Red Lion.

30 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

It's been a little while already since we've been blessed with the wonderfully dark and contemplative electro shoegaze of Hypermagic, but now this most talented Londoner returns with more layers of rusty beats and meandering synth patterns getting lost in echo and reverb. He has three brand new tracks up on his bandcamp under the name Hey Hey Sunshine, and Red Lion is my favourite among these beauties, very captivating hooks and some sad and distant vocals haunting your daydreams until the whole thing collapses into a quiet acoustic guitar phrase. All tracks are available for free download, and you shouldn't miss a single one.

Hypermagic - Red Lion

Read more →
It's been a little while already since we've been blessed with the wonderfully dark and contemplative electro shoegaze of Hypermagic, but now this most talented Londoner returns with more layers of rusty beats and meandering synth patterns getting lost in echo and reverb. He has three brand new tracks up on his bandcamp under the name Hey Hey Sunshine, and Red Lion is my favourite among these beauties, very captivating hooks and some sad and distant vocals haunting your daydreams until the whole thing collapses into a quiet acoustic guitar phrase. All tracks are available for free download, and you shouldn't miss a single one.

Hypermagic - Red Lion

Getting wilder.

28 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Our most talented and prolific San Diego slacker Andrew Caddick aka Jeans Wilder has made another wonderful tune available from his forthcoming debut full length Nice Trash which as far as I can tell will be one of this year's essential releases. The LP will be out sometime in October via La Station Radar and Atelier Ciseaux. That's the unholy cover art above.

Go here to listen to three more tracks from the album, including my personal favourite Blanket Mountain, and then head over to Caddick's newly established bandcamp for a few rare gems.

Jeans Wilder - Sparkler

Read more →
Our most talented and prolific San Diego slacker Andrew Caddick aka Jeans Wilder has made another wonderful tune available from his forthcoming debut full length Nice Trash which as far as I can tell will be one of this year's essential releases. The LP will be out sometime in October via La Station Radar and Atelier Ciseaux. That's the unholy cover art above.

Go here to listen to three more tracks from the album, including my personal favourite Blanket Mountain, and then head over to Caddick's newly established bandcamp for a few rare gems.

Jeans Wilder - Sparkler

Believe in Summer.

27 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

After spending half a day looking out of the window while getting more and more depressed I've decided not to accept the weather forecast. Summer lasts as long as you're feeling it, I figure.

Ten tracks of sunshine-friendly indie pop, mostly sent to me lately or stuff that I've found on other blogs.

Hope you enjoy, Make sure you wear shades while listening.

http://8tracks.com/mixes/147555/player_v2

1. Big Surr - Gone

Big Surr are from Nashville, Tennessee, and their shiny fuzzed-out surf pop reminds splendidly reminds us of all the fine things that make us already long for summer. You can download their whole debut EP Miss You Most over here.

2. Seapony - I Really Do

Seattle's trio Seapony hit the interwebs with a blast this week via our ever-digging friends over at Double Denim, and seriously their heartbreaking and mind melting indie pop full of glory and innocence is the only thing we need to get the sun back into our lives. Make sure you don't miss their other three beautiful gems at their bandcamp.

3. Estate Sale Boat - Mindless Heartprints

Viernes' Sean Moore is a man of amazingly many talents. His latest creative expression is the "indie yacht rock" duo Estate Sale Boat, and Mindless Heartprints is a lush pop tune with one of the sweetest melodies you'll hear in a while.

4. Summer Twins - The More I Think of You

I've stumbled across Summer Twins this morning via Get Off The Coast, and the happy-sad sundrenched dreampop of Chelsea and Justine Brown is simply staggeringly beautiful. Their whole EP The Good Things is full of musical miracles and thus highly recommended.

