Search results for: trust

February 10, 2014

Yes, Yes, Yes! Listen to 2 New TRUST tracks: Capitol & Rescue, Mister

It’s refreshing to hear that Trust aka Robert Alfons, the insanely talented Toronto-hailing goth synth-pop God can consistently keep up with his dark, seductive, drug-sick lurching-like music producing ways. Since the release of his stunning debut album, TRST, back in 2012, Alfons has been on what seems like a never-ending tour, but he’s back to making new music and blowing everyone’s minds and ears, per usual.

Trust‘s sophomore album, Joyland, described as “an eruption of guts, feels, and joy,” is due out March 4 via Arts & Crafts. He’ll also be embarking on tour with none other than the amazing electro-pop Queen, Mozart’s Sister. Could this get any better!? Have a listen to “Capitol” and “Rescue, Mister,” two new tracks off of Joyland, then commence to weep black tears of synth-pop joy:

Trust – Capitol

Trust – Rescue, Mister

November 21, 2012

New Acoustic + Video: Trust – Sulk

Robert Alfons aka Trust (as featured in Loud and Quiet Magazine)

If you didn’t think Robert Alfons, the Toronto hailing electro-goth synth-pop God (aka Trust), could get any more talented, he busts out an acoustic piano version of his beloved track, “Sulk.” The kaleidoscope-esque video, directed by Petra Collins, displays Alfons’ raw talent and beauty as a musician. The acoustic version of “Sulk” adds layers of delicateness to Trust‘s expected and addictive “drug-sick” lurching electro-goth that typically oozes with sex and synth.

Trust (sometimes a two-piece with Maya Postepski of Austra) has had quite a year. They released a debut album (and one of the best of 2012), TRST, and an EP, Dressed for Space. Having finished a whirlwind tour with Yeasayer, and a headlining tour in Europe, Trust is now currently on tour supporting The Faint (which I personally think it should be the other way around).

Watch and listen to Trust‘s acoustic version of “Sulk” now:

Trust – Sulk [Piano Version]

September 24, 2012

NEW Trust EP – Dressed for Space + Video

Feel like tripping out and listening to some insanely good electro-goth? Perfect, ‘cus Trust has a new EP and a psychedelic video to match. If you aren’t familiar, Trust is the Toronto based brainchild of nasty-synth masters Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski (of Austra). Their (mind-blowing) debut album TRST was released last year, and the sound is something of a dark, “drug-sick” lurching electro-goth oozing with sex and synth. To feed our need for more dark beats and Alfons’ deeply magnetic voice, Trust has just released a new EP (on Arts & Crafts), Dressed for Space featuring the same titled song (as heard from TRST), a few remixes and a new jam, Divine. Stream the entire EP on Spotify. They’ve also whipped up a music video for Dressed for Space that’ll throw you down a trippy tunnel of neon.

Trust – Divine

Trust – Dressed for Space

March 3, 2017

Six Years in San Francisco: A Soundtrack and a ‘So Long’

I love San Francisco, which is why I’m content to say… I’m leaving it. Today, March 3rd, marks my 6-year anniversary in this beautiful city. In six days, I’ll be on a one-way flight to NYC.

Over the course of my six years here, I often had to fight my (somewhat tormenting and romanticized) nomadic tendencies.

My first year in San Francisco was the worst. Having come back to the states after a few years overseas, I was depressed by normalcy. My identity as an explorer had expired. I was just like everyone else, and what a painful reality that came to be.

I had a 9-5 job with a bus commute full of men in suits. I bought a smartphone, and to my dismay, found myself looking at it rather than people in the eyes. Two years in, I was aching to leave.

I made a plan and put together a list of things I had to see before I left for NYC. But it dawned on me: Why not always have this mentality? Why not live with joy and a sense of urgency as if I’m always about to lose this city? So I stayed because saying sayonara felt too soon. Plus, I needed to learn how to stay put and be happy. Something I wasn’t used to.

Then, I met someone.

One year later, that someone broke my heart in a million ways plus one. And while he lived across the bridge and the city was “mine,” the idea of even existing in the same state seemed unbearable.

I made a plan and compiled a list of Brooklyn neighborhoods to live in. But, it dawned on me: People aren’t perfect, and I still seemingly loved that heartbreaker of mine. So I decided to stay and see if things could be forgiven with time.

One year later, to paraphrase Mariah Carey, that heartbreaker got the best of me and I should’ve have known right from the start he’d go and break my heart…again.

The break up sucked, and a new city seemed like the perfect remedy. But, I’d just started a new job, at a startup no less. Leaving wasn’t an option, as much as I wanted it to be.

In two years’ time, I came through to the other side. I no longer wanted to run from San Francisco (though, of course, it was never the city I was running from). I loved it, even.

I also feel incredibly lucky to have shared this city with my beautiful sister and best friend. A city that taught me how to vogue, DJ a radio show, make a film, dance ballet, let loose at a show, start a blog, enjoy long walks, and most importantly, how to find adventure and love in just one spot.

Only now do I feel as if I can leave this city’s arms. Because I know they’ll always be open, and I’ll forever be happy to jump back into them when or if the time comes. But why am I leaving at all? While I’ve learned my lesson, living in New York has always been a dream. And, I don’t like to make a habit of regretting things.

So, to celebrate the last six years, I’ve decided to create a soundtrack – One that includes my top 6 most listened to jams from each of the 6 years I spent in SF (2011-2017). These jams may not be brand new, but they’re still amazing, and will always remind me of you.

So long, SF.

