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Boulder-based jazz/afrobeat/electronic (and it's no coincidence that those initials almost spell "jam") outfit the Motet are releasing their new album Dig Deep for free. The impetus behind this altruistic act is simple, according to drummer/bandleader Dave Watts: no one is buying records anymore, so you may as well give them away. "I think we have entered a new era with recording and releasing music. I believe this is going to be the new paradigm for most bands, perhaps indefinitely," he says. "There is nothing worse than slaving over the recording of an album for months and months just to see it sit on the shelves getting dusty."

The flip side of that economic equation is that recording music is cheaper than it has ever been before, and a professional-sounding recording is possible with just a few hundred dollars worth of equipment. "I pretty much made the whole thing on my laptop in my living room, something which would have been impossible just a few years ago, so it did not cost us anything," Watts explains. "Because of this, we are not in debt and are not pressured to sell discs to pay it back."

The latest release from Scaffolding, a Denver-based electronic stylist, aims at fusing elements of IDM to minimal techno. To help spread the word about the release and wht your appetite, Plastic Sound Supply are giving away "Mass," an intriguing, accessible track that meshes abstract, tweaked-out synth patterns (the IDM side) with a beautiful bassline and nice steady four/four pulse (the minimal techno side) -- and throws in an a crazy-ass breakdown almost halfway through to sweeten the deal, before devolving to a weird, ponging, slightly choppy breakbeat to wrap things up.

In all honesty, it's probably the best track I've heard from Scaffolding yet -- his stuff has always struck me as more interesting than engaging, but this one hits all of its marks. Success! If you need more enticement, you can also listen to snippets of the rest of the album and download a free hour-plus long DJ mix of minimal techno and IDM that includes tracks from Matthew Dear, Booka Shade, Trentemoller, Ellen Alien and more. Get it all on the PSS release page for Narratives by Scaffolding.

Abbi McCoury

There is definitely a critical mass of precocious radio-friendly pop
rock bands along the front range. Add Boulder-by-way-of-Ft Collins band Nautical Mile to the rapidly expanding roster of bands vying for your attention. Featuring Rachel Cummings providing the frontman, er, frontwoman duties (and doing a damn fine job I might add), along with the young but refreshingly polished supporting cast of guitarist James Anderson, drummer Austin Rosen, guitarist Jake Putnicki and bassist Zach Flower.