Category: New Song
Fresh Tracks Roundup! Sin Fang + Broke for Free + L’Orange + ON AN ON + Beliefs + Digits
Sin Fang
With all the year-end list churning goin’ on, there’s a whole lot of review, reflection and occasional discoveries. However, there’s also still a ton of phonomenal new music to be listened to – Some of which would very well make those “best of 2012” lists, ‘cus you know, the year isn’t actually over yet. So with that, I present to you a plethora of fresh new tracks so good you’d wished you’d waited on your year-end list release:
Sindri Már Sigfússon aka Sin Fang is an indie-pop act from the land of beautiful people i.e., Iceland. He apparently has an affinity for wearing beards made out of ‘stuff’ based off his upcoming and previous album images. “Young Boys” is a catchy number from Sing Fang‘s forthcoming LP, Flowers, due Jan. 2, 2013 (Feb. 19, U.S).
Sin Fang – Young Boys
Broke for Free is an alias of instrumental, electro glitch-hop artist and Oakland, California’s very finest, Tom Cascino. “Budding” is the lead track from Broke for Free‘s recently released EP, Gold Can Stay, and it’s a beaut of unique, melodic proportions.
Broke for Free – Budding
L’Orange is unique blend of hip hop, 20s sampling/nostalgia and Film Noir influences. He’s a poet and producer from North Carolina piquing the interest and ears of many with his eccentric blends. “Alone” is the debut singe from L’Orange‘s recently released LP, The Mad Writer featuring powerhouse LA-based rapper, Blu. Have a listen to the originality now:
L’Orange – Alone (feat. Blu)
New Track: Pale – Doing My Time
The ever-so mysterious, UK hailing, triangle loving, electro-pop group, Pale, has just released a second track, “Doing My Time” – A darker, slower burning and churning jam in comparison to their debut track, “Too Much.”
Listen to “Doing My Time” + watch a vintage-esque video with a possible glimpse of the two electro-bros in action:
Pale – Doing My Time
Meet NEW Hype-Worthy Swedish Electro-Pop Group: Kate Boy
The Swedes are insanely talented music producing masters and they’re especially synonymous with eclectic electro. From The Knife, to iamamiwhoami, jj, Little Dragon, Niki & The Dove, The Sound of Arrows, even Robyn (and don’t you even try to forget) Ace of Base, addictive electro-pop music is a Swedish forte.
This month, we get to add yet another talented Swedish act to the electro-pop pool: Kate Boy. With just one strong song, “Northern Lights,” Kate Boy thrusts us into nostalgia for The Knife, and in doing so, has quickly topped music blog charts. If the mysterious (supposed 3 parts Swedish, 1 part Aussie) group continues to produce synth superbness, they’re steadfast to becoming electro super stars.
With a bouncing, dark, ambient beat, metallic synth and righteous vocals, listen to Kate Boy‘s debut track, “Northern Lights” and stay tuned:
Kate Boy – Northern Lights
NEW R&B Cover + Video(s): Jessie Ware & BenZel – If You Love Me
Jessie Ware has been killin’ it. Earlier this year, the South London hailing songstress, once ‘just a back up singer,’ transformed into a soulful pop star with the release her debut LP, Devotion. The highly regarded album also earned Ware a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Prize.
Earlier this month, Ware once again wowed the music world by collaborating with Japanese teenage producing duo, BenZel, to release a cover of Brownstone’s R&B track, “If You Love Me.” I don’t know what’s more trippy, Ware’s first video for “If You Love Me,” directed by Kate Moross, or the fact that the BenZel boys are only fifteen/sixteen. How this collaboration actually came about is a mystery to most, however, there’s yet another video for “If You Love Me,” and hence, another reason to keep the addictive 90s girl-group cover on repeat.
The new video, directed by Haley Wollens, depicts an angel literally and impressively “stripping” her wings. I can’t decide which video I like the most, so you get both!
Jessie Ware & BenZel – If You Love Me
New Track + Video: Heartsrevolution – Not That Hard to Explain
It seems as if Heartsrevolution have come out of hibernation. The NYC based electro-punk-pop duo have released a new track, “Not That Hard to Explain,” a colorful, bubblegum, acid-trip-pop video (produced by High5Collective), and are currently working on releasing a mixtape, Revolution Rising, in December.
The group, Ben Pollock, Leyla ‘Lo’ Safai, and live performance drummer, Terrence Campbell, have released a slew of EPs, singles and mixtapes over the years, on a slew of labels, (iHeartcomix, ISOmorph, and Kitsuné). The group, now managed by Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua, was supposedly ready for an LP release as long ago as 2011, but it just never happened. However, with the recent release of “Not That Hard to Explain,” a new track sampling The Strokes, it may seem as if the group is (attempting) to live up to their motto, “Ride or Die.”
According to Vice, the band states the new video for “Not That Hard to Explain” is “more of a mission statement than a music video. After navigating the dark underbelly of the music industry and watching the rapid decline of human civilization… The lyrics/video speaks for itself. Revolution! (or) Run.”
