Their Collema EP offers more goodness from Swedish rockers Humfree Bug Art, who wowed in October with their first EP, Old Chairlene . Their second EP sees the group expanding upon their already-rich meshing of folk and post-rock; it was apparent early on that Humfree Bug Art have the power to unleash huge, anthemic tracks. The four- song Collema shows it, too. The closer is a twinkling little gem with hazy synth pads and a clinking cuteness, so to say, but the other three efforts are fierce and grandiose. The aptly titled "Dancing Kites" [...]
Young Holidays' glitzy new track, "Jackie Kennedy", continues the 23-year-old songwriter's knack for jubilant hooks. This track is a pulsating synth-pop anthem that transitions from club-ready verses to rock-inspired choruses, the superb one on "Jackie Kennedy" being led by a howling electric guitar. It's impossible to tell where the track is headed initially, with a halted synthesizer as the sole lead. But very quickly the delicately twinkling additives prep listeners for the oncoming chorus, shifting abruptly from bedroom-made synth song to a polished dance-pop punch. This is Young Holidays' most refined effort to date, and it shows the songwriter heading [...]
Matt Dorrien has shuffled between L.A. and New York the past seven years, perfecting his accessible mixture of acoustic-pop and twangy rock ballads. His sound recalls both the sentimental twang of Wilco and the solemn folk of Elliott Smith. Good references, to say the least. His new album under the alias Snowblind Traveler is Lost on the North Hills , full of the sprawling beauty shown on efforts like "Love is Dead" and "Not Around". He recorded and produced the record with Jason Quever of Papercuts, a fun indie-pop group who signed to Sub Pop a year after [...]
MP3 Björn Andersson's vocals are a mix between Paul Simon's delicate croon and John Darnielle's nasally snarl. It results in a pleasant intermediary between lushness and intensity, the latter supplemented by virtuoso acoustic guitar work that trickles like a gliding stream. The guitar is complements of Andersson as well. The other half of The Good Legs, Elias Sundberg, handles percussion and cajon. The two 23-year-old Swedes go by the name The Good Legs, and they just released a new album called We Are Men, We Travel Distance . Choose your own price for [...]
MP3 Rare Monk make a triumphant return with their new Death By Proxy EP, which showcases three songs appearing on their upcoming full-length, due out in February. The consuming "Underground" trembles with excitement. A buzzing bass and vocoder have an immediate presence, but the stirring violin arrangements lead the track to dizzying heights. The strings' dominance over waves of guitar and clamoring percussion is surprisingly comparable to the grandiose emotional heights of Clint Mansell, whose scores include Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain . For all the bad placements [...]
!mindparade was initially the bedroom project of Bloomington, Indiana-based Alex Arnold, who wrote his songs with the intention to form a full band when the opportunity arose. Now an eclectic eight-piece specializing in everything from synths to bass, !mindparade has turned Arnold's sketches into a wonderfully creative psych-rock album, Everything Is Happening . !mindparade's ability is on full display with "Gravitation", a track incredibly easy to get lost in. At the end of each verse, when Arnold's voice resembles a tranquil hush, flurries of warm synths invade the entire mix and add considerably to the stunning atmosphere. The chorus [...]
Rare Monk resemble a mix of Celtic punk, avant-garde rock in the vein of Man Man, and southern gypsy-pop complete with quick-moving strings and snarling vocals. For a more concise comparison, think Modest Mouse with an extra shot of caffeine
As an obsessive music collector, Lavis Blake hits two of my pet preoccupations: differentiating types of non-singing, and bands whose output ends up on a single disc padded out with demos on a “record label” that's usually just a record store in the town where the band came from. Who can argue with such stalwarts [...]
Sunsettes are a Tampa-based duo specializing in funk-tinged indie-rock. Comprised of Nathan Kozyra and Michael Schlein, Sunsettes quietly released their debut Coup de Grace last December. Their compositions are frequently led by acoustics and keys, with Kozyra assuming a vocal delivery incorporating both stream-of-conscious narratives and straightforward romantic metaphors. Although the instrumental arsenal is mainly [...]
Balthazar B & The Beatitudes are an eclectic collective of musicians. The former name is a moniker for the Parisian artist Balthazar B. His collaborators, the Beatitudes, rotate between doctors, philosophers, and religious scholars. Maxwell and Ernest Beatitude are core contributors and childhood friends of Balthazar B. Each track on their new album, Like Shrapnel, [...]
The recent trends in psychedelia gravitate more toward the sprawling trebly end of things, beds of sound instead of pointed guitar attacks. This can sometimes lead to an almost complete lack of definition, a sense of sea-sickness from being left on waves of sound for too long, the only percussion sounding like someone tapping a [...]
Melyssa takes a look at a handful of unexposed folk artists, with their new releases serving as very suitable autumn listening. A one-man project produces engaging lush folk with electronic infusions, a duo combines ethereal harmonies with a love for Solomon Burke, and another one-man effort sounds like a cross between Elliott Smith and Remy Zero.
Sweden’s electronic-pop scene is renowned not only for its number of impressive musicians per capita, but its listeners’ embracing of various temperaments within the style. Many bond over big-time hooks and smooth-as-butter production, with artistic delivery often serving as the divide. Familiarity with even more reputable acts like The Tough Alliance, Robyn, and Lykke Li [...]
California Condors are a blast of west coast flavor. The four-piece tout infectious melodies and memorable lyrical quips containing a bevy of nostalgia, making it hard to stop listening after one song. Their album Calm Carnivore hovers between contemporary indie rock and classic rock influences. The soaring, reverb-filled guitar solos often conjure the feeling of [...]
Nostalgia, always a component in hip hop's later fare, has taken a new flavor of late. Nostalgia in ‘90s hip hop was largely reactionary, a response to the breakout popularity of the gangsta rap genre. Their nostalgia for groups like The Juice Crew and earlier hip-hop came off like sour grapes. More recently, the flavor [...]
Quichenight I, the first album by Boston native Brett Rosenberg's band Quichenight, is an enjoyable mix of laid-back acoustic guitar strumming, keyboard harmonies, and quirky yet unpretentious lyrics in the vein of Scott McCaughey. Though the album was recorded "in a Nashville Tennessee basement", there is little of the traditional [...]
When an artist embarks on a solo project at a young age, the pursuit is commendable. Such ambition is shown on the full-length album by Leaves of Green, Imago. The album was created by one James Madole, a 20-year-old student at New York University. On his debut, Madole uses an infusion of vocals, guitar, ukulele, [...]
No. These aren't the names of secret air force bases. Rozwell Kid, Big Black Delta, and Lana Del Rey are just three new acts to check out before the weekend. Rozwell Kid will satiate any fan of early '90s power-pop, while the other two traverse in more electronic territory -- Delta pursuing a remix-laden dance route and Del Rey opting for immediate accessibility.
I spoke with Warm Weather's Ryan Pollie, who covered everything from his childhood piano lessons to the production process of the LA trio's Dances EP. The release is currently being offered at an absurd discount on GroopEase -- $2 for five excellent tracks. Check it out to see why Warm Weather are rising quickly.
Dan Barrett’s music plays like a spectre in the night, most effective to the highly attentive and surveyors of the smallest details. It’s something that exists and has its hand on your shoulder. Your reason for ignoring it has nothing to do with the light ethereal touch, but rather that it may trigger thoughts that [...]
Obscure Sound
Boards of Canada – Reach For The Dead
HAERTS: “All The Days”
Sexy Track // “Devil Or Angel” // Lou Doillon
Daft Punk - Lose Yourself to Dance (Simøne Remix)
