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11 posts tagged balun

Cuando Sea Grande

Balun • La Luna

I’m uncertain if Balún really qualifies as “chiptunes,” but I’ve always loved featuring the band’s music here, and — though I have to often remind myself of the fact — this is our blog and ISDGAF if something I want to post doesn’t necessarily fall within our typical parameters.

That aside, the Puerto Rican group included this song in a new, three-track release called La Luna, or as I understand it in English, The Luna. It’s beautiful stuff. Download it for free, enjoy it, and then go through our archive to listen to more of Balún’s dreamy music.

Beautiful and strange video of Balun playing “Camila” live at El Museo del Barrio as part of a special interactive performance last month that incorporated “live visuals, instrument making and audience participation”.

Here, the chiptune-influenced Puerto Rican band is joined by Julio Cesar Morales of experimental puppet theater company Y No Había Luz as they play a song once described as “a superb tale of ghostly approach & loss” for an audience of children. It’s a surreal performance, like something from a Michel Gondry production.

Speaking of chiptunes, True Chip Till Death and Pixelh8 are raising donations to aid those affected by the recent earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan — their “Chip In: Japan” project is offering up a compilation featuring 90+ tracks from chiptune artists to people who pledge. It’s a great way to help people in need while getting tracks from artists like Leeni and Bear & Walrus in return!

Buy: Memoria Textil by Balún (pay what you want!)

Hear also: More Balún

En medio del desastre

BalÃºn • PlÃ¡sticos y EtÃ©reos 2011 Vol.1

“En medio del desastre” by Balún. The ethereal Puerto Rican group behind our favorite chiptune album last year just unveiled this new track, which is featured in Plásticos y Etéreos 2011 Vol.1, a free compilation of songs from independent Hispanic musicians.

You can stream/download the new album here — if your listening experience is anything like mine you’ll feel much more cultured after giving it a playthrough!

Buy: Memoria Textil by Balún (pay what you want!)

Hear also: More Balún

Camila

BalÃºn • Camila

“Camila” by Balún. This free track is available in two versions on the band’s Bandcamp page, as a “preview of our newer material.” Glad to hear the new stuff is as tranquil and beautiful as ever.

This song was originally available from Club Fonograma in 2009, where it was called “a superb tale of ghostly approach & loss (more accurately [an] imaginary friend),” but since it was reposted on Bandcamp it seemed like a good opportunity to make sure everyone’s heard it!

For more Balún mellowness, here’s a live, acoustic performance of “El Arbol y Las Otras Cosas”:

And here’s a “Happy New Year” video using “Snol” as background music:

That’s the sound of your morning being awesome.

Buy: Memoria Textil by Balún (pay what you want!)

Hear also: More Balún

A Few Years Later [Balún End of Summer Reinterpretation]

minusbaby • Left Remixes, Pt. 2

“A Few Years Later (End of Summer Reinterpretation)” by Balun. Give the song a minute to build up — it’s sublime.

You can download this song and several other variations of it — Minusbaby produced the original “A Few Years Later” — at the Free Music Archive.

Hear also: Several more Balun songs

Las Olas

Balún • Memoria Textil

“Las Olas” by Balún. As promised, the digital edition of the new Memoria Textil album is available on Bandcamp for the low, low price of whatever. You could be listening in seconds!

If you don’t mind waiting, and you crave a tangible object, there are still some limited-edition CD-Rs from the band’s run of 100. The band even tweeted a coupon code (“chicle”) that will get you 20% off!

Crucial chiptune links, videos

I have a long list of chip music clips and links to get through — there’s some gems in here, so read up!:

The badass Nullsleep x Videograma shirt you see above is now for sale through 8bitpeoples.
Anamanaguchi set up an online shop so you can now buy the group’s CDs, shirts, etc. Speaking of the band, what’s the deal with them not performing at Blip Festival 2009 proper? Was Anamanaguchi not invited or did something else happen?
You can now buy a physical CD for Balun’s latest EP Memoria Textil (limited print run 100). I’ve listened to this all week, and it’s splendid, exceeding my high expectations. The group’s preparing a digital pay-what-you-want release for Bandcamp, too.

“Muchas Muchas Veces”, or “Many Many Times”, by Balún. Another beguiling track from our favorite Puerto Rican chip music group! This song comes from the band’s Memoria Textil (Memory Fabric) EP, which was initially slated for last September as a teaser for its upcoming full-length album but didn’t come out until just now.

Though Balún pressed 100 copies of the album (many of which were presumably sold at its release party in San Juan last night), they aren’t for sale online yet. You can, however, listen to three tracks from Memoria Textil on the band’s MySpace page. Balún says it will upload two more songs if their Twitter account reaches 300 followers, 49 more than its current count, so please kindly add them. While you’re at it, if you haven’t yet, follow our Twitter account, too.

Hear also: More Balún songs

“Un Pequeño Tema” by Balún. I just felt like listening to some Balún, and I like the way this mellow instrumental track builds up, slowly adding more noise over the course of the song.

Wasn’t there supposed to be another Balún album recently? I haven’t heard anything about it in a while.

See also: “El Arbol y los Otras Cosas,” “Berceuse”

“El Arbol y las Otras Cosas” (“The Tree and Other Things”) by Balún, debuted at Frecuencias Alternas.

I love this Puerto Rican group but haven’t had many chances to share their songs here. Ahead of its second album release in 2010, Balún will put out an MP3 EP through 8bitpeoples this September. The band previewed three tracks, including this pleasing song, at a local college radio show to promote both projects.

You can also download “Camila”, the band’s lead single from the EP/LP, from Club Fonograma, which describes the song as “a superb tale of ghostly approach & loss (more accurately [an] imaginary friend)”.

See also: “Berceuse” by Balún

“Berceuse” by Balún.

When I hear a song like this, I’m reminded of those years spent waking up at 6:30 AM every morning to drive to work.

Before I dragged myself out of the apartment and slumped into my car, half-dead, I always made sure to slip into the dark bedroom where my wife was still sleeping, and lean over the bed to kiss her on that scar next to her right eyebrow, my fingertips on her jawline. Without opening her eyes, she’d smile, and I’d know it was alright to leave.

As it turns out, this track is about a homesick orangutan, which I suppose is what I looked like sitting in my office at work, except wearing a tie and scuffed shoes with ragged laces.