Covering the highs and lows of SxSW this week, Impose's Week in Pop brings you an exclusive end of the week showcase, and a few of the top stories streaming from our current news feeds. First up is that Cherry Red is re-releasing the iconic and controversial C86 cassette on June 9 with a three disc reissue, Tha Carter V might be the last chapter according to Weezy, Led Zeppelin reissues are on the way just for dad, dancehall artist Vybz Kartel was found guilty of murder after a 65-day trial in Jamaica, Madonna is collabing with Avicii, Le1f and Blood Orange performed “Wut” on Letterman, pray for Johnny Marr's broken hand, and help out the victims from Wednesday night's awful incident via SxSW Cares. So to keep this celebration of the industry that celebrates itself alive, please big it up for the following exclusives and interviews from our friends Beat Market, BEGINNERS, Squadda B, Macajey, Unicycle Loves You, and more — in no particular order.
Keeping a close ear to the ground and to the skies in the name of EDM's evolution, meet Montreal's duo, Beat Market. Premiering the alpha-futurism on their single, “Aviator 2000”, the duo of Louis-Joseph Cliche and
Maxime Bellavance are preparing a new version of their album, Red Magic, with the visual counterpart to today's debut from Montreal director Thien Vu Dang in collaborations with Toronto's own, DEFASTEN. With that video available here on March 24, Canada's purveyor's of the electronic expanses of futurism and dystopia bring us a listen to the millennial making digital high-flyer.
Beat Market opens up the world's superstore emporiums of electronica offers and dealings. Club cruising synthesizers lead to epic trance builds that fight in fantastical battles with digitized overlords. The samples become buttons of notification noises from a space-sailing shuttle designed by the programmed presets of control decks and carefully sought keyboard sections. The moments where every note becomes embroiled within a dystopian narrative of cascading assigned sound triggers is where the fight for a brave new future and the discovery of new worlds begins and materializes. The Montreal duo's chief concern is to create electric music that comprises all three dimensions of visual observance that can come to life with the shared visions of fellow creative collaborators, or on the principle terms of their music's design alone.
Louis-Joseph and Maxime join us for a survey into the kinesthetics of their music, the duo's musical background and origins, Red Magic, and more.
What first brought the two of you two the craft of the digital and electronic music mediums?
At first, our music was really inspired by soul-funk Afro-American bands. Those guys always made people move and have a good time dancing! Electronic music is, in our opinion, a new way to get people to move. Technology wise, the possibilities of creating new sounds are infinite…
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How did Beat Market first begin?
We were both studying jazz music at University and We jammed a couple of time and figured that it would be cool to start a band. We knew it was pretty easy to create music as a duo (keys and drums) and we figured we could go anywhere with our style and communicate a lot easier live than with four or five member band.
So let's talk about the Thien Vu Dang and DEFASTEN created video for your single, “Aviator 2000”. In what ways did you all work together to create those dystopian realms visually in conjunction with the digital decay and dissonance of your music?
Well, we definitely wanted to work with some sci-fi loving artists. We both had a similar vision of doing something futuristic and creative with the clip so it was very easy to understand each other. For us, Aviator 2000 suggested a journey in an unknown world or into space. Thien and Defasten had the concept off this weird planet, both unfriendly and beautiful at the same time.
What is up with the “2000” in the title? What attracts you to that number? Is it one of those nostalgic/dystopian futuristic obsessions, leftover from the Y2K bug hype?
It represents our desire to explore new things, new species, new worlds… The “2000” era represents a constant evolution in terms of technologies. It allows us to dig and create more and more everyday. The aviator inside of us wants to discover and he knows that the “2000” era will bring him answers.
Take us behind the board and consoles in the creation of your album, Red Magic.
