A place that's built on noise and needs

Bombay Bicycle Club played their first show in Chicago last week at the Subterranean, in front of a very enthusiastic packed house. Let's hope they come back again really soon.

I don't know how I forgot to post about these guys earlier, but in case you completely missed the boat last May, Friendly Fires dropped their sophomore album Pala, and it is so excellent that I decided to blog it late just in case. This trio of English boys from St. Albans sure knows how to jam, and their powerful brand of indie dance defies you not to tap your toe. If you're into Cut Copy or M83, you will go nutty over the driving synthpop of this album, and you will definitely want to catch them the next time they do a U.S. tour. Unfortunately, their record label is notoriously meticulous in keeping their tracks off the web, so I had to resort to these user uploads. They are definitely worth your time all the same:

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.

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!

I'm not your fortune teller

Phantogram made a much-anticipated appearance at Metro last week, and besides knocking out the crowd with an intensely powerful show, they included in the show set the entirety of their new EP...

...which dropped today! These guys have accumulated quite a following in the past year or so with their debut LP Eyelid Movies, released in 2009 but only recently receiving the attention it deserves. Hailing from rural Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, the duo of Joshua Carter and Sarah Barthel have been collaborating on songwriting and composing for a number of years and have really hammered out a beautifully smooth operation. Their blend of electric guitar, keyboard, and heavy beats is reminiscent of the indie "psych pop" of the xx or Beach House, but with a more prominent hit-you-in-the-face style that alludes to Sleigh Bells but with much more creativity and tact. They trade off on lead vocals regularly and harmonize on different tracks, which keeps the sound interesting and showcases both of their talents as singers and musicians. These guys will continue to build popularity for the danceability and accessibility of their sound, as evidenced in the presence of their new single "Don't Move" all over the internet lately. In case you haven't heard it yet, check it out along with "Turning into Stone," one of my other favorites on the new EP:

Phantogram - Don't Move by vibetothis

Phantogram - Turning into Stone by austin-zuffi

Wearing masks and beating war drums won't equip us for these jungles

Fleet Foxes played two sold out shows at the Chicago Theater this weekend, and naturally they didn't disappoint. It was hands down one of the best performances I have ever seen; everyone should experience their incredible talent at some point in their lives. Why not catch them on this tour?

Today's emerging act is based in Grand Rapids, although they originally began working together in (surprise, surprise!) Chicago. Stepdad is a creative and energetic synthpop outfit that seems to have a strange obsession with wild animal themes, in both lyrics and attire. Characterized by catchy electronic beats and bouncing falsettos, Stepdad's sound is more than enough evidence that these guys just want to have fun--and make some infectious indie pop while doing it. They first released their Ordinaire EP on their bandcamp site last April, but it received so much attention that they were signed by Quite Scientific records and rereleased the EP last month with two additional (and excellent) bonus tracks. While some of the songs on the EP are just a little too pleasant and poppy, there are enough standouts to make it worth following these guys. Give these two highlights a listen:

Jungles by stepdadmusic

My Leather, My Fur, My Nails by stepdadmusic

They happen to be playing in Chicago on October 14, opening for Rubblebucket at the Double Door, so get your tickets NOW and start bouncing.

Time to light the fires

Brooklyn/San Francisco-based duo NewVillager are truly artists, in every sense of the word. Apart from their beautiful R&B/Afro-inspired synthpop and remarkably profound poetically-inspired lyrics, they are also avid visual artists, as evidenced by their "integrative concert" held in LA leading up the release of their debut eponymous LP last month. You can get a taste for some of their visuals in any of their music videos, but especially in the epic imagery for the song "Lighthouse," which features ten eccentric characters meant to represent each of the ten tracks, creating a self-styled "mythology" with the new album.

The infectious rhythms and seamless vocalization on NewVillager deserve all the attention this band is beginning to receive and more, especially as a completely unique style amongst a crowd of sound-alike hipster pop bands. The experimental combinations of chants and staccatos makes it both interesting and accessible, and this album could very well become one of the best-ranked new releases of the year. Try these tracks first, but you really must listen to the whole album since each has such a distinct story to tell, musically, lyrically, and artistically.

NewVillager - Say the Code by ObscureSound

NewVillager - Lighthouse by iamsoundrecords

They are currently taking their stimulating concerts on the road and will be coming through Chicago NEXT FRIDAY, September 23 at the Empty Bottle with Bachelorette and Tiny Fireflies. You won't want to miss this artistic smorgasbord, so get your tickets NOW.

Let me sink, you're hell to swim

Being a recent California expatriate myself, I generally roll my eyes at bands that sing nostalgic songs about the Golden State and its shores, but I decided to give these guys a chance and I recommend you do the same.

