If Simon Lam’s lulling falsetto sounds familiar, that’s because he’s also an elemental part of groups I’lls and Kllo. His solo project, Nearly Oratorio is a distinctly personal endeavor that blends soft acoustics with more discordant electronic sounds grounded in deeper meaning. In fact, an oratorio is “anextendedmusicalcompositionwithatextmoreorlessdramaticin characterandusuallybaseduponareligioustheme,forsolovoices, chorus,andorchestra,andperformedwithoutaction,costume,or scenery.” With music of such magnitude as his inspiration, it’s no surprise that the contemplative muso tackles abstruse subjects on his new EP Tin. The Melbourne-based artist’s aerial and alarmingly beautiful vocals recall those of Rhye‘s Milosh or Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon. Stream the EP’s exquisite single “Occlude” below.
Ascendant Australian duo Kllo (formerly Klo), made up of cousins Simon Lam and Chloe Kaul have announced the release date of their new EP Well Worn. This week they unveiled the lead single “Bolide,” a glitchy dance track written in Lam’s bungalow and inspired by Caribou‘s most recent album as well as the early work of Machinedrum. Sharing their thoughts on the track, the duo said: “The lyrics behind ‘Bolide’ are about unconditional love — caring about the happiness of another person without any thought of what we might get for ourselves. The ones we love can have a tendency to react to things unfairly and blow situations way out of proportion, but we love them just the same.”
Well Worn is out August 5 on Ghostly International (North America), Different Recordings // PIAS (UK/Europe/Japan) and Good Manners Records (AU/NZ/ROW). Hear the lead single below.
Austin-based composer Roger Sellers akaBayonne released his debut album Primitives last month via Mom + Pop Music. Ahead of the record release, he shared the song “Appeals,” a solid follow up to previous single “Spectrolite.” “Appeals” is a colorful, piano-driven number with looped vocals and a playful melody that reminds us a little of Animal Collective. Listen below.
London duo Solomon Greyhave made a name for themselves in soundtrack composition. It would make sense then that their solo work would take on a cinematic quality, as showcased on their self-titled debut album — released this month via Decca Records. Made up of Joe Wilson and Tom Kingston, the act’s electronic record demonstrates remarkable range, from the percussive “Electric Baby” to the beautiful and languid “Slow Motion Picture.”
Solomon Grey have also done some impressive collaborations with house producer Lane 8, such as this sparkler below.
Today we’ve got a supersized edition of Remix Roundup — a segment in which we bring you the latest and greatest mixes and electro jams on the market. To begin we have Australian artist Pikachunes‘ rework of Alpine‘s “Crunches” from their prized 2015 LP Yuck. On this extended official remix, Pikachunes reconstructs the sonic soundscape and injects some intricate textures, adding some serious dimension to the original.
It should come as no surprise that we’re digging Classixx‘s cover of Natalie Prass’ “Bird Of Prey,” one of our favorite tracks of 2015. Joe Keefe lent his vocals to the track, who joins the ranks of Ryan Adams (under the sobriquet Natalie Sass) doing a male rendition of the nu classic.
It was also somewhat of a happy accident (haha) that we came across this Happy Accidents revision of Alison Wonderland‘s hit song “Run.” The bicoastal producers did a nice job infusing their signature nu-disco sounds and driving synths into the original. Pick up a free download of this one on Soundcloud.
Autograf captured our attention with their exquisite rendition of Stevie Wonder‘s “Superstition,” and just yesterday they dropped the new EP Future Soup. The lead single “Heartbeat” below features a soulful vocal sample from what sounds like an old song that we failed to uncover. In any case, check it out below and if you have any idea as to the original sample help us out in the comments below.
And finally we have an energetic edit of Dagny‘s pop track “Backbeat” by Norwegian producers Atella that’s sure to get you in the dancing mood. Enjoy!
Electronic artist Kauf caught our attention with his chilled out mix of Public Service Broadcasting, and now he’s returned with the brand new and sensual tune titled “Through The Yard.” On the first taste of his upcoming full-length debut Regrowth, Kauf — born Ronald Kaufman captivates with a hypnotic blend of reverberated flutes and world rhythms, supported by a soft electronic base and echo-laden vocals. Listen below.
“Through The Yard” is currently available as a limited name-your-price download on Bandcamp.
Trying something a little different this week. Rather than our usual Remix Roundup segment, we’re rounding up a trio of recent electronic numbers that caught our ears and will serve as a complimentary companion for your Saturday night. The first offering is from the nascent LA-based act Mood Robot, who take bedroom beats to the next level with their single “Drip.” Sedative synths and addictive hooks is enough to put this group–who just released their debut EP The Story We Tell Ourselves on your radar.
