Week in Pop
Those looking for some super inspirational get up & get going kinda pop ought to look no further than Bendigo Fletcher’s “Sleeping Pad” that shares some down-home vibes from road & world weary spirits. The troubadour rambling/traveling tradition can be heard here in the rustic strings that constantly deliver the sweetest, most sentimental sounds that offers hope for those feeling like they are going to break from the weight of the world as BF brings about a litany of “damn good reasons to live.”
Young Galaxy returned with a Plus1 partnership where all proceeds from the sale of their new following single “Stay For Real” will be donated to help marginalized groups facilitated through PIVOT (Canada), ACLU (USA) & W.A.V.E (EU). The track shines light on the rocky roads around us that almost feel like they are disintigrating from beneath our feet. Here today with a maudlin but bright electro-pop shining gem, the Montreal group introduced their new single with the following reflections:
We can no longer stand idly by and rely only on the people who shape the world for us culturally and politically. We must stay true to ourselves and feel the courage of our convictions in the face of polarizing political and personal views. But most of all, we must show empathy, compassion and love—even when faced with increasing existential threats, and fear and hostility. This song is a statement of intent, as we enter a new era, to hopefully serve as a reminder to ourselves of what our responsibilities are as artists in this troubled time.
TRAAPS, oka Calum formerly of Black City Lights, presents the new single “Hold Me” that seeks those elusive embraces that almost never arrive when you truly need them. The feeling of intimacy is relayed in the production that washes over your being like the feeling of being cherished & loved by someone who reciprocates the same sentiments that you feel toward them. Keep an ear out for further sounds to follow from New Zealand’s TRAAPS.
Luxembourg icon Sun Glitters just announced the forthcoming album It Will Be Forever available May 26 and we have the first listen with the inclusive warmth of the ultra-electrified single, “Together”. Victor takes his tech noir painted world and unfurls it all right before your very ears that makes for an exhilarating experience of an endless drive or flight toward new chapters & destinations not previously known to your heart.
San Francisco producer Tsutro just released the self-titled album (via LA’s Position Music) full of electro-pop wonders that spring forth to life directly from your speakers. The “Intro” is a call for all with ears to attend, as “Back To You” feat. Sunday Lane offers up endearing senses of warmth, while “Angkor” ft. Welshly Arms explores heart beat sprung rhythms, with “In Between” ft. Steff Koeppen takes the audience to the in-between places between the keys, vocals & percussion components in the mix. “Run” ft. Sonny Cleveland offers up music for morning jogging sessions, whereas “Tanoak” ft. Natalie Nicoles operates on it’s own hedonistic axis, as “Say Something” ft. Roxi Pianko seeks new forms of glimmering expressions, as Sunday Lane returns on “In My Head” to provide inner-reflective thought stream zeons, with “So Low” ft. Royal Deluxe offers up a new hymn for the downtrodden that leads to the finale of “Lunette'” ft. Roxi Pianko that shines with the light of a thousand moons to light up a lonely night’s sky.
From ◊ EMERALD-LANE’s CMCS (RED) EP, we present band leader Orion “Sonny” Coates’ video made with David Wong for “Submarine Tourmaline” that delivers introspection on both the past & the potential promises of tomorrow. Sonny is scene singing at home, live in performance to enjoy the solace of the sea shore; Coates reaches for riches that extend beyond the feigned fallacies of immediate returns that offer little to no transcendental states of grace & elevated existences. Read our previous premiere feature & interview with Sonny here.
Pascale Project has announce the new 7AM available April 20 via Noumenal Loom and we have the title track for your listening pleasure. Pascale works in manners of super sophisticated & sweet styles of DIY dance that is sure to please the most finicky of EDM-heads along with the chill sets of folks hanging out in the luxury lounge.
PLAZA’s new single “Personal” just got remixed by Soulection’s LAKIM that elevates the track deeper into the late evening atmospheres. The remix twinkle & shimmers like a dazzling trip into the most euphoric outting fathomable.
