track with us.

“The Homecoming” (Microfilm Remix) from their Soundcloud page: microfilmmusic.

The Homecoming (Microfilm remix) by Microfilm

Keep up with Microfilm at their homepage, Facebook, and Twitter. Check out their Bandcamp page where you preview and purchase their music.

Keep up with Sarah Nixey at her homepage, MySpace, and Facebook. Go to iTunes (American link) to preview her latest album, “Brave Tin Soliders” (9 May 2011), and purchase. Read more ...

Microfilm Answers 5 Again

My thanks to Microfilm (Matt Keppel and Matt Mercer) for not only allowing some streaming, but also allowing SDM to bring you a free download.

Real house music, anyone? Streaming in the background is “Body Language,” a Queen cover by Microfilm, off of their new, double alblum compilation “I Am Curious” (the singles) and “I Am Rewired” (the remixes). (I reviewed the compilation last week – link.) The second track, “Am I Ever Gonna Fall Apart in NYC (Astrolabe’s Breakdown in Bed Stuy Edit),” is a track that Microfilm shared with me, and now I share with you, authorized by the band, as a download below. After reviewing the compilation, going back through my collection of Microfilm tracks, and obsessing over house music for a few days, it was a no-brainer: I knew I had to reach out and ask them for a second interview, especially since there was a question I have been burning to ask. I would like to thank Matt Keppel and Matt Mercer for taking the time and answering 5 and sharing their downloadable track with the readers here.



1. I wanted to kick myself in the ass that I did not ask you this before… Why Billy MacKenzie? How did you guys decide to name a song after a post-punk icon?

MK: Originally the song was called "A Boy & His Dog" which was going to be about the 1970’s cult film about post-apocalyptic America, but then I started thinking about the voice of Billy MacKenzie and what a unique and fantastic voice he had. But he still seems only like a small cult figure in the U.S., even long after his death. I wanted to give him a shout out, as well as make an in-joke about how not fantastic my singing voice is.

2. I love the fact that you covered Queen… ballsy I may say! How did you guys come to that decision? Is there anything that is “too sacred” to cover?

MM: We both liked that this stadium-rock band of virtuoso musicians put out this odd, vaguely disco album [“Hot Space,” 1982]... It's probably one of the most subversive Queen tracks -- no real guitar, all those strange synth sounds and sexual ambiguity. And it was a challenge; when I really sat down and deconstructed their song, it's strange and way more complex than I expected.

MK: Not for me! I love covering “rock” stuff and songs that a lot of wanky music critics would be like “Oh, you can’t cover ______ band, they’re iconic! Or “They’re a real guitar rock n’ roll band.” I love the idea of debunking some rock n’ roll mythos.

3. You just released your first compilation: “I Am Curious” and “I Am Rewired.” Should we consider this release the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one?

MK: That was part of the idea of putting the dates in the album titles, to give the collections a definitive time period organization. I guess I just realized that all of that material (minus a few remixes and the new covers) were all songs of ours from the previous decade. I like the idea of collecting a time period together.

MM: We consider every album to be a turning point for us. We're unsure what's next. We wanted to consolidate our EPs and singles and introduce people to us who may not have been exposed to the first few years of our repertoire -- as much of a "Hello, here we are," as "This is where we've been so far."

4. Remixing is an art form that does not get the credit it deserves. When you guys sit down to remix a track (whether your own or another artist’s), is there a philosophy or concept you work from?

MM: Sometimes I approach remixing as a highly functional thing, taking a track that might not work on the floor and using the core song to drive it with a more mixable final result. Many times, however, especially when remixing our own material, I run with it in any number of directions just to see where I'll end up. I would say the ultimate goal is to make something that we really like and would enjoy on a dance floor, whether or not it's faithful to the original song. Our remix attempts during the 2 Radiohead "competitions" online exemplify this especially.

MK: I personally like remixes that are far from the source material. Some people might whine and say, “Well, why not just create a “new” song then, if you’re going to take their original that far away from the source.” But I think that’s what makes a successful remix, not being a slave to the original.

5. You guys are currently working on new material… How far into the process are you? Any hints on what we could expect?

MK: I’ve already been writing lyrics and a few vocal melodies for new songs. I’ve also started collecting samples to use, cutting them up, altering them for use. I personally would love the next collection to be more of a cohesive concept piece, in lyrics and music. I would love to do something a bit less pop/dance floor centric and a bit darker and weirder, a bit more complex and cinematic, but these ideas and concepts are always changing and mutating.