5. Beach Combers - The Things That I Would Do to You

Beach Combers are a distinctly fuzzy lo-fi group from Brooklyn, but as we all know, cheap recording techniques won't prevent you from composing fine pop song as long as you've got the right amount of talent. (via Delicious Scopitone)

6. Doug Hoyer - Lakes of Mars

The "ukulele strummin' fellow" Doug Hoyer hails from Edmonton, Alberta, and his optimistically upbeat tunes of purest pop quality indeed remind us of Jens Lekmann, which is anything but a bad thing, right? Simply lovely. Get another fine tune over at his bandcamp.

7. Sean Moore - Ashley

Did I mention that Sean Moore is a man of many talents? I think I have. Ashley, you're a lucky girl. No one has ever written a perfect love song for me. And god, perfect this one is.

8. Plastic Plastic - Golden Hearts

A little more towards the shoegazey direction, Plastic Plastic from Gainesville, Florida consists of three long-time friends and roommates. And though this project was only formed roughly three months ago, the trio already had the honor to open for MillionYoung, Memoryhouse and Twin Sister in Gainesville last Friday. You can stream their three-track debut EP Everyone I Love or Wish to Love Is Here (the competition for EP title of the year is closed now btw) over at their bandcamp. And hopefully we'll hear more soon.

9. Love Inks - Wave Goodbye

Love Inks is a two-guys-one-girl trio from the musically vibrating city of Austin, Texas, and they hit me a while back with this beautiful, drum-machine driven dreampop treat. Other songs that you can stream via their bandcamp sound even more promising (Too Wild for instance), so let's hope they find someone who wants to put out their stuff soon.

10. Young Heat - Test Drive

Young Heat out of Columbus, Ohio are a fine closer for this little mix, as Test Drive is simply two and a half minutes of fine and laid back aural sunbathing. And now, get yourself a cocktail.

Read more →
After spending half a day looking out of the window while getting more and more depressed I've decided not to accept the weather forecast. Summer lasts as long as you're feeling it, I figure.

Ten tracks of sunshine-friendly indie pop, mostly sent to me lately or stuff that I've found on other blogs.

Hope you enjoy, Make sure you wear shades while listening.

http://8tracks.com/mixes/147555/player_v2

1. Big Surr - Gone

Big Surr are from Nashville, Tennessee, and their shiny fuzzed-out surf pop reminds splendidly reminds us of all the fine things that make us already long for summer. You can download their whole debut EP Miss You Most over here.

2. Seapony - I Really Do

Seattle's trio Seapony hit the interwebs with a blast this week via our ever-digging friends over at Double Denim, and seriously their heartbreaking and mind melting indie pop full of glory and innocence is the only thing we need to get the sun back into our lives. Make sure you don't miss their other three beautiful gems at their bandcamp.

3. Estate Sale Boat - Mindless Heartprints

Viernes' Sean Moore is a man of amazingly many talents. His latest creative expression is the "indie yacht rock" duo Estate Sale Boat, and Mindless Heartprints is a lush pop tune with one of the sweetest melodies you'll hear in a while.

4. Summer Twins - The More I Think of You

I've stumbled across Summer Twins this morning via Get Off The Coast, and the happy-sad sundrenched dreampop of Chelsea and Justine Brown is simply staggeringly beautiful. Their whole EP The Good Things is full of musical miracles and thus highly recommended.

5. Beach Combers - The Things That I Would Do to You

Beach Combers are a distinctly fuzzy lo-fi group from Brooklyn, but as we all know, cheap recording techniques won't prevent you from composing fine pop song as long as you've got the right amount of talent. (via Delicious Scopitone)

6. Doug Hoyer - Lakes of Mars

The "ukulele strummin' fellow" Doug Hoyer hails from Edmonton, Alberta, and his optimistically upbeat tunes of purest pop quality indeed remind us of Jens Lekmann, which is anything but a bad thing, right? Simply lovely. Get another fine tune over at his bandcamp.

7. Sean Moore - Ashley

Did I mention that Sean Moore is a man of many talents? I think I have. Ashley, you're a lucky girl. No one has ever written a perfect love song for me. And god, perfect this one is.