Heartsrevolution – Not That Hard to Explain (Mixed by Just Blaze)
NEW Track + Video: Holobody – Ninnyhammer
Holobody, the young Montreal hailing shoegaze pop siblings, Luke & Charlotte Loseth have released yet another dreamy, swirling, psychedelic synth-pop gem, “Ninnyhammer,” via Bad Panda Records. The brother/sister combo who refer to themselves by their pseudo names: Felix Green and Sea Oleena aren’t new to coco stereo, and their sound continuously becomes more infectious with each release.
Following a debut album, Riverhood, released in May of this year, Ninnyhammer is a debut single from Holobody‘s forthcoming EP titled, MTL (out Dec. 6, 2012). Have a listen to the radiant new release and watch the video below:
Holobody – Ninnyhammer
NEW Band + Video – Empress Of
Filming yourself gorging on watermelon to the soundtrack of your own smooth, sensual, electro-pop sounds will undoubtedly grab the attention of many. Lorely Rodriguez aka Empress Of has done this successfully with her new video and song, “Champagne.”
People have been eager to know/hear more from the young Brooklynite. Releasing her “colorminutes” Youtube clips, sporting a Craigslist look-a-like website, and debuting at the Gorilla vs. Bear CMJ showcase has placed Empress Of on people’s radars with an extreme douse of curiosity.
For now, Empress Of dons two songs, “Champagne” and “Don’t Tell Me” (found below), both of which have been released on a new 7″ via No Recordings. Join in on the curiosity and follow Empress Of on Facebook, SoundCloud, and watch her new eyebrow raising video for “Champagne.”
Empress Of – Champagne
Empress Of – Don’t Tell Me
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
New Chromatics + Video – Looking for Love
Earlier this year, Portland, Oregon based Chromatics could Kill for Love, yet apparently, they’re still looking for it… I think they’ll certainly find it fast, (especially front woman and sex kitten, Ruth Radelet), as their latest video and track, “Looking for Love,” is a beauty of lusty, electro synth-pop proportions.
“Looking for Love” (originally 17 mins long!) is featured on After Dark II, a sequel compilation album by artists on the New Jersey-based Italians Do It Better record label.
Chromatics were also asked by Karl Lagerfeld (Creative director and head designer for Chanel) to play at the Chanel Pret-A-Porter Printemps-Ete 2013 Runway, in Paris, France – Oh la la. As a result, the vintage-esque “Looking for Love” video (directed by Alberto Rossini) shows behind-the-scenes footage, shots of Karl Lagerfeld, and the Chromatics playing at the fashion show that took place in early October.
After Dark II will be “out soon,” so until then, check out the set list, and watch/listen to “Looking for Love” over, and over, and over, just as the song implies:
Chromatics – “Looking for Love”
Sexy Songs Alert! Chad Valley ft. Twin Shadow + HAERTS + When Saints Go Machine
Welcome to listening pleasure power hour. This is your sexy songs alert with jams that amp up the heat so high, they make you wanna get doooown.
Okay, but also, Treasure Island Music Fest was meh. So I don’t have much to say other than I was most thoroughly and highly impressed by the ever-so-funky group, The Coup, SBTRKT and of course, Grimes. Going to music festivals also gives you perspective as to why one can seemingly and absolutely love a particular band, yet will quickly become turned off by said band once they reach a certain ‘mainstream’ festival headlining status. The reasoning? OTHER PEOPLE… and there are a lot of these ‘other people’ at music festivals; you know, the tank top donning dubstep bros and the ‘alternative’ faux hippie Urban Outfitter clones that make you roll your eyes, laugh in confusion, and unwillingly give dirty looks. Festivals are weird, so let’s get back to sexy songs:
Woahwoahwow Chad Valley & Twin Shadow… you can def hurt my feelings if you keep producing sexy gems like this. “I Owe You This” is a catchy, dreamy, tender-hearted electro jam off Hugo Manuel aka Chad Valley’s upcoming LP, Young Hunger available October 30th via Cascine.
Chad Valley – I Owe You This (feat. Twin Shadow)
Nini Fabi, lead singer of the brand spankin’ new Brooklyn band, HAERTS, has an entrancing and magnifying voice that romanticizes the catchy beats produced by band mate, St. Lucia. The combo creates a unique blend of pop, folk, and beauty making this a sharp needle in a haystack of Brooklyn bands. “Wings” is HAERTS‘ debut jam, which is making serious waves in the music blogosphere:
HAERTS – Wings
Wow. “Mannequin,” the latest hauntingly beautiful release from Danish electro-pop group, When Saints Go Machine, is simply incredible. Lead vocalist, Nikolaj Manual Vonsild, once again blows minds with his unbelievably delicate, crooning falsetto voice of gold that leaves you wanting more:
When Saints Go Machine – Mannequin
coco stereo 