HAERTS – All The Days

HAERTS

Indie pop outfit and Brooklyn-based band HAERTS released their debut album Hemiplegia last fall. Signed to Neon Gold Records, the release is a four-track EP that includes a cut produced by Jean-Philip Grobler of St. Lucia. However, “All The Days” is by far the best track in this blogger’s opinion. Looking forward to seeing it performed live when the group opens for London Grammar at 930 Club on Monday. On another DC-centric note, HAERTS is also headlining at U Street Music Hall May 8. Check out more upcoming tour dates while you sink into the track below.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

4/14 | Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club (with London Grammar)
5/8 | Washington, D.C. @ U Street Music Hall
5/10 | Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
6/6-8 | New York, NY @ The Governors Ball
6/12-15 | Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
6/19-22 | Dover, DE @ Firefly Music Festival
7/19 | Toronto, Canada @ Time Music Festival

Skyes – A Girl Named Jake

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Skyes are a new outfit out of Brooklyn currently working on their self-titled EP. Their debut track, “A Girl Named Jake” is a sizzling pop song with fluttering synths and dreamy vocals from DA Knightly that stun in the final chorus. If you’re in the NY area, catch the quartet this Saturday at Brooklyn’s Glasslands Gallery with Fenech-Soler and Junior Prom.

Sharon Van Etten – Taking Chances

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Sharing the first single from her upcoming album, Sharon Van Etten reveals the plaintive, downtempo track “Taking Chances.” In a departure from her traditional folk sound, the Brooklyn singer-songwriter employs an exquisite blend of electronic drums and layered vocals on the track. Her LP Are We There will be released May 26 via the label Jagjaguwar (Angel Olsen, Bon Iver, Unknown Mortal Orchestra).

 

Sharon has quite the busy agenda this summer:

5/08 Northampton, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall
5/09 Hudson, NY – Helsinki Hudson
5/10 Providence, RI – Columbus Theatre
5/11 Hamden, CT – Ballroom at the Outer Space
5/25 Brussels, Belgium – Le Botanique
5/28 Paris, France – Café de la Danse
5/30 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival
6/01 Cologne, Germany – Studio 672
6/02 Berlin, Germany – Privatclub
6/03 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Bitterzoet
6/05 London, England – KOKO
6/11 Boston, MA – Sinclair
6/12 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg (Northside Festival)
6/13-14 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
6/17 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
6/18 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
6/19 Millvale, PA – Mr. Small’s
6/20 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
6/21 Nashville, TN – Exit In
6/24 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
6/25 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
6/28 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
6/29-30 San Francisco, CA – The Independent
7/02-03 Portland, OR – Doug Fir
7/05 George, WA – Sasquatch Festival
7/06 Vancouver, British Columbia – Rickshaw Theatre
7/08 Calgary, Alberta – Republik
7/09 Edmonton, Alberta – Starlite Room
7/14 Fargo, ND – Aquarium
7/16 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
7/17 Madison, WI – University of Wisconsin
7/18 Chicago, IL – Pitchfork Music Festival
8/14-17 Wales, England – Green Man Festival

Empress Of – Realize You

Empress Of live

Empress Of is the enigmatic new songstress out of Brooklyn with one of the more amusing artist sites I’ve ever seen. With her distinctive and engaging dreampop sound, singer/producer Lorely Rodriguez released her debut EP Systems last year and has been touring around ever since. Stream “Realize You” and “Hat Trick” below, and if you’re one of the lucky ones at SXSW, catch her at the Elysium this Saturday, 3/15.

https://soundcloud.com/empressof/systems-hat-trick

Prinze George – Victor

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Can’t stop listening to the indie pop ballad “Victor,” from the nascent Brooklyn-based group Prinze George. Against a bass-filled backdrop, foreboding piano and piercing synths, the sense of betrayal is palpable as vocalist Naomi Almquist pleads with the Victor in question at the chorus (1:07). Despite Prinze George’s as-of-yet sparse internet presence, if this stunning piece is indicative of what’s to come from the group, I for one will be anxiously awaiting their next single.

Caveman – In The City

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Brooklyn continues to churn out good musicians at a rapid rate. Caveman released a self-titled album in 2013 under Fat Possum Records. The five-piece was formed as the individual members’ respective projects all disbanded (The Subjects lead singer Matthew Iwanusa and guitarist Jimmy “Cobra” Carbonetti, White Clam keyboardist Sam Hopkins, The End of the World drummer Stefan Marolachakis, and Elefant bassist Jeff Berrall).

They are playing a gig in Brooklyn March 5, and will be heading to Europe in late May.

Painted Zeros – Call Back

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Photo by Kenneth Bachor

The Painted Zeros are a new band based out of Brooklyn, producing melodic and introspective dreampop. Stream their track “Call Back” below and pick up a free download of this gem here. They also have an upcoming EP S V A L B A R D set to release this Saturday, February 22 via the label Last Place Tapes.

https://soundcloud.com/paintedzeros/call-back

The KickDrums – Atonement

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Producer/singer/songwriter Alex Fitts heads the Brooklyn-based band called The KickDrums. With his hip hop background, Fitts is able to create an atmospheric sound on the track “Atonement,” with solid bass lines, and clear, melodic guitars.  The one-man band signed with Hopeless Records last year and has since released the LP Thinking Out Loud.

If you live close to Brooklyn, you can catch him playing at FreeCandy this Saturday, January 25.

Blood Orange – You’re Not Good Enough (Holy Ghost! Bootleg)

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Brooklyn-based duo Holy Ghost! have just released a dance-floor bootleg version of Blood Orange‘s hit single “You’re Not Good Enough,” to coincide with the announcement of their upcoming tour dates (see below).

The original track — produced by the talented songwriter Dev Hynes (known as Blood Orange) — is quintessentially 80’s in style. Dev has worked with the likes of Florence and the Machine, Solange (“Losing You”), and Sky Ferreira (“Everything is Embarrassing”), so he clearly knows how to craft a good pop song. The track, which was released on his album Cupid Deluxe last month has been compared to the pop stylings of Prince, but my mind keeps going to Sheila E. What do you guys think?

See for yourself and pick up the free Holy Ghost! bootleg below as well.

 

Upcoming Holy Ghost! Tour Dates:
1/10 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
1/11 Miami, FL @ Bardot
2/07 Philadelphia, PA @ The Dolphin
2/08 Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
2/13 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
2/14 Toronto, ON @ The Hoxton
2/21 Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
2/22 Chicago, IL @ Smart Bar