When we began our Week in Pop column some three years back, the mission statement was both then and now to spotlight the ground shakers from all corners of the globe in the name of recognizing new sound dimensions regardless of representation or label. The game grows and changes by the second, quicker than we can ever aggregate or scour through the hypertext mazes in our quests to discover new artists and music. And while we have seen the decline of print, the rise of the nebulous web based approach to both music making, and journalism is rife with complicated intricate facets of digital media shifts that laud both dialed in A-listers to home based artists whose only industry connection is sometimes their ISP alone. While Impose and the Goldmine Sacks offices are comitted to the DIY cause whole heartedly; we believe in a fair competition clause between today's independents and fabled '360 package' careerists. It is this equal oppurtunity ethic that can allow our bootstrapped Week in Pop, in a world of Week in Pops to beat the Billboard mainstream Top 40 machine in online web-search buzz and we have the screen grab to prove it:
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While honored with respect to our competitors, our work has just begun here. That said, get ready for the week in current fascinations, movements from the nucleic heart of musical momentum-in no particular order.
After an insomniatic night I discovered this London gruesome-foursome Yucky Slime who have delivered to the world what we are interpretting as their anthemic banner, “Get Yucky” thanks to Fat Cat Records' discovery. We love them for not breaking the minute and a half barrier while condensing the grossest shambolic magic that the DIY ethic is supposed to embody in all disgusting senses. For further gross outs and information, check out their Tumblr and read the band's following statement before you “Get Yucky”:
“Yucky Slime play fast punx music about friendship and genderfucking. Slime rock shows have been meticulously focus-grouped by the Slime Corporation in order to facilitate the slamming of both male and female bodies against one another in a manner that enthuses and entertains weirdoes from all walks of life. Scientifically proven to combat the will to “grow up” and provides unbeatable protection against 'norms' and other drags. Yucky Slime got together to play music for their friends who feel unable to slam at shows without some white knight getting overly protective and ruining their fun and to make trendy people question why they aren’t having any fun as they clutch their beers and nod. I could go on but it’s dumb.”
Get even grosser with Yucky Slime with their Demos 2012 tape here.
Tonight, October 12, the exclusive party of tomorrow Push the Feeling returns to Underground SF with a live performance from Blackbird Blackbird, James & Evander with a DJ set from Baron Von Luxxury plus sets spun from resident crew epicsauce and YR SKULL DJs and crew. As always, free before 10pm via RSVP and $5 from that point further.
We also have Blackbird Blackbird's Ellis Bahl directed adventure-time video for “All” from their forthcoming Boracay Planet EP, out October 16 from Lavish Habits.
Also check out Oakland duo James & Evander's Bummer Pop Remixes that invites friends like Bam Spacey, RX Gibbs, Courtship, Parentz and more to the remix table to turn good times into great times, courtesy of some today's best reshapers of the electrono-sphere.
North Oakland's dualling sultans of the stratosphere, Main Attrakionz give a listen to the closing rap lullabye off their forthcoming album, Bossalinis & Fooliyones. The album’s finale is “Cloud Body” with that Grown Folk production where Mondre and Squadda break down the cloud rap as “the shit that you can trust” bringing the Green Ova cloud to the little blue dot and the world over after their biggest release yet drops October 22 from Young One Records.
Yung Life kept things fresh with some of that signature super-smooth guitar on their new single “Rude Vision”. Get your copy of their self-titled and new single via Bandcamp.
HTRK and Tropic of Cancer have anounced their upcoming Part Time Punks session split that presents the new worlds of synthetic keyboard kinesis that requires a tranformative allure and attitude. We give you HTRK's single “Synthetik”, originally off of last year's excellent Work, work, work that measures issues of body image, successes from an out of body perspective and sentiment. The split comes out on 12″ and digital October 30 worldwide from Ghostly International.
Tropic of Cancer's “A Color” can be found from their Blackest Ever Black release, The Sorrow of Two Blooms EP bringing booth bloom, sorrow and more monochrome tones.
