Dean Blunt

Here's a wonderful, soothing new jam from Dean Blunt (formerly Hype Williams).  "Papi" is taken from Blunt's new LP, "The Redeemer," due from Hippos in Tanks in May.  And i'm under the weather right now, so this is the perfect jam to send me off to sleep land.  Goodnight everybody.

Gazelle Twin

Because i can't get enough of dark, brooding electronic music, and because the album cover above will probably work its way into my nightmares at some point in the near future, i give you "I Turn My Arm," the latest from Elizabeth Walling, aka Gazelle Twin.  The "Mammal" EP is currently available from Sugarcane.  Order it here and listen below.

Colin Stetson

It's very hard to describe the music of saxophonist Colin Stetson.  He serves as a session and touring musician for a lot of indie acts (see Arcade Fire), but his real calling are his solo works, jarring and hypnotic solo takes that seem to be channeled directly from the old gods.  He sounds like an army of musicians just using his mouth.  "New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light" is due in April from Constellation.  The first two parts of this trilogy are brilliant, and i have to highly recommend that if you ever get a chance to see this guy do what he does live, you jump on that chance like a fat kid on cupcake.  It's awe inspiring.  Listen to dense, almost tribal "High Above a Grey Green Sea" below.

The Knife

My younger, more impressionable years were spent idling the time away with a plethora of electronic music, via the stomping industrial vibes of Wax Trax, the drug trip that is The Orb, the nightmare inducing sounds and images from Aphex Twin, or the plain old retro booty shaking of Daft Punk.  And then we parted ways as i explored new pastures only to be drawn back into the fold in 2006 with the now iconic "Silent Shout" from Sweden's The Knife.  2013 finally sees the proper follow up to that amazing album with the forthcoming "Shaking the Habitual" from Mute.  (For some reason or another, 2010's Darwinian electro-opera "Tomorrow, In a Year" doesn't count.)  At any rate, we are very, very excited about the new jams.  Watch the video/short film for first single "Full of Fire," directed by Marit Östberg below.

New Sleep ∞ Over

Austin's own Stefanie Franciotti, otherwise known as Sleep ∞ Over, will be releasing a new 7" of dreamy, ethereal, sometimes haunting pop rock via Hippos In Tanks tomorrow.  Listen to both sides below, "Rooftop," and the cover of Vashti Bunyan's "I Want to Be Alone."




Hooray!

New Dirty Beaches

Dirty Beaches (Alex Zhang Hungtai) has been one of our favorite artists to emerge over the last couple of years.  His stark take on rockabilly and forays into almost spooky instrumental territory paint a rich tapestry that would be perfect as a score to a David Lynch movie.  A double album, "Drifters/Love Is The Devil" is due in May from Zoo Music, but listen to the instrumental dirge that is the title track below.

Ty Segall at The Mohawk pics

Here's a couple of pics from Friday night's excellent Ty Segall show at The Mohawk.  Viva garage rock!

OBN III's

Ex-Cult

Ty Segall

Ty Segall

Troller

Originally released on cassette last year, the good people at Holodeck Records (in conjunction with now kind of defunct Light Lodge Records) have taken it upon themselves to reissue gloomy Austin goth-synth band Troller's self-titled debut on vinyl.  And we are total suckers when it comes to gloomy goth-synth bands.  Grab the record here while you still can and listen to the longing "Tiger" below.

Yellow Loveless

Because racism is perfectly funny and acceptable if you're doing it to yourself (am i right Spike Lee?), the tribute to My Bloody Valentine's seminal 1991 album "Loveless" featuring a slew of Japanese bands is titled "Yellow Loveless."  The album features Boris, Shonen Knife, and a bunch of other bands i've never heard of.  Here's the tracklist:

01. Tokyo Shoegazer – “Only Shallow”
02. GOATBED – “Loomer”
03. The Sodom Project – “Touched”
04. Lemon’s Chair – “To Here Knows When”
05. Shonen Knife – “When You Sleep”
06. Tokyo Shoegazer – “I Only Said”
07. Age of Punk – “Come in Alone”
08. Boris – “Sometimes”
09. Shinobu Narita (4-D Mode1) – “Blown a Wish”
10. Lemon’s Chair – “What You Want”
11. Sadesper Record – “Soon”

Listen to Boris's fuzzy, distorted take on our all time favorite MBV jam "Sometimes" below via youtube, and keep your eyes peeled for the album from High Fader Records.

b

Paul Banks mixtape

"Everybody on My Dick Like They Supposed to Be."  Indeed.  Paul Banks of Interpol fame just release a hip-hop mixtape today...and it's actually pretty good.  Mr. Banks has the good manners to not rap himself, and the largely instrumental and sample heavy affair is momentarily graced by the likes of El-P, Mike G from Odd Future, and Talib Kweli.  And it's called "Everybody on My Dick Like They Supposed to Be."  Stream below and download for free here.

New Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips' new album "The Terror" comes out in April, but in the meantime, we can all tide ourselves over with the video for non-album track "Sun Blows Up Today."  It's the visual equivalent of your brain melting.  The track will also be in a commercial during the Super Bowl...so there's that.  Watch below.

Benoît Pioulard / Foxes in Fiction

Because it's Thursday, and i'm doing laundry, and i'm debating whether or not to read more of Murakami's "1Q84" or crack open a beer or both, here's some mood music from Benoît Pioulard and Foxes in Fiction.  "Ground Glass" is a reverb-heavy piece of droney, shoegazey pop from the duo's upcoming 7" release on Wool Recordings.  Listen below and bask in the echo...

Schuh, Pink, and Cowboy

LA weirdos Neil Schuh, Crooked Cowboy, and the always eclectic Ariel Pink teamed together to record a one off 7" for Origami Records.  "Cloak and Dagger" is a strange mix of warbled vocals, dubby bass lines, and echoed atmospherics.  Trippy stuff.  Listen below and grab the record here.

New Julian Lynch

Over the course of three albums, Jersey resident Julian Lynch has created a wonderful tapestry of beautiful, dreamy psych-folk pop songs for the new century.  He continues to do so on the upcoming "Lines" LP due from Underwater Peoples in March.  Listen to the woozy and soothing "Carios Kelleyi I" below.

Clogs

Clogs are a collective of musicians crafting a mix of folk and psychedelia (among other things).  Members have included The National's Bryce Dessner, My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden, and more.  "The Sundown Song" EP is their latest offering, and the title track's whispered folk paired with choir comes off like an early Leonard Cohen jam.  Great stuff.  Listen below and grab the EP here.

Yo La Tengo

It is necessary and proper to give credit to the old guard every now and then...especially when those old guard members are Hoboken legends Yo La Tengo and new album "Fade."  Picking up where they leave off on each consecutive album, the band continues their journey into the fuzzed out nether regions of rock and roll.  Listen to crunchy, slow burning album opener "Ohm" below and go get the album from Matador.  Go, go, go!

MMOSS

Wading their way through the collective sounds of 60's psych pop and crunchy 70's hard rock, New Hampshire's MMOSS craft classic rock songs to tap your foot to.  Grab a tambourine and you're ready to go.  Their latest album, "Only Children," is available now from Trouble In Mind.  Listen to "Another Dream" below.

Doldrums

Here's some new, warped digital-pop from Montreal's Doldrums.  "Anomaly" comes from the upcoming "Lesser Evil" LP due at the end of February from Arbutus.  The record was allegedly recorded on a laptop borrowed from fellow Canadian weirdo Grimes.  Listen below.

Digits

Digits is the minimal synth project of Toronto artist Alt Altman.  He has currently been at work on his "In the City of the Dead" project, an art project consisting of book chapters and songs to coincide with said chapters.  Get the rundown on the project here, but listen to the pulsing, post-apocalyptic first chapter, "Prologue:  In the City of the Dead" below.

Ty Segall - Thank God for Sinners video

Here's the touchy-feely video for Ty Segall's "Thank God for Sinners" from last year's excellent "Twins" LP.  Watch below and get the album from Drag City.

Wampire

The cover photo alone was enough to make me want to check out the stylings of Portland's warped pop act Wampire.  The band's debut LP "Curiosity" is due in May, but single "The Hearse" will be available as a 7" from Polyvinyl on March 5th.  In the meantime, listen below.

Jack Robert Hardman

Starting with some echoed Appalachian-choir-style vocals (a la early My Morning Jacket or Fleet Foxes) and combining with an easy, airy, soft piano and string section, England's Jack Robert Hardman captures the feel of a winter's evening with "Plymouth," taken from his eponymous debut album.  Listen below and download for free here.  For the moment, the album is only available digitally from itunes.

The Deadly Spawn

Aside from an excellent array of film posters and prints, the folks over at Mondo Tees have been putting out an awesome string of vinyl soundtrack releases over the last year and a half (see "Maniac" and "The Beyond"), and the new release of the monster movie madness that is 1983's "The Deadly Spawn" is no different.  The packaging is beautiful and the remastering of Michael Perilstein's original score is fantastic.  Unfortunately, the record is already sold out, but if you live in the Austin area, there are probably still copies available at Waterloo or End of an Ear.  Listen to "End Theme" below.

Silent Diane and Feathers at Mohawk (Free Week)

Not wanting to miss all of Free Week here in Austin, we finally made it out to catch a night of thumping beats, swelling synths, and soothing female vocals, checking out local acts Feathers and Silent Diane.  Here's a couple of pics and tracks.

Feathers

Silent Diane

Factory Floor

UK dance trio Factory Floor continue their beat making madness, culling from house music and post punk to get the booties shaking and the heart blasting.  New single "Fall Back" is no exception.  Listen below and get it next week from DFA.

