Week in Pop
Rachel Mason shared her latest nu-baroque gem “H Explodes” featured off the upcoming Das Ram album available November 18 from Cleopatra Records / Practical Records. In that similar theatrical mode heard on Rachel’s epic The Lives of Hamilton Fish & her countless other contributions & collaborations to the worlds of progressive multi-disciplinary arts make her one of the world’s most current influential artists that people will later make books, movies & operas about for years to follow.
I, CED’s What Are We Looking For? is available now from MoveNext Media and we give you “Go Hard” ft. Jessica “I AM” Neal & Erik Rico (A Sir Froderick Remix) that is about to make your entire weekend all wavy-like. The Sir Froderick remix gets the entire chilled-back forward groover caught up in a slowed & sweetened groove that features on spot vocal appearances from Jessica “I AM” Neal & Erik Rico.
Take a good look & gander at Fresh Snow’s tripped-out animated video for “I Can’t Die” from Benjamin Portas that provides an added aesthetic layer of abstract enchantment. Taken off their second album ONE from Hand Drawn Dracula, the visualizations for “I Can’t Die” provide proposed contexts for what is about to transpire before your ears that will take you to new coordinates that will send every sense into new episodes of intrigue.
Michigan’s Gueringer The 13th is readying the forthcoming album Clifford for release November 18 & we have the Richard Taylor video for “Pro$” that illustrates how to operate an ultra-baller lemonde business like a true pro. Working with producers like Sango (Soulection), Tdeezy, Lord Fubu, Loud Lord ft. a guest spot by Dej Loaf; Gueringer emerges onto the national scene with a unique delivery that focuses rhythmic delivery that arrives on time to each bar & beat like an expedited Fed Ex order.
Catch a listen to the title cut fro The Adventures of the Silver Spaceman (oka TAOTSS) with the scorched yet sweet “Electric Earth” featured off the new EP Bare Bones Part II: Electric Earth available December 2. Zachary James Ellis expands his vision with a host of appearances from members from DIIV, Haybaby, Lazyeyes, etc to make for the most ferocious & super-charged sound we have heard yet from TAOTSS.
Sweden’s The Mary Onettes followed up spring 2015’s “Ruins” with “Juna” that is currentoy being used in an Oxford TV campaign in Europe called “Cool Robot” directed by Drake Doremus. “Juna” provides that over-abundant excited exuberance that sends the most sincere emotions to the tallest point before jumping off the hi-dive deep end into the unknown.
In case you missed it, witness Maria Usbeck’s internationally lauded & applauded solo album debut Amparo (Cascine/Labrador) remixed by the likes of Montreal’s Project Pablo, Nashville’s Jensen Sportag, Italy’s own Tempelhof, & Brooklyn’s Kaazi. Project Pablo retricks the gorgeous “Moai Y Yo”, Tempelhof gets paranormal on their rendering of “Uno De Tus Ojos”, “Ciudad Desnuda” finds new rhythmic urban escapes via Kazzi’s Inner City Garden Mix, while Jensen Sportag finds new audio jungles of the smoothest stems made even smoother with their remix take on Maria Usbeck’s “Jungla Inquieta”.
In further Cascine news, we bring you Yumi Zouma’s recent single “Short Truth” reworked by their label-mates Southern Shores that provides further beaches & seasons spent in the sun. Featured off La.Ga.Sta.’s Late Summer Compilation Vol. 6; the Yumis sound is processed & placed upon a new sequence that further illustrates/highlights/emphasizes the elaborate pop work created by the group to begin with.
Oakland by LA’s birthday, oka Duran Visek has been dropping tracks on the interwebs & recently wowed the world with the wonder of “Parade” that is a ticker-tape marching band & all event that provides cause for celebration no matter where you are. The heart-felt delivery & enthusiastic arrangement points to big musical things in the future from this talent in the coming days & months. Keep listening.
