As 2012 winds down with a lackluster and unceremonious close, we avert our eyes from the wreckage and look to the promises of 2013. LA's Eskmo's forthcoming Terra EP coming January 21 on his imprint Ancestor, Philadelphia's Purling Hiss have plans to drop their new record Water On Mars March 15 on Drag City, and Copenhagen's premiere shit disturbers Iceage will release their second album You're Nothing February 19 on Matador. Keeping the energy fresh and forthcoming, we give you much more in no particular order.
No sooner had we given Best Album of November to Action Bronson when he popped up on Wais P's track “Staten Island Ferry” produced by Sebb. Having joined forces since recording with Statik Selektah, Bronson and P throw their hands in the air while encouraging their audience to vicariously appreciate their carnal exploits, Bentleys, Liberace diamonds and further shared lavishments. Action “flips styles like a spatula” while Wiseman P buttresses the rising erratic and sporadic Bronson with recognition of local loyalties. Action Bronson's Rare Chandeliers is avaialable now from Vice Records while Wais P is finishing up recording for 2013's forthcoming album, Pimpin Saved My Life while his PV$$Y RICH drops later this December.
Helping us close out 2012 is Binary Fate, slated to release the Deference EP December 18 from Tundra Dubs. As implied in the EP's name, frontman Robbie Michael takes on the Binary project as a humble glance through the “Timeflow” of electronic movements of the past, moving through tracks like “Endsight” that provide insight to where the current electronic dance movements are pointed. Transcending as his own “Digital Anamoly”, Michael moves around the memes and tropes of popular and unpopular dance scene digitales with encouragement for his audience to connect as the EP's track finale implies, to just “Feel It”. Robbie took a few minutes this week to talk to us about the non-EP track and video featured here, “BurnUp”:
“The music started as an outlet for emotions and concepts in science that I often think about. I usually experiment with a range of sounds in the electronic music collective psyche. But I particularly like gabber and hardstyle sounds. “BurnUp” is drag style edit where I slowed down a hardstyle sample and added some FX. My approach to sound is always the same, its about experimenting as much as possible until I feel its personally emotive. I just started experimenting with video and its pretty much the same process. I try to make it reflect the general feeling as much as possible in interesting ways.”
Watch the video for Binary Fate's “BurnUp” where the shattering of the petrol filled glass bottle against the brick house is seen through the haunted lens of appearing, reversing, slowing and disappearing objects amid the bubbling-buzz synths that melt your grey matter into electro-revisionist gravy.
Peter Thomas Quinn is GPSYMTH, who presents his self made video for “From Blue to Black” shot on a Swiss 16mm Bolex as an homage to the French nouvelle vague school of cinema that gives the viscous aural nature of his sound a place to expand, live, and play. From close ups of lamps on their side, green grass zoom ins and the application of flame to balloon creatures conjures the elements of the song's unconscious recall of the familar, rendered as foreign sights and sounds that switch a light on somewhere in the cavernous furnace of the soul.
From now until the end of the year, you can stream the GPSYMTH album Ripostes as a holiday gift from the gracious folks at the NYC imprint, Stars & Letters.
San Francisco’s Slowness is prepping their debut For Those Who Wish To See The Glass Half Full for release on Moonbeams' imprint Blue Aurora Audio ran by Ryan Lescure. Following up their 2011's Hopeless but Otherwise EP, the combined talents of Geoffrey Scott's ethereal control over the guitars, sample loops, vocals with Julie Lynn on bass, keyboards and vocals and drummer Scott Putnam celebrate the musical pace that requires one to look into the drone of the sound as opposed to waiting for the sound to jump out at the listener. On the featured 7″ single “Race to Mars”, the group sounds like they are on an interstellar space race, sequestered to their droning pods that glide toward the mysterious haze of the infamous red planet. But that single only begins the adventure in the slow burn and dream churning “Walls of Blue”, the building daydream “Repeater”, the transportive “Calm and Dispel”, the mighty pop majesty of opener “Day for Night”, and the velvety unbridled “Energy”, amongst other SF-gaze nuggets. Slowness's album debut features production from the prolific, Monte Vallier and will be pressed on gorgeous 180-gram vinyl this coming February 12, 2013 with pre-order also available from Blue Aurora Audio.
