4UCKY: “1984 (I Want More)”.

31 Jul 2011 — Henning Lahmann

No clue who might be behind the rather cryptic moniker 4UCKY, but this sounds and looks all surprisingly slick and professional, hardly like something any bedroom amateur could have come up with. Be that as it may, of course there's no direct evidence that this extremely intriguing late night jam was not composed by some freshman. Anyway, in the mail that came along with the link, the artist described this stuff as a "pop-electronic exploration of the darkest side of 1980's pop culture" - and no doubt here's a lot of 80s attitude to be found, but it's that decade's style and technique looked at from a distinctive 2011 angle. That aside, 1984 (I Want More marks nothing less than an astonishing debut (if it is a debut), and it unfolds its enchanting effect further and further with each listen. Mind my words, we've got someone to keep a close eye on here. I have your body but I want more. 4UCKY - 1984 (I Want More) Read more → No clue who might be behind the rather cryptic moniker 4UCKY, but this sounds and looks all surprisingly slick and professional, hardly like something any bedroom amateur could have come up with. Be that as it may, of course there's no direct evidence that this extremely intriguing late night jam was not composed by some freshman. Anyway, in the mail that came along with the link, the artist described this stuff as a "pop-electronic exploration of the darkest side of 1980's pop culture" - and no doubt here's a lot of 80s attitude to be found, but it's that decade's style and technique looked at from a distinctive 2011 angle. That aside, 1984 (I Want More marks nothing less than an astonishing debut (if it is a debut), and it unfolds its enchanting effect further and further with each listen. Mind my words, we've got someone to keep a close eye on here. I have your body but I want more. 4UCKY - 1984 (I Want More)

Dreams West: “Nu Age”.

30 Jul 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Very well then, let's forget for a minute that at least here in Berlin, this July has been about four degrees Celsius colder than the same month last year, and that the last three days alone brought more rain than an average July. I know it's hard, but if anything, this delightful h-pop super anthem by our very much adored Dreams West might actually help. Perfectly dense and washed-out layers of 80s synth flourishes in combination with an appropriately über-kitschy nostalgia-dripping video collage that looks like a long lost commercial by the French ministry of tourism co-sponsored by the German car industry and the State of Arizona to convince us to head straight down to the Côte d'Azur in a fancy car to meet classy girls of the French bourgeoisie, and in fact, like seriously, there appears to be no reason whatsoever not to. Dreams West - Nu Age Read more → Very well then, let's forget for a minute that at least here in Berlin, this July has been about four degrees Celsius colder than the same month last year, and that the last three days alone brought more rain than an average July. I know it's hard, but if anything, this delightful h-pop super anthem by our very much adored Dreams West might actually help. Perfectly dense and washed-out layers of 80s synth flourishes in combination with an appropriately über-kitschy nostalgia-dripping video collage that looks like a long lost commercial by the French ministry of tourism co-sponsored by the German car industry and the State of Arizona to convince us to head straight down to the Côte d'Azur in a fancy car to meet classy girls of the French bourgeoisie, and in fact, like seriously, there appears to be no reason whatsoever not to. Dreams West - Nu Age

Hard Mix / Torkelsen split.

30 Jul 2011 — Tonje Thilesen

After our lovely Swede at No Modest Bear posted about the Hard Mixx / Torkelsen split via the Norwegian indie label Sellout! yesterday, we're excited to find such a surprising team-up with glitch-hop tunemaker Hard Mix and the (rather) newly emerged Norwegian producer Torkelsen, whom is also the second half of electro duo Munn til Munn-metoden. Torkelsen has put up a nice bunch of remixes on his soundcloud page the past eight months, more recently for Casiokids and NIVA. The limited edition 7" split can be pre-ordered and streamed right here, while you can still snatch Torkelsens Vol. 1 for a pay-what-you-want deal over at bandcamp. Niva - Boy From The Sun (Torkelsen Remix) Read more → After our lovely Swede at No Modest Bear posted about the Hard Mixx / Torkelsen split via the Norwegian indie label Sellout! yesterday, we're excited to find such a surprising team-up with glitch-hop tunemaker Hard Mix and the (rather) newly emerged Norwegian producer Torkelsen, whom is also the second half of electro duo Munn til Munn-metoden. Torkelsen has put up a nice bunch of remixes on his soundcloud page the past eight months, more recently for Casiokids and NIVA. The limited edition 7" split can be pre-ordered and streamed right here, while you can still snatch Torkelsens Vol. 1 for a pay-what-you-want deal over at bandcamp. Niva - Boy From The Sun (Torkelsen Remix)

Quilts: “Guilt”.

