Sydney duo Valar have been making a name for themselves with their dreamy, hypnotic indietronica. If you are in Sydney you can catch them at the Paddington Uniting Church this Thursday but in the meantime check out a live in studio video of them performing Anoesis and listen/buy last year’s The Belly of the Whale and other releases over at Bandcamp. Continue reading ds recommends: Valar
On the 4th/5th of June 2012, New Yorkers The Walkmen will release their new LP Heaven via Fat Possum Records and Bella Union. Recordings took place in a studio outside Seattle with Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes) producing a reportedly full and lush sound for the band. PREORDER Continue reading NEWS: The Walkmen release trailer for new album Heaven
Kody Nielson has a new project of glorious psych pop called Opossom and he has released the first single Getaway Tonight ahead of a run of Australian dates. This will be the first chance for Australia to see the new trio which also features another Mint Chick Michael Logie and Bic Runga who also collaborated with Nielson on her recently released album. Opossom will release … Continue reading NEWS: Opossom (ex-Mint Chicks) release single and visit Australia.
We’ve been hanging for this one for a while now but finally Sydney’s The Laurels have announced their album will be released via Rice Is Nice Records in the second half of 2012. Featuring Luke O’Farrell (vocals/guitar/loop sampler), Piers Cornelius (vocals/guitar), Conor Hannan (bass) and Kate Wilson (drums) they released to much acclaim the Wandering Star 7″ (2009) and the Mesozoic EP (2011) to much acclaim as well … Continue reading NEWS: New label, album and single for The Laurels
written by Chris Familton Never one to shy from displaying his emotions, Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart returns with his eighth LP Always. The album title suitably sums up his continued obsessions with damaged emotions, the human body and oppression. He wraps it all up in what has become a trademark sound of dark electronica full of swoon and suffocating catharsis. The reference points of 80s … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Xiu Xiu | Always
written by Chris Familton Some bands arrive in a blaze of glory and media attention, still young and in their formative stage but with sparks flying and a need to get that initial brace of songs recorded and released. Others take their time to nurture the songs, tease them out and live within them until they feel and sound just right and have in a … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Deep Sea Arcade | Outlands
This year the Sydney Opera House based festival Vivid LIVE has done away with a guest curator, in the past using Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno and others. From 2012 onward the festival will be overseen by the Sydney Opera House’s programming team, led by Head of Contemporary Music, Fergus Linehan as Festival Director. The full line-up for this year has been announced today … Continue reading NEWS: 2012 Vivid LIVE Festival Program Announced…
Jack Ladder has just released a new clip for Short Memory, taken from last year’s excellent Hurtsville LP. Directed by Michael Spiccia Produced by Belinda Barrett Cinematography by Stefan Duscio Edited by Bernard Gary Continue reading WATCH: Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders | Short Memory [Video]
Adelaide’s Bad//Dreems are making moves of the dark, twisting, post pop and jangling nostalgic kind. They’ve hooked up with the sympathetic production ears of Johnny Mackay and Jack Farley (Twerps, Beaches, Love of Diagrams, Bitch Prefect, Scott and Charlene’s Wedding etc) for their debut single Chills which is due out March 1st. They’re also venturing interstate for a few shows, catch em if you can. Tour Dates … Continue reading ds recommends: Bad//Dreems
Primal Scream have hooked up with Mark Stewart of legendary bands The Pop Group and Maffia to record the song Autonomia which will appear on Stewart’s The Politics of Envy LP set to drop March 27th. The album features a litany of guest known for stirring the pot, including Richard Hell, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Gina Birch of the Raincoasts, Clash/PiL guitarist Keith Levine, Slits bassist Tessa Politt, … Continue reading WATCH: Primal Scream collaborate with Mark Stewart…
Eleanor Friedberger (The Fiery Furnaces) played a fantastic solo show at The Famous Spiegeltent on the weekend and one of the highlights was Heaven from her debut solo record Last Summer. We’ll have a full review of the show up soon but in the meantime here’s the brand new video for Heaven… Continue reading WATCH: Eleanor Friedberger | Heaven [Video]
The War on Drugs continue to deliver some brilliant post-Springsteen/Velvets jangle, drone folk on last year’s Slave Ambient album. Here’s the latest video to come from that LP – Brothers. Continue reading WATCH: The War on Drugs | Brothers
Doubtful Sounds 