MM: We are just getting started. The blank slate is always a bit intimidating, but it's wide open from here and that's also exciting.

Keep up with Microfilm at their homepage, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Fairtilizer.

Create a MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com

If you like the second track, "Am I Ever Gonna Fall Apart in NYC," you can download it right here: Link. Read more ...

Microfilm: "I Am Curious" and "I Am Rewired"

My thanks to the guys at Microfilm for keeping me in the loop. It is much appreciated!

Last autumn, Microfilm’s “I’ll Sing Like Billy Mackenzie in Heaven” enraptured me. What a clever song! What an odd, but welcomed, reference for an electronic house band! This is a band that has brains and aesthetics… this is a band that has the chops and confidence to do things differently, against the mind-numbing cliché of what passes as house music. Now, Microfilm releases their first compilation, a double album of singles and remixes: “I Am Curious (Microfilm): Collected 2006-2010 & I Am Rewired (Microfilm): Remixes 2006-2010” (11 May 2010). As the rule of thumb, SlowdiveMusic Blog shies away from reviewing compilations, but this, my friends, is no regular compilation. This is a testament to solid craftsmanship, to thinking outside of the box, and bringing house music back to what it is suppose to be.



The first “disc,” “I Am Curious (Microfilm): Collected 2006-2010” takes you on a journey from the first single, “Young Adult Fiction,” to the duo’s most recent tracks, including “Body Language,” a Queen cover. How many house musicians have the courage to cover Queen? Most rock bands do not… dare not, and yet Microfilm takes on the challenge with excellent results. The original track is one of Queen’s sexier songs, relying heavily on an alluring bass line and vocal arrangements. Microfilm subverts all of that; with affected vocal arrangements and a synth arpeggio to carry the song during the verse, the song is anything other than the conventional (make-believe) house song on the radio. This is ripe for a real dance floor, for lovers of house music, and those ready to hear a beat blaring over speakers. Other great moments including the opening track, the Brother Grimes Mix of “Young Adult Fiction” (dark, broody, bordering on electric body music) and “Free” (infectious, mesmerizing, impossible not to dance to). My personal favorite, “I’ll Sing Like Billy Mackenzie in Heaven” (featuring Del Marquis of Scissor Sisters), graces the collection.

I refuse to call the second “disc,” “I Am Rewired (Microfilm): Remixes 2006-2010,” a companion to the first. The second half is an intrinsically important as the first. The thing about house and electronic music is that it is wiser to think about “songs” as “tracks” that are not statically fixed, as they are in pop, rock, and other mainstream genres. And the concept of remixing is not just extending a song or creating something out of nothing – these are just passive, lazy ways to approach remixing, and quite boring. The purpose of remixing a track is to bring out a new, hidden dimension of the song. Sometimes the remixes have many similarities to the original, yet at other times the differences are distinct and obvious, but ultimately welcomed. Not only are they able to write great tracks in original format (as you hear in the first half of the collection), but also they are able to delve deep into their own tracks (and those of others) and bring out something new, something hidden, something distinct. To prove this fact, listen to the first version of “Young Adult Fiction,” then flip over to not one but two remixes of the track: the Arthur Rimbaud Mix and the Marcel Proust Remix – curiously enough both named after French writers. All three versions of this track are vibrant, urgent, and distinct; all three tracks bring out a new feeling of dark sensuality. “After Dark (Arena Cloudburst Mix)” is the one track I am stuck on the most. It is not often that you hear a real house song that seems to “hesitate,” but this one does, and yet does not distract from its invitation to dance – not an easy feat to pull off!

Take the plunge into the world of Microfilm – this is a perfect start for anyone not familiar with their music. From playful to dark, from pensive to carefree, this collection demonstrates every visceral aspect they can generate. And for those who want to learn about and/or discover real house music, then again this is an excellent starting point. This is a collection of vast imagination, house at its best, and electronic savvy that is uncompromising, unlike what has passed for house music for way too long. One word of advice: this collection is meant to be listened to really loud… blaring! Turn up the volume, imagine you are at some dark, somewhat seedy, club, and get lost in a two-hour adventure of visceral beats and hypnotizing soundscapes.

