Skai Nine

Who doesn't love free music?  It's probably one of the greatest gifts there is, and it's always made better when it's actually good (and legal).  Sites like SoundCloud and Bandcamp are just full of it; you can browse for hours just sifting through the plethora of options, occasionally coming up with some great finds.  Skai Nine, an electronica group from Maryland, is one such band that I'm happy to have stumbled upon.  On October 4th, only two days ago, they released a new single which includes "Indigo" and "Pulse", both of which are instrumental bumpers...uptempo and incredibly catchy.  They label themselves as chillwave, and while this is partly true, it must be one of the dancier chillwave songs I've heard in awhile.  They certainly don't hold back from a strong, steady beat.  I've posted "Indigo" from their SoundCloud below, and if you dig it be sure to hit up their Bandcamp to get both songs completely free of charge.  Awesome.

 Indigo by Skai Nine 

Drew Smith

For some odd reason, the weather at my school decided to take a turn for the worse.  One day I'm running around in my tank top, and the next it's raining with a 20 degree drop in temperature.  It's time like these I resent biking to class, when I'd much rather stay indoors and avoid the cold, windy downpour.  That's where Drew Smith's "Love Teeth" comes into a play, his new single from his upcoming LP The Secret Languages.  It's a wonderful, slow-burning, introspective look into the complexion of relationships and the confusion involved.  "Come back to me to find that words have another way...come back, oh why'd you come back time and time again?" is asked while a wistful arrangement of strings and backing pianos carry Smith's higher-pitched vocals along beautifully.  The track uses those folk undertones much in the same way that Sun Kil Moon does with songs like "Carry Me Ohio", subdued country with a healthy dose of rock elements. Smith's voice is also reminiscent of Sun Kil Moon's lead singer Mark Kozelek, very relaxed and reflective, helping make "Love Teeth" a tranquil rainy-day piece.  For his upcoming album, an old student of his (Smith gave up teaching to pursue his passion for music) Sohee Jeon created a fantastic video to accompany the song, which can be viewed below.  So check out the song and animation, then be sure to head over to his Bandcamp and personal homepage to grab it!  Also, keep an eye out for The Secret Languages over the next few months.

The War on Drugs

The War on Drugs have proven themselves to be a group of fantastic songwriters.  On this year's Slave Ambient, they do a great job of mixing psychedelia with americana to create something so open and spacious.  Due to this, it feels like the perfect road-tripping music; it's hearty and based in classic roots rock, throw on any track and you're good to cruise.  Part of this is due to how widespread it sounds, each little accent carries it's importance in every song...it sounds as big as the American heartland. All the tiny guitar twangs, harmonicas, and piano chords can be heard distinctly without becoming too loud and overwhelming.  Instead, they hide deeper in the song, becoming the aspects that secretly drive it forward.  The fact that there are so many clear, audible layers without too heavy of a feel allow for such an expanse. For example, the backing piano on "It's Your Destiny" about a minute a half into it is one of the best highlights of the album.  It may seem like a insignificant detail, but without it's addition the song would be way more bland.  This help gives it character, an ability demonstrated by the band throughout.  So for any fans of Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, or Wilco (perhaps a combination of all?), this is definitely worth a listen. Below I've posted "Brothers" as well as "It's Your Destiny" for your listening pleasure.

