Tagged: Brooklyn
Hype-Worthy! Listen to New Brooklyn Band’s Self-Titled EP: Wet
Wet is a new up-and-coming Brooklyn-based trio creating some steady hubbub in the music blogosphere. They’re producing ridiculously catchy, beautiful and refreshing pop songs (with heavy themes) at a consistent rate. Today, their self-titled EP is officially out (stream below), which has been a bright and sparkling joy in my listening life as of late.
The band just joined Neon Gold Records (Ellie Goulding, Haim, HAERTS, MØ, etc.) and any fans of say, MS MR, Ellie Goulding, Haim, and maybe even Purity Ring will get a definite kick outta Wet.
If you’re gallivanting through the madness at CMJ Music Marathon in NYC this week, Wet is playing tonight (10/15) at the Bowery Ballroom, The Fader Fort at Converse Rubber Tracks, as well as the Santos Party House for Neon Gold’s Showcase (with HEARTS) on Thursday, 10/17, and Baby’s All Right on Friday, 10/18.
Stream Wet‘s self-titled EP below, on SoundCloud, BandCamp, or better yet, purchase it on vinyl.
Meet: Hype-Worthy Electro Goth Pop Duo: Azar Swan
Thank God for fresh goth-pop! The dark, deep, sultry, industrial, synthastic electro beats that make up goth pop seem to have been slightly dimming in the limelight as of late (okay, by like, a few months). However, the hype-worthy Brooklyn based group, Azar Swan, is reviving goth-pop to blinding proportions.
The duo, Zohra Atash and Joshua Strawn (formerly of Religious to Damn) don just two songs: “Lusty,” their latest and appropriately titled release, and “Amirka,” their cult-like following inducing debut single, which thrust the band onto the blogosphere’s radar late last year.
Azar Swan recently opened for Tamaryn at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, and rumor has it, their debut album is due out sometime this spring – Eagerly looking forward to it! In the mean time, find Azar Swan on Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud.
Azar Swan – Lusty
Azar Swan – Amrika
New Funky Fresh Jam: Javelin – Nnormal
As corny as it may sound, I have this tremendously special place in my heart for Javelin, hence, when I see a new track release (i.e. “Nnormal“), I’m filled with complete and utter glee.
In 2009, I had stumbled upon Javelin and was immediately blown away by how fresh and unique their tracks were. I searched everywhere for their music and really only came across their Myspace page… ‘cus you know, people used Myspace back then. I contacted the Brooklyn-hailing cousins, George Langford and Tom Van Buskirk, and asked how I could get my hands on their ridiculously addicting sounds. Tom replied, “Thanks for asking! You could paypal us and we’ll send you a folder of mp3s. What do you think??” I wound up paypalling $7 and was graciously given (what then consisted of) four album/EPs worth of Javelin jamz (2009’s LP Jamz n Jemz, 2010’s LP, No Mas, 2012’s EP1 and EP2). This is why I’ll forever love and be an avid Javelin fan, aside from the fact that their sound is funkier than most.
“Nnormal” is Javelin‘s latest release from their forthcoming album, Hi Beams, out March 5th via Luaka Bop:
Javelin – Nnormal
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
More Jizz Jazz! Mac DeMarco 2 is Finally Here… But is it Missing a Certain Something?
FINALLY. Thank you. Mac DeMarco‘s second compilation, Mac DeMarco 2 is here. We can all rejoice in more “jizz jazz” that the eccentric Canadian has unleashed upon us… or can we?
The “proper full length album,” released just six months after his solo debut, portrays DeMarco’s abilities as a singer/song writer more than ever. The LP is full of catchy, slow rock jams crooning about love, loneliness, cigarettes, and “Freaking Out the Neighborhood.” However, the album also seems to be missing a certain je ne sais quoi.
After a thorough listen, I’m left wanting more of DeMarco’s creepy antics, goofy spoofs and overall eccentric playfulness that makes him so intriguing, appealing and the genius behind his self-proclaimed “jizz jazz” jangles. Only at the end of “Ode to Viceroy” do we get a small glimpse of the sleaze he likes to squeeze in. DeMarco’s strengths as a musician are rightfully highlighted, however, in this highly anticipated album, his personality, (which is as prominent as the gap in his front teeth), seems to have been dimmed. Is this a result of backlash from wild live shows, or the pressure to produce as a ‘serious’ musician? The album holds its own, purely as a display of DeMarco’s raw talent, and his irony is still present, however, the A-typical singer-songwriter’s weirdness and downright oddities are surely missed.
Take a listen for yourself and stream Mac DeMarco 2 on Spotify. Here are a few of my personal favs (aside from those you’ve already heard) from the album:
If you want the full Mac DeMarco package, seeing him live will ease this need. This morning, I eagerly jumped to the end of the LP to listen to “Still Together,” as it’s by far one of the most captivating jams DeMarco sings live – it’s also the sweetest of the lot, including a convo between DeMarco and his “kind of woman” that makes you say “awww.”
If you have a chance to catch the goofy crooner live, he’s playing a ridiculous number of shows (9 total) in New York this week as part of the CMJ Music Marathon, then he’s off for a Euro tour. Check out tour dates here. If you’re in NYC, thanks to BrooklynVegan, they’ve done all the work for me in laying it all out:
Captured Tracks has a CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch. Tickets for that show are still available. Mac DeMarco has other CMJ shows scheduled too, including the Panache showcase at Public Assembly (10/19), the My Social List showcase at the Martin Room in Webster Hall (10/16), the post-CMJ show at Bowery Ballroom (10/21) with Wild Nothing and Merchandise, and the just announced free Hype Machine party at Brooklyn Bowl on October 18 with Hundred Waters (who also play these shows).
Worth the Hype – Meet New Electro-Pop Songstress: MØ
Isn’t it a wondrous phenomenon that while basking in the discovery a new, magnifying musical gem of stunning indie-electro-pop proportions, you suddenly receive an email from a homie recommending the ‘new dame,’ and your news feed instantly floods with blog posts calling your glorious ‘diamond in the rough’ the “next new Grimes.” In that moment, you realize that while, in that nano second of bliss in which you were only beginning to discover the magnitude of a new potential electro-pop star, there will always be someone one step ahead of you. This can either be A) really fucking annoying and/or depressing or B) reaffirming in that your musical tastes/choices may also have potential.
So with that, I, a homie via email, and a bunch of other blogs present to you a new electro-pop sensation hailing from Copenhagen: MØ. The talented 23-year-old songstress, Karen Marie Ørsted, graces us with two electro-pop gems, (Pilgrim, and Maiden) full of soaring vocals and just enough synth to keep us on the edge of our seats while she records her debut album.
MØ has officially taken seat on the hype throne, now we wait… unless you’re a lucky bastard and live in Brooklyn. MØ is playing at the Yours Truly CMJ Music Marathon party at Glasslands October 19th, and again later that night at the Danger Village Showcase. This music marathon and these lineups are so ridiculous that if I continue to talk about it, I might cry. So join in on the hype and see MØ in The Big Apple, or find her on Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud and/or Tumblr for a stalk, follow, listen or two.
MØ – Pilgrim
coco stereo 