by Meredith Schneider | Oct 30, 2018 | albums, review
Seattle-based pop trio Tangerine just released their 4-track EP White Dove, which glistens in the glow of nostalgia from the very beginning of firs track “Local Mall” to the last chords of “Lake City”. Though “Local Mall” exists at mid-tempo, it feels more energetic, with Marika’s light-as-a-feather vocals driving the track itself. “Cherry Red” continues with a similar soundscape to its predecessor, bringing out more percussive moments for emphasis. “Monster of the Week” boasts a more sinister tone, perfect for this time of year, and last track “Lake City” is comprised of gorgeous melodies and a feeling of ease that only a beautiful body of water should be able to provide.
Keep up with Tangerine here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 26, 2018 | albums, review
To say Bets‘ new album Future Color plays with dark and light like crazy would be an understatement. With each track comes a new feeling, some eery and inescapable, others lift your soul to a place you hadn’t been in a while. The entirety of the album – all 10 tracks – entices its listener to feel something, and that’s what we’re so fond of.
“Another Night” starts us immediately with frantic instrumentals, the first line “dance with me” coaxing us into a frenzy while “Out of View” slows everything down a bit and darkens the instrumentals to an eery octave fit for October. Third track “Left My City” is the perfect anthem for anyone who has ever experienced a slight thrill at seeing someone leave their immediate vicinity, be it a former lover, an old friend, or someone who was bringing you down a bit. While “Da Da Da” has an experimental, robot vibe to it while Bets speaks simple truths, “Maybe” picks everything back up again and reintroduces the playful, light side to her vocals.
“The Daylight Beside Me” is slow, comprised of acoustic guitar and Bets’ mesmerizing vocals. It’s easily one of our favorites, though we’d take an argument for “All I Want” as it picks up the tempo – and transforms our mood – within seconds. “Fear Of” lurches us back into the darker side of Bets’ work, her vocals more mechanical, though no less appropriate at a club in Manhattan after 2am. The instrumentals of “Tunnel Vision” belong first in an action movie, then perhaps in a video game. The lyrics will play on in your ears for a while, though “Gold” will be the one that sticks with you, the instrumental layering something out of a gorgeous dream and Bets’ vocals more of an audible kaleidoscope than anything else.
Future Color is out now. Keep up with Bets here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 26, 2018 | albums, review
Swedish pop icon Robyn releases her highly anticipated new album Honey today, and we’ve been counting down the seconds until its release. The 9 track stunner stays true to Robyn’s glittering personality, wrapping her ethereal voice up in electronic instrumentals that feel, quite honestly, out of this world. While initial track “Missing You” feels like the sequel to 2010’s “Dancing On My Own”, “Human Being” features Zhala and feels earthy, more primal in its disposition. “Because It’s In The Music” has a throwback feel to it, “Baby Forgive Me” plays with some disco-era sounds while maintaining a fresh, pop/r&b feel, while “Send To Robin Immediately” is a whole other beast entirely, toying with dissonance and establishing itself as an inspirational dance track.
We reach “Honey” in the 6th slot on this collection. the track itself feeling as smooth as its namesake. This song is summer reincarnate, and we’re thinking we might be clinging onto it as the weather gets colder and daylight gets shorter. “Between The Lines” feels like the soft EDM track that a swanky hotel would play in their lobby, and that’s not a bad thing. Its beat captivates you, and sends you into a tailspin while “Beach 2k20” fuses island vibes with dissonance, spoken word, and simplified beach lingo. Honey is rounded out with ninth track “Ever Again”, which brings us back into an upbeat, disco-infused electronic dance space with lyrics that evoke confidence and tell a tale of learning from one’s past. It’s a message that will last, especially with such a catchy melody.
