Escucharemos

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

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 ∞

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

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

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)

Jesper Merrild (aka Young Eagle/⨊xCUSEƑILIPPA/L/J) just sent over this little pop gem from an old project with his friend Ludvig back when they were both living in their small hometown in central Sweden. This song comes from another time, years ago, when Nesta lived in Rome, back before Jesper was crafting electro jamz and remixing jj and The Tough Alliance— from “the golden days, when we were winning.” 

Klassfest - Nya Ovänner

I Always Wanted A Pony is the electronic pop project of Felix Hedberg and Tobias Gerhardsson from Östersund, Sweden. Although they haven’t released anything in months, I’ve just today stumbled across their soundcloud and I’ve been pumping their two demos all day. I’m hoping to hear more from these two swedes.

I Always Wanted a Pony - In a Year Or Two (Demo)

I Always Wanted a Pony - The Weekend (Demo)

UPDATE: I Always Wanted A Pony has transformed into the Cascine-signed group World Tour. They’re releasing an EP in October! Check out their single ‘Sparks’ below.

World Tour - Sparks

“We would like to show you some pictures, a few notes and some visions. ‘Sparks’ is a story about dreaming, defying death and fighting the darkness. About the belief of beginning something new and a reliance on your origin.”    - World Tour

As summer drifts into view, these glistening tunes come into frame, not from some distant sun-soaked beach— rather from Dortmund, Germany. Inspired by the endless expanse of gray industry surrounding them, Shoreline Is crafts songs that are “driven by what you’ve always been longing for, but can’t have: Everything fleeting, floating and out of reach. If you can’t go to the beach, why not write (cheesy) songs about it?” Sounding a bit like Craft Spells or Twin Sister, the trio makes glowing pop vibes that will bring summer just a step closer, no matter how far away it may be. Check out a handful of the band’s demos over at their bandcamp.

Shoreline Is - French Leave

Shoreline Is - I’d Hear the Clouds Move

Linda Sjöquist is a promising Venezuelan musician who plays under the name …al cruzar la calle. Her latest tune, Asuntos Internos, clocks in at just under two minutes but bulges with emotion— and dreamy guitar. She fills the contemplating track with her poetic accounts of adolescent longing. As a self-proclaimed teenage dreamer with nothing more than a poorly tuned guitar and a whole lot of time on her hands, she’s already crafted a host of beautiful songs. She just wants someone to kiss her, to hug her when she wakes up, someone to read her Julio Cortazar poems and bring that warm cup of coffee to her bed when the day finally rises over Maracaibo. <3

…al cruzar la calle - Asuntos Internos

Quiero alguien que me besa y me abraza al despertar, que me lee poemas de Cortazar y me lleve el café a la cama

Purity Ring is the new side project of GOBBLE GOBBLE’s Corin Roddick and Megan James. Glitchy as hell, the Canadian duo’s first single ‘Ungirthed’ combines pulsating electronic beats, Corin’s faded ghostly echoes, warped synths and a handful of samples with Megan’s floating vocals. What more could you want? More. Toss this addictive jam on repeat. Expect great things.

Purity Ring - Ungirthed

the air is familiar

The title of this song seems fitting— I’m hunkered down for another day damned by frothing flakes and beaded breath tricking from tree branches and rolling off rooftops. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a rather wintry person, the rhythmic footfall of snow, the lack of classes tomorrow, soothing jams— it’s all splendid. San Jose’s Seabright (aka Justin Morales) is the master craftsman casting forth today’s winds and whipping up a tune to keep tucked deep inside that most furry of jackets. Yes, the mercury doesn’t dare drop far below freezing in Seabright’s Californian “winter,” but that can’t wreck my frostbitten favorite. ‘Winter War’ is the fourth track off Justin’s second full-length, Dark City EP, which dropped on new year’s day. It’s full of soft guitar, hazy synths and Justin’s relaxed vocals. Arm yourself with that trusty shovel and watch this Winter War unfold around us.

Seabright - Winter War

Seabright - Shuttle

Seabright - Entry Level

seabright. bandcamp. soundcloud. facebook. twitter.