2011

Mozart’s Sister – Don’t Leave it to Me
Austra – Lose it
Class Actress – Love Me Like You Used to
Grimes – Crystal Ball
Elite Gymnastics – Omamori
Twin Sister – Bad Street

2012

Grimes – Genesis
Vacationer – Good as New
Purity Ring – Obedear
How to Dress Well – & it Was You
Charli XCX – Nuclear Seasons
Tennis – My Better Self

2013

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – So Good a Being in Trouble
Helado Negro – Dance Ghost
No Joy – Hare Tarot Lies
Angel Olsen – The Waiting
K-X-P – Easy
Blood Orange – You’re Not Good Enough

2014

St. Vincent – Prince Johnny
Trust – Capitol
Rickey Eat Acid – It Will Draw Me Over to it Like it Always Does
Tirzah – Inside Out
Hundred Waters – Show Me Love
Black Milk – Dirt Bells

2015

Widowspeak – All Yours
Julien Baker – Something
Prince Rama – Bahia
Grimes – Kill v. Maim
Empress Of – Everything is You
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Ur Life One Night

2016

Mitski – Your Best American Girl
Woods – Can’t See At All
Banks – Gemini Feed
Julie Byrne – Natural Blue
Julia Jacklin – Pool Party
Beyonce – Don’t Hurt Yourself (feat. Jack White) (not on Spotify, sorry) / Subbing in with Miya Folick – Pet Body

2017

Austra – Future Politics
Sampha – Plastic 100°C
Temples – Certainty
Future Pelo – Swamp
Jens Lekman – What’s that Perfume That You Wear?
Tei Shi – Keep Running …. Fitting? 😉

p.s. The featured image/picture is one I took of Sutro Tower from my backyard – What a gloriously breathtaking city.

coco stereo radio

Listen to “Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground“ on BFF.fm, San Francisco’s best online streaming underground radio station, every Sunday, 11 am – Noon PT.

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 1-11-15 – Austin Psych Fest 2015 Picks
This is my last radio show 😦 “Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground” aired on BFF.fm every Sunday 11am-Noon PST for an entire year! Thanks for always listening, Stay tuned on cocostereo.com for more new music and news.

Thee Oh Sees – Tidal Wave
Melody’s Echo Chamber – Shirim
Fuzz – What’s in My Head
The Flaming Lips – The W.A.N.D.
Indian Jewelry – Eva Cherie
Mac DeMarco – She’s Really All I Need
Tame Impala – Stranger in Moscow (MJ Cover)
White Fence – Like That
Fat White Family – Touch the Leather
The Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey
Nothing – Bent Nail
The Blank Tapes – Coast to Coast
Rose Windows – Wartime Lovers

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 12-28-14 Best Tracks of 2014

Mt. Royal – Missing Reward
Honeyblood – Super Rat
Love Again (Akinyele Back) feat. Gangsta Boo – Run the Jewels
FKA Twigs – Two Weeks
Angel Olsen – Hi-Five
Perfume Genius – Queen
Tirzah – No Romance
Shamir – On the Regular
Woods – Leaves Like Glass
St. Vincent – Prince Johnny
Hundred Waters – Show Me Love
Sisyphus – Rhythm of Devotion
Kero Kero Bonito – Sick Beat
Glass Animals – Gooey

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 11-30-14 – Super Fresh Jams

Disa – Sculpture
Cherry Glazerr – Had Ten Dollaz
Shaprece – Her Song
Panda Bear – Mr Noah
Weaves – Buttercup
SZA – Sobriety
Fat White Family – Touch The Leather
Girlpool – Jane
Young Ejecta – Your Planet
Baby Bash – Suga Suga (Jerry Folk Remix)
American Wrestlers – I Can Do No Wrong
Trust Fund – Cut Me Out
Only Real – Yesterdays
Tune-Yards – Gangsta

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 11-16-14 – Fresh Jams

Misun – Penny
LoneLady – Grove it Out
Mykki Blanco – A Moment with Kathleen feat. Kathleen Hannah
Tei Shi – See Me
Cherry Glazerr – Tip Toe Through The Tulips (Nick Lucas Cover)
Slow Magic – Waited 4 U (ODESZA Remix)
Bosco Rogers – The Middle
Flowers – Joanna
Daniel Wilson – Boy Who Cried Thunder
Robin Bacior – If it Does
Jessica Pratt – Back, Baby – Drag City
RÉN – Time
Island Boy – Hospital Bed

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 11-2-14 – Funky Fresh Jams

Shamir – On the Regular
Continental Shelf – Viet Cong
Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) feat. Zack De La Rocha – Run the Jewels
It’s Okay with Me – The Good Sports
Better Man – Leon Bridges
Unforgettable – The Harpoons
Waiting Around for Grace – Pond
Got It – Marian Hill
Close Enough – K Stewart
Rose Knows – Allison Crutchfield
Everybody’s Free – TALA
Between Cans – Deers
Shithole – Weaves
Strawberries & White Light – Blue Hawaii
Get Happy – Blue Hawaii

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 10-19-14 Must See Bands at CMJ Music Marathon 2014

CMJ Music Marathon is October 21-25th in NYC. 80+ venues, 1,300 bands, 125K fans! Here are this year’s must-see bands.
Only Real – Cadillac Girl
Dinner – Girl
Banoffee – Let’s go to the beach
Weaves – Hulahoop
Pins – Lost Lost Lost
Tei Shi – Bassically
Gulp – Vast Space
Spookyland – Rock and Roll Weakling
Ami Dang – This Charm
Adult Jazz – Am Gone
Juan Waters – Escucho Mucho
Twin Peaks – Strawberry Smoothie
Doomsquad – Head Spirit (for our Mechanical Times)
Lydia Ainsworth – PSI

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 10-5-14 – The Freshest of New Jams!

