A voice is speaking from the marrow of our bones

Take the deep, rhythmic electro-pop indie that is so trendy right now and throw in some soaring 80's glam rock to imagine something almost as magical and moving as Brooklyn's duo Warm Ghost. Their multi-instrumentality and mastery of sound design shines through every track on their debut album, Narrows, released in September. While often grouped with the chillwave movement (think Washed Out, Toro y Moi) or the broader dream pop revival (e.g. Beach House, The xx), these guys are really pioneering their own genre and defying any solid classification.The slow songs are profound and inspired, the fast songs catchy and danceable; it was so hard to choose which songs to give you, I had to pick my top two for listening:

Warm Ghost - Inside and Out by Sound Thinking


Warm Ghost - GTWS by Craze

AND this video, because it was too good to not share. If you are sensitive to artsy nudity, you might want to skip this one.



If you dig what you hear, they are offering a few tracks for FREE right on Amazon. I gotcha hook up HERE.

It's such a miracle how life comes back around again

Today's emerging act, Kisses, falls into the "music you probably missed" category, since their LP Heart of the Nightlife came out back in Autumn 2010, but this charming L.A.-based duo definitely deserves your attention. Their dreamy, sun-drenched lo-fi rock is slightly reminiscent of the style pioneered by the Whitest Boy Alive, but with a very unique pop tinge to it. Despite the album title, I would recommend enjoying these Kisses while relaxing poolside with a mojito on a warm summer day. Hopefully this will distract you from the impending snowstorm around the corner this weekend:

Midnight Lover by Kisses

(By the way, if you dig that track you can download it for free courtesy of the band by clicking the little arrow on the right side of the bar there.)

Put your hands into the flame

If you were into the 80s soft rock/R&B style of last year's indie super-project Gayngs like I was, then you will go crazy for Active Child's new LP You Are All I See, released in August. LA-based singer/harpist/producer Patrick Grossi is clearly a man of many talents, and the way he layers his sultry choir-boy falsetto over enchanting harp strings, smooth electronic waves, and dark cavernous beats is truly tantalizing. Since the release of Curtis Lane last July, a remarkable but experimental EP with various styles on different tracks, Grossi has finally chosen his musical identity and very eloquently presents it on this new full-length album. These two tracks are a nice little sample, and he is actually providing a basically free download (for the cost of a tweet!) of "Hanging On," so if you like it head over to his website and download it.

Active Child: 'Hanging On' by Ragged Words

Active Child - "High Priestess" by Creeping Wave

He has been receiving quite a bit of attention in the blogosphere, aided by his association with the recently explosively popular M83 (also worth a listen), with whom he is currently on tour. I just discovered that they are actually playing at Lincoln Hall tonight, but it is sold out get over there and scalp some tickets!