One way or the other, we all fight something

Hipster artists NewVillager performed here in Chicago on Friday, and put on an interesting show to say the least. They only brought a small portion of the visual artwork to adorn the stage and backdrop, but the decorations included a costumed roadie rising up in the middle of the set and dancing around the room, to the audience's delight (and confusion). Their harmonization and instrumentation were not quite as smooth and polished as on the album, but the young band shows signs of promising production in the future.

Typhoon, the emerging band of the day, hails from Portland, Oregon and has been performing together since 2005. Known for their complicated instrumental arrangements and experimental combinations of styles, they have received some attention from the indie community but not as much as their carefully and adeptly constructed sound warrants. With thirteen individual members, it is incredible that so many instruments and influences can produce such harmonious indie-folk, and frontman Kyle Morton's sincere and beguiling vocals and introspective lyrics tie it all together in a way that demonstrates the abilities of this upbeat ensemble. After a quiet and gradual rise to notability, their second LP Hunger and Thirst shows the quality of work of which this band is capable, and the release of their EP A New Kind of House this past March anticipates the continuation of their unique and powerful style. Give these tracks a listen, and pay particular attention to the lyrics.

Typhoon - White Liars by Sound Thinking

Typhoon - CPR/Claws Pt. 2 by inhouseradio

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.