radioSpin

TRUST
TRST

Trust is Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski (Austra). Formed in 2009, the Toronto-based duo released its first singles, Candy Walls and Bulbform, in 2011 before signing with Arts & Crafts for the 2012 release of their forthcoming debut full length, TRST. In the last year they’ve performed with DFA1979, Crystal Castles, Balam Acab, Glass Candy and Hercules and Love Affair. Tales of lust, wax, and erotomania carry along on a dense black vapor of speed, space and tears: Trust is a pop hit factory buried deep in the mud.

ARTIST: Trust
TITLE: TRST
LABEL: Arts & Crafts
RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2012
TIME: 50:58 min.
WEB: http://ttrustt.com/

01. Shoom [05:26]
02. Dressed for Space [03:37]
03. Bulbform [04:49]
04. The Last Dregs [05:25]
05. Candy Walls [04:37]
06. Gloryhole [05:01]
07. This Ready Flesh [03:25]
08. F.T.F. [04:09]
09. Heaven [04:56]
10. Chrissy E. [04:15]
11. Sulk [06:18]

Trust – Shoom

get it here.

AA.VV.
Please, Please, Please (a tribute to The Smiths)

Please, Please, Please is not the nth collection to glorify The Smiths. 20 covers and not a dud in the bunch: that’s a rare thing, especially with a tribute compilation. If you’re a Smiths fan, this is a great way to keep the music alive. If you are not a Smiths fan, well, you’re still in time to change your mind.

ARTIST: AA.VV.
TITLE: Please, Please, Please (a tribute to The Smiths)
LABEL: American Laundromat
RELEASE DATE: December 13, 2011
TIME: 80:14 min.
WEB: http://www.alr-music.com/

01. KITTEN – Panic [04:03]
02. THE REST – Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before [04:07]
03. JOY ZIPPER – What Difference Does It Make? [04:40]
04. TANYA DONELLY & DYLAN IN THE MOVIES – Shoplifters of the World Unite [03:42]
05. WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS – Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want [01:53]
06. SIX PENCE NONE THE RICHER – I Won’t Share You [03:29]
07. SARA LOV – Well I Wonder [03:49]
08. GREG LASWELL – Half A Person [03:48]
09. DALA – Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me [03:09]
10. CHIKITA VIOLENTA – Som Girls Are Bigger Than Others [04:46]

01. TELEKINESIS – Sheila Take A Bow [02:23]
02. SOLVENTS – Is It Really So Strange? [03:35]
03. THE WEDDING PRESENT – Hand in Glove [03:05]
04. MIKE VIOLA & THE SECTION QUARTET – How Soon Is Now? [05:44]
05. TRESPASSERS WILLIAM – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out [05:51]
06. GIRL IN A COMA – Rubber Ring [04:47]
07. ELK CITY – I Know It’s Over [06:00]
08. KATY GOODMAN – What She Said [03:25]
09. CINERAMA – London [03:59]
10. DOUGH MARTSCH – Reel Around the Fountain [04:02]

Greg Laswell – Half A Person
Dough Martsch – Reel Around the Fountain

get it here.

BLUENECK
Repetitions

Blueneck are perhaps one of England’s best kept secrets when it comes to post-rock. Since 2006 the band have released two albums of truly haunting and heart-breaking music, the band concentrating more on texture and mood rather than sticking to the trademark quiet-loud dynamic. While there still are traces of that element in their music, the eighteen months it took to create new album Repetitions have resulted in a record that wastes no time in enveloping the listener in a sparse, delicate and incredibly sad atmosphere.

ARTIST: Blueneck
TITLE: Repetitions
LABEL: Denovali
RELEASE DATE: September 23, 2011
TIME: 48:58 min.
WEB: http://blueneck.com/

01. Pneumothorax [04:12]
02. Sawbones [05:38]
03. Venger [05:51]
04. Sleeping Through A Storm [06:41]
05. Una Salus Victus [03:40]
06. Ellipsis [05:07]
07. Barriers Down [07:21]
08. The Last Refuge [05:35]
09. Lopussa [04:54]

Blueneck – Pneumothorax

get it here.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK – #96
as seen on radioSpin

