"I'm in need of someone to take care of me tonight"


Spoon - A take away show

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'Hardcore will never die, but you will'

Το 'Hardcore will never die, but you will', το έβδομο δισκογραφικό τρενάκι των Mogwai ανηφορίζει ατάραχα δίπλα από ερείπια, εισβάλλει σε γραμμές με ποικίλλες ρυθμικές ταλαντεύσεις, διασχίζει απότομες, κιθαριστικές καταβάσεις παρακάμπτοντας χαράδρες και απρόσμενες παραμορφωμένες στροφές, πιστοποιώντας το θάρρος τους και την ικανότητά τους να μηχανεύονται ξεχωριστές μελωδίες σε κάθε μία από τις δέκα διαδρομές (και μία επιπλέον μακράς διαρκείας), άλλοτε βασισμένες στην ενεργητικότητα των drums και στα περίσσα εμπνευσμένα ηχητικά τεχνάσματα, άλλοτε να επικεντρώνονται στην οικοδόμηση ατμόσφαιρας, να αφήνονται στις διαθέσεις του πιάνου και των πλήκτρων, με beats και επεξεργασμένες φωνητικές εκπλήξεις (με τη χρήση vocoder), με στόχο να βιώσεις ανεξήγητες συγκινήσεις. Ένας ακόμα δίσκος που δεν τον ακούς απλά, αλλά τον αισθάνεσαι (παραβλέποντας έτσι κάθε λογικό, αλλά ασήμαντο ψεγάδι του).

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"Does each day just feel like another lie?"

23 bloggers

The art of thinking with sounds (65daysofstatic - We were exploding anyway)
4amorning (Her name is Calla - The quiet lamb)
ody (The Fall - Your future our clutter)
Drown in the River (The Walkmen - Lisbon)
Mr. Grieves (Owen Pallett - Heartland)
Rocks de Milo (Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before today)
Indiefuck (Pocahaunted - Make it real)
Elafini (The Irrepressibles - Mirror mirror)
The artist formerly known as Harmonica (Shearwater - The golden archipelago)
Truebelief (65daysofstatic - We were exploding anyway)
Sovereign (Rosetta - A determinism of morality)
Goresonic (Liars - Sisterworld)
Astronaut (Deftones - Diamond eyes)
Suicide Dots (Candy Claws - Hidden lands)
Zeugolator (Three mile pilot - The inevitable past is the future forgotten)
Just name it Laika (Wild Nothing - Gemini)
Winter Academy (The Radio dept. - Clinging to a scheme)
Το σπίτι με τα παράξενα (Beach house - Teen dream)
Stagger Lee (Motorama - Alps)
...sad songs we love (The National - High violet)
ΔΓιαμάντΓια (Electric Wizard - Black masses)
Uptight (The Irrepressibles - Mirror mirror)
mouxlaloulouda (65daysofstatic - We were exploding anyway)

που συντονίζονται στο ρυθμό των νέων κυκλοφοριών, παρακολουθούν συναυλίες, αγοράζουν δίσκους και δείχνουν ενθουσιασμό και πάθος για τη μουσική ανέδειξαν τις αγαπημένες προτιμήσεις τους για το 2010 με στόχο να μην τις αφήσουν να ξεθωριάσουν από τη μνήμη τους και την ελπίδα να επικοινωνήσουν με ανθρώπους που μοιράζονται τις ίδιες ανησυχίες με αυτούς. Με δεδομένη τη δυσκολία να ταξινομήσουν μουσικές που τους συντρόφευαν κατά τη διάρκεια του χρόνου προηγήθηκαν αμέτρητες ακροάσεις, χορταστικές δημοσιεύσεις, σχολιασμοί και διαφωνίες (ευτυχώς χωρίς να υπάρξουν μαυρισμένα μάτια) και (σχεδόν) ομόφωνα (μέσα από 423 διαφορετικές επιλογές. Αν αυτό δε λέγεται αντιπροσωπευτικότητα, τότε τι είναι;) κατέληξαν στα παρακάτω που δεν έχουν καμία σχέση με οποιαδήποτε λίστα διαβάσατε. Αν κατορθώσουν να κάνουν κάποιους να σκοντάψουν σε δίσκους που αγνοούσαν και να τους ωθήσουν να αγκαλιάσουν το στερεοφωνικό τους για ώρες, τότε ένα τεράστιο χαμόγελο θα διαγραφεί στο πρόσωπό τους.

