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THE MOTET: Instrumental Dissent

Taking an electronic approach to their usual foundation of dynamic Afrofunk and polyrhythmic, percussive splendor, The Motet perfectly walks the line between daring strides to push their public perception into different musical circles and styles while still maintaining the quintessential, foundational elements that keep a Motet fan a Motet fan. While Instrumental Dissent may land itself into a club scene with strobes and spectacular lighting on some tracks to a trip hoppy, psychedelic lounge sanctuary, while capturing a Zero 7-esque chill-out quality on others (undoubtedly compatible with the already-tripping typical Motet hound), the disc in no way abandons the same jam band-like accessibility, the Fela Kuti-inspired, horn-driven enthusiasm, the Afropop guitar vocabulary and an overall ‘cool cat’ vibe that earns this group such a following.

CD Price: $12.97

COSINER & CAPITAL: Still

With its nods to down tempo lounge beats and the mellow golden age of Brazilian bossa nova, Cosiner & Capital’s “Still” is a work that updates the Ipanema Beach ethos of the 1960s. Where one may have previously found Astrud Gilberto breathing through lyrics about unrequited love, here we have carefully constructed rhythmic loops and spherical classical guitar arpeggios. Delicately played and lilting, the nylon melodies bring the sun to your eyes and the surf to your step. The occasionally appearing electric guitars play like they’re on stretched-out eight-second bits of magnetic tape, while looping counter rhythms surface in understated percussion experiments. There’s a certain amount of discordant but dreamy melodicism here, and most of the time it’s right up front to hear. It’s the overall feel of the record, though, the summer evenings at the coast that it evokes, that perfectly compliments the current season, with its salt water, sand, and perhaps a bit of rum.

CD Price: $14.00

PDX POP NOW!: 2007 Compilation

Since its 2004 inception, the PDX Pop Now! music festivals have been packing Portlanders of all ages into jubilantly crowded halls for all the free, hot (both literally and figuratively) music they want to see in the course of a weekend. This two-disc compilation (which provides a portion of the funding for the festival) offers up an unbelievable 40 tracks as a cross-section of what Portland, Oregon has to offer to music these days. It is full of bands becoming national favorites, as well as those who aren’t even well-known around Portland yet. With names like Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists), Menomena, Lifesavas, Old Time Relijun, Klezmocracy, Laura Gibson, Sweater!, and Ferocious Eagle, the songs offer but a sample of what has happened and what is GOING to happen in the not so distant past and future of the Rose City. As for the festival itself, it’s always fantastic, and always stuffed to the gills will all kinds of music fans. There's something incredibly liberating about being able to see all of your favorite local music acts in the same place for FREE, one right after another. With any luck, the festival’s model will be realigning definitions of the local summer music festival in every region of the country.

CD Price: $7.00