Fashawn, Co$$ and Tiombe Lockhart joined up with Exile and Johaz for their group Dag Savage and today we bring you the video for “Cali Dreamin'” that has the emcees bringing together their collective homes and stories from the Californian streets amid a tanned film tone. Get your limited edition 7″ now from The Dirty Science direct.
Covering a D'Angelo classic backed by One Mo'Gin is The Child of Lov's single “Heal” with the revolting youth video from the Focus Creeps owning the neighborhood. The 7″ single is set for release November 26 on Double Six.
Be sure to get your copy of Dee-1's The Focus mixtape here that has been making it's way around the backpacking blogs, complete with hosting duties from your boy Mannie Fresh. What you have been waiting for all week is finally here.
From the archives comes this wild and angry one from The Reatards with “No One Stands Me” recorded live at Gonerfest 2005. Find this and more on the LP Better Than Something: Jay Reatard soundtrack LP available on red vinyl limited to 500 pressings on black wax with purdchase of Better Than Something on DVD and a book of essays from Jay's contemporaries.
Blowing up the global airwaves and tumblrs is Spotlight Kid with the video for “Creeps”. The video will give you those late, sleepless nights of shuffling through those stolen cassettes from your older sibling until you sneak out for an aimless midnight ride that looks like VHS recording from a t.v. tube display in hindsight. Look for the Deluxe Edition of Spotlight Kid's Disaster Tourist November 13 on SMR.
Get happy everybody, because a new album from The Babies is coming November 13 from your buddies at Woodsist with their new Our House On The Hill LP. And from the sound of their latest single from the upcoming disc, it sounds like what we imagine it would sound like if Woods and Vivian Girls and friends were sharing one big happy house on a hill together.
We have the new video from Touché for “I'm a Man Not a Machine”. Alex Lilly of Obi Best and Bram Inscore of Twin Shadow enlist director Sur Realismo for the following arty party with their friends and digitized man/woman v. machine postulations of autonomous declarations in the face of the great singularity dialogue. Look for the single available via digital October 30 from iTunes while we await Touché's forthcoming debut It's Fate coming soon.
Double A.B. & Dub Sonata dropped their latest single and title track, “Media Shower” Ft. Rhymefest. The duo give new takes on developments of technology, transmission and how the the media does little more than entertain. Get this and more from their new album Media Shower out now from Man Bites Dog Records.
MV & EE are on tour this Autumn, plan accordingly.
The video for “Brown Crow” from Michael Stasis dropped on my radar with droning progressions of cosmic patches of slacker grunge not released by the David Geffen Company in the 90s. Direction comes courtesy of both D'raven and Mr. Stasis and is reminiscent of the unreleased version of Paperboy's video for “Ditty” (sans the gals in bikinis), and you can listen to more of the work of Mr. Stasis here via his Bandcamp. The Oakland artist was also seen sharing a stage from a rare performance from Window Twins along with Lenz at Amnesia, SF earlier this week. Keep an eye on this East Bay riser.
In checking in the with uber-poppers Free Energy they have followed up recent single “Electric Fever” with “Dance All Night” featuring a more mature, long slow dance number from 2010's prized indie buzzsters. The new Free Energy album Lovesign comes out January 15 from Free People Records.
Our affection for LA's Incan Abraham began, as so many buzz band journeys do, on the humble stage at Bender's for Noise Pop's presentations of front runner hopefulls and those that will define the 'indie' idiom in the future. The band is proud to anounce their upcoming Springhouse 10″ vinyl available November 27 from JAXART Records. Vinyl pre-orders made before the November 27 release receive a complimentary limited edition poster, download access plus bonus tracks. Preview the title track and now and feel those springtime vibes chasing away falls early drawn shades of night.
Meg Myers finds herself in a white room over ran with plush animals in the Trish Sie directed video for “CURBSTOMP”. What looks like just an ordinary stuffed teddy bear tea party goes awry when a blue bear turns the party upside down. Download Meg's Daughter in the Choir EP here.