29 Jul 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Quilts is the project of Stockholm native Frida-Li Lövgren, and since I've stumbled across her Soundcloud this morning I can't stop dipping into the immense soundscapes of Guilt. Based on a steady and strangely unsettling beat and enriched with daunting vocal samples, the tune is a supreme instance of oblique ambient drone. Lövgren has already released a self-titled cassette on the Swedish tape label Hockey Rawk and will be playing along Not Not Fun rookie and fellow Swede Sand Circles at Neukölln's O Tannenbaum next Friday, August 5. (Photo) Quilts - Guilt Read more → Quilts is the project of Stockholm native Frida-Li Lövgren, and since I've stumbled across her Soundcloud this morning I can't stop dipping into the immense soundscapes of Guilt. Based on a steady and strangely unsettling beat and enriched with daunting vocal samples, the tune is a supreme instance of oblique ambient drone. Lövgren has already released a self-titled cassette on the Swedish tape label Hockey Rawk and will be playing along Not Not Fun rookie and fellow Swede Sand Circles at Neukölln's O Tannenbaum next Friday, August 5. (Photo) Quilts - Guilt

Shore: “Leaders”.

29 Jul 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Not much information on this one, but I'm pretty stoked by the combination of 8bit sound snippets, the metallic drum machine pattern and those dark and eerie synth pads placed underneath the whole thing, creating some kind of deranged hip hop with a gloomy atmosphere that is pitch-perfect for that awfully rainy weekend which lies ahead of us. Shore appears to be the project of some Malcolm Peterson from Columbia, whichever Columbia that might be in fact. Demo is available for free via bandcamp and features a couple more tunes you definitely should check out. Shore - Leaders Read more → Not much information on this one, but I'm pretty stoked by the combination of 8bit sound snippets, the metallic drum machine pattern and those dark and eerie synth pads placed underneath the whole thing, creating some kind of deranged hip hop with a gloomy atmosphere that is pitch-perfect for that awfully rainy weekend which lies ahead of us. Shore appears to be the project of some Malcolm Peterson from Columbia, whichever Columbia that might be in fact. Demo is available for free via bandcamp and features a couple more tunes you definitely should check out. Shore - Leaders

Southern Nights: “Grass or Gasoline”.

28 Jul 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Been banging heavily as of late to this ultra-fierce tropics-dripping jam by Orlando, Florida glo-fi duo Southern Nights, a slick and sleazy late night trip that's been dubbed "purpwave" by the group - whatever that might mean in detail. Just another example of slow-burning, 80s-leaning synth extravaganza, but for a change one that refreshingly stands out against the still rising surge of nostalgic pop monotony with its seriously sultry rooftop erotica vibe (if you know what I mean). Oh those summer nights. Grass or Gasoline is part of Southern Nights' pretty damn fine Peninsula Music Mixtape which is available for pay-what-you-want over at bandcamp. Southern Nights - Grass or Gasoline Also, check out the dudes' remix of Hymn Eola by the mighty Tonstartssbandht, which in fact basically is just the original with beats, but honestly someone had to do it: Tonstartssbandht - Hymn Eola (Southern Nights Remix) Read more → Been banging heavily as of late to this ultra-fierce tropics-dripping jam by Orlando, Florida glo-fi duo Southern Nights, a slick and sleazy late night trip that's been dubbed "purpwave" by the group - whatever that might mean in detail. Just another example of slow-burning, 80s-leaning synth extravaganza, but for a change one that refreshingly stands out against the still rising surge of nostalgic pop monotony with its seriously sultry rooftop erotica vibe (if you know what I mean). Oh those summer nights. Grass or Gasoline is part of Southern Nights' pretty damn fine Peninsula Music Mixtape which is available for pay-what-you-want over at bandcamp. Southern Nights - Grass or Gasoline Also, check out the dudes' remix of Hymn Eola by the mighty Tonstartssbandht, which in fact basically is just the original with beats, but honestly someone had to do it: Tonstartssbandht - Hymn Eola (Southern Nights Remix)

Moon Glyph: “2011 Sampler”.

28 Jul 2011 — Henning Lahmann

Steve Rosborough of our favorite Minneapolis, Minnesota-based psych imprint Moon Glyph has made available for free download that incredible digital sampler of new and unreleased tracks he had given away at Pitchfork's music festival two weeks ago. It features a delightful compilation of established Moon Glyph fellows such as Velvet Davenport, Food Pyramid, or Lee Noble, as well as a bunch of other exciting artists that appear to be new additions to the impeccable roster, most notably the great Xander Harris. Read the fine label profile over in the Zones and don't forget to download the whole thing right here. In related news, Velvet Davenport's Parker Sprout will be back in Europe soon, with a show in Berlin hopefully sometime in October (we're working on that). Velvet Davenport - Weather Xander Harris - Redemption In Blood Read more → Steve Rosborough of our favorite Minneapolis, Minnesota-based psych imprint Moon Glyph has made available for free download that incredible digital sampler of new and unreleased tracks he had given away at Pitchfork's music festival two weeks ago. It features a delightful compilation of established Moon Glyph fellows such as Velvet Davenport, Food Pyramid, or Lee Noble, as well as a bunch of other exciting artists that appear to be new additions to the impeccable roster, most notably the great Xander Harris. Read the fine label profile over in the Zones and don't forget to download the whole thing right here. In related news, Velvet Davenport's Parker Sprout will be back in Europe soon, with a show in Berlin hopefully sometime in October (we're working on that). Velvet Davenport - Weather Xander Harris - Redemption In Blood