Sharing the sharing.
Portland-based Radiation City recently dropped their third LP and first with Polyvinyl Records. Synesthetica is a hook-driven, electro-pop gold mine – the deeper you dig into the album the more rich stuff you find. Check out one of many standout tracks “Milky White” (below) for a taste.
Synesthetica is out now and available in all formats from Polyvinyl.
Radiation City – Milky White from Synesthetica (2016)
Scott Reitherman is back with his second album as Pillar Point, Marble Mouth. Recorded at Kevin Barnes’ (of Montreal) home studio, Marble Mouth is an electro-pop masterpiece with of enough throbbing bass and synths to make any fan of 80’s electro drool. Check out the sun-soaked “Dove” below for a taste.
Marble Mouth is out on January 22 through Polyvinyl Records, it’s a must have for your record collection.
Pillar Point – Dove from Marble Mouth (2016)
Miami quartet Krisp blend elements of electro-pop, chillwave and some good old rock and roll to create a throwback of sorts to the new wave sounds of the 80’s.
Check out their super-tight, dance-pop single “167” below (named for it’s BPM), it’s the most upbeat track from their new album, Sonic Monarch, and one of the best from it.
Sonic Monarch is out on January 15 via Gummdrop Records.
Krisp – 167 from Sonic Monarch (2016)
Lasso is the solo (mostly) project of Tucson multi-instrumentalist/beat maker Andy Catlin. He covers about every genre imaginable throughout his seven release discography, including psych, pop, electro, hip hop, pop and rock. His newest release, Into The Lasso, is a kind of groovy, psych-pop meets hip hop beats hybrid. Check out the Money Mark-like album opener “Pepper”, it’s a great example of what this guy can do.
Into The Lasso is available now from Lasso’s bandcamp page. While you are there be sure to check out his other releases, you will not be disappointed.
Lasso – Pepper from Into The Lasso (2015)
Swedish duo Club 8 celebrate their 20th anniversary this month and they’re kicking things off with their ninth album, Pleasure, due out the 20th of this month. Club 8 began as a bedroom, twee-folk band with a knack for dropping in a few beats and knob-twists to taste. Based on the two songs I’ve heard from this new album, the band is putting a heavy emphasis on club. No longer the exception, dance beats are now the rule. For their 20 year celebration Club 8 is moving the party from their house to a nightclub—hitting the lights and getting down!
Public shout out to my man Todd for keeping the ‘hive alive! I dig his picks and I’m geeked to have him on board! If you’re keeping track at home, I haven’t posted here in over two years. Sad but true. Thanks for stopping by!
Band & The Beat is the new project of husband and wife duo Tracy Shedd and James Tritten. Using only analog synthesizers and an analog drum machine, they have created quite the infectious dream-pop sound.
Dig on the warbly synths and lo-fi vocals of their first single “Buoy” below. Hopefully there will be many more songs from these guys in the future. Enjoy.
Band & The Beat – Buoy (2015)
Be sure to catch Band & The Beat on tour in a city near you:
Oct 14 . Durham NC . The Pinkhook . w/ Jphono1, Schooner (solo)
Oct 17 . Raleigh NC . Slim’s . w/ Jason Herring & The Mystery Plan
Oct 18 . Chapel Hill NC . Local 506 . w/ Nuns (Oklahoma)
Oct 19 . Knoxville TN . Pilot Light . w/ Bark (mems. of Tim Lee 3)
Oct 20 . Nashville TN . The Basement – 8:00pm – New Faces Nite
Oct 20 . Nashville TN . The 5 Spot – 10:00pm – $2 Tuesday
Oct 21 . Nashville TN . The Basement East – New Faces Nite
Oct 22 . Athens GA . Flicker
Oct 23 . Charlotte NC . Petra’s . w/ Jason Herring & The Mystery Plan
Nov 1 . Durham NC . Duke Coffeehouse . w/ Free Pizza (Boston MA)
Nov 7 . Chapel Hill NC . The Cave . w/ Tim Lee 3
I can’t get enough of Vancouver electro-pop duo Cafe Lanai. The tropical sounds, hushed vocals and throbbing beat of their first single, “Lanai” (below), is quite intoxicating and I find myself listening to it over and over again.
Cafe Lanai’s debut EP, Paradise, is out June 3oth on Hybridity Music. It’s the perfect soundtrack for your cruise around town. Make sure the volume is up and your windows are down.
Cafe Lanai – Lanai from Paradise EP (2015)
What better way is there to follow the face melting goodness of Wand than the dreamy electro-beats from Slow Magic?
There is not much out there about Slow Magic. What I can tell you is this masked man’s music is some super chilled-out, head-bobbing, beat-driven, seat-dance inducing electronica. Check out “Girls” below for a taste. Slow Magic’s sophomore release (and first with Downtown Records) How To Run Away, is available now through his Bandcamp page.
Slow Magic – Girls from How To Run Away (2014)
The newest release from New York’s Tyburn Saints, With The Night In Our Eyes, is a solid six songs of dark, haunting, post-rock meets electro-pop music that oozes the 1980’s. Check out the dark yet shimmery “A Way With Her” below. It’s my favorite track from the album. With The Night In Our Eyes is available to purchase from Tyburn Saints’ Bandcamp page. Enjoy.
Tyburn Saints – A Way With Her from With The Night In Our Eyes (2014)
I love this time of year. My kids are out of school, starting tomorrow. We’ve been enjoying our son’s baseball games, chilling out on the porch until dark, a little yard work and some serious (not really that serious) street carving sessions on our skateboards lately. The soundtrack to these recent good times has been the electro-pop beats of Identical Homes’ new LP, A. Hydrophelia.
Identical Homes is the new-ish project of ex Rum Diary member, Daniel McKenzie. He crafts a catchy, chilled-out, yet warm brand of electro-pop that is sure to cause involuntary head bobbing. Check out “Formula” (below) from the B-side, it’s one of my favorite tracks from the album. A. Hydrophelia is out now and is available to buy/stream, digitally, from Identical Homes’ Bandcamp page. It’s also available on a really cool looking 12″ picture disc LP through the same Bandcamp page. This is a great summer time album, that belongs in your collection.
Thanks to Daniel for sending this my way through the inbox, along with a picture of his cat, Barracuda, and generously sending me one of the sweet picture discs.
Identical Homes – Formula from A. Hydrophelia (2014)