Red Magic started five years ago without us really knowing it. A friend working at a radio station asked us to compose one song per week for her radio show. We had to produce the finished songs fast which was really great at helping us extract all kinds of new ideas from our heads! Many of these songs provided the base for what's on the album. Though some of the drums were recorded in the Montreal based Troublemakers studio, the album was pretty much self-made. Over the next years, we bought enough material and music gear to produce by our own. Julien Manaud (French Fox) mixed the re issued album of Red Magic which we're super proud of and finally, Mike Marsh (The Exchange in UK) did the mastering.
With it just being announced that Beat Market is playing Montreal's Osheaga outdoor festival, what are you two the most excited about with this opportunity?
First of all, it's a great opportunity to perform in front of people who want to discover new bands. Osheaga is one of the most interesting festivals in North America right now and we've got people from all across Canada and the US coming up for the events so it's a great chance for us to perform for a new crowd.
What should the world expect next from you guys?
We have a new album coming out in Fall 2014. We had a lot of fun playing around with samples so the album will be a lot funkier but with a touch of sci-fi disco too. We are also working on some vocal feating which is a new thing for the band. In short, expect cool shit.
Beat Market's Red Magic will be available soon with a new album coming later this fall. Hear and see more here.
BEGINNERS are a duo who are continuing to bring back an indie pop romanticism back to the greater Los Angeles area. The duo of Samantha Barbera from Holy Fever and producer Nick Ruth bring to life shared heart-bound discussions and personal particulars put into terms of prose dressed up in song. Readying their self-titled EP for release March 25, BEGINNERS curate the feeling of starting out, starting over, and falling in love all over once again. It is our pleasure to bring you Samantha and Nick's new single, “Ever Love”, that encapsulates the all-consuming and over-taking senses of affections, emotions and the wild at heart feeling that strike in ways stronger than the blow of Cupid's arrow. Their romance core finds local company in the LA hearts of loves like Kisses, and the radical rush of a sound meant for 80s Nick Cage films, that echoes the aesthetics of Echo Park's enduring indie movements —past and present.
Guitars timed with precision hand-claps introduce Samantha's question of, “Have you ever loved this way?” Everything from the passionate lyrics of accelerated infatuations of love and lust like, “it couldn't have been all in my head, there in your arms, lost in your bed,” to the production captures the moments of inexplicable descriptions of close connections. “Ever Love” hinges off every word, every electronic turn of the synthesized guitar tone, to the solo outburst shrills that strike the feelings that are stirred as the late evening hour creeps toward two o'clock in the morning. Samantha and Nick lay everything out the beds, couches, and tables without holding anything back, spilling out the Romeo and Juliet swooning sweeps of unfettered expression like Barbera's line about, “I'd rather die than watch as you go.” The 'falling in love experience' is conveyed through the song of situations, instances, intensities, as the listener's relationship with BEGINNERS' single exists in the answer and response to the chorus's call of, “have you ever loved this way?”
Both BEGINNERS, Nick and Samantha joined us for an insightful look at the beginning and developmental stages of their musical project. Fun facts await, like did you know that BEGINNERS were originally going to be named Virgin Killer? Listen, and read on:
From that fateful moment supporting Foster the People, when did the two of you realize that you both had tapped into something special? How do you feel that sort of synergy and chemistry carried over onto the upcoming BEGINNERS EP?
Samantha: We knew we had something special within the first 30 seconds of writing together. We were starting from scratch, and Nick just started playing a basic chord progression on the piano and I started singing what would become “If It's Not Enough”. We were bandmates and roommates for 8 years so there is such an honesty and vulnerability with each other. We've seen each other at our lowest and highest moments. That intimacy is an integral piece of the EP.
What is the story on how you two chose the name BEGINNERS, especially with a rad previous resume?
S: We struggled to find a name that felt was right. We originally wanted to call it Virgin Killer, but eventually decided that wasn't it. Then one night, while sitting in gridlock traffic on the 101, I had an epiphany with the name BEGINNERS. Even though we had played music for years, this felt like the beginning of something important for us.
Nick, how has your production background lent to the shape of BEGINNERS?
