Snowfield.

31 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Snowfield is the solo noise work of twenty year old Wellington, NZ allround talent Alex Mitcalfe Wilson. His gloomy minimal bedroom pop is up to hit the depths of your mind, slowly playing spellbinding games with your subconscious. Chrysanthemum is a tune taken from a period of personal troubles leading to a more cryptically creative expression, a very introspective output that won't leave the listener untouched in spite of all the way too obvious harshness in Wilson's psychedelia.

Head over here to download some of Snowfield's improvised live recordings, too.

Photo by Alex Mitcalfe Wilson.

Snowfield - Chrysanthemum

Read more →
Snowfield is the solo noise work of twenty year old Wellington, NZ allround talent Alex Mitcalfe Wilson. His gloomy minimal bedroom pop is up to hit the depths of your mind, slowly playing spellbinding games with your subconscious. Chrysanthemum is a tune taken from a period of personal troubles leading to a more cryptically creative expression, a very introspective output that won't leave the listener untouched in spite of all the way too obvious harshness in Wilson's psychedelia.

Head over here to download some of Snowfield's improvised live recordings, too.

Photo by Alex Mitcalfe Wilson.

Snowfield - Chrysanthemum

Pretend Elders.

30 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Us from Pomona, California do not belong to the chatty kind, but their songs stoked me immediately after they had befriended me on myspace a short while back. Pretend Elders is a brand new track and some very nice sundrenched, slightly off-kilter garage pop, simply yet captivating. With songs like this one, we actually don't care at all if there's any further information.

Us - Pretend Elders

Read more →
Us from Pomona, California do not belong to the chatty kind, but their songs stoked me immediately after they had befriended me on myspace a short while back. Pretend Elders is a brand new track and some very nice sundrenched, slightly off-kilter garage pop, simply yet captivating. With songs like this one, we actually don't care at all if there's any further information.

Us - Pretend Elders

Cruising the Night Away / Adventures in Slumberland

30 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Ben Wagner aka the artist formerly known as Hooray! has finished his first release with his new project Craig Cruiser that we had introduced on NFOP last month. Cruising the Night Away/Adventures in Slumberland is a two-sided digital album that comprises twelve fine pieces of forward-thinking electronica, side a being slightly more upbeat and restless, while side b shows the more experimental, dirty and dark yet laid back shoegaze-via-distortion direction of Wagner's craftsmanship. Overall, an amazing output with which he keeps the high standards up that were set with Hooray!.

Listen to three tunes below and download the whole thing for free over here.

Craig Cruiser - Slow Dance Romance

Craig Cruiser - Jungle Jam

Craig Cruiser - Haunting Memories

Read more →
Ben Wagner aka the artist formerly known as Hooray! has finished his first release with his new project Craig Cruiser that we had introduced on NFOP last month. Cruising the Night Away/Adventures in Slumberland is a two-sided digital album that comprises twelve fine pieces of forward-thinking electronica, side a being slightly more upbeat and restless, while side b shows the more experimental, dirty and dark yet laid back shoegaze-via-distortion direction of Wagner's craftsmanship. Overall, an amazing output with which he keeps the high standards up that were set with Hooray!.

Listen to three tunes below and download the whole thing for free over here.

Craig Cruiser - Slow Dance Romance

Craig Cruiser - Jungle Jam

Craig Cruiser - Haunting Memories

Red Lion.

30 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

It's been a little while already since we've been blessed with the wonderfully dark and contemplative electro shoegaze of Hypermagic, but now this most talented Londoner returns with more layers of rusty beats and meandering synth patterns getting lost in echo and reverb. He has three brand new tracks up on his bandcamp under the name Hey Hey Sunshine, and Red Lion is my favourite among these beauties, very captivating hooks and some sad and distant vocals haunting your daydreams until the whole thing collapses into a quiet acoustic guitar phrase. All tracks are available for free download, and you shouldn't miss a single one.

Hypermagic - Red Lion

Read more →
It's been a little while already since we've been blessed with the wonderfully dark and contemplative electro shoegaze of Hypermagic, but now this most talented Londoner returns with more layers of rusty beats and meandering synth patterns getting lost in echo and reverb. He has three brand new tracks up on his bandcamp under the name Hey Hey Sunshine, and Red Lion is my favourite among these beauties, very captivating hooks and some sad and distant vocals haunting your daydreams until the whole thing collapses into a quiet acoustic guitar phrase. All tracks are available for free download, and you shouldn't miss a single one.

Hypermagic - Red Lion

Getting wilder.

28 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Our most talented and prolific San Diego slacker Andrew Caddick aka Jeans Wilder has made another wonderful tune available from his forthcoming debut full length Nice Trash which as far as I can tell will be one of this year's essential releases. The LP will be out sometime in October via La Station Radar and Atelier Ciseaux. That's the unholy cover art above.