Flower Girl presented a view of the Andrew Gibson video for “High Fives” off the album Tuck In Your Tie-Dye available now from BUFU Records/Designer Medium that celebrates the global salutation while sporting a whole lotta tie-dye. This is the jam for all feeling down in the dumps who are looking for a joyous sound to lift up the spirits of all within earshot.
Alex Fitts (aka The Kickdrums) & Chris Wall are Fake Guns who present all the attitude with the track “Green” that turns & twists your pop’s Dick Dale wax into some kind of oddity from another planet. Like a b-movie experimentation gone awry, Fake Guns on “Green” keep the entire affair succinct with shrugs & all apologies that belie some super mean electric undercurrents that can kill.
Eric Slick presented us with the Miles Joris-Peyrafitte video for “The Dirge” featuring gal pal Natalie Prass in a video that involves Eric & Natalie taking the microphone & energy anywhere & everywhere he can. Featured off the April 21 album debut; the emotion is brought like a surreal karaoke session that celebrates the strangeness that is these modern times with something that revels in both the bizarre & thought provoking. Slick introduced the video with the following insights:
The post election trauma has left a lot of people feeling hopelessly glued to their social media. The video for “The Dirge” is an absurdist look into a dystopian living space where Natalie and I try to make the best of our existence while painting our nails, exercising, and singing karaoke on a yoga ball. The computer is watching us and we are watching the computer, ad infinitum.
Del Bel has been dazzling the world lately with her new single “Crookcrank” featured off the upcoming III album available via Missed Connection Records April 7. Lisa Conway continues to craft song-craft that marches to the tempo of her own rhythms & narratives that defy time, location, era, space & more.
Virginia’s Lauren Hoffman & The Secret Storm recently released their debut album Family Ghost & present the Aaron Farrington & Abel Okugawa for To the End of the World Pictures video for “Broken” that tackles damaged people & the desires that exist in between. From sparring sessions to the sentiments that have moved forward, “Broken” is illustrated like an MMA match that serves as a metaphor for the strangest ties that bind some lover’s hearts closer together.
UV-TV gifted the world with their Deranged Records release Glass that shatters all expectations & is some of the month’s top essential listening. The follow-up to their 2015 Emotional Response 7″ split with Shark Toys enthralls everyone from the dream enchanter/destroyer buzz pop anthems that ring loud from “wasting away” to the big gazing finale of “dissolve” that ultimately might prove to be your next favorite thing since Disintegration & maybe deeper. Group to watch, touring April 6 through May 9.
In further Deranged Records news involving members of Fucked Up and the Sadies; Toronto’s Career Suicide presented a listen to their recently released album Machine Response that is full of all the hardcore, hard-hitting action that you crave & desire. From the opener “Cut and Run” to the closing “Point of No Return”; seat-belt-buckle yourself in for one heckuva wild ride that is sure to leave your head ringing with joy.
Leandro Fresco (of Kompakt) along with Rafael Anton Irisarri (of Ghostly) are readying their collaborative album La Equidastancia for release April 10 through A Strangely Isolated Place & shared the haunted ambience of “All releases vinyl video Cuando El Misterio Es Demasiado Impresionante, Es Imposible Desobedecer”. Prepare to enter cisterns & deep well dug catacombs where dank atmospheres from the unknown corners of endless corridors beckon to you.
In case you hadn’t already fallen in love with Womps; we cordially invite you to fall head over heels in love with the single “Darling” ahead of their appearances at SxSW. “Darling” is the ultra-romantic song that rages with a wild at heart run toward the ends of earth to be with the one that you love the nearest & dearest.
Irish duo Analogue Wave dropped the single “Hope” off the EP of the same name that also offers remixes from Tuath & Ummagma. Del Chaney & Andy Sneyd return after a three year break with a post-industrious ringer to wake up the complacent with a call to action and a warning against the perils of apathy.
Little Rêd recently released her debut single “Hell” produced by Ed Tullett that offers elaborate expressions on the wages of romantic wars & more exhibited in a kind of grand sweeping electronic array of emotively charged echoes. The Cardiff by Bath artist Ellie elaborates upon her passion for musical creation since her early youth that continues to transcend toward some promising heights.
