Escucharemos

Long Walks On The Beach - We're Growing Up

Tue, 29 May 2012 23:45:35 -0400

After several months, DC-based television producer Fritz, the man behind the bedroom pop project Long Walks On The Beach, has resurfaced from his day job with yet another jangle pop gem. A while ago he looked set to drop an EP, but the release was put on hold as he worked to maintain the steadfast authenticity and simplicity of the project. Fritz writes, “I care about what I put out, and these songs are home-made, like laptop recorded/headphone mixed/unmastered homemade, and I just wasn’t happy with how the other cuts for the EP were sounding. I straight up shelved them, just put them away for another time when I knew a little bit more about wave propagation or sidechain compression or whatever was gonna allow me to achieve the sounds in my head… I decided to just keep moving, make demos like normal, take my time with recording, and put things out when they’re really ready, which because of my television work has been a long long time.” ‘We’re Growing Up’ is Fritz’s latest installment under the Long Walks moniker. This tune, like the others before it, arrives alone. It is here to be enjoyed in the moment. It’s about growing up. It’s about watching the years pass, individually and collectively. As always, I’m excited to see where Fritz takes this little pop project next.

Long Walks On The Beach - We’re Growing Up

Read Fritz’s full write-up here. Download all of his tunes at ze LWOTB bandcamp.

From Regla, Cuba: Una Sesión con Obsesión

Mon, 28 May 2012 14:45:42 -0400

Last week I was in Regla, Cuba, an industrial suburb situated on a small peninsula to the east of Havana. Two members of the cuban hip-hop group Obsesión, Alexey and Magia, whom I’d met the week before at their show in downtown Havana, welcomed me into their home, a small but confortable apartment lined with posters of Bob Marley, Tupac and Marvin Gaye and Afrocuban artwork. They were two of the most sincere and genuinely wonderful people I met during my time in Havana. From their rooftop we watched a grey haze billow out of the nearby oil refineries and drift over the soft pastels of Habana Vieja across the bay. After the sun slipped behind el capitolio in the distance, and after a hour of back in forth that never strayed far from the topics of the connection between Cuban hip-hop and social activism, the government-orchestrated Cuban Rap Agency, we moved into the duo’s modest studio. Surrounded by little more than a duct-taped microphone, an computer running outdated recording software, a synth purchased while touring abroad and a graffitied cuban flag, Alexey and Magia never wiped the smiles from their faces. Their smiles were infectious. As dusk’s faint patina of day quickly drifted into night, their voices illuminated the room.

~jordi

Matilda Manzana - Pez Espada

Mon, 28 May 2012 14:04:51 -0400

Mexico City’s Oscar Rodríguez has delivered a new tune under his tropical pop moniker Matilda Manzana. A dreamy wander, ‘Pez Espada’ (swordfish) is the first single off Oscar’s upcoming album Conjuntos Cartográficos. The release, pegged to drop sometime before the end of year, will hold ten tracks, each paired with a different map (hence the albums title). Matilda Manzana is not a name, it is a place— imaginary, distant, familiar.

Matilda Manzana - Pez Espada

On trade winds— I’m headed for those southern...

Wed, 09 May 2012 08:21:00 -0400

On trade winds— I’m headed for those southern shores. The sun shines. The moon climbs. Havana, Cuba. Escucharemos will return in three weeks. There’s so much on the horizon. Just a dream away. A veces sueño. Adiós, Jordan

Ditt Inre - Månljus (saknad)

Thu, 03 May 2012 23:39:00 -0400

Stockholm’s Einar Andersson & Hampus Klint have emerged together as Ditt Inre under the veil of their sultry six-track EP, En Värld I Brand. The release will see the light of day May 29 on the ever-indulging bearer of good news, Cascine. The duo crafts a dreamy dance pop which at first gleams with sun-soaked ambivalence, but, at its depths, thoroughly realizes a steeping sensitivity.

The boats rocks as wind simmers the sails. The stars bob endlessly above. A haze rises like cool mist after a nighttime rain— the dark pavement warm still; the soft brume brims with the transient reverie of day.

-Jorden

Regina - Ui Mun Luo

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:12:50 -0400

If Bebel Gilberto were from Finland…

I’ve recently come across a brilliant trio from Helsinki by the name of Regina. Their latest effort Soita Mulle (Call Me) emerged in September. Their song ‘Ui Mun Luo’ (google translated to My Swims Create) possesses a sort of laid-back bossa nova-inspired sensuality. Before I knew anything about Regina, I heard this song I expected to understand a few Portuguese words— they never came. Iisa Pykäri sings in a language of which I cannot utter a single word; however, the pure joy and enthusiasm that Regina brings to their songs is unmistakable. Their emotions are simple and in no way dialectal. Take Ui Mun Luo and Haluan Sinut for a spin below.