01. Beach house - Teen dream (599 πόντοι)
02. The Irrepressibles - Mirror mirror (487 πόντοι)
03. Zola Jesus - Stridulum II (442 πόντοι)
04. 65daysofstatic - We were exploding anyway (425 πόντοι)
05. Arcade fire - The suburbs (417 πόντοι)
06. Swans - My father will guide me up a rope to the sky (355 πόντοι)
07. The National - High violet (352 πόντοι)
08. Caribou - Swim (352 πόντοι)
09. The Radio dept. - Clinging to a scheme (348 πόντοι)
10. Crystal castles - Crystal castles (II) (333 πόντοι)
11. Grinderman - Grinderman 2 (298 πόντοι)
12. Shearwater - The golden archipelago (295 πόντοι)
13. Efterklang - Magic chairs (277 πόντοι)
14. Gorillaz - Plastic beach (275 πόντοι)
15. Yann Tiersen - Dust lane (262 πόντοι)
16. Liars - Sisterworld (258 πόντοι)
17. Owen Pallett - Heartland (240 πόντοι)
18. Air formation - Nothing to wish for (nothing to lose) (235 πόντοι)
19. Electric Wizard - Black masses (225 πόντοι)
20. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma (221 πόντοι)
21. Glasser - Ring (219 πόντοι)
22. Deerhunter - Halcyon digest (216 πόντοι)
23. Best Coast - Crazy for you (212 πόντοι)
24. Menomena - Mines (209 πόντοι)
25. These new puritans - Hidden (205 πόντοι)

26. Her name is Calla - The quiet lamb (202 πόντοι)
27. Jonsi - Go (198 πόντοι)
28. The Walkmen - Lisbon (190 πόντοι)
29. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes are the roaring night (186 πόντοι)
30. Kylesa - Spiral shadow (186 πόντοι)
31. Spoon - Transference (185 πόντοι)
32. Anais Mitchell - Hadestown (184 πόντοι)
33. Joanna Newsom - Have one on me (183 πόντοι)
34. Motorama - Alps (178 πόντοι)
35. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before today (175 πόντοι)
36. Get well soon - Vexations (168 πόντοι)
37. Midlake - The courage of others (167 πόντοι)
- Chelsea Wolfe - The grime and the glow / Ἀποκάλυψις (167 πόντοι)
39. Electric litany - How to be a child & win the war (167 πόντοι)
40. Revere - Hey! Selim (166 πόντοι)
41. Vampire Weekend - Contra (165 πόντοι)
42. Rosetta - A determinism of morality (162 πόντοι)
43. Four Tet - There is love in you (158 πόντοι)
44. John Grant - Queen οf Denmark (156 πόντοι)
45. Salem - King night (154 πόντοι)
46. The Black keys - Brothers (150 πόντοι)
47. Blonde Redhead - Penny sparkle (142 πόντοι)
48. Alcest - Écailles de lune (137 πόντοι)
49. Broken social scene - Forgiveness rock record (136 πόντοι)
50. Twin Shadow - Forget (134 πόντοι)

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Shara Worden... on fire

Οχτώ τραγούδια με κοινό στοιχείο τη διαπεραστικά μαγευτική ερμηνεία της Shara Worden.

