Jonk Music

Mirel Wagner

2012-04-24T00:00:00.001-05:00

"No Death"
from the album Mirel Wagner
2012
iTunes

BY KATE CONDIC | Jonk Music

We have fallen on dark times, friends. These days it seems like all the average indie rock band wants to do is find a way to beset itself from the next guy. And in a sea of musicians just dying to be different and bring the next off-the-wall element of distinction, Mirel Wagner proves that there is a much easier way to do that very thing: keep it simple and make lyricism your priority.

Wagner's doom-folk sound is not only powerful but evocative in a way that makes you remember it for days (whether you want to or not). And the best part: it needs no flowery production to make that happen; her sparse and unhurried guitar arrangements allow Wagner's voice to be her primary instrument. Mirel's throaty moan pays homage to the late lords of the Delta and crooners of the Appalachians, with unique lyrics that are reminiscent, yet distinct and different than years of blues and folk performers before her.

In "No Death," we come to an understanding of the hunger of the devil, the inevitability of death and the unconditional love of a mother for her child. The album divulges instances of heartbreak and disillusionment, but also necrophilia and death with a kind of sophistication rivaling goth or metal songwriters who genres relish in such imagery, but fall short of the complexity Wagner conveys. Mirel's musicianship is yet another aspect of her talent, working with the tone of her lyrics to create cohesive, commanding songs whose messages are so clear and intimate that their sentiment becomes personal to their listeners. Honestly, the end of the "No Death" music video is pretty much burned into my brain; it's spooky, sure, but above all, it's commanding and something that my mind will go to if I ever need to feel or need to explain a particular sort of sentiment. And that, in my opinion, is talent.

Ms. Wagner is an Ethiopian born singer who was raised in Espoo, Finland. She started playing the violin at 7, then shifted to guitar lessons by age 13 and started writing songs at 16. She made her American debut at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas to rave reviews. Sure, the music can be a bit gloomy, but it will always leave you curious for more.

Caveman

2012-04-23T00:00:00.001-05:00

"Old Friend" MP3
from the album CoCo Beware
2011
iTunes

BY ADAM PAGE | Jonk Music

Just the right amount of drab and dreary, Caveman hit a lot of sweet spots for lovers of mid-'00s indie. The New York group crafts rickety, psyche-influenced melodies obscured beneath dry synth washes and kitchen-sink percussion. They have a compact sound that sometimes manages to be more grand than the sum of its parts, with the instruments bleeding into one another creating an obscure, fuzzy sheen that is often very satisfying. The compressed, catch-all approach recalls the heyday of Broken Social Scene, even if nothing the band has released thus far quite approaches the brilliant, tuneful cacophony of the Canadian collective at its peak. In fact, unlike the great bands of not so long ago, Caveman's presentation can feel a little plastic. They're not what you'd call adventurous. These are guys who have figured out a formula and are executing it skillfully and effectively. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

One thing Caveman does share with BSS and many other favorites circa 2004 is an emphasis on melody. "Old Friend," from their debut long-player CoCo Beware (which, incidentally, is either a shout-out to the classic parrot-bedecked pro wrestler or a desperate plea to be booked on the Conan show, or both), is graced with a thumping and soaring melody that is instantly memorable. Vocalist Matthew Iwanusa to great effect utilizes the boyish mumble/croon popularized by The Shins' James Mercer and fellow recent-retro fetishist Taylor Rice of Local Natives. His performance is lofty and inviting while at the same time being remote and fidgety. Even if you've never seen the band live you can imagine him performing — standing still at the mic, his right arm strumming the guitar slightly, his mouth barely moving as he sings, eyes darting up occasionally but mostly staring down. To those who long to return to a recent golden age the image is perfect. Perhaps too perfect.

Vacationer

2012-04-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

"No Rules"
from the album Gone
2012
iTunes

BY CHRIS KRAEMER | Jonk Music

Vacationer has found their feel. That is ever apparent in all aspects of the East Coast group. Each track, the lyrics, the music videos, even apparel among band members contributes to the relaxing island-getaway-mood that so befits the name Vacationer. The only thing that doesn't mesh seamlessly into the tropical picture may in fact be their roots.

