Month: June 2021

Capitol Announce All the Rest of My Heads EP

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When you press play on this new track from Capitol you’re greeted with this ringing wash of dreamy guitars, swirling and spinning inside your ear canals. But, eventually the rhythm section takes control, united by the vocals to deliver this energetic bob that settles the band into this beautiful post-punk groove. Still, those guitars shimmer on the edges, still giving this ethereal quality to the band’s sound. Those angular notes keep the song tethered to to that danceable brand of dream pop, with the vocals forcing the issue by trying to match the bass step for step as the song pushes on. Good energy, nice wash of sound, good hit in the end. This tune appears on the band’s All the Rest of My Heads EP, out this September via Meritorio Records.

Pleased to Meet You: The Lions Constellation

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Spanish outfit The Lions Constellation has some familiar faces, namely RJ Sinclair from ATH faves Lost Tapes. This time RJ and friends are ditching the playful side of indiepop to give us these heavy walls of noise, but as anything with Sinclair goes, there’s definitely still a huge pop bent, albeit a noisier one!I love how each song balances the sheer noise with these delicate little moments of pop writing blended into the tunes. You get three short burners, and one drawn out, exploratory tune, so it’ll be interesting to see where the band goes on their next release; you can be assured based on the tunes below that it’s going to be deliciously loud!

The Slow Summits Share Then Again

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Fridays are great to catch a little spirit and ride off into the weekend with a bounce in your step, which is perfect for you because I’ve got this great new track from Sweden’s the Slow Summits. It’s the perfect bouncing style of pop music you know I love, in a faint way reminding me of Cats on Fire; the vocals have this natural drama to them that makes you swoon. Match that dreamy warmth with the contrasting bounce of the rhythm section at play here and you’ve naturally felt yourself inclined to tap your toes and don your best outfit as you bound out the door. Let’s hope this means more from the band as the year goes on!

New Advertisement EP & Single

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Seattle based rising band Advertisement had a huge year in 2020 with their debut LP American Advertisement, which received a whole ton of praise from us and a slew of other folks in the music media. Sometimes bands can let the hype get to them and allow their sound to go a bit stagnant, but not the case with this new single “Here it Comes”. No this one shows a band taking their grittier rock sound and naturally growing and maturing into a louder, more full sound with hints of 80s new wave and an infectious, driving style. You will want to check this one out today.

This track is part of Advertisement’s new Freedom EP which is live and streamable today!

Stream the Debut LP from Deuce

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Over the last few months, surely you’ve noticed us hyping up Deuce; it’s the project of our old friend Curtis Wakeling (Pop Filter/Ocean Party) and Kayleigh Heydon. Deuceis an album filled to the brim with these incredible duets, where vocal duties are shared and guitar lines seem to go for a walkabout as they turn and burn in the mix. Honestly, the surprise here, or introduction perhaps, is Kayleigh’s performance throughout; she’s got such a remarkable voice that I wouldn’t be surprised to see a solo effort bubble up on her end in the near future. Still, it’s the way the two play off each other that’s delighted me, which you can hear immediately in the album’s slow-burning opener “Heat Wave.” This album takes time, and actually deserves time, as you’re not going to find a track to skip over. If you do, let me know, and we can talk about it. Stream it all below!

Efterklang Announce Windflowers LP

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I’ll admit, it’s actually been some time since I actually thought of Efterklang, though I’ll also add that they crafted one of my all time favorite jams, so they’re never too far away! Just yesterday, they announced a new record, and of course, the band continue to push the way they approach pop music. This song feels like it employs heavy sample work, or at least loops, letting the rest of the project add in these little layers, whether that’s dual vocal harmonies, laser sounds or woodwind notes; they just let things build and build, allowing you to sort of jump in where you see fit, immersing yourself in their blend. Windflowers will be out in October via City Slang, so this is the perfect time for me to go revisit the old catalogue.

Sunday Records Shares Something Beautiful

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Being one of the heralded indiepop labels gives you responsibilities, and for Sunday Records, it seems that responsibility is to organize a collection of great acts to contribute some tunes for a compilation, aptly titled Something Beautiful. Obviously reading our site, you’re aware of the acts, like Letting Up Despite Great Faults or the Suncharms. Personally, this Suncharms tune here is pretty special, like a slow-burning jangler; it feels like something Pete Astor might write, which I don’t mind one bit. Plus, you get other ATH faves like Alpaca Sports and Arctic Flow, along with some bonus tunes from Mariana in Our Heads and the aforementioned Suncharms. If you want to stream, you can do so below, but CD copies are out this Friday, with a vinyl version to follow in September! Grab it HERE.

Smile Machine Shares Shit Apple

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If you’re a fan of juxtaposed sounds, then you’re going to love Smile Machine; I think the very band name hints at what you’re getting here, mentioning the warmth of a smile and the metallic vision of a machine. Musically, you get this crash of noisy guitar work and crashing cymbals, rumbling, almost as if you’re ripped the cones of your speakers. Beneath it all is the voice of Jordyn Blakely, offering up these quiet melodic whisperings that are barely able to billow through the wall of noise. Two great sounds crashing into one glorious moment of rock n’ roll. And, as if it wasn’t obvious enough, Smile Machine will release Bye For Now on the appropriate home, Exploding in Sound Records.

Flight Mode Share Sixteen

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I don’t give a shit what wave of emo we’re in right now; there’s a brand that totally fits into my mind as the purest form (though admittedly it’s probably like 2nd wave). Still, Flight Mode seem like they’re revisiting their own stories to create something nostalgic and new. Listening through this new single, it reminds me of the sort of breakdowns mid-track you’d get from a Bob Nanna-led band like Braid; it packs the same punch too! Still, the vocals from Sjur are a bit softer, which gives a little bit of brevity from the edged rush of guitars. You’ll find this track on the group’s new TX 98′ EP, which drops June 25th via Sound as Language.

Max RM Share Emerald Lyric Video

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I’ve really found myself mellowing of late, which is why I’ve really enjoyed the work of Max RM; he’s crafting these ballads that border on melancholy, though their spirit is somehow uplifting. Frankly, it reminds me a great deal of the work of Papercuts’ Jason Quever, texturing acoustic ballads with layer upon layer to create this sort of dreamy haze that envelops the listener. It seems like such a simple formula, but there’s this balance that very few pull off quite like what’s at play here, particularly with the aiding backing vocals of Liz Dearly. Expect to hear more as he just plans on sharing more music throughout 2021.

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