Dominican-New Yorker Juan Alvarez (AKA WaMoo Papez [pronounced Payps]) mines indie rock, shoegaze, and dream pop sounds, distilling beats, vocals, and blips and rendering them as gothic & ethereal electronica, similar to the haunting sounds of Burial . If you listen closely, you may find bits of Radiohead , PJ Harvey , Beirut , and other indie rock mainstays blended in the ether of WaMoo Papez. He also lays down beats for the NY hip hop troupe, Warrior Monks , which “rap about mystic gangsta shit“. Check Out: [...]
Songs from the Green House by Creepers is full of bubbly, tropical indie pop overflowing with reverb. The four-song EP has joyous spirit to it that will certainly add a little happiness to your day. Check out: "Green" [...]
We have some really fantastic followers through Facebook, Twitter and Hypemachine who give us great recommendations. This one came to us from a local student at ECU. The Heavns are out of Mexico and blend elements of shoegaze and psych rock. The result is an unabashed mess of beauty that is as infectious as the Ebola virus, but as good as clam chowder for your soul (screw chicken soup, I grew up on Cape Cod). Anyway, another worthy free feature as we near the end of 2012. Check out: [...]
It's been a week full of jangle pop bands, and that trend continues today. The Airplanes reflects the writing and recordings of Joshua Vest from Fayetteville, Arkansas. In October, The Airplanes released an EP that reflect their influences, among which are The Beatles, Pavement, Olivia Tremor Control and Elliott Smith. Think of it as The Beatles with a Garage Rock heart. Expect a second EP here in the coming months from the Airplanes. For now, enjoy and download their debut EP. Check out: "Paper Hearts" [...]
Balue came to us as a suggestion from a friend who has great taste. Eli Thomas is a bedroom artist whose music is a lo-fi amalgam surf rock, psych pop, and electronica that vaguely recalls Bear Hands or the more obscure, Bronze , but as bedroom pop. Thomas calls it a headphone album, but it's been on constant play in my car. So if you have decent set of speakers, turn up the volume. It's not going to rock out, it's more subtle than that, but it's dynamic. The only flaw in the album is a [...]
This is too damn good to pass up. Trouble in Mind 's label sampler came out today, and it's already on its second time around on my media player. Lots o' good alternative, jangle pop, psych pop, punk and garage rockers on this. Best of all, there's no filler! It's all good. Be sure to check out their artist line up , and enjoy! Get some unique vinyl for Christmas or a birthday! Check out: The Woollens - "Susannah" [...]
Brooklyn-based duo, Beacon , create soulful dream pop with subtle R&B grooves. For a limited time, you can grab their No Body EP from Ghostly International . No Body was originally a self-release last November, and now re-released through Ghostly. We feature the tracks "See Through You" and "Girl in a Coma" below. Beacon is supporting their latest EP, latest EP, For Now , while touring with How to Dress Well . "See Through You" "Girl in a Coma" [...]
R.Thomasin is a singer-songwriter out of Boston. The "Framed" EP integrates bits of dream pop, synth pop, and shoegaze to create complex sounds that range from experimental to beautifully cacophonous. At times, it sounds like Amie Mann's early work with 'Til Tuesday, but it's recorded with the intention to test barriers and leave the safety net of conventional pop compositions. It's well worth your while to spend some time with this EP. In addition to "Streetlight", we also feature two tracks not found on the Framed EP: "Subliminals" and "Wolf Biter." [...]
Almost is aptly name, as it mimics that state where one is almost sleeping and almost waking. That spot where dreams feel real. Where you have to remind yourself later that it was just a dream. J. Francis is Julian Francis Pierce, an unsigned artist out of Brisbane. Almost is his debut EP, and will appeal to fans of ambient, atmospheric dream pop. Check out: "a l m o s t" [...]
Cat Meat is led by a trio of multi-instrumentalists: Phil Rogers, Ian Olney, and Barney Bodoano out of London. Amy Butterworth and Ben Dean are, respectively, frequent contributors on violin and piano. Their music is a sweet concoction of alt. country, blues, and Americana-it's always weird to write that about a band from the UK, but this act knocks it out of the park. Phil, Ian and Barney cite a number of influences that include alternative mainstays Wilco, Sparklehorse and Califone; the classic psychedelic experimenalist, Captain Beefheart; and the legendary bluesmen Mississippi John Hurt and [...]