"Play the songs we sang when we buried those bones, while we explored our shipwrecks with pockets full of stones"

01. My brightest diamond - The sea ('Letters to distant cities')
02. Prefuse 73 - The only hand to hold ('The only she chapters')
03. Uphill Racer - Overfrail ('How it feels to find there's more')
04. Owen Pallet - Export 3 (The great elsewhere) ('Export [Demo EP]')
05. Colin Stetson - Lord I just can't keep from crying sometimes
('New history warfare Vol.2: Judges')
06. Sarah Kirkland Snider - This is what you're like ('Penelope')
07. Stateless - I'm on fire ('Matilda')
08. My brightest diamond - Bitty thing ('Time & space')

"“We added it up” parallels politicians, lovers, and flying neutrinos. It seemed like the beginning of a collection of songs that explored things like the relationships between seemingly opposing forces, or a situation that appears to be one thing but in reality is another, our capacity to feel many emotions at once, or pondering the relationship between life and death. Like many of us, I’m asking the same old questions: what it means to be alive at this time in history, how to define meaning, how to love, how to be brave, and how to get my instruments into a small suitcase."
Shara Worden

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"I will leave my window open for you"

Τα απόκοσμα θελκτικά φωνητικά της Anneke Kampman σχηματίζουν ένα σύννεφο με εφέ ομίχλης καλύπτωντας σαν πέπλο τις έντεκα συνθέσεις, οι ηχητικές ανακλάσεις και τα επαναλαμβανόμενα beats εξάπτουν τη φαντασία, samples και διασκορπισμένα loops μπλέκονται με κιθάρες, θορύβους από παιδικά παιχνίδια και οτιδήποτε βρεθεί στα χέρια τους (χάρη και στις ικανότητες του James Scott) ενδυναμώνοντας την ένταση των προσφερόμενων συγκινήσεων στον ακροατή και αποκρυπτογραφόντας τους μυστικούς κωδικούς εκείνων των μελωδιών που κατορθώνουν να αφήσουν ένα μικρό έγκαυμα στη μνήμη. Οι Conquering animal sound δημιουργούν στο 'Kammerspiel' (όπως διαφαίνονταν από τα δύο singles τους "Giant" και "Bear") μουσική με τον τόνο άλλοτε εύθραυστο και ευαίσθητο και άλλοτε απόμακρο και δραματικό που δε θα μπορέσει να παραχθεί ποτέ από μηχανές, μιας και πάντα θα απουσιάζει η ζεστασιά μιας ανθρώπινης καρδιάς.

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"Yr heart isn't a heart"

Ακόμα ένα θαυμάσιο τραγούδι από την πρώτη, ολοκληρωμένη κυκλοφορία του Einar Stray.

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"While life goes on all around, they keep calling you all these dreams that you are having"

Photo by ace_jace



Porcelain Raft performs "I found a way" at Glasslands in Brooklyn.

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"Here we never die"

Μετά τις καταδύσεις στο βυθό των ηχογραφήσεων και των ζωντανών εμφανίσεων που είχαν ως αποτέλεσμα την κυκλοφορία singles και ενός EP με τίτλο “Enter into holy (or)ders” πλησιάζει η στιγμή της ανόδου στην επιφάνεια για τους Sister Crayon, με το 'Bellow' (αναμένεται τέλη Φεβρουαρίου). Οι ηλεκτρονικοί ήχοι και τα beats διέρχονται μέσα από sampler και συναντούν μέσω πειραματισμών με αναλογικά synths, τύμπανα και drum machine συνταράσσοντας τις αισθήσεις σου, καθώς η γλυκά μελαγχολική και θανατηφόρα γοητευτική φωνή της Terra Lopez, η οποία χωρίς να επισκιάζει τους ποικίλους ρυθμικούς σχηματισμούς και τις αντιθέσεις, σε θαμπώνει με την ορμητική της εκφραστικότητα.

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Music Alliance Pact - January 2011

Ένας εξαίσιος παγκόσμιος μουσικός οδηγός (με επιλογές από bloggers που διαμένουν σε 35 διαφορετικές χώρες) με ηχητικά δείγματα και σύντομες πληροφορίες από κυκλοφορίες που αξίζουν της προσοχής μας. Αποκτήστε τον στο σύνολό του πατώντας εδώ ή μεμονωμένα στον τίτλο του κάθε τραγουδιού. Καλή ακρόαση!

