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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

VAGUE-À-BONDE
Involution / Evolution

Involution/Evolution is the debut album of Vague-à-Bonde (a.k.a. Nicole Alicia Brenny, former member of Waxx Maxx). Involution/Evolution was written and produced by Nicole herself entirely in her own bedroom, but that doesn’t mean any lo-fi attitude. The album is beyond doubt a professional product: by the end, what we hear here is an intelligent and brilliant songwriter that showcases her range of talents in 8 tracks that fall somewhere between Fleetwood Mac and K-Pop, the ethereal and the corporal. And, considering she is an independent artist self-releasing her first full-length, it is quiet a feat.

ARTIST: Vague-à-Bonde
TITLE: Involution/Evolution
LABEL: self-released
RELEASE DATE: February 22, 2012
TIME: 32:04 min.
WEB: http://vagueabonde.tumblr.com/

01. Voices [03:09]
02. Best Nights [04:23]
03. Ghosts [03:06]
04. MV [03:57]
05. Pop [04:23]
06. 1221 [03:53]
07. Something [03:58]
08. Sky [05:15]

Vague-à-Bonde – MV

removed by request

PACIFIC UV
Weekends

We left pacificUV playing their wonderful Chrysalis EP, which was said to be only an anticipation. So now we’ve got to the point. The full-length Weekends is finally out: 12 tracks to lost yourself in, either you take the usual approach and enjoy the grand concept of the album, that follows the arc of the natural trajectory of the weekend itself, or you view it more like a sweet pop record and appreciate each singular track for its individual beauty and softness. That’s it, whichever route you choose, one thing remains unflinching: this album is guaranteed to please.

ARTIST: pacificUV
TITLE: Weekends
LABEL: Mazarine
RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2012
TIME: 39:10 min.
WEB: http://www.pacificuv.com/

01. Friday Night Dream [01:43]
02. Funny Girl [03:30]
03. Just For Kix [03:03]
04. Baby Blue [05:46]
05. I’m Here (but it’s not me) [04:15]
06. Ballerina [03:52]
07. Saturday Night Dream [01:46]
08. High [03:10]
09. Be My Only Shallow Love [03:15]
10. Feels Like I’m Going Home [03:52]
11. Sunday Night Dream [02:21]
12. Unplug Me [03:50]

pacificUV – Ballerina

removed by request

FARMER SEA
A Safe Place

Farmer Sea, based in Turin (Italy), was formed in 2004 and from the very beginning has been both well acclaimed by the italian press and also by international magazines such as NME (best breaking bands). These general consents were renewed in 2009 with the band’s first full length album Low Fidelity in Relationships produced by Maurizio Borgna (Perturbazione, Zen Circus, Settlefish, Fine Before You Came). Throughout all these years the band kept on touring and playing as opening act for Girls In Hawaii, Lightspeed Champion, You Say Party, Jennifer Gentle and many others. A Safe Place is their second full length album, entirely produced by the band and inspired by north-american indie-pop, renewed with very particular and personal inserts.

ARTIST: Farmer Sea
TITLE: A Safe Place
LABEL: Dead End Street
RELEASE DATE: January 9, 2012
TIME: 40:14 min.
WEB: http://www.farmersea.it/

01. The Fear [04:40]
02. To the Sun [04:23]
03. Lights [03:38]
04. Small Revolutions [02:57]
05. The Green Bed [03:55]
06. Nothing Ever Happened [02:49]
07. Number 7 [03:10]
08. Summer Always Comes Too Late for Us [06:13]
09. Disappearing Season [04:09]
10. For Too Long [04:20]

Farmer Sea – The Fear

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GLEAMER
The Chasing Method

Gleamer, the Vicenza-based Italian four-piece (Luca Sammartin, Andrea Bevliacqua, Elia Grossele, Stefano Sholla) releases its full lenght debut, following the two singles The Pick and Dance. The Chasing Method, that’s the title of the album, shows the band’s sound and vocation: a solid rock with veins of electronic music, shoegaze, glitch and jazz, nonetheless with the vocal aptitude for the “song” in the classical sense of the word. We can say their music is influenced by Editors, Radiohead, Elbow and (they say) a french band called Overhead: but this is more than indie-rock, this is more than rock, finally.