Regina - Ui Mun Luo

Regina - Haluan Sinut

munno - early idle

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:14:38 -0400

Maryland-based producer munno just dropped his debut EP early idle. The five-track release brims with pitch-shifted samples and intricately sliced beats. I’ve already spent the whole morning blissing out to this album. Pick it up for free over at munno’s bandcamp.

munno - mine

munno - yours

...Al Cruzar la Calle - Girasol Rojo

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:29:00 -0400

‘No soy una artista, puedo ser un cuadro’

From Maracaibo, Venezuela, Linda Sjöquist delivers revealingly beautiful songs under the name …Al Cruzar la Calle. Her debut album is out and it’s stunningly tangible. Her emotions arrive relentlessly, her songs fragile. A certain delicacy permeates each songs— a delicacy in tone and theme, but Linda is full of conviction. In ‘Girasol Rojo’ she warns of the risks of love. “No te enamores, sé inteligente. Sigue tu mente.” The song, or perhaps the album as a whole, is a thoughtful introspection. Linda’s advice echoes as words she mutters to herself. “No te enamores” (Don’t fall in love) is soon followed by “No me abandones” (Don’t abandon me). Linda sings about idyllic exceptions: ”Mírame por dentro…Soy basura. Escritura.”

…Al Cruzar la Calle - Girasol Rojo

…Al Cruzar la Calle - T.S.

jj - Beautiful Life

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:32:00 -0400

jj returns.

It has been too long.

Longing for life.

Doers never die.

Where the sunshine hits our eyes.

It’s a beautiful night.

To live our

Beautiful Life.

Out May 8th on Sincerely Yours, jj nº 4 will finally come in from a distant shore.

jj - Beautiful Life

Work Drugs - Lisbon Teeth

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:36:00 -0400

Philadelphia’s favorite smooth-fiers Work Drugs are back with yet another summer cruisin’ tune. ‘Lisbon Teeth,’ a single off their forthcoming album, is about “one crazy summer in Europe… Drunken nights in Paris back alleys, afternoons on the beautiful beaches of Portugal, early evening ciders on the banks of the Thames. The girls names we couldn’t pronounce… and the faces we couldn’t forget.” Summer escapades feel that much closer. Take it for a spin below.

Work Drugs - Lisbon Teeth

Bearcubs - Home

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:11:11 -0400

Brighton, England’s Bearcubs crafts pulsating dreamscapes laced with trickling sunshine and rekindles memories of a full moon’s reflection in a placid sea. The Cadence Collective’s debut release features a pair of songs from each of the collective’s five artists: Bearcubs, Cube Face, Kruisemode, m∞n and Theo Bass. Download it here. Bearcubs’ contributions to the album, ‘Home’ and ‘Cascade,’ remind me of a mélange of Southern Shores and Star Slinger. ‘Home’ satisfies yet leaves me begging for more from this british college student. Last month he began recording his debut EP which will be out sometime in the next month.

Bearcubs - Home

homeward bound

Little Chords - Afterlife

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:30:44 -0400

Vancouver’s Teen Daze has emerged with a new album from his side project Little Chords. A beautifully laid-back set of ethereal lo-fi jams, Afterlife, presents a care-free middle ground between Jamison’s Teen Daze and Two Bicycle projects. The release comes at an exciting time for Jamison as he’s set to embark on European tour in April and his debut Teen Daze LP, All Of Us, Together, is set to drop May 22nd on Lefse. Check out a couple tracks from Afterlife below— you can stream and buy the whole thing here.

Little Chords - Always/Never

Little Chords - Remember

Postiljonen - Dit bara drömmar når

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:05:26 -0400

Stockholm-based dream pop trio Postiljonen has yet to disappoint. For months, behind frosted windows they recorded utopian dream-laced ballads. New motivation arrived as spring emerged from the depths of winter. More sits ahead for these three. Talk of a proper release casually creeps into conversation. But for now, a new track, ‘Dit bara drömmar når’ rises with a well-rested sun.

where only dreams reach

Orca Orca - Make Live

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:53:04 -0400

A year and a half ago, alone in his bedroom in Allston, Massachusetts, Jimmy Hewitt began Orca Orca, then called Young Minds. In the fall of 2010 he pushed aside the plaid shirts lining his closet and recorded jangly guitars riffs. He drove around Boston, finding moments of solitude to record vocals. He put everything together and uploaded a five-song set of bedroom pop gems entitled Imago Demos.

His demos made the rounds, gracing a handful of blogs. Jimmy wanted more than a mere cameo. Fleeting blog fame was not tangible— he wanted to play shows around Boston. The project was in transition. Before one of his first shows, Jimmy told me how surprised he was to see his demos on the internet. He didn’t know how Tyler from Flashlight Tag even came across his music on Bandcamp. A month after uploading the demos, Jimmy was contacted by French netlabel Beko DSL asking if he wanted to contribute a track to an upcoming compilation that would feature some of my current favorites, like The Bilinda Butchers, Sad Souls and Endiamonds (download it here). Still, it all felt distant. People in far off places listened and loved his tunes. Yet, at his first few shows, the crowd was largely friends and family. The propagation of his music via the internet gave him hope for the project, but, at least in his hometown, he would have to wait for recognition. So, he stood on the stage, draped in reds and purples; he jammed away. Sure, maybe he’d break a string in the middle of a song, but he’d keep playing, keeping up with his trusty drum machine. Over the next few months, or perhaps the next year, Jimmy developed Orca Orca. He focused on his live show. He added a drummer, a bassist, a guitarist— it was coming together.

