Orca Orca/ Qualms split 7"

Last week, Boston dream-poppers Orca Orca and Qualms released a collaborative split single on the web. Although all three musicians (Orca Orca is a one man affair and Qualms is a duo) played on both songs, the two songs have distinct enough feels to justify being separately credited. The Orca Orca track is another slice of the sort of mellowed out lo-fi pop that was unavoidable about two years ago. Vintage Casio tones, slightly more aggressive guitar work and vocals vaguely similar to Ben Gibbard keep the song distinct. The Qualms track is colder, sparser affair with hypnotic guitars and synth stabs swirling around two part vocals. Orca Orca's vocals fit the second track even better than his own, making me hope such a fruitful collaboration won't be relegated to just one single.

Check Out my original post on Orca Orca, and Qualm's first single below.

Matt Nichols - "Open"

While walking the streets of LA, Matt Nichols sees sounds and locks himself in his apartment for weeks until he is able to render those sounds into his music. The product is meticulously crafted trance which relies on the solid fundamentals of the genre while wildly experimenting with darker themes (EDMversion of Mangum, anyone?). He has used his gift and teamed up with Film-Maker Vincent Dale who hears sights. Dale put together a rough cut of a video, sent it to Nichols who made the track based off the rough cut, then sent it back to Dale for a final edit. The product is divine.

Ifan Dafydd - No Good

UK bass music made by a man whose name doesn't start with the letter "J". Though this track isn't made by an artist named James or Jamie, it holds a striking resemblance to the style of the eloquent James Blake. It turns out that Dafydd was room-mates with the prince of dubstep himself and took influence from James. The result is perfect.

Shearwater - Breaking the Yearlings

I think I can finally see Shearwater without unfairly casting them in the shadow of Okkervil River. The former  side project has been a stand alone unit (without Okkervil frontman Will Sheff) for several years now, but the side-project feel was hard to shake. Signing to Sub-pop never hurts when it comes to taking a band more seriously, but its their first single for the label that really has me reevaluating the band. "Breaking the Yearlings" is massive, vaguely prog-rock and a great reminder that Ornate arrangements don't have to be tame arrangements.




"Breaking the Yearlings" is the first single off of Animal Joy, which drops February 14

Handsome Furs - Serve the People

Music Video: Rich Aucoin - It

Toyko Gold by Luminary Youth

2011 has proven to be the year of the bedroom beatmaker. With a full-length EP expected from Luminary Youth, its seems like 2011 is just the beginning.