8. Plastic Plastic - Golden Hearts

A little more towards the shoegazey direction, Plastic Plastic from Gainesville, Florida consists of three long-time friends and roommates. And though this project was only formed roughly three months ago, the trio already had the honor to open for MillionYoung, Memoryhouse and Twin Sister in Gainesville last Friday. You can stream their three-track debut EP Everyone I Love or Wish to Love Is Here (the competition for EP title of the year is closed now btw) over at their bandcamp. And hopefully we'll hear more soon.

9. Love Inks - Wave Goodbye

Love Inks is a two-guys-one-girl trio from the musically vibrating city of Austin, Texas, and they hit me a while back with this beautiful, drum-machine driven dreampop treat. Other songs that you can stream via their bandcamp sound even more promising (Too Wild for instance), so let's hope they find someone who wants to put out their stuff soon.

10. Young Heat - Test Drive

Young Heat out of Columbus, Ohio are a fine closer for this little mix, as Test Drive is simply two and a half minutes of fine and laid back aural sunbathing. And now, get yourself a cocktail.

Homage.

27 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Sweet Lights is the work of Philadelphia resident Shai Halperin, and his self-titled debut album compiles some of the most beautiful pop gems you're gonna hear all year - very splendidly composed tunes with an amazing sense for melody and sequencing. You can purchase the whole album for five bucks or download a few tracks for free via Halperin's bandcamp.

The song that particularly intrigued me when I first listened to the whole record yesterday was Ballad of Kurt Vile #2, a melancholic yet amazingly laid back guitar-laden tune with beautifully echoed vocals and a dreamy melody that captivated me upon first encounter. Moreover, the title kept me wondering about the background and the connection between our beloved Kurt Vile and Sweet Lights apart from the rather obvious fact that they both hail from Philly, and fortunately Halperin was kind enough to clear things up by telling me that they both had played guitar together for The War On Drugs for a short period of time, and that he admired Vile's work so much that he wanted to write some kind of homage, stylistically and lyrically leaning towards his friend's oeuvre. Accompanied by the more than sweet video below (with a slightly different mixing of the song), this adds up to one of the most wonderful stories I've come across all year.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdhv10Bp4dw?fs=1]

Sweet Lights - Ballad of Kurt Vile #2

Read more → Sweet Lights is the work of Philadelphia resident Shai Halperin, and his self-titled debut album compiles some of the most beautiful pop gems you're gonna hear all year - very splendidly composed tunes with an amazing sense for melody and sequencing. You can purchase the whole album for five bucks or download a few tracks for free via Halperin's bandcamp.

The song that particularly intrigued me when I first listened to the whole record yesterday was Ballad of Kurt Vile #2, a melancholic yet amazingly laid back guitar-laden tune with beautifully echoed vocals and a dreamy melody that captivated me upon first encounter. Moreover, the title kept me wondering about the background and the connection between our beloved Kurt Vile and Sweet Lights apart from the rather obvious fact that they both hail from Philly, and fortunately Halperin was kind enough to clear things up by telling me that they both had played guitar together for The War On Drugs for a short period of time, and that he admired Vile's work so much that he wanted to write some kind of homage, stylistically and lyrically leaning towards his friend's oeuvre. Accompanied by the more than sweet video below (with a slightly different mixing of the song), this adds up to one of the most wonderful stories I've come across all year.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdhv10Bp4dw?fs=1]

Sweet Lights - Ballad of Kurt Vile #2

All My Friends #3

26 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

After a little break two weeks ago due to some traveling (in case someone noticed), this week the pretty warmly received All My Friends mix series continues with a rather calm early fall compilation. Hope you enjoy, I think it's the most coherent to date.

Download the whole thing in one neat .zip over here.

Cover photo by ramenlover.

