The new year brings the world a mix of tentative waiting with a sensitive touch of reflective sentimentality. While the mainstreamers await a new track from Justin Timberlake, we await Julian Lynch's new album Lines due March 26 on Underwater Peoples. Then with MIA getting told by Interscope to “darken up” her forthcoming album Matangi, the release date wait has been extended until April while Maya reconfigures all things pertaining to her relevance. But then a love not got slipped out way when our East Bay-based boy Lil B took to a local pet store to tell us “I Love You” while David Bowie drifted further into those golden pensioner years whilst reflecting on the Berlin trilogy-by-gone era asked us the question, “Where Are We Now?” But answers and patience aside, we bring you a snapshot of the week, in no particular order.
Sweden's sweethearts David Lehnberg and Elin Lindfors combine energies and powers as The Deer Tracks to embrace worlds and wake the sleeping dead on their new single, “Lazarus”. The exhibition of restraint applied to the thunderous dance toms and pointed but fleeting lush orchestrations fill the track in the spaces not populated by the chorus keys. From the punctuated tribal drum clasps, the listener imagines a modern day dead-raising seance-vigil attended by beautiful people decked out in tumblr approved Native American inspired textile patterns and semi-conscious displays of jewelery forged in religious symbology. The Deer Tracks' album The Archer Trilogy Pt. 3 comes out February 12 from The Control Group.
Christoph Hochheim of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Depreciation Guild released the single “Sally Hot Jazz” from his solo side Ablebody. Like playing percussion jazz tapes in a Chinese garden or walking half-awake through an Eastern Emporium; Hocheim presents sentimental trails of creative resolve. Recorded by Giancarlo De La Cruz and mastered by Gabe Liberti; Christoph's brother Anton takes on the drum arrangements while the world of indoors is explored, “with the blinds shut, with nothing to hide from,” that finds that special and certain-central comfort above mattresses, cruising into the covers while winter rains down outside…everywhere. Ablebody's All My Everybody EP comes out January 29 via Bandcamp.
DSTVV's fuzzy soda pop single “Molly Soda” featuring KEEL HER dropped the visual GIF collected menagerie by frontman Joel Cusumano's brother Jack. Like something left on the cutting room floor of MTV's old school Liquid TV, 90s experimentalism is extolled in aesthetic knocks and pleas to “remember Crystal Pepsi”. Jack Cusumano's image assembly flashes crass Zoo TV ripped slogans, and random on screen karaoke-esque lyrics completely different than what's being sung, psychedelicized shaggy dogs, alien invasions and more lysergic pet image experimentations. DSTVV plays SF's Hemlock February 1 with Warm Soda and Cocktails.
Sporting a Giants Brian Wilson quoting “HEEM” t-shirt, Bay Area's sayknowledge drops his “Lap Up” video from the forthcoming Vibe Called Quest album dropping January 15. With a mischievous sense of humor while star-searching for fly girl-music video honeys on a budget; sayknow goes the discount inflatable route. In his own words:
“In this part of the world we drive what we can, new whips old whips, shit that's good on gas. We shot this “typical” ass rap video with no budget, we even found some “eyecandy” for a good price. “Lap Up” is a testament to the bridge crosses. Maybach not included. Quest.”
Get your first listen to Bleached's new single “Next Stop” from their forthcoming album Ride Your Heart dropping April 2 from Dead Oceans. The threat of the Clavin sisters, Jennifer and Jessie involves a road trip bus ride of transit, abrupt life transitions, steady rock and roll, “waiting for the train,” “smoking in the rain,” and “kissing you good bye.”
The Woolen Men signed to Woodsist and lent a listen to their single, “Mayonaise”. Alex Geddes, Lawton Browning and Raf Spielman bust out the vox guitars and declare that they don't want to live in a cul de sac, a one-way street, singing about dinosaur back pouncing and strange tales of what we imagine are the untold tales of Portland, OR suburban strangeness. The Woolen Men release their self-titled debut full-length LP March 5 on Woodsist Records.
With Oh No's Disrupted Ads album drops January 29 from Kash Rock Entertainment, we got his track featuring Blu & MED animated by Hayden Baptiste for “Jones's”. Fat Beats has the pre-order for both CD and LP chock-full of instrumental cuts and further appearances from Gangrene, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Souls of Mischief, and more.
Colleen Green premieres her new single “Time in the World” from her forthcoming release Sock it To Me coming March 19 from Hardly Art. Recorded in the Spring season of 2012, Green enlisted Seapony's Danny Rowland's for guitar work that presents the new canvases of infinite possibilities from Colleen's self made of world of endless time.
The Child of Lov follows up “Heal” with single number 2, “Give Me” prepared with some down home visuals from Focus Creeps as they explore the backroads of Georgia with some scratchy throated “give me all your loving” soul.