Following in the composition footsteps of folks such as Fabio Frizzi, Goblin, John Carpenter & more; we introduce you to the world of Alessandro Parisi aka Hesperius Draco who recently released a 7″ on Slimer Records. Alessandro Parisi enters the scene with the trusty TR707, Roland JX3P along with an old Teac 244 Tape Recorder to score a scene straight out of the most strange & surreal of fantasias that delve into the macabre & the subterranean dimensions of the lesser known earth levels. Find this and more on Alessandro Parisi’s Hellport 1060 available via Slimer Records.
Singaporean by NYC artist Linus Hablot has been generating some international interest with his recent single “Just Call” that crafts some super smooth balladry with a new voice & stylistic approach that puts all feelings out on the frontlines. Keep an eye on Linus who is destined to be cooking up some great things in the future.
LA’s own modern funk queen Moniquea announced her forthcoming album Blackwavefunk available June 2 from MoFunk Records presenting the XL Middleton produced single “Already Done That” that boasts tales about being around the block a few times before. With a classic-modern take on lively kinetic funk styles; Moniquea along with XL continue to keep the funk stepping toward higher levels & greater grooves.
A Tree Grows’ self-titled album will be available March 17 through Rufftone Records and we have the Brooklyn group’s video for “Future Calculations” that gives you a youthful view of NYC through a wandering girl’s perspective. With a style & approach that is centered around an exercise instruction from the legendary Walter Bishop Jr.; listen & watch as the group’s lively brass & free-foot strolling rhythms inspire the movement & growth of all involved life.
Get in deep with ZZ Ward’s new single “The Deep” featuring Joey Purp that pushes toward deep end territories that indicate instances of being in way over your head. This is conveyed through blues that is saturated in electronic excesses & indulgences.
Dehd’s Fire Of Love is available today on limited edition pale pink tape through the Infinity Cat Cassette Series that has been carefully curated by Casey Weissbuch. To further celebrate we bring you the title track that rages with a rebellion that we hope influences an entire series of forthcoming generations.
From their album Clutch, Bitch Falcon presents the visceral & vicious video from Spiceburger & Philip Blake for the title track. The Dublin three piece pulls no punches while dealing the biggest & loudest belted out chords & blows that is certain to grab all aspects of attention.
Courtesy of Funeral Crew / EMPIRE, peep 12AM’s intimate video for “No Good 4 U” that mulls over inner-inequities that often get in the way of what are otherwise the greatest relationships.
Gold Connections strummed out some sweet & sentimental business with the evocative single “Isabel” featured on the forthcoming self-titled debut EP available March 31 from your good friends over at Fat Possum. All of your scuzziest slacker dreams are about to be realized as the GCs keep the skronk humming with a whole lotta what it takes to stand out from the cookie-cutter cuts out there by abiding by the most ferocious & ingenious arrangement you have heard in a minute from a pop song.
Ahead of their Austin dates, Phoria provided an acoustic rendering of “Melatonin” that offers up some stripped down & acoustic vibes to resonate with you, wherever you are. It’s a song for weary hearts who seek the safety and comforts of a gentle world away the harshness of our shared realities.
Copenhagen’s MATTIS presented his debut with “Loverboy” that illustrates electro-charged sentiments that makes for a mellow & sensual audio telegram. Ambient atmospheres & digitized air spaces swarm all throughout that emulates all the aches & pangs that desire can offer.
Evvol’s single “Physical LUV” gets re-twisted with the Dexter Remix featured off the remix edition available today from !K7 Records. The cut gets re-tricked for revolutionary sounds to match almost any makeshift dance-floor found the world over.
With the Chronicles EP available March 31, Phebe Starr’s “Lavender Scars” got reworked via the Moglii Remix that features zany & zapping fun with synthesizers. The Australian artist voice emerges from a world of flashy keys & beats that emerge, intersect & disappear as quick as they arrived in the following revision.
INVSN is Dennis Lyxzen of Refused who have announced the upcoming second album The Beautiful Stories available June 9 from Dine Alone Records, offering a listen to “Immer Zu”. The temporal nature of things is lavished in a mean & thunderous storm of sound that keeps things neat while making no apologies & pulling no punches.