Σημείωση: Όσα ξεχώρισα διαθέτουν πράσινο χρώμα, χωρίς αυτό να συνεπάγεται ότι τα υπόλοιπα δεν παρουσιάζουν ενδιαφέρον.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
drog_A_tek - In_No_Sense
The movie Homeland, directed by Syllas Tzoumerkas, is an explosive parable of Greece coming apart at the seams, shown through the spectrum of a dysfunctional family, which decides to give up one of its members for adoption to a richer relative. The original music score, a compelling concoction of styles that continually surprises, reflects precisely those feelings. drog_A_tek, a band that records moments in real-time and produces temporary audiovisual environments, uses objects, analogue and digital musical instruments, typewriters, frequencies, recording archives/waste and technology landscapes to depict the film's mood. As a result of this, no moment of Homeland is left unfilled with sparkling music ideas. Listen to In_No_Sense, where their ingenuity shines.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Les Mentettes Orchestra - Cosmic Sidewalks
Les Mentettes Orchestra is the augmented version of Les Mentettes, a psychedelic pop band from Buenos Aires that features more than 20 musicians live on stage. A couple of years ago we featured one of their early recordings, but now it's time to unveil a great song from their first and self-titled album. It was recorded live at ION, a legendary studio that still works with tape and analog equipment. The album is available on iTunes and there's also a video of Cosmic Sidewalks.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Spartak - Nightshift (Version)
Spartak were one of many great bands I discovered on the recently released compilation, The Sound of Young Canberra, which is full of exciting music from the oft-forgotten titular city. Spartak's tune stands out amongst a very strong set that makes a solid case for reevaluating Australia's capital as something of an emerging cultural hub. Nightshift (Version) reminds me of a Spoon demo, bringing together Spoon's knack for effortless songs draped in subtle studio trickery. I look forward to more from these guys.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Apanhador Só - Maria Augusta
Contagious and catchy, Maria Augusta is an indie semi-hit from Apanhador Só, a band from the cold south of Brazil who released a good album last year that can be downloaded for free via their website. They're part of a new scene of bands who sing in Portuguese, of which they are considered one of the greatest revelations. Maria Augusta quietly shows a group that do not take the easy route - they explore alternative ways of making music, such as using a bicycle wheel as an instrument.

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Hooded Fang - Laughing
Think of The Strokes. Now think of The Strokes if they slowed things down considerably, but still managed to retain all their cool and catchiness. Got a picture/sound in your head? Then, as Laughing shows, you've got a good idea of what Hooded Fang sounds like.

CHILE: Super 45
Elefante Mecánico - Génesis
Génesis heralds the comeback of Elefante Mecánico after their celebrated Memorias De Un Elefante album, self-released in 2008. In this record, Bame, Jota and DJ Antioch pick up on old school hip-hop sounds, throwing inspired rhymes about cosmos, love and eternity.

CHINA: Wooozy
Pet Conspiracy - Beyond
Beijing-based Pet Conspiracy plays funky, danceable electronic music that takes influences from punk-rock, new wave and disco. The band consists of two female singers, a guitar/synthesizer player and a drummer. Lead guitarist Hu Zi is already an established artist in the Beijing underground scene as an electronic musician. Pet Conspiracy is known for their high-energy live performances and the array of toys and costumes they bring on stage. They have just returned from a successful tour of Europe.

COLOMBIA: Colombia Urbana
The Colombian Party Cartel - La Murga De Colombia
Two Colombians and one gringo make up The Colombian Party Cartel. The crew resides in the United States, where every weekend they mix the best Colombian music. Carey James is the lead vocalist and principal producer of CPC. La Murga De Colombia samples a Willie Colón song and creates a new fusion of Colombian cumbia and urban style.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
CODY - The Light
The vessel for frontman Kaspar Kaae’s musical output, alternative country and americana seven-piece CODY hit it big in Denmark in 2009 with their excellent debut album Songs from which The Light is taken. Come March they’ll play both Canadian Music Fest and SXSW, and if you’re around Toronto March 9-13 and/or Austin March 16-20 (no specific dates or venues yet) be sure to check out CODY - they’re really a great live band as well.