Dirty Gold is a three-piece "beach-wave" group of San Diego boys who just graduated high school this past June. After forming during the fall of their senior year, they signed with indie label Autumn Tone Records (home of Fleet Floxes' J. Tillman) and released the lovely ROAR EP this April. Clearly inspired by 60s beach pop, Dirty Gold takes the warm and sunny sounds of Afro-beats and xylophones and creates an inspired and charming sound that would have Brian Wilson smiling and tapping his toes. Another perfect album to play in these dwindling days of summer, the small offering of laid-back tracks promises great work from these new beach boys. Grab your wayfarers and relax:

California Sunrise - Dirty Gold by mimoore

Dirty Gold - Sea Hare by lamusicafresca

Like lightning striking ground

One of my good friends introduced me to the marvelous synthpop of the Boston-based duo Magic Man when their album was released online last year, but since then they have not received nearly as much attention as their unique style and promising sound deserve. The project that became their debut album was begun while working together in the French countryside, then mastered in American dorm rooms after their return with surprisingly polished production quality. Self-classified as "glo-fi"(in the style of the aforementioned Washed Out), Magic Man blends heavy electronic beats with experimental synthesizers to create an engulfing and enthralling mix of lo-fi tunes. Some of the slower songs fade slowly in and out of focus in instrumental waves, while the more upbeat tracks captivate the senses with catchy beats and illustrative lyrics. The mystery behind their musical layers is only superseded by the mystery behind how this group is still unsigned by a record label. Hear for yourself:

Magic Man - Daughter by coolthanks.net

Magic Man - Like Sailors by coolthanks.net

In an effort to spread their album, you can even download it for free here. They have also made themselves available to play private or public East Coast shows, so if you happen to live over there and are interested you can contact them on their Facebook page or at this email address.

Your faith decides

Ernest Greene began his career in the bedroom of his home in rural Perry, Georgia, and the sleepy origins of his music pervade through the style to the very core. From the myspace upload of his first few songs as Washed Out a couple years ago, he immediately became a music blogger favorite, and his first full-length album Within and Without, released last month, has already achieved widespread acclaim from the online music community. Like a soundtrack to a dream, the smoothly pulsating 80's-style beats and soothing unintelligible vocals lull you into the most peaceful nap of the summer. Developed in the Sub Pop studio with indie favorite Ben Allen and the same production crew as Animal Collective and Deerhunter, Within and Without delivers a more polished and enchanting sound than Greene's previous releases and, along with other chillwave acts including Greene's personal friend Toro Y Moi and Neon Indian, the album is crafting a new sub-genre appropriately dubbed "glo-fi."These two tracks are perfect for playing on the beach, in the park, on your daily commute, or just about anywhere that could use a little chill:

Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed by adamlunatone

Washed Out, "Amor Fati" by The FADER

As mentioned in a previous post, Washed Out is opening for Cut Copy at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on September 20, and it is sure to be brilliant. Get your tickets NOW.

It's the distance

Many of you may already know of Columbia, South Carolina's Chazwick Bundick for his remixes of popular indie dance songs, but Toro Y Moi is becoming much more than just another indie DJ. His first album Causers of This, released January 2010 with generally positive reviews, played like a collection of well-crafted beats with thick layers of vocal dissonance on top, in the style of Baths or Animal Collective's Avey Tare. His latest album however, Underneath the Pine, provides a much more accessible and musically pleasant experience, tapping into the chillwave movement alongside his personal friend Ernest Greene of Washed Out. The album, released this past Fenraury 2011, makes allusions to a sort of smooth-listening disco, similar to the popular synthpop of Erlend Øyé's The Whitest Boy Alive but with its own unique brand of funk. The style of his new work is always notoriously difficult to predict, but one can only hope he continues to tap into this sound on his future albums. Check these out:

Toro Y Moi "New Beat" by Carpark Records

Go With You - Toro Y Moi | Pacific Festival: OC 2011 Sampler by FILTER Magazine

He is releasing a new EP titled Freaking Out on September 13, so make sure to get it from his website. He is also playing in Chicago at Lincoln Hall on September 24, so get your tickets NOW.

Hands of silver, hands of gold

Today's group is hardly "emerging," but I felt that their latest album Zonoscope released this past February deserves to be raved about again.

Cut Copy is a four-piece outfit from Melbourne, Australia, who have achieved widespread popularity amongst the indie dance scene for their infectiously catchy beats and hooks since their formation in 2001. Headed by former DJ Dan Whitford, Cut Copy maintains their signature synthpop style on this third album, but the new melodies and instrumentation demonstrate the maturity and development of their sound. Try these on for size:

Cut Copy - Pharaohs and Pyramids by modularpeople

Cut Copy - Blink And You'll Miss A Revolution by modularpeople

You can catch them coming through Chicago on September 20 at the Riviera Theatre with Washed Out and Midnight Magic. You'll want to get your tickets NOW, because this show will sell out for sure.

Heaven is waiting

It has been a beautiful past couple weeks here on the shores of Lake Michigan, perfect for the great new sounds of this summer.

Memory Tapes is the brainchild of New Jersey-based Dayve Hawk, former frontman of the now defunct Philadelphia group Hail Social, and he has made great strides in the uniqueness of his sound on this new project. Generally classified as "chillwave" (think Cults or Washed Out), Memory Tapes combines styles from nu-gaze and synthpop to create a wonderfully fresh sound. His 2009 album Seek Magic received attention from the blog community for songs like "Bicycle" and "Green Knight," but his new LP Player Piano released last month reaches new heights in creativity and accessibility. Check out these excellent selections:


08. Sunhits - Memory Tapes by Republic of Music

Memory Tapes - Worries by EmergencyBroadcastSongs

Memory Tapes is playing at the Empty Bottle in Chicago TOMORROW with The Field Auxiliary and The Ultrasounds. There are still tickets available, so get them NOW.