Fang Island is a Brooklyn based band that formed at the Rhode Island School of design. They play optimistic, joyous mostly instrumental rock music. Think somewhere between the Octopus Project and the Pixies. They’re playing with the Joy Formidable at the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, NY next Friday (September 30). Be there.
September 24, 2011
The Funky Red Eyed Fugu Releases “Night Runner” Video!
Red Eye Fugu is Enzo Tiano, an immigrant from the Philippines whose fascination with horror movies and sly subtle dance music is evident on his debut album “Watchers”. Check the video above, sample the album below. Watchers LP by Red Eye Fugu
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September 21, 2011
Neon Indian Unleash 2 Trippy Videos
Alan Palomo of Neon Indian
Neon Indian have released 2 videos to hawk their new single “Polish Girl” and their custom synthesizer from bleep labs. Check them out.
Neon Indian – Step Into the World With Your PAL198X from Neon Indian on Vimeo.
Click here for the video for Polish Girl. It’s got cyborgs and light up keyboards. Success.
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September 11, 2011
The Rapture return with “In the Grace of Your Love”!
The Rapture Illustration by Aaron Z. Lee
New York City dance punk icons The Rapture have released “In The Grace of Your Love, their first new studio release since 2006′s “Pieces of the People We Love”. Longtime bassist and co-vocalist Matt Safer left the group in 2009 so multi-instrumentalist (and superior cowbell player) Gabriel Andruzzi took over playing bass for the recording of “In The Grace of Your Love”. Safer brought to the table fluid and funky basslines as well as memorable vocals and dynamic harmonies with lead singer and guitarist Luke Jenner. The departure of Safer has left The Rapture a tighter and more focused group, the sound of “In the Grace of Your Love” is familiarly their own with echoes (pun intended) of their debut album. Jenner’s vocal range really shines on this record as he lays down layers of ethereal backing vocals as well as his signature quavering-party starting shrieks.It’s no surprise that they’ve returned to the DFA label with their return (somewhat) to their classic sound.
The new batch of songs funtion as a halfway point between the ultra-clean sound of “Pieces of the People We Love” and the worn down and rough production on “Echoes”. Lessons were learned from both albums and that information has been put to good use. Influences from other songs is also evident in this new album. The lead single and fall dance jam “How Deep is Your Love” has a lead vocal melody that mirrors Cisco’s “Thong Song” (I know Stereogum said that first, but I was thinking it immediately when I listened for the first time) and “Rollercoaster” has moments that remind me both of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and The Walkmen.
Overall “In The Grace of Your Love” is an album that builds towards it’s conclusion with excellent grooves and style change-ups. The album’s final one-two dance/r&b punch of “How Deep is Your Love” and “It Takes Time to be a Man” will have many critics thinking fondly of this album into next year. The Rapture have released an album that sounds distinctly dangerous and dance-able, just like the Rapture should.
The Rapture - In The Grace of Your Love
The Rapture-How Deep Is Your Love (Buffetlibre Remix) by Buffetlibre
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August 17, 2011
An Interview with The Demos!
The Demos
The Demos are a Rochester, NY based indie rock group composed of two born and bred natives, Jason Milton and Callan Saunders. They released their debut album “Lovely” in May of 2011. I had a chance to correspond with the Rochester rockers.
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August 13, 2011
August 9, 2011
Alt Altman’s Digits is Releasing ONLY AFFECTION EP in Early September!
Alt Altman of Digits
Alt Altman of the Junior Boys-esque meets Erlend Oye-ish solo project Digits is set to release a new EP in early September entitled Only Affection. Altman has released a free track off of that forthcoming EP called Because It’s Wrong and the track has a bit of a darker ominous tone. Perhaps some Depeche Mode influence?
August 8, 2011
Jukebox Collective tells the story of Billy the Kid!
JUKEBOX COLLECTIVE
The Jukebox Collective has been aptly compared to Art Brut with the Kaiser Chiefs’ keyboard. Their catchy and dance-y jams are sure to catch on.
Jukebox Collective ‘The Rise And Fall Of Billy The Kid” by Gash Digital
August 7, 2011
Neon Indian set to Drop Era Extraña’ in October!
Neon Indian Era Extrana
Neon Indian, one of my favorite new acts to come out in recent years is set to return with a new full length album in October. Crazy analog bleeps, dance beats and Alan Palomo’s vocals are sure to be in abundance on Era Extraña’. I for one am very excited about it. In the meantime to tide you over, Alan Palomo has released two tracks off of the new album for free.
Plus this Miami Horror track he did vocals for. It is ballin’.
If that wasn’t enough, Neon Indian is also releasing his own analog synth that can be purchased with a pre-order of his new album. Check out what it sounds like below.
