Guitar notes and chords splash and chime out of a billowing ether of reverb as Heron’s song ‘Splashdown’ slowly emerges, blinking into existence. There’s a patient quality to the track with the intro taking a calm two minutes to blossom into a fuller sound when measured drums entering the equation. The post-rock band from the heart of the Pennsylvania Wilds have a second full-length album … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Heron – Splashdown
Welsh quartet Kidsmoke may have taken their name from a Wilco song (maybe?) but other than a lazy affable strum and an affinity for melody, these four from across the Atlantic make music that is much sunnier, breezier and indie-pop centric. There’s a refreshing simplicity and economy to their songwriting as hooky guitar lines ring out across jangly chords and vocals that bind it all … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Kidsmoke – Passenger
Blistering thrash metal with a super-solid bottom end of distorted bass on this track from Worcester, Massachusetts band Möss Fölk. The riffs are relentless while the vocal totally hits the spot for us – raw, punk-metal and visceral without getting too cookie monster. The killer blow comes at 1:09 where everything drops away to reveal the grungy bass before everything collapses back in on top … Continue reading NEW MUSIC Möss Fölk – Misery Mothers
As much as we love manic post-punk, sweet alt-country tunes and arch indie-rock, we also love to bliss out to relaxing ambient sounds. Not the cheesy lift music or Muzak or hippie-lite new age bullshit. We’re talking experimental, avant garde composition, whether it be electronic, acoustic or a combination of the two. Think Eno, Harold Budd, Fenenesz, Caretaker or Hiroshi Yoshimura. This elegant track from … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Henrik Von Euler – F-dur
Galloping ramalama psych rock hurtles straight out of the gates on this instrumental track from wild and eclectic London quartet Japanese Television. It’s like a manic sideshow ride with a streak of reverb-laden surf rock blasting out of battered amusement park speakers. The song careens along with patches of spiralling space rock sending bent organ notes exploding skyward. You think it’s over and it all … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Japanese Television – Bloodworm
Tindersticks and Stuart A. Staples are custom built for soundtrack work, such is their ability to conjure such exquisite and restrained mood and atmosphere, both musically and vocally. They’ve worked on a number of film projects in the past and this latest one by Staples is for the movie High Life, directed by Claire Denis – who Staples has worked with on seven of her … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Tindersticks Soundtrack ‘High Life’
This pulsing, kinetic instrumental track from Australian producer Karyme caught our ear this week. Elements of jazz, trip hop and downbeat electronica combine on a track that sounds like it’s in constant motion. A playful bass-line keeps things anchored as drums push and pull and synth pads provide melodic beds of texture and sonic bliss. خونمون [kho͞onamo͞on] the first single from Karyme’s full length release, Full … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Karyme – خونمون
Theory Of Why is a studio collaboration project between Anton Kropp and Julia Nova who met as college radio DJ’s at the University Of Maryland WMUC station where they continued to write and play music long after college, not stopping after they went separate ways. ‘Wrapped Up In Snow’ comes from their self-titled debut album and has a mix of Breeder’s 90s rock sounds and a … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Theory Of Why – Wrapped Up In Snow
‘Money From Home’ is the latest single from Gaswegian group Acrylic and what we like about his piece of indie rock is how it dials into a shadowy post-punk melancholy while still retaining a lightness and grace on the surface. You can hear shades of The National, and Midlake in the harmonies and sparkling, interwoven guitars. It’s a sophisticated sound and one that really gets … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Acrylic – Money From Home
Crawling out of the Sydney underbelly is 100, a tension-laden quartet with a brand new song to follow-up their EP Cortisone and a split 7″ with Nick Nuisance & The Delinquents. ‘Just Us’ lurches and staggers across the speakers with the creeping malevolence of Jesus Lizard and Nirvana. It’s unhinged yet the band are in full control as they delivered these monolithic crashing post-punk chords … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: 100 – Just Us
Shoegaze guitars that recall Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish, dubbed out hypnotic drums, psych-folk acoustic guitar, MBV trippy effects. There’s a whole bunch of stuff going on in this instrumental track from a Californian act that we know very little about other than it is the project of Scott Fairbrother who has had music placed in a few TV shows and games such as Grand Theft Auto. … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: FortEver – Hwy 62
There’s a strong LCD Soundsystem sound on this track from the Chicago band Engine Summer. It comes from their recently released EP Indiana. There’s more than just that particular influence going on here though. Bits of post-rock and post-punk are built into the DNA. Skronking guitar notes warble and scatter and the groove is of the utmost importance, much as it is with other contemporary … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Engine Summer – Outside The Curtain
Doubtful Sounds 