TOPS: “Double Vision”.

21 Feb 2012 — Henning Lahmann

Had meant to write about this thing for a while but got held back for reasons that became obvious today, as the track's premiere was supposed to be part of Grimes' very cool GvB takeover a couple of hours ago. Anyway, now we know that Claire Boucher and I have at least one thing in common, and don't you say that this is totally insignificant, which is the fact that the wonderfully sultry late night seduction "Double Vision" is our favorite track from TOPS' overall incredible debut tape Tender Opposites, which is out now via Arbutus in North America and Atelier Ciseaux in Europe. If you've been an avid reader of this publication in the past months, then you already know that this band is rather exciting. In related news, Claire also just posted a new track of hers together with the great Majical Cloudz, called "Song for Ric", that is gonna be part of the Kickstarter compilation for Ad Hoc, the amazing site/magazine/project that you can (and should, pretty please) still support over here. Read more → Had meant to write about this thing for a while but got held back for reasons that became obvious today, as the track's premiere was supposed to be part of Grimes' very cool GvB takeover a couple of hours ago. Anyway, now we know that Claire Boucher and I have at least one thing in common, and don't you say that this is totally insignificant, which is the fact that the wonderfully sultry late night seduction "Double Vision" is our favorite track from TOPS' overall incredible debut tape Tender Opposites, which is out now via Arbutus in North America and Atelier Ciseaux in Europe. If you've been an avid reader of this publication in the past months, then you already know that this band is rather exciting. In related news, Claire also just posted a new track of hers together with the great Majical Cloudz, called "Song for Ric", that is gonna be part of the Kickstarter compilation for Ad Hoc, the amazing site/magazine/project that you can (and should, pretty please) still support over here.

Sun Drums: “Each Little Piece”.

21 Feb 2012 — Tonje Thilesen

Via the new Manchester based label Everybody's Stalking, the debut EP of Liverpool experimental/electronic trio Sun Drums was first made available digitally last fall, however officially released earlier this month as well as on 12 inch LTD vinyl. The first track from their self-titled release, "Each Little Piece", stands slightly out from the rest of the EP with its floaty textures and dark-scented sound, a splendid little synth pop gem that you all should seriously have a listen to. Download or order the Sun Drums vinyl via Bandcamp. Sun Drums - Each Little Piece Read more → Via the new Manchester based label Everybody's Stalking, the debut EP of Liverpool experimental/electronic trio Sun Drums was first made available digitally last fall, however officially released earlier this month as well as on 12 inch LTD vinyl. The first track from their self-titled release, "Each Little Piece", stands slightly out from the rest of the EP with its floaty textures and dark-scented sound, a splendid little synth pop gem that you all should seriously have a listen to. Download or order the Sun Drums vinyl via Bandcamp. Sun Drums - Each Little Piece

Premiere: Mark McGuire & Charles Berlitz: “MR”.

21 Feb 2012 — Henning Lahmann

This is basically the raddest release of 2012 so far, Emeralds guitar eminence Mark McGuire and original hypnagogia superstar and Skaters legend Spencer Clark aka Fourth World Magazine aka Monopoly Child Star Searchers aka whatever, here operating under his newish moniker Charles Berlitz (who "writes for Fourth World Magazine"), with a 45-minute exercise of laid-back, fuzzed-out surf pop that arrives "just in time for the Aussie Summer" and that's "devoted to sick beaches like Mermaids and Swami's or Sunset Cliffs and Bondi". Inner Tube is built around Clark's slacker rhythms and sees him employing a nice blend of keyboards, drums, vocals and samples all delightfully muffled, while the real focal point of course has to be McGuire's contemplative, yearning guitar play, a stupendous combination that results in the most incredible dreamlike melancholia musings this side of paradise. Listen to album track "MR" below, a mournful longing for Mark Richards, who today lives in semi-retirement in Newcastle, New South Wales, "with his wife, Jenny, and three children, Kyle, Nathan and Grace", where "he runs the Mark Richards Surf Shop in Hunter St, the same shop started by his parents". Sigh. Inner Tube is out now. Get it at Experimedia (US), Volcanic Tongue (UK and Europe), or directly via Pacific City Sound Visions. Read more → This is basically the raddest release of 2012 so far, Emeralds guitar eminence Mark McGuire and original hypnagogia superstar and Skaters legend Spencer Clark aka Fourth World Magazine aka Monopoly Child Star Searchers aka whatever, here operating under his newish moniker Charles Berlitz (who "writes for Fourth World Magazine"), with a 45-minute exercise of laid-back, fuzzed-out surf pop that arrives "just in time for the Aussie Summer" and that's "devoted to sick beaches like Mermaids and Swami's or Sunset Cliffs and Bondi". Inner Tube is built around Clark's slacker rhythms and sees him employing a nice blend of keyboards, drums, vocals and samples all delightfully muffled, while the real focal point of course has to be McGuire's contemplative, yearning guitar play, a stupendous combination that results in the most incredible dreamlike melancholia musings this side of paradise. Listen to album track "MR" below, a mournful longing for Mark Richards, who today lives in semi-retirement in Newcastle, New South Wales, "with his wife, Jenny, and three children, Kyle, Nathan and Grace", where "he runs the Mark Richards Surf Shop in Hunter St, the same shop started by his parents". Sigh. Inner Tube is out now. Get it at Experimedia (US), Volcanic Tongue (UK and Europe), or directly via Pacific City Sound Visions.

