album artwork: Noah Smith (Hard Mix) ** check out Noah’s latest mix up on GvsB!

Michael from Holy Spirits was kind enough to contribute to the series with an amazing mix he put together with bands and artists that he’s toured with or has been inspired by, including a beautiful write-up from Michael himself. The mix is a lot like the band itself, energized and symphonic, from the Sufjan-esque wonder of Yellow Ostrich, to the distorted reverb-heavy Night Manager and Kabuki Theatre and the recently-beloved Marisol Limon. This mix makes me want to stay in and listen to records with Holy Spirits, and soonafter, ask to borrow said records. And now, I graciously introduce Michael:

Detective Community–

Holy Spirits has had an amazing year that began with the release of our EP, The Afternoon’s Blood. Many blogs were super generous to it and to us.  Yet we also feel an immense gratitude to the bands and artists with whom we have shared a stage, or will share a stage soon. Detective Community highlights those whom we have sleuthed out with gumshoe-like zeal, or who have done the same for us. It’s a sentimental title, but this compilation displays a community we have worked hard to build.

I asked everyone to write descriptions of their songs or work. Others I just filled in with my own words or anecdote. For a few of these artists, it is their first time on the blogosphere.  Please take the time to enjoy them all.  You won’t be disappointed.

1.    Haussmann –– “_7”. gallery music.  Haussmann works to fill a unclaimed niche in music; seeking out to give life to dead air spaces (galleries, or parties, or performances before official shows).

2.    People Get Ready –– “‘shoe’. …among other things, People Get Ready draw influences from a choreographic sensibility and films…”

3.    Keepaway –– “‘100’ is a pop song.  We made it in April 2010 in Brooklyn, NY at a studio we’re friendly with.  We’d written shortly before that.  Frank brought the original sample to practice, and we clobbered the rest together pretty quick.  It’s been delayed on official release for a number of reasons, but it’s floating around the internet and going to be a bonus track on the Japanese version of our EP.  There are also some sweet remixes from Sunglasses and Keegan McHargue.  A video for it is coming out soon, which’ll feature our new custom Keepaway Klose ‘100’ pendants.”

4.    Ray and the Prisms –– “Expo 67’”.  I’ve known Alex Tyson for awhile now. He’s an old friend who lives in Philly.  I don’t think he’s ever performed this song live, but it’s one of the most ambitious, epic songs I’ve heard.  One of my favorite songs of all time.

5.    Pam Finch –– “Ma’Y”  Pam Finch also goes by the name Hawkseeyer. We once hiked up a mountain together.  We reached the top just as a group of Japanese hikers approached from one side, and a motorcade of four-wheelers from the other.  She took it all in stride, dawning sunglasses early on and lying back on a boulder.  I feel the same mood from her music.

6.    Giant Steps –– “No Idea”.  We’ve played a couple of shows with Giant Steps.  Their live show is intense and constantly morphing depending on the vision of its leader, Nick Earhart.  Music that will constantly surprise you.

7.    Yellow Ostrich –– “In the Past I Was An Astronaut”. Brooklyn via Maine. Great stuff.  Really excited to play with them soon.

8.    Nat Baldwin –– “‘Lifted’ was recorded in 2008 in Portsmouth, NH. It was released as part of a split LP with Extra Life on shatter your leaves records.  jeremy leclair produced the track and played keyboards and alto sax, and al mead played guitar.  a new version of the song will be featured on a new full-length album to be released sometime in 2011.”

9.    Marisol Limon –– Baroque Pop from Brooklyn.  Marisol Limon rocks the viola, cello, violin, vox, and drums harder than most.

10.  Soft Cat –– “Dark When it Should be Violet Hour”. Folk from the ports of Baltimore.

11.  Gem Club –– “Animal”. Somerville, MA minimal pop duo Gem Club are Christopher Barnes and Kristen Drymala. They create soft and atmospheric songs in which Barnes’ voice is supported by his piano and Drymala’s cello arrangements. One of our best band friends, we’ve played shows and have collaborated on the song “Fingertips”, a first time endeavor for us both.

12.  tooth ache. –– “‘Lazarus’. Like Lazarus in porch light, don’t bring me down til the birds come out. I will leave my hair under the front step where no one will build a nest til the birds come out.”

13. Beige –– “In Kind”  Beige are good friends of ours that have always been willing to share a stage.  This song in particular builds up without letting up, a song that encapsulates the feeling of their live show.

14.  Winks –– “Weed Makes Sex Weird”. Winks opened a small show for us in front of maybe a dozen people, playing with the stadium-like enthusiasm.  It was incredible.

15.  Night Manager –– “Wolf Pyramid” is about a race of wolf people who sparked our civilization while planet hopping after they were orphaned from their home world. while enslaving humans/deifying themselves they unwitting enlightened our inferior species before moving to the next rock.

16.  The Bird Day –– “All of Mine” Psych-pop from Buffalo.  Good People.

17. Second Life –– “Sha day”.  Second Life can get an entire crowd dancing, and are all about good vibes.  Not surprisingly, they are overseen by Vibes Management.

18.  Soft Landing –– “Baptism”.  We played with The Soft Landing at a show we were asked to play last minute. The drummer’s name is Perrin.  Our guitarist is Aaron.  My last name is Barron.  We had a very brief discussion on the possibility of being in a two-drummer, one guitarist band called Aaron Perrin Barron.

19. Solanin –– “The Lemon Tree, Part 2”.  Solanin plays extensive songs that are more like stories and would give Joanna Newsom a run for her money.

20.  Kabuki Theatre –– “Moving Walls”.  Shaun Krupa is a carpenter.

DOWNLOAD THE MIX BELOW

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Holy Spirits & Gem Club- Fingertips

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Holy Spirits- Tongues

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