Next is newcomer Ellie Herring, an up-and-coming producer from Kentucky whose catalog consists of distinctive, impressionist style beats with an homage to hip hop. “Why’d You,” from Herring’s latest EP released this fall, is a pounding, acid-trip of an electronic piece with textured twists and a seemingly possessed looped vocal. In other words, hypnotizing AF so stream below.
Last but not least we have LOYAL, a new six-piece from the UK who resurrected from a shared love of disco, Kate Bush and Kubrick. They just released their second single, “House For You” and it’s an evocative electronic gem. Stereogum said it’s akin to “a Rhye piano ballad infused with a subtle four-on-the-floor heartbeat.” Swoon.
This new electronic gem from Bristol-based brother duo Icarus grabbed us right away with its pulsing beat and ethereal vocal line from Norwegian artist Aurora. Ian and Tom Griffiths create an expansive soundscape using minimal production on the cool and contemporary song, out now on FFRR Records. From the beautiful chord progression to the ascending vocalizations à la Empress Of, we were quite taken with the track so get your stream on below.
Porches is the project of singer-songwriter and nascent producer Aaron Maine, whose forthcoming album Pool on new label home Domino marks a major step forward for the New York artist. The LP — due out February 5 was written and recorded almost entirely in his Manhattan apartment, and mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, Grizzly Bear, Tobias Jesso Jr.) in LA. Although Maine is avowedly drawn to the melancholic experiences in life, he also believes in finding the beauty in them. “I want people to feel dark, beautiful and strong when they hear this new record,” he says, “I want them to fall in love.”
That’s easy to do with his standout track “Hour,” a stunning synth-driven song with haunting harmonies supplied by his longtime collaborator and girlfriend, Greta Kline aka Frankie Cosmos.
Porches will be embarking on an extensive 2016 North American tour, starting March 9 in our very own Washington, DC. See full tour schedule below.
PORCHES TOUR DATES
Wed Mar 9 || Washington, DC || Rock & Roll Hotel
Thurs Mar 10 || Richmond, VA || Strange Matter
Fri Mar 11 || Chapel Hill, NC || Cat’s Cradle Backroom
Sat Mar 12 || Savannah, GA || Savannah Stopover Festival
Sun Mar 13 || Orlando, FL || Backbooth
Mon Mar 14 || Tallahassee, FL || Club Downunder
Wed Mar 16 || Houston, TX || Walters
Sat Mar 19 || Dallas, TX || Spillover Music Fest
Mon Mar 21 || Denver, CO || Lost Lake
Tues Mar 22 || Salt Lake City, UT || Kilby Court
Wed Mar 23 || Boise, ID || Treefort Music Fest
Thurs Mar 24 || Portland, OR || Analog Café
Fri Mar 25 || Seattle, WA || Vera Project
Sat Mar 26 || Vancouver, BC || The Cobalt
Mon Mar 28 || San Francisco, CA || Rickshaw Stop
Tues Mar 29 || Los Angeles, CA || The Echo
Thurs Mar 31 || Santa Ana, CA || The Observatory – Constellation Room
Fri Apr 1 || San Diego, CA || Che Café
Sat Apr 2 || Phoenix, AZ || Rebel Lounge
Sun Apr 3 || Albuquerque, NM || The Co-Op
Tues Apr 5 || Omaha, NE || Slowdown
Wed Apr 6 || Minneapolis, MN || 7th St Entry
Thurs Apr 7 || Madison, WI || UW Student Union
Fri Apr 8 || Grinnell, IA || Grinnell College – Gardner Lounge
Sat Apr 9 || Chicago, IL || Bottom Lounge
Sun Apr 10 || Detroit, MI || Majestic Café
Mon Apr 11 || Toronto, ON || Horseshoe Tavern
Tues Apr 12 || Boston, MA || Middle East Downstairs
Wed Apr 13 || Brooklyn, NY || Music Hall of Williamsburg
Thurs Apr 14 || Philadelphia, PA || Union Transfer
As stated earlier in the week, we’ve been working on clearing out submissions from the past year to make room for 2016 — and in the process realized there were several noteworthy electronic tracks that never quite made it to post. Thus, we’re just going to drop them here for the sake of expediency.
The following efforts derive from emerging new artists, including debut singles from three-piece electronic band Arbitraire, European electro-pop artist Von Sell, and a London producer called Couros. The list is rounded out by the mysterious downtemp artist Nemea, Berlin-based trio Say Yes Dog, and UK singer/producer Chris Savor. If you’re into the electronic music scene, get these artists on your radar for next year. Stream below!
poetry in an empty coke can 