Octo Octa’s new single "Work Me" has metallic beams of illuminating, too-many-flash-bulbs-going-off light that pose and a hearty disposition. We are all twirling like ballerinas on the tip of Octa’s cymbal. There’s no place I’d rather be. Octa Octa’s double 12'', Between Two Selves, will be able to purchase May 28 courtesy of 100% Silk.
Mat Cothran’s feelings have always been too woe-is-me and dramatic for me. That being said, Elvis Depressedly’s (his sort of newish group with Delaney Mills and Eric Jones - he is of course still better known as that dude who is Coma Cinema) "Weird Honey" features maybe my new favorite line: 'If there’s a cool spot in hell, I hope you get it'; and then, 'I know you’ll get it.' Wouldn’t you want someone to say that to you? I would. "Weird honey" is all, well, weirdly sweet with talk of the aforementioned weird honey’s purity fucking with Cothran, 'getting off on death,' and 'catching heaven’s trash.' It’s a song about being surprised when there’s something good in life after a long time of the bad and not really knowing what to do with that goodness. It’s Cothran’s version of a happy song. "Weird Honey" is on Elvis Depresedly’s Holo Pleasures, coming out on 7'' (in Blood Red and Swamp Green no less!) and digitally thanks to Birdtapes April 16. The group's skill with words is frequently pointed out, and I can't help but agree on highlighting the lyrics. It’s what you would dance to at the end of a mordant sock hop. And it all ends with an instrumental solo. And with that, Elvis Depressedly is so wonderfully relatable. It’s music you trust.
Brooklyn indie rock outfit Gondola just released their new EP We Are the Map. The title track speaks to their folk leanings more than any other song on the EP, with scenic imagery and keen analogies packaged in soft vocals. When the percussion and horn pick up you begin to feel the understated energy that makes their live performances so particularly memorable. Also of note, the group recently added to their roster Sam Yield of his own acoustic, solo project and Haybaby.
Time for Video Sunday, which you honestly shouldn't take notice of, at least not if you live in Berlin - spring seems to be here, finally, so go to some park or whatever and enjoy. As regards those new or slightly new pieces for music by Adventure, James Blake, DJ Rashad, Postiljonen, The Cyclist, and Implodes - all excellent stuff, sure, but really, you can watch that later.
Like the lost son of Ariel Pink and, say, Anne Grete, Danish artist Anders Rhedin, who's at the heart of new project Dinner, sounds exactly like the hyprid between Southern California's weirdo underground pop scene and the bright and shiny tones of Scandinavian glory that you've always been waiting for. Appropriately enough, the video for the title track of his debut EP Girl, premiered below, was recently shot in LA. And even more aptly, the visuals are just as filthy and dusty as the song, which sports Rhedin's very recognizable dark and rusty crooning over sprinkling, glittery guitar phrases that thankfully straighten out that besides all obvious talent and craft, we're dealing with someone who doesn't aim at being taken all too seriously.
Together with our friends at Nordic By Nature, we present Dinner's EP release show at Our/Berlin Vodka on April 26. And yes, that apparently also means free vodka. RSVP here.
Via the impeccable japanese imprint flau (home of Cuushe, Madegg and Part Timer amongst other acts), we've been given the first peak into an exciting new collaboration (split) project, this time in aid of Nagoya, Japan-based artist Noah, who merges her cosmic ambience with the beats of the young American producer SELA, who also produced Kitty (Pryde)'s "UNfollowed". On their first split effort together, the two of them explore an attic dimension with rich, anatomical beats, curiously moving through icy pop landscapes. Below is one of their more mise-en-scène outtakes from their split EP, out on April 15th on flau.
The Derevolutions released their debut EP Living in the Pop World vol. 1 a few days ago, and the six electropical tracks showcase different stylistic elements that may feel a little disjointed at first, as they take you from the Caribbean to a New England garage. Throughout many listens, I imagine the songs to work as a backdrop to a full day into night out, and even until the morning after. Perhaps the transitions mirror the wave of solo artist Brett, as he's riding between working full time at an ad agency in Connecticut and moonlighting in this pet project. The release is a prelude to vol. 2, another six-tracked EP planned to release this summer.
We're finally getting well into what is obviously going to be yet another killer year for our friends at Cascine, with upcoming releases from Keep Shelly In Athens, Kisses and the very exciting re-issue of Boat Club's timeless Caught the Breeze. A few days ago, Cascine also announced that Finland's pop pioneers Shine 2009 will release their new LP on the label this upcoming fall, dropping the splendid "Eurozone" as the first single off the album. Spring is here, folks.