Seatraffic takes out their video for “Put Away” directed by Scott Hammel. Found on the b-side from Seatraffic's Crimes 7″, they take their sound through moving picture books of memory that describe an anxious wanderlust that cannot be placed in a hope chest, school yard wallflower placements but a freedom beyond the constraints of confinement in life.
La Big Vic dropped the lush space groove dance cut, “All That Heaven Allows (feat. Alienboy)”. Around the round table in the Goldmine Sacks boardroom our test subject interns described the song as the aural equivalent of standing in a molasses waterfall hot spring in slow-falling motion-half-speed time where the music consistency continues to get progressively more viscous. La Big Vic's album Cold War comes out January 29.
Give it up for Friends of Friends' latest signing, Evenings as they lead us down the forest brooks and streams of escapist tranquility. Bathe in these cool waters and other chill pools on the Show Me The Future compilation available January 15 from Friends of Friends.
From his forthcoming Maybach Music Group mixtape Electric Highway; up and coming MC Rockie Fresh dropped the single “Superman OG (feat. Lunice)” to elaborate on his futuristic-time-traveling-aspring lifestyles. The mixtape made with TNGHT's Lunice was made after a joint tour last Fall and will both be at the Hot97 & XXL record release show for Rockie at NYC's SOB January 23, with tickets available here and the Electric Highway album can be downloaded here.
Widowspeak released the ren-faire song of soildarity and wonderment, “Thick as Thieves” from their forthcoming Almanac coming out January 22 from Captured Tracks.
The end of last year saw dispaced and replaced mixes and samples of Memory Tapes' recent album Carpark release, Grace/Confusion and today we have the visual for the song “Sheila”. British director Gary Wood presents the video as a short film depicting the subject “Sheila” in a rural tree house where she proceeds to carry out what Wood refers to as 'fractional suicide' through various stages to match the many corridors of Dayve Hawk's work. Memory Tapes peforms at Glasslands on February 6 amid a handful of East coast dates.
DJ DAY drops the cut “Mama Shelter” giving some international dance rhythms and a shout out to the Parisian hotel of the same name. Day's upcoming album Land of 1000 Chances will be available February 12 from Thes One's label PL70.
In further label signing anouncements, Generationals signed to Polyvinyl this week and delivered sounds of 2013 jangle pop affinities with “Spinoza”. Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer recorded this song and their upcoming album Haza in their hometown of New Orleans, Austin at Jim Eno's Public Hifi and in Washington D.C. and at Daniel Black's Bent Black studio and the result is the sound of jangly twee pop enterting the twenty-first century. Generationals' new album Heza available April 2 with pre-order available from Polyvinyl Records.
Karriem Riggins hits up almost everyone he can on the Stones Throw roster for the track “Matador” from his Stones Throw album Alone Together that features Knight Rider beats from J Rocc and brand new verses from Krondon, Homeboy Sandman, Guilty Simpson and Jonwayne.
The electronic National Park System is Nicholas Yu who preps his programming skills to re-program the electronic music world on his forthcoming, A Visitors Guide EP out January 23 on lo bit landscapes. Enter his realm of complex internal circuitries on “Silver Miner”.
Also peep a listen to National Park System's “Sad and Fucked (Not Moving)
We checked in with Freeze-Tag, the Cleveland, Ohio shape-shifting abstract pop beat maker to hear the smooth sultry new single screamer; “Kiss Kiss Kiss”. The title itself is repeated as an almost mechanical repeated chorus, while Marcus Ward throws out the faded genre books for his own designs that point toward vast styles calmly discarded in your direction like spinning playing cards. For all of ya'll that need more, we recommend “Eskimo“, Marcus's cover of Little Dragon's “Twice“, “Tidal Wave“, and “DDiamonds (Urbindex Remix)“.
From Glasgow, check out Eilidh Rodgers, Ruari MacLean and Rachel Aggs who are Golden Grrrls who dropped their guitar laden vintage twee-n-scuzz single “Past Tense”. Their self-titled full length comes out February 26 from Slumberland Records.
From the Stones Throw & Leaving Records compilation, Dual Form, and drop the Run DMT directed video for Trance Farmers' fuzz-fi post-doo wop single, “Purple Hay”. Dual Form is available now on double cassette with the LP, CD and digital available out January 22 from Stones Throw / Leaving.