Chains of Love are prepping their second album, Misery Makers and bring a strong horn section on their lead single “Pretend”, the A-side of their “Pretend”/”Misery Makers” 7″ produced by Felix Fung and mixed by Richard Gottehrer. It will remind you of the poppier sides of LA 90s ska movement but is bigger on brass than skanking riffs. COL's Misery Makers will be released in Spring 2013 from Manimal / French Kiss Label Group.
Substantial dropped a cut dedicated to putting in work and effort into the game with “Movin Alright” featuring yU and produced by Oddisee's old school Volt Records era sounding guitar sample, lifted from Subs's Home Is Where The Art Is, released by the Mello Music Group.
Seapony's video for “Be Alone” washed ashore this week. “Be Alone” is off their album Falling, available now on Hardly Art Records. Michael Murphy's Super8 film captures the band by sea, enjoying the sun and making memories to coinicide with their indie anthem for anyone with lonely hearts everywhere.
Trinidad Jame$ drops the track, “That Turn Up” featuring Gucci Mane and Memphis legend Juicy J. The trio talk about hitting “it” while J keeps it classy saying, he ain't no Dirt McGirt. Big slap production courtesy of Mike WiLL Made It who will release his new mixtape, Est. In 1989 2.5 featuring Gucci Mane, Future, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Brandy, Juicy J, Big Sean, B.o.B., French Montana, Young Jeezy, Trinidad Jame$, Chief Keef, Lil’ Wayne, Rick Ross, and TI, coming Christmas Eve, December 24 in time for Santa's big annual cameo.
We have been dropping cuts from rising Bay Area emcee, sayknowledge and with good fortune shining down on us we can bring you his new track, “Lap Up”. The first official listen from the forthcoming album, Vibe Called Quest, sayknow drops television references from Cheers to the Simpsons, mohair to Moe's Tavern or, sexual exploit similes like, “Condoleezza fondling Bush for reconnaissance” all over a Mars Today and Mikos production. Here is sayknowledge's take on the forthcoming album:
“Quest is essentially the ill in all life. All previous, all future. 'Quest' is soul medicine, I offer the sugar to help the message go down. Vibe Called Quest is dedicated to those who recognize the ill in their own journey, regardless of intended destination.”
Vibe Called Quest will be available January 15.
Young Magic dropped a mixtape for SSENSE and we got a listen for you here. Catch the Magic on tour with Purity Ring in January, 2013.
Brooklyn's Pepi Ginsberg of Red, East Is East is Companion, where today she shows us, “Blue Movie” in four quarter time while her voice rises like the light beams ascending from an open window sill. Look for Pepi's self-released Companion self-titled February 15 and performances at Manhattan's Pianos December 18 and Brooklyn's Cameo Gallery January 10.
Don Giovanni Records takes to the Music Hall of Williamsburg for their 10-year anniversary showcase limited quantity of 2-day passes for $20 & single day tickets are $13, avaible here. In the meantime, get “Switched On” with Stormshadow who are reuniting having their record Set On Destory re-issued.
San Francisco's Noise Pop will celebrate 21 years of indie concert presentation returns to Bay Area next year, February 26 through March 3. The confirmed line up thus far is Amon Tobin playing a DJ set, Bear Mountain,DIIV, Free Energy, FUZZ, Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle, Jenny-O, OBN III, Ramona Falls, Rogue Wave, Sinkane, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, and Toro y Moi. We will keep you up to date on later additions as they happen. Go to Noise Pop for further info with early bird passes available now via Ticketfly.
