For those of you fortunate enough to catch Andrew Thiboldeaux and Chris Ward, the Philadelphia based duo better known as Pattern Is Movement, on their recent tour and appearance at SXSW, you may recognize this track. As well as being the title track for their upcoming album, out later this year, it was offered up on their tour E.P. “Light Of The World” is another wonderful example of this band’s eccentric hip hop style that is fused with a healthy dose of indie rock and folk, especially on the aforementioned track.

Try to imagine a collaboration of The Roots, of which PIM has been known to share the stage, mixing it up with the likes of The Postal Service. The same sort of energy and instrumental fundamentalism these legends have and use are of the same make up — always cool as ice and genre-bending are these manic musicians.

Download: “Light Of The World” by Pattern Is Movement

In 2009, Hometapes aptly demonstrated that they are a force to be reckoned with and a label to keep an eye on. They packed the year with great releases, some of which are likely to appear on my best of 2009 list, slated to go live late next week. To celebrate the holidays, they’ve done two things worth noting. First is Eight Days Of Christmas, which features Christmas tunes from eight Hometapes bands. Second is a Holiday sampler, which arrived in the form of a cassette via mail on Friday.

The latter first: it’s the first cassette I’ve received since starting FensePost, and because of it’s (now) nontraditional format, there’s cause for celebration. Check out my feature of this release over at Cover Art next week.

Now for the good stuff: Eight Days of Hometapes in its entirety. Click the song headlines to visit Hometapes and read more about the bands that participated, including photos, lists and other joyful items…

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Day 1. “Little Drummer Boy” by Slaraffenland

Slaraffenland is one of the better groups to fit the highly niche experimental orchestral-pop genre. With what seems like endless instruments, a collection of vocal harmonies, and a knack for creating entirely original pieces of work, this is a one-of-a-kind band. Not surprising, their version of “Little Drummer Boy” is a one-of-a-kind Christmas song. Absolutely wonderful.

Slaraffenland: Little Drummer Boy [mp3]

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Day 2. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams)” by Shannon Fields of Stars Like Fleas

Somewhat minimal, packed with unique orchestration, and including oft erratic vocals, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams)” by Stars Like Fleas’ Shannon Fields is very easily one of the odder Christmas songs you’ll hear this year (and any year at that). Still, as the vocals drop out and what sounds like a theremin takes over the melody, cohesiveness is achieved.

Shannon Fields: I’ll Be Home For Christmas [mp3]

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Day 3. “O Holy Night” by Pattern Is Movement

Minimal instrumentation and harmony male vocals filled with verbose vibrato is a Pattern Is Movement trait and they adjust the sounds of “O Holy Night” appropriately to give it their signature ring. Unique, yes. Beautiful, quite.

Pattern Is Movement: O Holy Night [mp3]

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Day 4. “It’s Christmas (But I Don’t Care)” by Brad Laner

Brad Laner is a new face for me, and a new sound. It’s electro-pop, but it’s not your typical version of the subgenre. It blends in an almost 90s R&B-ish sound. Bizarre, but not half bad… definitely worth checking out. Keep an eye out for his new record, Natural Selections, out on Hometapes in 2010.

Brad Laner: It’s Christmas (But I Don’t Care) [mp3]

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Day 5. “Christmastime Is Here” by The Caribbean

The Caribbean has always created music on the dire edge of sanity. It’s pop, but it’s out-there pop. “Christmastime Is Here” is no exception. Still, they manage to produce a version of the song that is beautiful and pleasant. You can almost feel the warmth from the fireplace at your parent’s house.

The Caribbean: Christmastime Is Here [mp3]

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Day 6. “Kites” by All Tiny Creatures (feat. Truman Capote’s story A Christmas Memory)

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more mesmerizing Christmas story than that called A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote. Place behind it the hypnotic tune “Kites” by All Tiny Creatures, and dub in vocals sung selectively behind certain passages, and the result is, quite literally, breathtaking.

All Tiny Creatures: Kites (feat. Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory) [mp3]

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Day 7. “I Saw Three Ships” by Megafaun

“I Saw Three Ships” begins in a classic Megafaun way – a cappella. With a light banjo, harmonica, and hints of an acoustic guitar, Megafaun does what they do best, which is to say they create an outstanding folk tune. This one just happens to be Christmas related. I doubt you’ll hear a better version of “I Saw Three Ships” anywhere, from any land, or on any body of water.

Megafaun: I Saw Three Ships [mp3]

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Day 8. “Wonderful Christmastime” by Adam And Sara

For Day 8, Adam And Sara created an instrumental version of that song that drives you nuts by the end of the holiday season. “Wonderful Christmastime” is capable of burning itself into your mind and staying there for the duration of the holidays. At first you love it, then it gets old, then it gets really old. But with this somewhat minimal key-heavy instrumental, the song finally reaches a point where it works. FensePost approves.

Adam And Sara: Wonderful Christmastime [mp3]

Written by Ben Meyercord.

Pattern is Movement‘s new album, All Together is good. Definitely above average. Enough that I have songs stuck in my head. Enough that I looked up their tour schedule to see if they are playing anywhere near me (they aren’t). Enough that I looked up their back catalog and plan on acquiring some it.

It should be noted that All Together is the first album I have reviewed completely digitally. I was sent the files I put it on my iPod and listened. I had no artwork and I didn’t know what the band would sound like or how many members. I just had the music.

The first track, “Bird”, is almost impossibly upbeat, driven by a scarcely relenting pulsing drum beat. It seemed very sugary at first. So much in fact, that I was unsure if I would make it through the whole album. But I kept listening and I am glad I did.

It took me a couple of listens, but I realized that there aren’t really any guitars on the album. Instead the music is filled with amazing and tightly wound arrangements of keyboards, rhodes, vocals, strings, and brass. The very creative drumming and keyboard flourishes are what I feel move this album though, which is why I was not surprised to learn that the group is actually a duo consisting of Andrew Thiboldeaux (keys of all sorts) and Chris Ward (drums).

What I was surprised to learn is that this album is based a series of ten early 20th century photographs that Andrew’s brother found on the streets of Philadelphia. Ten photos. Ten Songs. The story seems to check out. However, this where I am at a disadvantage for not having the artwork. It would be cool to compare the photos to the songs they inspired, assuming they include pictures of the photos. I guess I will have to buy it when it comes out (their label, Hometapes Records, releases albums on vinyl too; yay!).

This review was originally published February 29, 2008 on the old version of FensePost.

Pattern Is Movement: Right Away [mp3]

Home Tapes [CD, 2008]

1. Bird
2. Peach Trees
3. Trolley Friend
4. Right Away
5. Sea Captain
6. Sound Of Your Voice
7. Jenny Ono
8. Sylvia
9. Brown And Hard Curtains
10. Elephant