Angel Eyes: “Flicked Bottle Tops”.

20 Feb 2012 — Jesse Thompson

Listening to "Flicked Bottle Tops" by the Australian-based musician Andrew Cowie aka Angel Eyes, I immediately slip into a dream phase. In this dream, I'm wide-eyed and hovering alongside Bastian Balthazar Bux on the back of Falkor, the lucky dragon. The sea mist dissipates just as the codeine kicks in and the three of us glide into the mouth of a giant coastal grotto. The glowing limestone pools reflect fragments of the droning synthesizers' neon spectrum across the cavern walls, unfurling around us in panoramic slow motion. Distant, moaning vocals and a steady drum machine beat echoing from another chamber reminds us that there is still more to explore. In his six song EP titled Vice to Vice, Cowie has built a vast sonic landscape that is something like Satromized cave art. These songs are musical speleology and quickly lull you into pleasant contemplation of your surroundings. Stream "Flicked Bottle Tops" and enjoy the inward sprawl of Angel Eyes, which will leave you feeling both present and adrift. Vice to Vice is out now on Moon Glyph. Read more → Listening to "Flicked Bottle Tops" by the Australian-based musician Andrew Cowie aka Angel Eyes, I immediately slip into a dream phase. In this dream, I'm wide-eyed and hovering alongside Bastian Balthazar Bux on the back of Falkor, the lucky dragon. The sea mist dissipates just as the codeine kicks in and the three of us glide into the mouth of a giant coastal grotto. The glowing limestone pools reflect fragments of the droning synthesizers' neon spectrum across the cavern walls, unfurling around us in panoramic slow motion. Distant, moaning vocals and a steady drum machine beat echoing from another chamber reminds us that there is still more to explore. In his six song EP titled Vice to Vice, Cowie has built a vast sonic landscape that is something like Satromized cave art. These songs are musical speleology and quickly lull you into pleasant contemplation of your surroundings. Stream "Flicked Bottle Tops" and enjoy the inward sprawl of Angel Eyes, which will leave you feeling both present and adrift. Vice to Vice is out now on Moon Glyph.

Video Premiere: Gracie - “Tryck R Treat”.

20 Feb 2012 — Tonje Thilesen

Gracie, the solo project of Philly based Andrew Balasia, recently released the brand new Treehouse EP on Small Plates Records, only months after we premiered the splendid B-side "Flirty Little Fishy" from the split record with Esta Vivo. Treehouse continues in similar veins of the split, but warmer and more 'poppy' than the glitchy productions we heard back in December. Nonetheless, have a first peak at the video for "Tryck R Treat" directed by Christopher Dane Watson (also the editor of Animal Collective's "Brothersport"), reminding us of blurry nightmares from a distant childhood. Watch the video and stream the EP below. Read more → Gracie, the solo project of Philly based Andrew Balasia, recently released the brand new Treehouse EP on Small Plates Records, only months after we premiered the splendid B-side "Flirty Little Fishy" from the split record with Esta Vivo. Treehouse continues in similar veins of the split, but warmer and more 'poppy' than the glitchy productions we heard back in December. Nonetheless, have a first peak at the video for "Tryck R Treat" directed by Christopher Dane Watson (also the editor of Animal Collective's "Brothersport"), reminding us of blurry nightmares from a distant childhood. Watch the video and stream the EP below.

