Work Drugs

The Philly glo-fi group Work Drugs has begun prepping music fans for their 2nd album, so consider yourselves lucky, because that means new songs.  Arriving in time before the apocalypse, the band has put out a new single in celebration of their two year anniversary, "Young Lungs".  At least now we have two days to enjoy it before the world ends.  "Young Lungs" contains a lot of what you would expect from Work Drugs; it's a smooth, synth-filled jam complete with their newfound tool, the sax.  The difference is that "Young Lungs" is one of their noisier, more complex tracks to date.  Here, you won't find much empty space, and it's nice to see that extra capacity being used.  As mentioned before, "Young Lungs" will appear on their sophomore album, which is slated for a 2013 release.  Have a listen to it below to get a first taste.  For more, you can visit their respective Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud pages.

THAT WORK

Over the past couple of the weeks I've begun to realize that New York City's disco-infused group THAT WORK is one of the metro's best kept secrets.  Having only released three songs without an EP or album to their name, the band appears to be hidden with only 228 followers on SoundCloud and 390 likes of Facebook.  I am sure those numbers are going to skyrocket in the upcoming months, for these guys are just too good for them not to.  Their most recent song, "Act Like You Know", carries a synthy flare much in the same light as Holy Ghost!  When stripped to the bone, THAT WORK's material is indebted to older disco influences yet also finds ways to incorporate sounds that are much more relatable to the modern era.  "Act Like You Know" continues this pattern, coming across as an edgy, cutting jam that leaves the perfect amount of room for a dancing option. I've posted their new song "Act Like You Know" below, along with an older track entitled "Secret Lover".  Check out their SoundCloud for other songs and remixes, and then hit up Facebook for any extra info.  Enjoy!

Hints

Drawing inspiration from bands like Tears For Fears, The Church, and Orange Juice, it didn't take much for me to imagine what kind of sound the Brooklyn band Hints were trying to go for. What I wasn't expecting was how well they were going to go about it.  Hints, a four-man group, is pretty new to the scene, having just released their first single Vol. 1 on November 20th. Despite this, the band has already displayed a wonderful sense of craftsmanship; they sound confident and self-assured about the style they're trying to achieve, putting out two songs that are consistent in the jangly, bass-heavy, upbeat new wave genre that dominated the '80s.  The first track on the single, "Ritual", even includes a wonderfully constructed guitar solo that sets up "Built a Church" quite fashionably.  The great thing about Vol. 1, though, is that it's not a exact replica of what you would expect from the era they're indebted to.  Hints are not about the overdone synths, the cheesy dream effects, or the corny lyrics, for at the base of it all they're a fantastic rock band as well, extending a welcoming hand even to those who may be turned off from the '80s no matter what the cost.  Check out "Ritual" and "Built a Church" below, and then head over to their Bandcamp to snag a free download.  For more info you can jump on over to Twitter or have a visit to their homepage.  Enjoy!

Potpourri of Pearls

Philadelphia's dance pop band Potpourri of Pearls writes the kind of music that makes your ears perk up.  Soaked with influences of disco and '80s-era synth pop, Potpourri of Pearls has a quirky style that is unusual in just about every aspect. Their debut album Why does Coco cry?, which came out in late November, will keep you guessing around every track.  Part of the reason for this is that their music contains dozens of elements and goes through a multitude of changes.  Just listen to "Shadow on My Shoulder"; at times the song seems void of sound, almost coming across as no-wave, while at other moments it's entrapped in a haze of atmospheric synths.  Sometimes it's a mix of both. At the very least I've got to give credit to them for experimenting, they've certainly created a unique, and oddly catchy, world within their album.  To get a hold of Why does Coco cry? you can head over to their Bandcamp.  You can also take a visit to their SoundCloud, Twitter, Facebook for more.  While you're doing that, take a listen to "Diamond Harbor" and "Shadow on My Shoulder" below.

Stumbleine

Stumbleine has been around for a while, dishing out beautiful atmospheric dream beats at a high rate since 2010.  Whether it be a single, EP, or full-length LP, Stumbleine has dominated the front page of Bandcamp's chillwave tag, partly due to the incredibly expedient distribution of material.  There has been so much, in fact, that a large majority of prior output has been removed from the internet, and yet there still remains an adequate pool to experiment with and listen to.  While I have not followed Stumbleine voraciously throughout this time, I must say that this year's new album, Spiderwebbed, is the most-developed and cohesive that I've heard so far.  I had always liked Stumbleine, but over time I began to feel he had fallen into a repeating run-of-the-mill chillwave sound, a common problem within the genre.  Spiderwebbed proves me wrong, putting my money where my mouth is; from start to finish we're treated to an inescapable dream-filled landscape of swirling electronics, the main element being the swirling, spacious synths that soar to striking heights.  Each track delivers its own charm, switching tempos and alternating tones, to give a remarkable listening experience.  He has also added subtle accents of dub beats, which have really paid off, presenting Spiderwebbed with a unique flare.  Enough of me, to actually listen to or buy the album take a visit to Bandcamp, and then head over to Facebook to show some love.  For a sneak peak I've posted three of my favorites below; "If You", "The Corner Of Her Eye", and "Kaleidoscope".  Enjoy!

If YouThe Corner Of Her EyeKaleidoscope

New Animal

Today I was introduced to the Atlanta-based duo New Animal, and while I might be a tad tardy on this one it's better late than never, right? The band consists of members Kris Hermstad and Derek Burdette, two dudes who have been buddies since their middle school days.  Despite all the years, they didn't collaborate musically until 2010, after which they put together three releases over the course of a year, including a self-titled debut.  The range in their songwriting is impressive, touching upon a multitude of genres and writing styles including kraut rock, lo-fi, and electronic expressions.  What caught my eye, though, was their most recent single "Falling Up", which came late this summer.  If this is the culmination of everything they've done then I can't wait to hear what comes next.  In an atmospheric haze of psychedelic pop, "Falling Up" is an emotional reflection on "the ability to let go", an idea that is captured using somber tones mixed with a high-pitched, brooding vocal track. Check it out below, then hit up their homepage or Facebook if you want to learn more. Spinner is offering a free download if you choose to use it.

 New Animal - Falling Up by Old Flame Records

Beach Fossils

Don't you love it when your day gets off on the right foot?  I woke up today, quite unenthusiastically, expecting a day full of bullshit classes when all of a sudden I found out that Beach Fossils had announced a new album and single.  In one full swoop my day became much, much better.  With bassist John Pena involved in his solo act Heavenly Beat and lead guitarist Zachary Cole Smith doing his DIIV shindig the past year, I wasn't sure when this was going to happen.  Alas, the answer is here now; Clash the Truth will be released on February 19th, 2013 via the always brilliant Captured Tracks.  Along with the announcement they have also released the first single from the forthcoming LP entitled "Careless".  It's instantly recognizable as a Beach Fossils brainchild, utilizing carefree guitar riffs that glisten with every pluck.  The track is also drenched with lush atmospheres, indicating that we might see a bit of a divergence from their past work. Have a listen below, and then pick up your gift of a free download here.  Snag it while you can!

 Beach Fossils // "Careless" by capturedtracks