Flock of Dimes – Semaphore

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Wye Oak‘s Jenn Wasner is quietly one of the steadiest and strongest female singer / songwriters in the biz right now. Recently she announced plans to release the first full-length for her solo project Flock of Dimes, a sobriquet she released three singles under between 2011-2012. The affirmatively-titled album, If You See Me, Say Yes was written and produced by Wasner with help from rapper/producer Mickey Freeland, multi-instrumentalist Aaron Roche, and indie super producer John Congleton on mixing duties.

The first single off the LP “Semaphore” showcases Wasner’s prismatic and expansive pop stylings, which are as brilliantly constructed as ever. According to the chanteuse, the song is about “communication over great distances — both literal, physical distance and the infinite space that exists between even the closest of people.” Wasner is known for her abstract lyricism, even abstaining from publishing the lyrics to her songs, thus, a semaphore — a telegraphy system of conveying information at a distance via visual signals traditionally in the form of flags — seems like the perfect metaphor for her mysticism.

The album will arrive September 23 on Partisan Records and is available for preorder here. Stream “Semaphore” below as you peruse the Flock fall tour schedule — which will include a stop at DC’s U Street Music Hall.

Flock of Dimes Tour Dates – Tix at smarturl.it/FlockTour:

08/19-08/21 – Darlington, MD – Fields Festival
10/14 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
10/15 – Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
10/16 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
10/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater
10/18 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
10/21 – Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt
10/22 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
10/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
10/26 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
10/28 – Toronto, ON @ The Drake
10/29 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB
10/30 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott
11/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
11/02 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade NYC
11/04 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
11/05 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
11/06 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight
11/08 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
11/09 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11/11 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links
11/12 – Austin, TX @ 3TEN ACL Live

[CCP PREMIERE]: Portl – The Beach

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The Beach

When life hands you bitter lemons, making lemonade as a means of finding meaning is often the best coping strategy — as Bey and so many other artists have done before her. This is also the case with new Liverpool producer Portl, whose debut tribute of a single, “The Beach” drops this Friday, July 29 on Vulpine Records and which we are excited to premiere for you today.

The 20-year-old analogue synth fanatic wrote his first single as a tribute to his friends in Viola Beach, the UK indie act who tragically passed away in a car accident earlier this year while on tour in Sweden. Portl first met Tomas Lowe while working at a pub in Warrington, with whom he quickly formed a close friendship over a shared passion for music. The members of Viola Beach used to hang out at his bar where he would share his music with them and try to solicit their opinion. “The Beach” is his way of paying homage to the band, saying goodbye and memorializing the impact they had on him.

As a lover of all things Lobster Theremin — an underground house label in the UK — Portl draws influence from a variety of underground electronic acts that have shaped his progressive and shimmering nu-house sound. Using an array of modular synthesizers, with “The Beach” the producer constructs a warm analogue atmosphere with wobbling synths and a driving bassline. Stream this summertime groove in anticipation of the release below.

Sea Span – Refugees

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Sea span

Sea Span is the project of a former senate page turned musician, who hung up his political suit to channel his frustrations with the American political system into a more gratifying outlet. The tongue-in-cheek name is no coincidence for the Philly-based band, who create their own blend of indie-folk baroque pop, recommended if you like Day Wave. According to the young act, who have only a handful of tracks uploaded to Soundcloud, most of their music was written this past winter and influenced by Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. With a firm base in acoustic guitars and subtle Fender Rhodes synths, their style is melodious and accessible with a side dose of political disenchantment. Stream their track “Refugees” below.

Snowblink – Feel Like A Man

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“I feel like a man, haven’t cried for weeks now,” Daniela Gesundheit opines on the latest Snowblink single. Borne out of a career-related, ambition-exhaustion, masculinity burnout, “Feel Like A Man” is a song about the exertion it often requires of women to have their voices heard. Speaking on the inspiration for the track, Gesundheit states: “I pictured myself as a man, feeling both the elation and intense frustration of being powerful.” Pretty potent, especially when buoyed above sparing strings and a suspenseful synth pattern.

For those unfamiliar with the duo, Snowblink is a folk/pop act comprised of Gesundheit and Dan Goldman of Toronto and Los Angeles. Purveyors of non-denominational devotional pop music, Snowblink draws influence from a background in South Indian vocal studies and a Jewish Cantorial repertoire. Gesundheit — who was also a featured vocalist alongside Brian Eno on Owen Pallett‘s In Conflict LP — has an amorphous sound that shifts effortlessly between dispassionate soprano and unapologetic animalistic tones. In conjunction with Goldman’s intimate and narcotic harmonies, together they construct an opulent, hypnotic aura inspired by the Japanese concept of beautiful imperfection called wabi-sabi.

It’s a lovely foundation on which to build a musical soundscape, which is why we’re looking forward to the coming of their new album, Returning Current. The record will be released on Outside Music September 9, but in the meantime, stream the new single and get in touch with your inner man below.

DC LIVE: Air Traffic Controller / Holy Fuck / Future Generations

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On any given night of the week in the DMV, there are myriad options for live music, which is why we’ve started a segment called DC Live to call out our favorites. First up on the docket is a Boston-based indie band known as Air Traffic Controller, who are playing at Jammin’ Java TONIGHT in Vienna.

The story behind ATC is an interesting one — singer-songwriter Dave Munro had served in the US Navy as a real-life air traffic controller, sending out 4-track demos during his deployment. After his enlistment was up, Munro arrived back home in Boston to discover he had inadvertently established a fanbase, which prompted the career switch under the same name. He first met singer Casey Sullivan, and then the duo quickly grew into a quintet with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Steve Scott, Richie Munro on drums, and violinist Jeremy Van Cleave. Their following hit single “You Know Me” is off their 2012 sophomore LP Nordo, which soared to the number one spot on the Hype Machine at the time and sealed their status as all-American indie darlings.

Another upcoming show we’re excited about is the influential Canadian experimental rock band Holy Fuck, who are hitting the road in support of their first album in six years — Congrats. They’re known for having a particularly electrifying live show with lots of improv and electronic ingenuity, so make sure to check them out at DC9 this coming week on July 21. Watch the video for new track “Tom Tom” below.

And finally, the NYC-based indie band Future Generations are playing Tropicalia August 5 with support from local DC bands Wylder and Clones of Clones. The foursome first came together in the dorms of Fordham University, who bonded over their nerd-like zeal and shared appreciation of all forms of pop music. Now the quartet is gearing up to release their self-titled debut album via Frenchkiss Records July 29. Stream the infectious album single “Stars” and be sure to come out to the show if you’re in the area.

Flamingo Jones – Fred Bear

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If you’re in search for the perfect tropical score to accompany your plans for coastal exploration this summer, look no further than Melbourne’s Flamingo Jones — who was introduced to the world in 2015 by way of his debut EP Wet Sounds. Inspired by the likes Brian Wilson, Animal Collective and Harry Belafonte, the Australian artist has cultivated a sound which he has aptly labeled ‘Nature Beat.’ For a taste of the breezy sun-kissed soca vibes Jones has to offer, listen to “Fred Bear,” a calypso confection of syncopated beats and whimsical lyrical musings below.

Lake Ruth – The Only One Who Knows

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Formed in 2015 by the amalgamation of talents of multi-instrumentalist Hewson Chen (The New Lines), drummer Matt Schulz (Holy Fuck) and vocalist Allison Brice, NYC’s Lake Ruth put out their debut album, Actual Entity in June this year on UK label The Great Pop Supplement. Mixed by Graham Walsh (also of Holy Fuck), the 9-track record boasts an array of musical genres including baroque pop, psych rock, kraut, and 1960s experimentation. The LP title itself is a reference to the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead, specifically as it pertains to the fluid nature of reality — an ethos which also seems to have informed the trio’s musical process.

Listen to the airy single “The Only One Who Knows.”

RMX Roundup: PANG! / Durante / Lil Silva + George FitzGerald

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We’re in the midst of summer now, and we’ve got another installment of Remix Roundup this week to help keep you cool. For the unitiated, this is CCP‘s biweekly segment in which we serve up a triad of the latest and greatest mixes and electronic works in circulation.

The first offering we have today comes from an electronic duo out of Sweden known as PANG! They impressed us last year with their track “Touch,” a retake on Christina Aguilera‘s “What A Girl Wants.” Now, the contemporary duo comprised of Kristoffer Kent and Alexander Fahlberg have another release on Dutch label Dirty Soul Records called “Grow On Me.” The track is about the uncertainty of taking a romantic leap with someone new, and features deep house elements fused with high trumpets and soaring vocals.

Next up is an original from Italian-born, Florida-bred producer as Durante. The currently LA-based artist just released his two-track EP Goddess / Cold, which firmly places the producer’s sound in the realm of rhythmic house with a side of Balearic beats. Speaking on the lead cut “Goddess,” Durante says the track is about “the inner goddess inside of everyone and the raw power of being in touch with one’s inner feminine qualities.” It’s an percussive, exotic number with a tribal-sounding drum line and enticing vocals, accompanied by visual art from female illustrator So-Hyun Bae. With an inventive style of electronic music, Durante is one to put on your radar.

Last but not least, we loved the single “Lines” from Lil Silva‘s from 2016 EP Jimi. Now, the original song from the UK producer has been given the remix treatment by London’s George FitzGerald. Increasing the tempo of the ethereal prototype, FitzGerald stays true to the original sentiment by keeping the synth flourishes to a minimum, while adding a beat that’s sure to make for a euphoric late-night dance party. Listen below.

Flying Circles – Dayglo Queen

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Another band to emerge out of Oakland’s fecund music scene is a trio called Flying Circles, who released their debut LP via Antiquated Future Records last month. Their single “Dayglo Queen” immediately stood out to us for its angular guitars, skittering synths and cool, compelling vocals from Colleen Johnson. The mezzo-soprano employs a minor-key vocal line on the track, which blends nicely with the the track’s retro rhythm section, distorted textures and prismatic soundscape. No doubt their sound is influenced by the rich, esoteric-folk musical trend that’s been blooming out of that particular region of the Bay Area (think Waterstrider and Bells Atlas). We’re into it.

The album, Of Loving Grace is available for purchase on Bandcamp.

Hannah Georgas – Don’t Go

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Everyone deals with the subject of mortality differently, and Canadian artist Hannah Georgas confronts the topic beautifully on her third album, For Evelyn. Georgas channels her pain, inner fears and general disquietude into the effort, which was inspired by her “compassionate, patient, kind and beautiful” 98-year-old grandmother. Lyrically simplistic, the LP’s lead single “Don’t Go” assumes a numinous quality as Georgas’ moving vocals float above the song’s gorgeous and funereal instrumentation. Listen below.

The album, produced by Graham Walsh (Holy Fuck) and mixed by Nicolas Vernhes (The War on Drugs, Animal Collective), was released on Dine Alone Records last month and is available for purchase here.