Keep up with Robyn here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 26, 2018 | albums, review
Nashville-based rock collective Taco Mouth – comprised of Erica Sellers (Vocals/Guitar), Shawn Hammer (Guitar), Flip Cooper (Bass), and Angela Lese (Drums/BGVs) – releases their new, hard-hitting, 10-track full-length A Deafening Silence today. We’ve been particularly excited about this release, as it ushers in an energy we’ve been ready for.
Keep up with Taco Mouth here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 25, 2018 | albums, review
Having become a household name due to their unique sound and incredible live performance tactics, it is no surprise that the release of Young The Giant‘s new album Mirror Master was met with great excitement in the music community. The Los Angeles quintet – comprised of Sameer Gadhia (vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar/vocals), Payam Doostzadeh (bass), and Francois Comtois (drums/vocals) – has created 12 gorgeous tracks that will keep your ears perked and begging for more from the very first light, voluptuous lines of “Superposition”. Through the heavy guitar of “Simplify”, to the smooth sounds of “Call Me Back”, to the end of “Heat of the Summer” – which, to its credit, gives off that nostalgic, balmy summer vibe – Young The Giant has taken this opportunity to take you on a true audio adventure through genres, pulling inspiration from many soundscapes.
While “Oblivion” boasts a slight theatrical tinge to its rock roots, “Darkest Shade of Blue” slows everything down to a haunting, poetic crawl before picking up exponentially throughout “Brother’s Keeper”. “Glory” gives off a soulful vibe, a warmth not particularly noticed in its predecessors, as both “Tightrope” and “Panoramic Girl” re-introduce the head bobbing tempo we’re so fond of from this particular act. “You + I” has a glittery feel to it – perhaps most notable in the simplistic, puppy love-like lyrics – and the title track rounds out the collection with the most layered, danceable feel to the entire album.
Keep up with Young The Giant here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 19, 2018 | albums, review
Alternative musician Novo Amor may have written and recorded the entirety of his new album in his home studio in Whales, but the sound is so polished and ethereal in its disposition that you would think it came to be in a garden somewhere. Beginning with tranquil, tone-setting track “Emigrate”, the album slowly layers in like a delectable dream sequence. “Birthplace” brings in more staccato notes – invoking a sense of excitement during parts of the song – and percussion that will change the rate of your heartbeat. “Utican” can be described as nothing if not as a freeing, energetic anthem, while “Seneca” dances delicately along the edges of your shoulders, as if to wrap you in an other-worldly hug.
“Anniversary” is largely instrumental, ushering in an energy and sound that feels like everyone you know is singing along. “13494” follows a similar feel to its predecessor, though darker in tone in a way that makes the track feel more robust. “State Lines” falls into the more conventional “folk singer-songwriter” category, and we’re eating it up like there’s no tomorrow. Seriously, turn this one on, turn your most twinkling lights on, and gaze out the window for a while. Pure bliss.
“Sleepless” is a more conventional anthem in its composition, but equally ethereal as the vocals maintain their light as a feather tone. Even “Repeat Until Death” doesn’t have the negative or dark tones to it as implied in the title, but to categorize it as anything other than melancholic would be a miss in our minds. And that’s fine, as the range of emotion and writing styles allows us a more intense peek into the creative mind of Novo Amor. He ends it all with “Oh, Round Lake”, a simplistic by impactful track that leaves you wanting to dance in that fairy-lit garden, breathing in the autumn night air.
Novo Amor kicks off his UK tour tonight. Head out to one of the dates below to check it out!