Gone, the debut album released in March, maintains the chill vibes throughout its short duration. Without a single song breaching the four-minute threshold and many closer to two minutes, Gone is the perfect summer soundtrack for a quick cruise with the windows down. No need to hit next, as the album will cycle past before you realize you've driven yourself to the beach. That same feel is not lost on tour. Lead singer Kenny Vasoli has the bright threads, radiating smile, and just lively enough stage presence to keep the audience from seeking out the sun. Live or studio, the quartet's identity is certainly safe.

"No Rules," one of the more mellow tracks on the record, has the ability to instantly transport you to a shady retreat on a warm summer day, and therefore makes it quite difficult to comprehend Vasoli's start in the music industry through the band The Starting Line. Other than the common frontman on lead vocals and bass, the fellow Philadelphia groups are nothing alike. Vasoli traded in the pop-punk speed for the calming sounds now flowing from the synthesizer. The complete change of pace works wonders on deceivingly layered tracks like "No Rules," allowing for sampling and electronics to carry the song without disrupting the simple, happy feel of a summer jam.

Reptar

2012-04-19T00:00:00.001-05:00

"Sebastian" MP3
from the album Body Faucet
2012
iTunes

BY SAM SKLOVER | Jonk Music

This curious new jewel of Athens, GA calls themselves a "Sonic Wanderlust." I'm not sure exactly what a "sonic wanderlust" entails, but their tastes are as strange as the word "wanderlust." I'm talking post-punk, Paul Simon-esque African pop licks, and joyous chanting. Strange isn't just their collection of influences, but their style of live show too — SXSW-goers lucky enough to catch the Reptar show would've seen four roommates playing on the bed of a pickup truck. If you think that's neat... so did NME and NPR, so you're not alone.

Their shows started in that very same buttercup yellow house that they share, and things moved up from there. They originally tried to name the band "Invisible Boyfriend" but didn't because the band agreed it was the stupidest name they'd ever heard of. They settled on "Reptar" because "it is the second stupidest band name we have ever heard."

"Sebastian" is the first track off of their debut LP, Body Faucet, which is slated to come out May 1, and if the first track has any bearing on the rest, I'm totally spending my leftover iTunes gift cards on it. It's got that Vampire Weekend quirkiness with a more standard pop feel, but excellent songwriting and musicianship to boot. Their old sound is just as clear in this track, so there's no room for "I like their old stuff better," yet.

Dry the River

2012-04-18T10:50:00.001-05:00

"New Ceremony" MP3
from the album Shallow Bed
2012
iTunes

BY MAX SIMON | Jonk Music

Paralysed by the flavours and colours of Dry the River, I am just that. I apologise. It is time to analyse. Dry the River set sail from London in 2009. Taking their voyage through United Kingdom and Europe, stopping at every music festival they could perform at, the band began cruising at high speeds. Without any reason to slow down, 2012 has brought forth newfound glory (not the band, the concept). With a spot on BBC's Sound of 2012 poll, their first studio album, Shallow Bed, was bound to get positive reception. It was bound for bloody brilliance. Here we have all the above — a folk rock group stirring up nothing less than bliss.

Shallow Bed had soaring potential ever since the June 2011 release of "No Rest," the album's first single. Awe-inspiring if I might say, as the song tenderly steals your concealed affection. Recently released was "New Ceremony," which begs for an imaginative illustration. I vision Peter Liddle (vocals) sprawled out on the floor of his ex-girlfriend's apartment, staring up through a skylight, thinking relentlessly about the what-ifs, without any rational hope that she will return. His tone reflects upon a dying wish with all the liveliness attached to it. A violin cries, the guitar moans, the bass sobs, the drums beat themselves, yet the synchronous harmony crafts a symphony.

So you don't get the wrong idea about all this, here's a snippet from Dry the River's personal biography: "Dry the River has laid the groundwork for a stellar year in 2012. Don't call them the next great folk band. Just call them the next great band, full stop."

Dirty Projectors

2012-04-17T09:20:00.002-05:00

"Gun Has No Trigger" MP3
from the album Swing Lo Magellan
2012
iTunes

BY ISABEL REIDY | Jonk Music

Dirty Projectors fans have been waiting to hear David Longstreth's incomparable ululations since their 2010 Björk collaboration Mount Wittenburg Orca. Their new album, Swing Lo Magellan, is set for release on July 10, 2012. "Gun Has No Trigger," the first track released off of Swing Lo Magellan, delivers what we've come to expect from DP: something we did not expect. The song is laid out almost like a Bond theme, with a typical focus on rhythm and the human voice. It begins with a deceptively smooth female choir backed by a simple beat, all of which slowly erupt over the next 3 minutes and 24 seconds. Longstreth's voice is the obvious star, but over the course of the track the chorus transforms into something wild and powerful. Longsteth's ear is unique and it lends Dirty Projectors a vocal approach that is bizarre and utterly wonderful.

