MNNQNS Bring Dark Pop

mnnqnsAs the year draws to a close, folks are scrambling for the last bit of great tracks to fill their sites. Me, I’m just digging deep, looking for gems I missed out on earlier. I stumbled across MNNQNS, a French act who’ve just released their Capital EP, and the lead track is definitely worthy of some attention. It’s got all the right elements of brooding and discord, yet they’re woven tightly around a pop sensibility that always helps me gravitate towards repeat listens. You’ll also find a bit of exploratory noise rounding out the back half of the tune, which is a nice touch. Enjoy this one.

French Pop from Le SuperHomard

lesuperI can always count on Jigsaw Records to provide me with something delectable, and in this case that just happens to be French act Le SuperHomard. Our first listen to their new album Maple Key is a synth soaked bit of sunny pop, dusted lightly with a nice female vocal hook that floats about. There’s energetic pulse coming from the percussive section, so that adds a fortunate layer for listeners begging for a little sugar punch. This new full length will be released on September 22nd via the label…which you should browse for added pop fandom.

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Bedroom Gaze from Marble Arch

marblearchNot sure where I first stumbled upon Marble Arch, but my bandcamp scouting reported that a new tune was up…and it immediately filled a hole in my listening rotation. Honestly, it’s a dense bit of bedroom pop, organized around electronic beats/samples; it doesn’t fall too far from the realm of Radio Dept., except this is a wee bit more dreary in its atmospheric positing. It’s rainy day music done perfectly right, but you can listen to it any time really…or at least that’s my recommendation.

Brand New Indiepop from Pale Spectres

palespectresFrench act Pale Spectres have been high upon my indiepop radar for quite some time, first appearing on my radar via Cloudberry Records. Luckily, the band and the label have let it slide that they’re working together again for what I can only assume is a delightful new 7″ early next year. Here you hear those angular guitar chops dancing playfully atop brooding bass, balanced by a soft vocal performance. In order to pull off great indiepop, you’ve got to have your execution down perfectly…and listening through again and again, I’m pretty sure these guys are simply spot on. We’ll keep you posted with more news from the band and label going forward.

Be sure to spend some time sampling some of the other great tunes in the Cloudberry catalog.

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An Early Look at the New Dead Horse One Album

996693_962388360498572_2045517382039979277_nWe first caught wind of Dead Horse One a few years ago, and they’ve been so kind as to toss us this new track from their forthcoming record, Season of Mist. Much like their last record, it walks that fine line between psychedelia and shoegaze, with vocals recorded ever so softly just beneath the front of the mix. You also get the feeling that this is the perfect set-up for taking a song to the live setting; it has moments of restraint on the recording, but you can hear the exact spaces where they band can explode live, ringing out with chords that will rupture your eardrums, pleasantly. Look for the new record later this year.

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DTCV Share A Great Pop Tune

untitledFrench group DTCV has always been difficult for me to classify. Are they pop? Post-punk? Fuzz rock? To me, the ability to blend all those styles and avoiding one distinct genre is what makes the band special. So with that in mind, check out this new track “Bourgeois Pop” and enjoy the true blending of those styles. What seems to be a straight up pop tune also has a bit of cojones behind it with some crunchy guitar and leads. Dig.

Confusion Moderneis coming on April 9th via Xemu Records.

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Good and Bad News from The Bankees

bankyIf you’ve been reading our site over the years, one of the group’s we’ve always praised has been The Bankees. I’ve enjoyed their work since the beginning, and they reached out to us yesterday to share a little bit of news with us, both good and bad. The good news is that they’ll be offering a brand new record, Friends, to all their fans. The first single is really great, it seems to encompass the history of the band’s sound all in one great pop song. But, as Simon indicates in his email, this is the final release from the band as they all are parting ways to work on various new adventures. Sad news for me, but I implore you to go visit the bands music, old and new.

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More from Skittle Alley

skittlesFor a long while now, we’ve been praising the work of Skittle Alley, and they are slowly unleashing early versions of the tracks that will fill up their new LP. It’s light-hearted indiepop, filled with jangling guitar work, precision percussion and a really warm vocal.  These are the kinds of songs that true indiepop fans dream about.  The French act haven’t released much information on their upcoming LP, but the songs they’ve been leaking out are nothing short of superb…get acquainted.

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Indiepop Joy from Skittle Alley

10523116_10152579979492091_287849880994909169_nGotta throw a nod towards my friend at IPSMYL for pointing out this great new track from Skittle Alley; it’s made my day just to know this track is out there.  I’ve written about the French group before, and they’ve lived up, and perhaps surpassed my expectations with this tune, even if it’s labeled as a demo.  I honestly don’t think it needs much more…the vocals have that indiepop softness, the guitars jangle in all the right places and there’s an overall emotional appeal that makes the song worth repeating over and over again.  Can’t wait to see what’s next from these guys.

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Brand New Music from The Bankees

bankyThere are some band’s you really root for; the Bankees is that band for me.  I’ve been a huge fan of the group, as this site can attest, and I’ll continue to support their consistently solid musical endeavors.  They’re prepping for the release of their new EP, Gizmo, and the first single is definitely a relaxing tune; it’s actually the first time I really feel like there’s a bit of a French inflection on the vocals (which makes sense seeing as they’re from France).  There’s a smooth little guitar cut that gives some swagger, while the rest of the song takes on a groove that warms the soul.  Look for their new EP on March 21st.

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