Catiline

“Catiline” by Fight Bite // Fight Bite (2012)

Fight Bite is the dream pop solo project of Leanne Macomber (Neon Indian). She makes haunting, ethereal dream pop soundscapes that sound like their being broadcast from some other plane of existence. Gauzy, hypnotic atmospherics layered over gorgeous vocal harmonies. Think something like Beach House and Sigur Ros  collaborating in a haunted house and you’re almost there. Fight Bite’s new self titled album is available now on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Soundcloud. Give it a listen, or press play above to hear the lush, ghostly album opener “Catiline”. This is one of the best albums that I’ve heard all year. Highest recommendation for fans of Beach House, Mum, Julianna Barwick. 

Ocean Floor For Everything

“Ocean Floor for Everything” by How to Dress Well // Total Loss (Autumn, 2012)

Tom Krell’s How to Dress Well is one of my favorite things in the world. Hands down. In my opinion, the man has done no wrong so far in his career and now that he’s finally announced his new album (following last year’s excellent Just Once EP), we’ve got a taste of the new material and it’s magnificent. Once again, he slips into lo-fi R&B soundscapes, manipulating his voice to act as an instrument that glides over abstract beats and ambient textures. Of course, I can do no justice with a description, it’s best you just press play and hear one of the best songs to drop this year. Highest recommendation for fans Top Girls,  Active Child, and Balam Acab.

(download) “Ocean Floor for Everything” by How to Dress Well (via HTDW Soundcloud)

Things will get better

“Things Will Get Better” by Tollens // We’re Not Afraid to Die (Dig. Single) (2012)

Tollens is a bedroom pop project from Malta based musician, Ryan Formosa, who came to my attention through the excellent music blog/digital label, Fuzzbook. “Things Will Get Better” is the b-side to his excellent forthcoming single, “We’re Not Afraid to Die” (Out May 21 on Fuzzbook.Bandcamp). While both tracks are excellent, dreamy, lo-fi bedroom pop, the somber, quiet beauty of “Things Will Get Better” just grabbed me with it’s fuzzy production and dreamy, distant vocals that almost seem as if they’re being played from your old favorite mixtape that’s been rewound so much that it starts to sound as if it’s transmitting from another world. The sweet, heartfelt dream pop song is definitely something to be excited about and sure enough, I’ll be keeping my eyes on Tollens in the future. Highly recommended for fans of Arrange, Little Chords, and Coma Cinema. 

(stream) More Tollens @ Soundcloud

The Walkmen - The House You Made

“The House You Made” by The Walkmen // Heaven (Single 7”) (2012)

Another week, and The Walkmen continue to drop magnificent tracks for all to enjoy in the lead up to the release of their forthcoming, “Heaven”. This time, the track is a b-side to first official single and title track, “Heaven”. It continues the sad-teenage-love-song sound and 50’s doo-wop inspirations that some of the other tracks have showcased, but this one might be the best yet, with Hamilton Leithauser’s voice crooning beautifully along with somber guitar notes that just float hauntingly into the distance. Absolutely highest recommendation. Great stuff. 

Love in the Soviet Union - No Shadow

“No Shadow” by Love in the Soviet Union // “Make/Shift” (Release Date: TBD)

One of the perks of maintaining a music blog with a fair amount of consistency, is that sometimes you encounter great music from readers who offer you an early taste. Sure, plenty of those times don’t always connect with me, but from time to time I’m lucky enough to hear from someone who’s right up my alley. Love in the Soviet Union is the moniker of bedroom pop musician, Tim Woulfe, and his debut single (to be released this summer) contains the absolutely infectious “No Shadow”, a dreamy, jangly, blast of reverb pop that would be right at home on the current crop of killer bands on Captured Tracks or Slumberland Records. The real plus of this little bedroom pop gem is that where similar bands focus heavily on the romantic and the hushed vocals, here, you get something slightly more aggressive, and intense, but no less lovely and charming. Like hearing Daniel Blumberg of Yuck (at his more playful), fronting a band that’s more Beach Fossils than Pavement. It’s a great song, and highly recommended for fans of Minks, Wild Nothing, and Beach Fossils. 

