Week in Pop
Take a nature hike in the Simon Ward and Luke Rowellvideo for the Disasteradio cover, written by Luke Rowell & performed by New Zealand’s iconic pop idol Princess Chelsea—”Aftertouch”. Also serving as the title track from Princess Chelsea’s brand new covers album from Lil Chief, the NZ artist continues to turn your every day nature worlds into synth pop wonderlands that are complete with a CGI bird like a modern day Snow White scene.
Serengeti and Sicker Man present the video for the brilliant & bright electro-pop “Boy” featured off their Graveface album Doctor My Own Patience album available December 16. An emerald found off the upcoming follow-up to David Cohn & Tobias Vethake’s 2013 album Saal, to 2011’s Shtaad (“Got That” is still very essential); the Chicago, Illinois & Berlin, Germany artists continue a collaboration that compiles together a synergy of pure generosity & gratitude between the two artists that illustrates them both as one of the underground’s most undersung & criminally under-represented artists in the world.
Sporting all original production & samples; Babyteeth, known for their production for the Pittsburgh duo Rivka, dropped the Promises EP via Hoko Sounds that points toward bold & brave new adventures into audio production design. The vibe gets weird real quick on the opener “Dont Get hURT”, and then into the sinking surrealism of “self-love” ft abdu ali + nomii, to the deep bass rocking “Underground” that hits straight for subterranean depths. Emotion is everywhere on this EP as we hear on “L A Y L A”, to the electro ethereal head trip of “Ain’t Shit”, with beats that bang into the creeping “3some”, to the odyssey & oracle of “White Noise”, the gratitude of “thank my momma”, right before closing it out by bringing it all back home with the title track—”Promises”.
Finland by Estonia collective Clientèle shares with us a listen to their mind lifting new EP Gaijin available now. From the ambient ice glaciers explored on the opening “Start Of Your Ending”, to the tribal beat maneuvers that go to war on “Recife”, some bars from E.Mak on the haunted cloud-spin glow of “Until We Up”, the flute synth enchantment of “Lost In Translation”, that concludes with “I’ll Be Right Here” that works in subtle maximalist manners that sound right at home with the tenebrous repetoire of the Triangle imprint. Consider this one for the headphones.
Behold the Luke Barham video for Alessi’s “Wives” that spins more than wives tales as the artist mixes memories and occult dabbling with acoustic & atmospheric sounds. Found off the January 13 slated single from Super Fan 99, witness the rising London artist Alessi Laurent Marke singing about loves in life amid old epistolary notes, strange occurrences that feel like something out of an ancient storybook or painted cottage scene that sits fixed within a picture frame.
Catch the debut release from Teddy LOET called “GONE H8” that is hosted by ODDyssey that is lavished in piano laden production from JMEEZ. The hedonistic & smoked-out sentiment gets lifted & more with restrained rhythms & a minimalist delivery that keeps the entire event floating up into the atmosphere.
Check out the latest high soaring dream pop from Paris’s own Man is Not a Bird with “Marble Tears” made in conjunction with Red Bull Studios in Paris. The sentiments of sadness taking over is illustrated in controlled downpours & outpours of expression like tears of poly-chromatic gems.
Get to know Stef Chura & friends Cy Tulip & Ryan Clancy in Stef Chura Cy Tulip Ryan Clancy the video for “Spotted Gold” that brings a lot of bright hued DIY fun for all. Featured off Messes available January 27 from Urinal Cake Records, watch the group engage in call kinds of destructive yet comical behaviors where their visual piece of performance art is illustrated in the most ear & eye popping of punch manners. Not to be missed.
The Orwells presented us with the massive closing number to their upcoming album Terrible Human Beings available February 17 through Canvasback Music via “Double Feature” which is worthy of an Act II bag of popcorn unto itself. A band that Impose has covered since the Chicago group’s humble beginnings, it’s always a thrill to hear band’s that you feel like you’ve grown up with expand their power chord horizons & take the experimental risks they are dabbling in now. Keep up the good work, everyone.
In case it slipped your radar, check out Clock Opera’s single “Whippoorwill” get whirled about with the NZCA Lines Bass Desires remix that sends the entire rhythm section skipping to a new funk pop beat.
Kissing Party present some yuletide cheer with a listee to Winter in the Pub that the group refers to as self-proclaimed “Christmas carols for the crippled inside.” From the opening out the gates sprinting energy of “Dale Voorhies” to the cider punch drunk cheer of the title track to keep you warm all season long.
Kissing Party also presented us with the video for “Warren City Christmas” that features plenty of performance fashioned fare to help make the season a bit brighter.
In the spirit of the holiday season we also give you “How to Escape from A Wasp”, narrated by King Krule, written by Micachu & featuring illustrations from Kirsty Whiten.
Pillow Person shared her new single “On Your Way” featured off her upcoming Moshi Moshi release dropping this January that works in maximalist by minimalist execution manners of delivery. The moods & motions are all illustrated in a way that points toward the paths that more than likely lead toward pop music culture’s ensuing future.
