Labyrinth Ear - Humble Bones

UK synth pop group Labyrinth Ear are prepping to release their second EP on February 7th. The band starting gaining buzz around their Arthur Russel cover last year, but they had all but disappeared from my awareness until I saw their single floating around various blogs today. Humble Bones is a subtle improvement on their current sound, exuding a level of confidence like nothing they've released so far. A fine introduction to the band's dark tropical pop that's sure to gain momentum.

Pre-order the Apparitions EP on bandcamp and get a free download of Humble Bones immediately. You can download their first EP for free at their website. 

Introducing: Traveling

I found myself pleasantly surprised last week when Traveling made their way through Tallahassee. Even though it was only their fourth show together, Traveling (fronted by one of the members of Good Luck) ripped through a painfully short set of no frills Indie Rock. No frills certainly isn't a slight though. Who needs frills when you've got great vocals, perfect guitar tones and insanely catchy melodies? Traveling are still hanging out in the Sunshine state, and will be playing two shows at Fest this weekend in Gainseville. Even if you can't make it to a show, check out their four song demo below, and be ready to smile.

Ela Orleans

I've been intrigued by Ela Orleans since I Know was featured on Grrrzzly's first mixtape at the beginning of this year. My obsession solidified with her inclusion on two separate label compilations for Beko. Along with label-mate Dirty Beaches, Ela Orleans is the leader of the pack in extending the current weirdo-vintage trend into the 50s. Her 12" split with Dirty Beaches is about to be released on La Station Radar (an incredible label thats essentially forming the impending 50s revival) and there are another three records coming from Ela in the coming year. Watch two Neo-Noir performance videos and grab the new track from Clandestine's Beko compilation below.

Ela Orleans "Myriads" from movies for ears on Vimeo.

Ela Orleans "Beat Goes On" from movies for ears on Vimeo.

Light at Dawn - Ela Orleans

Christian AIDS

Actual text from me to my buddy Andrew Daw:

Someone named Christian AIDS friend requested me on facebook. His only fan page is Wu Lyf and he has like 30 friends. I'm scared.

After that sufficiently mysterious introduction to the distastefully named Christian AIDS it took me two days to actually listen to their music. I have to say their music fits my initial reaction pretty well, and I love it. Christian AIDS have a lot in common with Wu Lyf; They're both from Manchester, enjoy provocative band titles and no one really knows who they are. Musically though, Christian AIDS are a bit closer to a post-rager Crystal Castles, or a Witch House band going outside.

Dada Trash Collage - Cool waves/Bad Days

Think Totally Nebular plus Dead Gaze. Personally I think the extra lo-fi watery tin can voice suites Dead Gaze better than these guys, but I won't hold it against them. And just like Totally Nebular these tunes occasionally push past my personal "disorienting but still enjoyable" barrier. I can't hold that against them either though, because if you're making experimental/psychedelic pop/rock you really should be pushing those boundaries.

Ben Talmi - All Up To You/Lost at Sea

I'm not sure if I've gushed about the Beko singles yet, but if not you need to check them out! They release a new digital single for free every Monday. In general I haven't heard of the artists featured in the series and this week is no exception. Ben Talmi is new to me but he has two EPs on his bandcamp already. The two songs sound a bit like a baroque Ratatat, with seriously bass heavy synths, crazy winding classical guitars, and strings in Lost at Sea. There may be a lot going on in these songs, but Talmi's voice still manages to steal the show.

Ghost Eyes

London's Ghost Eyes are currently on tour with Gold Panda (first reason you should be interested!) and bring to mind Wise Blood (second reason you should be interested). Seriously can't stop rocking out to their song Phantom Mountain, its pretty funky and some tribal sounding samples really make it stand out. Stream and Download Phantom Eyes and Stream a few others. Thanks to Yours Truly!

Latest tracks by Ghost-Eyes

new artist: PEERS

Melodramatic, Moody, British. Gotta love teenage(literally) rockers PEERS. Download 2 demos from them below (while supplies last!) I've got The Pool on repeat at the moment, football is pretty fantastic as well though. Thanks to Illegal Tender for the find.

The Pool (demo) by PEERS

Football (demo) by PEERS

Paperfangs

I've really been Jamming to Paperfangs lately, in particularly their song Oh I Wandered. Yeah, you could say they're chillwave informed, but its much more clear headed, without a sense of the woozy melancholy that really signifies that kind of music. They remind me a lot of a more matured Computer Magic. They have a new single out via Eardrumspop(fo free) and check out my personal favorite of their's Oh I Wandered.

Paperfangs - ePop006 - digital single by EardrumsPop

Oh I Wandered by Paperfangs

New Music: Shimmering Stars, Bedrooms of the Nation

Shimmering Stars and Bedrooms of the Nation have a lot in common. They are both from Canada, they both make dreamy early 60s rock, they are both amazing and they are of course top friends of each other on myspace. And seriously, thank goodness for that last one!! I discovered Bedrooms of the Nation while listening to Shimmering Stars on Myspace and decided to check them out solely on their picture and name.