Nick: I really try and not let the production dictate the song. The thing that has really worked so well with Sam is that I can send her little sketches of song ideas and she will send me back dope little sketches. We then can come together and really work out the song. I just try and make the sounds cool and minimal around her voice. She has such a sassy delivery it automatically gives me so much to play with.
Samantha, how do you feel your work in Holy Fever has translated to BEGINNERS?
S: I'm used to playing punk squats and run down venue collectives where kids are all over each other and the aggression and energy is palpable. I fucking love that feeling. That background definitely translates to our live show. Especially with guys like Neeraj Kane (Hope Conspiracy, Suicide File) and Jason Walker (The Gamits), who come from that same world, backing me up live.
What do you both feel is the experimental importance of genre-agnosticism when it comes to your music?
N: Writing without any genre intentions has given us the freedom to experiment with any random idea we get, 'good' or 'bad,' which results in melodic and production elements that feel unexpected. I think that is key for us.
“Ever Love” is a pretty infectious hand-clapping pop anthem, what is the eternal loving story behind this song?
S: “Ever Love” is about falling madly in love. Just how consuming it becomes, in both a good and bad way. And the desperation you feel when it's not reciprocated.
What is next for BEGINNERS?
N: Right now we're finishing up a couple of music videos that we'll be releasing over the next couple of the months, booking a bunch of shows and working on the next record.
BEGINNERS remixes in the works? Collaborations? etc?
N & S: We definitely have some cool collaborations and remixes in the works. We'll let you know when everything gets confirmed!
The BEGINNERS EP will be available March 25, and can be pre-ordered here via iTunes.
Right around when Squadda B released Back to Playtime, Impose Senior Editor Blake Gillespie and I discussed some of our favorite moments from the great legions of North Oakland's Green Ova legends. On that afternoon, Mr. Gillespie shared a memory he relished with great recall:
“It was one of our South by Southwest shows at the Longbranch INN, and Squadda had just thown out his voice, but he was yelling with everything he could into that microphone.”
Keeping the hunger and urge alive today in the Bay, is none other than Charles Glover, aka Hollywood Squadda, aka Squdda Bambino, who brings that board game rap back in full effect, with Back to Playtime. Following up last year's Playtime double disc, we find Squadda stepping into and owning the role of being his own best producer. And while the Green Ova crew and affiliates such as Mondre, Shady Blaze, DaVinci, Ammbush, and more keep their own various projects pushing; Squadda paints us a picture of frustration, struggle and a Bay scene that is even tighter together than ever before.
From the opening “Intro”, abstract, slow-pitched breath samples flow into that west coast mode of, “Murderous Weathers”, that kicks the new school like it was that '94, '95 era. DaVinci's appearance on the cut to help pay tribute to everyone that couldn't make it with Mac Dre and Tupac reminiscing memories of yesterday's East Bay. The somber tone questions the strength and power of self with examinations of, “when the chips are down, are you going to fold,” a prayer to prevail through the heat. The definitive Main Attrakionz and Squadda style and sound keeps those sticks and torches burning on cuts like, “Microphone Teen”, and the cloud life of, “Black Hoody Rap”.
For fun party tracks, Squdda gives you the smoked up, “Leoshitsmokedout”, the vintage b-boy samples on, “Bounce” featuring Deezy Dolla, and the rhythm guitar dance moves of, “Partymix1”. “Situation” provides a rare and intimate look at the uphill climb to keep that attention and interest marinating as indie Bay Area artist, while “Miss U” blends pianos and haunting vocals to underline the sentiments of memory and the passing of time. Back to Playtime returns the spotlight to Oakland's patron saint sons, and is also precursor to a handful of projects to be announced in the weeks to come. And if this is not enough for you, Squdda also gives you the instrumentals for his latest round of productions and even joins us today to take us closer.
Giving us a view inside the world of Back to Playtime, thoughts on being his own favorite producer, and all sorts of future things in the works from Green Ova crew, 'The Greatest Duo alive,' and more is our recent conversation with the one and only, Squadda Bambino.