Liv – Come a Little Closer
K.Flay – Make Me Fade (Feat. Sol & Buddy)
AlundaGeorge – Supernatural
Ex Hex – How You Got That Girl
Perfume Genius – Longpig
PlanningtoRock – The One (Summer 2014 Version)
Sisyphus – Booty Call
La Plage – Rendez Vous
She Keeps Bees – Owl
TALA – Alchemy
Absolutely Free – Vision’s
Little Dragon – Cat Rider (Poolside Remix)
Hush Pup – Magic Hour
Elliot Moss – Slip

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 9-28-14 – Eclectic New Tracks

Dinner – Going Out
Blonde Redhead – No MOre Honey
Perfume Genius – Fool
Wampire – The Amazing Heart Attack
Black Milk – Ruffin
Hush Pup – Thailand
Lo-Fang – When We’re Fire
Phlynt – Silence
Blood Sister – Ghost Twin
Caribou – Silver
Makthaverskan – Asleep
Yellerkin – Tools
iamamiwhoami – Vista

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 9-21-14 – Deliciously Dark Folsom Street Fair Tracks
This radio show is dedicated to SF’s iconic, infamous and non-profit BDSM spectator fest: ‪‎Folsom Street Fair‬. In honor of this delightfully kinky and eye-opening festivity, I ‘whipped’ up these deliciously dark tracks. Enjoy!

Crater – Crater Head
Trust – Rescue, Mister
Yo! Majesty – Freaks Come Out
Hi Fashion – Amazing
Phedre – Atomic Love
Brooke Candy – Bed Squeak
Light Asylum – Hour Fortress
iamamiwhoami – Clump
Austra – Painful Like
Night Drive – After Dark
Mykki Blanco – Wavvy
Trust – Captiol

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 9-14-14 – Fresh New Jams

FEMME – 1990s // Killer (Seal & Adamski Cover)
Helado Negro – Ojos Que No Ven
Kailo – NinetiesGirl
Fictonian – Full Circle Influence
TĀLĀ – Black Scorpio
Rome Fortune – FreandsMaybe feat. IloveMakonnen
Run the Jewels – Blockbuster Night Part 1
Purling Hiss – Forcefield of Solitude
SBTRKT – Gon Stay feat. Sampha
Bass Drum of Death – For Blood
Operators – True
ODESZA – White Lies feat. Jenni Potts
Perfume Genius – Grid
Masionair – Hold Me Down

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 9-7-14 – WEIRD/Fun/Funky New Jams

Hush Pup – Swimming
BabyMetal – Gimmie Chocolate!!
Gay Dog Food – New Feelings prod. by Sasha DZA
Jenny Hval & Susanna – I Have Walked This Body
ODESZA – Sun Models (Feat. Madelyn Grant)
TwinzTrack – All N My Grill
Crooked Colours – Keep Your Mouth for Lying (cln Remix)
Kindness – This is Not About Us
Eyelid Kid – Time Travel
Willow Smith – Easy Easy (King Krule Cover)
New Swears – See You in a Hull
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Cellophane
Institute – Salt
BabyMetal – Head Bangya!!

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 8-30-14 – Fab New Jams

Tomas Barfod – Lost (Feat. Pell)
Sleepy Dinosaur – Leaving
Femme – Heartbeat
BRONCHO – What
Black Milk – What it’s Worth
Foreign/National – Life Tourist
Allison Crutchfield – You
Love Inks – Shoot 100 Panes of Glass
Spookyland – The Silly Fucking Thing
Jonwayne – World Championship Karate Champion Feat. Quelle Chris And Zeroh
Astronauts, etc. – Gravity
No Rome – Heaven
Honeyblood – Mesmerizing (Liz Phair Cover)
Visuals – Pixel

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 8-24-14 – Fresh New Jams

Femme – High
Menace Beach – Tennis Court
Generationals – Black Lemon
Only Real – Pass the Pain
PAWS – Erreur Humaine
Beaty Heart – Yadwigha’s Theme
Galimatias – Ocean Floor Kisses
WAFIA – Let Me Love You (Mario Cover)
Alt-J – Every Other Freckle
Mozart’s Sister – Do it Myself (run run)
Leland – Aware
Golden Coast – Dream and an MPC

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 8-17-14 – Rockin’ & Eclectic New Jams

Daniel Wilson – Killed Ya
Bass Drum of Death – Black Don’t Glow
Ramona Lisa – Getaway Ride
Whyte Horses – The Snowfalls
Thrupence – Don’t You Mind
FKA Twigs – Give Up
Happyness – You Come to Kill Me?!
Fold – Human Again
Needle Points – I Drink Rainfall
Cancer – The Same Colour as Digital Photography
Kero Kero Bonito – Sick Beat
Paul White – Where You Gonna Go?
Josef Salvat – Shoot & Run
Slow No Wake – Noah, Pt. 1

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 8-2-14 – New EZ Listening Jams

Beaty Heart – Get the Gurls
Highasakite – Since Last Wednesday
Wampire – Wizard Staff
Jenny Lewis – One of the Guys
Eyelid Kid – Sleep Well on Knives
Chance The Rapper & The Social Experiment – Wonderful Everyday: Arthur
Dead Times – Every Moment
Kero Kero Bonito – Kero Kero Bonito
Allan Kingdom – Already feat. Kevin Abstract
Mozart’s Sister – Lone Wolf
The Delphines – Vice
Roses – Florence Girls
GRMLN – Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper Cover)
King Tuff – Eyes of the Muse

