Friday Album Streams: Rural France, Joyer, Writhing Squares and More

Definitely a busy week on the album release list, and if I had more time, I’d be way into reviews. But, life always seems to be in the way, so the best way I can throw my weight behind great music is to give you a chance to stream some of the really solid albums that dropped on the Internet this weekend. So, just check out all the records below, and be sure to buy!

Writhing SquaresMythology (Trouble in Mind Records)

JoyerNight Songs – (Hit the North Records)

Maria Chiara ArgiroCloser – (Innovative Leisure)
Rural FranceExacatmondo – (Meritorio Records)

BabehovenWater’s Here In You – (Double Double Whammy)

HovvdyHovvdy – (Arts and Crafts)

Mountain Movers Share My Holy Shrine Video

Sometimes, the simplest narrative can be the most impactful, as is the case with the new single from Mountain Movers; the song is said “to celebrate everyday places that are ordinary but can also be seen as sacred.” In that, you can be implored to reflect upon your own sacred places, even the most mundane of spots. The band, too, did this for the video, as you’ll see with footage from some of the locations they hold most dear. Still, you’ll need a soundtrack as you meditate on the places that hold the most meaning, and what better than the sprawling number the group has set before you. Like a slow burning candle, the track flickers with light strumming and lead guitar notes that drift overhead, all while a quiet rhythm section does just enough to add to the spirituality of the moment. Further reflection and enjoyment can be found by grabbing a copy of Walking After Dark, the band’s new double LP, out May 17th via Trouble In Mind Records.

Writhing Squares Share Fresh Single

At the end of April, Writhing Squares will release Mythology, their follow-up to the excellent Chart for the Solution LP (2021). A new single just dropped, and I love the growling ferocity of the tune, fused with the bands punch of electronics and sax work to elevate. It’s opening feels like a classic punker, gritty riffs running roughshod over the tune while the vocals are howled through the dissonant noise. That calamity stays true throughout, but the mix peels it out so the group can flex their style, with the sax running rampant in the tune’s exploratory latter half. Mythology drops on April 26th via Trouble in Mind Records.

Mountain Movers Announce Walking After Dark

Over the last week, there were a lot of tunes coming our way, but one that I knew I immediately had to enjoy was the new track from Mountain Movers; it came with the announcement of a new LP, Walking After Dark. It begins lightly, sort of like a psychedelic wind breezing through your speakers; the tempo is steady, creating this atmosphere of weighted presence, filling the room with little musical sketches. As the song progresses, the room seems to fill, barely letting you catch your breath as it fills with the masterful touches of a band slipping into your subconscious. If ever a band were to be compared to a spiritual seance of sorts, I think Mountain Movers would be be your best option. Trouble in Mind Records will release Walking After Dark on May 17th.

Klaus Johann Grobe Share Try

I missed out on the first single from the new Klaus Johann Grobe LP, but I’m definitely on board with what they’re putting down on this new single. In a sense, it’s an entirely different feel than their earlier stuff, as the press release alludes to. But, if you trace back their sounds, it feels like an elevated version of bossa-nova fused with sort of a twist on French pop; I think for all intents and purposes, it feels like an adult version of Phoenix. It’s subtly playful in all the right spots, but has this sublime sophistication that warrants head turns every step of the way. Really looking forward to hearing how the whole of lo tu il loro sounds like when it hits via Trouble in Mind on March 22nd.

Friday Album Streams: Red Pants, Spllit and The Serfs

It’s Friday, and while I’m here trying to wake up for a late night of Levitation, I know there are three pretty near perfect records for you to soak up today, all with different sonic appeals, meaning you get a little bit of everything if you wanna win!

Red PantsNot Quite There Yet (Meritorio Records)

This is a record that lands somewhere in the land between Sonic Youth and Low, but if you had recorded that record in hopes of offering a solitary listening experience. The more time you give this LP, the more its secrets are revealed.

SpllitInfinite Hatch (Feel It Records)

The Louisiana band is crafting post-punk like no other; they fill their songs with quick turns and sonic changes, each song refreshing in its ability to shift gears in an instant. Oh, and with all the weirdness, it still comes off catchy in the right spots.

The SerfsHalf Eaten by Dogs (Trouble in Mind)

Honestly, its been a minute since I’ve had this much fun listening to a record. It pulls in psychedelic nods with this punk ethos that gets mixed up in electronic textures that continue to push the envelope of what is and isn’t “indie rock.”

The Serfs Share Beat Me Down

Half Eaten by Dogs is dropping next Friday, and before we get there, we get another chance to sample the incredible work from the Serfs. Jamming this new single you get a sharp little electronic pulse that sets the scene, providing the groove that lets the band lock into their style. A snappy drum beat with hints of tambourine aims to keep pace while the vocals lurk in between the shadows. Speaking of the vocals, they’ve got this animated delivery that almost feels percussive on its own, marching in unison with the notes as they spin us towards the track’s end. It’s begging you to boogie, taking you right to the edge, so sink your teeth into this new one; new LP drops courtesy of Trouble in Mind on October 27th.

New Onyon Tune for You

We’ve covered all the Onyon jams from Last Days on Earth, so it seems only fitting that we add another of their singles to our coverage, mostly so I can have it in my weekly playlist. This track seems like the sort of tune that could drive the crowd into a frenzy in the live setting; it’s employing these stabbing guitar rhythms that tear through your speakers. The vocals almost work with a pogo stick, bouncing in your ears while the angular nature sets your feet afire. Frantically, you try to keep pace, only to realize, you’re whole body’s spinning maniacally with joy. Last Days on Earth hits on October 13th via Trouble In Mind.

The Serfs Share Electric Like an Eel

One of the records I’m looking towards before the year is up is this new LP from Cincinatti’s The Serfs; you could file them under a darker brand of outsider post-punk or creative new-wave, but every time you think you’ve got them penned, the new LP seems to shift towards something else. For some reason, the tune feels like you’re locked into a serious round of Arkanoid at your favorite arcade. You can hear the manager complaining in the background, or perhaps cavorting with the local teens in awe. But, you’re locked into the game, the pinging of that little ball hitting a cold electronic note that bounces in your head as it does on the screen. Furthering it all, you hear the echoes of other games and their like-minded digital noises, all bleeding into this one sound that continuously has you pumping quarters into the machine. It’s futuristic nostalgia, and it’s pretty awesome, so be sure to get ready for Half Eaten by Dogs, out October 27th via Trouble in Mind Records.

Melenas Share K2 Video

Like Hansel and Gretel, Melenas have been leaving little motorik breadcrumbs in the forest on the way to the release of Ahora, their latest LP for Trouble in Mind, and while it seems to really come to the forefront of their recent work, I’m really captivated by the textural layering. Here, they’re employing these various rhythmic synth pulses, punctuated by that motorik rhythm, but as the tune is unwrapped before you, you get to hear these overlapping vocal pieces. In doing so, they build yet another layer atop the intoxicating heavy wash of their pop constructs. We’ve reached out via the Internet with some questions about the new album, and maybe bringing back a rock n’ recipe with the band, so stay tuned for news on that before the LP drops. Until September 29th, you’ll just have to take our word on how good the Ahora is.

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