We are excited about the release of Black Marble's A Different Arrangement, and as a gift to the fans they present the Ellen Frances directed video for “Cruel Summer”. Step into the visual nightmare surrealism of what could have been an early and eerie silent film or what a David Lynch adaptation of one of the late Maurice Sendak's stories might look like. A Different Arrangement is available from now the mighty Hardly Art.
Oh No & Chris Keys dropped their latest cut “Feet” off their album Ashes. Keys keeps in a rhythmic forward and rushed percussive pace while Oh maintains an attitude of perseverance while describing flashes of beauty “running through the mazes, so amazing, each wall painted a mosaic painting” amid the “feet don't fail me now” in the hot pursuit of an anxiety of many faces.
In keeping up with Yoodoo Park and his band GRMLN, we bring you the studio version of “Patio” after debuting the Acoustic Hymnal sessions earlier this week. The guitar picking resemble harpsichords of the future, giving testament to songs played late at night by freewheeling wind chimes strung from the roof overhang on a back patio left alone on a foggy Santa Cruz evening with only the gathering of moths for company that flock around the porch light left on by the sleeping tenants. GRMLN's much anticipated Explore EP comes out October 23 from Carpark Records.
Cold Showers warm sound and cold hearted album Love and Regret is now out on Dais and we have a preview for you here.
We got the latest track from those dudes, Majestico with “Boom Boom”. Keeping Nashville's sound both explosive, classic in respects to the rich rockin' tradition that Tennessee has, so what are you waiting for? Boogie down now and get your copy of Majestico's Love is God EP out now from Jeffrey Drag Records.
Guy Fantastico released his second album Dreamboat mixed by Helado Negro at Brooklyn's Island Universe Space and presents the LA artists as a ballroom singer from some other time remembered from the pictures of grandparents, NatGeo magazine cut ups depicting beautiful “Barcelona” or the to-all-the-girls-I-loved-before hop along “Champagne” bottle corker. Listen to it all, get it all now.
Following up with 7evenThirty we find the Erick Lee directed video for “Get Up!” blaring out neighborhood blocks is the much lauded Heaven's Computer out now from the Mello Music Group.
Ducktails is Matt Mondanile, and he gives us a good listen to the daisy chain hearted single “The Flower Lane” from the forthcoming album of the same name. Spending this past summer recording and mixing with Peaking-Point Never dude Al Carlson amid the chaotic touring schedule of his work with Real Estate; Matt and friends will bring us the fourth Ducktails album The Flower Lane January 29 from Domino.
Cloud Nothings want you to “Fall In” love with their music video full of fancy orchestrations and dance-y synchronizations all in in beautiful bacak and white, directed by John Ryan Manning. If you have yet to hear the Nothings new album Attack on Memory, you really should as it is out now from Carpark Records. Catch them on their U.S. tour with Silversun Pickups now through December.
Kilo Kish dropped the Melo-X remix of “Navy” on the high fashioned heels of the release of Kish's Navy 12″ on Blue Rider. Listen to these jazzed up keys that move things on the smooth and x-tra Melo. Catch Kilo and co with SBTRKT in NYC and LA as well as perfomring at the Life or Death CMJ showcase October 20 at 92Y Tribeca.
Is Tropical kept our mental beachside vacation sesh in full motion with “Venezuela (ft. Get People)” this week, getting the revelries started for the fourteenth edition of Kitsuné's Maison compilation that drops twice a year and arrives this November 5 in time for the label / clothiers decade anniversary.
Trash Talk threw a house party and gave us these home made videos for “Exile on Broadway” and “Uncivil Disobedience”. Get ready to start breaking things, running up your mouth and trashing up the town with the new Trash Talk record 119 available now as part of the Odd Future Records/Trash Talk Collective partnership of timeless friendship.
Written and directed by Carlo Mirabella-Davis is the good, evil and possibly pregnant music video for The Mountain Goats' “Cry for Judas” off their new album Transcendental Youth out now on Merge Records.
