Kotomi

I caught many a fantastic band today, and kick-starting the whole thing off was the soothing, soaring, dancey synth pop of LA's Kotomi.  In a lot of ways they reminded me of Incubator favorite HAERTS, and that is always a good thing around here.  Listen to "Ooh La La" below and download a bunch of stuff from the artist here.

SXSW 2018 Day 2 Pics

Today's music came via the good folks at Gorilla Vs. Bear, Winspear, and Cheer Up Charlie's, featuring an array of bands all over North America.  Another beautiful day.  Another round of great artists.  Check out some pics below.

Note: It is crazy that there is not more hype surrounding Montreal's Anemone.  They were fantastic, my favorite of the fest so far, and will be hard to surpass.

Kotomi

Haley Heynderickx

Caroline Says

Major Murphy

Hatchie

Hovvdy

Anemone

Anemone

Barrie

Thunder Dreamer

Helena Deland

Helena Deland

Amy O

Men I Trust

True Blue

I'll be back tomorrow...

George Clanton

George Clanton is a Brooklyn electronic/chillwave artist that i'm just now hearing for the first time this morning, but his hazy, throwback synth tones and mellow groove are the perfect bits of sound to get me out the door and walking around this crazy town for SXSW.  Listen to "Make It Forever" below and download the single here from 100% Electronica.

Living Nudes - Invisible, Like Peace

Recording time has been a fleeting thing these last couple of months (turns out kids take up a lot of time...who knew?), though my goal for 2018 is still to record and release all the remaining old songs i have laying around in notebooks and my head.  Right now, i'm trying to complete another LP consisting of songs i wrote around the time my dad passed away, and a couple of songs originally written for my old band, now in lo-fi, bedroom pop form.  Here's one i finished.  15 years ago, "Invisible, Like Peace" was kind of a hardcore punk rock song.  Things change i guess.  Listen below, download here, listen to my other stuff, etc., if you are so inclined...of course.

Occams Laser

Before i call it a day, here's some techno-drenched synth wave from UK artist Occams Laser.  I'm always a total sucker for this kind of stuff.  Listen to "Left Behind" below and cop the new "New Blood" album here from Time Slave Recordings.

Cones

I was only able to catch a few bands this afternoon, but i was pleasantly surprised by LA band Cones and their head-bobbing brand of synthy, dreamy pop music.  Definitely tapping into the sounds of the '80s and grooving along with jangly guitars and airy synth tones, the 5-piece was very certainly my favorite act of the day.  Listen to the band's "Echoes On" below and download it here.

SXSW 2018 Day 1 Pics

Well, it's that time of year again, and as per usual, i'll be bumming around Austin, poking my head into all the performances i can find, day drinking, and loving my week away from work.  Monday is always pretty chill, as the festivities (music at least) have not gone into full effect just yet, parking was still relatively ample, and it was sunny and 65 degrees today.  I hit up Strange Brew VII over at Hotel Vegas for a couple of hours before children beckoned.  Here's some pics.

LUCIA

Joseph King and The Mad Crush

Catholic Action

Cones

I'll be back with more tomorrow.  Hooray!

Wyatt Blair

LA artist Wyatt Blair goes full on '80s synth pop with his latest single "The Want to Be Wanted," synths and layered guitar tones invoking John Hughes nostalgia.  It's instantly hummable and accessible without being cloying.  Listen below, download here, and check out new full-length "Smoke and Mirrors" here.

Friday Horror Trailer...a couple of days late - Blood Beach

Started my vacation and totally spaced about posting a horror trailer on Friday, so here ya go.  Better late than never.

Poser

Waxwork is at again with more comic book / 7" vinyl madness.  This time around brings us the first issue of a new series "Poser" by Matt Miner and Clay McCormack, a horror story set in an underground punk rock scene setting.  Whereas the "House of Waxwork" books have an old school EC vibe going for them, "Poser" looks like something that might have been on Vertigo in the late '80s/early '90s.  Toxic Holocaust's Joel Grind provides the soundtrack.  Listen to both tracks below, described by the label as "Black Flag meets John Carpenter" and "Discharge meets Tangerine Dream."  Sweet.  Get it here.