Let
the summer anthems rule – new tunes by Holy Ghost! and Empire of the Sun pave
the way for this latest playlist. Debut
albums from The Olms, Palma Violets and Secret Colors are juxtaposed next to During the next heat wave, why not cool down
by listening to the breezy acoustic strumming of The Olms, ambient music from
Eluvium, Bibio’s electronica and more. Link to listen here, enjoy!
1. "Dumb Disco Ideas" -- Holy Ghost!
This
single off the upcoming second album, Dynamics,
by Holy Ghost! could not have arrived at a better time. Brooklyn-based synth pop duo Nick Millhiser
and Alex Frankel capture the seasonal mood to dance, without losing the irony
of its history.
2. "Alive" -- Empire of the Sun
The Australian electronic music team of Nick
Littlemore and Luke Steele has released their sophomore album, Ice on the Dune. “Alive” exploits a soaring synth melody over a
pulsing dance beat.
3. "Wanna Feel It" -- The Olms
Singer/songwriter Pete Yorn joined together with
musician, artist and photographer J.D. King for a new band called The Olms. A
warm acoustic vibe masks the discontentment in the lyrics embedded in this song
off their self-titled debut album.
4. "Your Life Your Call" – Junip
Swedish folk and psych rock trio Junip are back with
their second self-titled album. “Your
Life Your Call” is the single for the collection, featuring the unique vocals
of José González.
5. "À Tout à L'heure"
– Bibio
English
electronic music producer Stephen Wilkinson has released his seventh full-length
album, Silver Wilkinson. This whimsical tune, “À Tout à L'heure,”
translates from French to “in a little while.”
6. "Oh Sailor" -- Mr. Little Jeans (featuring The Silverlake
Conservatory Music
Youth Chorale)
This single from Norwegian (now based in LA)
singer/songwriter Monica Birkeness enlists a children’s choir for endearing
background vocals. The soaring, melodic
song will appear on the forthcoming debut album.
7. "In The City" – Caveman
Caveman has released a self-titled sophomore album,
which embraces the strength of their guitars and a confident singing by Matt
Iwanusa. The dense instrumentation
mirrors this single’s theme of the quintet’s life in New York City.
8. "Miracle Mile" -- Cold War Kids
This indie rock band returns with “Miracle Mile,”
the single for a fourth album Dear Miss
Lonely Hearts. Nathan Willet’s raw,
heart-on-your-sleeve vocals lead the charge for the quintet from Long Beach,
CA.
9. "Ain't That the Way" -- Divine Fits
This North American indie rock quartet formed by Texan
Britt Daniel (Spoon) and Canadian Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) recently released
a double-sided single. The band exploys the crunch of a Spoon song with “Ain’t
That the Way.”
10. "Modern Jesus" -- Portugal. The Man.
Portland’s quintet Portugal. The Man. returns with a
sixth studio album, Evil Friends. Vocalist John Gourley finds a soulful
point of reference for the musical montage of “Modern Jesus.”
11. "Hurricane" -- MS MR
This NYC duo (pronounced “Miss Mister”), vocalist
Lizzy Plapinger and producer Max Hershenow, met as students at Vassar
College. This alt-art rock meets dream
pop single is off their EP, Candy Bar
Creep Show.
12. "Sure Stuck" – Honeymoon
Australian LA-based music producers Aaron Shanahan
and Benjamin Plant embrace their love of 60s and 70s psych pop with this new
musical project. This brightly bouncing
tune is off a forthcoming debut album, scheduled to drop later this year.
13. "College" -- Rogue Wave
This indie rock quintet from Oakland, California, is
back with its fifth album, Nightingale
Floors. Frontman Zach Schwartz
(a.k.a. Zach Rogue) overlays his distinctive, laid back vocals for a catchy
single about higher education.
14. "Best of Friends" -- Palma Violets
U.K. indie rock band Palma Violets was recently
formed by frontmen Samuel Fryer and Chilli Jesson. A distinct, fuzzy swagger permeates this lead
track off their debut album, ISO.
15. "King" -- Secret Colors
Seattle’s Matt Lawson abandoned his previous guitar-based
improvisational methods for writing music with a cheap Yamaha keyboard and
pared down composition. This electronic
puzzle of a song is from the new album, Days
Off.
16. "Envenom Mettle" – Eluvium
Ambient
recording artist Matthew Cooper blends various genres with a steady craftsmanship
over seven albums. This hazy tune is off
the latest double album, Nightmare
Ending.