Track Listing:



“I Am Curious (Microfilm): Collected 2006-2010”
1. Young Adult Fiction, Brother Grimes Mix
2. Chicago
3. Ralf & Florian
4. Free
5. Teenage Symphonies, Video Edit
6. Black Eyes, White Boys
7. Ciccone
8. International Velvet
9. BFF
10. I’ll Sing Like Billy MacKenzie in Heaven, featuring Del Marquis
11. Nothing Can Stop Us
12. Body Language



“I Am Rewired (Microfilm): Remixes 2006-2010”
1. Am I Ever Gonna Fall Apart in NYC?, Astrolabe’s Full Breakdown Remix
2. Young Adult Fiction, Arthur Rimbaud Mix
3. After Dark, OCD Soundsystem Mix
4. Disco Demolition Derby, Partying Slippers Mix
5. Teenage Symphonies, Little Darlings Mix
6. Hospitalized For Exhaustion, Kid Whatever Remix
7. After Dark, White Limousine Mix
8. Teenage Symphonies, Astrolabe’s Classic Club Cut
9. International Velvet, AngelTheory Remix
10. Young Adult Fiction, Marcel Proust Mix
11. After Dark, Area Cloudburst Remix
12. Teenage Symphonies, Olivia Hussey’s Reprise

Keep up with Microfilm at their homepage, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Fairtilizer.

Here is their video for “Teenage Symphonies” from their YouTube Channel: WeAreMicrofilm.

Read more ...

Microfilm Answers 5

A little over two weeks ago, Microfilm (the duo of Matt Mercer and Matt Keppel) reached out to me and shared their latest EP, “Blips Don’t Lie.” Of course I could not pass the opportunity to ask these house geniuses some questions. So, up front, I would like to thank both Mercer and Keppel for taking the time and answering 5.

Microfilm (photograher Tim Gunther)

1. Who are your musical and non-musical influences?

Matt Mercer (MM): My personal biggest influences are probably rooted in minimal techno and tech house, as well as industrial music. I also have an interest in avant-garde and experimental music, among other things...I think those things all work their way into our music in various ways; recorded objects and sounds, odd samples, distortion and noise, but within a more functional, pop-tinged framework.

Matt Keppel (MK): A lot! Well, lyrically, I love the smarts of Neil Tennant [of Pet Shop Boys fame] and Morrissey along with the weird imagery of David Bowie and old Robert Smith [of the Cure fame]. Non-musically, we’re both really influenced by movies as an inspiration, both soundtracks and the visual/thematic elements of certain directors/films. Without sounding too pun-like, our band likes making cinematic songs.

2. "Mircofilm" is an ironic name for an electronic band; how did you guys come up with the name?

MK: I think I just thought of it before even making music together as a cool name for a band. I like how it’s vaguely mysterious, kind of dark and loaded with unknown meaning. Plus it’s a nice simple, small, visceral word.

3. I am always curious about equipment - any preference on what you use in the studio and/or live? Digitial versus analogue?

MM: We do most of our music using software. I can appreciate the gearheads out there who buy up a lot of old synths and prefer to work exclusively hands-on...but for me, it started out of sheer necessity when I was crashing on a couch for several months. Having a studio was not an option, so I started using Reason, Recycle and Ableton Live to work on music. I've expanded my toolkit, and I'm sleeping in my own bed these days, but those are still my primary tools of choice.

Microfilm (photographer Tim Gunther)

4. Just as in other genres of music, dance/house is looking back to the 80s for cues; why do you think this is happening?

MK: Well it’s all kind of due to a general revival of 80s culture because the children of that age are now adults and are making art/music/pop culture and are recycling it/their childhood. I also think things are now moving into the 90s too. Early 90s revival is already happening with new shoegazey bands and rave music renaissance. I think we passed over the bad elements of late 80s culture.

MM: I think dance music is constantly looking forward and backward at the same time. It's what makes it exciting to me, that it is able to consistently integrate, retool, iterate and expand upon existing paradigms, sometimes evolving new ones altogether. In our case, we wanted to do something that gave a firm nod to music we've found inspiring but never made an outright tribute to.

5. House music is funny. What is played on the radio and what is played within clubs is usually quite different. Why do you think this disparity exists?

MM: Radio music has to appeal to a very different, much larger spectrum of listeners than club music. Most commercial radio is afraid to take risks because everything hinges either on payola or advertising -- the less you "offend" a listener, the more likely he/she is to stick around for that add for Maalox or whatever. It's the lowest-common-denominator approach to entertainment, which rarely will challenge people's sensibilities. On the other hand, people go to a club to dance, to hear loud, physical music and get lost in it. There's also a distinction you could make between songs and tracks -- songs are more concise, lyrical tunes with a deliberate structure, and tracks are a more vague mix of hook and utility, very broadly speaking. You will probably never hear highly repetitive deep house or minimal techno on a mainstream radio station/channel because it doesn't have the broad appeal that the most basic verse-chorus-verse song has. It all sounds a bit cliché, but the more visceral, physical side of techno and dance music in general can take on a very different appeal when played loud in a setting where the music resonates and people can really move their bodies in time.