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 7-27-14 – Wacky, Funky, Wild New Jams

Redinho – Playing with Fire
Meanwhile – Luvletta
Twin Peaks – Strawberry Smoothie
Black Milk – Detroit’s New Dance Show
Beaty Heart – Banana Bread
Guerilla Toss – 367 Equalizer
Fryars – Prettiest Ones Fly Highest
Sinkane – How We Be
BANKS – Beggin’ for Thread
MisterWives – Vagabond (Jared Poythress Remix)
Erlend Øye – Garota
Club KURU – Seesaw
Lowell – The Bells (Dd Elle Remix)

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 7-20-14 – Phat New Jamz

Teen – Not For Long (Saint Pepsi Remix)
SlowPlaceLikeHome – Luna
Perfume Genius – Queen
Emilie Nicolas – Pstereo (DumDum Boys Cover)
Broncho – Class Historian
Slow Club – Tears of Joy
Body Language – 4 Real
Indian Summer – Shiner feat. Ginger & the Ghost
Los Angeles Police Department – She Came Through (Again)
JUCE – Burning Up
Lydia Ainsworth – PSI
Markis Precise – Kiss The Ring(Feat. Elzhi & Fashawn)
La Roux – Sexotheque
SuicideYear – Hope Building A

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground – 7-13-14 – Fabulous New Tracks

Majid Jordan – A Place Like This
Black EL – White ’95 Maxima
Mozart’s Sister – Bow a Kiss
Adult Jazz – Idiot Mantra
Sia – Fair Game
Cash+David – Funn
Dana Buoy – Preacher
SZA – Warm Winds (Feat. Isaiah Rashad)
Roses – It’s Over
Mt. Si – Oh
Geoffrey O’Connor – Her Name On Every Tongue
Wet – Move Me
Le Pélican Noir – …Et Les Arbres Déserteront Les Champs
Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 7-6-14 – Ridiculously Catchy New Tracks

Kailo – Need Ya feat. Aela Kae
Meg Mac – Roll Up Your Sleeves
Baxter Dury – Pleasure
Zella Day – East of Eden
Spider Bags – Japanese Vacation
Glass Animals – Psylla
Juan Wauters – Escucho Mucho
Nautic – Lay Back
Shamir – I Know it’s a Good Thing
PHOX – 1936
White Fence – Like That
Yalls – Finally
Beat Connection – Hesitation
Anand Wilder and Maxwell Kardon – Wedding Day
Mø – Never Wanna Know (Night Version)
Austra – Hulluu

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 6-29-14 – The Best Fresh Tracks

Vacationer – Vision
Ryn Weaver – OctaHate
Slow Magic – Girls
Grimes – Go feat. Blood Diamonds
Julia Holter – Don’t Make Me Over (Dionne Warwick Cover)
Sam Smith – How Will I Know (Whitney Houston Cover)
FKA Twigs – Two Weeks
Chris Staples – Dark Side of the Moon
Dub Thompson – No Time
Moodoïd – La Lune
Sisyphus – Rhythm of Devotion
Mozart’s Sister – My House is Wild

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 6-22-14 – Rad New Tracks

Islands – Aloe Hills are Blooming
Memory in Plant – Eyes Up
Phoria – Efforttobreathe
The Bilinda Butchers – Edo Method
Honeyblood – Super Rat
Small Black – Real People (Feat. Frankie Rose)
How to Dress Well – Face Again
Salt Cathedral – Tease
Cymbals Eat Guitars – Jackson
Juan Wauters – Water
Dorothy – After Midnight
Lia Ices – Thousand Eyes
Dessert – You’re Welcome
Jessie Ware – Tough Love

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 6-15-14 – Delightfully Wacky New Jams

Future Punx – 999
Movie – Mr. Fist
Blackbird Blackbird – There is Nowhere (DWNTWN Remix)
Deers – Bamboo (Demo)
Jaymes Young – Habits of My Heart (Surfjan Stevens Remake)
The Homesick – Breakfast
Death Grips – Have a Sad Cum feat. Bjork.
Fold – Be Water My Friend
Rubblebucket – Sound of Erasing
Got a Girl – Did We Live Too Fast
OOIOO – Jesso Testa
TĀLĀ – On My Own In Hua Hin
Sam and Dave – Soul Man (1967) – Father’s Day request by my dad!

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 6-8-14 – Eccentric New Tracks

SBTRKT – Temporary View feat. Sampha
Panama Wedding – Uma
EMA – So Blonde
Hyde & Beast – Blue
Mac DeMarco – Eating Like a Kid aka Cum on My Lip – Acoustic & Live Vol. 1
Mac DeMarco – Only You – Acoustic & Live Vol. 1
Hurray for the Riff Raff – The Body Electric
Adult Jazz – Spook
Sam Smith – Stay with Me feat. Mary J. Blige
Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks – A Sender
Kelis – Breakfast
Kelis – Rumble

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 6-1-14 – Eclectic New Jams

Yann Tiersen – Lights
Hundred Waters – Show Me Love
Hundred Waters – [Animal]
Hundred Waters – Innocent
TĀLĀ – The Duchess
MisterWives – Reflections
Lydia Ainsworth – White Shadows
Mozart’s Sister – Enjoy
Adult Jazz – Am Gone
Courtship Ritual – Kingdom of Beauty
EKKAH – Figure it Out
Alvvays – Ones Who Love You
Low Roar – I’m Leaving
Tove Styrke – Even if I’m Loud it Doesn’t Mean I’m Talking to You