Hot on the heals of the first single “Unity”, music maker/purveyor Duncan Cooper as the alias Wildarms brings us the track, “Full Hearts” that opens the forthcoming Clear Eyes EP. Cooper's commencing track for the extended player celebrates everything full, with the production spinning outworld to reveal multiple layers from the initial opening spelling of his operating moniker. With the term “Full Hearts” common in the electronic gaming arena for full life; the galactic electro odyssey hits a centrifugal force at the 1 minute mark recalling the side-scrolling over-stimulation of Capcom's 1986 title, Hyper Dyne Side Arms in full digital glory. The Wildarms Clear Eyes EP will be available February 5 from Cascine with pre-order available through iTunes.
Work Drugs dropped their video for “Delta”, the title track from the sea-sex-synths & sun loving Phillie group. The song was written during a summer trip to SoCal in 2004, and the video exudes the sexy film filtered life of cruising the strip, and plenty of bikini clad babes. Their album Delta is available now from Bobby Cahn Records and Brooklyn/Philadelphia based State Capital Records.
Trinidad James embraces his inner Auric Goldfinger as he dropped the materialistic “All Gold Everything” celebrating, “gold all in my chain, gold all in my ring, gold all in my watch, don't believe me just watch.”
The cult of Marissa Cooper lives on in Feebzz new Blizzed Out produced single, “OC OD” Because “Gucci Gucci” was so 2011; Feebz kicks it minimalist style for that Newport Beach life of 2003-07 while baiting the usual suspects of haters.
Keeping the modern dance dynamics dumb and lyrics sappy is the Diamond Ring remix of Gold Fields' “Dark Again” single. Catch the video for the original here, with pre-order available from Amazon for Black Sun out February 26 from Astralwerks.
Monty Luke spins up the beat in effect while molding his own dance sample twists on, “Shape Of Things” off of Modern Underground Music V.2, available January 29 from Black Catalogue. Monty teams up with AbJo, Ibrahim Alfa Jnr, Lance Desardi and Kneco Uqdah Jr. on the album where the beats flow down steady waters of occasionally hypnotizing production.
The dance keeps going with Dreams “IN2U” from the compilation, Show Me The Future available January 15 from Friends of Friends.
The beat goes on as France's international clothiers/taste makers keep the dance floors alive worldwide, as Jerry Bouthier's brings us the following free minimix of the upcoming compilation Kitsuné Parisien III dropping February 5 on Kitsuné.
Eskmo's track “Buffalo” has a rhythm sequence and huffing effects to match a likeness/tribute to the beasts of this track's namesake. Catch this and more off the Terra EP, available January 21 from Ancestor.
SFV Acid gives you an introductory lesson on how to start your year off on the right foot with the video for “As Is” (Pt. 1) from the Neighborhood Archives EP available now UNO NYC. Get weird with SFV and drop one here at the Woodland Hills, CA, Westfield Shopping Center. The monuments of commerce have never before been so strange, and yet so calm.
Salva & Brenmar beg the question, “Let Me Bang”, and get the collaborative juices flowing to the sound of what could be the weirdest aerobic routine if arranged, organized, and applied to this cut. Their headlining tour is happening now, dates are here.
Following up with Django Django, it's the “Hand of Man” video directed by proudcer drummer/producer Dave Maclean's brother John, just in time for their international tour of the US/UK.
Strong Arm Steady's Krondon drops the video for the single “7 Eleven” featuring Teeflii, chilled-back production from Cardo with convenience store direction by Kwaz “Scriptz” Fraser for Follow The Script Multimedia. Get more from Kron with exclusive production from Cardo on the forthcoming album Everything's Nothing dropping January 31 from Strong Arm Steady.
Meet the electronic distorted stratospheres from former Yellow Swans dude, Pete Swanson as he brings the Justin Meyers triangular designs video for his single “Life Ends at 30” from the forthcoming Punk Authority EP. Get into the jagged beats and aggressive electric intensities and raw intentions now until the extended player comes out March 12 from the Software Recording Co. Pre-Order is available via Mexican Summer.
Exile Manfredi and Tony Browning drop their video for Dag Savage (aka the collabo of Exile & Johaz) for their single “Twilight”. Catch the duo's ode to the setting of the sun and more on the Dag Savage EP available January 15 from The Dirty Science.
Natasha Kmeto dropped the single “Dirty Mind Melt” from the EP of the same, slated for release February 19 from Dropping Gems. Not a song to take for granted nor lightly as the bass and quixotic production will melt minds at the 2 minute mark.
Popstrangers' dropped their single “What Else Could They Do” that presents the New Zealand trio of Joel Flyger, Adam Page and David Larson keeping indie rock and roll classic, cool, and happening. The alt kiwi poppers are preparing the release of their full-length album debut, Antipodes dropping February 26 on Carpark Records.
Popstrangers, “What Else Could They Do”
Steve Adamyk Band gives you the sped up 1 minute plus 1 punk of “Katacombs” with visuals by Travis Boisvenue ahead of the band's LP Third available February 12 from Dirtnap Records / Green Noise Records.