MK: I don’t even think US radio would even play house music at all; it’s so conservative and strict on what gets played nowadays. But yeah, super commercial house, like bad gay bar diva house, is just easy to digest, kind of generic “dance music” that a lot of the public think of as far as “house music.” When actually, I think really stripped down late’80s Chicago house would sound really weird to the average listener. I think aficionados and club people are more open to hearing new sounds that take the framework of familiar dance music sounds and tweaking them.

Keep up with Microfilm at their homepage, MySpace, Fairtilizer, and Twitter.

Here is the link for my review of “Blips Don’t Lie” that streams the song “I’ll Sing Like Billy MacKenzie in Heaven.” And if that interests you, head to iTunes and check out their other work.

“After Dark” (2007)

“Blueprints – The Remix Collection” (2007)

“Chicago” (Single, 2007)

“The Slingshot Orchestra” (2008)

“International Velvet EP” (2009)

“Blips Don’t Lie EP” (2009)

Read more ...

Microfilm: "Blips Don't Lie"

Disclosure: Microfilm reached out to SlowdiveMusic Blog via MySpace, sharing their new EP. Considering that I have been a fan since “The Slingshot Orchestra,” I was more than happy to take a listen.

Hailing from Portland, Oregon USA, Microfilm released their latest EP “Blips Don’t Lie” on 27 September 2009. A triple “A-side,” accompanied by a remix for each song, it is their second EP of the year. So I downloaded the EP and started to read through the tracks’ titles. I was instantly curious; how many people even know whom Billy Mackenzie is? Moreover, how many people would even reference him in a song’s title: “I’ll Sing Like Billy Mackenzie in Heaven”?

Billy Mackenzie was the lead singer to post-punk band The Associates. He committed suicide in 1997, and has been immortalized in the Cure’s song “Cut Here.” A man with an incredible voice, that was dramatic and distinct on par with Annie Lennox or David Bowie, citing a forefather and pioneer in music in a song’s title is brazen. But I have always thought that Microfilm (an ironic name for a digital band) was one of those electronic / house bands that could think outside of the box. And when you create house music that has a cinematic quality to it, a feat not easily accomplished in the genre, you earn the right to reference anyone you want. Both the official studio versions and the remixes are going to get you brushing off your old dance shoes, but what you are going to be most impressed with is how these songs are not cookie-cutter.

Their nouveau-house style does not fall into the trappings of others experimenting with the genre: this is far from rehash. Instead, the duo (Keppel and Mercer) use old school synth hooks in a new melodic way. And the beats are modern, not the standard get-ready-to-whoop beats of the 80s. “Water Drops on Burning Rocks” is the most impressive song in term of beats on the EP; in its official studio version, there is an element of counter beats, almost counter intuitive to what standard dance beats should be. And “His N’ Hers Hibernation” hearkens back to freestyle, but possesses more ambience and depth of sound than any earlier freestyle track that I know of. But the opening track, “I’ll Sing Like Billy Mackenzie in Heaven,” really puts forward what Microfilm is capable of. A driving beat with monotone vocals, highly electronic with Del Marquis adding the analogue guitar sound, highly crafted yet seemingly all over the place – this is not a study in contradictions. This is a study in bringing together many different ideas and masterfully making it work.

I really appreciate the fact that remixes really are remixes; each of the three songs are overhauled with new beats and rearranged. As I have said before, a good remix is a mix of the song that brings to light something new, something hidden and unheard before. A good remix is not a completely new song, but rather a song that has unraveled from the original. These three remixes accomplish just that.

If you were wondering, that is “I’ll Sing Like Billy Mackenzie in Heaven” you have been listening to in the background. Tantalized?

Create a MySpace Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Track Listing:
1. I’ll Sing Like Billy Mackenzie in Heaven – featuring Del Marquis
2. Water Drops on Burning Rocks – featuring Sarah Nixey
3. His N’ Hers Hibernation – featuring Kylie Minimoog
4. I’ll Sing Like Billy Mackenzie in Heaven – Astrolabe Remix
5. His N’ Hers Hibernation – Kid Whatever’s Bear Affair
6. Water Drops on Burning Rocks – Nine Devices Remix

Keep up with Microfilm at their homepage and MySpace.

Support the band and mosey on down to iTunes or Amazon.com and get yourself a copy of “Blips Don’t Lie.” Read more ...