That intro on Back 2 Playtime is sick, it's kind of this breathy, Clams-y production in inhale/exhale, reverse. How did that cloudy new era opener become the spring board for that springtime-somber vibe of, “Murderous Weathers”?
That beat was a instant favorite when I made it and decided I couldn't rap on it, it's the sound of tomorrow I can't be the voice yet.
You, Mondre and DaVinci have had a great lyrical rapport and flow. More DaVinci spots and collabs in the cards?
Yessir, DaVinci the big homie.
I dug the first Playtime tape with the 'Candy Land' cover and great tracks. What provoked you to create another volume with Return to Playtime?
On Back to Playtime I just felt like I wanted to go back to dropping songs, and I'm pretty sure Playtime was my last album formulated solo release like Back Sellin Crack was so I wanted to go back to that. I wasn't back making plays but I felt I was back hustlin' through music, nothing was really the same with these two Playtimes besides the price. I'm a whole different person in that between time and even now.
It's cool how you jump from that nostalgic trip of “Microphone Teen” to those classic breaks on, “Bounce”. What is the Green Ova philosophy on that mixing of the classic meets current head twists?
Man I be illin', straight up.
“Black Hoody Rap” is a real floating number, is this kind of like a testament to that classic-cloud production?
Hell yeah, that was me selling out and giving folks what I think they wanted. One thing about that project, I'm not satisfied with how I let the vocals come out mix-wise. I take a lot of not time, but energy getting it to a formula I like and with this I rushed it and I apologize, and feel like, “Black Hoody Rap” felt that burn maybe the most besides, “Microphone Teen.” This is definitely my favorite album though, I actually listened to it front to back multiple times, instrumentals included, just kinda mad when I do listen cause I know what it coulda been!
Return to Playtime ends with a kind of sentimental end, with “Situation”, “Miss U”, etc. Was that your intent, before you hit the listener with those dope instrumentals?
I ain't have no intent man, they just sounded good next to each other, thanks for the compliment!
What producers around North Oakland, or East Bay, and elsewhere are you really enjoying?
I mean no new guys but shit, North Oakland I gotta say A Notes, give a shout out to Canary, he up da street, ain't many niggas making beats round here and I will openly say I'm my favorite North Oakland producer forever, and didn't peep that til just now.
Elzie on the beat outta east Oakland, I heard his shit like 3 years ago ain't heard the new but fuck with his style, Shady Blaze outta east Oakland too.
Any producers you can mention that you are working with right now?
Man, shit you wouldn't believe and thank you to everybody who are a part of my next solo release and Jim Jonsin need to holla, I want him and J.R. Rotem badder den a mug.
What else do you, Mondre, and Shady Blaze got going on right now?
Waking y'all up, prepping new product, we fell off the productivity last year but you guys will get the best yet back to back, as normal.
Squadda B's Back To Playtime is available now from Green Ova Undergrounds.
Fresh from the release of his Water EP, Macajey, aka Jeremy Macachor, dropped the video for the extended player's title track, featuring Elle Leatham and directed by Jacob Beemer. Macachor combines inspirations that stem from a stint spent in Tartu, Estonia, to the the Bay Area's shores, courtesy of San Francisco's 1015 Folsom and Submission electronic-production breeding grounds. The video takes images of seagulls from taking flight from the sun's glow of sunsets and orange streaked skies for over-exposed photographic pictures.
“Water” with the help of Elle's vocal contribution moves the music along the world's various bodies of water-wound regions and areas. Moving it forward is the shimmering sparkle that washes the head nodding rhythms on, “Movin' On”. Dreams of summers spent near, far, and abroad are the order of the head lifting sequencing on, “July”, as “Sparks” brings thoughts of fireworks, sparklers, and everything else enjoyed during the hot nights that surround the fourth of July. The effervescence stays into the frontal lobe massaging messages of tranquility, on the extra chilled, ice cube-carbonation of, “Thought Bubbles”. Stick around for our interview with Jeremy, following the video.
Jeremy Macachor, aka Macajey, was kind to talk to us for a bit about the Water EP, the process, travels, and more.