ENGLAND: The Guardian Music Blog
Anna Calvi - Suzanne And I
If you're only going to pay attention to one name on all those Tips For 2011 lists then let it be Anna Calvi. Her influences from Morricone soundtracks to doomy goth and opera suggest her music could be preposterously overblown, yet Calvi is clearly an expert when it comes to dynamics and restraint. Cavernous drums open proceedings on Suzanne And I, then ominous, twanging guitar lines ring out before Calvi steps up to the microphone. Each new addition ratchets up the tension a notch, drawing you in so that, by the time Calvi's wailing away on top of thundering riffs, crashing cymbals and a couple of spare kitchen sinks, you're too involved to notice. Her self-titled debut album is out on Domino on January 17.

ESTONIA: Popop
Galvanic Elephants - Rum Rumble
Galvanic Elephants hail from Tartu. They came together in August 2010 and have released only one single so far, but that one song has earned them praise from critics and music bloggers and created anticipation for new material that should be released soon. With no concerts announced so far either, Rum Rumble is the only chance to enjoy the rough sound of Galvanic Elephants right now, but it definitely makes you want more.

FINLAND: Glue
On Volcano - Acceleration Of Heartbeat
On Volcano is one of the best underground bands in the Finnish indie scene. They play obscure post-rock songs with long instrumental movements and intense dynamics and atmospherics. Their latest EP is available for free on their website.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
Sizarr - Fake Foxes
Sizarr are lucky guys. Yet to finish school, they have already played big festivals in Germany such as the renowned Melt! without being signed to a label yet. These three guys from Landau have a very distinctive style, especially singer Fabian Altstötter, whose voice is very dark and uses a memorable stretching technique. Together they create modern electonica landscapes inspired by many other genres. They plan to record their debut album this year.

ICELAND: Icelandic Music Maffia
Miri - Góða Konan
Miri began at the LungA festival in the east fjords of Iceland in 2003. The debut EP, Fallegt Þorp, was recorded live one night during this festival in 2005, produced by Curver Thoroddsen. The band plays almost wordless, progressive noise mixed with beautiful guitar work. Góða Konan is featured on their 2010 full album Okkar.

INDIA: Indiecision
Adam And The Fish Eyed Poets - Little Monkeys
Adam And The Fish Eyed Poets is the solo project of Kishore Krishna from Chennai. His music finds a place between the lush industrial sound of Nine Inch Nails and rootsy American rockabilly. Little Monkeys comes from his debut album, Snakeism. Featuring several clinky electronica bells and whistles, it is a resounding tune that is over almost as quickly as it starts. It's a builder in a hurry; a chorus-heavy singalong that's emphatic and imminently memorable.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
((Auman)) - W.K.G.G.
Auman means "animal's roar", and their music is wild, dirty and full of energy - like a tiger deep in the Sumatra jungle that is ready to eat its prey. ((Auman)) is the latest group worth hearing in the local headbanger scene.

IRELAND: Nialler9
Retarded Cop - Copvan
Formerly of Dublin punk rockers Moutpiece, Gaz Le Rock has expanded his repertoire into an amazing 30-minute radio show called The Loving Room Floor and is now releasing tunes at a blistering pace as Retarded Cop, a project which has the catchiest pop-punk tunes you'll hear all year. A debut LP is forthcoming.

ISRAEL: Metal Israel
Yerachmiel - Yom Shekulo
Yerachmiel "Rocky" Ziegler is an international musician who owns Little Apple Studios in the trendy Jerusalem artists' enclave Nachlaot. He is an authentically indie artist, though his work is distributed worldwide and features on several albums. Yerachmiel's music spans several genres but this specific song, Yom Shekulo, is a trance-rock rendition of ancient Passover liturgy that speaks of Messianic times (and it really picks up quite nicely in the middle).

ITALY: Polaroid
Young Wrists - I Want You To Disappear
Alberto and Letizia come from the coastal town of Pesaro and there is definitely a breezy, summery shade in their jangly, noisy pop. Behind their C86 abrasive guitars and shining melodies you can hear a bright ode to adolescence and nostalgia, in the vein of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart or Dum Dum Girls. Well, you can decide not to trust me because I am too involved and helped them release their debut 7'' (on We Were Never Being Boring), but just listen to this bittersweet bonus track and fall in love right now.