ARTIST: Gleamer
TITLE: The Chasing Method
LABEL: Snowy Peach
RELEASE DATE: October 15, 2011
TIME: 38:45 min.
WEB: http://www.gleamer.it/

01. Until the End [03:14]
02. Destination Is Lost [03:58]
03. Hangin’ Around [03:06]
04. The Pick [03:14]
05. Dance [03:59]
06. But I [04:10]
07. Just Gather Pieces and Hide [04:23]
08. Aftertastes [04:35]
09. To Forget [03:42]
10. This Is For Real [04:24]

Gleamer - Dance

removed by request

AA.VV.
Yes, That’s Exactly What We Meant When We Said Christmas

Now its time for our friend of Snowy Peach to put their XMas gift on air for free.
So please enjoy Yes, That’s Exactly What We Meant When We Said Christmas, a selection of the best 2011 releases on SP. Happy Snowy Christmas!

ARTIST: AA.VV. selected by Snowy Peach Records
TITLE: Yes, That’s Exactly What We Meant When We Said Christmas
LABEL: Snowy Peach
RELEASE DATE: December 28, 2011
TIME: 31:13 min.
WEB: http://www.snowypeach.com/

01. CONTAINER – Children Something [02:25]
02. BIG CHARLIE – Wait ’til the End [03:46]
03. FLOWERS OF RAZORWIRE – Illuminated [04:57]
04. PAUL ZIGFRIST – T.Y.M.G. [02:30]
05. ERASER – Celestia (constellation) [05:48]
06. GLEAMER – What Am I Made Of [04:13]
07. FABRYKA – Day In Day Out [03:50]
08. YOOP – A Message [03:44]

Big Charlie – Wait ’til the End

get it here.

AA.VV.
Megaphone XMas Compilation

Megaphone is a collective of artists based in Friuli, Italy.
For this year’s compilation, Megaphone asked 9 artists to write a song based on this unique video created by Francesco Imperato and Flavio Toffoli. So first came the video, then the music. That sounds cool, isn’t it? 9 soundtracks inspired by a single muse, 9 interpretations for a silent motion picture. The XMas Compilation 2011 includes members of the collective and some international very special guests.

ARTIST: AA.VV. selected by Megaphone Records
TITLE: XMas Compilation 2011
LABEL: Megaphone
RELEASE DATE: December 23, 2011
TIME: 28:41 min.
WEB: http://www.megaphone.it/

01. ARNOUX (feat. STEVE NARDINI) – Firebombs [02:36]
02. THE STORYLINES – Cause/Effect [02:53]
03. SJ ESAU – Drops [02:42]
04. THE SLEEPING TREE (feat. MICHELA GRENA) – Sammy Don’t Go [03:02]
05. VIDEODREAMS – Waterfalls of Light [03:34]
06. VAGUE ANGELS – S’Agaro [03:28]
07. ANGELA AUX – Float Downstream [02:49]
08. TOP BANANA – Because of the Void [02:41]
09. JACKEYED & THE SOUL FARMERS – Empty Crisis [04:56]

The Storylines – Cause/Effect

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ADNAN DURIC
Essence (vol.1)

Filigran announces release of its first official compilation with the label honcho and A&R point-man Adnan Duric, known by his artist name Filterwolf. Duric mixes the hits of the catalogue with the exclusive new productions ranging from Buenos Aires to Berlin. The tracks on this compilation are canvassing everything from Chicago house reminiscences to tech house to the innovative perspectives of a dancefloor à la Visionquest and beyond. Essence (vol.1) presents Filigran as a cutting edge imprint with just one course in its music direction: uncompromising, refined quality.