New Zealand Flying Nun Records vets Popstrangers released their Luke McPake directed video for “Heaven” from their forthcoming Carpark Records release, Antipodes coming February 26. The band that really is no stranger to the popular notions of pop as Joel Flyger lyrics gripe about townsfolk before the “why do I why do I why do I” chorus bomb destroys expectations and makes for finding a song to follow it up a challenge. McPake's video presents a weirdo ode to kool aid drinking cult crazies, creepy dudes, comets, tennis balls, and a singing moon.
Oakland's Wax Idols scuff up their shoes and bring the scuzz of “Sound of a Void”, the first listen to their forthcoming second LP Discipline & Desire due March 26 from Slumberland Records.
Jesse Abraham dropped by his ghostly tripped up Nicolas Heller directed video for song “You're Not A Ghost Anymore” boasting some classic but progressive trip hop production from Paul White who has worked recently with Danny Brown, and Homeboy Sandman. Jesse's forthcoming album I Am Water which drops January 29 from Fat Beats Records.
Toro Y Moi embraces his inner dapper superstar in the beach condo chill life video for “So Many Details”, directed by HARRYS. Those in LA can hear Toro's forthcoming Carpark Records LP, Anything In Return through a Red Bull Music Academy event in LA, December 14-16 at HVW8. Toro's said third album will be released January 22.
Widowspeak takes you to “The Dark Age” from this sleep slip streams wates of their forthcoming second album, Almanac slated for January 22 release from Captured Tracks. Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas take their dream journal songs to a century old barn off of New York's Hudson river with recording assistance from Kevin McMahon. From the bright guitar shining in the dark places of “The Dark Age”; January is already sounding like a great month.
Kount Fif & R.M.L.'s adventures in production compilation, The Swashbuckler Vol. 1: The Viking Wars dropped earlier this year from Man Bites Dog Records and today they present the R.M.L. directed video for the Roc Marciano and Jason Rose cut, “Arkansas Toothpick”.
Marnie Stern anounced her new album, The Chronicles of Marnia coming March 19 on Kill Rock Stars and gives us all something to be very glad about with “Year of the Glad”.
Dip into the glacier vibes of Ava Luna's Carlos Hernandez directed video for “Ice Level”.
Fresh from their debut tribal pop single “Where Wolf“, Sydney's musical/visual artists Ginger & the Ghost present the infectious subliminal, traditional instrumented majesty, “One Type of Dark” from Ingrooves worldwide and Intertia for Australia. Ginger delivers dramatic vocals in verse, confessing the emergence of “monsters coming out of (her) head”, before the minimalist pop-baroque strings gallop like steeds to the speed of the chorus's self reflections through the telescopic lens. The Aussies will release their debut EP in January with plans for an LP later in 2013 after a planned appearance at SXSW.
Get to know Vancouver, BC quartet Eeek! who bring us their new single “Tough Guys” from their mini LP Move Real Slow from Kingfisher Bluez. Friends who started their groups a few years back, this follows up their Potential 7″ with a 45 RPM spun 12″ super charged with all the dense energy you can pack under the 20-minute mark, limited to 500 hand-numbered copies.
UK's Wriggly Scott moved to the middle east, bringing his piano forward production on the track “Back and Forth” featuring rhymes by Feras Ibrahim & Hamdan Al Abr from the recently released Back and Forth EP available now on Scott's Wonderwheel imprint.
We love Window Twins, and we love Soft Riot. So what do you say to Jack Duckworth remixing the Bernson & Cohen Twins' “Don't Let Me Down” with the “Wormhole Version”? Yes, yes and more please. Things get stretched out into different frequences of fidelity along with a vocal re-arranging that works while the drums and keys get tricked out with new toys. Window Twins' Wish is out now from Crash Symbols / Volar Records.