Shimmering Stars:

Sun's Going Down (via p4k)

I'm Gonna Try (via p4k)

Sabians

Shimmering Stars has been getting a fair amount of buzz lately (I first heard of them on Delicious Scopitone) and deservedly so! I really can't stop listening to Sun's Going Down, perfect harmonies, perfect rock out. "I'm gonna Try" thrives on the tension by pitting its scarily antisocial lyrics and bedroom recording against its sugary sound. Sabians feels a bit like a Fleet Foxes song.

Bedrooms of the Nation:

Shiny Fur

Post Nihilism

Vibrations

Shiny Fur starts off slow, and shows some seriously rewarding restraint before rocking out. Post Nihilism's and Vibrations' use of vocal samples fit the mood in a creepy but appropriate way, not unlike Cults. Both of those songs are louder and edgier than anything by Cults or even Shimmering Stars though.

Teen Daze

Teen Daze, signed to my favorites Arcade Sounds churn out chillwave remixes like mad, but increased quantity doesn't mean decreased quality with these guys. Although I personally enjoy their remixes more than their original songs, don't take those for granted either! Their 8 song debut EP "Four More Years" was released this summer. Anyways, I'll just post some of my favorite Teen Daze remixes, a teen daze original, and (now try and stay with me here) a dechillwaved version of one of his own songs! Presented below in easy to understand chemical reaction form.

Teen Daze + (different artist's) not chillwave song --> chillwave remix.

O.N.E- Yeasayer (teen daze remix)

Wide Eyes - Local Natives (teen daze remix)

Wet Hair - Japandroids (teen daze remix)

End of Days - Gobble Gobble(teen daze remix)

Beach City - Dream Cop (teen daze remix)

Or

Teen Daze --> (original) chillwave song --> not chillwave acoustic version.

For Paulina- Teen Daze

For Paulina (acoustic) - Teen Daze (via thefmly)

Moon Lasso - Lamplighter

New Coma Cinema song, plus new project Coma Foxes!

Mat Cothran AKA Coma Cinema, is a busy man! His third Album in 3 years, Blue Suicide is supposedly coming out in October, and now hes started a new project with follow one-man-bander Warren Hildebrand AKA Foxes in Fiction. Sure the name Coma Foxes isn't so original but their sound.... wow. As far as I know they only have 1 song currently released called school night and it is something else. Out of tune keys and intruding muffled gurgles, not to mention the painfully abrupt ending morph this modest piano ballad into something much darker.

Maybe I think its so great because of the associations I make with it, not only based off the lyrics, but also the title and the cover art, either way listen for you're self, and while you're at it check out songs from both guys by themselves, Wandering is a new one from Coma Cinema that may or may not make it on to Blue Suicide. Bathurst isn't as new, but it is a good introduction to Foxes' sound.

School Night - Coma Foxes

Wondering - Coma Cinema

Bathurst - Foxes in Fiction

Slow Animal

Pretty cool 4 song Demo from lo-fi punkers Slow Animal. Reminds me of pre-studio Wavves, but with less complaining and a little more focus on melody. Sanity (track 3) is the track got me interested, but Dolt Heart (track 4) is now my favorite on here.

Totally Nebular

I was in Gainesville for Gobble Gobble (Probably my favorite band I found about this summer) and was very pleasantly surprised by one of the local bands playing with them! Just a disclaimer, Cecil from Gobble Gobble called them weird. And he wears fairy wings on stage. Totally Nebular consisted of 3 guys, constantly switching instruments, usually in the middle of a song. They played on the floor instead of on the stage and destroyed my ears. In concert they seemed kind of screamo, but on record it comes out more like yelps. (probably better for them anyways, otherwise Brokencyde references might be hard to shake) The best way to describe their style is like a more punk, sung tongs/feels era Animal Collective mixed with the occasional vampire weekend nod. Good stuff really! Well enough of my incoherent babbling, if you can't tell I'm really excited about these guys!

Anthony Naples - Totally Nebular

Anthony Naples starts off pretty twee, but has a very animal collective-like bridge full of samples. Check out more on their myspace and if you're digging it get all of Boat Boat for free here.

Coma Cinema

Coma Cinema didn't make it on to my best so far list but I've spent a significant portion of the last 2 months jamming to their album Stoned Alone released in June, particularly the short but sweet "Come on Apathy!

Blue suicide is their new album, coming out sometime soon(no official date yet). Check out a new track to be featured on Blue Suicide called "Business as Usual" along with my personal favorite "Come on Apathy"

Business As Usual

Come on Apathy!

Last but certainly not least, download all of Stoned Alone and 2009's Baby Prayers here.

Young Montana?

I have no idea if these guys made up the genre Airhorn step(I'm really not deep at all into the dub/grime out there these days) but this band is sick and thats a very apt description for it actually. If the first song trips you out too much still check out the second one, it actually has vocals and a more traditional song structure. Maybe its because I'm not listening to enough underground/ fringe hip hop but the best way I can describe SuchBeats is as a chillwave rap song. Chillhop?
on east village radio w/GASLAMP KILLER by Young Montana?

Suchbeats (feat. Stainless Steele) by Young Montana?