ARTIST: AA.VV. selected by Adnan Duric
TITLE: Essence (vol.1)
LABEL: Filigran
RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2011
TIME: 1:40:48 min.
WEB: http://www.myspace.com/filterwolf

01. KOVEX & KULSTER – Something After All [07:22]
02. XTRAMOL – Socks Box [08:51]
03. FILTERWOLF – Burana Channel [06:09]
04. AVE ASTRA – Do I Hate Or Do I Love? [07:16]
05. MARCO DA MATA & MATTHEW – So Far [05:53]
06. LEMY LEOPARD – State of the World [04:09]
07. PABLO PLACERES – Tasty for You [08:31]
08. HRDVSION – Little Baby [09:24]
09. GEOFFREY VINCE – Duffy Stuff [07:10]
10. AIVIAN – Slave [07:07]
11. THORSTEN GRAEBER – Berlin Love [07:35]
12. FREDERICK HECKER – Jues Harp [06:36]
13. EDUARDO D’ALIRIO – Geben & Nehmen [09:06]
14. JULIO PORTILLO – Otras Formas [05:39]

Lemy Leopard – State of the World

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PAUL ZIGFRIST
LLove Is…

After spending many years looking for a musical mood which placed him blissfully in tune to the universe, in 2009 Paul Zigfrist was enlightened on the the way of the beat. Since then, he has been obsessed with listening and sampling (mostly soul music) and this has taken him away from civil society for about two years. 2011 is finally the year of LLove. And so what LLove Is…? A crazy cut’n'mash funky samples to create new beats, mixed and mastered by Luca Sammartin. But that’s not enough: to appease his obsession with music, Paul Zigfrist enjoys sampling magazine clippings and reassembling them into paper mosaics (see the cover artwork if you don’t believe it).

ARTIST: Paul Zigfrist
TITLE: LLove Is…
LABEL: Snowy Peach
RELEASE DATE: November 26, 2011
TIME: 14:17 min.
WEB: http://www.myspace.com/paulzigfrist

01. Intro [00:55]
02. My First Love [02:20]
03. Look (to the sky) [02:26]
04. LLove Interlude [01:41]
05. I Am Ready [02:17]
06. T.Y.M.G. [02:30]
07. Outro [02:08]

Paul Zigfrist – I Am Ready

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HAMMOCK
Asleep in the Downlights

The experimental, ambient rock Nashville-based band Hammock releases a new EP which gives listeners the chance to hear two previously released songs like they had never been heard before as well as two brand new releases: Asleep in the Downlights offers the chance to hear previously instrumental tracks with staggering lyrics that add another layer to the ambience. “Sometimes life seems random; sometimes it seems to have a purpose,” says Marc Byrd of Hammock. “We’ve been longtime fans and listeners of The Church. Tim ‘timEbandit’ Powles mixed the Chasing After Shadows…Living with the Ghosts album, and as a result we’ve had the opportunity to extend our collaboration with Tim and to work with Steve Kilbey. No Agenda now features words and a vocal performance from Kilbey, one of our all-time favorite singers and lyricists, and Verse for Forgiveness features words and vocals from Powles, who is one of the most multi-talented artists we’ve ever met. We’re ecstatic about this release.”. Asleep in the Downlights also includes two new Hammock songs, Sinking Inside Yourself, a driving, towering piece featuring the first-ever vocal from Andrew Thompson, and the gorgeous Parkers Chapel, sung by Marc Byrd. Four songs, four voices. This is essential listening for fans of either The Church or Hammock and is a work of beauty, openness and wonder: something our world needs right now.

ARTIST: Hammock
TITLE: Asleep in the Downlights
LABEL: Hammock Music
RELEASE DATE: October 25, 2011
TIME: 22:26 min.
WEB: http://hammockmusic.com/

01. No Agenda [04:20]
02. Sinking Inside Yourself [06:01]
03. Verse for Forgiveness [04:59]
04. Parkers Chapel [07:06]

Hammock (feat. steve kilbey) – No Agenda

get it here.

