I like Shawnee, Oklahoma native Samantha Crain. A 24-year-old singer/songwriter, Crain’s rich, unpolished voice and folk-infused songs are what they are, no extra embellishments needed. Her recent release, You (Understood), has garnered a lot of media attention and Crain is on tour with her band to support the album. She’s accumulated hundreds of thousands of […]
The Dirty Tees – Where We Are
The opening of The Dirty Tees‘ “Where We Are” makes you think you’ll be listening to an alternative track, then it quickly gives way to an excellent electro house beat, then back again. No words to describe how excellent this track is. Toronto natives, The Dirty Tees – aka Ryan Freeman and Grant Peters – […]
Esperanza Spalding’s “Chamber Music Society” Tour
Esperanza Spalding‘s latest record, Chamber Music Society, lives up to the intimate, experimental and assemblage mood alluded by the record’s title. This is no more apparent than seeing Esperanza and her band performing live. We had the opportunity to attend the final rehearsal of the show before Esperanza and the band head out on their […]
Bjork – The Comet Song & Flétta
Icelandic artist Bjork has been making a few appearances on the soundwaves as of late. Last week she released a new track last week entitled “The Comet Song” for a new Moomins film. The proceeds of the track will go towards UNICEF’s efforts in Pakistan. Yesterday Antony and the Johnsons released a track featuring Bjork […]
We No Speak Americano “Dance” Video
Our YouTube video of the week is set to “We No Speak Americano” by Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP. Dancers Suzanne Cleary and Peter Harding of Up and Over It choreograph a “tap” dance to it, no feet involved. You fist pumpers out there have something to strive towards.
Vintage Lady GaGa – Stefani Germanotta
Before Lady GaGa there was Stefani Germanotta, a brunette student at New York University. Here she performs two original pieces for Ultraviolet Live, NYU’s talent show. She ended the night at third place, but that’s OK – Lady GaGa is the number one pop artist in the world right now. No traces of “little monsters”, […]
Dresden Dolls’ Announce New Tour
“There is this thing that’s like talking except you don’t talk/you sing.” Thus opens the song, “Sing”, and my first introduction to the Dresden Dolls in music theory class in college. The self-described “Brechtian punk cabaret” duo consisting of drummer Brian Viglione and singer/pianist Amanda Palmer – who has established a successful solo career in […]
Royksopp’s “Senior” Streaming Today on Hype Machine!
FINALLY!! Norwegian electronic duo Röyksopp have returned on the scene with their highly anticipated album Senior. A part of the Junior/Senior album series, Senior is an all-instrumental album and much different than its predecessor in both mood and sound. Where Junior was dreamy, melodic, and fun, Senior aims to be a more introspective and bare […]
Junip’s New Album Streaming on NPR
Swedish band Junip will be releasing a new album, Fields, later on this month. Fronted by singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez, who is popular in his own right, Junip also consists of Elias Araya and Tobias Winterkorn. Their new album is currently streaming on NPR’s website. Click HERE to check it out. You can pre-order different versions […]
Introducing Systema Solar
Systema Solar are among the latest of the bad ass Colombian bands tirando fuego from their homeland. This musical spitfire is the combination of a whole bunch of genres including cumbia, hip-hop, bullenrengue, champeta, house, techno among others (apparently) which they’ve dubbed “berbenautika”. Adding Afro-Colombian vibes by way of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, you get a […]
Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s “hitRECord”
Inception and (500) Days of Summer actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt started the hitRECord project five years ago, which has since evolved into an open collaboration production company. Anyone can join hitRECord, which runs in the form of a social network. It’s not as intuitive as Twitter or Facebook, but after spending the better part of the […]
Interview with Mishal Moore
I’m Mishal, hear me roar! After listening to Mishal Moore’s opening set at Zee Avi’s show last weekend, I needed to know more about the woman behind the song “Makeup Sex”. Who is she, why does she play the guitar like a bass, where can I find more about this artist with such amazing breath […]
Inch Chua – Wallflower
A year after the release of her EP, The Bedroom, Singaporean DIY singer-songwriter Inch Chua is back with a full-length album entitled Wallflower, available for free HERE. The album features 11 new songs and “Rule The World” off of The Bedroom, all of which carry the same signature Inch vocal style and amusing marriage of […]
King Britt – Perfect Place
If your ready to chill out and take a quick trip through space, then boy do I have a track for you. The track is called “Perfect Place” and comes from King Britt‘s new EP, Intentions. The EP is the first from his label Saturn Never Sleeps‘ Ambient Series which you can pick up from […]
Catchup Wednesday – Atlantic Line
Upon first listening to Atlantic Line, it’s hard to believe they are based on our side of the Atlantic – everything from lead singer Ray Silva’s voice to the execution of the melodies would have you think they were a British rock band. That said, their album Exit to Intro is superb – and available […]
Bat for Lashes – Daniel
English-Pakistani Bat for Lashes is my newest find. A friend emailed me asking to do a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” and he sent the remake version Bat for Lashes had on her 2007 album, Fur and Gold, which was simply stunning. Bat for Lashes is the stage name for 31-year-old Natasha Khan, […]
FREE Download: Viernes – Sinister Love
Any band named after our favorite day of the week, Friday, must be worth listening to. Florida experimental/ambient/etc outfit Viernes played in NYC last week in support of their debut album, Sinister Devices, which is out on iTunes. Their song “Sinister Love” is totally trippy – are you listening to two voices, or three? And […]
Arandel – #1
So, I have to say that french label InFine is my one of my new favorite labels. Besides releasing music from Clara Moto and Spitzer, they have this new artist, Arandel, which I’m really digging. This producer, who wishes to stay anonymous so that he can explore every given possibility, is gearing up to release […]
Ghostly International Set To Re-Issue Tycho’s Past Is Prologue
IDM producer,Tycho, is seeing his debut LP, Past Is Prologue, get a re-issue from Ghostly International. The original, which was released in ’04 on Grammaphone Records, was then expanded and reissued in 2006 on Merck Records. With 4 years gone by, another label has recognized the talent that is Tycho and is going to re-issue […]
Album Review: Adaledge – Vintage Feelings
Enter the sonically blissful world of Adaledge. He is set to release his debut Long player today titled Vintage Feelings. No one really knows much about this guy, but what I can gather from some research is that the owners of Triple Down Records overheard his music in a bar one night, and upon asking […]