E dropped the single “Candidate” who just released their self-titled debut today via Thrill Jockey Records that offers up some smart punk that entertains visions of candidacy in the face of the states’ current political fracas. Featuring Thalia Zedek from Come, oval office occupations delusions of grandeur & reality collide in something that sounds so wrenching & real it will scare you.
In more Thrill Jockey release news, hear Radian’s “Pickup Pickout” featured off their just released On Dark Silent Off album. The new release from Vienna’s percussionist-sequencer Martin Brandlmayr, bassist John Norman & guitarist/general electronic audio engineer Martin Siewert together combine concentrations to create their latest cross-section of dialogues that finds them fusing their talents together to create audio vehicles that can transport their audiences to new discovered places of newfound realizations & more.
Soak your pains & sorrows in the rich digital pop atmospheres of Alexandra Stewart, aka ACES’ new single “If I Could Be Your Girl” that expresses desires & pangs that are almost too much to bear. ACES’ ethereal voice swims through the air like the fog of evening that rests in the cool of night when the sun is still soundly asleep.
London’s HMLTD presented us with the Jenkin Van Zyl video for “Stained” from their debut double a-side single b/w “Is This What You Wanted” that will provide you awe-striking audio & some of the strangest visuals you will see all week. Performing at Rough Trade’s recent fortieth birthday bash along with appearing as part of installation by designer Charles Jeffrey at Somerset House; HMLTD are about to twist you ears & eyes with a full decent & submergence into the ultra-weird void.
Having just dropped the surprise album Citizen’s Ban(ne)d Radio via Out of Sound Records, check out the Danielle Fricke video for WHOOP-Szo’s “Another Show” that captures intimate moments spent with the artist at home. With sing-a-long inspiring rounds of “rock & roll, when you gonna soothe my soul,” WHOOP-Szo’s entire posse of pals are seen singing the chorus refrain as the artist takes a long swig of a cup of coffee as the video commences with the flashes of the fancy lights. “Another Show” is the ultimate lullaby to soothe the savage & world weary souls of all who still believe in the power of good ol’ rock & roll.
Austin’s rising r & b pop star Tameca Jones bares emotions, thoughts & more on her EP Naked. Tameca offers her own earnest states of unions & desires with the energy of “Hot and Bothered”, the luxury chill lounge of “Let Me Be”, the experimentation heard on “Head Over Heels”, classic blues pop of “Sandman”, right before finishing with a snazzy rendering of “Bennie and the Jets” with some organ atmospheres that the late-great P-Funk member Bernie Worrell would approve of.
Landing delivered the visuals for their title track “Complekt” featured off their new album of the same name (also it should be noted that this is their their tenth album release) available November 25 from These Are Not Records. The inherent complexities of the world are displayed through visuals that entertain sci-fi elements & sentiments of the surreal & scuzzy that sounds like the soundtrack to a rocket blasting off to outer space.
Embrace the immediacy of the moment with the single “Now”, featured off Christa Vi’s upcoming album Makeshift Happiness. Working with French producer Mabeaat, Christa’s voice centers all listening to be in the presence of the present while absorbing electronic sounds of the near & forthcoming future.
Tobin Sprout’s brand new single “Future Boy/Man of Tomorrow” has been making the rounds as the world awaits the artist’s first album in seven years with The Universe & Me available February 3 from Burger Records. You knew the artist originally for his 90s contributions to Guided By Voices alongside Robert Pollard where Sprout reiterates the title mantra of future boy today, man of tomorrow….
As Diamond Ortiz readies the funk-tastic album Loveline for release November 18 from MoFunk Records, sharing a slice of the futuristic funk with a listen to “In The Cut Like What” ft. Reality Jones & John Payne that kicks it from Ohio to the Bay & then back again. The Bay Area by LA artist keeps the nu-flunk flavors super fresh where all the vintage slimy synths push toward realized tomorrows of infinite possibilities & electrified potential.
Montreal’s Heat are readying their album Overnight for release January 20 through Topshelf Records (stateside) / The Hand Recordings (Canada) / Rallye Records (Japan) that offers up pop conductors of wonderful warmth. Featuring a listen to “Lush”, the group shows off a plush arrangement of guitars, rhythms & breathy delivery that makes the entire event feel even more earnest & real.
