[News] Porcelain Raft Announces Fall Tour, Watch Video for "Think of the Ocean"

Mauro Remiddi, aka Porcelain Raft, will hit the road this fall in support of his soon-to-be-released sophomore album Permanent Signal, due out on August 20th. Starting just two weeks after the LP hits stores, his tour will run for a month straight, hitting 21 cities across North America. Check out the full tour docket after the jump to see if Remiddi will be performing in your town.

Remiddi also shared the video for "Think of the Ocean" recently, the first song we've heard from Permanent Signal. It really showcases the musician's change in tone. Deepening into an ethereal well of depression, the song drones with echoing piano chords, despondent vocals and the emotional stirring of strings. Don't expect to feel particularly pleasant after listening to this one.

Porcelain Raft 2013 Tour Dates:
09/04 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
09/05 – Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands
09/06 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
09/07 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
09/09 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement
09/10 – St.Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
09/12 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
09/13 – Madison, WI @ The Frequency
09/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Club
09/16 – Denver, CO @ Larmier Lounge
09/17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
09/19 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
09/20 – Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl
09/21 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
09/23 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
09/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater
09/28 – Dallas, TX @ The Prophet Bar
09/30 – Birmingham, AL @ The Bottle Tree
10/01 – Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn
10/02 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
10/04 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge

[News] Porcelain Raft Announces New Full-Length Record, 'Permanent Signal'

Porcelain Raft shows no signs of slowing down. He released his debut full-length album Strange Weekend early last year, and followed that up with the instrumental Silent Speech EP just last month. Now, Mauro Remiddi is ready to unveil his sophomore record.

Titled Permanent Signal, Remiddi's latest work was recorded in New York with Yuck member Jonny Rogoff on drums and is set for release on August 20th. Check out the album's announcement trailer below, featuring a ghostly pay phone and one minute of new music.

[Sasquatch! 2013] Recap: Day Two

As the weekend of Sasquatch! festivities continued, the weather got better and so did the overall mood. The sun beamed down and the festival goers were waking up eager to party. The smell of bacon was met with the crack of beer cans opening, and campers were quick to set up ladder golf or throw a frisbee around. Day two was already off to a fantastic start and the nighttime was even better. The xx, Bloc Party, Holy Ghost!, Porcelain Raft, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, a hilarious stand up set by Nick Offerman and more, Saturday really impressed with some of the best performances of the festival. Check out the recap of day two below (and read our recap of day one here).

Photo by Christopher Nelson.

Much of Saturday was spent hanging out in the campgrounds, meeting our neighbours, drinking beer and enjoying the sun, putting us all in a good mood. Spirits were high as well as being consumed, and around two in the afternoon my girlfriend Katherine and I headed off to the festival grounds. Over the next couple of hours, we spent some time in the backstage and media areas doing interviews (these will be appearing on the blog over the next five days) with some fantastic musicians. Everyone we met was so interesting and fun to chat with and that's the feeling I got throughout the whole festival. There was always someone new to meet.

At around 6 o'clock, we made our way to the El Chubacabra tent to see Nick Offerman. For those unfamiliar, get familiar. Offerman is best known for playing Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation as well as being married to Megan Mullaly of Will & Grace fame. The guy is hilarious, with a very straightforward, dry Nick Offerman. Photo by Matthew Lamb.delivery, and it all works into his American everyman style. He strutted out without a shirt on, calmly stating, "You were warned that minor nudity was included." Putting on an American flag button-up, he offered attendees his "10 tips for prosperity." He encouraged the consumption of plentiful meat and bread, to practice romantic love and to do it often, as well as the safe use of drugs and intoxicants. He also dished out a few songs on his guitar, and at the end even brought his wife and actress Stephanie Hunt on stage. They did a mashup of Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man" and Cypress Hill's "Hits from a Bong" that was simply awesome. You can check out the mashup here, but be warned the sound quality isn't the best.

