George Lewis Jr. is the lone man behind Twin Shadow, a retro pop project that's been turning some heads this year, and for good reason. Blending 80s synths with a generous dose of electro funk, Lewis' debut LP, Forget, is a stunning set of smoldering, low-key dance songs that are, well, unforgettable. Featuring production by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, Forget definitely favors mind-altering arrangements and unusual electronic soundscapes to straightforward club beats, yet most of these songs are insistently danceable as well. The music of Twin Shadow has a sort of otherworldly sexiness to it that I just can't get enough of, and I highly recommended it to any adventurous electronica/dance fan.
Key Tracks: "Shooting Holes at the Moon," "Yellow Balloon," "Castles in the Snow"
That any pop artist can remain relevant by releasing only two LPs over the course of ten years is remarkable. But when you make the sort of impression that Norwegian singer Anne Lilia Berge Strand (or, Annie) did during the first half of this decade, perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising. Annie's 2004 debut, Anniemal (itself a long time coming, arriving five years after her breakthrough single), climbed the charts in Norway, becoming something of a modest hit elsewhere. And its critical reception elevated the record to almost cult-like status within the indie community, as loyal fans waited for more from this progressive-minded pop princess. Of course, the wait for her latest, Don’t Stop, wasn’t supposed to have been quite so long—label issues delayed the album’s official release by a full year. Much of the record leaked anyway, though, so those who were inclined got to listen to a first draft way ahead of time. There’s been plenty of discussion over which version of the album is better, but I only heard tracks from the early edition recently (you can find many of them on the Up All Night EP, if you’re curious), and tend to side with the official release over the bootleg. (Continue Reading @ In Review Online)
Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe have, over the course of their ten year career, been consistently adored by fans and critics alike. And they deserve it. The duo, known as Basement Jaxx, made three stellar dance/house albums in a row, and though their 2006 effort, Crazy Itch Radio, didn’t quite earn them the number of accolades they had probably become accustomed to receiving, it seemed nobody gave them too hard a time about it either – but was it a sign of decline or simply a one-time slip? Listening to Scars, the fifth album from the dynamic duo, it would seem unfortunately more like the former, though when measured by its ability to provide a danceable good time, it succeeds well enough to avoid the feeling that Basement Jaxx is really losing their edge. In fact, perhaps the greatest strength and weakness of the album is how closely it follows the star-studded formula the band have been working within since their 2003 breakthrough, Kish Kash. And it’s still entertaining, it just seems that the returns on their approach are diminishing slightly with time.(Continue Reading...)
Siri Ålberg is Sissy Wish, a Swedish Singer/songwriter with a knack for danceable melodies and engagingly experimental music. I hadn't heard a thing about her until recently when I came across her new album, Beauties Never Die, and now I can't stop listening. The record is infectious and fun, hopping genres and combining them over the course of ten tracks, with Ålberg's uniquely high voice (almost whiny at times, really, but it works for her) confidently and eagerly spouting everything from pop ditties to dance anthems to lovely ballads. She fills her music with all sorts of instrumentation including unique percussion, layers of synth, and sweeping strings among the more standard guitar, bass, and keys. Each track is great, but the last three are particularly amazing: the punchy, funky "Dependence," the sparsely beautiful "Music On the Radio" and the fantastic, retro-pop-imbued "Book" for the grand finale. Beauties Never Die is among the best pop records I've heard this year - listen up. MySpace
Rose Melberg -
Folk songstress Rose Melberg has been a part of several bands I've not yet had the pleasure of hearing, including Tiger Trap, Go Sailor, and The Softies. If you're a fan of any of those groups, I suppose a new solo album from Melberg is great news, but even for those of us who haven't been introduced, Homemade Ship is very much worth a listen. Melberg's gentle, warm voice and intimate songwriting style over sparse, acoustic instrumentation makes for plenty of genuinely gorgeous moments on her new record and for folk junkies like myself, her charm is impossible to resist. Opener "Things That We Do" is a perfect example of her style, with only her acoustic guitar beneath her voice, occasionally double tracked for an ethereal effect, and a melody that's simply captivating. In fact, vocals and guitar are (with very few exceptions) the only noticeable instruments throughout the album's brief 32 minutes, but Melberg manages to keep things interesting for the record's duration by conveying a convincing array of emotion and depth. Other highlights are "Old Days," "Moon Singer," and "The Whistle Calling You," but each tune is worth your time.