North Carolina’s Jalen Santoy delivered the single “Off The Glass” featured off the artist’s forthcoming Charlie Eastern EP available February 21 that sports production from Daniel Worthy. The minimalist percussion centered back-beat provides that features Santoy stressing how important it is to be real with yourself amid all of the world’s complications, upsets & upheavals.
Recondite presented us with a listen to the Ricardo Donoso version of “Capable” from his Ghostly debut EP Corvus available today. The Berlin artist who has graced us with a plethora of works via the imprints Innervisions, Hotflush & Acid Test develops his ambient works into deeper subterranean trenches where the the entire track takes on the texture of air coursing through pipe lines of industrious audio designs.
Baloji brought us a listen to the Heems remix & re-twist of the beloved single “Spoiler” featured off the recently released 64 Bits & Malachite EP from Bella Union where the emcee & former Das Racist dude contributes to Baloji’s rich internationally minded sound. We hope this is a sign of possible future collaborations to follow from these two talented artists that bring about an array of energies from all disparate corners of the globe a little bit closer together via all contributed aesthetics & attitudes. Bless up.
Indulge in the sensuous electro-pop world of Sälen’s “Copper Kiss” that deals with modern day boudoir digital pop that muses on metallic tastes with an electro-mineral kind of vibe.
Young Mammals presented us with a listen to their new Odd Hours Records album Jaguar that delivers a wealth of ecstatic energy for these uncertain & all out odd times. The Houston group dazzles with the instant thrills of “Crane”, the fist clenched righteous regard heard on the title track, the sweet stepping “The Slight”, the super sentimentality found on “Turfed”, the guitar glazed thrills of “I’m Sleeping” and more delightful pop kernels to dream upon.
Sweden by London’s Avante Black is made up of Ottilia Zimmerman Kjulsten, Emil, GAbs & Dean who introduced themselves to the world with their first single “Drug Money” taken from their forthcoming debut album available summer 2017. With ultra-fancy production from Luke Smith, AB extols the indulgent hedonism with a sound to match the heady spirit that abounds on their electric first single.
Playing in London November 25 at The Lexington, we bring you a live performance glance at Bat and Ball performing their new single “Be Mine” live with energy & narratives of desired connections & bonds that are executed with an entertaining & dramatic flair.
Check out the Ida Ekbald video for “Glimpse of Hope” from DFA’s newest signing Nils Bech. The Norwegian artist’s new album Echo is available now featuring production from Drippin and you can experience the future chamber pop styles from Nils & a series of scenes & fashionable model poses from Jacob Landvik.
Philly’s Spelling Reform dropped the sentimental rocker ballad “For Clair Patterson” that provides a lot of wistful & hopefull nerdy feelings & all the awkardness that we all know only too well from our own lives. Featured off the upcoming album No One’s Ever Changed available November 18 from Black Rd Records, the band brings about all the self-aware pop that will make you feel both comforted in knowing that there are others that are feeling & going through similar things that you might be experiencing.
Soak in the animated landscape from Dan Matlack with art designs from Nick Kiefer for Rick Barry’s adventurous & gentle world strumming “Wanderlust” that takes a stroll through memory & the expanses of the imagination; found off Curses, Maledictions and Harsh Reiterations.
In further NNA Tapes news, we bring you a listen to their just released electronic-abstract work Housed from NYC sound-crafter die Reihe, oka artist/audio engineer Jack Callahan. Featuring something to the effect of extracting roughly 250 house track stems from about 150 plus artist, Callahan taps into those maximalist tomorrow tones that can also be heard re-programmed & trick-sequenced by the like-minded pop gurus at Noumenal Loom, Orange Milk (or anything with Keith Rankin behind it), PC Music & so forth.
Meditate on the lovely video for “Balboa Bridge” from Communist Daughter that provides real community values strummed from the heart & core of the human spirit. Also be sure to check out ComDot’s Week in Pop takeover on the next page.