Get to know the new-New Zealand indie gentry with Flying Nun vets Joel Flyger, Adam Page and David Larson Popstrangers who brought the world their new single “Heaven” upon widespread news of their signing to the prolific Carpark Records. The verses carry the nervous attention that gets relieved by the inquisitive chorus of sonic proportions. If the “why-do-I-why-do-I-why-do-I” wah-wah vocal repeater fails to flip you up; then you really just don't get it. Popstranger's album Antipode comes out February 26 from Carpark. Catch them at CMJ October 16 at Le Poisson Rouge, Left Field and October 18 at the Cameo Gallery for the Carpark/Paw Tracks showcase.
Substantial has been getting praise from all corners of the industry and like an early thanksgiving, he brings us “Grateful” ft. Kenn Starr & Kokayi and produced by M-Phazes. Get into the world of Substizzle with his Home Is Where The Art Is album out now from the Mellow Music Group. Also, check out Substantial's acoustic concert at The Smithsonian Sunday, November 4, from 1:30 – 3:30 pm.
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Teen Daze dropped the dream pop gum drop “Divided Loyalties” heralding from the forthcoming The Inner Mansions to be released on November 6 on Lefse Records.
We also got Teen Daze's Scion sessions for “Divided Loyalties” recorded at Vancouver's Red Cat Records by the AUX team.
And finally the keyboard flute cool water club glow of T. Daze's “Discipleship”, also off The Inner Mansions. So remember, November 6, Lefse Records, pre-order here.
This party is only just getting started as SF electro-dance-floor-tile-illuminators Shock make “Heaven” a place on earth. A group made up of folks from Windsurf, Sorcerer, and Rubies, they are preparing this bit of tantalizing bottled heat on 12″ for release October 23 from Voltaire Records. The new electronic-romantic rennaissance has arrived in the Bay.
Stay for the “Heaven” remixes. The first up is the rain fall electrical storm sounding rework from Steve Moore.
And finally but not least is Hatchback's Kind Bud Assist remix of “Heaven” with a guarantee of chilled filtered water delivered direct from the fridge.
With a little vocal help from Frank V, Showbiz & AG dropped “The Soul” bringing some inner questions and thoughts on inner lights and tight bonds, straight off their album Mug Shot Music out now from DITC Records.
More in the remix department, as we keep the beat poppin' with Lindstrøm's “Ęg-gęd-ōsis” re-imagined by Brooklyn's Lemonade. What you get is music designed for the freeways in the hours approaching dawn where colors looks like television dots and pixels while surroudings look like still lifes even while driving in accelerated motion. Look for his album Smalhans November 5 from Smalltown Supersound.
Merchants of Def's @xbitterblossomx made the brooding, lit candle adorned video for Haleek Maul's “88” off of his Oxyconteen EP that dropped earlier this year Merok Records. The much talked about Supreme Cuts collaborative album Chrome Lips out now from MishkaNYC, and look for Haleek at CMJ October 17 at Santo's for the Noisey/Vice party with Flatbush Zombies, Children of the Night, The Underachievers & Bodega Bamz, October 18 at Irving Plaza with GZA/Killer Mike, October 18 at 350 Broadway for the Mishka party with Main Attrakionz, Cities Aviv and A$ton Matthews October 19 at Irving Plaza for the 2DopeBoyz party with Mystikal, and October 20 at Glasslands for the XL party with Ratking.
Levek present their music vide for “Black Mold Grow”, a short film adventure directed by Michael Lawrence about a woman's struggle and battle with the mind that turns into a fascinating journey. The Levek album Look A Little Closer is out now from Lefse.
Cars & Trains dropped the video for “Between Parentheses”, following the flights of fancy of what appears to be a cardboard, home made / hand made bird living life according to the guitar acoustics, horns, strings and the bubble machine blasts from Tom Filepp's drum machines. We Are All Fire is available now on Fake Four Inc.