For many, A Hawk and a Hacksaw is not a new name, especially as it's been the main project of former Neutral Milk Hotel drummer Jeremy Barnes, but I imagine there are plenty of others who haven't yet actually heard the group's work and still need an introduction. Barnes and his collaborators make mostly instrumental music with a decidedly Eastern European feel, using accordion, violin and trumpet among other instruments I probably wouldn't be able to accurately identify. Their new record, Délivrance, may be the best I've heard from the band, a thoroughly entertaining display of virtuoso musicianship and progressive musical ideas combined with traditional European influences. The few vocal tracks on Délivrance are less interesting than when the group just let their instruments do the talking; the fiery, twisting "The Man Who Sold His Beard" and the quick stomp of "Turkiye" are particularly excellent. If you haven't before, now's the time to hear A Hawk and a Hacksaw.
Though I'm new to the band, Barcelona quartet Delorean have have been around for some time and their Ayrton Senna EP is just the latest in a danceable, electro-rock canon. I'm now determined to work my way through their older material, but this new EP is a great place to start as an introduction to the band, with four songs of blissful, sunny-day pop that are as catchy and fun as almost anything released this year. Using synthetic percussion, keyboards, and soaring vocal harmony, Delorean combine electronica, rock, and pop into a joyful and entertaining whole.
"Seasun," the single and album centerpiece, is perhaps the best place to start here. The song begins with a stadium-sized vocal loop and compelling beat and then transitions into a more structured pop anthem, with layers of carefully composed electronics giving the track its infectious energy. "Moonsoon" is similarly excellent, a more rock-based tune with driving keys and percussion that inspire an immediate dance party whenever and wherever they're heard. The happily romantic "Deli" and the funky, shimmering "Big Dipper" round out the EP well, and though they don't quite reach the height of the other two tracks, the entire experience is one worth having. Don't go through the remainder of your summer without this.
Sporting a difficult-to-google name and shrouded in mystery, jj is still managing to make some waves around the 'Net with their low-impact electro-rock. Connected to Swedish label Sincerely Yours, jj has been the subject of some speculation regarding the artists behind the moniker (is it really Tough Alliance? - could be) though no official word has been written thus far - the creators apparently wanting the music to speak for itself. And that it does; the group's new album, jj n° 2, is brief (only 27 minutes long) but more than makes up it in engaging music ranging from club-ready, slow-dance jams ("Ecstasy") to acoustic ballads ("Are You Still In Vallda?") and everything in between in only nine tracks. The songs are consistently great, with especial attention to detail and a knack for pop hooks manifested in the shimmering beats and soothing female vocals.
Much of jj n° 2 has a kind of understated world music sound, like the two strong opening tracks, "Things Will Never Be the Same Again" and my favorite, "From Africa to Málaga," both featuring exotic synthetic percussion and subtle electronic layers behind angelic vocals sharing simple, but enjoyable, stories of romance and heartbreak. Throw in some acoustic guitar and soaring string arrangements and you have the recipe for a successful, attention-grabbing record that might even bring these people out of hiding eventually. Until then, anonymity is fine when the music is this excellent.
To get a preview, head over to Pitchfork to hear "Ecstasy"
French-Canadian electro-rock duo Beast have recently released their self-titled debut album in stores, though it's been available digitally for some time now. With Betty Bonifassi on vocals and multi-instrumentalist Jean-Phi Goncalves handling just about everything else, the band create an aggressive and unique combination of electronica, rock, and R&B that incorporates a variety of fascinating musical elements in a sound the band refer to as 'trip-rock." Their new record is an excellent showcase of the duo's talent, an expansive collection of 12 tracks that establish the band as one of Canada's most exciting recent exports.
The album's first single, "Mr. Hurricane," gives you a good idea of what you'll be getting yourself into with Beast. It's an in-your-face, bass and guitar attack with pounding drums and a gospel-esque choir behind Bonifassi's spitfire vocals. The band's sound works best when they let loose and keep things upbeat, as on the trance-like groove of "Finger Prints," the rap-rock attitude found in "Microcyte," and the frenetic, blues stomp of "Satan." The duo push hard to make their debut a memorable one, and they succeed more often than not. This is a band that should make an impact well beyond their hometown of Montreal.
San Fransisco's Still Flyin' is less of a band and more of a mob, a group of fifteen (or more) musicians led by Sean Rawls that redefine the term party-rock. The group have a new album on the way, entitled Never Gonna Touch the Ground, which will be released April 21st. You can download "The Hott Chord is Struck" below, an electrifying, danceable groove with a bit of a disco streak featuring horns, layers of percussion, and a slinky bass line. You can also see the video for the equally great "Good Thing It's A Ghost Town Around Here." If the rest of the album is this solid, I imagine we'll be hearing quite a bit about these guys around the blogosphere soon.
