{"id":5143,"date":"2015-04-06T23:59:10","date_gmt":"2015-04-06T23:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.culturedallroundman.com\/?p=5143"},"modified":"2015-12-10T05:15:29","modified_gmt":"2015-12-10T08:15:29","slug":"culturedarms-songs-of-the-month-march-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culturedarm.com\/staging\/5793\/culturedarms-songs-of-the-month-march-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Culturedarm’s Songs of the Month (March 2015)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GrimesRealiti\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In truth, I didn\u2019t listen to a lot of Joni Mitchell through the month of March. But \u2013 especially in the context of a piece concerning a number of related artists\u00a0\u2013 it is worth wishing her well here, in light of her ongoing hospital stay. And over the past week I have given a few listens to both\u00a0Blue<\/em> and Mingus<\/em>.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Nicole Dollanganger \u2013 \u2018Rampage\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

I only began listening to the music of Nicole Dollanganger towards the end of February, after Grimes highlighted her via Instagram. Dollanganger has released six collections of songs to date \u2013 four albums and two EPs \u2013 with another couple of works in progress, including a new album and a second series of \u2018Embarrassing Love Songs\u2019. Typically recorded in her bedroom or bathroom, her compositions are archly observed but with a graceful wistfulness that undercuts the humour of some of the lyrics; rooted in a sense of place which evokes her Ontario hometown \u2013 but more than simply recalling through sharp and suggestive detail, Dollanganger resuscitates moments so that they move about her in the present. \u2018Rampage\u2019 was the song that first stood out for me from Observatory Mansions<\/em>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TKeaZwfEC6Q<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Grimes \u2013 \u2018REALiTi\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Grimes released \u2018REALiTi\u2019 on 9 March: her first fully-fledged song to have appeared since last August\u2019s \u2018Go\u2019, and serving to satiate fans awaiting the follow up to Visions<\/em>. Depicting it as a never-completed track recorded in early 2013 for a now-largely-scrapped fourth album, the video shows Grimes at various locations during her tour that year across Asia. Whatever its backstory, and whatever its future prospects \u2013 Grimes has indicated she might now consider placing the song on her upcoming album, such has been its reception \u2013 \u2018REALiTi\u2019 is a wonderful piece which readily fills the space extending from\u00a0Visions<\/em>\u00a0to the Grimes of the last couple of years. While its sound palette fits somewhere between the ethereal opening to \u2018Symphonia IX (My Wait Is U)\u2019 and the\u00a0dance tracks on Visions<\/em>, the lyrics on \u2018REALiTi\u2019 are less oblique and the tone is more earthy.\u00a0The chiming synths and cascading claps which begin the song make it one of her most instantly appealing and atmospheric.<\/p>\n