Music

Contest: Win tickets to all-day showcase of Sonic Circuits Festival

The 2010 Sonic Circuits Festival, taking place in Washington, DC from September 18-25, is a veritable experimental music extravaganza.

If you’ll be in the area and wish to attend, we may have you covered. ALARM has a pair of tickets to give away for the jam-packed, all-day showcase at Fairfax Old Town Hall on Sept. 19.

The live music starts at 11 a.m. and doesn’t stop ’til 11 p.m. The Cornel West Theory, Astma, Corridors, Colla Parte, Matta Gawa, Kingdom of Sharks, Dave Vosh, and Borborites are scheduled to play. Plus, progressive, ambient improvisers the Nobu Stowe – Lee Pembleton Project will perform “Confusion Bleue” with special guest Andrea Centazzo.

Menomena: Peculiar Pop Perfectionists

Menomena’s enthusiasm to put out a new record couldn’t overcome its penchant for precision, and with Mines, its newest recording, the idiosyncratic trio delivers a restrained yet unorthodox pop gem.

Contest: Win tickets to Champaign-Urbana’s Pygmalion Music Festival

Held in Champaign-Urbana, IL (the home of the University of Illinois), the Pygmalion Music Festival 2010 will take place September 22-25, showcasing rock stalwarts like Built to Spill alongside up-and-coming acts like Janelle Monae.

There are loads of big-name performers, including Fang Island, Cut Chemist, Holy Fuck, Of Montreal, Roky Erickson & Okkervil River, Caribou, Cap’n Jazz, Ted Leo, Emeralds, and Owen. That list hardly scratches the surface, though. To see the full schedule, click here.

Morrow vs. Hajduch

Morrow vs. Hajduch: Roll the Dice

Scott Morrow is ALARM’s music editor. Patrick Hajduch is a very important lawyer. Each week they debate the merits of a different album.

Roll the Dice: s/t LPRoll the Dice: s/t LP (Digitalis, 6/8/10 — digital copies available via iTunes)

Roll the Dice: “The New Black”
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Hajduch: Swedish duo Roll the Dice are not a household name, but you may have heard their work as individuals before. Malcolm Pardon “continously composes for film and television,” while Peder Mannerfelt has long written music as The Subliminal Kid and most recently contributed to Fever Ray‘s album and touring line-up. Together, they make meditative, arpeggiated drone music using only synth and piano.