Check the electro-hop production from Santa Cruz beat stylist Minnesota as he keeps things hoovering with “Float” featuring Zion I from the forthcoming Altered States EP due later this month of October. Catch Minnesota and company bringing mad bangers for days touring now through New Years Eve.
Jack Davey and her boyfriend Joey Strat created a home made video for her new song, “Eye Can See”. The frontwoman of J*DaVeY has been working on a self-made/self-styled alchemy that centers around the creativity of one woman, her guitar and the importance of recording at home. Her solo side is L0-F! and Side A is the first half of her EP series. Listen to Side A now and stay tuned for the EP follow up coming soon…
The Crystal Ark are Gavin Russom and Viva Ruiz's who bring us their new cut “Morir Soñando” from their self-titled debut LP availalbe October 30 from DFA. The duo pack a punch with classic house organs and a beat to keep you dancing or dreaming all night long in both inglés and español.
Arc in Round's self-titled album is available now from La Société Expéditionnaire and today we bring you the King Britt remix of “Spirit” to uplift yours.
Com Truise remixed Sky Ferreira's “Red Lip” in electro-heavy fashion as we await for Mr. Ferreira's Ghost EP due November 16 from Capitol Records.
Philadelphia's Freeway grabbed our attention when he teamed up Jake One back in 2010 on the The Stimulus Package and is preparing to become your new friend in the diamond business. The new single “Jungle” shows you how to move units by the bundle while in the thick of it with zig-zagging keyboard production from Incredible Stro. Freeway takes it to the interstates with Diamond in the Ruff November 27th via Babygrande Records. Catch the Philly rhyme slinger on tour via the above dates.
Let's all go to the roller rink with The Casket Girls as they release the video for their “Sleepwalking” single recorded, directed and edited by Kevin Canavan on what we are told was a busted VHS camera. As a result, this looks like a long lost promotional for those burned out vaccum tube memories that are now retold by poorly transferred video tape recordings of television time capsules uploaded to YouTube for today's nostalgia.
The Casket Girls' debut record Sleepwalking comes out November 6 from Grave Face. Catch them on tour With Black Moth Super Rainbow and The Faint through December.
Mykki Blanco's gets things heated and sleazed up with her dance-nasty video for “Haze.BoogieLife”. Get up, get down, get your freak on.
GANGI dropped their second, and official video for “Gold” which features Matt and Eric taking to the smoke stacks of industries, freeways, electrical towers, inspiring dancers in gold draped-sequined performances. In the “do what you're told” world of comformity, dry values, broke systems and more; GANGI finds gold in crafting a musical opus for generation #occupy to keep both happy and proactive. The wait for gesture is is out now from the Office of Analogue and Digital.
Also hear GANGI's “Gold” reworked by the Pharaohs with their Ground Zero Mix that turns up the drums and fun and turns the song of revolution into a new kind of spaced out percussive zone.
Portland, Oregon's Daniel Hill and Juliana Dieterich are Ethereal and the Queer Show who released the smoke and lights dance sensation “Horses” ahead of their album Cosmotopia's release October 30 from Pour Le Corps Records. Bring back '84 now, headbands, neon pastel leotards, glittering disco balls and other assorted gratuitous lighted by pressing play now.
Brooklyn's People Get Ready present their organ harmonizer and maraka shaker cut, “Middle Name,” the second single from their self-titled debut album due October 23 from Brassland.
Tussle's album Tempest is out next week October 16 from Smalltown Supersound but we invite you to listen to their deep dish dubbed up takes now.
Chris Cohen brings about the elements that come in with the seasons of harvest and solstice shift changes with an animated presentation of snow flake creations, leaf drawings, tracings, all set to the piano accompanied song, “Monad”. Look for Chris Cohen's Overgrown Path out now from Captured Tracks.
Our buddy Shigeto just rocked the Academy of Sciences with Groundislava and is about to drum up some action at the above dates for further shows this month.
Our friends Future Twin are playing at the Clarion Alley Block Party in San Francisco October 20. Come for the murals and music, stay for the parade led by the Brass Liberation Orchestra.