MEXICO: Red Bull PanameriKa
Disco Ruido! - Amorfos
Although Disco Ruido! has made its name in Mexico City's hipster nightlife as a non-stop party combo, their debut album delves into a neon-blurred nostalgia from lost childhood afternoons watching pop stars miming on TV. Mercedes sings like a doll high on ephedrine (no doubt this song's title is translated as "amorphous"), while the band explores the enormous legacy of harmonies that dwell in the Mexican collective memory. I wish Thalía and Paulina Rubio (the glamour-pusses from seminal 80s teenybopper group Timbiriche) could be doing this kind of sophisti-pop.

NETHERLANDS: Unfold Amsterdam
Lola Kite - Everything's Better
At times pop trio Lola Kite can't resist the playfulness of lo-fi, losing themselves to retro electro-pop tech and washes of hazy, melodic psychedelia - which undoubtedly reminds you of Animal Collective when combined. However, their debut album Lights, finally released this month following loads of gigging promise, shows they're more than a quirky and charming proposition, upping their game with upbeat and snappy dance-pop gems such as Everything's Better.

NEW ZEALAND: Einstein Music Journal
Golden Axe - Telephone
There's nothing like the enthusiastic waveform tones of Golden Axe. Named after the Sega game, Chris Cudby and Daif Kent's keyboard-based band has been making party-friendly psychedelic music since late 2001. True to their fun and eccentric form, the July release party for their latest album, Fantasy Footwork, saw them play inside a giant paper mâché igloo that they made themselves. Download the Telephone EP and buy Fantasy Footwork from their Bandcamp.

NORWAY: Birds Sometimes Dance
Aristillus - Dying, Keep Dying
The members of Aristillus are aged 17 and 18 but, in spite of their youth, they sound much more mature than many other hardcore bands. With heavy drums, sharp guitars and lyrics as dark as their sound, I believe they'll soon get a lot more attention. Their influences are Norwegian hardcore bands such as Snöras, JR Ewing, Kollwitz and Rumble In Rhodos, and they're releasing their debut album, Devoured Trees & Crystal Skies, on January 24 on the Norwegian indie label Fysisk Format. Aristillus is playing at by:Larm 2011 and I'm quite sure that won't be the last you'll hear from them this year.

PERU: SoTB
Voz Propia - Lentes Amarillos
With a career spanning more than 20 years, Voz Propia is still current, their sound having been renewed to the demands of each time. El Manifesto is their eighth production and it could be the definitive work of this mature band. Post-punk is the essence in their sound again so hold on, Voz Propia is back.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Balla - Equilíbrio?
Armando Teixeira, who has been playing in bands and as a solo artist for more than 25 years, is one of the most talented contemporary musicians and producers of modern Portuguese music. He is a creative multi-instrumentist and sought-after producer for labels and studios. Balla is one of his solo projects and we wish to thank Armando for letting MAP make Equilíbrio? the first free, worldwide downloadable track from latest album Equilíbrio.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Nebulosa - Trains
Nebulosa is the music space child of three people living on different continents: Noamme, Andrei and Vladimir. The sound is dreamy and sincere, using very simple chord structures and lyrics. Their debut EP, Chimes, can be downloaded from their website, a free ticket to the stars.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Aaron Wright & The Aprils - Go On Yer Self
Aaron Wright & The Aprils' self-titled debut album, due out conveniently enough in April, features guest vocal contributions from Camera Obscura's Tracyanne Campbell and Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake as well as instrumental ones from Belle & Sebastian duo Stevie Jackson and Mick Cooke. Those influences certainly makes themselves heard on Go On Yer Self, which mixes a classic Scottish folk-rock sound with a strong helping of Beatles-esque melody-making. The 24-year-old shaggy-haired Edinburgh singer and his band will be heading out on tour in March as support to The Charlatans. The ingenious video for their new single, Trampoline, is also worth a look.

