September 18, 2014 · 3:15 pm

Stream the Generationals’ New Album, Alix!!!

Photo Credit: Cara Robbins

Photo Credit: Cara Robbins

“It looks at life’s ties that bind and searches for ways to chill and not fight every battle.” – NPR

“a compendium of sparky, falsetto and synth-driven indie-pop […] Like MGMT before they fell down a psych-K-hole” – VICE’s Noisey

“Think of it as an ambient electro soundtrackto the segue from day to night.” – Esquire

“ …sounds even better in 85-degree weather.” – USA Today

New Orleans’ Generationals have released their highly anticipated fourth studio album Alix via Polyvinyl Records! Comprised of band members Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer and produced by Richard Swift (The Black Keys, The Shins, Foxygen), the new album has revealed itself as perhaps the band’s most confident record yet.

The album is an immediate classic, giving a tangible feeling of history which is no surprise as the duo have been friends since high school and Generationals co-captains since 2008. Built up with layers of rhythm, computer noises, RZA beats and poppy vocals, Alix is a good-smelling, subtly sexy, catchy-or-die blend of time-warp senselessness. It is an album lightly peppered with that signature Swiftian element but undeniably Generationals in taste.

Generationals recently announced a headlining North American tour in support of the release of Alix. Support on the run will be provided by Arum Rae and Springtime Carnivor + additional dates announced with Lowell.

ALBUM STREAM: Generationals – Alix 

(My favorites: “Black Lemon”, “It Took a Minute” and “Reading Signs”)

Generationals Headlining National Tour Dates

* = w/ Arum Rae
& = w/ Springtime Carnivore
% = w/ Lowell

10/7: Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs *
10/8: Dallas, TX @ Prophet  Bar *
10/9: Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon *
10/10: Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn *
10/11: Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall *
10/12: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10/15: Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree *
10/16: Hattiesburg, MS @ Thirsty Hippo *
10/17: New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
10/28: Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
10/29: Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
10/30: Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
11/1: Madison, WI @ Freakfest
11/2: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
11/12: Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour &
11/13: San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel &
11/15: Seattle, WA @ Crocodile &
11/16: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (early show/all ages) &
11/16: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (late show) &
11/17: Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret &
12/2: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 %
12/3: Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s %
12/5: Toronto, ON @ The Garrison %
12/6: Montreal, QC @ Il Motore %
12/7: Allston, MA @ Great Scott %
12/9: Columbus, OH @ The Basement %
12/10: Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight %
12/11: Athens, GA @ Caledonia Lounge

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September 18, 2014 · 2:23 pm

Listen: Lazyeyes – “Islip”

lazyeyes

“An ode to the Long Island town, “Islip” starts off with heavy-sounding bass before morphing into an upbeat, jangling number with hooky guitars and rolling drums. There’s a fuzzed-out Kiwipop surf vibe to it all as well, with just a hint of darkened eyeliner.” – Exclaim

Lazyeyes is a three-piece shoegaze / dream-pop band from Brooklyn, New York formed in the summer of 2012. The band released their debut self-titled EP the following January 2013 which was immediately heralded by The Deli Magazine as “Best Psych / Shoegaze band in New York”. After a sold-out record release show at legendary Williamsburg venue Glasslands, the Lazyeyes EP garnered widespread acclaim from numerous underground music bloggers. Best New Bands described their single “Wait” as, “an excellent example of the group’s ability to erupt at an expansive, pyrotechnic level all the while sharply delivering pop-laden hooks.” Purple Sneakers called the EP “a moody and anthemic record, equal parts shoegaze and dream pop.” Soon after, tracks from the EP were featured on BBC Radio, XM Radio & various other FM stations worldwide. The band was founded by guitarist / vocalist Jason Abrishami (The Twees), who was joined by Paul Volpe (Triple Cobra) on bass and Jeremy Sampson (Eastern Hollows) on drums. The band plans to tour behind their up & coming EP which they just releases the first track, “Islip” from. The band will be playing at Rough Trade in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Friday September 26th.

Islip

Listen: Lazyeyes – “Islip”

 

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September 18, 2014 · 11:10 am

Video: Hillary Hand & The Roseliers “Run Like a Rabbit”

Hillary Hand

Colorado based indie pop band Hillary Hand & The Roseliers announce the release of their new music video for “Run Like A Rabbit.” The video premiered exclusively on CREEM Magazine. This past year, MileHIMusic chose them as one of the “Standout CO Artists from SxSW 2014,” where they raved, “Hillary’s soaring vocals are reminiscent of Adele’s 21 album, with traces of Fiona Apple.”