Just in time for the winter, Total Warr drop the track “Outside It Looks Like Snow” with Japanther to provide some warmth and holiday leftover cheer. Collaborations are in the atmosphere as Kiki and Guigui recently recorded with The Death Set's Johnny Siera on the bombarding “Bambastard” as the Warr-iors prepare their Loisy EP for release on February 12.
Listen to Queens, NY's Gospels who reside in Forest Hills in their 3-floor recording studio-home where their debut Animal Feelings EP was born. Those lucky enough with tickets can catch Gospels' upcoming 7pm performance at NYC's Mercury Lounge on January 16 in support of MS MR. While their Animal Feelings EP comes out in Spring 2013, get a listen to the band's preaching of the good news and animalistic sentiments on the title track following this sentence.
Brooklyn's DyMe-A-DuZiN dropped the recent visuals for “New Brooklyn” and this week dropped the Harry Fraud produced cut, “Memories” from the forthcoming A Portrait of Donnovan available January 16. With the high pitched “you love me” female vocal sample, DyMe reflects on a past love while struggling with, “matching faces to the name” and reconciling a past re-introduced too late for recourse. It is DuZin's embrace of the now and future that has us awaiting the release of Portrait as DyMe would say; “Lately I've been higher than I ever been before but life is getting better, when you see me then you remember, I'm on your t.v. now you remember, then they got fuzzy and they don't remember that and I don't remember you…”
If you are “Down On Your Luck” and need a little of that proverbial Mick n' Keef, a sniff of Charlie and some sympathy; Hollis Brown brings it with this bar room bawler. Brown's Ride On The Train comes out March 5 on Alive Records.
Fol Chen dropped the single “200 Words” ahead of the new album The False Alarms” available March 19 from Asthmatic Kitty. The LA collective led by the productive minds Samuel Bing and Julian Wass that are keeping the beat pop pages turning, removing a portion of their mysterious collaborative veil to reveal front woman, Sinosa Loa bring sea side diving words and song for “closer people.”
UK's Virals unleash their title track from the forthcoming Strange Fruit EP coming out January 15 from Zoo Music with their upcoming US debut slated for appearances at this year's SXSW.
After Deerhoof supported Plastic Ono Band, Sean Lennon and Greg Saunier had an improvised jam session that became the foundation for Mystical Weapons. So enter the realms of the mystics with their video for “Colony Collapse Disorder” ahead of their self-titled release, January 15 from Deerhoof's imprint, Chimera Music.
Lucius prepares for a headlining tour of the East Coast that kicks off January 18 at NYC's Mercuary Lounge, and present the following intimate, “Tiny Desk Concert” courtesy of NPR.
The History of Apple Pie deliver their latest slice of UK pop with their single “See You” ahead of the release of their debut album Out of View coming into eye sight range January 29 from Marshall Teller Records.
Norway’s Heyerdahl drops the keyboard-mind alter/alliterating single “Shadows” as they prepare their debut album ØEN for release January 28 from Red Eye Transit.
We got your listen to Toro Y Moi and Dog Bite's tour-only split 7″ from their upcoming North American tour beginning at the end of this month. Listen to this tour exclusive streaming here and prepare for Toro's third record, Anything in Return dropping January 22 from Carpark Records.
Alasdair Roberts brings traditional Scottish folk values and story telling methods for his music fit for any pub, dive, living room, or front porch with the somber but hopeful number; 'The Year of the Burning”. A song to uplift those facing the global hardships that life presents everyone at various points in various trying manners; Roberts enlists Glasgow's top musician brass like Ben Reynolds, Shane Connolly, Rafe Fitzpatrick, Stevie Jones, and Olivia Chaney. Alasdair Roberts & Friends present the world with A Wonder Working Stone on January 22 from Drag City.
Ryan Hemsworth samples Opera The Dream Oath from Final Fantasy VI for “An Overture Might Help Me Stop Thinking Of You”, and gets away with it too. Find this overture and other off Hemsworth's Show Me The Future compilation available January 15 on Friends of Friends.
For Noise Pop 2013 in SF, we got confirmation that Damien Jurado, XXYYXX, White Arrrows, Teen Daze, Paul Basic, Supervision and Caspian have been added to a lineup that already includes Toro Y Moi, !!!, Amon Tobin, Starfucker, Rogue Wave, The Thermals, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, etc. Also, the third annual Noise Pop Culture Club and Pop-Up Shop will return, check and watch Noise Pop website for further, incoming details, and additions.
Further festival updates as Chaos in Tejas 2013 with the third round of additions that include Flying Nun Records legends The Bats, UK Producer Andy Stott, Danish punks Iceage, The Damned and more in the list above. Get your tickets here peoples.
