Big week to catch up on. All the hype surrounding The Rolling Stones celebrating 50 years of Mick Jagger schtupping some 4,000 women and threatening to tour one more time. Steven Tyler remembered that he once had a relevant group and decided to save face by stepping down from his American Idol judge duties with J Lo in toe. Then that M83 bro Anthony Gonzalez proved he is not only dedicated to turning your first wave sneaker gazing music memories into new market commodities, but he's also in the pre-vandalized-packaged Converse high tops game to help you hurry up; because we're dreaming. Then again we should all be thankful for little things like Mr. Gonzalez not taking the Adidas-'My-Pet-Monster'-excuse-slavery road in this case. But enough of this banter as we buckle down to sampling from some of the week's best sights and sounds-in no particular order.
Johaz & Exile are the SoCal superduo Dag Savage who are prepping their mixtape Salvation coming soon from The Dirty Science. Until then get a sneak listen with “Dream Sequence” featuring J. Mitchell singing about disintegrating dreams with a back drop of swirling, sampled horns.
Tuning to Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti we get another taste from fresh young vintage spearheaders with “Only in My Dreams.” The “Bright Lit Blue Sky” facelifting of the past's lesser celebrated pop is the surficial modus operandi of the one of the past decades most notorious harbingers of all ghetto-tech manufactured nostalgia of songs of strange familiarity that makes even the most pedestrian listener say, “hey, I like that!.” Our observation is that when Mature Themes drops August 7 we might hear what we always imagined records like Worn Copy, Loverboy, House Arrest, The Doldrums, Scared Famous, Underground, etc might have sounded like if given the 4AD treatment.
Speaking of the formal connections of Ariel Pink, Strip Steve with a litle help from Puro Instinct released their video for “Astral Projection.” Get ready for some alt club jams as Strip Steve's album Micro Mega is coming July 16 from Boysnoize Records and you can get a load of the electro trip video from the production talents of Theo Pozoga, Jimmy Marble and Judy Landkammer.
You have probably gotten way over this after your fifth blog screening/listening but here is the much hyped Purity Ring video for “Fineshrine” directed by Young Replicant. Their album Shrines comes out July 23 in the UK and on the 24 in both the US and Canada.
If the new techno sound of Gobby's New Hat EP has you questioning the very structure of the electronic music medium, then allow us to further complicate matters as you dig into his Pet Shop mix made with James K (aka Jamie Krasner) that keeps the conversation going long after 3:15am where there is always a flop house brownstone waiting for you somewhere on the Lower East Side.
Shintaro Sakamoto brings you his new album, How To Live With A Phantom streaming live and direct with his blessing.
Holy Other has big plans for his first ever North America as support for Amon Tobin ISAM Live this Fall. This will be the first time Holy Other has ever played in the US with the much anticipated debut LP Held coming out on August 28 via Tri Angle Records. Dive into the holy water bog and roll with the epic low tempo, maximum attitude mood stylings on the much loved cut, “Love Some1.”
Absu released their single “Hall of the Masters” via Adult Swim with all the face melting, soul smoldering brunt force you could hope for.
¡MAYDAY! & MURS dedicate a track to all the “Hardcore Bitches” with production from Luthor & Cash. Get a view on the sort of NSFW video from Bernz & Garcia and be on the look out for the ¡MAYDAY! EP Thrift Store Halos coming soon.
Shrugging off the coal mining country of the Castanets is Ray Raposa bursting from a chrysalis of his own design as Raymond Byron & the White Freighter. Listen for the kind of jaded rage of a working class man shuffling on down the supply chain like a lonesome weary trucker, leaving the Bible belt behind to present us a new kind of “Allegiance.” I also liken the sound of the 'Freighter as one of those “Be True to Your School” type of solidarity rumbles at a roadhouse on the California/Oregon border; Byron here has been awakened “bold as shit.” The album you seek dear listeners is Little Death Shaker coming September 4 from Asthmatic Kitty.
Alright, so maybe Danger Doom was a miss and Gnarls Barkley got old too quick but we must confess a curiosity to hear more from the collaboration of John Cale and Danger Mouse on the upcoming album Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood available October 2 through the Domino Records imprint Double Six. We will let Cale himself convince you that this will be nothing like his old VU bandmate's collaborative hook up with a certain popular metal group on a certain album called Lulu. Watch and listen to the Focus Creeps/Cale directed video for a sample of the upcoming single “I Want to Talk to U” available now from iTunes.