Announcing the Tunnels EP, climb the digital, towering ziggurats of Jome’s “Mountains”, produced by Christoph Andersson, that reaches toward the highest elevations you can imagine.
NYC’s Megan Talay (or just her surname if you please, aka Guns N’ Hoses) Talay is readying her new self-titled EP available June 2 delivering the comedic but all too relatable single “Parent’s House”. Talay brings all the pop-punky attitudes to the table with realer than real-life tales that everyone can connect to in one sense or another.
Overlake closes out the season of rain, ice, snow & sleet with the single “Winter is Why” that features the Jersey City that showcases the super dreamy power chord fest that feels like a medley of seasons descending all at once. Find this and more on the forthcoming album Fall available May 12 through Bar/None Records.
Secret Science shared the new single “Milquetoast” taken off their forthcoming debut album. Garage power pop styles sparkle in a collection of catchy chords that dumps out all the suburban doldrums for the kind of electric excitement created for & by friends.
Fire up a road hog and ride off into the sunset with the lyric video for “Race” by LA artist Rafferty. Find this and other floor tom stomping numbers featured off the forthcoming debut EP, produced by Jeff Bhaskar.
A labor of love years in the making; Orlando three piece Hoyle offer up their 12 song cycle Jenny’s Room that runs the gamut of emotions, observations, introspection & everything in-between. Focusing on creating the most lush & emotively charged sounds around; the full-length that runs from “Liars” through the redemption at the crossroads discovered on “All My Love”.
Scotland’s Be Charlotte are hitting up SxSW this forthcoming week and they shared the single “Discover” that excites with the feeling that every new moment offers up some sort of brand new start. Keep an ear out for more from Be Charlotte soon.
The History of Colour TV are readying their new album Something Like Eternity for release March 17 from Cranes Records and we offer up a listen to the first two singles. “Wreck” finds the Berlin trio going through all the waves of expression in a song suite that comes in right under six minutes, while “As Gray As Park Can Be” offers up a moody stroll through the park on an overcast winter’s day.
Also check out the Styrofoam remix of Blake Hazard’s “Hey” that works in synths that conveys the warmest & most beautiful gestures of affection conveyed through digitally designed textures.
Readying a new album for release April 21 through Metropolis Records; Vacant Lots bring about their electro-brooding vibes with “Night Nurse” that is not exactly a Gregory Isaacs lover’s rock affair. The evening clad cruisers conjure up images of late night joy rides that taunt & tease with rhetorical lines like “what are you waiting for….”
Low Roar announced their upcoming third album Once In A Long, Long While and shared the single “Bones” ft. Jófríður Ákadóttir, a slow burning duet between connected hearts reflecting over their shared bond.
XY&O present their cover of Tina Turner’s classic “What’s Love Got To With It” that offers up some synth-saturated renderings of the iconic original. Skip Curtis redirects the rhythms & blues to course through new arrangements of key sequences that shimmer & shine all the while.
Noga Erez delivered the Hen Makhluf video for “Toy” featured off the debut album Off The Radar available June 2 from City Slang that offers some hypnotic, electro popping & locking in both slo & sped-up modes while posted-up on a rooftop.
Haux presents the SMLE remix for “Caves” where cavernous exploration makes spelunking into the depths of the unknown an experience of discovery & sensational delights.
FYOHNA provided with some punctuated pop that plays about with concepts of the paranormal & sentimental on the track “Ghost Heart” that materializes in ways that work as mysterious as the concept of love itself.
London’s Jaded busted out the big bright dawn awakening pop jam with “In The Morning” available now via Black Butter Records. Let this be your daybreak power song to get that pot of coffee going & the oatmeal bubbling.
Strange Familia shared their arty-performance video from Aaron Hendrix & Brecken Jones for “Ms. Badblood” that lays the electric-dance charm on thick. The SLC, Utah duo of Brecken Jones & Garret Williams create something to inspire fancy footwork when played on the club dance floor that revolves around an offstage femme fatale character.