When recording your recent Water EP, it feels like at times your production and sounds mimic the flow of water, as if you were creating your own template of making music like water. Can you enlighten us on the liquid processes of recording the EP?
That's cool you felt that! But I wasn't thinking of water at all to be honest. When I was working on the title track it was just an instrumental and my wife walks in and said 'some water splash would sound cool on that,' then it kind of just went from there. I do find it interesting though that the water theme came about when California was going through the worst drought in our history, especially the lyrics Elle wrote, “Days when the water ran dry, never phased me.” She wrote that in October before there were any real concerns about the whole drought. [*hums twilight zone theme song*]
What are the importance of the essential elements like water, earth, wind, fire, etc, in music —according to Macajey?
I would say very important! I love walking around barefoot and getting my toes in the dirt and gardening, we built a fire-pit in my parents backyard and one of my favorite things to do is make fires. I lived in Iceland for three months and man the water there is so pure and pristine, no chlorine at all, geothermal spas. They have the rolls royce of water supplies in the world! Wind I only like if I'm inside and protected from it. But I do love the howl of the wind on stormy days.
How was it working with Elle Leatham on the title track, and the oceanic beach side accompanying video from Jacob?
It was super easy working with Elle since she's obviously a great singer but also a really good producer. I contacted her in April of 2013 about singing after I heard her group Dpbts! and nothing really happened til I sent her the instrumental to “Water” in September. She just took it and ran with it, did all the recording on her own and it turned out perfect. We hadn't even met face to face til a few days ago!
On a whim I put an ad on craigslist for someone to do a video for free since I couldn't afford anything. Jacob emails me about a half hour after I put the ad up with a really nice letter and says he in. We had one storyboard meeting in San Francisco and he did the rest on his own free time. Rented gear, got a crew together, edited. I don't know how I got so lucky with that, but I'll take it! And it's great cause in Elle and Jacob I found two really driven, amazingly talented people that I can collaborate with in the future. Hopefully we can all help each other.
With your initial gig as Macajey in Tartu, Estonia, how did that breaking of ground at the Papergirl exhibit branch out to say San Francisco's venue circuits of Submission and 1015 Folsom?
Well maybe they weren't directly connected but getting that first gig was a little kickstart for this project. I wasn't totally ready to play yet and my wife comes home one day and says she got me a gig in a few weeks. So I had to just get it ready! We were living in Tartu and were always planning on coming back to California so that gig gave me the confidence to keep going and trying to get into bigger venues. The 1015 gig was actually for a group art show that my wife got into first, then I kind of tagged along and managed to get a spot. That was the first time I played my music on such massive speakers and that was really cool!
What is the story on your choosing of the moniker, Macajey?
My full name is Jeremy Macachor, so I just took 'Maca' from my last name and 'Jey' from my first. Nothing special!
As multi-faceted and talented instrumentalist, how do you combine your works of guitar, synths, drum programming and etc into your mixes?
Thank you! I've been working on music for a long time so I guess it's just years of practice. I don't really think about it anymore and just work until I feel a song is done. I still think I can get a lot better in mixing and arranging though and want my instrumentals to stand on their own a little better.
What future releases are the Night Sight and Water EP leading up to that you can tell us about?
There's a video for Night Sight that should be out in the next month or two done by a friend in Estonia and I've been building ideas for a full length album that I'd like to be ready by October/November. Hopefully Elle is going to contribute to a few more songs that are going to be on the album too.
Upcoming gigs or other artist collabs we should know about?
No gigs right now, it's pretty hard to get stuff going on your own in the Bay Area, and if any promoters are reading this, hit me up! But I would love to be able to play at least one festival this year and next year go on a mini tour around Europe. I also just started a remix for a Latvian singer-songwriter named Alise Joste that I'm really excited about. Other than that, just enjoying the journey!