(download) “No Shadow” by Love in the Soviet Union (via Soundcloud)

The Walkmen - We Can't Be Beat

“We Can’t Be Beat” by The Walkmen // Heaven (2012)

Another week closer to the release of the new album from The Walkmen, and another track finds its way to Fat Possum’s Soundcloud page. This time around we’re treated to a low key, melancholic beauty that starts with just vocals and quiet guitar instrumentation and slowly burns until vocal harmonies start to build and the rest of the band chimes in with an almost country vibe, that features a killer sing-a-long chorus. This album is shaping up to be something truly special. Absolutely must hear. 

gorgeous bully - M.A.W

“M.A.W.” by Gorgeous Bully // Bullring (2012)

Leave it to Cassette-Rewind to catch me sleeping on the job. While I was wondering why I wasn’t hearing much in store of new goodies over the past week, he goes and posts this wonderful track from UK Band, Gorgeous Bully. “M.A.W.” is a short, sweet fuzzy, dream pop jam with an instantly memorable hook. Seriously, this is one that you’ll find yourself humming for the better part of your day. There’s also good news in that you can download their latest EP for free from Bandcamp. Highest recommendation for fans of Wild Nothing, Craft Spells, and Cocteau Twins. 

Arrange - I Want To Be Alright

“I Want to be All Right” by Arrange // New Memory (Bonus Track) (Out 7.2.12)

New tracks from Malcom Lacey’s Arrange project are always welcomed bits of goodness to my ears, but I was truly not expecting what I heard when I clicked play on “I Want to be All Right”. Lacey’s previous tracks have walked the line of songwriter confessional, ambient pop which often lead to some dark places. Here on “I Want to be All right” it sounds as if the darkness is sliding away and in it’s place is something warmer, more vibrant, and expansive. Sure, there are no vocals this time outside of a warped and looped sample, but the overall effect is something wonderful. It’s a gorgeous, ethereal bit of r&b infused, electronic dream pop. An absolute must hear, for fans of Top Girls, How to Dress Well, and Stumbleine. 

(pre-order) “New Memory” by Arrange (via Bandcamp)

DIIV

“Doused” by DIIV // Oshin (Out 6.26.12 on Captured Tracks)

Brooklyn’s Beach Fossils connected Dive, is now DIIV. Easy enough. That being said, they’re also back with another killer fucking jam from the forthcoming release, Oshin. This time around “Doused” is a dark, driving, post punk jam with a ghostly, fast paced vocal that is instantly memorable. This is my most anticipated release of the year. I am desperate to hear the final release because Zachary Cole Smith and his band have sounded better and better with every release. Highly recommended. For fans of Beach Fossils, (Turn on the Bright Lights- era) Interpol, and Little Girls. 

S. Carey - Avalanche

“Avalanche” by S. Carey // Hoyas (2012)

“These songs are for nighttime driving, for long exposures of stars circling overhead, for laying roadside, feeling small, for the cold rocks at Big Falls, for Marfa, that weird and beautiful oasis. These songs are about the ambient sides of life.”

This is the way that S. Carey describes his staggeringly pretty new EP, “Hoyas”, and anyone who knows me, knows that’s pretty much the vibe i look for in all of my favorites. “Avalanche” is a gorgeous, slice of latenight pop that takes its time grabbing you but by the mid-point you’ll have tapped the “repeat” button and settled in for an evening of multiple listens. The layered harmonies (especially when the female vocals slide in) and that subtle hum of the driving beat/synth line are just perfect, but the real master stroke here is the layered vocals, autotuned, warped, stretched, and formed into a dreamy beauty that will captivate ears (production was handled by Justin Vernon and Brian Joseph of Bon Iver) Absolutely highest recommendation. 

