Holy Other: Advanced Spirituality

I have been meaning to write about Holy Other for quite some time now. His With U EP on Tri-Angle Records has been in heavy rotation for a few months. His  songs suspend time...or at least slow it and space it out into a place where the listener is intensely aware of the moment. They use the dance/bass music template but to opposite ends--instead of making you move, you are lost in one single moment of release.
Holy Other - Yr Love mp3

"Touch" is intensely romantic and creepy and sexy at the same time capturing a sense of intense longing and spinning it into beauty.
Holy Other - Touch mp3

I became aware of Holy Other the way I learn about so many good things: through How to Dress Well. Here's the remix he did of an earlier HTDW song, "Take it On", where he uses the sadness and intensity of the original and turns it in on itself. Like spiraling into a beautiful dark hole.
How to Dress Well - Take It On (Holy Other remix)

Another absolute favorite of mine, Physical Therapy turns an earlier track of theirs "We Over" into 10 epic minutes of beautiful stuttering beats and light house flourishes.
Holy Other - We Over (Physical Therapy extended mix)

A video from a track from With U called "Know Where" was just released. It's a gorgeous and narcotized trip around downtown Philadephia through a malfunctioning videocamera. It plays to the sinister longing inherent in the song, as you trail two ladies who walk (forwards and  backwards) in sync to the beat. The screen wiggles and shimmers in sync with the music and the haze of static mirrors the echoing, spacey sound. Really excellent.


Holy Other - Know Where from @thestankonia on Vimeo.
 
Holy Other also released FOUR free remixes of "Touch" and here they are. The Supreme Cuts one is especially tasty and the Matthewdavid kicks at the end.
Holy Other - Touch (Blood Diamonds remix) 
Holy Other - Touch (Cupp Cave remix)
Holy Other - Touch (Matthewdavid remix)
Holy Other - Touch (Supreme Cuts remix)

You can also get a dark, spacey, soulful mix he made for the excellent website Altered Zones. Which I highly recommend.