Friday Album Streams: Lightheaded, Blue Ocean, Mope City and More

There’s only a few more sleeps until all the music folks decided to hibernate for the year, so better be sure to listen to as much new music as possible, right? Well, on this Friday, we’ve got a couple of really delicious records for you to devour, if that’s your thing. No need to wax poetic here, just links so you can fall in love and spend some quality time with your new favorite LP.

LightheadedGood Good Great (Slumberland Records)

Mope CityPopulation 4 – (Tenth Court)

Blue OceanFertile State (Slumberland Records)

A Beacon Schoolyoyo (Grind Select)

Half DreamWill I Still Bloom (Self-Released)

UpchuckBite the Hand That Feeds (Famous Class)

One More Single from A Beacon School

In case you weren’t aware, and I’m definitely invested in the release of the new LP from A Beacon School, as I’ve managed to cover almost every new tune leading up to Friday’s release of yoyo. In the end, that means little, as the journey we’re being taken on finds me grinning as the songs reverberate in my cranium. For some reason, there’s this one Aphex Twin track employing a rapid motorik beat, similar to the one here, though A Beacon School is employing a less metallic version, which allows more of this shadowy shimmer on the edge of the song that brings you a nice melodic sampler platter. It’s been a record that’s allowed me to lose myself in the moment, whilst still feeling the humanity in the craft. Yoyo is out Friday via Grind Select.

A Beacon School Drop Alone Single

If you’re a sucker for that sort of post-new-wave meets dreamy pop, then you’re absolutely going to love this new track from A Beacon School. For two minutes, Patrick Smith casually delivers some of the finest dreamy pop you’re going to hear this year; the softness in his vocals keeps the knifing guitar lines and snappy beat at bay, letting the melody sprinkle its hooks all over the track. There’s even a nice little cascading bit of noise at the 2 minute mark, offering a brief bit of dissonant discourse in an otherwise spritely pop number. Yoyo is out on October 13th, and its shaping up quite nicely.

A Beacon School Share KITM Video

While it may have been a few years since A Beacon School dropped a proper record, my ears are telling me that that was time perfectly spent. This tack is teases you second by second, you spend the first 45 seconds drifting with Patrick Smith’s floating voice, like that feather from Forest Gump just fluttering in the foreground. Then, the 45 second mark drops and the track begins to build, pulsing as the tension gradually builds. A quick stutter at the 1 minute mark and the tune buoyantly zooms off into this shimmering dream pop work. A little sonic toying comes into play, working with the great visual piece to tie it all into a nice little structured pop masterpiece. Uh. That euphoric eruption around 3 minutes is just this magical moment you won’t be able to pass up. Totally worth the time here, and we can likely expect the same from yoyo when it drops on October 13th via Grind Select.

Dance to A Beacon School’s New Single

Having received a great deal of praise after some electronic flourishes on Cola, A Beacon School has upped the ante for the latest record, yoyo. On this new single, once the ambient wash clears the floor, the song just hits that groove and locks you into the dance floor. It provides that sort of primal beat that gets heads bobbing and legs flailing, the rhythmic pulse pushing you to let your entire body float away. This is pure musical escapism, particularly as the thump from that bass kicks in during the song’s later half; I can literally feel myself just pushing my body and soul as the speakers rattle and lights flash all about me. yoyo will be out on October 13th via Grind Select.

A Beacon School Announce First LP in 5 Years

Patrick J Smith has taken some time between his last A Beacon School LP, but he’s ready to put that aside and let us all indulge in yoyo, his brand new record. You get a couple of sneak peeks today, with the sparkling pop of “Potion” sure to grab you with its immediacy and melodic core. “Jon,” on the other hand, is more extravagant, like a mini suite built for the dance club or late night drives under city lights; it carries this extra life force to it that will have you marveling. Both tunes provide a glimpse of what’s to come, letting us know that Smith’s time away from a proper LP might be to our benefit, as both tracks are easily digestible pieces of great pop. yoyo is out on October 13th via Grind Select.