"Gun Has No Trigger" is a lot more listenable than previous releases but that doesn't really bother me. The band has always written songs that play with the conventions of pop, and with this track you get the sense that they are becoming comfortable enough to get really close to the source. Dirty Projectors have the uncanny ability to write a song that is both completely catchy and totally weird. I think we can expect great things from Swing Lo Magellan.

Poliça

2012-04-16T10:40:00.002-05:00

"Lay Your Cards Out" MP3
from the album Give You the Ghost
2012
iTunes

BY CHRIS KRAEMER | Jonk Music

The Minneapolis outfit known as Poliça has been thrust into the spotlight. Rarely does such a newly formed band find, capture, and generate a sound that jumps into the current music landscape as nicely as Channy Leaneagh and company. Give You the Ghost, their February debut, took the Twin Cities independent music scene by storm and in months since has found nation-wide attention. Praise and recognition from Bon Iver and Jay-Z never hurts.

Built through Midwestern connections and pieces stolen or borrowed from other projects, the quartet immediately clicked. Staffed entirely by Ryan Olson, also the founder of the mega group Gayngs to which Leaneagh belongs, the foursome was carefully selected. Perhaps Olson deserves the credit as prior working knowledge of one another aided the swift development, or perhaps frontwoman and vocalist Channy Leaneagh was bound for stardom regardless of band mates. It would seem that Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame is in the first camp. The Grammy winner went as far as calling Poliça "the best band I've ever heard." Having worked with Leaneagh in Gayngs and lent Bon Iver member Mike Noyce to the Poliça track "Lay Your Cards Out," Vernon certainly has personal investment in the group.

Positive press from Jay-Z is therefore more impressive and a little more difficult to comprehend. Presumably in the second, rapidly growing camp attaching itself to the voice and feel of Channy Leaneagh, the rap mogul premiered "Lay Your Cards Out" on his personal website Life+Times. On the single, like most Poliça tracks, the lead singer's soft and beautiful voice are not marred by the use of auto-tune but in fact enhanced by it. Emotions still fresh from the breakup of her previous band and relationship are apparent throughout the LP and they hit hard despite the wandering and delicate approach.

Such widespread admiration has been noticed, and is well deserved. Give You the Ghost is one of the best albums of the young year from a band worth paying attention to. Poliça returns to Madison on May 8 at High Noon Saloon.

Lower Dens

2012-04-15T14:50:00.001-05:00

"Propagation" MP3
from the album Nootropics
2012
iTunes

BY ADAM PAGE | Jonk Music

Coming out of the Baltimore scene that's been so vibrant for the past few years, Lower Dens are fronted by Texas-born Jana Hunter, who came to semi-prominence as a four-track freak-folkie under the tutelage of Devendra Banhart (she was also involved in various incarnations of Castanets, Phosphorescent and CocoRosie, among others). However, the Dens' sound isn't exactly what you might expect in light of their frontwoman's pedigree.

Hunter's always had an air of professionalism that set her apart from the typically ramshackle style of many in the freak-folk scene. That's not to say her sound is particularly polished or cynically career-driven; it's more an effortless talent she has of instantly pulling in the listener. She's got an aura. And now, with her husky voice in front of a band of moody New Wave enthusiasts — think Beach House's Victoria Legrand fronting Echo and the Bunnymen — Hunter seems poised to grasp the success that has somehow eluded her thus far.

Following their remarkably assured 2010 debut Twin-Hand Movement on Banhart's Gnomonsong label, Domino subsidiary Ribbon Music will release Lower Dens' new LP Nootropics on May 1. One of the first teaser tracks, "Propagation," is a promising slinky dirge featuring metronomic, lightly-touched drums and halting heartbeat bass high in the mix, with obscure Sonic Youth guitar washes creating a subtle, cavernous soundscape. Hunter's melody is instantly memorable, with her smoky vocals giving the whole proceeding a distinctly sensual edge. This has a whole lot of potential.

