This is fine.
Last week I might have gotten a little carried away; my wife and newborn son were spending a lot of time resting, so I was just hanging out writing about songs all week…something a teacher, soccer coach, dad and label owner typically can’t do. So, this week’s playlist of last week’s hits might be a little longer than usual, but you’re going to be all the better for it. I hope you have a wonderful Monday my friends, and enjoy the jams here!
When I first pressed play on this hot track from Cold Beat, I kind of thought the synth work reminded me of Robyn; I expected Hannah Lew to burst in with this exuberance. Luckily, the hook gets delayed, and even when present it feels obscured by the band’s own stylistic nuances. Right before the 2 minute mark, for instance, there’s this shining pulse that bursts through the mix, but in the distance, there’s a wash of atmosphere that kind of sedates everything in this heavy wash. Ultimately, what I love about this song, and the album that’s coming with it, is the ability to show this restraint, sort of offer up a steadied exploration of electronic leaning dream pop; it really lets you revel in the craft. War Garden is out tomorrow via Like Ltd.
Here we are amigos, welcoming you back to what is shaping up to be a really fun week. RayRay and I have to go back to our real jobs, officially, so there’s that. But, we wanted to reflect on last week, bringing you the hits of last week, only bringing them to you today. Most of the stuff we covered, or have covered, since we’re not apt to get to tons of reviews for individual albums, so I threw in a jam. Definitely got some good Austin coverage with new Half Dream, as well as a part Austin participation with Daphne Tunes on that new Central Heat Exchange track. You know, its not tough. Just press play, let the algorithm guide you.
I guess we’re super lucky today, getting news of a Dummy LP and another single from Cold Beat‘s new LP. On the latter end, you get the band performing atop this incredibly electronic hook; it definitely feels like a futuristic video game…not that I mind that at all. But, that’s merely the canvas for the song, as the band paint contrasting moods atop, sort of blossoming in this dreamy industrial fashion, dulling the bright beats beneath to create this, dare I say, cold beat. It’s also highly infectious, which should only further entice you to get your wallet out and preorder War Garden, out on September 17th via Like LTD.
Here we are on another Monday, about halfway through the musical calendar, and while I should probably be working on one of those magically meaningless “Midway Best Of,” I feel like I’d be letting down our friends if we didn’t do our wrap-up of the goods from last week. Honestly, and I won’t throw out names, but there are some jams that would certainly make my best of the year list…one in particular. Can you guess it? Also, some of the new stuff by Love, Burns and Normil Hawaiians isn’t streaming, so I linked you to some of their other work you might enjoy. Mostly, it’s Monday, and I like to make this playlist for my friend Marc, so he doesn’t have to read anything and just gets music. Happy Monday folks!
Always been a big Hannah Lew fan, particularly when it comes to her work with Cold Beat. Yesterday, word hit the streets that the band would be releasing a new LP, War Garden, and why not throw our hat into the ring with this tune. I love how the musical element has progressed; the synth work still allows for there to be that sort of sterility, that “cold” beat if you will. But, on this, there’s some incredible melody moving beneath, like an undercurrent of nostalgia rippling through the band’s craft. Plus, as is usually the case with Lew, you get a really visually stunning video accompaniment, this one directed by Mimi Pfahler. War Garden is out on September 17th via Like Ltd.
I’m a big Hannah Lew fan, and I’ve been following her work in Cold Beat pretty closely. So, here we are today, just a day away from the release of Chaos by Invitation, with a new track, and perhaps one of the most striking on the new LP. This number is predominantly a synth driven track, aided by Lew’s voice. The accompanying video seems to portray an element of isolation, which goes in line with Lew’s notes about the song reflecting upon the period of acceptance during times of change and turmoil. Feel free to enjoy this song as many times as possible, and pick it up tomorrow via Crime on the Moon.
Last year Emotional Response released Typical Girls Volume One, and with so much adoration, the label decided to up the ante and give us TG Volume Two. You’ll find 14 brand new tracks to devour, all featuring female artists that deserve to be part of your record collection. You’ll get some familiar names like Cold Beat and Neighborhood Brats, but you’re also likely to discover a few names you’re unaware of at the moment. Plus, because the label rules, they’re releasing it on clear vinyl, making it an immediate collectors edition for you vinyl heads. Go right HERE to grab your copy from the label immediately!
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I miss Hannah Lew, though I suppose it hasn’t been too long since we last heard from her project, Cold Beat. Nonetheless, the band is back with a brand new album, and this new track is as delightfully dreamy as I’d want. Synths work against ringing guitar chords, and Lew’s vocal distantly serenades listeners. One of my favorite bits about her work is that there’s not too much brevity in her work, always giving us enough to watch the song unfold as its meant to be. Chaos by Invitation will see a release on April 7th via Crime on the Moon, so look for more tracks to sink your teeth into soon.
Year-end lists are everywhere…and I can see why they’re important to people. But, seeing as we generally walk off the beaten path more often than not, our list of the Top 50 Albums of 2015 is in no particular order, save alphabetically. It seems pointless to rank one piece of art higher than another, especially when the four of us at ATH all have varying tastes. We just put this list together of the albums we loved the most this year. Are we saying they’re better than records by Grimes or Kendrick Lamar? No, we’re just saying that these are the records we loved more than others. So, you can read on for what we thought was hot.
Also…put links to individual stores where you can buy the albums from the bands…as that’s how we all survive in this music world.
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