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DOWNLOAD: Tickley Feather - Tonite Is The Night
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Unlike some bands who make noise for noise's sake, Tickley Feather (i.e. Annie Sachs)'s 20 track album curates ‘noise’ meticulously, flirtatiously, and, often, quite literally. See “Keyboards is Drunk.” Or “Noisey Dingle” which is 20 seconds of just that. True- Tickley Feather’s music isn’t for momma’s boys or suckers for an easy hook. But the artist in you will find it ambitious and mischievous. Oh did I mention she’s signed to Paw Tracks, Panda Bear’s label, and has toured with Animal Collective?
In “Tonite Is The Night” below, unintelligible conversation flickers and spins over Bloody Valentine-esque disguised electronica. It’s Clockwork Orange meets Portishead meets Blair Witch meets crackling radio-circa-1941 meets a whack-job schizophrenic. Hell yeah. For such an innocent looking girl, she's got a lot up her sleeve.
SOUNDS LIKE: Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Phosphorescent
DOWNLOAD: My Best Fiend - Lazy Bones + Maniac
We remember seeing Brooklyn-based My Best Fiend play a show a couple of years back and being transported by their droning experimental alt rock and mesmerizing DIY light show. They fell off our radar for a while but we’re proud to say that they’re back in full force. Their debut album is about to drop, and we got our mitts on some of their new songs to share with you guys. We liked them so much that we decided to sign My Best Fiend to RCRD LBL for an EP, obviously something we don’t take too lightly. The first two tracks we’re releasing are the laid-back, Stone Roses-esque “Lazy Bones” and the rocking “Maniac” both available on their upcoming self-titled album. It’s like it’s the ‘90s all over again, and though we never thought we’d say this at the time, that’s definitely not a bad thing.
Sounds like: Primal Scream, The Stone Roses
Download: My Best Fiend - Lazy Bones
Download: My Best Fiend - Maniac
VIDEO THRWBCK: Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both of Us (Live on Top of the Pops) (1974)
We just picked up the new issue of Arthur Magazine which features the brothers in musical arms Sparks on the cover. We can't even express our love for them--such insane, over-the-top, theatrical pop music needs to have a resurgence, pronto. Listen to those (totally lip-synched, it was Top of the Pops after all) vocals... Gerard Way, you're not even close!
DOWNLOAD: Battles - Dance
Of course, now Battles are famous for their genre-bending rock opus Mirrored which featured “Atlas”, possibly last year’s weirdest crossover indie hit. But there was a time before “Atlas”, when the NYC-based experimental band lobbed the instrumental bomb that was their first self-titled EP. It’s a mere shadow of what was to come, but great nonetheless, taking the term “math rock” to limits of its definition (we literally feel like we just did some algebra). Check out the track "Dance" below, courtesy of Dim Mak.
Sounds like: Hella, Tortoise
DOWNLOAD: Richard Swift - Kisses For The Misses
Richard Swift is a guy who puts on different figurative hats on a daily basis- constantly re-inventing himself- via new sounds, instruments, and films. Musically, besides the (hugely-praised) full-length "Dressed Up For The Letdown" last year, Swift released two side-projects this year Instruments Of Science and Technology "Music From The Films Of R. Swift" and a double EP (just out) called "Richard Swift as Onasis".
To give you a taste of his multidimensionality, "Knee-High Boogie Blues" is a high energy rhythmic teaser - sans vocals- taking good hook pretty much as far as it will go- (i.e. in circles). Meanwhile, "Kisses From The Misses" is a soulful blues jam- the type you can snap and do-wop to, depending on your age. Enjoy.
SOUNDS LIKE: Jakob Dylan, Rufus Wainwright, Andrew Bird
Download: Richard Swift - Kisses From The Misses
Download: Richard Swift- Knee-High Boogie Blues
Video: These New Puritans - Elvis
These New Puritans dazzle and I'm not taking about the chainmail that Jack Barnett has a tendency to wear on stage. Their sound has audacious epic nature to it- dramatic layers of distorted guitar and drum stabs. "Elvis" is a command to battle- a call to action- with Barnett as angry, enthused messenger.The video's bad-ass. We've been eying these guys since they killed it live at SXSW- alive- robust- furious- by far one of the best acts of the 1700 bands out there. If they come knocking on my door, I'd follow in a heartbeat. Swords of Truth is available on May 5th for digital download via Domino Records.
SOUNDS LIKE: Joy Division, Bloc Party, The Teenagers, The Kills
DOWNLOAD: Slim Twig - Birthing & Birthing
Our new friends at the Paper Bag RCRD LBL blog just released a song by Toronto’s Slim Twig, an experimental pop artist who has coined a new way of writing songs called “songsculpting”, which he described as “trying to sculpt pop songs using different textures of sound, with an emphasis on abstract images”. Neat! The result is “Birthing & Birthing” a cut off of Slim Twig’s Derelict Dialect EP. It’s like a demented version of Beck frolicking across an urban landscape with Dan Deacon. Be prepared to have your mind expanded.
Sounds like: The Chap, Beck, Planningtorock
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles - Coming Soon
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles - 6.10.08
Check out Parisian Goldfish from Flying Lotus' upcoming album, Los Angeles.
Download: El Perro Del Mar - Glory To The World
Sarah Assbrin, the brainchild behind El Perro Del Mar, has a crystal-clear, paper-thin voice that's so delicate- if it were a physical object, you'd tiptoe around it not to break it. Enveloped with light guitar, oboe and horn (I think I heard a flute in there too?), the result is quite breathtaking and hypnotic. The songs from her newest album, "From the Valley To The Stars,' are imbued with a bit of hope and a lot of introspection, such as the hymn-like "Glory To The World" below. We'd recommend you check her out as she tours with the cheeky ingénue , Lykke Li, in May.
psst: For your thoughtful ears, we also included "How Did We Forget," from her old album for you to feast on as well.
Sounds like: Lykke Li, Kaki King, Jens Lekman
Stream: El Perro Del Mar - Glory To The World
Download: El Perro Del Mar - How Did We Forget
FEATURED: Björk at the SEEN RCRD LBL blog
It’s the music video event of the year: Björk’s 3-D, high-res, Encyclopedia Pictura-directed video for her single “Wanderlust”. We won’t even go into the narrative (because really, what would be the point?) but obviously the visuals are absolutely stunning. This is the same team who did the Grizzly Bear “Knife” video, so you’ll know what to expect.
Head over to the SEEN RCRD LBL blog for a link to the video and a guide on how to make your own DIY 3-D glasses… luckily we have our Cut Copy ones we got in a Modular gift pack that got sent to the office a few weeks ago. Recycle, yo!
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