Lost in the Trees

2012-04-13T09:45:00.002-05:00

"Golden Eyelids" MP3
from the album A Church That Fits Our Needs
2012
iTunes

BY DAVID RUIZ | Jonk Music

A Church That Fits Our Needs starts with a distant piano striking dissonantly and alone. The solitary notes fits the album's premise, to mourn band-leader Ari Picker's late mother, but musically the intro contrasts with the album's lush precision. Picker's mother committed suicide shortly after his wedding in 2009. His artistic production through Lost in the Trees is decidedly therapeutic in regards to his loss – Picker acknowledges her passing and his music's attempt to ensconce her memory in interviews and lyrics – but A Church That Fits Our Needs doesn't need the context of Picker's mother to succeed with a listener.

Like many great artists before him, Picker has taken the deeply personal and tragic and reinterpreted it into something universal. Lost in the Trees' brand of orchestral-pop demands technical proficiency. The crescendos that build Picker's soft croon and gentle guitar to orchestral heights are dense and deft. The orchestration never intrudes thanks to restrained writing and producer Rob Schnapf's delicate attention to the nuances of Lost in the Trees' multifaceted sound. Although the inspiration for the album is deeply personal, Picker's lyrics – sometimes direct and sometimes fantastical – are managed gracefully in the band's large presence.

Picker's vulnerable voice and lyrics could easily be swallowed by the spacious orchestration, but instead Picker remains a cool conductor. Lost in the Trees' swoons and rises are never dissonant in tone or spirit; the band's sudden movements are like a flock of birds adjusting to the changing wind. They have carved their musical niche well, but Picker still brings in new elements to their established sound. "Golden Eyelids," the album's fourth track, repeats a ghostly "sha-la-la-la" that is closer to early soul than classical music; the closing moments are definitely more Sam Cooke than Tchaikovsky or Andrew Bird. "Golden Eyelids" doesn't summit dramatic peaks like other tracks on the album, but instead it gently floats Picker's muted-nostalgic lyrics on top of a rolling melody. The song is beautiful and tinged with pain; Picker asks, "Please tell me it's worth it all." I think that A Church That Fits Our Needs certainly is.

Nick Waterhouse

2012-04-12T00:05:00.004-05:00

"Some Place" MP3
from the album Time's All Gone
2012
iTunes

BY REBECCA EDWARDS | Jonk Music

Apparently, we just can't get over the '60s. It seems as if everywhere we go nowadays the piercing gaze of Don Draper, the inexplicable sex appeal of skinny ties, and an eerily reminiscent women's rights movement follows us. Keeping closely in line with the trend of flashback culture comes Huntington Beach native Nick Waterhouse, whose Buddy Holly-esque rhythm and blues tunes make you wonder why the era ever had to end. To throw in some of my favorite jargon of the period, this guy is swell.

Waterhouse's newest release, "Some Place," leaves nothing to be desired with its saxophone-led assembly of a two-piece horn section, drums, and piano. Waterhouse's gritty and alluring vocals (which are really more a form of musical shouting) give you a hint as to why this kind of music was considered so scandalous when it first originated — the way it makes you move, this is a song that doesn't belong at any neighborhood sock hops.

With "Some Place" and the rest of Time's All Gone (out May 1, 2012), we are presented with throwback R&B sans any sense of the expected cheesy reproduced feel. The album's beauty lies in its lack of polish — Waterhouse isn't copying any of the R&B greats here, he is straight up channeling them. Not only is he an extremely skillful musician, but even listening through crappy, low quality speakers it is impossible to miss his sheer enjoyment of the music he is producing. I'll definitely be keeping this guy on my radar — after all, the effect of Waterhouse's jazzy tunes is probably the closest to feeling accepted by the "fast crowd" any of us will ever come (are we sick of my mid-century lingo yet?).

S. Carey

2012-04-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

"Two Angles" MP3
from the EP Hoyas
2012
iTunes

BY ADAM PAGE | Jonk Music

Sean Carey's biggest claim to fame at this point is his association with Bon Iver, who has, I don't have to tell you, become a pretty big deal over the past few years. As drummer/multi-instrumentalist/backing vocalist in Justin Vernon's band, he's proven himself an indispensable, world-class sideman. But like many sidemen he's not entirely content helping others realize their visions.

Carey's 2010 LP, All We Grow, showed promise with its blending of smooth electronic ambience and soaring Beach Boy vocals. His new EP, Hoyas, out May 8 on Jagjaguwar, will see him refining that formula with a few unexpected twists, if the lovely new track "Two Angles" is any indication.

