Long time no write.  I’ve been too busy sorting through the copious amounts of hate mail I’ve received for calling the new Animal Collective record slightly disappointing.  Anyway, I figured that there hasn’t been much Super Swingin’ Mix action happening as of late, so that seemed  fitting for the first entry of the year.

Quite a lot of winter left to go for those of us living in the humid continental climate zone who experience four distinct seasons.  I dunno about you, but I enjoy expansive, sparse, spacey, folk-inclined music during frigid winter evenings, when there’s a shimmering blanket of frost on the ground and a stillness in the air.  Maybe you don’t.  If so, too bad, because that’s what this evening’s mix is about.  Eight club bangers carefully sequenced and best enjoyed after dark.

MP3 :::
Broadcast – Unchanging Window
Jessica Bailiff – Evidence
Grouper – Stuck
Chef Menteur – Europa
Faust – Giggy Smile
Red House Painters – Mistress
The Byrds – Draft Morning
Marmoset – Winter

One of the obvious standout tracks from the compilation, and his most standout collaboration in my opinion, is “Untitled Sketch” featuring Jessica Bailiff. This song originally appeared on his 2005 EP also titled Untitled Sketch, which I rocked religiously that summer. Jessica also contributed throat duty on the similarly titled but totally different “Untitled Three.” “Three” is slightly better than “Untitled Sketch,” but unfortunately didn’t make it on Pretty Swell Explode. Both are more than worthy for serious late night headphone listening. “Untitled Sketch” has some takeoff time, so be patient as it fades in. Let it envelope you, drop some science on ya’ dome.

Odd Nosdam feat. Jessica Bailiff – Untitled Sketch

This EP was, more or less, a teaser to his statement to the world, Burner, a much more focused follow up to his No More Wig for Ohio album and his work with Clouddead. Burner featured a dissonant, frantic instrumental piece called “Flying Saucer Attack.” This was no ode to sci-fi, this was a nod to Jessica’s work with David Pearce (who she later formed Clear Horizon with) and Rachel Brook (of Movietone), who were Flying Saucer Attack from 1992 to 2000 (or thereabouts).

Flying Saucer Attack is probably my favorite shoegazing group ever. And it makes me sad how under-appreciated FSA was then, and well, now too. Of course, there’s the paradox in the injustice one feels when a band isn’t recognized for their innovation yet annoyed when everyone’s bumpin’ their favorite tunes from said artist. Regardless, it’s time for their due props. Flying Saucer Attack wrote the loudest, fuzziest, most gorgeous, most embryonic sounding shimmering space rock ever laid to analog tape. Despite the fact that the production wonderfully sounds like shit, David Pearce’s crystalline voice is smooth and trenchant, paradoxically complimenting the swells and washes of Flying Saucer Attack’s intense rural psychedelia. “Make Me a Dream,” from their eponymous record, is dangerously loud, and as such, you should respect this arc of covenant jam hive by rotating your volume dial clockwise.

Flying Saucer Attack – Make Me a Dream

Flying Saucer Attack and Clear Horizon eventually split ways, and Jessica Bailiff took that time to pump out some excellent solo work for local heroes Kranky Records. Her last album, Feels Like Home, couples light touches of psych folk and slowcore for a heady, beautiful listening experience. “Evidence,” like, fuckin’ brings total damage around the 1:33 mark, so be prepared.

Jessica Bailiff – Evidence

Did ya follow all that? Very good. So there you go, the man who brought you Clouddead’s syrupy, disintegrating beats blew the dust off of some amazingly innovative, distinctive, but terribly underrated shoegaze. And on his journey to tonal divinity, Odd Nosdam brought along the amazing talents of Jessica Bailiff with him. And for that, among other reasons, I will forever love Odd Nosdam.