Macajey's Water EP is available now via Bandcamp. Listen to it now:
(Unicycle Loves You eating pizza, photographed by Jonny Leather)
This week Brooklyn's Unicycle Loves You loves us all so much, that they gave us the blissful amp burn of, “Face Tattoo”, ahead of their new album, The Dead Age, available June 10 from Highwheel Records / Mecca Lecca Recording Co. The Brooklyn by Chicago trio of Jim Carroll, Nicole Vitale, Dennis Lehrer, broke through with a track that is everything that keeps us believing in the DIY home made sound of real rock and roll. We were so moved by this song, that we invited Jim to talk with us about Unicycle's new album and awesome sounds.
The courage and vitality that Jim, Nicole and Dennis combine together on, “Face Tattoo”, exhibits the joys of letting go. The song is ready to have it's own fun video that involves a pizza party with copious amounts of thin and thick crusted pies, and a late night excursion of tattoo parlor window shopping. Like the best garage rockers of their time, Unicycle Loves You makes a music that takes you back to former compact disc collections as much as it delves into those denim torn dimensions featured at today's dives. On display is the entertainment of an unconditional embracing of uncertainty, that comforts like the light can of lager that accompanies the grinding guitar tones that lead us to another day.
Jim Carrol joined us today to talk about the new single, “Face Tattoo”, the new album, The Dead Age, notes on composition, demos, the state of the Brooklyn scenes, and more.
What was different for you all in recording your upcoming fourth album, The Dead Age?
We've always just let the ideas come to us and just roll with them. But I think having Dennis on the drums this time around really helped take the songs to a new place. We synced up immediately, and a lot of the songs weren't even complete yet while we were tracking the drums. Also, two of the tracks were songs that didn't make it onto our last album, “Failure”, but were some of the earliest demos recorded for it.
“Face Tattoo” is a garage destroying track, what is it about facial ink that inspired you all to make this tower of squall and scuzz?
It went the other way around. I wrote and recorded the demo and just thought the song sounded like a big fat, “Face Tattoo”. Then we realized that the song was about feeling numb and letting go of regrets. That's when the title really stuck.
(Unicycle Loves You, and they love pizza, photographed by Jonny Leather)
Do you know folks who have made great life decisions, like getting a face tat?
Nope.
What is the Unicycle Loves You secret to balancing the jangly hooks and those perdition crashing waves of beautiful, distorted and well harnessed, noise?
One of my number one rules of recording is to maintain the element of improvisational expression. It's why we build our recordings off of the demos rather than re-recording the song entirely. Like catching lightning in a bottle. For example, the feedback drone guitar track on Face Tattoo was the first and only take. Also, something that nobody ever seems to notice is how much I am influenced by the same notion of stealing from '60s girl groups as were The Mothers of Invention.
Summer and spring plans for Unicycle Loves You?
We plan on continuing to play lots of shows in New York and will be announcing full national summer tour dates in support of The Dead Age in the months to come.
(Unicycle Loves You, photographed by Gustavo Ponce)
The latest reports on the Brooklyn scene?
It's a beautifully unpredictable monster. You never know what a show is going to be like or what new venue is popping up around the corner. We just played a show last week at Baby's All Right and the place was absolutely packed. I said to a friend, 'Do these people even know what they're here to see?' And I meant that in a good way.
What is on everyone's iPods, stereos, phones, tour vans, phones, etc, these days?
Terry Malts recently put out one of my favorite albums as of late. I also finally got the new MBV last month. Otherwise, I've just been listening to a lot of new music by our peers and the amazing bands we've been playing with. The best music out there is still the stuff that doesn't really hit the masses.
Unicycle Loves You's new album, The Dead Age will be available June 10 from Highwheel Records / Mecca Lecca Recording Co.
Catch them at the following NYC dates, April 3 at Shea Stadium with ARMS, Gold Lake & Howth, April 17 at the Cake Shop, and June 7 at Radio Bushwick for their album release party with Lost Boy?, Whiskey Bitches, and others.
