Wild Nothing-A Dancing Shell

Damn you Jack Tatum, you’ve done it again. Only months after the release of their sophomore LP, Nocturne, Wild Nothing is gearing up to drop a brand new EP titled Empty Estate on May 14th. Along with the news came the single, “A Dancing Shell”, which sports a nice little change in style for the band. While you’re keeping the track on repeat, peep the video below and prepare for Wild Nothing to dazzle us all over again. Limitied edition vinyl packages are available now through Captured Tracks for $22 and with all of the nifty stuff that comes with the record, it’d make a great addition to any collection.

Mirror Kisses-runaways

A lot of great music came out last year and out of all of the bands that I came across in 2012, Virginia’s Mirror Kisses was one group that not only stuck out, but also got me into a whole new world of music. Depending on who you ask, some may say that there’s an excessive amount of artists influenced by the 80’s right now but regardless, nobody makes it sound quite as lustrous and ravishing as Mirror Kisses. The band will be dropping Heartbeats, the follow up album to last year’s Bad Dreams, sometime in April or May and if their latest track “runaways” proves anything, it’s that this album is going to be a full flavored, electrifying dose of synthpop at it’s finest. Swing by bandcamp now to grab “runaways” along with “kameron” for a free download and be sure to check out Mirror Kisses other material if you haven’t yet. 

Color Film-Bad Saint

To be honest, when I first caught wind of Daryl Palumbo’s new project with Richard Penzone (former bassist of Men, Women, and Children) I didn’t really listen to it like I should have. I immediately thought “Where’s the new Glassjaw LP Daryl?”, and while I’m sure a lot of you thought the same, try to forget that Glassjaw even exists for a moment and take this as a promising new endeavor from a very talented group of guys. At times Color Film comfortably fits somewhere between bands like The Cure and The Smiths but with all comparisons aside, their approach to the new wave genre and music in general is just as captivating as it is refreshing. Daryl’s ethereal vocals sound increasingly mesmerizing behind Penzone’s lively, atmospheric bassline and the heavy yet calm 80’s esque tendencies of the band easily works to envelop listeners without sounding forced or rushed in the slightest. Look for their debut release, Living Arrangements, to drop sometime this year and be sure to check out the band on soundcloud and facebook as well. 

Buzz Kull-Bedroom Highs

Sometime last year I was introduced to the dark and addictive new wave sounds of Sydney duo Buzz Kull with their two track Young Latitudes release Lost Control, and after listening to these tracks over and over, I couldn’t help but to want to hear more and further dive into the grimy and shadowy depths that they constructed. Well this time around it seems that the duo has decided to pick up the pace and make us move a little bit with their new single “Bedroom Highs” but it isn’t without their usual eerie presence and new wave esque vibe, which makes me love it even more.  The track works to steadily sink inside of your head and nestle itself comfortably in your ears as soon as it begins and with it’s bouncing bass lines and slightly haunting  yet upbeat vocals, it’s hard not to feel the urge to shimmy around the room while it plays. Look for “Bedroom Highs” to drop along with more new material on Buzz Kull’s upcoming debut EP Heat, which is due out sometime soon , and in the meantime head over to bandcamp to grab Lost Control and more for a name your own price. 

Cassida Pax-Syllia

There’s a certain aesthetic that comes along with a lot of lo-fi music and while I feel like it can be an acquired taste for some, there’s something about Los Angeles’ Cassida Pax that’s incredibly alluring and endearing and it goes way beyond the grainy and fuzzy quality of the recordings. Throughout the sentimental 80’s undertones, dreamy guitar harmonies, and hazy vocals, lies a distinctive honesty and sincerity that surrounds everything that you hear from Cassida Pax and it all helps to make his style that much more enjoyable. His sound tightly wraps itself around you while slowly seeping into your mind and illuminating the most dimly lit parts of it and all the while, it’s as if you’re captured in a dream that you never want to wake up from. The only bad part of all of this is that I didn’t come across Cassida Pax until the end of the year but regardless, his music will be staying with me for a long time to come. Head over to bandcamp to grab your share of material which is available for a “name your own” price and while you’re there check out his latest release with Stigmata Hari titled Lialoon/Sese. 

Miniatures-Midwinter (Air)

One of the newer labels to come to my attention is the San Diego based digital and cassette label, Bleeding Gold Records. Though I’ve only been familiar with them for a few weeks now and I’m still taking time to go through their release catalog, everything that I’ve heard thus far has been absolutely magical and captivating. Music is one of the greatest outlets for creativity and passion alike, and judging from what I’ve heard on Bleeding Gold, each artist on the label is full of both. After spending some time contemplating what to post to give you all a good representation of BG, I decided on their second May release which was Miniatures self titled EP. Miniatures is a new wave/ shoegaze duo hailing from New Zealand, consisting of sisters Annemarie and Che Walden. Their EP only has four tracks but duration aside, it’s without a doubt a release that shouldn’t be looked over. It hints at elements of late 80’s/early 90’s shoegaze acts while also offering a dose of heavy, dreamy ambiance and vocals that reside somewhere between being angelic and a tad bit haunting. It can be atmospheric and uptempo or reverb fueled and slow moving but regardless, Miniatures sound beautiful throughout every track and this EP is a testament to just how talented these sisters are. Luckily for all of my followers, this release is available for a free download through Bleeding Gold’s bandcamp, so you really have no reason not to pick this up. While you’re on the site, I highly recommend checking out more of what BG has to offer and grabbing what you can for various prices. It’s a damn good way to kick off your September.