Next up was Holy Ghost!, who performed at the Honda Bigfoot stage right after Offerman's set. It was good timing and I was really excited to see these guys live again. Rest assured, they did not disappoint. The sun was still bright when Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser tore up their hour-long set. With a full touring band supporting them, they sounded great. Kicking it off with their new single "Dumb Disco Ideas," the New York duo then dished out loud, dancey renditions of "Hold On," "Wait & See," "Do It Again," "Hold My Breath" and pretty much their whole debut album. I didn't stop dancing that whole hour.

Still on a bit of an energy high from Holy Ghost!, we caught the second half of Bloc Party's set at the main stage. While we showed up late, what we did see was fantastic. I caught them last year at Outside Lands Bloc Party. Photo by Christopher Nelson.Festival in San Francisco, and they sounded as good if not better this time around. Sitting comfortably up on the hill, their set sounded so tight and it was a treat hearing songs from all four of their albums. While most of the set was material from Four, hearing old highlights like "Helicopter" was great. They even debuted a new song titled "Ratchet." Crowds were high-energy for this one.

With a bit of free time on our hands, we caught a short bit of Porcelain Raft at the Yeti stage. I had never seen Mauro Remiddi live but I really enjoyed his debut album Strange Weekend, so I was excited to find out what he sounded like in person. After hearing both "Drifting In And Out" and "Put Me To Sleep" I was very impressed. Remiddi's dreamy tunes sound great live, floating effortlessly through your eardrums. After what I heard, I was sad to leave, but The xx was waiting right around the corner.

Heading back to the Sasquatch stage, we prepared for The xx. Tucking into the left side of the stage, we made our way into the crowd and up to the front left. With a great, up-close view, we parked ourselves inRomy and Oliver of The xx. Photo by Christopher Nelson. place. As the band walked on stage the sun was giving us it's final minutes of light, giving way to the band's dark attire and stunning light show. All I can say is these three blew me away. Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie xx know how to build and atmosphere and completely own a crowd. Their stage presence is minimal and quietly charming, and for good reason. They let their instruments and sounds do the talking, using heavy bass kicks, explosive claps, rolling basslines and dazzling light arrangements to put you in a trance. It was so mesmerizing to see and hear "Reunion" live, being carefully strung along by the slowly-encompassing atmosphere. "VCR" was met with roaring applause, and then complete silence as the crowd gave way to the music. As was "Islands." As was "Swept Away." "Angels." "Crystalised." Seriously, it was like that with every song. I had no expectations going into it, but I left that stage in awe.

Walking away from the main stage, my mind was lost, still in a daze. We wandered to the El Chupacabra for a change of scenery. It was a drastic shift going from the minimalist beauty of The xx to the pulse-pounding electronic beats of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. That didn't matter. My excitement for TEED quickly took over. Easily securing a spot against the front barrier, our eardrums were met with a barrage of pulsating bass and synthesized sounds. Surrounded by flashing lights, he kept the crowd moving for an hour straight, never letting go. TEED assaulted the senses with a well-paced set, and fans responded with high-energy dancing. He threw down tracks both old and (mostly) new, including "Your Love," "American Dream Pt. II," "Garden," "Stronger" and more. This was my first taste of electronic music at the festival, and it was so good.

Following TEED's set I had a ton of energy, so my friends and I bounced around to different stages for a while. First, we headed to the main stage, reaching the crest of the hill overlooking the tail end of Sigur Rós' set. The view was beautiful. A clear black sky speckled by stars dominated while the band doled out their final songs. It was a brief visit to the main stage—only 10 minutes—but it was a mellowing follow-up to TEED. My attention was occupied by something else, though, as Sigur Rós' quieter presence lost out to Tame Impala's raucous sounds at the nearby Yeti stage. We brashly decided that the party should continue and headed in that direction.