Go here to listen to three more tracks from the album, including my personal favourite Blanket Mountain, and then head over to Caddick's newly established bandcamp for a few rare gems.

Jeans Wilder - Sparkler

Read more →
Our most talented and prolific San Diego slacker Andrew Caddick aka Jeans Wilder has made another wonderful tune available from his forthcoming debut full length Nice Trash which as far as I can tell will be one of this year's essential releases. The LP will be out sometime in October via La Station Radar and Atelier Ciseaux. That's the unholy cover art above.

Go here to listen to three more tracks from the album, including my personal favourite Blanket Mountain, and then head over to Caddick's newly established bandcamp for a few rare gems.

Jeans Wilder - Sparkler

Believe in Summer.

27 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

After spending half a day looking out of the window while getting more and more depressed I've decided not to accept the weather forecast. Summer lasts as long as you're feeling it, I figure.

Ten tracks of sunshine-friendly indie pop, mostly sent to me lately or stuff that I've found on other blogs.

Hope you enjoy, Make sure you wear shades while listening.

http://8tracks.com/mixes/147555/player_v2

1. Big Surr - Gone

Big Surr are from Nashville, Tennessee, and their shiny fuzzed-out surf pop reminds splendidly reminds us of all the fine things that make us already long for summer. You can download their whole debut EP Miss You Most over here.

2. Seapony - I Really Do

Seattle's trio Seapony hit the interwebs with a blast this week via our ever-digging friends over at Double Denim, and seriously their heartbreaking and mind melting indie pop full of glory and innocence is the only thing we need to get the sun back into our lives. Make sure you don't miss their other three beautiful gems at their bandcamp.

3. Estate Sale Boat - Mindless Heartprints

Viernes' Sean Moore is a man of amazingly many talents. His latest creative expression is the "indie yacht rock" duo Estate Sale Boat, and Mindless Heartprints is a lush pop tune with one of the sweetest melodies you'll hear in a while.

4. Summer Twins - The More I Think of You

I've stumbled across Summer Twins this morning via Get Off The Coast, and the happy-sad sundrenched dreampop of Chelsea and Justine Brown is simply staggeringly beautiful. Their whole EP The Good Things is full of musical miracles and thus highly recommended.

5. Beach Combers - The Things That I Would Do to You

Beach Combers are a distinctly fuzzy lo-fi group from Brooklyn, but as we all know, cheap recording techniques won't prevent you from composing fine pop song as long as you've got the right amount of talent. (via Delicious Scopitone)

6. Doug Hoyer - Lakes of Mars

The "ukulele strummin' fellow" Doug Hoyer hails from Edmonton, Alberta, and his optimistically upbeat tunes of purest pop quality indeed remind us of Jens Lekmann, which is anything but a bad thing, right? Simply lovely. Get another fine tune over at his bandcamp.

7. Sean Moore - Ashley

Did I mention that Sean Moore is a man of many talents? I think I have. Ashley, you're a lucky girl. No one has ever written a perfect love song for me. And god, perfect this one is.

8. Plastic Plastic - Golden Hearts

A little more towards the shoegazey direction, Plastic Plastic from Gainesville, Florida consists of three long-time friends and roommates. And though this project was only formed roughly three months ago, the trio already had the honor to open for MillionYoung, Memoryhouse and Twin Sister in Gainesville last Friday. You can stream their three-track debut EP Everyone I Love or Wish to Love Is Here (the competition for EP title of the year is closed now btw) over at their bandcamp. And hopefully we'll hear more soon.

9. Love Inks - Wave Goodbye

Love Inks is a two-guys-one-girl trio from the musically vibrating city of Austin, Texas, and they hit me a while back with this beautiful, drum-machine driven dreampop treat. Other songs that you can stream via their bandcamp sound even more promising (Too Wild for instance), so let's hope they find someone who wants to put out their stuff soon.

10. Young Heat - Test Drive

Young Heat out of Columbus, Ohio are a fine closer for this little mix, as Test Drive is simply two and a half minutes of fine and laid back aural sunbathing. And now, get yourself a cocktail.

Read more →
After spending half a day looking out of the window while getting more and more depressed I've decided not to accept the weather forecast. Summer lasts as long as you're feeling it, I figure.

Ten tracks of sunshine-friendly indie pop, mostly sent to me lately or stuff that I've found on other blogs.

Hope you enjoy, Make sure you wear shades while listening.

http://8tracks.com/mixes/147555/player_v2

1. Big Surr - Gone

Big Surr are from Nashville, Tennessee, and their shiny fuzzed-out surf pop reminds splendidly reminds us of all the fine things that make us already long for summer. You can download their whole debut EP Miss You Most over here.

2. Seapony - I Really Do

Seattle's trio Seapony hit the interwebs with a blast this week via our ever-digging friends over at Double Denim, and seriously their heartbreaking and mind melting indie pop full of glory and innocence is the only thing we need to get the sun back into our lives. Make sure you don't miss their other three beautiful gems at their bandcamp.