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 5-25-14 – Funky/Soulful New Tracks

Naomi Punk – Television Man
Black Milk – Dirt Bells
Black Milk – Cold Day
Meatbodies – Wahoo
Alvvays – Archie, Marry Me
Agnes Obel – Aventine
JUCE – (H)ours
Parquet Courts – Instant Disassembly
Helado Negro – Mitad de tu Mundo
Lulu James – Beautiful People
Hush Pup – Sign 11:11
Fol Chen – Boys in the Woods
ZHU – Paradise Awaits

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 5-18-14 – Anniversary Edition! Amazing Tracks from 2012-2014

Mac DeMarco – Rock and Roll Night Club
Phedre – Aphrodite
How to Dress Well – & it Was U
Empress Of – Champagne
Light Asylum – IPC
Helado Negro – Dance Ghost
FKA Twigs – Water Me
Mozart’s Sister – Don’t Leave it to Me
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan – Lamia
Banks – Waiting Game
Hush Pup – Dusty Rose
Cherry Glazerr – Grilled Cheese
Hundred Waters – Cavity
Sylvan Esso – Wolf
Tirzah – No Romance

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 5-11-14 – Mother’s Day + Best New Tracks

The Lonely Island – Motherlover
Last Lynx – Curtains (Embody Remix)
Machineheart – Circles
Kent Odessa – Physical Genius
Landlady – Above My Ground
PAWS – Owls Talons Clenching My Heart
PAWS – Tongues
Cousin Marnie – Cain
Kishi Bashi – Philosophize it! Chemicalize with it!
Atmosphere – Let Me Know What You Want Now
Devonte Hynes – Palo Alto
Emily King – Distance
Kuhrye-oo – Air Days feat. Evy Jane

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 5-4-14- Brand Spankin’ New Tracks

Colleagues – Tears
Sylvan Esso – Wolf
Sylvan Esso – H.S.K.T.
Honeyblood – Choker
SlowPlaceLikeHome – She Comes in Colour Stereo
Jessica Lea Mayfield – I Wanna Love You
M&O – Jimi Savannah
Seoul – White Morning
Homeboy Sandman – White Sands
Tune-Yards – Wait for a Minute
IYES – Toys
Gentlemen – Gentle Duke
Young Magic -Holographic

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 4-20-14 – Best Live Acts of 2014 (thus far)

Painted Palms – Not Really There
Pure Bathing Culture – Lucky One
Berndsen – Planet Earth
Hjaltalín – Letter to […]
Trentemøller – Gravity feat. Jana Hunter (Lower Dens)
Angel Olsen – High & Wild
St. Vincent – Severed Crossed Fingers
White Hinterland – Baby
Jenny Hval – Mephisto in the Water
Iska Dhaaf – All the Kids
Temples – A Question isn’t Answered
The Knife – A Tooth for an Eye

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 4-13-14 – Fresh New Jams

Mark McGuire – Wonderland of Living Things
Coves – Beatings
First Aid Kit – My Silver Lining
Banoffee – Reign Down
Ásgeir – Torrent
PHOX – Slow Motion
SZA – Julia
Belgian Fog – Loveless Way
BOOTS – My Heart is a Stone Today (Unharmed)
DESSERT – Player
GMGN feat. Opey Tha Poet – We Got Now
Glass Animals – Holiest fest. Tei Shi
Movement – Like Lust
MS MR – Think of You (Wet Remix)

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 4-6-14 – Best New Tracks

Rome Fortune – Trap Pop
Courtney Barnett – Bein’ Around (Lemonheads Cover)
East – Old Age
Now, Now – School Friends (Ansible Remix)
Julie Byrne – Melting Grid
White Hinterland – Ring the Bell
Alice Boman – What
Blooms – Lust
Strange Bodies – This Town
Sean Nicholas Savage – Heartless
Swans – A Little God in Our Hands
Tune-Yards – Water Fountain
How to Dress Well – Repeat Pleasure
The Bamboos – Avenger

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 3-30-14 – New Albums Edition

Liars – Mess on a Mission
Iska Dhaaf – All the Kids
Iska Dhaaf – Everybody Knows
TacocaT – Crimson Wave
TEEN – Not for Long
TEEN – Tied Up, Tied Down
Frankie Cosmos – Birthday Song
TacocaT – Bridge to Hawaii
Timber Timbre – Curtains?!
TImber Timbre – Hot Dreams
Mac DeMarco – Let My Baby Stay
Mac DeMarco – Goodbye Weekend
Mac DeMarco – Jonny’s Odyssey
Pure X – Heaven
Pure X – Starlight

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 3-16-14 – Best New Tracks

Gardens & Villa – Colony Glen
Tirzah – Inside Out
Tirzah – No Romance
How to Dress Well – I Don’t Know the Words
Future Islands – Fall from Grace
Sharon Van Etten – Taking Chances
September Girls – Heartbeats
Tame Impala – Stranger in Moscow (Michael Jackson cover)
Bear Hands – Giants
Anna Calvi – Suddenly
CunninLyngists – Beyond the Sun ft. J-Live
Highasakite – Son of a Bitch
Diane Coffee – Amor Fati (Washed Out cover)
WizardBeats – Lap Dance

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 3-9-14 – Must-See SXSW 2014 Bands

