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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)

[photo]

Teen Daze - Brooklyn Sunburn

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:34:54 -0500

Over the past few years, Vancouver’s Teen Daze has released a host of EPs, but it’s all cumulated in the release of his debut full length All Of Us, Together, which drops May 22nd on Lefse. The new album has a more electronic, futuristic feel than his recent releases A Silent Planet and, under his other moniker Two Bicycles, Window. He explained the source of the album’s utopian inspiration to The Fader— “I came upon an old book at a thrift store called Utopian Visions, an encyclopedic volume of different views on what utopia might look like, which became a huge inspiration. Especially when considering the future of our world as it actually unfolds. We’re becoming more and more self-reliant, more and more separated from our communities. I wanted to make a record that sounded more synthetic but also inviting—this is futuristic music with a heart.” Check out the first single off the new album, an energetic yet dreamy track accompanied by the always lovely vocals of Steffaloo (Steph Thompson).

Algodón Egipcio - El Mejor Lugar

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:59:45 -0500

Algodón Egipcio (aka Ezequiel ”Cheky” Bertho— one half of Venezuelan duo Jóvenes y Sexys) released his debut album La Lucha Constante last year on Lefse. After a year of touring around Venezuela, Portugal and Spain (he’s trying to get a US visa), Cheky’s back with a new single off a limited run split 7” with Spanish band El Faro from the Canary Islands, it’s out now on Club Social. Stream Algodón Egipcio’s pair of dreamy jams off the single below.

Toro Y Moi - Dead Pontoon

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:36:01 -0500

In 2009 South Carolina’s Chaz Bundick released his first three EPs under the name Toro Y Moi. Now, three years later, Chaz is set to release an archival 7” box set entitled “June 2009.” It’ll be out April 24th on Carpark and will include ten previously unreleased Toro Y Moi gems. Check out a cut off the release, a song from 2009, “Dead Pontoon.”

Toro Y Moi - Dead Pontoon

Memoryhouse - Walk With Me

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:52:48 -0500

Today, Canadian duo Memoryhouse gave us a second peek at their forthcoming album The Slideshow Effect. Following up last month’s single ‘The Kids Were Wrong,’ ‘Walk With Me’ recedes back towards the dream-inducing, reverb-laced Memoryhouse of old. However, quickly joined by some drums, the tune has a constant pulse— a beating heart that picks up half-way through. The Slideshow Effect is out February 28th on Sub Pop.

Memoryhouse - Walk With Me

‘it started when we were younger’

MMOTHS - HEART (FEAT. KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS)

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:01:33 -0500

18-year-old Irish producer MMOTHS (Jack Colleran) released a reworked version of his single ‘<3’ (or ‘HEART’) featuring Sarah from Grecian duo Keep Shelly In Athens. Although the song is basically the same as the original, KSIA add some heartwarming vocals to the dreamy track. Check out the video for the instrumental version of the song, a beautiful re-scoring of Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1970 film Zabriskie Point. Listen to MMOTHS & KSIA’s creation below.

Orca Orca - Underground

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:20:29 -0500

Orca Orca (aka Jim Hewitt) recently released a redux version of ‘Underground,’ a demo that he recorded two years ago under the moniker Young Minds. The tune will accompany five new Orca Orca recordings on a limited edition cassette entitled Make Live, which will drop February 21st. Over the past year Jim has played a bunch of shows around Boston and he’s transformed Orca Orca from a simple bedroom pop musing into a more thought-out live band. Playing live has helped to develop the project’s sound and that will definitely be quite apparent on the new record. Check out the first single off next month’s release below…

Orca Orca - Underground

Wintercoats - Forest of Lovers (Southern Shores Remix)

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:21:28 -0500

Halifax’s Southern Shores, a duo whose Atlantic EP captured my summer’s essence, is back with an end of the year gift in the form of a beautiful remix of Melbourne’s Wintercoats. Already immaculate, James Wallace’s ‘Forest of Lovers’, off his Sketches EP, gets a tropical rerub courtesy of his Canadian labelmates over at Cascine. The label had a awesome year, but next year looks promising with new releases in the works from both Southern Shores and Wintercoats as well as the debut EP from Swedish trio World Tour which drops next month. Download Southern Shores’ remix below.

Postiljonen - På väg tillsammans

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:58:00 -0500

Stockholm’s Daniel Sjörs, Joel Nyström, and Holm Mia Bøe have been working together for the past few months, releasing a host of stellar ambient electronic tracks as the trio Postiljonen (postman). Their music combines experimental, world, ambient and dance music to create what they describe as ‘heartbreaking electronica.’ Check out Postiljonen and friends mucking about and showing off their footy skillz in the swedish countryside in the video for ‘På väg tillsammans’ above. Take a gander at all their songs over at Postiljonen’s soundcloud or tumblr.