Tame Impala were supposed to perform at the Honda Bigfoot stage at 10pm, but due to their gear arriving late they were moved to an 11:15 set at the much smaller Yeti stage. That didn't matter, though. By the time we arrived at Yeti, the crowd was massive. Thousands of dedicated fans amassed around the stage, and the band responded with a fuckin' rowdy set. They brought songs from both Innerspeaker and Lonerism and Empire of the Sun. Photo by Matthew Lamb.unleashed them in loud, blistering fashion upon us, enveloping vocalist Kevin Parker's fragile vocals in warm, psychedelic sounds. It was incredible to hear "Elephant" roar to life, causing the excitement level to explode, and to lose yourself in "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" as it drifts along in a dream-like manner. The highlight was easily the end of their set, as "Solitude Is Bliss" so very loudly echoed from the stage, leaving everyone with the words "You will never come close to how I feel" etched into their minds.

Still feeling the reverberation of Tame Impala course through my body, we set our sights on the final show of the night: Empire of the Sun. Gladly choosing this band over Laidback Luke's set at El Chupacabra, I prepared for the bright, colorful extravagance of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore. That's exactly what we got. Booming explosions of light and smoke introduced the band, donned in absurd outfits and accompanied by bizarre dancers. Apparently, they needed over an hour to prepare the stage and costuming for the show, and it certainly showed. This is pure showmanship, with stage-wide visual wonderment. The music was fantastic too. It was great to finally hear "Standing on the Shore," "We Are The People," "Half Mast" and "Walking on a Dream" live, but it was the new material that really stood out. "Alive" was anthemic and the whole crowd was chanting along energetically, while brand new songs from their upcoming album Ice on the Dune really showcased a catchy '80s dance vibe. I did get the sense that their was a lot lip-syncing going on, but I admit I didn't care because it was so bright and theatrical and fun. Fuck... is that a bad thing? It was just so good!

Day two really showcased all of what Sasquatch! has to offer: amazing music diversity, stunning vistas and weather as well as tons of memorable experiences. It was a day full of continuous high notes, amazing performances and ridiculous fun, and the story continues tomorrow with a recap of day three.

By Adrian McCavour.

[Sasquatch! 2013] Our Most Anticipated Artists of the Festival (Day One and Two)

Only two days left until Sasquatch! begins. Tomorrow and the next day will see thousands of avid music fans journeying to The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA, prepping their campsites, stocking up on alcohol and drugs in anticipation of dozens of amazing performances. This year's lineup boasts some fantastic talent, such as The xx, Vampire Weekend, Sigur Rós, The Postal Service, Disclosure, Arctic Monkeys, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros and many, many more. It's a lineup worth salivating over.

As the festival quickly approaches, I've put together a list of some of the best acts playing each of the four nights. Each band comes with some recommended listening, because there is no better way to prepare for a festival than sampling what each band has to offer, whether you know them or not. Check out our most anticipated artists for days one and two below, with days three and four to follow tomorrow.

Day One (Friday):

Japandroids - 6:05-7:05pm @Honda Bigfoot

This Vancouver duo knows how to get a crowd moving. With their raucous, anthemic sound, Japandroids are sure to get the party started right.

Recommended Listening:

Father John Misty - 7:30-8:30pm @Honda Bigfoot

Former member of Fleet Foxes and Saxon Shore, J. Tillman now performs under the moniker Father John Misty. His soulful folk ballads would be perfectly paired with a beer in one hand and a joint in the other. Don't forget your lighter for this one.

Recommended Listening:

Arctic Monkeys - 8:30-9:45pm @Sasquatch

The Sheffield four-piece are no strangers to the big stage. They'll be rockin' it out on the main stage for an hour and fifteen minutes, plenty of time for you to get fucked up amidst a rowdy crowd. There's no doubt a mosh pit will start during their set.

Recommended Listening:

Youth Lagoon - 8:30-9:45pm @Yeti

Trevor Powers will bring his dreamy, weird soundscapes to the Sasquatch! crowd on Friday night. If you're not in the mood for Arctic Monkeys, this one will surely attract a more experimental crowd. Don't freak out if you come across a few people on mushrooms.