Russell Harmon - “Tragedy Fractures”.

20 Feb 2012 — Tonje Thilesen

It is a dark and hopeless landscape of Iceland we're entering in the music of Birmingham-born, now Reykjavik based Russell Harmon, and with the Ben Frost gig at CTM fresh in mind (honestly being amongst the best musical experiences we've ever had), there is definitely no doubt where Harmon has gotten his inspiration from. While Frost sometimes finds pleasure in scaring the shit out of you with heavy drones of sondwaves, Russell Harmon never exactly enters this point of no return. Instead, he builds up a landscape in form of locked rooms and empty hospital corridors, slowly but steadily unveiling us a frightening truth behind dark piano accords and dry textures. We try to reach out to grab it, but at the very second the sound retreats, leaving us confused and helpless in the middle of an apocalyptic, empty landscape, somewhat like Frost's own "We love you Michael Gira", when the near-visible silence approaches us towards the ending. And even though "Tragedy Fractures" will wear you physically down, we can guarantee that you will not be left empty-handed; this is honestly a very, very inspirational and amazingly crafted piece of work, and we can't barely wait to finally hear the whole EP in mid-march. Until then. Russell Harmon - Tragedy Fractures Kontakte - Hope (Russell Harmon remix) [Artwork] Read more → It is a dark and hopeless landscape of Iceland we're entering in the music of Birmingham-born, now Reykjavik based Russell Harmon, and with the Ben Frost gig at CTM fresh in mind (honestly being amongst the best musical experiences we've ever had), there is definitely no doubt where Harmon has gotten his inspiration from. While Frost sometimes finds pleasure in scaring the shit out of you with heavy drones of sondwaves, Russell Harmon never exactly enters this point of no return. Instead, he builds up a landscape in form of locked rooms and empty hospital corridors, slowly but steadily unveiling us a frightening truth behind dark piano accords and dry textures. We try to reach out to grab it, but at the very second the sound retreats, leaving us confused and helpless in the middle of an apocalyptic, empty landscape, somewhat like Frost's own "We love you Michael Gira", when the near-visible silence approaches us towards the ending. And even though "Tragedy Fractures" will wear you physically down, we can guarantee that you will not be left empty-handed; this is honestly a very, very inspirational and amazingly crafted piece of work, and we can't barely wait to finally hear the whole EP in mid-march. Until then. Russell Harmon - Tragedy Fractures Kontakte - Hope (Russell Harmon remix) [Artwork]

Dean Blunt: “The Narcissist II”.

19 Feb 2012 — Henning Lahmann

As already reported earlier, Hype Williams' Dean Blunt has readied a new solo effort, named The Narcissist II. The 30-minute work appeared on the duo's Soundcloud a couple of minutes ago for free download. Most likely, it's gonna be deleted very soon, so here it is here for you to enjoy. As far as we know, there's no word on a physical release yet, but The Narcissist I had been dropped on CDr on the very mysterious imprint dialplus4915788914297. Don't know if this is of any significance of course. Listen to the excellent, very cinematic (actually feels like the soundtrack to a short film), late night grieving and strangely oppressing piece below. The amazing "Choice of a New Generation", the Inga Copeland-featuring cut that we first posted, starts around the 25-minute mark. Dean Blunt - The Narcissist II Previously: Read more → As already reported earlier, Hype Williams' Dean Blunt has readied a new solo effort, named The Narcissist II. The 30-minute work appeared on the duo's Soundcloud a couple of minutes ago for free download. Most likely, it's gonna be deleted very soon, so here it is here for you to enjoy. As far as we know, there's no word on a physical release yet, but The Narcissist I had been dropped on CDr on the very mysterious imprint dialplus4915788914297. Don't know if this is of any significance of course. Listen to the excellent, very cinematic (actually feels like the soundtrack to a short film), late night grieving and strangely oppressing piece below. The amazing "Choice of a New Generation", the Inga Copeland-featuring cut that we first posted, starts around the 25-minute mark. Dean Blunt - The Narcissist II Previously: