New Julia Holter: "World"

Out of the many artists that produce light airy and often ethereal music (see Grouper, Juliana Barwick, Laurel Halo) - Julia Holter easily holds her own - especially on the back of her lovely 2012 record Ekstasis. Today, we hear the new track "World" from her forthcoming album Loud City Song - due August 20th. Also upcoming (according to iTunes pre-order) is an album titled Maria featuring some new tracks, as well as her more popular tracks from Ekstasis - expected May 28.

Wild Beasts Prep Smother

[mp3] Wild Beasts: "Albatross"

Wild Beasts are truly an eclectic group of musicians that create left field pop-leaning melodies with thick beds of electric and acoustic instrumentation. Whereas their last extremely well-received effort Two Dancers, captured pulsing rhythms and upbeat falsetto vocals, their new album Smother (May 10, Domino), promises a more moody and laid-back affair, probably more akin to James Blake's new wave dubstep than to Cold Cave's dark edgy dance-pop. While many (Vince) will probably lament this apparent change, we can't take issue until we've heard the record. Hopefully it's not a Blake-ian snoozer. Somehow, we doubt it will be though. Wild Beasts just announced their first round of US tour dates check those and their new vid after the jump.


WILD BEASTS TOUR DATES
Tuesday, July 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live
Wednesday, July 13 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
Thursday, July 14 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
Saturday, July 16 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

New Release: Austra 'Feel It Break' (NSFW - TBD)

[mp3] Austra: "Beat and The Pulse"

Austra is lead singer Katie Stelmanis, drummer Maya Postepski and bassist Dorian Wolf - a Toronto collective that channel the ethereal and creepy instrumental elements of The Knife, and pair them with Stelmanis' distorted but classically trained and crystalline vocals. The press release invokes "the sleazier side of New Wave" and "the seedier sides of early 1980s British New Wave (think the dirty alleys and after-hours clubs dreamed up by Japan and Soft Cell.)" All this sounds infinitely appealing to us right now. Austra's 'Feel It Break' comes out May 17 on Domino. Dig their slightly NSFW video above (lingerie and a boob).

Villagers: "Becoming a Jackal"

[mp3] Villagers: "Becoming a Jackal"

The press buzz has been slowly building around Conor O'Brien, the driving force and usually the only member of Villagers. Growing up in a suburb of Dublin, O'Brien has been honing his craft since age 12, and is finally ready unleash his debut album Becoming A Jackal June 8th via Domino. Yet, first comes the release of a 7" Tuesday, May 11th. O'Brien treads on familiar territory with his acoustic guitar driven songs and accent tinged vocals. There are clear signs of talent here, and our appetites have been sufficiently whet with this first track. We're not that cheap a date though. It will take a few more tunes and probably a live performance to count us as true fans, but Villagers are clearly a band/artist to keep on your radar in the coming weeks as they head to the states for a string of dates including Union Hall and Joe's Pub. More to come for sure. See tour dates, and the video for "Becoming a Jackal" after the jump.



Villagers US Dates:
Thu. Jun 17 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall
Sat. Jun 19 - Boston, MA @ Armory Cafe
Mon. Jun 21 - Washington, DC @ DC9
Tue. Jun 22 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church (side chapel)
Wed. Jun-23 - New York, NY @ Joe's Pub

Malachai Debut New Video: "Snowflake"

[mp3] Malachai: "Snowflake"

Earlier this winter we wrote about the intriguing project from Bristol, Malachai. Today we get a new video for their track "Snowflake." It's a dude in a monkey mask cruising around. What can be better. Malachai's LP Ugly Side of Love is out now on Domino.

The Bristol Scene

[mp3] Malachai: "Fading World"

We're not British, but we know a lot of British people. We've dated them, played music with them, lived with them, and well, have done pretty much everything with them at one point. We're privy to the North v. South battles, the polite disdain they harbour towards Australia and Ireland, and how much they all fucking love Kings of Leon for some reason.

Yet, we can't claim to be experts on the sound that Malachai channel on their new LP Ugly Side of Love (out now on Domino). We do know though, that we love it. Even without trolling the club scene of Bristol, it's clear Malachai embody a distinctly British sound. We're not talking about Laura Marling here either. This is a dark, gritty, soulful affair, that draws from a background in dubstep and a passion for vintage hip hop and funk rhythms. Malachai are a behind the scenes DJ duo, with the moral support and guidance of a very important player, Portishead mastermind Geoff Barrow. From the soul-pop gem "Another Sun" to the Kinks sampled "How Long" to the underground club expanses of "Blackbird" Ugly Side of Love is a disparate and satisfying winner of a party record, held together by its single unifying factor - a distinct and undeniable passion for the long linage of uniquely British music.
Photo credit: Marc Bessant

New Wild Beasts Video: "All The King's Men"

[mp3] Wild Beasts: "All the King's Men"

We've been enjoying the new Wild Beasts album, Two Dancers (9/8 Domino), immensely. It's certainly a grower, but its dark and subtle melodies have a certain gauzy softness to them that after several listens, becomes extremely repeatable. Wild Beasts fall somewhere between The Veils, Depeche Mode and The National, with the baritone vocals and somber English sentiment. Pitchfork gave Two Dancers best new music last week and today debuts the first video from the record "All The King's Men." The video is a bizarre medieval cruise through the woods that is, honestly, pretty perfect for the haunting nature of the song. Enjoy.

Dirty Projectors Projecting New Album

[MP3]

"Knotty Pine"

These Brooklyn folk are taking a break from pranking the joke-of-a Real World crew, and are now set to release their fifth full-length record, Bitte Orca (weird name, I know, but you'll get used to it.) The album is set to drop June 9 on Domino Records. We're not ready to think about June yet, but for the Projectors, anything. Recently featured on the for-charity release, Dark Was the Night, with David Byrne (mp3 above,) the Projectors dip into the poppier side of their musical repertoire. If "Knotty Pine" is any indication of where Orca may be heading, expect the most accessible and fan-friendly release to-date. Continue on for the tracklist and UK tour dates. Happy Friday all.
Myspace.


Bitte Orca
1. Cannibal Resource
2. Temecula Sunrise
3. The Bride
4. Stillness Is The Move
5. Two Doves
6. Useful Chamber
7. No Intention
8. Remade Horizon
9. Fluorescent Half Dome

Tour Dates:
3/6 - Walker Arts Center - Minneapolis, MN
3/19 - SXSW - NPR Party @ The Parish
3/19 - SXSW - Windish Agency Showcase @ Emos Annex
3/20 - SXSW - TBA
3/21 - SXSW - TBA
3/24 - Rescue Rooms - Nottingham, UK
3/25 - Clwb Ifor Bach - Cardiff, UK
3/27 - Black Box - Belfast, Northern Ireland
3/38 - Crawdaddy - Dublin, Ireland
3/29 - ABC2 - Glasgow, Scotland
3/31 - Komedia - Brighton, UK
4/1 - Mint Lounge - Manchester, UK
4/2 - Scala - London, UK
4/3 - Arnolfini - Bristol, UK
4/4 - Taylor Johns House - Coventry, UK

More Overrated Noise Rock In January!

Please file Animal Collective under "Bands Whose Popularity I Can't Comprehend For The Life Of Me." Fresh off their underwhelming and ultimately eardrum-shattering performance at All Points West festival in August, everyone's favorite indie-noise-something-rock outfit is returning in January with a new album called Merriweather Post Pavillion, according to some clever sleuthing via Stereogum and GvB. It follows '07 LP Strawberry Jam and this year's Water Curses EP, and should more-likely-than-not come out on Domino. I gave up pretending to like this band ages ago (or, August 9, if we're getting particular), but they do claim a pretty significant following, so some kids are probably pretty stoked about this one. I just don't get it. To me, I hear loud exercises in self-indulgence. I'll take the Dodos any day.

Tracklisting for Merriweather Post Pavillion:

1 In The Flowers

2 My Girls

3 Also Frightened

4 Summertime Clothes

5 Daily Routine

6 Bluish

7 Guys Eyes

8 Taste

9 Lion In A Coma

10 No More Runnin

11 Brother Sport

(Please direct all the hate to the comments.)