The track floats by remarkably quick, despite its 5-plus-minute runtime. It's a little formless, but that's clearly by design. Rather than relying on traditional structure, the song runs its course over three sections that, while not entirely distinct, shift dynamics subtly to create a change of mood. The first takes its time gliding in — establishing the beat and chord progression that will remain throughout. After the first verse, containing a meandering melody awash with faint vocal echoes and backward effects, many of the elements drop out leaving a pulsing skeleton on which Carey slowly adds a buzzy drone and bits of obscure guitar and horn phrases. This slowly builds as the original verse melody is repeated, bringing all the elements to a subtle crescendo. This is not to say that any of this draws much attention to itself. It's a track that, in the best ambient tradition, is a purely relaxing experience that, if one chooses, offers many rewards to a close listen.

Bear in Heaven

2012-04-10T00:00:00.004-05:00

"The Reflection of You" MP3
from the album I Love You, It's Cool
2012
iTunes

BY CHRIS KRAEMER | Jonk Music

Those easily susceptible to vertigo or even seizures should not watch the music video for "The Reflection of You." A few seconds of footage in and even the pause button cannot save you from the effects. The single is now forever associated with the blinding film sequences used to solidify Bear in Heaven's place within the bottomless indie pit that is Brooklyn.

Following the growing number of alternative rock and electo-pop outfits, Bear in Heaven has traded in the rock 'n' roll staple for a synthesizer. While present on some tracks of I Love You, It's Cool, the guitar is noticeably absent from "The Reflection of You." This isn't a recent development for the group, which has released new material off and on since 2003. As the LP is the third full-length studio production in that period, the band has taken their time and honed in on their specific sect of the indie world. They even had time for the elaborate marketing ploy of streaming the entire album online through their website prior to the April release. The catch: the LP was slowed down by 400,000 percent to produce a near constant drone. One listen took almost four months to complete.

Publicity stunts and fancy videos aside, this track is fun. The looping electronic effects keep your feet tapping as you attempt to concentrate on the nonstop percussion that drives your bobbing head. While they may haunt you after just one peek, strobe lights are not necessary to enjoy this dance-happy track, and Bear in Heaven continues to climb the ranks of electro royalty.

Blessed Feathers

2012-04-09T00:00:00.005-05:00

"Stinging Nettle, Honeysuckle" MP3
from the album From the Mouths of the Middle Class
2011
iTunes

BY REBECCA EDWARDS | Jonk Music

Upon first listen of "Stinging Nettle, Honeysuckle," I couldn't help but be struck by a certain lurking nostalgia for the Appalachian ballads I grew up listening to in the heart of Virginia. Geographically and stylistically this sentiment was a little bit off — Blessed Feathers, the geniuses behind the new album Hey All You Floridians, in actuality are from Wisconsin, drawing inspiration from the sprawling Midwestern forests. Regardless of where it was created, the most recent offering from the Blessed Feathers is a hauntingly beautiful piece that masterfully shows a true understanding of modern folk music.

Modern, in that there is an undeniable restlessness that exists throughout the melody — the originally unassuming banjo line picks up intensity as the song goes on. This, when combined with the whisper-like quality of the lead singer, creates a feeling within the listener that I have only been able to describe as unnerving yet soothing. I'll be the first one to acknowledge that in print this makes little sense; but as soon as you give this track a few listens it will be easy to understand how the eerie vocals and lulling instrumentals are so deliciously at odds.

Perhaps one of the best things about "Stinging Nettle, Honeysuckle" is the completely organic feel of the lyrics throughout the song. The banjo line is so simple it originally comes off as casual, noncommittal riffing, giving the impression that the lyrics were made up as the song went along simply because they are what came to mind. The result is a feeling of utter sincerity in the music. I could harp on for hours, but with their widespread talent (all the band members play a variety of instruments) and obvious love of the material it boils down to this: Blessed Feathers is a band to keep track of.

St. Lucia

2012-04-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

"We Got It Wrong" MP3
from the EP St. Lucia
2012
iTunes

BY JAIME BRACKEEN | Jonk Music

Grab a good pair of headphones, upload St. Lucia to your MP3 player (you'll want to have the option of mobility), and let the feverish pop bliss wash over you. Then try to suppress the embarrassingly giddy dance moves that ensue. Just try.