Now, Jimmy, alongside a couple of his closest high-school buddies, has played all over Boston. Two years ago, he may not have had the self-assurance to sing in front of his roommates, let alone a club full of judging, iPhone-wielding faces. Orca Orca is now a more complete project. After his short set a month ago, someone in the crowd shouted, begging for another song. Jimmy laughed and leaned towards the mic— “We don’t have any more songs.” Well now Orca Orca has a few more songs to its name. He’s spent the last few months crafting a new set of tunes. Today, Jimmy released his latest EP, a limited-edition cassette entitled Make Live. His new songs don’t stray far from his early demos. Recorded in his apartment in Allston, they are about the same youthful simplicities— cruising around with friends and staying up until the sun pierces the hazy horizon. You can snag Make Live over at Orca Orca’s bandcamp for free, or drop a couple of bills on a sweet tape.

Catch Orca Orca play some tunes off his new EP April 6th at O’Brien’s in Allston. Also, he’s opening for the like-minded Abadabad— so be there. Check out a couple of new ones below…

Orca Orca - when the sun comes up (original demo)

Orca Orca - Say So

Orca Orca - Make Live

World Tour - Believe

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:29:50 -0500

lyssna.

It’s been over a year of waiting. Last January, Cascine gave us our first glimpse of Swedish dream pop trio World Tour with their single Sparks. I was dying for more. I scoured the interwebs. I unearthed some old relics—from the time before WT—when they were a duo called I Always Wanted A Pony (I just checked their old soundcloud page and they’ve recently upload two dance-oriented tracks under their old name). World Tour came back in October with a beautiful Karl X Johan cover.

Winter came quickly. World Tour waited. Indulged by demos, I thought I knew what was coming. They mixed. They mastered. Now they’re set to deliver a four-track set of songs. World Tour’s Believe EP is out April 10th on Cascine— the stork of all sonic goodness. Each track an expansive dreamscape, the EP brims with memories of luscious summer wanderings watching the sun slip back, beyond the hills. This EP belongs in the woods on clear night where stars shine on, trickling down. Supple melodies and hushed romances are sprinkled throughout, their texts faded by the sun— yellow pages curled and crinkled. Listen to Believe.

Celista - Brooklyn

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:12:18 -0500

A new gem finds its way. From a far off place, fugacious producer Celista returns. Shrouded in a veil of loosely defined escapism, the mysterious project cannot be pinned to a map. In the fall, Celista released its debut EP. Now, as winter turns spring, Celista resurfaces bringing a new downtempo dream, ‘Brooklyn,’ to my inbox, to my ears. Following songs like ‘Endless Day’ and ‘Warm Autumn,’ it’s the first single off Celista’s upcoming full length which is planned to drop later this year.

“last night, new sound, early morning, new sounds awake.

absent, distant. coming home, i see it over the light.”

Galapagos - Take Me (Gold Cluster)

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 16:10:44 -0500

Austin-based producer Galapagos (aka teenage phenom Jacob McNaughton) has dropped yet another fantastic track full of intricately stacked samples and fluttering beats. ‘Take Me (Gold Cluster)’ is just a taste of what’s to come from the Phoenix native. Galapagos has a collaborative EP lined up with Australian artist Guerre— it’ll be out May 8th on the always awesome Absent Fever. For now, check out his latest cut below.

take me away.

Work Drugs - License To Drive

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:06:00 -0500

Philadelphia-based smooth-fi enthusiasts Work Drugs are back with their latest jam, the first single off their upcoming LP. A dreamy drive through an endless labyrinth of city streets, ‘License To Drive’ burns the midnight candle, high beams burning through the night ahead.

Video • MMOTHS - HEART (FEAT. KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS)

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:21:00 -0500

Here’s some Valentine’s Day lovin’ to the tune of Jack Colleran’s, aka MMOTHS, “HEART feat KSIA” off his debut EP which drops March 5th on SQE. A misty dusk. A summer night. Flickering fire-soaked faces. <3

Chrome Sparks - Hysteria (fthrsn cover)

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:36:11 -0500

Jeremy Malvin (aka Chrome Sparks) recently released a cover of fellow University of Michigan student Macklin Underdown’s tune ‘Hysteria,’ off his October debut under the moniker fthrsn. Chrome Sparks’ rendition comes by way of PORTALS’ February mixtape, the second installment of the spankin’ new superblog’s monthly mixtape series. Download the whole mix right here.

Chrome Sparks - Hysteria (fthrsn cover)

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