SINGAPORE: I'm Waking Up To...
Kevin Lester - Rockstar 2.0 feat Vanessa Fernandez
Hip hop isn't something one associates with Singapore's music scene, but it exists, usually even more underground than rock, metal or hardcore. Ironically, it's in response to rampant commercial radio that the local music community, regardless of style, has become a close-knit family. In his debut, Kevin Lester brings out the collaborative and experimental strengths of hip hop, forging a sound with slashes of rock and soul, and working with some of the country's best singers to put out a record with incredible heart and talent.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Thieve - Champion
Thieve are a trio hailing from the hub of Cape Town, whose motto and reason for picking the band name comes from the fact that "nothing is original - everybody steals". While you can hear that sentiment heavily influences their song, Champion, they maintain a unique feel with their melding of swirling pop rhythms, a soft rock sound and a nostalgic lovestruck feel to their lyrics. With the experience of all the members being involved in previous well-known bands, they've turned Thieve into a tight-knit group that is set to take over the rock 'n' roll scene.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
Swimmingdoll - Last Take
After a year in the making, experimental shoegaze band Swimmingdoll were finally ready to present their first album, 8wimmingdoll, in the last weeks of 2010. Last Take is a gorgeous layered production with a sound well suited for "the infinite world of the spacewalk" the band wish to portray.

SPAIN: Musikorner
Oblique - Without Making Noise
Oblique's music and aesthetic could remind us of 80s electro-industrial music (or even EBM) bands and, certainly, their biggest inspiration comes from dark synthpop acts such as The Human League or Ladytron. Without Making Noise, the second single taken from the eponymous album of this trio from Barcelona, features dark atmospherics and, of course, a catchy chorus. It's got what it takes to be a perfect futurepop track.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
Klifton Filente - It Takes A Thorn To Remove A Thorn
Klifton Filente is one of the underappreciated, unsigned and relatively unknown artists from Sweden that I am keeping my eye on. On the song It Takes A Thorn To Remove A Thorn, taken from their Common Ground album, you can hear echoes of Crosby, Stills and Nash as well as the lilting folk-pop of early Paul Simon.

SWITZERLAND: 78s
Aie ça Gicle - Whisper Jet
Sonic Youth is the keyword when it comes to Aie ça Gicle's musical universe. But the band's debut album S.Y.R.U.P. offers more than just a blueprint. Their influences range from post-punk to grunge to post-rock. They pile guitar layer upon guitar layer, interlace some catchy refrains and try to be as laid-back as possible.

UNITED STATES: I Guess I'm Floating
Smith Westerns - Weekend
Chicago's Smith Westerns break out of the relatively dull and dispassionate tunes of their first record and, in the upcoming Dye It Blonde LP, give us 2011's first truly great album. It's a wonderful construction upon the flashy glam rock that gave careers to David Bowie and T-Rex, endlessly listenable and replayable, particularly opening track Weekend.

VENEZUELA: Barquisimeto
Greasy Grapes - Candles In The Rain
Greasy Grapes are a straight-ahead rock 'n' roll band formed in Caracas in early 2006. Their music is influenced by American traditional southern music, which also inspired legendary bands in the late 60s and 70s such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Faces, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the The Allman Brothers Band. Candles In The Rain is taken from Greasy Grapes' 2009 debut album At The Back Of The Hill, which blends a vintage vibe with rock, soul, blues and country sounds.

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"Oh how I miss you"

"It is with great sadness we announce that Trish Keenan from Broadcast passed away at 9am this morning in hospital. She died from complications with pneumonia after battling the illness for two weeks in intensive care.

Our thoughts go out to James, Martin, her friends and her family and we request that the public respect their wishes for privacy at this time.

This is an untimely tragic loss and we will miss Trish dearly - a unique voice, an extraordinary talent and a beautiful human being. Rest in Peace."



"My thoughts are coming through, emptiness follows too.
A cyclone full on feeling in the silence of the room."

