10.) Just Handshakes – “London Bound”
With a lightly plodding bass line draped in frosty, filigree
touches of lead guitar, “London Bound”, digs itself into the dirt, finding its
footing behind a chalked white line. Female vocals waver slightly, trying to
fit into place in time for the cry of the starting pistol, or, in this case a
subtle blast of dreamy guitar distortion and a snare fill. The track lurches
forward, its muscles tightening sharply. A chunky, Cure-esque guitar riff
mimics the vocals in the chorus as the track seems to float on flickering hi-hat
cymbals. Just Handshake’s debut single is beautifully reminiscent of New Order’s
“Ceremony” in a way that many have attempted to match, but few have succeeded
at.
9.) Barlow – “Cindy 99”
With the immediacy and brevity of a commercial jingle, “Cindy
99” is a saccharine slice of pop genius piped through busted speakers.
Channeling the monochromatic lo-fi pop of the mid 90’s, Barlow lives up to its
namesake, Lou Barlow, the bassist of seminal fuzz-rock band Dinosaur Jr. They’re
coming out with a proper LP next year, so keep your eyes peeled.
8.) bEEdEEgEE – “Flowers” (feat. Lovefoxx)
“Flowers” serves as an oasis of warm, nostalgic pop on an
album of impenetrable trap-influenced electronic. For the second single off of
his album SUM/ONE, bEEdEEgEE teams up
with Lovefoxxx of Brazilian synthpop act CSS to produce four and a half minutes
of 70’s-infused psychedelia. There’s a bit of a magical feeling to the track,
and it seems to burst with life. The bass synths that open the song breathe
warmth into the ears of the listener, but are soon overtaken by bouncy
keyboards and sparkling drum machine samples. It all builds up to the track’s
centerpiece, its unforgettable chorus. Three other worldly chords flood the
mix, overshadowing the vocals they accompany. Fans of Fleetwood Mac and Washed
Out alike will love “Flowers”. Listen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ptBWZ4c8CM
7.) The Beets – “Silver Nickels + Golden Dimes”
With their blatant disregard for musical polish and
wonderful, crayon-drawn album covers, it’s impossible to ignore a Beets
release. “Silver Nickels and Golden Dimes” is of particular interest, not just
because of its mildly offensive album artwork, but because both sides of the
disc are covers of songs that famous radio personality Howard Stern wrote in
middle school. The Beets adolescent energy is well-suited to replicate these
songs; the drums sound as if struggling to keep up with the clanging,
percussive guitar and Juan Wauters’ strange vocal delivery. This Beets single
is garage rock in its purest form.
6.) Wade/Healing Powers Split Cassingle
A split tape between two bands who are similar enough to
compliment each other but aren’t completely indistinguishable. Newcastle’s Wade
take up my favorite side of this tape with two hard-hitting, riff-heavy emo
assaults, muffled by their own lo-fi recording qualities. I really dig the
vocals, and the fuzzy, washed out tone. On the other side, the twinkly lead
guitars on Healing Powers’ “Death Valley Driver” provide placid contrast to the
hoarse screamo vocals. It’s not the sort of tape I’m used to listening to, but
it’s surprisingly satisfying. [Review from Half-Gifts issue 5]
5.) The Socials – The Beast
Bites
Though they've been around since 1994, The Beast Bites is the first vinyl release by
Cincinnati punk trio The Socials. Despite the band's veteran status, one
shouldn't expect to find any signs of maturity on this 7-inch record. The
band's sound is built around a juvenile furor, the gritty rage of pre-Rollins Black
Flag conjoined with the stark simplicity of Olympia, Washington's punk heyday.
Throw in the Bikini Kill-esque vocal stylings of guitarist Mrs. Communication
and you've got a 4-song EP that exemplifies everything I love about punk music:
short, noisy songs that don't take themselves too seriously, putting fun above
all else. It's not available to stream online, so you'll have to buy a copy to hear it for yourself.
4.) BRAAINZZ – “Ode 2 Lil B” (feat.
Slide Show)
A reverent hymn to the basedgod, this BRAAINZZ single demonstrates the perfect balance
between beauty and noise. A warbly loop of reverb-laden guitar notes provides a
pretty, but non-distracting accompaniment to Slide Show’s gorgeous vocals, which
sound quite similar those on A-Ha’s “Take On Me”, if it were sung by a female
lead.
3.) Technicolor Teeth – “Blood Pool”
If this single’s cover art didn’t clue
you in, Technicolor Teeth’s “Blood Pool” combines Bauhaus’ noisy Gothic
experimentation with the shoegaze
delivery and knack for pop hooks that recalls Ride’s “Vapour Trail” Its b-side,
“Drips”, is a bit more upbeat, featuring janglier guitars and vocals that are
rather prominent. A must-have for fans of any shoegaze subgenre.
2.) Alex G / RL Kelly Split Record
RL Kelly’s new material eschews the keyboard that was heard
throughout her well-received debut EP that dropped in February, and opts for a
more minimal, grittier vibe. This was a smart move, as the raw, stripped back
production puts more emphasis on keeping the tracks moving, and I feel it put a
bit more pressure on Rachel Levy to focus on writing memorable hooks. The
subtle shift in atmosphere takes RL Kelly to the next level, her vocal delivery
and crunchy guitar tone on “Everyday” recalling the sound of Lois Maffeo’s K
Records band named after Courtney Love. Featuring minimal percussion and
overdubbed vocals, “Fake Out” offers the most replay-ability of all the songs
on the split. Alex G’s “Magic Mirror” carries the record into psychedelic
territory. Its woozy vibe pairs well with heavily distorted guitar. The fuzz
clears from the air for his next two offerings. “Adam” is a stunner, making use
of many more instruments than I’m used to from the bedroom pop genre, booming
drums, warbling synths and piano in addition to his acoustic strumming.
1.) Mrs. Mole - “Sjon”
I first heard this song in a CD that came with an issue of a
German indie-pop fanzine called Transendieren Exzess Pop, and found myself in
awe. It was unlike anything I’d heard this year, adopting an orchestral and
vaguely folky delivery that can only be compared to Clogs, a side project of
The National. What’s most notable about this track is the woodwind instrument
(a clarinet I think?) that weaves in and out of hurried acoustic arpeggios that
reminds me of the theme song to Oswald,
a cartoon about a blue octopus. The arrangement of instruments grows more
layered as the tune continues. Banjo pluckings, cymbal washes, booming bass
piano notes each slowly build to a climax, when a new vocalist enters the song
at about 3:30. Truly an amazing track that’s well deserving of the number one
spot on this list.
