The Pelican’s Perch

Chicago was amazing. Mainly because of incredibly obvious reasons, meaning Tiffany, but it was also amazing because of the music I listened to adding so much to the weekend. I’m working on a Chicago post/Perch Mix for later on this week that goes into more detail, but for now I’ll focus on on artist. Jumpel. I’d been talking to the man behind Jumpel for about a week before I left for Chicago trying to get an mp3 to share since I couldn’t find one to download at his label’s site, and because I couldn’t find a single blog mentioning him anywhere on the net. That my friends is a shame.So, right before I left, his label sent me the excellent song “Rainday” which, when played while walking through the cold, drizzle filled weather of downtown Chicago at night alone, ends up being the perfect song for the situation. Besides “Chicago at Night” by Spoon of course. Most of you know I’m a huge fan of any music that incorporates strings, and add electronics and you’ve won me over. Jumpel is minimalistic electronic music filled with a modern classical feel that I’ve really only heard done this well in Max Richter’s music. Max Richter I have up on a pedestal when it comes to modern classical music, so you can imagine the joy I got from listening to Jumpel’s album Samuel Jason Lies on the Beach.

“Rainday” was on repeat as I killed time in the city waiting for Tiffany’s play to get over, and I lost track how many times I just let it play. Some of you may find the untraditional, minimal nature of Jumpel’s songs to be a bit hard to enjoy fully, but I know there’s some of you out there that love minimalistic electronic music like Max Richter, Boards of Canada, Mum, and even some of the slower, instrumental songs of Sigur Ros. It’s music that can be summed up in one word: Peaceful. Sometimes that’s all you want with your music for times when you’re walking through the city alone standing over the Chicago River, tired after a long day of work, reading a good book, or anything else along those lines. Jumpel fits that category perfectly and I’m excited to be one of the first blogs to talk about his wonderful, peaceful electronic landscapes.

01. Lu is Chewing
02. Cleo
03. Bills Block
04. Inlinked Castle
05. Rainday [mp3]

06. Spence
07. When Does J Come
08. Public Transport
09. Raum
10. No. 5-11
11. Simpler
12. T-Ram
13. Interidium

Myspace / Hidden Shoal Recordings / Stream Jumpel’s album