Onuinu has revealed the upbeat and out of this world video for “Happy Home.” Directed by Andrew Sloan and filmed around Pendarvis Farm, watch as the man finds his inner peace through the tin foil creations that lead to abductions of the unknown kind. Onuinu's debut album Mirror Gazer comes out August 21 from Bladen County Records / Bad Cop Bad Cop.
Erika Spring revealed the visuals for “Hidden” as her self-titled EP for Cascine was released this week. Director Celia Rowlson-Hall describes the video as working within a framework of “desire for fresh beginnings,” and metaphoric elements of “water, the rocks, the smoke and the air are all simple,” to evoke the feeling of newfound origins and “memory of a time that has become foggy. The feeling from a time that has become shadowy.” Celia's video treatment leads you visually to the gates of the Erika Spring EP through the eye to eye confrontations of intimacy, the supernatural element of levitation, spring showers, personal private places, crawl spaces and a dusty attic where in utero type of solace is found in a cardboard dollhouse that mothers hoard like cherished memories. The Erika Spring EP is out now on Cascine.
We got a new Dan Deacon track from his forthcoming album America with “True Thrush.” Billed as summer music of the 21st Century, we couldn't agree more as the all systems go approach employed by the Deak, better defined but rest assured not refined. America comes out August 28 in the States and a day before everywhere else from Domino.
Beyond all the out of the closet hype surrounding our hero Frank Ocean, his most recent single “Sweet Life” confirms our suspicions of the man's Stevie Wonder-esque style of cool. More impressive still is that his ode to the Ladera Heights good life is pulled off like an effortless undertaking in four minutes twenty-two seconds time that Mr. Ocean's 90s R&B forebearers attempted to achieve in an entire decade.
And in case you missed it, here's Oceans' impressive Jimmy Fallon performance of “Bad Religion” off of Channel Orange that saw an early release this week.
Teengirl Fantasy dropped the track “End” off their upcoming album Tracer coming out August 21 from True Panther Sounds, featuring all those gentle morning chime bell-tronics that you love them for.
Gigamesh released the video for “Don't Stop” featuring Jana Nyberg, splicing up the Stallone '75 action classic Death Race 2000. Gigamesh's EP All My Life is available now from Kitsuné.
Tomas Barford revealed the Lindsay MacKay directed video for “Came to Party” from his Salton Sea LP available now along with the Came to Party EP also available from Friends of Friends.
LOL Boys EP Changes iscoming next week on July 17 from Friends of Friends and we have a stream of the title track featuring Heart Streets. Pre-order is available now on both vinyl and digital, get in on the all the horns and 2012 lovers rock action with the refrain of “Things won't change until we do.”
More from Friends of Friends with the the dream rave cut “TV Dream” featuring Clive Tanaka from Groundislava's upcoming album Feel Me due August 28. In the meantime their TV Dream EP is out now and can be downloaded via their Bandcamp.
Everest released the General Assembly directed video for “Ownerless” from the album of the same name out now on ATO Records. Get ready for late night, head bandaged noir and an endless drive down an endless road with endless thoughts. Catch Everest on the road this month with Alberta Cross and a November tour jag with the likes of Neil Young with Crazy Horse, Los Lobos and Patti Smith.
Meet Naytronix, Nate Brenner of tUnE-yArDs' solo project where we has been busying himself working on the Dirty Glow LP due October 9 from Plug Research. Enjoy the single “Robotic” as Nate gets creative with the keys, vocal electronicizing and doing curious things with the drum and bass programming. Get down with more #teamnaytronix love over on Mr. Brenner's Soundcloud.
Kid Simpl is Seattle electro wiz Joey Butler bringing the bass with his Escape Pod EP and we got the title track for you right here. With a sparse ambient keyboard approach and restrained use of autonetune, Butler works a methodical snare clasp through a slow brewed concoction to create a head zone that makes your physical surroundings seem small in comparison. Look for the EP August 7 from Hush Hush Records.
Kyle Rapps & Riwon released the video for “Mr. Rogers” paying homage to a sound and lyrical collage to their favorite television and entertainment stars and tropes. Kyle & Riwon released their Tyrone Gosling EP inspired by Drive and now their mixtape Syndication is coming this Fall to skewer samples and nods to bevy of television theme songs and lyrical reference rain. Enjoy a beautiful day in the neighborhood with the “Mr. Rogers” another day in the neighborhood directed by Robbie Barclay.
DJ Eleven and the rising soul styling star Sharina Doyle keeping it good to the “Last Beat” to keep your weekend party and coctails chill from 11 Inch Records.
