Aurally Audacious Endeavours: Blue Sky Black Death

Ambient-ish, slightly haunting and all-around-pleasing sounds from a trip-hop group from Seattle. Blue Sky Black Death. Read on.

Not going to go into specifics of band history, because there’s Wikipedia for that, but I can tell you about their sound after listening to them a lot the past few months. And I can tell you that it’s really fucking awesome. Few reasons why: for one, it’s not what you’re probably used to listening to, and if you’ve found similar sounding artists to BSBD, chances are you already listen to BSBD, but I doubt you do because then you would undermine me and I don’t like that.

I’ve posted them before, so here’s the second chance to receive this experience.

The poignant vocals are provided by Yes Alexander, a folk artist who certainly takes full advantage of her unique voice, by creating creepily intimate and contemplating songs with her voice alone, and backed by the gentle and soft folk sounds, it really does create something else for your ears.

In terms of here though, BSBD compliments her unique vocality with melodic journeys through a very layered soundscape of muted, soothing trip-hop sounds. It’s a joy.

Yes Alexander’s vocals are showcased in the album Slow Burning Lights, released in 2008. Prior to that, they have a shitload of other albums, and a few after. I’ve only listened to that and Late Night Cinema, both albums with similar soundscapes, and honestly I’m fine with that.

If you like chill, you’ll love these guys, if you like alternative hip-hop, or at least original and eccentric beats, then you’ll like these guys. If you like unique music you’ve probably never listened to, you’ll like these guys.

For car rides, train rides, thinking in chairs, doing work, watching the clouds, looking at stars, and any combination between. And a lot of other things, but that’s up to you to figure out.

Blue Sky Black Death—No, they’ll never be big, and I hope they don’t. There would be no glorifying sense of elitism if I couldn’t dig to find incredible artists like these guys.