Lowly presented the NOE MORRE video for “Word” featured off their debut album Heba Due available February 10 from Bella Union where images of landscapes and surfaces of water bodies are seen as infinite lands. The director introduced the video with the following statement:
There is a dangerous tendency in the way we address and discuss the humanitarian crisis is Syria and Europe. The rules of the game seem to be that the one with the loudest, most radical statements, both positive or negative, is the one who is heard—the one who is right. This creates an aggressive, noisy and un-nuanced debate that leaves no room for argumentation or reflection—the foundation of any real discussion or action.
In our part of the world we are enormously privileged, and it is important we remember that it does not make us superior. That it does not justify reducing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from war, terror and misery to a simple mass; a stream, and that it does not justify the aggressive, racist and xenophobic vocabulary that is right now the local and global debate.
Check out the Laura Martinova video for “System of a Gun” from Gutxi Bibang that offers up all the big psych rock sound that resounds like a resurretion of Love’s dearly departed leader Arthur Lee. Gutxi takes all the 60s & 80s underground rebel sounds & shoves the into a thirtieth century canon that fires forth into the future of infinite oblivion.
In case you missed it, get down to the super big single “South Beach Stars” from Gigi Rowe to keep your entire winter lit.
Go down the warped worm hole with DJ Insite, releases his brand new album “Dimension_2” today. Featuring production from DJ Insite on his new album Dimension 2 that features appearances from Bodega Bamz, Nickelus F, J.I.D., Jay Electronica, J-Zone and more to help make the season stylish & bright.
Nashville’s Leah Nobel is readying her full-length album Running In Borrowed Shoes (based on interviews conducted with folks where songs were penned based on the thoughts of walking a mile in someone else’s shoes/experiences) and shared the holiday twang of “Christmas In My Mind” that provides some warmth to keep away the cold that the season always brings.
Embrace the ultra-electro atmospheres felt & found on “Feelings” featured off Dorine Levy’s new forthcoming EP available later in 2017.
Featured off the new album Restless Nights, let the organic luster of American Dreamer’s “Open Your Eyes” do just that with its assemblage of strings & earnest & earth vibrations that sails upon forecasts that just maybe things will get a little bit better in our collective worlds.
Peep the mighty tennis standoff via the Dan Brown video for Big Wild’s massive single of strength & invulnerability—”Invincible”.
The Black Clouds dropped the raging track “Photograph” that rips a host of chords fresh out of the booth & dark room found off their upcoming album After All available January 6 from Capacitor Records.
Also get into the chord grinding masher “Vice” featuring Mark Arm from Mudhoney also from The Black Clouds.
Auditorium presented the intense & powerful Ben Barnes video for the fiery folk vocal pop of “Fire Fire Ocean Liner” featured off the album The First Music available January 27.
Arrows Of Love brought us the Niall Trask edited video for “Beast”, their single available today from Tape Records where strange ritual visuals are brought to the band’s sound of dissonance. The bestial qualities of the jam are joined by the strange shamanic filmed oddities that are about to unfold before your very eyes.
Paris’s own premiere producer Uppermost shared his new single “Constellation” featured off the artist’s upcoming album Origins (2011-2016) available February 10. The result is an epic space odyssey trip toward the galactic regions that will speak to your wildest faculties of imagination.
Selling gigs in Berkeley, Brooklyn & his Toronto home digs; we bring you Allan Rayman’s “Faust Road” that operates like a Goethe tragic opera put to sparse beats. The highways traversed are connected like Mephistopheles tempting Faust at a crossroads of an underlying uncertainty.
Brooklyn duo Andy Suzuki & The Method keep their hearts & talents working on “Overtime” from their upcoming album The Glass Hour available February 3 where passions pour forth in an overflow of electrified sentiments & aspirations that are too hot than can be contained.
New Fries presents the Seth Scriver animated video for “JZ III” originally off the album More available now from Telephone Explosion where a psychotropic world of stimuli is about to rock out before you according to the Toronto band’s own explosive sound.
With their album Everyone Else available now, watch Slothrust playing the classic “What A Wonderful World” live at Dangerbird Studios located in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California to help get you into the festive holiday mood with some moody reflections on the year & more.
Also check out the Matoma & Gia collaboration “Heart Won’t Forget” that demonstrates affections that extend beyond barriers & constructs illustrated through bold electro-pop radio tones.
With her You Would Have Loved It Here EP available now, hear Young Summer’s cover of Johnny Cash’s classic “Old Chunk of Coal” that adds a new evocative shine & charm that illuminates like coalmine caves that lead to shimmering diamond rooms of treasures galore.
Hand Habits announced the January 18 through February 22 tour dates & dropped the moving but subtle single “Flower Glass” via Woodsist. The upstate New York artist Meg Duffy has played with Mega Bog, Kevin Morby band & more now shares intimate reflections that extended beyond selfish desires for something greater beyond ourselves.