Having recently enjoyed his Hallow Fall Mix and cut “Prettiest Pills“; we got our paws on Dog Bite's second single, “Forever, Until” from the forthcoming album Velvet Changes coming February 5, 2013 from Carpark Records. The sound of those dramatic guitars and Phil Jones's emotional yearns for permanence point toward an exciting year for both DB and Carpark for 2013. Stay tuned, all you true day dream believers and look catch the Bite on a national tour in January/February with Toro y Moi.
Maitland delivers the “Drop Down” video from their recently released album, (from a cabin in the woods). Recorded at Bear Run Hollow (otherwise known as The Cabin) by old friends Tyler Spooner and Alex Hines who employed Josh Hines to capture some visual, down home cabin essence to keep their fans comforted, happy, warm and free during these cold days of winter.
Vår brings “The Boy or the Boot” to the pop table from the Sacred Bones 5 Year Anniversary Compilation where Elias Ronnefelt and Loke Rahbek bring raw emotion, analogue tape diaries and minimalist keyboard electro with sparse clog-stomp percussion. Hear this song in full completion at the upcoming Sacred Bones Mojave desert show showcase, Friday December 21.Tickets available here.
Dan Deacon performs “True Thrush” on Kimmel, plugs his new app and makes us smile. Dan Deacon's America is available now from Domino.
Sun Glitters is prepping the release of his Mouth 7″ in the grand procession of Lefse's single series and dropped by a listen to the B-side, “Tight”. The sound at first deceives before transforming in movement and mutations where the voice grows from the buzz and fuzz organ and key swirls like the song of a plant in sprout.
Mystical Weapons, aka Sean Lennon and Deerhoof's Greg Saunier dropped a listen to their strange jazz brew 6-minute monolith, “Whispers The Blue Tongue” while prepping a video for the impending December 21 apocalypse. The Mystical Weapons self-titled is slated for release January 15 from Chimera Music.
The Presets released their montage video for “Promises” from their recent album Pacifica from Casablanca Records. New Zealand director duo Special Problems, consisting of Joel Kefali and Campbell Hooper create a mixed media video collage that is chicken soup for the ADHD soul seeking fulfillment amid the lies, and more digital and analogue imageries.
And from the Presets' Promises Remixes EP is Luomo's energetic dance jam remix of said track.
A. Chal brings his New York subterranean grooves from NYC to LA and brings us the murky cut “Dirty Mouth” that mixes “daddy issues and cognac” from his forthcoming Ballroom Riots EP.
Get your slow dance ballroom electro botox routine on with Bot'Ox's video for “Basement Love” directed by Pablo Padovani in a lazer lit sophisticated scene that turns fishy.
Then get your preview of Nightlands' new brass lined sentiments on, “I Fell in Love With a Feeling” from the forthcoming Oak Island LP coming January 22 from Secretly Canadian.
Eluvium's Martin Eden delivered the Eric Macey directed video for “return life” from the debut LP, Dedicate Function on Lefse. Macey treats Eden's ambient works with an altered image aperture to provide a dwelling for the dew drop silent storm brought by the key sustains deserved of a tree canopied habitat.
Don Froth brings a stream of his REflex EP available now on 12″ vinyl and digital from UNO with word of new mixes coming soon in the near future. From the “that's it” onset of the opening title track you are lulled into the mix, “VAP” brings down the house as the single that brought you in the door, “Tunnelvision” creates that effect from the bounce of the bass woofer, followed by the “REflex (Anthony “Shake” Shakir Remix)” rework and the creative vocal chop and cut finale of “Untitled B”.
Following up the urban contemporary cinema noir of “Nightcall,” French producer Kavinsky releases the Marcus Herring video for “ProtoVision” from K's forthcoming SEGA Racing informed album title, OutRun.
C2C dropped the tent revival uptempo beats with the video for “Happy” directed by Wendy Morgan and choreographed by King Charles. The C2C album Tetra, will be coming out February 11, 2013 from Casablanca Records.
From Vancouver is Mother Mother who dropped by their surrealistic, plant psychotropic video animated by Chad VanGaalen.