Autre Ne Veut

Combining elements of indie synth-pop and R&B Kenyan born American Ex-Pat Arthur Ashin's Autre Ne Veut project twists and turns on its own unique soundscape.  Soulful explorations into innerspace.  Sophomore effort "Anxiety" will be out via Mexican Summer/Software in February.  In the meantime, jam to "Counting" below.

Cold Name

I can't find much information on darkwave techno act Cold Name, but their music weasels its way into your cranium like some unstoppable brain roach, high on all the subdued beats, textures, and mumblings.  It's like taking heroin at My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult concert.  Listen to "Intent to Kill" below, and be on the lookout for the group's debut cassette on Living Tapes.

Sally Shapiro

Here's a stellar new roller disco jam from Sally Shapiro and Electric Youth called "Starman" (pun definitely intended).  Listen below, close your eyes, and dance...you know you want to.  Ms. Shapiro's new album "Somewhere Else" is due in February from Paper Bag.

Javelin

Brooklyn electro-weirdos (creators of "Lindsay Brohan," one of our favorite songs of the last 5 years) Javelin are back in March with new album "Hi Beams."  Listen to "Nnormal" below and download (it will cost you an email address).  Get the album from Luaka Bop.

Rachel Zeffira

Former opera singer Rachel Zeffira has forayed into the indie pop world, creating a great mix of 60's throwback and subtly haunting pop rock jams.  Instantly hooky.  Listen to "Here On In" below and look for "The Deserters" LP in March from Paper Bag.

Eagulls

Eagulls are a loud, bombastic, and melodic punk band from Leeds.  They make music in a similar vein to Austin's ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead.  Listen to "Moulting" below and look for their 12" EP on Deranged Records.

Recycle Culture

Here's some gorgeous, mellow, ambient electronic music from producer Recycle Culture.  The "In Transit" EP is the perfect soundtrack to a cold, wet, bleary day like today (in central Texas at least).  Stream below, or buy the mp3's here.

New music from David Bowie!!!

2013 just keeps getting more awesome.  First, the news of a new Suede album, and now an announcement to expect a new album from David Bowie in March.  To this day, Bowie is the only performer to ever transform me into a screaming 12 year old girl when i saw him in 2004.  Just wonderful.  As said, "The Next Day" will be out sometime in March, featuring production work from longtime fellow alien Tony Visconti.  Watch the video for "Where Are We Now?" below.

New music from Suede!

Not to be outdone by the recent reunions of Blur and Pulp, Brit glam-rockers Suede are set to release new album "Bloodsports" in March, their first record in over ten years.  Listen to the dramatic and soaring "Barriers" below.  It doesn't sound like they've missed a beat.

Fuzz

San Francisco's Ty Segall is becoming ever prolific as his career progresses, releasing three different albums last year and now making some new distorted garage rock jams under the aptly named moniker Fuzz.  Listen to "This Time I Got A Reason" below and grab the 7" from Trouble In Mind.

Personal Space: Electronic Soul 1974-1984

Earlier last year, Chocolate Industries released an excellent compilation of 70's and early 80's soul-infused minimalist synth jams called "Personal Space."  Somehow it escaped our notice, which is a damn shame because it's excellent.  Get it here and listen to Key and Cleary's "A Man" below.

Paco Sala

Paco Sala is the project of musician/producer Antony Harrison and singer Leyli.  A mix of Italo-disco, hip hop beats, and synth pop, the music is the perfect soundtrack to getting lost on an island paradise.  Listen to "Blank Legend" below and grab the "Ro-Me-Ro" LP from Digitalis.

Angel Olsen

Check out the video for Angel Olsen's "Sweet Dreams" below.  It grooves and swirls like some classic psych rock circa San Francisco in the 1960's.  Look for "The Sleepwalker" 7" EP later in the month from Sixteen Tambourines.


Angel Olsen - Sweet Dreams (Official Video) from Randy Sterling Hunter on Vimeo.

Stream Broadcast's "Berberian Sound Studio"

NPR is streaming the "Berberian Sound Studio" soundtrack from Broadcast.  This is some of Trish Keenan's last work.  Go here to listen and look for the album next week from Warp.

Favorite Movies of 2012

It was a little hard to pick my favorite movies of the year this time around.  I usually just go with three (a well done blockbuster, a B-movie free-for-all, and an arty-farty flick).  This time around, i just picked seven movies that i really liked, a super hero spectacular, a beautiful film about life and death through the eyes of a child, a true story Texas murder, a deep south Spaghetti Western, a ridiculous DDR tale, and some more Texas murder.  My favorite of the year however has to go to the hilarious complete dissection of the horror genre that is "The Cabin In The Woods."  I could watch it over and over and over again.  Here's some posters.

The Cabin in The Woods

The Avengers

Beasts of The Southern Wild

Bernie

Django Unchained

The FP

Killer Joe

I haven't seen "Looper," or "The Imposters," or a ton of other movies yet, but for now, these are my picks.