ERAAS was formed out of Apse in favor for darker territories as can be heard on their new track “Fang.” Founded in New England and assembled in Brooklyn, Robert Toher and Austin Stawiarz are the founding members of the quartet making some dense dance waves, proper vocal effects that sound 3 audio generations removed, electric mechancial pulses and bass thumps. Keep watch for ERAAS' self-titled coming out October 2 from Felte.
Deep Time's self-titled is out now from Hardly Art and their new single “Homebody” makes me want to buy a house in East Austin and entertain my fellow musican and non-musician friends.
Melody's Echo Chamber is the new Fat Possum buzz with a 7″ featuring the single “Endless Shore” and a flipside cover of the A side from Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The original brings to mind the kind of beach pop not made from the ashes of Hollywood's former Gold Star Studios while UMO dirties things up and do what they will with the melodic elements that Melody weaves with the kind of rock craft scholarship that induces sentiments of envy. Melody's Echo Chamber 7″ drops July 31 with her debut coming out September 25 from Fat Possum Records.
Shadowbox released their subway, escalator fun in high fashion video for “AM,” directed by Matt Kliegman. Get in on Shadowbox's Haunted By Colors EP coming out July 24 from Pictures Music.
Formerly of Here We Go Magic and doing it better than anybody else is Teeny Lieberson along with a few sisters and friends and fronting the pop group TEEN. Get in on the post punk percussion, chugging bass and get “Electric” with a track burns with a vacuum tube incandescence that buzzes bright to the very end of the tracks four and a half minutes. TEEN's album In Limbo comes out August 28 from Carpark Records.
Because surely you need more mental music, we bring you Sweden's The Amplifetes with “Where Is The Light (MtheM Remix)” for your after hour living room raves long after the last call has been declared from your neighborhood club or pub.
Isaiah Toothtaker and Rapewolf are here to “Burn It Down” with some urban hymnal choral production from Harry Fraud. The NSFW video directed by BAZ features the most decadent party of substances, topless for the sake of gratuitous nudity, all shot with an RED Camera we are told. The single “Burn It Down” is off of the Rob Zombie album available now via Bandcamp for you to download guilt-hangover free from Isaiah the friendly Toothtaker himself.
You loved their debut Yeah I Know and now word has got out that Brooklyn's Darlings have completed their forthcoming album Perfect Trip due later this year. ' Pet The Ghost 7″ comes out August 10 with b-sides “Shelley” and “Teenage Girl (Andrei 4000 Remix)” limited to 300 vinyl pressings from Famous Class Records.
J. Thoven are preparing their self-recorded, self-released, TW Walsh mastered, Nashville by way of Southern California EP for next week. We got the Maker Music video for “City Maze” from the EP performed on the sidewalk outside of DeLaBarracuda's shop on Melrose.
More from the Bay Area's 40Love with “Anywhere,” featuring a verse from their friend Black Spade and trumpets courtesy of Anthony Coleman II. The two join the crew of G-OFF, Miss Haze and Mikos and The Whooligan bringing smoky production with big brassed beats to shake away the SF fog. Look for the 40Love album Dreams Don't Sleep anywhere and everywhere July 24.
Bonde do Rolê's release date for Tropicalbacanal has been changed to July 31 and to sweeten the deal they give you the new promotional video for Brazilian tourism or just promoting beach booty bouncing in general with “Brazilian Boys.”
Get to know Full|REBEL|Jacket, a Phoenix, Arizona duo comprised of G and Q with this sobering slice of real in the self-made video for their track “Stray Bullet” featuring a powerful appearance from Dungeon Family member Big Rube. The black and white video creates a noir atmospheric backdrop for a heart breaking tale of truth, consequences, guit, family planning lessons and relationships. Look for the free REBEL EP September 3 from FRJ.
UK's Vessel has anounced his debut album Order of Noise coming September 24 from Tri Angle Records, and we have the track “Court of Lions” for you to grill out to on the patio this weekend.
Sydney quartet Panama is buzzing with their new single “Magic” that makes no doubt of summer celebration and all the ineffable sentiments that go with this magical time if you will. With production and mixing from DFA vet Eric Broucek in LA, the band is assembled in a dance groove to make every moment a translucent Instagram. Get the single here.
Also get a listen to the Midnight Magic and Gavin Russom remix of “Magic.”
The new Black Moth Super Rainbow record Cobra Juicy is coming but they need your help. Tim Heidecker kicked it with us last night at the Casbah, and Eric Wareheim wants you to help support things are that are fucking awesome.