ARTIST: freakLE-tech
TITLE: A Normal Guy Instead of You
ALBUM: A Normal Guy Instead of You
WEB: YouTube

production by akustoOptik

STACCATO DU MAL
Sin Destino

Well, it is a bit silly and useless to try and put a specific tag on Staccato du Mal‘s Sin Destino. The project of Chilean-Venezuelan pianist Ramiro Jeancarlo, a musician obsessed with analogue synthesizers (Depeche Mode‘s Martin Gore has bought some of his equipment from Jeancarlo in recent years), is a maze of sensations and claustrophobia, a display of sound and space and spaciousness that many will put in the “coldwave” or “techno” or “Depeche Mode-ish” bag but that goes way beyond that. Jeancarlo is based in Miami, a place with a solid electronic music scene that somehow focuses on light and vibrant beats rather than in dark, somber and brooding landscapes thanks to the unique sound of analogue equipment. In conclusion, Sin Destino has more personality and depth than most records out there.
Is it post-new-wave? We don’t know (what does it means?). Is it synthpop? Not so pop, but probably in some way it could be. Is it electronic? Absolutely.
But in the end, this is simply a good record. Period.

ARTIST: Staccat du Mal
TITLE: Sin Destino
LABEL: Wierd
RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2011
TIME: 55:26 min.
WEB: http://www.myspace.com/staccatodumal

01. Walls Fade [04:03]
02. Desespero [02:47]
03. En Sueños [03:18]
04. Salvation Through Suffering [04:15]
05. Foto Archivio [04:22]
06. Sólo Baila Sola [02:46]
07. Pronóstico Indefinido [03:44]
08. Lost Image [05:12]
09. Plea Bargain [02:07]
10. Happy Endings [04:35]
11. Kevorkian [04:02]
12. Logan’s Sleep [06:37]

Staccato du Mal – Desespero

get it here.

ISLANDS
A Sleep & A Forgetting

It’s said that Phil Collins would never have left Genesis and ventured out on his own if his relationship with his first wife hadn’t crumbled. If Adele’s boyfriend hadn’t smashed her heart, her hit 21 may have never have made its way to the top of the charts. And Beck’s tear-jerking and game-changing Sea Change was recorded after he split with his girlfriend of nine years. For Islands frontman Nick Thorburn, the band’s latest album, A Sleep & A Forgetting, is about more than a breakup: it’s about completely losing a way of life and having to start all over again. He started writing it on Valentine’s Day last year after breaking up with his longtime partner, leaving his New York home and moving to Los Angeles: he started messing around and writing songs on a piano he found in his new abode, and a year later came Islands’ fourth record. But though the subject of A Sleep & A Forgetting is one of the most common human experiences, the album is not a generic tribute to a breakup: it’s an inspired look at the grieving human heart. And one of the best Islands records so far, to boot.

ARTIST: Islands
TITLE: A Sleep & A Forgetting
LABEL: ANTI / Epitaph
RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2012
TIME: 37:43 min.
WEB: http://islandsareforever.com/

01. In a Dream It Seemed Real [03:21]
02. This Is Not a Song [03:56]
03. Never Go Solo [04:45]
04. No Crying [03:05]
05. Hallways [02:54]
06. Can’t Feel My Face [02:46]
07. Lonely Love [03:40]
08. Oh Maria [04:08]
09. Cold Again [03:19]
10. Don’t Love You [03:20]
11. Same Thing [02:32]

Islands – Hallways

get it here.

SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS
Ghostory

Recorded in-between tours, Ghostory exemplifies a fervent progression of School of Seven Bells‘s growth as artists, preserving the common themes found on their last two releases but exposing them in different fashions: the familiar ethereal and enigmatic tones are omnipresent, surrounded by layers of influences from `80s pop, shoegaze and ambient electronic sounds. However, Ghostory comes with a story in mind: the tale of a young girl named Lafaye and the ghosts that surround her life. This album is truly School of Seven Bells‘ defining work, beautifully crafted and haunting, with the story of Lafaye permeating the psyche long after the music stops.

