Fabulous debut album from native Melburnian, Carla Dal Forno. The best approximation I can come up with at this point is grimy take on Julia Holter with shades of Grouper and haunted by Nico. A gloriously captivating (and semi-detached) voice with some seriously great arrangements. You Know What It's Like, by CARLA DAL FORNO »
Excellent album indeed. Just bought LP. Well, the label Blackest Ever Black often means quality these days.
I need to give this a serious listen or three this weekend, saw your mention in the best young artists thread too, sounds like something I'd love. Thanks to both you and @roole, and some of the others around here who've mentioned her. I was just listening to Commotus by Lucrecia Dalt, that has become a huge favorite, goes back to 2012, but has some of the qualities you mention. Not sure if you saw some of our talk about here in the Julia Holter thread awhile back, but definitely worth a listen. Very nice sounding too with great production and a very cool mix of styles.
Oh, yes - in addition to the reference to Eno's late 70's output, by extension I get the strongest impressions of Eno/Cluster's brilliant second and final album, After The Heat (1978). Broody, beautiful and slightly menacing.
Carla is great and as another poster mentioned can be memacing beneath the surface. Her music can lull you into a false sense of security...as your mind starts to drift with the music you won't even notice she stuck a knife in your stomach.
Absolutely. A bit like if Nico collaborated with Cluster, whilst Throbbing Gristle watching ominously on the periphery.
First listen in and this is really good. I can tell this will take some exploring, and will surely pay off. Strangely cut-rate cover art, or is that just me? I wonder if that song "DB Rip" is referencing David Bowie, it does sound a lot like something influenced by the other side of Low. Parts of it sounds like my big favorite from last year, Virginia Wing Forward Constant Motion, especially that album's center section, with the short "Andalucia" followed by "Sonia & Claudette", then moving into the much more forward sounding "Local Loop". The voices are kind of similar too. Quite a record, not sure why I love it the way I do, but I guess it just happens. And it does have some similarities to the Lucrecia Dalt Commotus record I mentioned above, which I seem to love more with each listen. I do think you may really like that one, it is very special. And some of what I like about the Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith EARS record from last year, you'd probably like that one too. So much good music out there, and so much of it by women now, very refreshing. I love the Exploded View album too, lots of Nico on that one. I'm starting to realize that keeping up is hopeless now, but thanks for all your contributions to my time vs music dilemma
It took me about three or four rotations to fully appreciate it. I actually love the cover art - I find it strangely alluring with the schlocky framed art and Carla with a mug-of-something . Yeah, "DB rip" - I think you're on the money there, but I get more of a Cluster/Eno "Base and Apex" feel from this and a few other cuts on the record...Low nonewithstanding though. "Fast Moving Cars" have these lovely arpeggiated synth textures that remind me strongly of another track off Cluster/Eno's After The Heat - the glorious "The Belldog". I'm definitely inclined to check out those artists you've mentioned - will do. And rest assured, I'm as hopeless as ever keeping up with things and various recomendations - it's a testament to just how good music is at the moment in these somewhat outer limits.
Been listening to this new Awkwardly Blissing Out EP, lotta fun, it's the fourth album from the Australian trio of Carla Dal Forno, Tarquin Manek and Samuel Karmel, shows how out of the loop I am, didn't know any of them until you guys started talking about Carla's solo debut ...
Man, I love this Carla Dal Forno You Know What It's Like record. Since getting the vinyl a couple weeks ago, it has been in near constant rotation, along with the EP above, and the new Melanie De Biasio record, just such a a great feel, and yea, the Cluster/Eno reference is perfect, I just keep moving the tonearm back to the beginning and listening again, as time floats away. Thanks!
I also fell for this album earlier this year, really dreamy and all the while distinctively electronic, kraut-ish without trying too hard. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.
Carla released a tour EP this year, initially only a cassette at shows, but later digital release, it's all covers, but all very original sounding and quite good ... looking forward to a new album, maybe next year, anyone heard news of anything in the works? 1. Lay Me Down (Renée) 2. Blue Morning (The Kiwi Animal) 3. A Silver Key Can Open An Iron Lock Somewhere (Liliput) 4. Give Me Back My Man (The B-52's) 5. Summertime Sadness (Lana Del Rey) 6. No Romance (The Fates)
Most of you probably know, but in addition to the EP with her band F Ingers in 2017 mentioned a little ways above, she also released her own 4-song EP The Garden, and it's quite brilliant too ...