Young Aundee has revealed that his new EP, Caveat Emptor will be available April 1 from Waaga, and we have one of the first listens with, “Amazing Grace”. In our discussion with the Sacramento frontman, Andrew James Southard last year about his love for synthesizers and the work of Vince Clarke; we bring you the sound of the San Joaquin solo artist unveiling the full sound of his band. And once again, keep a close ear and eye out for Mr. Southard throughout this year, as he remains a strong part of Sacramento's savior series of the latest indie gentry.
Villa Kang lent a listen to the pop blisses and beauty of, “Beauty's Bones”, with the B-side “Naked Trees” single available May 6 Stateside and the UK from Toronto imprint Electrik Press. This is the digital, and electrofied representation and exchange of feeling, synthesized and distilled for the economy of ears.
If you haven't already, familiarize yourself with Chi-town Northsider, Noelz Vedere new single, “Blackout”. Find more dark tales and chopper fast flows from Vedere and production from Alex Isaak on the forthcoming album, Bittersweet Victory, available May 19.
Careful, aka songwriter of the future and defender of the heart, self, and other sends us the new track, “You Will Have To Kill Me”. Taken off the anticipated new album, The World Doesn't End available April 22 from Circle Into Square. There are few to no one else who does what Lindley does with autotune. Everyone uses the vocal effect for different reasons, from Weezy, Tom Fec (BMSR, TOBACCO), to Kanye, and Lindley splits the self to utilize it as a way to convey the narrative of duet and dual presence. The intensity of singing situations of arguments, distress, danger, discourse, and all incorporated items of discourse become the sent through different altered tones to give a wealth of dimension and to an even greater effect. You will be moved in ways that make the familiar and strange feel like one in the same bed.
Jacques Green is prepping his Phantom Vibrate EP 12″ for release April 28 from LuckyMe, lending a listen to “No Excuse”. Ditch the petty excuses and listen to the New York grooves and atmospheres from one of the Big Apple's rising producers.
ODESZA remixed Pretty Lights to add some more steps and lasers to the equation of, “Lost and Found”, from the Divergent Soundtrack, with OD on a North American tour happening now through May 10.
Pillar Point speeds it down with some slow motion for your eyes and senses in the video for, “Dreamin”, from their Polyvinyl Records released self-titled album.
Vanaprasta dropped the dream siren calling of, “Flash Flood Warning,” as they continue to work on their new album with an upcoming April 2 gig at LA's Bootleg Theater with our buddies, Incan Abraham.
SBTRKT this week launched, Transitions, six tracks described by the artist as:
“This is music written over the last year, whilst recording for my second album. Much of the music I released before my debut album was instrumental and I want to continue to share this side of the music I make. This series of tracks is titled TRANSITIONS.”
Listen to Transitions here via transitions.sbtrkt.com.
La Femme released their self-made video for, “Amour Dans Le Motu”, as they hit SxSW and prepare for a massive tour that includes March 26 through April 3 dates with …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, on a tour scheduled through May 2. Get dashing and debonair with these electro-pop Frenchies.
In the spirit and support of their live shows at SxSW, Brazil's DeltaFoxx takes on Eddie Vedder in this re-thought and re-formatted cover of Pearl Jam's “Daughter”. The flannel is exchanged for South American glamor in a sound that is already set for any Austin dive and all the united discotheques of the world.
Joywave asks with their interactive, personal sentiment based EP, How Do You Feel?, with innovative and inquiry based craft technology. Catch them on their last SxSW dates today, Friday March 14 in Austin, TX at Palm Door On Sixth at 12:45PM, The Fader Fort – 4:30PM, and Maggie Mae's Roof for All Things Go/Indie Shuffle at 1AM.
The Montauk Project keep their shred-fest storm burning with “Lady in White”, off their album Belly of the Beast available March 25. Catch them in NYC for their release party at Pianos in the Lower East Side, March 29. In the meanwhile, grow your hair long, bust out the lighters, but watch the flame's proximity to your unwashed mane.
Courtney Taniguchi made a gorgeous, animated video for DWNTWN's “Til Tomorrow” off their self-titled, available April 29 from Jullian Records. Let the on screen lyrics, and action drawings move you.