Frontwoman Hillary Hand has been trained in classical piano since the age of 6, and performs as a solo artist as well as with her five piece band from Colorado Springs. She recorded her first EP Paper Doll, in 2012 where the single “Domino” was heard on MTV’s “Awkward.” Since her first EP, she has recorded a few standalone singles, including “Tameless Tongues” which was featured on ABC’s new hit drama “Black Box.” The band has performed at venues across the Colorado Springs and Denver area, including the UMS Denver Summit Music Festival. Currently, the band is recording and self-producing their next album, set to release in the beginning of 2015.

Pop Vulture raves, “With lyrics that suggest a maturity usually reserved for those far older than Hillary, and arrangements that captivate, you can expect nothing short of brilliance from this artist in the years to come.”

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September 17, 2014 · 2:19 pm

Album Stream: Lights – Little Machines

Lights

Canada’s acclaimed pop multi-instrumentalist Lights has collaborated with The New York Times to offer an exclusive first listen to her third studio album, Little Machines, out on September 23rd via Warner Brothers Records.

Lights will perform a very special show at Hard Rock Cafe New York in Times Square on September 30th, as the 2014 Artist Ambassador for Pinktober®, Hard Rock’s annual campaign for breast cancer awareness. The 18+ show begins at 7 p.m. and is free with RSVP. She will then start her national tour in Portland, ME on October 24th.

Lights has been perfecting her own unique brand of synth pop since she was 14. With a couple of Junos and Gold records under her belt, she’s amassed a dedicated ‘Lights Army’ over the years (1.2 million Facebook fans, over half a million Twitter fans), including self-professed fans Miley Cyrus, John Mayer, and K’Naan among others. She’s also collaborated with Kaskade and Deadmau5. Little Machines was produced and engineered by Drew Pearson, with key songs/singles mixed by Mark “Spike” Stent (Madonna, U2, Beyonce). The anthemic single, “Up We Go,” deemed “perhaps [Lights’] biggest banger to date,” by Noisey, follows intro track ‘Portal,’ which Refinery29 called “the wanderlust song of the summer.”

Lights

Album Stream: Lights – Little Machines

Lights Fall 2014 US Tour Dates:

9/30 New York, NY – Hard Rock Times Square [Pinktober Event]

10/24 Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall

10/25 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club

10/29 New York, NY – Irving Plaza

10/31 Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony

11/01 Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live!

11/02 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts

11/04 Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall

11/05 Chicago, IL – House of Blues

11/07 Denver, CO – The Summit Music Hall

11/08 Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex

11/11 Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre

11/13 San Francisco, CA – Grand Ballroom at Regency Center

11/14 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater

11/15 Seattle, WA – Showbox At The Market

 

Little Machines Track Listing:

1.     Portal

2.     Running With The Boys

3.     Up We Go

4.     Same Sea

5.     Speeding

6.     Muscle Memory

7.     Oil And Water

8.     Slow Down

9.     Meteorites

10.  How We Do It

11.  Don’t Go Home Without Me

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September 17, 2014 · 11:25 am

Mystery Skulls Announces Residency at Dirty Laundry in October

Mystery Skulls

“There’s something about his diverse past that’s met by his music – a hybrid of disco, electro, pop, and soul (to name a few)…” -SPIN

 “He sings, he DJs, he produces, he stuns…Tantalizing disco-inspired harmonies will no-doubt get you dancing.” – VIBE

Mastermind electronic artist, producer and singer, Mystery Skulls AKA Luis Dubuc, has announced his upcoming residency at one of LA’s hottest establishments, Dirty Laundry, for the month of October. Each consecutive Thursday from October 2nd through 30th, Luis will bring his dynamic set with live vocals, trigged samples and beats that come together in a dazzling fashion. He will also be joined by an array of supporting acts which will be announced later.

Hailing from Dallas by way of South America, Mystery Skulls has a knack for creating insatiable pop anthems, which blend hints of 70s and 80s pop and dance music with futuristic elements. He has also already captured the attention of legendary figures such as Nile Rodgers and Brandy, of which will be featured on his forthcoming debut album, Forever.  

Earlier this year, I posted these videos — but here they are again, as a little reminder of the awesomeness that is Mystery Skulls:

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September 17, 2014 · 10:22 am

Listen: High Ends – Intoxicated (CSS Remix)

Photo Credit: Mandy-Lyn

Photo Credit: Mandy-Lyn

The new solo project High Ends from Yukon Blonde frontman Jeffrey Innes is titled Super Class and will be released October 7th via Dine Alone Records. Started as an adventurous new songwriting outlet, the 10-song album takes listeners on an 80s-inspired, synth soaked & often psychedelic journey.