KIRBY
Into the Dark

Brand new album submission! Into The Dark, is (John) Kirby’s second official release and wrestles the ideas of hostile despair, anguish of being unable to change, the worthlessness of envy and the desire to be wanted so unconditionally. It’s a glimpse into the psyche of a man whose spent the last two years touring Canada, crossing the country numerous times. The EP, produced by Matt Montour and mixed by Sean Pearson, works towards summarizing the vast enormity of his experiences into seven calculated, succinct booms of folk-pop passion and interwoven with hook filled melody.

ARTIST: Kirby
TITLE: Into the Dark
LABEL: C&B
RELEASE DATE: September 14, 2011
TIME: 25:35 min.
WEB: http://kirbysings.com/

01. Off Your Mind [03:56]
02. Picking Up Page [03:36]
03. High Horse [03:57]
04. Into the Dark [03:33]
05. Change [02:48]
06. The Other Boys [03:22]
07. I Want to Live in New York [04:23]

Kirby – Change

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BIG CHARLIE
Too Little Too Late

Are you ready? Rabbits are coming back. Are you sure to be ready? We don’t think you can be really ready, ready for such a perfect little album, we mean. And you know: a good album never comes too late. So, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Too Little Too Late, the full-length debut by Italian duo Big Charlie (following last year’s That Really Hurts EP), maybe one of the freshest and coolest releases of the year. Big Charlie are Matteo de Ruggieri (best known for his experimental project EraSer) and Stefano Milella (the rhythmic and electronic mind of Fabryka), two sounds-mashers and syles-mixers, with a wide-rage background that goes from pop to rock, from electronics to circuit bending. All these influences merge into Big Charlie, a crazy project, a band with a rabbit-head and into these 8 tunes loaded with beat and melodies that mess-up and re-build standard pop music rules into something really original that you won’t be saved from loving.

And here come the teasers!
A video trilogy by Fab-Design to introduce the album’s release and to make your mouths water for the next week.

ARTIST: Big Charlie
TITLE: Too Little Too Late
LABEL: Snowy Peach
RELEASE DATE: November 9, 2011
TIME: 27:37 min.
WEB: http://www.bigcharliemusic.com/

01. Haunted [03:27]
02. The Sun [03:33]
03. Here Comes the Mobster [03:36]
04. Morphine [03:24]
05. Ask Quietly [03:16]
06. What If [03:32]
07. Headache [03:03]
08. Wait ’til the End [03:46]

Big Charlie – Here Comes the Mobster

removed by request

PACIFIC UV
Chrysalis

Clay Jordan and Howard Hudson formed pacificUV in the late 1990s in Athens, Georgia. One of them wanted the band to sound like a psychedelic Jesus and Mary Chain tripping on Nyquil, while the other wanted to play one chord for 45 minutes to determine its color. Somehow, what emerged from these disparate goals was their self-titled debut album that Rolling Stone called a “masterpiece”. The perfect mixture of noise and melody, the first L.P. was a sprawling ambient landscape that revealed a myriad of influences, from shoegaze to 60’s rock, to slow core to post-rock. Skip ahead a few years (and a change of location to Portland, Oregon) and Longplay 2 is released, again to ardent critical praise: the sound of the debut record has been refined, with a more assured command of dynamics and tighter songwriting, but still sounding like it was beamed in from a distant planet. Their newest full-length, Weekends, is set to be released in January 2012 and it will feature a host of Athens music luminaries including BP Helium (Of Montreal), John Fernandez (Olivia Tremor Control), and Heather McIntosh (Lil Wayne, Azure Ray). Chrysalis EP (which includes two remixes, a fantastic cover of The Smiths and the special vocals of Carolyn Berk on one track) can be seen as a precursor of Weekends and it’s the perfect stuff to make our mouths water.

ARTIST: pacificUV
TITLE: Chrysalis EP
LABEL: PopHeart
RELEASE DATE: September 19, 2011
TIME: 19:17 min.
WEB: http://www.pacificuv.com/

01. Ballerina (remix) [05:05]
02. Lakes [03:41]
03. Sunday Night Dream (remix) [03:39]
04. Please Please Please [03:28]
05. The Archduke [03:24]

pacificUV – Please Please Please

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