Tei Shi – M&Ms
Black Atlass – Blossom
Cherry Glazerr – All My Friends
Quilt – Arctic Shark
Chance The Rapper – Cocoa Butter Kisses (ft. Vic Mensa & Twista)
Mutual Benefit – Golden Wake
FKA Twigs – Water Me
Glass Animals – Gooey
Sophie – Bipp (*update* It’s been discovered at South By that Sophie is a HE. Ah, the joys of SXSW)
Speedy Ortiz – Everything’s Bigger
Wet – Bad Idea
Cate Le Bon – Are You with Me Now?
Diane Coffee – Hymn
Hundred Waters – Cavity
Ex Hex – Hot and Cold

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 3-2-14 – Post Vacay Survival Edition

Clare Maguire – Whenever You Want It
Mac DeMarco – Chamber of Reflection
Trust – Joyland
Mozart’s Sister – Don’t Leave it to Me
Mt. Royal – Missing Reward
Woods – Moving to the Left
Hundred Waters – Down from the Rafters
KIll J – Bullet
Majical Cloudz – Love Soul
St. Vincent – Prince Johnny
Mr Little Jeans – Good Mistake
Happy Fangs – Electricity, Man
FKA Twigs x Inc. – FKA Twigs x Inc.

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 2-16-14 – Valentine’s Day Edition

Clare Maguire – In the Night
K.Flay – So What
Marian Hill – Lovit
FKA Twigs – Ache
Sean Nicholas Savage – Lonely Woman
Chance the Rapper – Lost (Prod. by Nate Fox)
Farao – To Sleep Apart
Daniel Wilson – Will You
Timber Timbre – Hot Dreams
Gregory Alan Isakov – Saint Valentine
Widowspeak – Wicked Game (Chris Isaak Cover)
Wet – No Lie (Noah Breakfast Remix ft. Spank ROck)
Mutual Benefit – C.L. Rosarian
Beyonce – Drunk in Love
Shy Girls – Second Heartbeat

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 2-9-14 – Best New Tunes Edition

Hospitality – It’s Not Serious
Black Atlass – Blossom
Ex Hex – Hot and Cold
Tomas Barfod – Pulsing (Ft. Nina K)
Julie Byrne – Prism Song
Temples – The Golden Throne
Hidden Cameras – Year of the Spawn
G-Eazy – Tumblr Girls ft. Christoph Andersson
Cloud Nothings – I’m Not Part of Me
Marissa Nadler – Dead City Emily
SKATERS – MIss Teen Massachusetts
Waterstrider – Twice (Little Dragon Cover)
Lowell – Cloud 69

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 2-2-14 – Groundhog Day Edition

Cherry Glazerr – Haxel Princess
Cherry Glazerr – Grilled Cheese
Cherry Glazerr – All My Friends
Woods – Leaves Like Glass
Woods – Be All Be Easy
Hozier – Take Me to Church
Hozier – Like Real People Do
dd elle – Kind 2 U
dd elle – A Note
Supreme Cuts – Gone (ft. Mahaut Modino)
Supreme Cuts – Envision (ft. Channy of Polica)
Brolin – Reykjavik
Brolin – Portland
Ricky Eat Acid – It Will Draw Me Over to it Like it Always Does

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 1-26-14 – GIRL POWER! Edition

Alpines – Oasis
The Courtneys – Lost Boys
Tei Shi – Sickasfuck
Alice Boman – Waiting
Marian Hill – Whisky
Warpaint – Biggy
Honor Gavin – Yes Mazoni
Angel Olsen – Hi-Five
Kyla La Grange – Cut Your Teeth
Hospitality – I Miss Your Bones
MISUN – Travel with Me
Farao – The Hours
BROODS – Bridges
iamamiwhoami – Fountain

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 1-19-14 – Trashy, Bubblegum, Surf/Punk Rock Edition

Pookie & The Poodlez – Hallucinating
The Black Lips – Boys in the Wood
NOBUNNY – I am a Girlfriend
Bleached – Dead in Your Head
The Coathangers – Shut the Fuck Up
Mac DeMarco – Treat Her Better, Salad Days & Let Her
The Blank Tapes – Coast to Coast
Hunx And His Punx – You Think You’re Tough & Everyone’s a Pussy (Fuck You Dude)
Together PANGEA – Offer
Colleen Green – Time in the World
Summer Twins – I Will Love You
Shannon and the Clams – Hey Willy
Allah-Las – Catamaran
Sam Flax – Fire Doesn’t Burn Itself

Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground 1-12-14 – Loopy Head Cold Edition

R.L. Kelly – Life’s a Bummer
PLANNINGTOROCK – Human Drama
Seinabo Sey – Younger
Trust – Rescue, Mister
CEO – Wonderland
Connan Mockasin – Caramel
HWLS – 001
Damaged Bug – Eggs at Night
Lucius – Hey, Doreen
Netherfriends – Uptwon Boys
Juana Molina – Sin Guia No
Son Lux – Lost it to Trying
Ginger & The Ghost – One Type of Dark (Ta-ku Remix)
Elvis Depressedly – Okay
Phèdre – Supernatural

Coco Stereo Radio 1-5-14 – Breakout Bands You Shouldn’t Have Slept On Edition

SALES – Renee
Béisbol – Is it Over?
Tweens – Be Mean
FUZZ – What’s in My Head
Melt Yourself Down – We Are Enough
Dungeoness – Shucks
Chance the Rapper – Favorite Song (ft. Childish Bambino)
Companion – 20th Century Crime
Courtney Barnett – Avant Gardener
Speedy Ortiz – Everything’s Bigger
Ejecta – It’s Only Love
Jamaican Queens – Water
Jacco Gardner – Clear the Air