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"All this mess, it hurts my soul"

Ο Einar Stray έχει καταφέρει να εμφυσήσει στo χορταστικής διάρκειας (ξεπερνά τα 8 λεπτά) "Chiaroscuro" (που εδώ και ένα μήνα τυγχάνει αέναης επανάληψης στο mp3 player μου), το τραγούδι του ομότιτλου, πρώτου δίσκου του που αναμένεται να κυκλοφορήσει στη Νορβηγία στις 7 Φεβρουαρίου, ευφάνταστα πλούσια ενορχήστρωση (με τέτοια δεξιοτεχνία και δημιουργικότητα που παραπέμπει στους αγαπημένους Efterklang) μέσα από την οποία καθρεπτίζονται οι εξαίσιοι χρωματισμοί πλήθους μουσικών οργάνων (από έγχορδα και πνευστά μέχρι πιάνο και κρουστά), θελκτικά χορωδιακά φωνητικά και ευφορικά λαμπρές μελωδίες. Θαυμάσιο!



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"All sound like a dream to me"

Νοσταλγικά ρομαντικές αφηγήσεις με την εκφραστική ερμηνεία του Dan Bejar (συχνά πυκνά και με τη φωνή της Sibel Thrasher) που σε εκπλήσσουν με τις λεπτομέρειές τους, εύγλωττες, με ύφος μυθιστορηματικό, μνήμες που ανασύρονται μέσα από σκόρπιες σημειώσεις, φωτογραφίες, συρτάρτια με αντικείμενα αγάπης στριμωγμένα στο βάθος, αχνούς ήχους, άδεια μπουκάλια, μουντζουρωμένες λέξεις στο χαρτί,... στην προσπάθειά του να μην αφήσει το χρόνο στο διάβα του να εξαφανίσει όσα είναι σημαντικά να μην ξεχάσει, ενορχηστρώσεις μελαγχολικές, μα μαγευτικά ατμοσφαιρικές όπου synths, ambient και ηλεκτρονικοί ήχοι χορεύουν αγκαλιά με μουσικά όργανα σε disco ρυθμούς, αλληλένδετες συνθετικές δομές που αναδεικνύονται από jazz και funky αυτοσχεδιασμούς χάρη στο σαξόφωνο, το φλάουτο, την τρομπέτα και το groovy μπάσο αντίστοιχα, με τις διάκριτες μελωδίες της κιθάρας του Nicolas Bragg και τους μόνιμους συνεργάτες του John Collins και Dave Carswell να αναλαμβάνουν την ηχογράφηση και τη μίξη, να υιοθετούν νέες τεχνικές παραγωγής και να συνεισφέρουν στο μαγευτικό τελικό αποτέλεσμα με κάθε τρόπο. Τραγούδια (που ο ίδιος τα βλέπει (σε συνέντευξή του εδώ) ως "short films with large ensemble casts and each character gets a couple of lines and a few seconds of screen time, and once in a while I do a voice-over describing the scenery in some kind of watered-down accent") που πέφτεις θύμα της γοητείας τους. Ο κόσμος των Destroyer σε αιχμαλωτίζει σε κάθε ακρόαση με την ομορφιά του και την στιγμή της απελευθέρωσης η έντονη συναισθηματική φόρτιση μοιάζει αναπόφευκτη. Προτιμήστε την έκδοση του 'Kaputt' (μία αριστουργηματική προσθήκη στην εντυπωσιακή δισκογραφία του (με εξαίρεση τις δύο πρώτες κυκλοφορίες του)) σε διπλό βινύλιο, όπου περιέχεται το ονειρικό “The laziest river", ένα επιπλέον 20λεπτο τραγούδι!


Destroyer - You disrupt the world's disorder just by virtue of your grace
01. School, and the girls who go there ('City of daughters')
02. The way of perpetual roads ('Thief')
03. The bad arts ('Streethawk: A seduction')
04. Here comes the night ('This night')
05. Notorious lightning ('Your blues')
06. Painter in your pocket ('Destroyer's rubies')
07. My favorite year ('Trouble in dreams')
08. Chinatown ('Kaputt')

+ Swan Lake - Heartswarm ('Enemy mine')

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Eagerly awaited

Squid - Cowards

Follow their traces

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