Having previously revealed LP cut, “Intoxicated,” an anthem to inebriated love with an impossibly addicting melody, High Ends have unveiled CSS’ take on the song. An unexpected reggae-tinged beat powers up the tracks bouncy synths, keeping all the infectiousness of the original.

download (1)

 

Listen: High Ends – Intoxicated (CSS Remix)

The ten-song LP was recorded with producer Colin Stewart (Dan Mangan, The New Pornographers) at his Vancouver Island facility. During the sessions, Gold & Youth drummer Jeff Mitchelmore handled percussion, Louise Burns and The New Pornographers’ Kathryn Calder contributed backing vocals, and Ladyhawk’s Darcy Hancock laid down guitar.

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September 17, 2014 · 9:02 am

New Music From Rene Lopez

Photo credit: Dan Monick

Photo credit: Dan Monick

Eclectic NYC musician Rene Lopez has just announced his new EP, Love Has No Mercy – set for release October 21st via Liberation Label. Whilst Rene’s earlier records have flirted with every genre from salsa to soul, the seven tracks on Love Has No Mercy are a decidedly more dance-friendly affair. The record, which incorporates the sanguine Latin influences of his previous albums & interjects them with healthy doses of disco & funk, seems tailor-made for both impromptu house parties & late nights at the club.

Love Has No Mercy’s title track, which features vocals from NYC powerhouse Carol C, is equal parts Chic & Giorgio Moroder: a siren song of synthed-out futuristic disco that swings with a certain effortlessness that brings to mind nu-disco hits as much as old-school Donna Summer.

unnamed (4)

Listen: Rene Lopez – “Love Has No Mercy”

Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, Love Has No Mercy is a remarkably slick statement of intent. Tracks like “Lovegod” & “City Streets are Dead Tonight” pulse with the same kind of subdued electro-funk that made early Prince & Rick James tracks so eternally irresistible. For Rene, the tracks represent a natural musical evolution- a move from the sweaty rock & Latin grooves of his previous albums to a place located firmly on the dancefloor.
A native New Yorker (and the son of renowned salsa musician Rene Lopez, Sr.), Rene grew up absorbing the non-stop musical melting pot that the city had to offer, eventually channeling those influences into his own music. A jazz-trained drummer & multi-instrumentalist, he recorded with a variety of band projects (The Authority, Extra Virgin) before taking wing as a solo artist, eventually perfecting a style that he came to refer to as E.L.S. (Electric Latin Soul).

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September 15, 2014 · 3:44 pm

Video: Angus & Julia Stone – “Grizzly Bear”

Angus & Julia Stone

“…what if Neil Young and Stevie Nicks were in the same band?” – Herald Sun

“Australian siblings Angus & Julia Stone consistently put out spectacular recordings…” – KCRW

“The whole thing is heart-breakingly beautiful and brilliantly recorded…” – BBC

“Angus & Julia Stone, the sibling darlings of the indie folk scene” – The Australian

“You know when a band you’ve dismissed utterly blindsides you? Cue a belated crush on this brother-sister duo… this album is the best thing this band have ever done” – The Guardian (UK)

“It goes without saying that if the renowned, elusive music producer and Def Jam Records co-founder Rick Rubin gets excited about someone, they’re probably destined for great things.” – The New York Times

“… a self-titled album brimming with sunny harmonies that will transport you to the idyllic shores of Australia’s northeastern coast – or at least to California.” – Details Magazine (US)

“Angus & Julia Stone reunite for a self-titled new album full of their signature moody grooves…” – Elle Magazine (US)

“…despite their best efforts, the universe – or rather, Rick Rubin – conspired to bring Angus & Julia together again.” – Interview Magazine

“Angus and Julia are truly unique musicians.  They are authentic and pure people who do things from the heart.”  — Rick Rubin

Angus and Julia Stone

Australian duo Angus & Julia Stone released their highly anticipated full-length album Angus & Julia Stone on August 1st via American Recordings. The Rick Rubin produced full-length, which has already hit #1 in France, New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia, is now available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and in all good records stores worldwide.

In support of their highly anticipated album release, the band recently premiered a new video for their single “A Heartbreak” with The New York Times and now reveal a brand new official video for their track “Grizzly Bear,” also taken from their Angus & Julia Stone album.

Currently on a worldwide tour that has taken them across Europe and now on the road Down-under, the siblings will be making a welcomed return to North American shores this fall where they’ll kick things off on their sold out tour which starts on October 6th at the House of Blues in San Diego, California, winding through the mid-west, north and ending on the east-coast.