ARTIST: School of Seven Bells
TITLE: Ghostory
LABEL: Vagrant / Ghostly International
RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2012
TIME: 45:13 min.
WEB: http://sviib.com/

01. The Night [03:47]
02. Love Play [04:11]
03. Lafaye [04:14]
04. Low Times [06:32]
05. Reappear [04:10]
06. Show Me Love [04:44]
07. Scavenger [04:26]
08. White Wind [04:42]
09. When You Sing [08:34]

School of Seven Bells – Lafaye

get it here.

SHEARWATER
Animal Joy

Shearwater‘s Animal Joy is the first band’s album for Sub Pop. Led by Jonathan Meiburg, and featuring drummer Thor Harris, and bassist Kimberly Burke, Shearwater ditch the expansive approach of their recent records (particularly the epic trilogy of Palo Santo, Rook and The Golden Archipelago) to create a record that seems shockingly direct, immediate and intensely personal. Meiburg is no stranger to lush, crafted recordings, but this one sounds like no prior Shearwater incarnation.

ARTIST: Shearwater
TITLE: Animal Joy
LABEL: Sub Pop
RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2012
TIME: 43:10 min.
WEB: http://shearwatermusic.com/

01. Animal Life [03:38]
02. Breaking the Yearlings [03:08]
03. Dread Sovereign [03:51]
04. You As You Were [03:43]
05. Insolence [06:25]
06. Immaculate [02:26]
07. Open Your Houses (basilisk) [03:25]
08. Run the Banner Down [02:50]
09. Pushing the River [04:32]
10. Believing Makes It Easy [04:11]
11. Star of the Age [05:01]

Shearwater – Breaking the Yearlings

get it here.

RS HOT SPOT – #04
stay update with radioSpin

A mysterious SBTRKT‘s remix hit the ground during these days: Hold On comes from heretofore unheard of artist Sisi BakBak. And here’s the strange thing: how can exist an artist that no ones ever heard of, in the internet age? Something smells fishy here and actually it seems to smell like Radiohead! In fact everyone has decided that Thom Yorke is behind this (very good) remix, and it definitely has his spasmodic lilt to it. So check out this super secret one (and its robotic-looped video, directed by Sam Pilling) and let’s hope it’s really him or we’ll all look foolish.

verified source.

SLOVE
Le Danse

Welcome to the addictive sound of Slove where the guitars purr and the synths glisten. Slove are a French band bridging the between addictive indie pop and electronica, and doing it successfully, may we add. They bring with them a talented gang of vocalists including Olivier Rocabois, Maik and Anne Laures and it makes for a pretty formidable mix. You may think you’d know what to find when you see the label “French dance music” but Slove take a sidestep away from what you’d expect.

ARTIST: Slove
TITLE: Le Danse
LABEL: Pschent
RELEASE DATE: November 28, 2011
TIME: 47:08 min.
WEB: http://plaisirdefrance.net/artistes/slove

01. Le Danse [04:58]
02. Do We Need [05:46]
03. The Brightest [06:10]
04. Flash [04:49]
05. Noisy Neige [04:28]
06. DMGM [01:24]
07. My Pop [04:50]
08. Carte Postale [06:14]
09. Find Out [03:29]
10. If Only I Had [05:00]

Slove – Flash

get it here.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK – #95
as seen on radioSpin

ARTIST: Modeselektor (feat. otto von schirach)
TITLE: Evil Twin
ALBUM: Monkeytown
WEB: YouTube

production by Dent.De.Cuir

DREW SMITH
The Secret Languages

After the release of two wonderful videos such as Love Teeth and Smoke and Mirrors that hit the YouTube community with thousands of views, Canadian singer-songwriter Drew Smith release his full-length. The Secret Languages is an interesting collection of classic americana pop songs and a dynamic projection of Drew’s simple, efficient songwriting and a genuine depth of artistic delivery. A mix of heartfelt, visually descriptive lyrics and masterful compositions to fall in love with.