3. Estate Sale Boat - Mindless Heartprints

Viernes' Sean Moore is a man of amazingly many talents. His latest creative expression is the "indie yacht rock" duo Estate Sale Boat, and Mindless Heartprints is a lush pop tune with one of the sweetest melodies you'll hear in a while.

4. Summer Twins - The More I Think of You

I've stumbled across Summer Twins this morning via Get Off The Coast, and the happy-sad sundrenched dreampop of Chelsea and Justine Brown is simply staggeringly beautiful. Their whole EP The Good Things is full of musical miracles and thus highly recommended.

5. Beach Combers - The Things That I Would Do to You

Beach Combers are a distinctly fuzzy lo-fi group from Brooklyn, but as we all know, cheap recording techniques won't prevent you from composing fine pop song as long as you've got the right amount of talent. (via Delicious Scopitone)

6. Doug Hoyer - Lakes of Mars

The "ukulele strummin' fellow" Doug Hoyer hails from Edmonton, Alberta, and his optimistically upbeat tunes of purest pop quality indeed remind us of Jens Lekmann, which is anything but a bad thing, right? Simply lovely. Get another fine tune over at his bandcamp.

7. Sean Moore - Ashley

Did I mention that Sean Moore is a man of many talents? I think I have. Ashley, you're a lucky girl. No one has ever written a perfect love song for me. And god, perfect this one is.

8. Plastic Plastic - Golden Hearts

A little more towards the shoegazey direction, Plastic Plastic from Gainesville, Florida consists of three long-time friends and roommates. And though this project was only formed roughly three months ago, the trio already had the honor to open for MillionYoung, Memoryhouse and Twin Sister in Gainesville last Friday. You can stream their three-track debut EP Everyone I Love or Wish to Love Is Here (the competition for EP title of the year is closed now btw) over at their bandcamp. And hopefully we'll hear more soon.

9. Love Inks - Wave Goodbye

Love Inks is a two-guys-one-girl trio from the musically vibrating city of Austin, Texas, and they hit me a while back with this beautiful, drum-machine driven dreampop treat. Other songs that you can stream via their bandcamp sound even more promising (Too Wild for instance), so let's hope they find someone who wants to put out their stuff soon.

10. Young Heat - Test Drive

Young Heat out of Columbus, Ohio are a fine closer for this little mix, as Test Drive is simply two and a half minutes of fine and laid back aural sunbathing. And now, get yourself a cocktail.

Homage.

27 Aug 2010 — Henning Lahmann

Sweet Lights is the work of Philadelphia resident Shai Halperin, and his self-titled debut album compiles some of the most beautiful pop gems you're gonna hear all year - very splendidly composed tunes with an amazing sense for melody and sequencing. You can purchase the whole album for five bucks or download a few tracks for free via Halperin's bandcamp.

The song that particularly intrigued me when I first listened to the whole record yesterday was Ballad of Kurt Vile #2, a melancholic yet amazingly laid back guitar-laden tune with beautifully echoed vocals and a dreamy melody that captivated me upon first encounter. Moreover, the title kept me wondering about the background and the connection between our beloved Kurt Vile and Sweet Lights apart from the rather obvious fact that they both hail from Philly, and fortunately Halperin was kind enough to clear things up by telling me that they both had played guitar together for The War On Drugs for a short period of time, and that he admired Vile's work so much that he wanted to write some kind of homage, stylistically and lyrically leaning towards his friend's oeuvre. Accompanied by the more than sweet video below (with a slightly different mixing of the song), this adds up to one of the most wonderful stories I've come across all year.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdhv10Bp4dw?fs=1]

Sweet Lights - Ballad of Kurt Vile #2

Read more → Sweet Lights is the work of Philadelphia resident Shai Halperin, and his self-titled debut album compiles some of the most beautiful pop gems you're gonna hear all year - very splendidly composed tunes with an amazing sense for melody and sequencing. You can purchase the whole album for five bucks or download a few tracks for free via Halperin's bandcamp.

The song that particularly intrigued me when I first listened to the whole record yesterday was Ballad of Kurt Vile #2, a melancholic yet amazingly laid back guitar-laden tune with beautifully echoed vocals and a dreamy melody that captivated me upon first encounter. Moreover, the title kept me wondering about the background and the connection between our beloved Kurt Vile and Sweet Lights apart from the rather obvious fact that they both hail from Philly, and fortunately Halperin was kind enough to clear things up by telling me that they both had played guitar together for The War On Drugs for a short period of time, and that he admired Vile's work so much that he wanted to write some kind of homage, stylistically and lyrically leaning towards his friend's oeuvre. Accompanied by the more than sweet video below (with a slightly different mixing of the song), this adds up to one of the most wonderful stories I've come across all year.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdhv10Bp4dw?fs=1]

Sweet Lights - Ballad of Kurt Vile #2