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September 12, 2014 · 2:22 pm

Pre-order Sadnecessary from Milky Chance

milky chance

After building palpable buzz and drawing widespread critical acclaim, Milky Chance unlock the pre-order for their full-length debut, Sadnecessary [Republic Records]. Preorder and receive an instant download of “Flashed Junk Mind.” Following a special limited-edition vinyl release of the record on September 30, the album officially arrives in stores and at iTunes and all digital partners on October 14th.

Pre-order the album here: http://smarturl.it/MCSadnecessaryDA

Milky Chance have turned out to be the hottest ticket of fall 2014! Last week, the German duo revealed their first-ever North American tour dates at New York’s Bowery Ballroom [October 13], Toronto’s Virgin Mobile Mod Club [October 16], and Los Angeles’s Troubadour on [October 20]. All three shows literally sold out instantly, while New York and Los Angeles specifically sold out in less than five minutes.

Press continues to sing their praises. Rolling Stone recently named them one of “10 Artists You Need to Know Now”. Nylon called their first single “Stolen Dance” a “breakout smash”. Buzzfeed dubbed it one of the “songs you need in your life this summer”. Idolator declared it to be “absolutely undeniable”. Radio has already caught on to the international smash as it has hit #1 at Triple A (four weeks straight), and top 5 at Alternative.

Online “Stolen Dance” hit has gone viral with over 136 million streams across Spotify and YouTube. The smash song has taken over Spotify with over 75 million streams, hit #1 on the Spotify Viral Chart, and is currently #20 on the Spotify overall chart. However, the band is only beginning to make its mark on the United States. On YouTube, the official video for “Stolen Dance” just crossed the 61-million mark and counting. Check out the official video below.

In addition, the music community has embraced the group with Ásgeir recently covering “Stolen Dance” which accumulated over 200,000 views, while Imagine Dragons recently did their own live rendition of the song while performing in Hamburg, Germany with the crowd singing along. Check out those videos below.

Internationally, “Stolen Dance” has quickly become something of a sensation. To date it has gone double-platinum in Australia, platinum in Canada, Germany, and The Netherlands, and gold in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, New Zealand, and Switzerland. Moreover, it landed in the Top 10 of iTunes in over 50 countries.

Longtime friends Clemens and Philipp came together during high school in Kassel, Germany and founded Milky Chance shortly after. Initially, they released Sadnecessary independently in Europe through their own label Lichtdicht Records and saw major success, hitting #1 in France and going Top 10 in 9 countries, while “Stolen Dance” took off online. Given their impressive debut and the power of “Stolen Dance”, they inked a deal with Republic Records earlier this year.

Sadnecessary is the beginning of something very special for MILKY CHANCE. Keep a close watch for a full- fledged North American tour in 2015.

Sadnecessary Tracklisting:

  1. Stunner
  2. Flashed Junk Mind
  3. Becoming
  4. Running
  5. Feathery (slow version)
  6. Indigo
  7. Sadnecessary
  8. Down By the River
  9. Sweet Sun
  10. Fairytale
  11. Stolen Dance
  12. Loveland (studio version)
  13. Feathery (bonus track)
  14. Loveland (bonus track)

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September 12, 2014 · 2:05 pm

Listen: Cathedrals – “In The Dark”

Cathedrals

 

“…an enigmatic, R&B-infused gem that features Jenkins and Hwin’s haunting vocals. The dichotomy of dark and light within the music makes for a catching, gorgeous track. – Interview Magazine

“…post-Aaliyah mood-making, pulsating bass, gorgeous harmonies, and XX-like guitar-play.” – SPIN Magazine

“…transitioning from psychedelic, distorted riffs to angelic whispers with ease.” – Indie Shuffle

Cathedrals, the San Francisco duo comprised of Brodie Jenkins and Johnny Hwin released their self-titled debut EP on Monday. You can hear the full EP HERE, including a Spotify exclusive acoustic version of “Want My Love”.

“Want My Love” marked Cathedrals’ first single with esteemed New York pop impresarios Neon Gold Records. Looking set to follow in the illustrious footsteps Neon Gold acts before them (Passion Pit, Ellie Goulding, Gotye, et. al), Cathedrals fit beautifully amongst the backdrop of the label’s more recent output (HAIM, Wet) and label founder Lizzy Plapinger’s own rising outfit, MS MR.

cathedrals hi res

Listen: Cathedrals – “In The Dark”

Cathedrals – Cathedrals EP (out now on Neon Gold):

01. Harlem
02. In The Dark
03. OOO AAA
04. Unbound
05. Want My Love

 

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