This project by Jean-Philip Grobler, now backed by four additional members, is all sunshine and synthesizers, with the bonus addition of guitar, drum and keyboard. In tracks like "The Old House is Gone," the metallic intonation of steel drum brings to mind the calypso sounds of this band’s island namesake, and "All Eyes on You" has the staying quality to pleasantly plant itself in your subconscious for the rest of the day.

Simplistic and minimal vocals glide over joyous guitar melodies and a pounding pulse of drums in most tracks, but listeners can find the true standout of this six-song, self-titled EP in the album's opening number, "We Got It Wrong." Forget the title, because they most certainly got it right. An almost two-minute buildup of haunting yet upbeat harmonies puts you on edge before reaching its pinnacle and exploding in frenzy.

Thumping bass drum, ascending electronic scales reminiscent of a Zelda soundtrack and slamming keyboard spill forth only to drop off, yet again, in a sharp plateau. The lyrics "tell me how" leave you hanging in auspicious limbo until, under the shimmer of electronic reverb, the song rebuilds itself one last time, slowly layering drum, then tambourine, then stacks of buzzing vocal harmonies until a breakdown best compared to something by Phil Collins hammers out the signal to bring it all home. From this point on, things taper out slowly, leaving listeners with only the sound of a lone horn and an intense desire to ride the wave to St. Lucia again as soon as possible.

Tanlines

2012-04-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

"All of Me" MP3
from the album Mixed Emotions
2012
iTunes

BY ADAM PAGE | Jonk Music

Tanlines seem poised to be the next big indie-dance stars. That's a fact that might strike many who've followed these guys' previous careers as bizarre. It shouldn't. The duo, consisting of Jesse Cohen (previously of dance-punkers Professor Murder) and Eric Emm (of classic indie outfit Don Caballero), are simply joining the long tradition of forward-thinking rockers making a transition to glittering dance-pop. Everybody who knows things has always known there was no real rivalry, or even much of a cultural divide, between CBGBs and Studio 54. Consequently it wasn't long before loads of punkers realized their love of Giorgio Moroder didn't need to be a dirty little secret. Since, from Gang of Four to James Murphy, many notable musicians have made the leap.

Now of course these days it isn't unusual for every underground rock hit to spawn dozens of dance remixes, or even for the those same rock bands to be doing remixes of other bands' tracks and so on and so on. Tanlines began life primarily as a remix entity, one of those ever-proliferate "production duos." So in the whole scheme of things these new tracks we're hearing from their debut full-length, Mixed Emotions, are a step back into the conventional. That isn't meant as a pejorative but rather an acknowledgment of their progression (or regression, depending on point-of-view) from exclusive soundscape tinkerers to a group that writes and records songs. As one of those, they're doing pretty well for themselves.

Upon first listen to "All of Me," one of several pre-album-drop tracks made available, the first thought is that Eric Emm has a great voice. It's full and smooth and a little off. So the biggest and most important point in this game goes to Tanlines off the bat. This kind of stuff doesn't work with grating vocals. Listen further and the pulsing simplicity gets more and more under your skin to where slight tweaks in the arrangement, as in the extended bridge near the end, are blips of ecstasy. This track, and the album, are truly dazzling. Get out and buy it kids.

Nneka

2012-04-04T00:00:00.004-05:00

"My Home" MP3
from the album Soul is Heavy
2012
iTunes

BY REBECCA EDWARDS | Jonk Music

Upon hearing the piano introduction on Nneka's recently released "My Home," you may find yourself unsure of exactly where the song is going. A few more seconds, however, brings in a completely new feel from the classically inspired intro, presenting the listener with a song that pulls from reggae, hip-hop, and Motown soul influences.

With her debut album The Uncomfortable Truth, German-Nigerian born Nneka gained a reputation for producing music with a world conscious ring to it — a trait that still holds strong throughout the course of "My Home." Within the track, Nneka takes pervasive topics (such as what constitutes "home" in the modern world) and presents them with the lighthearted backdrop of a song that you can't help but sing along to. Upbeat, catchy, and layered with powerful vocals, "My Home" effectively comes off as a soulful release from the pressures of everyday life.

While not so original that it will necessarily stand strong through the test of time, for the here and now, "My Home" is a brilliantly encompassing anthem for the general sentiment of youth today. The repeat line "where do I go / when the world forsakes me" is a universal theme that carries with it promise of success because if nothing else, as soon as it comes on, all you want to do is dance.