Brothers

It's Your Destiny

I Break Horses

It has only been a little more than a year since I've begun to understand the possibilities and revel in the beauty of shoegaze.  It can really be a mesmerizing genre, and like many styles of music over the course of time, artists make their small modifications to try and keep things fresh, interesting, and relevant.  Many of the founding shoegazers from the early '90s like Pale Saints, Slowdive, and Ride used heavy distortion and fuzzy textures to concoct dazzling sonic tidal waves, and it was incredible.  Now, with musical advancements and the rise of computers, artists have more and more options of playing around with electronics, something I Break Horses has gladly injected into the shoegaze formula with their album Hearts.  Released earlier this year, it covers all the bases for a shoegaze album; a multi-layered and lush blend of atmospheric qualities, and like many of it's kind, the singing withers into the background while powerful walls of sound take the front seat.  Helping carry much of these songs are ethereal synthesizers, giving the entire thing a dreamier vibe in contrast to My Bloody Valentine's grungy disposition.  It's a nice touch, and while it's no Loveless (well let's face it, nothing is), their delicately placed electronic supplements are a solid addition.  Not to mention, I am sucker for female vocals, and in this case Maria Lindén's voice is a fantastic complement to the surrounding melodies.  I've posted a few songs from the album below, so feel free to have a listen.  If you like 'em, you can find out more at their homepage.

Pulse

Load Your Eyes

Wired

Real Estate

Getting really excited for an album to come out must be one of the greatest feelings.  I love nothing more than hearing a few singles that just get you really amped, when you know deep down you're going to love the whole thing.  Another one of my favorite things in music is to see how sophomoric albums progress from the original success of a debut release.  When October 18th comes, I'll get a shot of both with Real Estate's forthcoming LP Days.  I simply cannot get enough of the guitar work in the two singles so far, "Green Aisles" and "It's Real".  The band seems much more sure of themselves, and more willing to tinker around with new sounds.  While "It's Real" is an uptempo pop jam, the newer "Green Aisles" (released last Friday) takes everything down a notch with pleasing and smooth interlays of guitar.  So far, both tracks have been winners, and I can only imagine what's to come mid-October.  Have a listen to them below, with a free download offered on SoundCloud for "Green Aisles", so be sure to scoop that while you can.

It's Real

Real Estate - Green Aisles by DominoRecordCo

Peaking Lights

The husband and wife duo of Peaking Lights are from Wisconsin, but their music would suggest something else entirely.  Instead, this year's LP release of 936 is a collection of warm, bass-driven psychedelia...delivering more of a tropical atmosphere than a cold winter in the northern states.  Perhaps this is because they utilize echoic vocals backed by repeating drum loops, something that ultimately ends up sound like dub; a style of reggae that finds its cultural origins in Jamaica. With that said, the overall tone of the album is probably what you'd expect, laid-back with an intention to just chillllll.  With an average song length of 6 minutes, Peaking Lights allows you to get lost in each track, lulling you into a trance.  The layering of synths, bass, and guitar give a dreamy sense of surrealism, everything seems to sound like it's in slow motion.  To see what I mean, I've posted a few songs from 936 below, starting with one of the shorter songs "Key Sparrow".  Hope ya'll dig it!

Key Sparrow

All the Sun That Shines

Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)

M83

For quite some time now, M83 has been the master of his craft; producing '80s-synth inspired dream pop, which at times can mix in with something out of the early '90s shoegaze movement.  Anthony Gonzalez, who goes by M83, has a knack for attacking your ears with beautiful surges of sound.  I recently listened to his 2003 album Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts and I was utterly shocked at how he pulls off so many dense layers of electronics, it's absolutely insaannneeeee, which I mean in the best way possible.  You get so lost in his journey that the entire thing almost becomes one ambient whole. A similar pattern continued with 2008's Saturdays=Youth, only with a greater emphasis on vocals.  His releases are simply massive, and now we must wait until October 18th to have a listen to his 22-song double release.  That doesn't mean we can't get a taste though; he has already dropped "Midnight City", which is doing a good job of holding me over for the real thing.  Although the track was released quite some time ago, what I also wanted to post about was the Alcala remix my friend showed to me other day.  It's a faster, uptempo version of the original, which does a good job of retaining the heart of the song.  Both are fantastic.  Below I have posted the original (in case you haven't heard yet) as well as the remix, so take a look at both, and be sure to snag the free download of the remix from SoundCloud.

Midnight City

 M83 - Midnight City (Alcala Remix) by Alcala