She has her own new label Kallista Records and a new 7" as the first release, hoping that means a new album coming later too ...
Yea, doesn't seem to be much love for Carla here beyond just a handful of us, but I'll try to keep it going at least until there is some info on the new album. The "Fever Walk" (mostly) instrumental B-side to the single above was just released last week ... BTW, did you see that Ela Orleans mention I made in the 2019 thread? You'd probably enjoy that too, she's very cool ... Best New Albums of 2019
Finally, an official release date for her new Look Up Sharp album on her new Kallista label ... Carla dal Forno's "Took a Long Time" the first single from a forthcoming LP release 'Look Up Sharp' out October 4th on Kallista Records. Written and produced by Carla dal Forno Video by Ludovic Sauvage ...
As much as I love the EPs and the last album Look Up Sharp, there's just something really magical about the debut, and it's one of those albums that has continued to grow on me, and that I still listen to quite frequently, and when I do, usually over and over. It can soundtrack my day, especially a work at home day like many in the last year. Anyway, been listening to it a lot today and just wanted to give it a mention, such a special record in my mind. I was also just listening to one of her recent radio shows over the weekend, and it was pretty fun too, she plays a lot of unique and esoteric music, most that I'm unfamiliar, so very cool listen... Carla Dal Forno
BTW, for any other fans around that would like to hear something new from her, she snuck what seems like a new song in her Feb 2022 NTS show ... Carla Dal Forno 15th February 2022 ... it's shown as "Autumn Rip" on the playlist, starts at 22:15 and goes to 24:56, nice, no vocals, but unmistakable style. Haven't seen mention of it anywhere else, so may just be a toss off, no idea, but hope she is working on a new album for this year.
And the new album is announced today, Come Around, title track with video out now, album on November 4, all formats, digital, CD and vinyl. And I see it does have a track named "Autumn" right in the middle, wonder if that's the "Autumn Rip" I mentioned above from her radio show? Anyway, always excited to get something new from Carla, though a little sad to see that after almost 6 years, and with three albums now, and a couple really nice EPs, she can't even get past one page here, even with all my help. Oh well, at least she makes me happy
The new album is very nice, my vinyl copy is perfect and sounds great, the second side is soundtracking Thanksgiving now, though over a little fast with just 4 songs in 15 minutes, first side is a little longer at 5 songs in 18 minutes ... Nice little discussion on the USA cover in the Stereolab/Broadcast thread ... Bands like Stereolab and Broadcast ... And more in the Best Albums of 2022 thread ... Best New Albums of 2022 *
It's a really excellent album for sure. Right up there with the debut for me. I particular like the bare bones rhythm approach to several tracks. Her bass playing - as usual - is outstanding.
Yea, I like it a lot too, it has really grown on me since first listen, there's so much more to her music than first seems. Guess she's back in Castlemaine these days with her young daughter and partner, so in your part of the world
Carla did one of the BBC Radio 6 Freak Zone Playlist shows recently, it's a pretty good listen with the theme "sense of place". Maybe not quite as esoteric as her monthly NTS radio shows, she even plays a couple songs from her own new album, something she doesn't normally do. She introduces each of the thematic sections with some comments on the context. Still available to listen for a couple more weeks ... Freak Zone Playlist - by Carla dal Forno - BBC Sounds Carla dal Forno - Come Around Lewsberg - All Things (Continued) Omen - Cant Look Phantom Payn Act - Resonance - 21 The Trypes - (From the) Morning Glories David Westlake - An Ocean Away Carla dal Forno - Stay Awake Richard Youngs & Raül Refree - Nil By Mind Tara Clerkin Trio - In the Room Workhorse - Darkness Movietone - The Sand and the Stars Maxine Funke - South Dunedin Yuta Matsumura - Box Garden Warm Currency - Dark Green Sails Thomas Bush - Firstly BTW, I'm really coming around on this new album, title fits, just gets better with each listen, and it's often on repeat when it is on, wasn't quite sure on the first couple listens on how much I would like it, knew it was good, but wow, love it now. That "Stay Awake" song she plays here is so good, reminds me a lot of The Garden EP, really perfect.
