DOWNLOAD: Julia Stone - It's All Okay (Active Child Remix)
Julia Stone is one half of Angus & Julia Stone, whose long list of accolades includes five Aria awards (Australia’s version of the Grammys), platinum status and a soundtrack spot on the last Twilight movie. In layman’s terms? Massive, moody, black forest pop that you should know about. Here, lead song “It’s All Okay” from her upcoming solo effort is given a dip by angel-cum-ethereal-musician Active Child, whose subtle take is all organic swells, tinkling choir strains and cathedral-shaking bass. All okay, indeed, especially when By All The Horns comes out on May 29.
STREAM: Beach House - Lazuli
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And the breezy Beach House gifts keep on coming, this time with a steam of “Lazuli,” more blithe, choir-of-angels, keyboard-heavy pop for first loves, so named for a semi-precious gem known best for its centuries-ago use of being crushed into paints to use in pieces commissioned by the church/wealthy families (fun fact: the gem smashing process was so cost-prohibitive that most painting from that time use the bright blue very sparingly; almost exclusively for The Virgin Mary’s head draping and later, the trim on Jesus’ robes or for heads of state who wanted to flaunt their purse strings. Yes, I took Italian Art History and this is the first time it has come in handy). Check the track over on Beach House’s site, before the 7-inch is released on Record Store day on Sub Pop, before LP Bloom drops in May.
DOWNLOAD: Surfer Blood - Miranda (School Of Seven Bells Remix)
(Photo: Dan Monick)
The skewering of power-pop outfit Surfer Blood’s “Miranda” by School of Seven Bells is one of the lushest and sweetest whippings we’ve seen. Because the newly-infused mechanical clanks and demonic synths actually open a dimension in which the breathy, nostalgic rock vocals calling out for love lost are magnified until they become sublimely exalted. Dreamy, for sure, and rather unlike the original, which lives on Surfer Blood’s latest—the Tarot Classics EP on Kanine.
Surfer Blood - Miranda (School Of Seven Bells Remix)
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PREMIERE: Active Child - Playing House (feat. How To Dress Well)
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Active Child and How To Dress Well sound like the immaculate offspring of a seraph and James Blake’s spirit animal in their immensely gorgeous bedroom-pop collaboration “Playing House.” Not sure if it’s the somber beat, the lovelorn R&B-leaning lyrics, the winged synths, their raw and wavering duets, or all of the above. Whatever it is, these men are making some of the most angelic music the world has known, and this track should be the first song on each of their greatest hits albums, years and years from now. Until then, find it here and on AC’s upcoming album, come August 23.
Active Child - Playing House (feat. How To Dress Well)
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PREMIERE: Active Child - Hanging On
After listening to his latest song, it’s our assertion that Active Child’s talents extend to controlling forces of nature, because “Hanging On” pulsates with both winter chill and summer scorch. Here lies a weathering bit of beautiful—harps, electronica beats, angelic cries and monkish chants cumulate with a gentle power. We've waxed hyperbolic before, but really, if you buy no other album this season to take you into the next, let it be You Are All I See, the astounding offering from dreampop’s most interesting act, through Vagrant on August 23.
PREMIERE: Superhumanoids - Malta (Kisses Remix)
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To those of us who came of age in the Tri-State, California still secretly emotes a kind of giddy ‘90s wondervibe—sex wax, straight teeth, agile guitars and neck tattoos. But then we hear ethereal bands like Superhumanoids and Kisses, and we're faced with how off we've been (stet the agile guitars). Twilight meets late-summer longing on today's sulking redo of “Malta,” and the dawning that this thing called chillwave has blown away all stereotypes with one woozy sigh. Californians: they’re just like us! Stumbling love-drunk into the mist. Except they’re tan while they do it (that broad stroke stays).
Superhumanoids - Malta (Kisses Remix)
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PREMIERE: Superhumanoids - Malta (Lesands Remix)
(Photo: David Morrison)
Lesands’ fat ‘80s bass and cloudy guitars don’t fully transform Superhumanoids’ “Malta” into a gossamer pop confection, but considering the weight of Cameron Parkins’ vocals, it’s pretty impressive how close they come. If Morrissey is ever elected prom king, this will play as he’s handed his crown. The original can be found on Parasite Paradise, available digitally and on vinyl.
Superhumanoids - Malta (Lesands Remix)
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PREMIERE: Alex Winston - Choice Notes (Labyrinth Ear Remix)
When someone sings a melody that doesn't have any words you often feel they're trying to communicate something utterly, transcendentally primal, but here Alex Winston seems happy enough just guiding "Choice Notes" through its natural lulls and apexes. There's never any doubting her voice is special, though—raised on Detroit's Motown tradition, Winston coos through this like a happy animal, Labyrinth Ear turning Motor City soul into a rainbow cloud castle of glistening, Balearic pop. You're into rainbow cloud castles, right? So put some pennies away in a jar and don't open it 'til Winston's debut album arrives later this year.
Alex Winston - Choice Notes (Labyrinth Ear Remix)
