Dungen & Woods

Mexican Summer's Marfa Myths has been a pretty interesting little festival these last couple of years, and someday i'm really going to have to venture west into the desert to check this music and art gathering out.  The lineups are always great, both sonically and visually, the whole thing seems like this really cool and intimate affair.  So far, each year has spawned a collaborative record from a pair of artist released on the record label as a kind of series called "Myths."  2015 gave us work from Connan Mockasin and Dev Hynes from Blood Orange and 2016 was an almost madrigal pairing of Ariel Pink and Weyes Blood.  2017's effort, which comes out in March, is a collection of poppy, folksy psych jams from the boys in Dungen and Woods.  Listen to "Turn Around" below and pre-order the record here.  Also, get tickets to the festival here if you are so inclined.  This year's collaboration will be from Deerhunter/Atlas Sound main man Bradford Cox and Cate Le Bon.

Luke Reed - I'm Dreaming

Singer/songwriter Luke Reed has been releasing absolutely stellar lo-fi pop gems for the last year or so, and he looks to continue doing so in 2018.  First single of the year is "I'm Dreaming," a jangly dreampop ditty to maybe wash away some of the State of the Union stink from last night.  Listen below and download it here via The Native Sound.

C-Gak

I have long been a fan of synth scores to imaginary films.  They just hit the right buttons for me.  Anyway, here's one from C-Gak, the synth-driven project of RX Bandits member Christopher Tsagakis.  Listen to "Title Sequence" below and get "The Alternate Reality Synthesizer" EP here.

King Tuff - The Other

It's been almost 4 years since we last heard from King Tuff, his 2014 album "Black Moon Spell" apparently kicking all the asses.  Anyway, the artist is back with a new single, "The Other," and gone are the rip-roaring guitar riffs and boogie beats, replaced by a piano and keyboard driven 6-minute ballad about depression.  It's quite a turn, and also quite amazing, revealing a different facet to the rocker.  Watch the video below.

Ultimate Painting

Ultimate Painting have been kicking it around for a few years now, releasing 3 great albums of Velvet Underground-indebted pop rock.  New album "Up!" looks to keep the trend around.  Watch the video for "Not Gonna Burn Myself Anymore" below and get the new record in April from Bella Union.

Launder

Launder is the dreamy, wistful, low-key project from LA artist John Cudlip.  Debut EP "Pink Cloud" is due in March, and it features production from Day Wave's Jackson Phillips, guitar work from DIIV's Zachary Cole Smith, and vocals from French artist Soko.  That's quite a lineup.  Listen to "Fade" below and pre-order the album here.

Mind Over Mirrors

Experimental artist Mind Over Mirrors has been making consistently interesting and challenging music for a number of years now, and this April brings the latest, an album called "Bellowing Sun" that serves as both a new record and the soundtrack to a collaborative visual art project involving a large zoetropic sculpture and lighting design.  Whoa.  Anyway, take a listen to the first bit of music released from the record, the synthy, proggy "Matchstick Grip," featuring some guest vocals from Eleventh Dream Day's Janet Bean, and pre-order the record here from Paradise of Bachelors.

Habibi

Whenever i'm feeling like i need some of that 60's sunshine psych/jangly surf/girls-in-the-garage style pop rock, the universe always seems to answer.  And so we have the latest from New York quintet Habibi, and their upcoming double 7" EP, "Cardamom Garden."  First taste "Nedayeh Bahar" floats and caresses, a kind of hazy faux mysticism paired with cigarettes and beer in some old Southern California garage.  It's excellent.  Listen below and pre-order the EP from Modern Sky Entertainment here.

Sunwatchers

Get your socially conscious, interstellar groove on with the sun-blasted, sax-riffing brand of cosmic boogie from New York ensemble Sunwatchers.  New album "II" is due next week on Trouble In Mind, but you should definitely listen to the searing "Silent Boogie" below.

Friday Horror Trailer - Fade to Black