NOVO AMOR INTERNATIONAL TOUR DATES:
Fri 19 Oct – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds UK
Sat 20 Oct – The Haunt, Brighton, UK
Mon 22 Oct – Union Chapel, London, UK
Tue 23 Oct – Union Chapel, London, UK
Wed 24 Oct – La Maroquinerie, Paris, FR
Thu 25 Oct – Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnhof, Heidelberg, DE
Sat 27 Oct – Vega, Copenhagen, DK
Sun 28 Oct – Kagelbanan, Stockholm, SE
Tue 30 Oct – Botanique Orangerie, Brussels, Belgium BE
Wed 31 Oct – Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam, NL
Thu 1 Nov – Gruenspan, Hamburg DE
Fri 2 Nov – Funkhaus Berlin Nalepastrasse, Berlin DE
Mon 12 Nov – Atlanta GA, US
Wed 14 Nov – Union Stage, Washington DC, US
Thu 15 Nov – Bowery Ballroom, New York NY, US
Sat 17 Nov – The Sinclair, Cambridge MA, US
Tue 20 Nov – Theatre Farimount, Montreal, CA
Wed 21 Nov – Velvet Underground, Toronto, CA
Fri 23 Nov – Lincoln Hall, Chicago IL, US
Sat 24 Nov – Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis MN, US
Tue 27 Nov – Bluebird Theater, Denver CO, US
Wed Nov 28 – The Commonwealth Room, Salt Lake City UT, US
Fri 30 Nov – St. James Hall, Vancouver, CA
Sat 1 Dec – Columbia City Theater, Seattle WA US
Sun 2 Dec – Doug Fir Lounge, Portland OR, US
Tue 4 Dec – Swedish American Hall, San Francisco CA, US
Thu 6 Dec – Lodge Room, Los Angeles CA, US
Birthplace is available now. Keep up with Novo Amor here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 5, 2018 | albums, review
After her riveting performance of “Woman” on Colbert, Cat Power releases her 11-track album, Wanderer, in its entirety today. The luscious, soft sounds of the title track lead us into the piece, slowly and confidently building up sound and backing instrumentals to provide the robust, ethereal sound that continues through second track “In Your Face”. Third track “You Get” has a bit of a punk edge to the instrumentals, while “Woman” provides a more soulful sound, reflecting the strength of an entire gender. “Horizon” stays at that level, while “Stay” slows things down a tad bit more and seems to play more with dissonance and vocal placement than its predecessors.
“Black” is hauntingly beautiful, the vocals presented akin to Imogen Heap, while “Robbin Hood” simplifies the instrumentals a little more for us. Cat Power’s raspy vocals in “Me Voy” are alluring, drawing you right into the mood and sounds of last track “Wanderer/Exit”, which provides quite the closing to the album.
The journey you go on with this album is at a manageable pace for you to slow down your thoughts and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. We advise you to take advantage of the soothing soundscape this week.
Keep up with Cat Power here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 1, 2018 | albums, review
On September 28th, New York-based trio Isla Invisible – comprised of Rebecca Adorno, Julian Brau, and Ryan Correira – released four track collection EP1, and we’ve got some thoughts. From the first, slow, almost trepidatious lines of initial track “Pillow”, EP1 seems to glide through the atmosphere, leaving showers of slow motion glitter in its wake. Even with the deeper, surf-friendly sounds of “Outward” – check out the lyrics that match the vibes of the instrumentals perfectly – and its punk-tinged follow-up “Frail Devices”, the collection boasts an ethereal yet raw sound that will stick with you hours past listening to it. “If All Is” rounds it all out with that same soft sound provided by the vocals in “Pillow”, though there’s much more intent behind this track. It might actually throw you into a state where you’re not entirely sure which emotion you should evoke, but that’s the beauty of EP1. It brings us to a place where we can lay our emotions bare and feel what the music has to offer.
Take a listen below.
Keep up with Isla Invisible here.
by Gemma Harewood | Sep 28, 2018 | albums, wolf tracks
There is something special out for release by BLVTH right now. With his influences ranging greatly from bass to hip-hop and everything in between, the mysterious producer has just delivered his eight-track EP blut. It’s an enticing listen for many reasons, but we love the way that BLVTH refuses to stay within the constraints of one or two genres.
Standouts on the EP have to come courtesy of “Pusher” (we particularly love the version featuring vocalist Soiceytrap), and “Disney,” which really hits hard with its moments of sharp contrast.
You can now listen through each eight tracks in full, check them out right here.