Postiljonen - På väg tillsammans

Postiljonen - Hasard

Postiljonen - Kebnekaise

[The Apiary]

on the road together ∞

Video • Happy Trendy - January 6

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:29:00 -0500

Edmonton’s Happy Trendy (Dylan Khotin-Foote) recently returned from a European journey alongside fellow Canadian Warren Hildebrand of Foxes In Fiction. They traveled from Portugal to Germany. A week ago, before their show in Leipzig Germany, Dylan preformed ‘January 6’ off his new album Die Young— check out an imitate clip from that night ›

Happy Trendy - January 6

...Al Cruzar la Calle - Romanticismo Ultravioleta

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:51:48 -0500

Venezuelan singer Linda Sjöquist just released her first single under her moniker …al Cruzar la Calle on Maracaibo-based label Entorno Doméstico. The two-track release, entitled Romanticismo Ultravioleta (Ultraviolet Romanticism), features the stunningly heartfelt ‘Asuntos Internos‘ which I posted back in March, as well as the always dreamy title track. Download el disco metafísico for free over at Entorno Doméstico.

…al cruzar la calle - Asuntos Internos

Young Eagle - No One Is Holy Without Suffering

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:42:45 -0500

The eagle transcends altitudes of 10,000 feet.
His golden plumage breaks through the clouds
and he escapes the bounds of this green earth.
While some might say he flies too high, like Icarus,
we believe that one day, we will all transcend,
and have our youth renewed like the eagle’s.

Yesterday The Apiary released a two-track EP from swedish artist Jesper Merrild aka Young Eagle. Earlier this year I came across Jesper’s covers of The Tough Alliance and jj as well as a wee pop gem from back in the day. Young Eagle’s debut release No One Is Holy Without Suffering goes just where I’d been hoping it would; it has the jj-esque balearic feel paired with a darker, sultry, rain-drenched Gotëburg mystique. Ära.

Young Eagle - No One Is Holy Without Suffering

Young Eagle - Jag Kommer Ihåg

Download EP

Galway - Mria

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:54:45 -0500

At the beginning of the year Russian dream-poppers Galway released a couple of demos that left me yearning for more. They’ve spent the past few months recording their first album and developing a collective of like-minded musicians in Moscow. With a frustratingly small community of musicians the city, they say it’s hard to be distant from other artists (they’re tight with my first Russian dream-pop obsession White Wishes). Now, just as winter’s shadow begins to drape over the early afternoon, I’m ready to sit down settle down and get cosy with something new from my favorite Russians. Last night they sent over their their debut album entitled Mria. The twelve-track release includes crisp re-recording of their earlier jams as well as a host of new gorgeously spaced-out tunes. Infectious guitar riffs, atmospheric sonar pings, invigorated drums and lofty vocals drift through out Mria. Pay what you’d like for Mria over at Galway’s bandcamp.

Galway - Justine

Galway - Sunrise 1991

Korallreven - The Final Fantasy

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:39:03 -0500

Swedish duo Korallreven just released a glorious new take on their jam ‘As Young As Yesterday.’ A drawn out affair, the seven-minute tune builds from ethereal whispers and grows into the soundtrack of one of those moonlit balearic nights. Check out the rendition, entitled ‘The Final Fantasy,’ below. Snag An Album By Korallreven over yonder.

Video • Blackbird Blackbird - Tear

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:18:00 -0500

Brendan Canty of Feel Good Lost crafted this beautiful video for Blackbird Blackbird’s jam ‘Tear’ off his upcoming Boracay Planet EP. Full of blended layers and sprinkled with splattering bokeh, these images match the tune perfectly. •

Blackbird Blackbird - Tear

ceo - Illuminata (D. Lissvik Remix)

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:35:02 -0500

Sincerely Yours‘ Eric Berglund recently released his White Magic Epilogue— a trio of remixes off his album from last year. Balearic bliss, baby •

‘in times when people do whatever necessary to become part of something they are not, a family affair feels extra rad.’

ceo - Illuminata (D. Lissvik Remix)

Loft Apartment - Video Games (Lana del Rey)

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:01:27 -0500

This summer Finnish pianist and electronic artist Aaro Vahtera added the beautiful vocals of his classmate Sanni Pesonen to the ranks of his solo project Loft Apartment. They’ve recently crafted this swell cover of Lana del Ray’s song Video Games. The duo is currently working on a new release which shall drop in the coming months. Make sure to check out Loft Apartment’s first release, Aaro’s solo effort from almost a year ago, a four-track EP entitled Kolipri which set the foundation that Aaro and Sanni continue to build off with their forthcoming release. Keep an eye out for new tracks and demos from the Finns over at their soundcloud.

Video Games live (Lana del Rey cover) by Loft Apartment

Kisses • Johnny and Mary

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:52:55 -0400

LA-based tropical breeze-pop enthusiasts Kisses are back, following up their 2010 debut The Heart of the Nightlife, with a new single— a cover of Robert Palmer’s song Johnny and Mary. They’re set to release the cover as a single alongside a remix of British band Mozart Parties. Have a listen below.

Kisses - Johnny and Mary (Robert Palmer Cover)

Video • Youth Lagoon - 17

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:52:02 -0400

∞

Youth Lagoon’s ‘17’ shines through as my favorite track off his debut album The Year of Hibernation, which dropped a month ago. Although not quite as epic as the video for ‘Montana’, Kasey Lum’s video for ‘17’ beautifully captures a boy living unconstrained by limits of reality. “Don’t stop imagining. The day that you do is the day that you die”