From Sudan, to Brooklyn, with a sound that embodies the core of the world's sounds; listen to Alsarah & The Nubatones album, Silt, in full, available now from Wonderwheel Recordings. Read our interview with Alsarah, here.
Hair Police's Robert Beatty has been commanding Three Legged Race, lending the “All Ajax Dial” lo-fi fun with all the weirdness we crave and can handle. More experiments in unconventional takes on your preconceived notions of sound to follow on the Rope Commercial, Vol. 1 EP available May 26 from Underwater Peoples.
Castle carries over to us his latest Has-Lo produced track, “Todd Shaw” off the upcoming The Return of the Gasface (The Has-Lo Passages) available March 18 from Mello Music Group. Like Lo let's us all know, embrace the ride, because “life is too short.” Castle and Has forever make one awesome match of a creative team.
William Fowler Collins & Raven Chacon are Mesa Ritual who are preparing their self-titled album for release May 20 SIGE Records. Let the two open up your dome piece as you enter the sustained worlds of barrier shield breaking audio piercings. Here there are no ceilings, no walls, nothing to stand in the way of unlocked, and unleashed droning sound drones.
Keeping the “loving you more” pop antics flashing at the ADHD speed of stimulation excess; check out the Mark Pellington video for Bear Hands' single, “Giants”. Find their interview feature here.
Check out The Band Called Fuse, a NY group that counts collabs with legends like, Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest, Pharoahe Monch, and John Forte of The Fugees. On their video for “Soul Rock Anthem”, rise up for that 90s rap and rock sound before the cross-over game melted into a whole new, post-millennial synthesis. Their Impossible Dream EP is available now.
Perth producer Loston turned heads when he remixed James Blake's “Retrograde”, Sampha's “Too Much”, and now takes on Banks' “Waiting Game” that is tripped into a deeper dish of vocal cuts and rigged silk rhythms.
Liz Green gets weird and gypsy jazz like with the creepy dolls in the Isobel Smith directed video for, “Rybka”, off the upcoming album, Haul Away! available April 15 from PIAS. From birdcages, old toys, and old style song writing; a full experience awaits all piqued senses.
Aussie shit disturbers DZ Deathrays continue on their rampage through Austin, as seen in the remaining above tour dates. Get glamorous and thrashy in this high profile Noel Smyth video for, “Gina Works At Hearts”, off the Deathray's upcoming second album, Black Rat, available May 2. Party on people, as the DZs and Gina take you into the underbelly of subterranean brothels, through the dons and johns of wasted smiles, to the illustrious stage lights, suggestive dances, and public bathroom breakdowns..
The Death Set sent us what they're calling, “two different videos about pizza” off their King Babies EP available now from Dim Mak. So first feast your stomach and ears on, “Lite the Fuse”, that fuses sex, tomato sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella, with an extra slice of all around weirdness.
Next up, The Death Set breaks you off another pizza slice with the Brandon Dermer video for, “Soar Away”. These two rocking cuts and cool videos are of the many reasons why the 'Set continues to be one of our enduring favorites among the legions of garage vanguards.
Daniel from Sweden's premiere lo-fi outfit, Horrible Houses just dropped this following 4 track EP titled, Master=Dik with the following statement:
“All hot and bothered, new EP on Bandcamp Master=Dik. ripping off lesser known 80's post punk. Recorded at Gene $immons Family Estate, Beverly Hills, California. (he let me try on his wig some 30+ times)Rod $tewart appears courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Inc, Mercury Records, J Records, Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, Big Dick Records etc… stay safe.”
They Might Be Giants are readying their newest compilation Idlewild, and the original Brooklyn dynamic duo of John Flansburgh and John Linell are are asking fans to make a video for their new single, “Am I Awake”. Three lucky winners will $1000 cash prize, deadline is April 7 to enter with all rules and info on judging criteria available here. Now join the Johns, and familiarize yourself with the following listen to, “Am I Awake”.
