This is fine.
Photo by Eric Pamies
Last Saturday in Barcelona was the last day of the main festival of Primavera Sound. For me, while day three was still filled with big names to catch on its program, was definitely the underdog of the day-by-day breakdown, but it turned out to be possibly my favorite day. I caught classic acts in new ways and newer acts in classic ways. Follow the jump for coverage of the last main day of the 16th edition of Primavera Sound.
When I first hit play on this track from Alex Cameron‘s newest video for the track, “Take Care of Business,” I’ll admit that it took me a bit of time before I could really get into this minimalistic approach to dark pop. It’s a definite grower of a song, so you’ll need to have patience when you listen to this one, and make sure you hold on to the end, where the instrumentation picks up, and the sinister vocal growl of Cameron really becomes a croon. He’s releasing his Secretly Canadian debut later this year calledJumping The Shark, and his hitting the road with the likes of big names like Angel Olsen and Mac Demarco, so you should probably keep your ears peeled for more from this gentleman. Watch the video below.
Photo by Eric Pmies
Photo by Eric Pamies
While each day’s slated program of Primavera Sound 2016 was filled with great bands from all over the world, Thursday, the first day of the festival at Parc del Forum, was for me, the busiest of them all. Thursday had me bouncing around from stage to stage, and hustling to make the most of my time while keeping the headliners in the back of my mind. Read on after the jump to hear what were the best parts of day one and see some pictures.
DYAN is a three piece that are making music out of LA, but from their sound, you wouldn’t know it. What I mean by that is that I expect all LA bands to be sunny/jangly rock, and though that is a naive assumption, I still get a little surprised when the sound is melancholic and quiet. But”St. James,” is the kind of track that will make your day and then get you super stoked as to what will come next from the band. It’s a minimalistic dream pop song that spotlights the rich and smooth vocals of Alexis Marsh as they provide a glossy layer of lush beauty over the whole tune. Truly, this is a wonderful tune, and I’ll be on the lookout for more from them.
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This song has got party vibes all over it– perfect for a Friday on a holiday weekend. Hidden Charms, out of London, are making 70’s disco alt rock, with just enough bounce to get those body rolls going in full force. “Cannonball,” the song below, may be a week old in internet land, but it’s worth a listen for sure, as these gentlemen are going to break into the limelight soon if they keep making tracks like this. I’m digging the vocal exchange between the main and the backing, falsetto “la-las.” The percussion on the song keeps it groovy, and a the bass line is prominent in the mix. It’s a great song that will get you ready for the rest of your day, or the long weekend ahead. Party on.
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Denmark’s Yung are doing their damnedest to make their way into your heart before the release of their upcoming debut record, A Youthful Dream, which is coming out soon on Fat Possum Records. Their latest effort to win you over comes in the form of “Commercial” another single from that record, which is a rambunctious and riled up rock track. The first thing you hear is a gritty and crunchy guitar riff before the hazy vocals join the mix. The whole track is fairly lo fi, far from a clean sound, but it’s this fuzz that makes the song so endearing. Take a listen and then go pre-order their upcoming record, which will be out June 10th.
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In one week I’ll be touching down in Barcelona, Spain with around 200,000 of my closest friends in order to attend Primavera Sound. While you may not be in attendance, as this festival is quite a long jaunt away from the ATX, there are quite a few bands on the excellent and exciting lineup that will be making their way to our own city limits in the near future. As this is essentially the first super fest of the summer season, I’m on my way to Parc del Forum to scoop out who you must see when they come to a city near you, and who you should expect to step into the limelight of the indie world in the near future. Sure, I’m super stoked to see Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, Beach House, Wild Nothing, Sigur Ros, Destroyer, Beirut, Dinosaur JR. … the list goes on. But what about those acts that get overlooked by these huge names? Read on for my top 5 international semi-under the radar acts that I’m most excited to see.
Oh man, this track is a real winner. If you’re into garage rock with enough fuzz on it to rattle your headphones then this new track from BRONCHO who hail from Norman, Oklahoma. “I Know You” is a spiraling rock track, with twangy guitars and hazy vocals, but at the same time, it’s got a compelling vibe to those gang vocals that will have you coming back for more. From the beginning, this song is huge and it doesn’t ever get less than giant in its sound. Take a listen and get excited for theirupcoming record,Double Vanity, will be out June 10th via Dine Alone Records.
Word on the street is that they’re playing at The Sidewinder in a few short days (5/28) and you should probably scoop up a ticket for that right here.
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Told Slant, as I posted about a few weeks ago, is really on the up-and-coming as they prep for the release of their album,Going By.This Brooklyn group, which is fronted by Felix Walworth. This track, “High Dirge,” is a melancholy song, focusing around the twangy and emotion packed vocals of Walworth. It’s a quiet number that uses its slow-core aesthetic to rope you in, and then the lyrics keep you there. Lines like “It’s a long life, I can’t get it right,” that are repeated over and over, stick with you long after the song is over. Take a listen and find out.
Going By, will be available June 17th via Double Double Whammy Records, and you can preorder it here.
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