The Los Angeles band, The Rebel Ligh t , has a DIY spirit and a magnificent pop heart. They recorded and mixed this debut recording in places familiar to bedroom recording artists, having recorded vocals in a bathroom and drums in a shed. As any DIY artist will tell you, it's those special places from which one can draw inspiration that counts. The listener will not be any worse for being wise, as this EP soars above its primitive recording spaces. The EP's release official release date is November 13, but The Rebel Light is [...]
Apparently, Halifax (Nova Scotia) has a pretty good music scene. At least that's what I can surmise when I stumbled upon Long Long Long 's self-titled debut. When you download it free on Bandcamp, they link you to other acts in the area. There's lots there, but we really dig this release (as well as others by LLL-lot's of good stuff). It's pop punk with an experimental undercurrent. Whenever I think about living on an island or somewhere that might as well be an island (think Lawrence, KS), I imagine that one of two things happen-you get bored out [...]
It's Friday and it's also that time of year where I am bogged down with work, family responsibilities and the usual October zaniness (3 birthdays in my family, parents' anniversary, and just life). So this Friday's choice makes sense to me. I need to chill and get away from life's complexities. This Friday's choice is all about escape. If you're feeling me, you will dig the beats and synthesized meanderings on "Leaf" by Tom Cascino AKA Broke for Free . It's strictly instrumental, skating the line between hip hop and chillwave. I'd love to hear [...]
On the The Tape Sessions , Nadine Carina prefers to remain simple, stark and staid while singing into an analog tape player. Let this young Liverpudlian songstress and her guitar entertain you on a quiet evening or Saturday afternoon while you prepare the evening dinner. It's sure to please, whenever you choose to listen to it. If you're into something more experimental, check out her latest release, Little Bits . It's full of found sounds and odd rhythms. It will appeal to those who prefer their music a little weirder [...]
Raf Batchelor records under the name Solo Project . Last fall he released Somewhere to Smile (also a free release), and now he is back with Unwind . The UK-based artist is largely experimental with folk leanings. While freak folk is an easy genre tag, the solo artist is not easily pinned down. This is thoughtful, complex material that benefits from repeat listening. Check out: "Holiday" [...]
Jeremy Joseph is Daddy Lion , a DIY artist with a diverse sonic palette. Joseph wrote, performed and recorded "Habitat" from the comfort of his home using Garageband. It's a rich recording that fans of 80s college radio will admire, but feel challenged because it's a bouillabaisse of synth pop, jangle pop and art rock. On "Habitat," Joseph explores various "habitats"-the mind, the body, and the earth are explored directly or at least tangentially on this recording. The lyrics are oddly poetic, flowing from a stream of consciousness. [...]
Dan Wakefield and Allen Taylor are Mirror Mode , an electronic experimental outfit out of Atlanta. Released late last year, the Veils EP is sonically complex with subtle rhythms, drone, and dreamy vocal textures. Wakefield and Taylor toured recently with Lockett Pundt (Lotus Plaza) pulling double duty as Mirror Mode and then as members of the touring band for Lotus Plaza. Those familiar with Lotus Plaza will find Mirror Mode a bit more atmospheric, floating above everything in their rich soundscapes. In May 2012, the Mirror Mode [...]
MELTS is a collection of droning, ambient recordings assembled by Baltimore-based Violet (Rachel Asher). Violet ’s music is vocal-based and effects laden; songs evolve with layers of vocal melodies and tones manipulated with various effects pedals and audio processors. This approach produces an array of sounds ranging from phasing, nebulous, and gaseous (I live here) to haunting, elegant, ceremonial (grown) to spacey, ethereal (wet eyes). ‘lovers’ is built on a pulsating chorus of echoes that introduces a melancholy and desperate vocal that evokes lost love. ‘gasping’ transforms a cacophonous jumble of audio into a cybernetic expression [...]
Setec is Joshua Gibbs out of Sydney, Australia. The I’ll Be Good EP is the follow up to the ambient recording Longer Letters , which was also an EP. Gibbs does a lot of work with "found-sound," looping guitars and layering vocals to create dense, atmospheric soundscapes. Gibbs sites Grizzly Bear, Bjork, The Books, Shigeto, and Braid among his influences. You can pick up the I'll Be Good EP here . Check out: "I'll Be Good" [...]
As summer wanes, take one last vacation with DUDES . The 4 songs on the Summer Vacation EP are loads of fun, showcasing the San Diego band’s imaginative and wonderfully strange blend of chill wave, swaggy electro-pop, and hip-hop. Check Out: TEENAGE REBELS [mp3] [...]
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Arctic Monkeys | Do I Wanna Know? (Official Video)
