Rites Wild.

14 Feb 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Stacey Wilson aka Rites Wild, hailing from Adelaide, South Australia, recently sent over these eerie synth gems that add up to both sides of her latest release, a cassingle that is available via Faux Friends now. Wilson's haunting, heavily echoed magic does remind us of an earlier Zola Jesus, which is far from saying that both sound alike - in fact, automatically mingling every female artist who's able to work on synthesizers and is moreover tending towards the dark side is nothing else than pursuing sexist patterns in writing about music. So enough with that already. Suffice it to say that in particular the utterly brilliant Rites Wild Theme is far from anything that has come up stateside recently, as Wilson manages to blend her signature otherworldliness with quite an infectious, upbeat bass line that is obviously made for sinister dance moves over misty fields at night. Both tracks will be part of a forthcoming home-recorded EP, as well as featured on one of the next New Weird Australia compilations, which is quite something actually. Cut short, this exciting new artist is surely someone to keep in mind this year. Rites Wild - Rites Wild Theme Rites Wild - Ill Health Read more → Stacey Wilson aka Rites Wild, hailing from Adelaide, South Australia, recently sent over these eerie synth gems that add up to both sides of her latest release, a cassingle that is available via Faux Friends now. Wilson's haunting, heavily echoed magic does remind us of an earlier Zola Jesus, which is far from saying that both sound alike - in fact, automatically mingling every female artist who's able to work on synthesizers and is moreover tending towards the dark side is nothing else than pursuing sexist patterns in writing about music. So enough with that already. Suffice it to say that in particular the utterly brilliant Rites Wild Theme is far from anything that has come up stateside recently, as Wilson manages to blend her signature otherworldliness with quite an infectious, upbeat bass line that is obviously made for sinister dance moves over misty fields at night. Both tracks will be part of a forthcoming home-recorded EP, as well as featured on one of the next New Weird Australia compilations, which is quite something actually. Cut short, this exciting new artist is surely someone to keep in mind this year. Rites Wild - Rites Wild Theme Rites Wild - Ill Health

Premiere: Three Orphans.

14 Feb 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Portland, Maine's Jakob Battick & Friends finally return with their very unique take on contemporary folk music, once again turning classic tropes of 20th century Americana into haunted and eerie pieces of forward-looking yet history-informed "nightmarefolk". On March 11, the group will drop their new EP Bloodworm Songs, a collection of reworked and reinterpreted Battick songs as well as two entirely new ones, one of those being Three Orphans, a slowly meandering composition driven by a lonely acoustic guitar line and beautiful male/female vocalizing. This piece instantly puts the listener into a comfortable state of dread in view of the inconnu, evoking an overwhelming maelstrom of dark sensations. The accompanying video is aptly underlining the song's tone, a monochromatic stream of hidden memories and suppressed fears. Jakob Battick & Friends - Three Orphans Read more → Portland, Maine's Jakob Battick & Friends finally return with their very unique take on contemporary folk music, once again turning classic tropes of 20th century Americana into haunted and eerie pieces of forward-looking yet history-informed "nightmarefolk". On March 11, the group will drop their new EP Bloodworm Songs, a collection of reworked and reinterpreted Battick songs as well as two entirely new ones, one of those being Three Orphans, a slowly meandering composition driven by a lonely acoustic guitar line and beautiful male/female vocalizing. This piece instantly puts the listener into a comfortable state of dread in view of the inconnu, evoking an overwhelming maelstrom of dark sensations. The accompanying video is aptly underlining the song's tone, a monochromatic stream of hidden memories and suppressed fears. Jakob Battick & Friends - Three Orphans

We’re all fucked up.

13 Feb 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Deeply terrified and confused but also seriously intrigued by this honest and true early 90s throwback, immense stompers rising from the ashes of the Northwest Rock Explosion performed by Edmonton's Catlin W. Kuzyk aka Service:Fair who keeps on spitting out unashamedly catchy tunes as if good ol' Kurt were still alive and kicking, you know what I mean? His EP It Ended Badly, a pretty coherent failed relationship payoff, is out now on Nowhere Fast and available via bandcamp. Highly recommended - Weird Canada has called this piece both "revisionist" and a "colossal success", and HE knows no words ever have been more to the point. Oh, and I guess y'all know what to do next: Service:Fair - F.U.K.T. Service:Fair - Just To Be Nice Read more → Deeply terrified and confused but also seriously intrigued by this honest and true early 90s throwback, immense stompers rising from the ashes of the Northwest Rock Explosion performed by Edmonton's Catlin W. Kuzyk aka Service:Fair who keeps on spitting out unashamedly catchy tunes as if good ol' Kurt were still alive and kicking, you know what I mean? His EP It Ended Badly, a pretty coherent failed relationship payoff, is out now on Nowhere Fast and available via bandcamp. Highly recommended - Weird Canada has called this piece both "revisionist" and a "colossal success", and HE knows no words ever have been more to the point. Oh, and I guess y'all know what to do next: Service:Fair - F.U.K.T. Service:Fair - Just To Be Nice

Invisible Surfer on an Invisible Wave.

