Sleep Party People - “A Dark God Heart”.

20 Jan 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
As seen over at The Line Of Best Fit earlier today, the moniker of Denmark's Brian Batz, Sleep Party People (whom also makes appearance in Scarlet Chives) is finally set to release a new album, following the utterly splendid self-titled debut in 2010. "A Dark God Heart Song Of The Day", the first single from the upcoming album sounds bigger than ever — a little like I remember it when catching up on Brian and his band playing at Oslo's Bylarm festival a few years ago. We can't wait to see what his second full-lenght, We Were Drifting On A Sad Song will avail, out on Blood and Biscuits on April 9th. If you happen to be around, don't forget to drop by their gig in London on April 19th, brought to you by our dearest friends at The Line Of Best Fit and Ja Ja Ja truly. Read more →

Premiere: Omma Cobba - “Greet Us”.

19 Jan 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Not entirely sure if anyone noticed, but Omma Cobba's self-titled LP on Sweet Rot Records made my year-end list, and rightfully so (in all modesty). Anyway, the folks around mastermind Daniel Miller have just delivered another gemstone of delightfully fuzzed-out, mesmerizing psychedelic garage with just the right amount of classic blues and folk leanings, the eight-track cassette Faster Acid Tongue, the purchase of which shall hereby be considered mandatory. Listen to "Greet Us" below, the album's slightly melancholic, beautifully sundrenched standout track. Faster Acid Tongue is out now via Ottawa, Ontario's Bruised Tongue. Omma Cobba - Greet Us Read more →

The Garment District: “Nature-Nurture”.

19 Jan 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Been sleeping on this way too long now but thankfully received another reminder this morning that the debut release by Pittsburgh's Jennifer Baron aka The Garment District is a tremendous and truly fascinating effort, an incredibly fine-grained and carefully arranged collection of songs that linger in that delicate place between classic DIY songwriting and highly playful, texturally sophisticated experimentalism, never neglecting the music's ubiquitous pop sensibilities. Here's the gorgeous, still fairly new video for album track "Nature-Nurture", made by Keith Tassick from some 700 still photographs of television images taken by the musician. Melody Elder is out on Night-People. Read more →

Video: Clearing - “Blank”.

19 Jan 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Murfreesboro, Tennessee's Joseph Volmer is a man of many guises, Party Trash, Skylines, and, perhaps most prominently, Police Academy 6, but the musings of his that I find most intriguing surely are those originated under the moniker Clearing, slowly unfolding soundscapes of unsettling, at times threatening ambient drones and cinematic incursions that evince true sonic mastership. Below, watch the otherworldly beautiful, Geoffrey Sexton-directed video for "Blank", a track that appears on Clearing's latest cassette, No Titles, which is out now on No Kings. Read more →

Dean Blunt feat. Inga Copeland: “Choice of a New Generation”.

19 Jan 2012 — Henning Lahmann
We've had Dean Blunt, Inga Copeland, Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland, and now Dean Blunt featuring Inga Copeland: whatever. It still has "Hype Williams" written all over it. Not sure (as usual) if "Choice of a New Generation" is the correct title (a simple "Track 2" has also been suggested), but that's how it was tagged on YouTube. In any case, it's gonna appear on Blunt's forthcoming solo effort The Narcissist II. Exceptionally gentle and smooth and almost not twisted in any way at all, we totally dig this one. (via Dummy) Read more →

Asfandyar Khan - “Trails”.

19 Jan 2012 — Tonje Thilesen
Sadly, it's not exactly everyday we get a music submission from Islamabad, Pakistan. In fact, this might as well be our very first; however must I honestly admit that my idea of what's cooking in the independent and alternative music scene of Pakistan is as close to non-excisting. After receiving an e-mail from the 24-year old musician Asfandyar Khan from the heart of Islamabad, it obviously seems like we are missing something out. Inspired by Two Bicycles and Memoryhouse, Asfandyar creates short, but ethereal soundwaves, slightly in the veins of our 90's heroes American Football, completed with gusts of loneliness and pictures of freezing landscapes. A break from reality, perhaps: longing after memories which recalls warmth. Grab a download of his EP The North Wind via bandcamp or the stunning Snow Makes Things Perfect from 2010, featuring a track called "Gregor Samsa is Dead, Long Live Gregor Samsa". Humor. Asfandyar Khan - Trails Asfandyar Khan - Hello, Morocco Read more →

Henny Moan: “Pantheon”.

17 Jan 2012 — Henning Lahmann
London-based enigma Henny Moan, whose recording moniker does not refer to a sexuality-related human behavior but to a Norwegian actress, today dropped The Coming Thaw, an album that apparently is released on CDr by someone we don't know but that is more significantly also up for free download over here. It's arguably his most accomplished work to date and seriously rather terrific, and though he might or might not be somehow be related to/friends with Hype Williams, his deranged yet incredibly pop-infused jams and the output of his much-acclaimed London peers more than once resemble each other quite strikingly. Listen to standout tracks "Pantheon" and the noisy and frantic dance anthem "A Bullet Sang Over Their Heads" below and make sure to cop the whole thing here. Henny Moan - Pantheon Henny Moan - A Bullet Sang Over Their Heads Read more →

Birds of Passage: “Away with the Night”.

17 Jan 2012 — Henning Lahmann
Already released on CD and LP in December, Bathetic has now stepped up to give Birds of Passage's magical Winter Lady the cassette treatment. The sophomore album by New Zealand native Alicia Merz is a quiet masterpiece of minimalistic, indeed very wintry and otherworldly musings that are carried by Merz's eerie, reverberated voice, sparsely accompanied by piano and cello, almost indiscernible field recordings and slow, cold drones, evoking images of snow-covered landscapes that are undoubtedly beautiful but leave a feeling of loneliness and loss. Winter Lady is out now on cassette via Bathetic and still available on CD and LP via Denovali. Birds of Passage - Away with the Night Read more →