The band also have a tour starting tomorrow, dates below:
3/18 @ 7pm - Austin, TX Ms. Bea's / Todd P & NY Noise Party 3/18 @ 11:30pm - Austin, TX Club 1808 3/19 @ 5:30pm - Austin, TX Red House Pizzeria / Music For Listeners & Moshi Moshi Party 3/19 @ 2:40am - Austin, TX Ms. Bea's Yard (Thu. Night / Fri. Morning) 3/20 @ 2:45pm - Austin, TX Home Slice Pizza 3/20 @ 1am - Austin, TX The Independent 3/21 @ 1:10 - Austin, TX Side Bar / 40 Watt Party 3/21 @ 3:15 - Austin, TX Lamberts 4.3.09 Brooklyn NY Union Hall 4.4.09 Boston MA PA's Lounge 4.5.09 New York NY The Cake Shop 4.6.09 Philadelphia PA Johnny Brenda's 4.7.09 Baltimore, MD Zodiac 4.8.09 Columbus, OH Carabar 4.9.09 Lexington, KY Al's Bar 4.10.09 Chicago, IL Abbey Pub 5.8.09 Sacramento, CA Blue Lamp 5.9.09 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
British quartet Late Of The Pier released their debut album, Fantasy Black Channel, overseas last year to critical acclaim and have recently brought the record to the U.S., though I've heard little about it, press wise. The band, comprised of Samuel Eastgate, Andrew Faley, Sam Potter, and Ross Dawson are out to have a good time and to ensure that you do the same. Their ultra-hyper blend of electronica and rock make for an invigorating collection of danceable, in-your-face tunes that is fresh and undeniably fun.
After a brief, instrumental opener, Fantasy Black Channel, wastes no time in taking care of business with a white-hot guitar riff over a groovy bass line on "Broken" that informs you the party has arrived. The dance-rock sound continues into the following track, "Space and the Woods," a synth-heavy tune that combines techno and rock seamlessly. Other highlights include the messy, avant-garde "The Bears Are Coming" and the epic, soaring "Focker." Part of what makes 'Fantasy' such a great listen is Late Of The Pier's willingness to take chances and push boundaries. Layers of sound; guitars, keys, synths, etc. fill every song to the brim while generally managing to keep the music from feeling overwrought or unecessarily noisy.
For fans of the dance-rock genre, or anybody looking for something for a good soundtrack for a night out, Late Of The Pier has created an album you won't want to miss.
Project Jenny, Project Jan burst onto the scene in 2007 with their high-octane debut album entitled XOXOXOXOXO. Their electro-dance-pop sound caught the ear of many a critic and the band instantly became one to watch. For 2009, the duo of Sammy Rubin and Jeremy Haines have big plans, including a collaborations EP, a contribution to a covers album (already out), a tour, and work on a new LP.
The collaboration EP is duo out in March and is titled The Colors EP. It will feature work with Fujiya & Miagi, Mixel Pixel, So Percussion, Adam Matta, and One Watt Sun.
The band's cover of "Self Control" by Laura Branigan is available to download over at Buffet Libre DJs.
Tour Dates below:
02/13/09 Wesleyan University - Middletown CT* 02/20/09 Cats Cradle - Carrboro NC** 02/21/09 40 Watt Club - Athens GA** 02/23/09 Back Booth - Orlando FL** 02/24/09 Club Downunder - Tallahassee FL** 02/25/09 Spanish Moon Baton - Rouge LA** 02/27/09 Emos Alternative Lounge - Austin TX** 02/28/09 Palladium Loft - Dallas TX** 03/02/09 Rhythm Room - Phoenix AZ** 03/03/09 Echoplex - Los Angeles CA*** 03/05/09 The Independent - San Francisco CA*** 03/06/09 Doug Fir Lounge - Portland OR*** 03/07/09 Neumos - Seattle WA***
* w/ Passion Pit **w/ Fujiya & Miyagi ***w /Fujiya & Miyagi and Pop Levi
I may be a little late in telling you this, but Dan Deacon is streaming a new tune from his forthcoming album in several places, one of which is at imeem. The song is titled "Get Older" and the album, scheduled for release on March 24th, is called "Bromst." Whereas Deacon's previous work, Spiderman of the Rings, was completely electronic, the new effort mixes organic and electronic elements together while still maintaining his signature sound, noisy, complex dance-pop.
Also, check out this trippy cover art:
Slightly reminiscent of Department of Eagles' "In Ear Park" if you remove the tent. Anyway, the buzz about this album is palpable, so take a minute (six, actually) and give "Get Older" a try. I'm glad I did.
Track listing for Bromst:
1. Build Voice 2. Red F 3. Paddling Ghost 4. Snookered 5. Of The Mountains 6. Surprise Stefani 7. Wet Wings 8. Woof Woof 9. Slow With Horns / Run For Your Life 10. Baltihorse 11. Get Older
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Artist: Twin Shadow
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