ARTIST: Drew Smith
TITLE: The Secret Languages
LABEL: self-released
RELEASE DATE: January 20, 2012
TIME: 36:46 min.
WEB: http://www.drewsmith.ca/

01. Frozen Still [03:07]
02. Bang Bang [03:34]
03. Kachina [03:39]
04. Smoke and Mirrors [03:10]
05. Love Teeth [03:52]
06. Box Me Up [05:53]
07. Mute [03:33]
08. River So Deep [03:18]
09. Old Souls [03:23]
10. Grotesque [03:17]

Drew Smith – Kachina

removed by request

SOAP & SKIN
Narrow

21 year old Anja Plaschg, better known as Soap & Skin releases her new mini-album, Narrow: the follow-up to her 2009 debut Lovetune for Vacuum contains eight new entirely self-produced and played tracks from Anja herself.

ARTIST: Soap & Skin
TITLE: Narrow
LABEL: PIAS
RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2012
TIME: 29:06 min.
WEB: http://soapandskin.com/

01. Vater [05:38]
02. Voyage Voyage [05:16]
03. Deathmental [04:47]
04. Cradlesong [02:14]
05. Wonder [03:14]
06. Lost [01:58]
07. Boat Turns Toward the Port [03:03]
08. Big Hand Nails Down [02:56]

Soap & Skin – Wonder

get it here.

SLEIGH BELLS
Reign of Terror

Brand new release from the Brooklyn duo consisting of Derek E. Miller (songwriter, guitarist, producer) and Alexis Krauss (vocals). Sleigh Bells‘ unique sound is likely the result of Miller and Krauss’s contrasting musical backgrounds: Miller was formerly the guitarist for the post-hardcore band Poison The Well and Krauss was a member of the teen pop group RubyBlue as a teenager. Guess what it could come out, then listen to Reign of Terror.

ARTIST: Sleigh Bells
TITLE: Reign of Terror
LABEL: Mom & Pop
RELEASE DATE: February 21, 2012
TIME: 36:30 min.
WEB: http://reignofterror.tv/

01. True Shred Guitar [02:20]
02. Born to Lose [03:53]
03. Crush [03:20]
04. End of the Line [03:38]
05. Leader of the Pack [02:43]
06. Comeback Kid [03:01]
07. Demons [03:04]
08. Road to Hell [03:22]
09. You Lost Me [04:31]
10. Never Say Die [03:40]
11. D.O.A. [02:58]

Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid

get it here.

THE CRANBERRIES
Roses

The Cranberries are back, with their first studio album in over ten years! The original Irish four-piece fronted by Dolores O’Riordan, who lit up the charts for over a decade with classics such as Linger, Dreams and Zombie is now releasing Roses: eleven brand new songs, produced by the band’s old friend and collaborator Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur and more recently Kaiser Chiefs).

ARTIST: The Cranberries
TITLE: Roses
LABEL: Downtown
RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2012
TIME: 44:24 min.
WEB: http://www.cranberries.com/

01. Conduct [05:10]
02. Tomorrow [03:55]
03. Fire & Soul [04:32]
04. Raining in My Heart [03:27]
05. Losing My Mind [03:39]
06. Schizophrenic Playboy [03:39]
07. Waiting in Walthamstow [04:18]
08. Show Me [03:26]
09. Astral Projections [04:44]
10. So Good [03:53]
11. Roses [03:41]

The Cranberries – Tomorrow

get it here.

THE TWILIGHT SAD
No One Can Ever Know

As made clear already by widely-spread preview track Kill It In The Morning and first single Sick, The Twilight Sad‘s third full-length, No One Can Ever Know, marks a sonic shift for the band: freshly inspired by a listening diet of Cabaret Voltaire, Can, Liars, Magazine, Autechre, and Public Image Limited, the band turn to a dark, synth-heavy sound for No One Can Ever Know. The resulting LP shares thematic and sonic space with the most innovative offerings from Depeche Mode, The Cure, or even Nine Inch Nails.

ARTIST: The Twilight Sad
TITLE: No One Can Ever Know
LABEL: Fat Cat
RELEASE DATE: February 7, 2012
TIME: 44:18 min.
WEB: http://www.thetwilightsad.com/

01. Alphabet [04:27]
02. Dead City [06:26]
03. Sick [04:24]
04. Don’t Move [04:20]
05. Nil [05:19]
06. Don’t Look At Me [04:09]
07. Not Sleeping [05:11]
08. Another Bed [04:39]
09. Kill It in the Morning [05:53]

The Twilight Sad – Another Bed

get it here.