1. Unison - Outside (myspace) // No Conclusion

2. How To Dress Well - Take It On (Holy Other Remix) (HO myspace) // Transparent

3. Totem Pole - Pointless/Love Gallery (myspace) // Life: Aquatic

4. Ice Cream Shout - Tattooed Tears (myspace) // Stadiums and Shrines

5. Ghost Animal - Tired (A Ceremony) (myspace) // No Modest Bear

6. Michael Parallax - Winter Teeth (myspace) // Delicious Scopitone

7. Cough Cool - Stolen (myspace) // Get Off The Coast

8. Wet Wings - Running Like a Man (myspace) // Gorilla vs. Bear

9. Wintercoats - The Overture (bandcamp) // Double Denim

10. Gem Trails - Old Kid (myspace) // No Modest Bear

Read more →
After a little break two weeks ago due to some traveling (in case someone noticed), this week the pretty warmly received All My Friends mix series continues with a rather calm early fall compilation. Hope you enjoy, I think it's the most coherent to date.

Download the whole thing in one neat .zip over here.

Cover photo by ramenlover.

1. Unison - Outside (myspace) // No Conclusion

2. How To Dress Well - Take It On (Holy Other Remix) (HO myspace) // Transparent

3. Totem Pole - Pointless/Love Gallery (myspace) // Life: Aquatic

4. Ice Cream Shout - Tattooed Tears (myspace) // Stadiums and Shrines

5. Ghost Animal - Tired (A Ceremony) (myspace) // No Modest Bear

6. Michael Parallax - Winter Teeth (myspace) // Delicious Scopitone

7. Cough Cool - Stolen (myspace) // Get Off The Coast

8. Wet Wings - Running Like a Man (myspace) // Gorilla vs. Bear

9. Wintercoats - The Overture (bandcamp) // Double Denim

10. Gem Trails - Old Kid (myspace) // No Modest Bear

Young Prisms.

26 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Listen to this new dreamy late summer tune by San Francisco fuzzed-out quintet Young Prisms, kindly made available by our dearest French mates over at Atelier Ciseaux who have released this gem as a split 7 inch with the rightfully adored Canadian smooth criminals of Mathemagic on the flip side. You can order one of the 350 wonderfully crafted records right here.

These Daze is a slowly meandering seance drenched in fuzzy and reverb-heavy guitars, perfect for these fading summer days full of blurring memories.



Young Prisms - These Daze

Read more →
Listen to this new dreamy late summer tune by San Francisco fuzzed-out quintet Young Prisms, kindly made available by our dearest French mates over at Atelier Ciseaux who have released this gem as a split 7 inch with the rightfully adored Canadian smooth criminals of Mathemagic on the flip side. You can order one of the 350 wonderfully crafted records right here.

These Daze is a slowly meandering seance drenched in fuzzy and reverb-heavy guitars, perfect for these fading summer days full of blurring memories.



Young Prisms - These Daze

Borrowed Beams of Light // Invisible Hand

25 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Matt Leech of Charlottesville, Virginia label Funny/Not Funny Records just sent over two tunes of their upcoming split 7 inch release of Borrowed Beams of Light and Invisible Hand, out October 1 on limited vinyl (300 pieces).

While Invisible Hand's Video Games is a fine fuzzy and upbeat garage tune, Julie by Borrowed Beams of Light (whose mastermind Adam Brock is Invisible Hand's drummer) might well be this year's most innocent and most beautiful love song, three minutes of absolutely heartbreaking longing. Julie, you're making my head feel lighter.

Borrowed Beams of Light - Julie (What's That Spell?)

Invisible Hand - Video Games

Read more →
Matt Leech of Charlottesville, Virginia label Funny/Not Funny Records just sent over two tunes of their upcoming split 7 inch release of Borrowed Beams of Light and Invisible Hand, out October 1 on limited vinyl (300 pieces).

While Invisible Hand's Video Games is a fine fuzzy and upbeat garage tune, Julie by Borrowed Beams of Light (whose mastermind Adam Brock is Invisible Hand's drummer) might well be this year's most innocent and most beautiful love song, three minutes of absolutely heartbreaking longing. Julie, you're making my head feel lighter.

Borrowed Beams of Light - Julie (What's That Spell?)

Invisible Hand - Video Games