Coco Stereo Radio 12-29-13 – Best Tracks of 2013 Edition

Josef Salvat – Every Night
No Joy – Hare Tarot Lies
Mozart’s Sister – Mozart’s Sister
K-X-P – Magnetic North
Teen – Carolina
Sean Nicholas Savage – You Changed Me
Jessie Ware – Still Love Me
The Holidays – Voices Drifting
Jackson Scott – Evie
Wet – Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl
Mortar & Pestle – U.V.
Banks – Waiting Game (Produced by SOHN)
SOHN – Bloodflows
Fyfe – Lies
Still Corners – Berlin Lovers

March 12, 2014

Must-See + Hear Bands at SXSW 2014

Photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Ah, South by Southwest – What a glorious, messy, magical music festival. It’s held in Austin, Texas, but don’t let the big T deter you (sorry, Tejas). Austin is a funky town full of friendly folks, tattooed cyclists, glorious BBQ, breakfast tacos, a plethora of music fests, and a lot of innovative startups. Austin is a strange cross between Portland and San Francisco, with some hot sauce on top.

I attended my very first SXSW last year (not ashamed to admit I hadn’t been up until then; you gotta start somewhere), and while people love to exclaim that it’s “not what it used to be,” that it’s become “too corporate,” and it’s “way too big now,” all of these points are probably very valid, it has been around since 1987, after all. However, you can still have a good time. Why? Because more than 2,000+ bands flock to the city to play for everyone, each other, and everywhere. Plus, there are usually free tacos and beer. No complaints! You can also rock out to a Finnish goth band in a burger joint, see your guilty pleasure Danish bubblegum pop princess perform in laundry mat, mosh your way around a bridge at 3 am to the most hype-worthy of punk bands and meet a lot of interesting people. I did all of the above last year and it was perfect, despite the moans of what SXSW “used” to be.

This year? I opted to travel to Iceland and London instead and had merely 3 hours of vacation left by the time SXSW planning came about (a good 4-6 months in advance). Alas, it just wasn’t gonna happen. Am I moping? A bit, but that doesn’t mean I can’t jump on the SXSW bandwagon and write about the latest and greatest bands I hope those who are attending, have the chance to see. If you haven’t seen your Facebook and Twitter feeds blow up with SXSW updates yet, you will soon. The music portion of the fest is going on now (March 11-16th). So, whether you’re in the thick of the madness or listening from the sidelines, here are some of this year’s SXSW 2014 must-see (or listen to) bands.

p.s. Did you know that Coco Stereo is on da radio? You do now! “Cuckoo for Coco’s Pop Underground” airs on BFF.fm every Sunday, 11 am – noon PST. I played a special SXSW must-see bands edition last week. Here it is in all its gloriousness + a handful more I couldn’t cram in one hour.

Tracklist:
Tei Shi – M&Ms
Black Atlass – Blossom
Cherry Glazerr – All My Friends
Quilt – Arctic Shark
Chance The Rapper – Cocoa Butter Kisses (ft. Vic Mensa & Twista)
Mutual Benefit – Golden Wake
FKA Twigs – Water Me
Glass Animals – Gooey

Sophie – Bipp (*update* It’s been discovered at South By that Sophie is a HE. Ah, the joys of SXSW)
Speedy Ortiz – Everything’s Bigger
Wet – Bad Idea
Cate Le Bon – Are You with Me Now?
Diane Coffee – Hymn
Hundred Waters – Cavity
Ex Hex – Hot and Cold

Must-See SXSW Bands Pt. 2:

Angel Olsen – High & Wild
Trust – Joyland
Sylvan Esso – Coffee
St. Vincent – Prince Johnny
Timber Timbre – Hot Dreams
Banks – Brain
Warpaint – Biggy
Julie Byrne – Young Wife
Kelela – Do it Again
No Joy – Hare Tarot Lies
Phox – Slow Motion

December 31, 2012

Top 55 Songs of 2012

There have been endless “best song” lists that’ve already purged themselves (well before the year has actually ended) into the blogosphere – Some have been predictable, some ridiculous. It’s easy to criticize, scoff, laugh and/or roll your eyes at some choices made on “best of” lists. To be honest, it’s kind of fun to size up each list, that is until you attempt to compile one yourself. It’s really fucking hard y’all (!), not to mention ridiculously time-consuming.

I remember ridiculing NPR for releasing their ‘best songs’ list in alphabetical order, thinking “Come on, that’s the easy way out!” and here I am, releasing my top 55 tracks in alphabetical order via Spotify (which has its pros/cons). I totally get it now. Not everyone is going to be 100% happy with your choices, and people love to point out “obvious” exclusions, but in the end, it’s amazing knowing that 2012 produced so much incredible music that it is really difficult to pack just 25, 50, or even 100 songs into a list, to the point that you piss people off.