Stones Throw video contest winners Tuomas Vauhkonen and Jeremias Nieminen present their video for Karriem Riggins' instrumental rhythm and ruckus cut, “Round The Outside” from his album Alone Together available from Stones Throw.
John Linnell and John Flansburgh continue their “Robot Parade” as Brooklyn's longtime alt vanguards, They Might Be Giants dropped by their new single “Call You Mom” from their forthcoming Nanobots coming March 5 on Idlewild Recordings.
Then speaking of the Johns and bastard sons of TMBG; WAVVES bros dropped their BLACK // DOCTOR (CHRIS BLACK + MISTERDOCTOR) directed video for “Sail to the Sun” from next spring's LP from Mom + Pop. Check the brat wave scuzz set to the aberrated action of a transgressive televangelist who parties it up in Jimmy Swaggart / Ted Haggard proportions.
Keeping the momentum in motion, we got Free Energy's “Street Survivor” that will leave you with questions of the group's street fighting prowess on account of their lack of grit in favor of fresh faced hooks galore. Free Energy's upcoming album Love Sign comes out January 15.
Los Angeles's OverDoz, drops the X-rated track “Lap Dance” featuring Juicy J. all the way from Memphis helping Doz and crew get paid while getting decadent in the strip club. Look for OverDoz on A$AP Rocky's upcoming album Long. Live. A$AP.
Peep Speck Mountain's Kayla Anderson directed video of closed circuit captured intimacies for the song, “Slow So Long” ahead of their forthcoming Badwater album coming January 22 from Chicago's Carrot Top Records.
Wooden Wand drops their Ryan Weibush directed video for “Supermoon” from the Alabama recorded LP Blood Oaths Of The New Blues that follows up last year's Briarwood album coming out on Fire Records in January 2013. It's a moon up to moon down late night rumination over drowned hearts and long lost love pertaining to the missed cue wedged as a makeshift bookmark in the heartbreak letter of expression left unnoticed in the pages of a book unread.
Then get lifted with “Fallen Trees” from Glasgow's Olympic Swimmers who dropped this year's No Flags Will Fly and are on tour in the UK with Admiral Fallow.
Check the series Young Americans made by filmmaker Lance Bangs in conjunction with Scion AV and Vice. Hear what today's stateside youth have been up to in 2012, thoughts on education, job finding fears and a surprising level of candid honesty that hits home.
The original soundtrack from Beasts of the Southern Wild got the vinyl-only release treatment with an apocalyptic score created by film director Benh Zeitlin, and co-composer / audio engineer Dan Romer as one of the first releases from new soundtrack imprint, Thirty3 and a 3rd. OST LPs available here, and preview a 13 minute song suite following this paragraph.
Toronto punkers The Scenics dropped their video for “Dark Cave” with plenty of “wontcha come here and bring some light” from their first album since the 70s, Dead Man Walks Down Bayview available now from Dream Tower Records.
WHY? shares their new Xmas song “The Water You Walk”. The new WHY? album Mumps, etc is out now from Anticon while you can find this holiday bit of despair and joy on the forthcoming Waterlines 7″ in early 2013.
In the spirit of the season, check out Sufjan Stevens' Christmas mixtape Chopped And Scrooged available now for free from Ashmatic Kitty, or download here, or stream after this blurb.
And for those in need of more good news, In The Red will be reissuing Ty Segall's The Traditional Fools and Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin's Reverse Shark Attack, both on January 22 for all those that are still wondering, “Who are these garage saviors Segall & Cronin we hear so much about?” Wonder no more late bloomers, as we will school you in the following videos. First up is The Traditional Fools' “Street Surfin'” cool directed by Claire Marie Vogel.
…and Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin's “I Wear Black”, also from director Claire Marie Vogel.
We leave you with our SF hero Al Lover who gathered about 26 of the 34 bands from round 1 of the Austin Psych Fest lineup confirmations. Look for the good man messing and tripping up your favorites through mixes that you never thought were imaginable.