13 Feb 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Seriously delightful synth tropicalia here by Baltimore group Ponytail's guitarist Ken Seeno, slow burning séances that indeed evoke images of sunshine and quality time at the beach watching (invisible) surfers, with a lot of chirping and bleeping probably emerging out of the nearby jungle. The whole splendid C-31 tape is now up for ordering on our beloved NNA Tapes. Read more → Seriously delightful synth tropicalia here by Baltimore group Ponytail's guitarist Ken Seeno, slow burning séances that indeed evoke images of sunshine and quality time at the beach watching (invisible) surfers, with a lot of chirping and bleeping probably emerging out of the nearby jungle. The whole splendid C-31 tape is now up for ordering on our beloved NNA Tapes.

Video: Raw Thrills - Both Ways.

12 Feb 2011 — Henning Lahmann

My favorite song from one of my favorite releases this year so far, Raw Thrills' Both Ways from his amazing full-length Shakedown, has finally been blessed with a no less wonderful video. Enjoy this piece by Natalie Rodgers, and then make sure to grab the whole LP over at Tokyo's Sixteen Tambourines. (via) Read more → My favorite song from one of my favorite releases this year so far, Raw Thrills' Both Ways from his amazing full-length Shakedown, has finally been blessed with a no less wonderful video. Enjoy this piece by Natalie Rodgers, and then make sure to grab the whole LP over at Tokyo's Sixteen Tambourines. (via)

Time Of Year.

11 Feb 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Seeing the desert flickering in all colors of the rainbow right now after listening to the blissful psych pop of Salt Lake City outfit Seven Feathers Rainwater. Their LP 15 Apple Magicians has just been released by Moondial Records, and it's stuffed with beautiful, ethereal vocals over splendid loops and synth patterns, sometimes a little reminding of early day Yeasayer (you know, when they were still exciting). The whole album sounds very well crafted and delightfully coherent, and if you don't want to buy the vinyl you can also get the thing on their bandcamp. Seven Feathers Rainwater - Time Of Year Read more → Seeing the desert flickering in all colors of the rainbow right now after listening to the blissful psych pop of Salt Lake City outfit Seven Feathers Rainwater. Their LP 15 Apple Magicians has just been released by Moondial Records, and it's stuffed with beautiful, ethereal vocals over splendid loops and synth patterns, sometimes a little reminding of early day Yeasayer (you know, when they were still exciting). The whole album sounds very well crafted and delightfully coherent, and if you don't want to buy the vinyl you can also get the thing on their bandcamp. Seven Feathers Rainwater - Time Of Year

Rollin Hunt.

11 Feb 2011 — Henning Lahmann

I don't really know what to do with this, but this strangely intriguing, twisted little pop jam has been sticking in my head for two days now, so I'll leave it to you to decide if this is just weird crap or outright genius. Here's what we know: Rollin Hunt is some dude from Chicago who has been making lo-fi tape music all his life, and apparently he's got quite a few serious worshipers, as some devoted folks from Canada made a tribute album for him in 2008. Well, ok. Chicago's own Moniker Records is about to drop a new 7 inch by this enigma which seems to be the first regular release in years, and I can't help but thinking that it actually might come right on time. March 29 is the date, a full-length on the same label is expected for later this year. Rollin Hunt - Criminal Read more → I don't really know what to do with this, but this strangely intriguing, twisted little pop jam has been sticking in my head for two days now, so I'll leave it to you to decide if this is just weird crap or outright genius. Here's what we know: Rollin Hunt is some dude from Chicago who has been making lo-fi tape music all his life, and apparently he's got quite a few serious worshipers, as some devoted folks from Canada made a tribute album for him in 2008. Well, ok. Chicago's own Moniker Records is about to drop a new 7 inch by this enigma which seems to be the first regular release in years, and I can't help but thinking that it actually might come right on time. March 29 is the date, a full-length on the same label is expected for later this year. Rollin Hunt - Criminal