The way in which you present your list is also a dilemma. I finally chose to use Spotify so that I wouldn’t crash everyone’s computers with an endless list of SoundCloud players, however, there were some tracks or bands (Kate Boy, HAERTS) I had to eliminate from the list, simply because they weren’t on Spotfiy. Is that shitty? But for almost a month, I brood over my best tracks list and created, dissected, reconstructed, added, edited, and said ‘ah fuck it’ more times than I’d probably like to admit. At some point, you have to say “just publish it!” and that’s what I’m doing… at the actual end of the year. So finally, I present to you three hours of listening pleasure via coco stereo’s top 55 songs of 2012 (psst…the http link for Spotify by default only shows 30 tracks at a time, so see full music player below). Enjoy:

Frank Ocean

Mac DeMarco

Death Grips

alt-J – Breezeblocks
AlunaGeorge – Just A Touch
Animal Collective – Applesauce
Azealia Banks – 212
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Windshield Smasher
Blood Diamonds – Phone Sex (feat. Grimes)
Chet Faker – I’m Into You
CHVRCHES – The Mother We Share
Death Grips – I’ve Seen Footage
Diplo feat. Lazerdisk Party Sex – Set It Off (feat. Lazerdisk Party Sex)
Dirty Projectors – Gun Has No Trigger
Disclosure – Latch
Django Django – Default
Doldrums – She Is The Wave (Ft. Guy Dallas)
Dum Dum Girls – Lord Knows
Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen
Empress Of – Champagne
Flume – Sleepless (feat. Jezzabell Doran)
Frank Ocean – Lost
Graphics – There’s a Way Back
Grimes – Genesis
Haim – Send Me Down
Here We Go Magic – How Do I Know
Holobody – Prelude
How To Dress Well – & It Was U
Hundred Waters – Sonnet
Iamamiwhoami – Sever
The Irrepressibles – Arrow
Kendrick Lamar – The Recipe
Kindness – Cyan
Liars – Brats
Light Asylum – IPC
Lord Huron – Time To Run
Lower Dens – Brains
Mac Demarco – Rock and Roll Night Club
Major Lazer – Get Free
Miguel – Do You…
Mikky Ekko – Pull Me Down
Mykki Blanco – Wavvy
On An On – Ghosts
Perfume Genius – Hood
Phèdre – IN DECAY
Porcelain Raft – Unless You Speak From Your Heart
Pure Bathing Culture – Ivory Coast
Purity Ring – Obedear
Sam Flax – Fire Doesn’t Burn Itself
Sharon Van Etten – Give Out
Solange – Losing You
Tame Impala – Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
Tennis – My Better Self
Tomas Barfod – November Skies
Trust – Sulk
Wild Nothing – Nocturne
Yuna – Live Your Life
Zambri – You’ll Never Beat Dogs

November 2, 2012

Fresh Tracks – NEW: Main Attrakionz, Absofacto, Naomi Punk, Blue Hawaii

Main Attrakionz

“Cloud Body” is the latest addictive, billowy, and appropriately titled, “cloud rap” single from Main Attrakionz‘s recently released LP, Bossalinis & Fooliyones via Young One. The “best duo ever” consisting of Oakland hailing rappers, MondreM.A.N. and Squadda B, have certainly proved with this track that “cloud rap is that shit that you can trust.”

Cloud Body (prod. by Grown Folk) – Main Attrakionz

I keep finding myself obsessively listening to “Backfire,” the latest track by Jonathan Visger aka Absofacto. The solo “experimental pop” project is an offshoot from Visger’s other band, Mason Proper. According to Paste Magazine, Visger teamed up with Mason Proper guitarist, Brian Konicek, to record “Backfire” in a basement – Sounds… typical, but the dreamy indie rock track is anything but:

Absofacto – Backfire

Gritty grunge, dream-pop, noise-rock, garage punk… this is what I think of when I listen to Naomi Punk. And, when I listen to the Olympia/Seattle-based trio’s track, “The Spell,” I wanna trip out, rock out, and score some sweet flannel. “The Spell” is off of Naomi Punk‘s second full-length album, The Feeling, originally released on vinyl. So technically this is a (re)fresh, as Captured Tracks has recently reissued the LP digitally, on CD, and on CLEAR vinyl – Ooh fancy!

Naomi Punk – The Spell

Montreal’s ambient dream-pop “love project,” Blue Hawaii, has just released a two-part single, (I see what you did there), “In Two” and “In Two II.” Back in August, Grimes displayed her absolute admiration for Blue Hawaii’s upcoming LP, Untogether (due in early 2013), via the Twittersphere, calling it the “biggest album of next year, WOWWWWWWWW.”

Raph/Raphaelle Standell-Preston (of Braids) and Agor/Alex Cowan from Blue Hawaii

Blue Hawaii – In Two

Blue Hawaii – In Two II

September 22, 2012

A Brand ‘Spanking’ New Mixtape – Folsom Street Fair Style

Folsom Street Fair Art – “Hooded David” by Ian OPhelan

It’s that time of year in San Francisco when the weather starts to resemble something summer-like, the fog begins to roll out, and the leather, whips, chains, paddles, dog leashes, and domination comes a rollin’ in. That’s right – it’s Folsom Street Fair time! If you’re a newbie to the festival name or concept, The 13 city blocks long Folsom Street fair is an annual BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadomasochism) fest that occurs during “Leather Pride Week” in September. According to Wikipedia, the festival, and non-profit charity (!) has been in existence since 1984 and it’s “the world’s largest leather event and showcase for BDSM products and culture.” – Impressive!

Essentially, if you want to see some burly men, (and an occasional lady) [un]leash themselves in a literal shit show (YES) full of leather straps and eye/mind-opening behavior, the Folsom Street Fair will cure your need for kink. So, in celebration of this impressively large, unconventional non-profit and jaw dropping festival, I present to you a Folsom Street Fair ‘mixtape’ of sorts. It’s full of dark, goth-rock, electro synthwave that I’m sure anyone would enjoy, especially while getting choked, tied up, or spanked… you know, if you’re into that kind of thing.

Trust – Gloryhole