Recommended Listening:

Vampire Weekend - 9:45-11:15pm @Honda Bigfoot

With Modern Vampires of the City now out, Vampire Weekend will have three albums worth of material to unleash on festival goers. Expect more than just ivy league ballads, as the New York outfit have expanded their sound in a fantastic way.

Recommended Listening:

Day Two (Saturday):

Andrew Bird - 5:55-6:55pm @Sasquatch

While his last album Hands of Glory wasn't his best, we can expect he'll dish out tracks from throughout his career, including last year's amazing Break It Yourself. Relax on the hill, drink and smoke merrily, and let Andrew Bird usher in a beautiful sunset at The Gorge.

Recommended Listening:

Holy Ghost! - 6:50-7:50pm @Honda Bigfoot

Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel proudly carry the DFA torch, bringing the classic nu-disco style defined by LCD Soundsystem to the west coast. I've seen these guys before, and they know how to get a crowd dancing. They're also releasing a new album later this year, so expect them to perform new material.

Recommended Listening:

Bloc Party - 7:25-8-25pm @Sasquatch

Bloc Party is one of those bands that lives on through a certain nostalgia. Every fan has that one album that they clung to during the angsty teenage years, or that first time you saw Kele Okereke and co. live and couldn't hold back your excitement. They strive off it, but it doesn't hold them back. Their latest album Four was aggressive, loud and overall really fucking good. If you haven't seen these guys perform before, you're in for a treat.

Recommended Listening:

Porcelain Raft - 7:40-8:40pm @Yeti

Mauro Remiddi's debut album Strange Weekend is a highlight amongst the often tiresome dreampop genre, an LP that is so mesmerizing that it refuses to become stale. It's so catchy and unique, and hopefully that translates to a great live show.

Recommended Listening:

Divine Fits - 8:15-9:15pm @Honda Bigfoot

How can you go wrong when you bring together talent from Spoon, Wolfmother and Handsome Furs? Divine Fits pulls the best aspects of those bands, yet brings something more. It's raw and experimental, combining rock 'n' roll and synthesized elements that never overpower one another. Every instrument and sound complements each other perfectly, something that will surely shine during their live performance.

Recommended Listening:

The xx - 9:00-10:15pm @Sasquatch

Atmosphere is all you need to know about The xx. Their moody, minimalist approach is enough to turn the rowdiest of crowds into a mass of hypnotized converts. Don't miss this performance. 

Recommended Listening:

Sigur Rós - 11:00-12:30am @Sasquatch

Much like The xx, Sigur Rós strives on the atmosphere they create. Their ethereal sound is simply beautiful, something you can so easily become lost in. The band is also releasing a new album next month, so make sure to pay attention for new material.

Recommended Listening:

Tame Impala - 10:00-11:00pm @Honda Bigfoot

This Australian outfit is damn good live. Like, damn good. Their brand of psychedelic rock is fantastic no matter the setting, and a warm summer night at The Gorge sounds like the perfect place. Unfortunately, the band's bassist Nick Allbrook said farewell earlier this week, being replaced by Pond member Cam Avery. Don't expect Tame Impala to sound any less amazing, though.

Recommended Listening:

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - 10:30-11:30pm @El Chupacabra

Despite his name coming across as that of a stately professor, Orlando Higginbottom owns the dancefloor with his bass-heavy beats. He is a highlight in this year's crop of electronic artists, bringing a unique brand of synthesized flavor to the El Chupacabra dance tent. If you're in the mood for dancing, this is the right artist for you.

Recommended Listening:

Empire of the Sun - 12:30-1:30am @Honda Bigfoot

Capping off Saturday night is the flashy and theatrical Empire of the Sun. Slipping into the early hours of the morning, this show will no doubt keep you awake and ready to party. If their recent performance of "Alive" is any indiciation, this show will be weird, bright and extremely awesome.

