Slept On Lotte Kestner

This last week Lotte Kestner dropped the video for “Go to Sleep Now,” which immediately made me go back and listen to her album from the latter half of 2017, Off White. This track’s pretty mesmerizing; the attention to detail in the song’s craft really hone in on the connection between listener and musician. Anna-Lynne Williams’ voice has this beautiful fragility to it, almost as if it’s shattering as syllables fade back into the mix. Admittedly, I missed this LP, so I wanted to rectify that by sharing this new video; her album is available now via Saint Marie Records.

 

Austin Record Label Flea Market Recap

We love you Austin.

Everyone is already looking forward to doing it again. More on that later. I took photos, we did our shimmy thing, records were sold, merch was sold, group shots, industry discussions, ball-busting, cider sampled, dogs joined in, kids were indoctrinated into collecting vinyl.

Modern Outsider, Super Secret Records, Western Vinyl, Holodeck Records, Launch Cycle, Chicken Ranch Records, Keeled Scales, Saint Marie Records, Nine Mile Records and, as Nate said, our own little ATH Records all had the booths up and running. We had the musical stylings of The Sour Bridges and A. Sinclair.

Please enjoy my little photo essay on the Austin Record Label Flea Market. Click through to see what you missed or reminisce…

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Come to the Austin Record Label Flea Market This Saturday

While Austin musicians get a lot of love for their hard work, there’s anumber of incredible Austin record labels that work equally as hard to make it all happen. This Saturday at 3Ten ACL (right below the Moody Theater), you can come see a handful of those labels setting up shop and selling their records and moreover at the 2nd Annual Record Label Flea Market.

Labels involved: Modern Outsider, Super Secret Records, Western Vinyl, Holodeck Records, Launch Cycle, Chicken Ranch Records, Keeled Scales, Saint Marie Records, Nine Mile Records and, of course, our own little ATH Records.

Entry is free. Open from 1-5 PM. Performances by The Sour Bridges and A. Sinclair!

Here’s a new A. Sinclair tune I hope we get to hear too:

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Some More Secret Shine

Secret Shine just dropped their new album last Friday, so why not highlight another of the album’s standout singles. Here you’ll find the band balancing harmonious vocals with cascading guitar chords that swirl in the distance. There’s this sense of falling freely, though with these vocals it feels like you’re smiling the whole way down. These guys have never sounded better than they do right now; they’ve almost moved beyond shoegaze into a dreamier realm all their own. If you like what you hear, There Is Only Now landed in stores last week via Saint Marie Records.

Brand New Secret Shine Tune

The last decade has seen a huge resurgence in acts claiming to nod to shoegaze, but it’s great to see one of the genres oldest purveyors making a new album. Secret Shine have just announced There is Only Now, which they’ll be releasing through Saint Marie Records. The first single is drenched in quietly squalling guitars, yet there’s a softness to the vocals, letting the band walk a line where the voice is almost an added textural element. I always thought the original sound in shoegaze came across a little harsh, but these guys (and gal) craft it melodically, which is music to my ears. The release will hit on March 17th.

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SPC ECO Prep New Album, Anomalies

spcIt’s a little over a year since SPC ECO released Dark Matter, and they’ve already prepared a dark return to their world of pop. Listening through, I find myself appreciating the fact that the musical construction is perfect in that all the musical levels are precisely where they should be in a song…none of the beats hit too hard, and nothing overshadows Rose Berlin’s vocal performance. Speaking of Berlin, her voice seems angelic, yet also pure, displaying characteristics of a true singer. In the end, it’s a pop song, but stripped of all the modern tricks, making it exemplary in its ability to connect. Look for Anomalies via Saint Marie Records on August 19th.

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Even More Music from Jeff Runnings (For Against)

jeffrunningsYou get the feeling that everyone who listens to Primitives and Smalls will be duly rewarded for their anticipation, as each new single seems to bring in another musical layer from Jeff Runnings that we adore. On the latest single, the music seems almost as important, or more important than the vocals. Lurking beneath the mix are all these textural touches setting the soundscape for your ears as the voice drifts in between the walls of synth work. I also appreciate the restraint, holding the song in one beautiful space for nearly five minutes. Look for the LP via Saint Marie Records on May 6th.

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Another Tune from Bloody Knives

bloodyI’m pretty sure that if you’re going to pick an album up this weekend, then it should definitely be this great new record from Austin’s Bloody Knives. Their latest single opens up with ambient noise, and then immediately blasts off into the vocal moment of the track, surrounded by feedback, pounding rhythms and a guitar that cuts right through the heart of the tune. Then it slows back into the atmospherics before shooting off again. It’s a statement track for I Will Cut Your Heart Out for This, balancing the beautiful moments with the deeper, noisier tones. One has to be careful to walk the fine line, but these guys do it oh so well. Look for the new LP this Friday via Saint Marie Records.

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More from Jeff Runnings (For Against)

jeffrunningsWe’ve already brought you news about Jeff Runnings first solo effort, and now it’s time to bring you another single from that forthcoming effort from the For Against main-man. There’s something really interesting coming through in this song; his voice seems almost distant, almost otherworldly, yet fit purposefully into the song’s mix. Still, the soundscape Runnings’ has crafted here definitely falls in line with what he’s been known for, draping careful electronic touches to create the perfect landscape for any musical dreamer. Primitives and Smalls will be released by Saint Marie Records on May 6th.

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Another Track from The Blessed Isles

blessedislesI have a feeling that B. Gray’s going to be asking me for this album from The Blessed Isles, as this is the sort of electro-pop he’s known to love; it hearkens back to 80s club bangers, though with just a tad bit more creativity thrown into the mix. Guitars dance in and out of the main beat, whilst a little whisper of a vocal sample often jumps through the main voice. Their new album, Straining Hard Against the Strength of Night, is going to be released by Saint Marie Records on May 20th; it’s going to make you dance and gaze, but in the most thoughtful of ways.

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