(pre-order) “Hoyas” by S. Carey (order now from SC Dist. and get immediate download of the whole EP)

Purity Ring - Obedear

“Obedear” by Purity Ring // Shrines (Out on 4AD Records on 7.24.12) 

Purity Ring have been releasing a string of excellent digital singles and 7 inches the past several months, and this new track “Obedear” is the first taste of the impending full length coming this summer. What’s really exciting is that it feels like all of the pre-release tracks, as wonderful as they were, were just a primer for the excellence that awaits on “Shrines”. “Obedear” comes in on a dark, ominous hum, and then splits into an array of twinkling synths and warped beats over sexy, chopped and distorted vocals. It’s almost a throwback to the heyday of great trip-hop jams. There’s something mysterious and enticing about the dark atmosphere of this electro pop cut and if “Shrines” is anything like it, i’m going to be a very happy listener. Highly recommended for fans of Keep Shelly in Athens, Grimes, and Charli XCX. 

(download) “Obedear” by Purity Ring (via Pitchfork)

Flock of Dimes - REPLICA

“Replica” by Flock of Dimes // Replica (Online Release) (2012)

“I’m a big fan of Robyn and not too long ago, a song started to take shape in my head with her fingerprints all over it. You can’t really deny something like that when it happens to you, so I finished it.  I am very excited to finally be able to share a recording of this song with you.”

That’s what Jenn Wasner (of Wye Oak) had to say about her new solo track (recorded under her Flock of Dimes moniker), and she’s not fucking around. This killer jam definitely has a Robyn feel, but Wasner’s big, warm voice offers it’s own flavor and I’m happy to just hear it as is. Sure, it would be wonderful to hear Robyn take up Wasner on her offer to take the song and make it her own, but that’s wholly unnecessary when the finished product is so damn special. “Replica” is a twinkling, synthed up, dance jam like Robyn is prone to perfecting, but with Wasner’s voice attached it becomes a soulful, melancholic beauty that stands perfectly on it’s own merits.  

(via danceyrselfclean)

Alligator Indian - Ectocooler

“Ectocooler” by Alligator Indian // Spring I’m In (2012)

Alligator Indian have been putting out wonderful surrealist pop records for a little while now, but their new release “Spring I’m In” launches them into a whole new category of excellence. The new full length finds them more focused and producing killer melodies to back up the jangly, lo-fi, psych pop that they’re so good at these days. “Ectocooler” is an absolutely perfect blast of dreamy lo-fi, shoegazey, post-pop complete with gorgeous, playful (boy/girl) harmonies. The best part? You can get the whole album now for free (or a pay any price amount) at Bandcamp. Get it. Spread the love. Absolutely highest recommendation for fans of Black Tambourine, Real Estate, and Ducktails. 

(download) “Spring I’m In” by Alligator Indian (for free via Bandcamp)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - If It Wasn't You

“If It Wasn’t You” by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. // It’s a Corporate World (2011)

I realize that it’s often forbidden in the world of music blogs to admit that you blatantly missed something extraordinary, but recently I ran across a song from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s “It’s A Corporate World” while making a mixtape for a friend and I was floored that I’d somehow never really noticed it before. Sure, I gave that album a few listens, but it never really blew me away. Fast forward to now, and I did a little search and apparently this song didn’t really catch much of anyone because no one uploaded it to Soundcloud, and a quick search of DEJJ tag on tumblr only pulled it up once, while several of their other tracks were repeatedly posted over the past several months. Regardless, I thought I’d take the time to remedy that situation, because had I given this song the proper attention that it deserves last year, it would have undoubtedly placed within my top 5 favorite songs of 2011. It’s that incredible. It’s a perfect song for this breezy, chill evening and it’s as good as time as any to post an incredible track, even if I’m a little late to the party. Highest possible recommendation - for fans of Sun Airway, Youth Lagoon, and The Shins. 

Daughn Gibson - Tiffany Lou

“Tiffany Lou” by Daughn Gibson // All Hell (2012)

It’s always surprising when I hear something for the first time that feels completely undefinable. Like there are so many potential influences at play that it sounds completely fresh and new. Pitchfork tossed this new track, from Daughn Gibson, a Best New Track tag and it’s absolutely deserving. They go on to site country and hip hop influences, but they seem to be missing the narcotic psych pop and dream pop sounds. Like Odelay-era Beck, Scott Walker, Dirty Beaches, Matthew Dear, and Nick Cave all spilled DNA on an old piece of vinyl and this is what came forth. It’s an absolutely captivating trip and I am all over Gibson’s new album “All Hell” because of this one track. It’s magical. Highest recommendation.