Recommended Listening:

[Album Stream] Porcelain Raft - 'Silent Speech' EP

Porcelain Raft, the moniker of Mauro Remiddi, impressed with his debut album Strange Weekend, released in January of last year. He's since moved away from what he established on his debut, to record something completely different. Remiddi sold all of his equipment and used that money to buy a modular synth, which he has spent countless hours obsessively experimenting with. The result of these experiments is the instrumental Silent Speech EP. Spanning five tracks, the EP is full of atmosphere and dreamy instrumentation. Pretty damn good for a month's work.

[Watch] Porcelain Raft - "The Way In" (Official Video)

Porcelain Raft offer up another homemade style video for the track "The Way In" and it's in the same vein as his past offerings. Grainy and slightly out of focus in places but a nice early morning watch. The track feature on Strange Weekend, which is out now via Secretly Canadian.

[Watch] Porcelain Raft - "Drifting In and Out" (Official Video)

Porcelain Raft, aka Mauro Remiddi, makes excellent use of very minimal props in his new video for his Strange Weekend album opener "Drifting In and Out." Through the simple use of a smoke, lights, and editing techniques, Remiddi creates a spiralling dreamscape that provides the perfect imagery for the song. Check it out above (via NPR First Watch).

Porcelain Raft's debut studio album Strange Weekend is out now via Secretly Canadian, and the 7" single for "Drifting In and Out," backed with b-side "Chains," is set for release on June 26th. As well, Porcelain Raft is set to go on tour starting tomorrow, with tour dates spanning both Europe and North America. Take a look at his full tour itinerary after the jump.

Porcelian Raft 2012 Tour Dates:
04/04 – Chicago, IL @ Metro ^
04/05 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom ^
04/06 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
04/08 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
04/10 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Ballroom ^
04/11 – San Diego, CA @ Porter’s Pub ^
04/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour ^
04/13 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent ^
04/15 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
04/16 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
04/17 – Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl
04/23 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall +
05/04 – Bucharest, RO @ Control
05/05 – London, UK @ The Sebright Arms #
05/06 – Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute #
05/08 – Liverpool, UK @ Shipping Forecast
05/10-12 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape
05/14 – Bristol, UK @ The Louisiana
05/15 – London, UK @ White Heat
05/16 – Ghent, BE @ Kantine
05/18 – Paris, FR @ Cafe De La Danse
05/19 – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling
05/23 – Brighton, UK @ The Haunt *
05/24 – London, UK @ Village Underground *
05/25 – Kortrijk, BE @ De Kreun *
05/27 – Berlin, DE @ Volksbuhne *
05/29 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie *
05/30 – Cambridge, MA @ TT the Bears
05/31 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
06/02 – Washington, DC @ Red Palace
06/03 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
06/04 – Atlanta, GA @ 529
06/06 – St. Louis, MO @ The Firebord
06/07 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
06/08 – Pontiac, MI @ Vernor’s Room
06/09 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop’s B-Side Lounge
06/10 – Buffalo, NY @ Ninth Ward
06/12 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
06/16 – Hultsfred, SE @ Hultsfred Fest
09/01-02 – Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival
09/06-09 – Isle of Wight, UK @ Bestival

^ = w/ Youth Lagoon
+ = w/ The Vaccines
# = w/ Here We Go Magic
* = w/ Beach House

[Watch] Porcelain Raft - "Something In Between" (Official Video)

Bedroom chillwave musician Muaro Remiddi, aka Porcelain Raft, has released the video for his song "Something In Between," which is set to serve as the b-side to the upcoming single "Unless You Speak From the Heart." The video simply displays billboards and other urban visuals, but, as Remiddi explains on his YouTube page, there is much deeper meaning to the video:

A few months ago I filmed the billboard you see at the beginning of the video. I forgot about those images I took until a week ago, while driving back after filming the video for 'Unless You Speak From You Heart', we saw the same exact billboard collapsed on the BQE, very close to where I live. That structure consisted of two different billboards that don't face each other but are connected somehow. 'Something In Between' feels like the right title for that."

You can watch the video for "Something In Between" above, and Porcelain Raft's debut LP Strange Weekend is out now via Secretly Canadian.