Blood Diamonds

2012-04-03T00:00:00.007-05:00

"Dreams" MP3
from the single Dreams
2011
iTunes

BY DAVID RUIZ | Jonk Music

Michael Tucker, a Vancouver-based video game designer and producer, makes music as Blood Diamonds. He dreamily approaches dance-centered party music, making lush, somewhat cerebral tracks that manage to groove and bounce through their complex layers. Tucker exercises his ears' compositional ability in "Dreams," released in anticipation of an upcoming EP from his label The Pop Manifesto. "Dreams" combines many of the things that Blood Diamonds does well — it is complex and catchy, orchestrally huge but intimate as well. A far-off marimba operates between the melody and percussion, but those divisions aren't exactly rigid. Tucker uses melody elements like a funk musician, as the higher register does double duty by playing percussive hits and orchestral swooshes. However, his sense of percussion is less James Brown and more Young Magic or Animal Collective. Instead of bearing down, Tucker shakes and stutters — the beat of the track sputters like an old car before kicking into high gear with a hyperactive hi-hat. Tucker's R&B sensibilities really enable the way that he fuses so many elements, and he seems to acknowledge this influence in his sample choice. In "Heart" he uses a vocal sample of The Temptations, and the siren-like wail that pops up in the middle of the track echoes fellow Canadian The Weeknd's "Glass Table Girls." Overall, Blood Diamonds meshes together a lot of disparate elements very well — the end-product is slick and very listenable without sounding recycled.

Gang Colours

2012-04-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

"On Compton Bay" MP3
from the album The Keychain Collection
2012
iTunes

BY CHRIS KRAEMER | Jonk Music

The soft bass stereotypical of the UK scene responsible for creating Gang Colours fits seamlessly throughout The Keychain Collection. The debut album from producer Will Ozanne is said to draw on childhood experiences and stories, further cause for the entire record to echo the British garage bands on which he was raised. Blending nicely with other material from Gilles Peterson's Brownswood label, the Southampton-based Ozanne should warn listeners new to Gang Colours of the nostalgia it may induce.

Padded is one way to describe the low ends of the LP. "On Compton Bay," one of the most down tempo tracks off The Keychain Collection, is heavily influenced by this sleepy UK-style bass. Although there are enough subtle electronic effects to the song to warrant a "slow down" or "filler" spot on a club playlist, the unhurried rhythm of the piano overpowers the mood and leaves the strongest after taste. Suggested pairings: a rainy Sunday or a well-aged pillow. I recommend both.

Not arriving until after the two-minute mark, the vocals of the track are easy to forget. Should a dream state not yet have taken hold, listeners are treated to Ozanne's echoing voice; something more prevalent elsewhere on the LP but a mere afterthought for "On Compton Bay."

The short run time of the ten-track album may lead some to squeeze in a listen between appointments or obligations. A better strategy for The Keychain Collection would be to clear an afternoon, loop the album, relax and get lost in it.

Andrew Bird

2012-03-31T16:55:00.001-05:00

"Eyeoneye" MP3
from the album Break It Yourself
2012
iTunes

BY DAVID RUIZ | Jonk Music

Andrew Bird has perfected his unique approach to songwriting and songcraft over the length of his 16-year career; his most recent album Break It Yourself showcases Bird's strengths, but by this time around it seems like old news. The songs are lush and diverse enough to avoid monotony, but his reliance on tried and true methods inhibits the album's impact. The opener "Desperation Breeds..." ruminates on the mysterious decline of bee populations; Bird's meditative lyrics nestle inside the buzzing and soft landscape of the track. Unfortunately the strength of his lyrics is undercut by the song, which is basically an index of Andrew Bird's tropes; in other words it sounds exactly what you expect an Andrew Bird song to sound like. Whether or not this is a bad thing comes down to opinion, but for me it makes the album a touching, gorgeous but ultimately empty exercise.

Although I could say more about Bird's conservative approach, the spots in the album that transcend his static approach say more about Bird and Break It Yourself than Bird's overall lack of dynamism. The shift away from the more guitar-heavy sound that Bird adopted on recent albums is very welcome — he is at his best when working within the limits of his violin. His comfort is obvious in the way he can comingle the instrument's dulcet and shrill sides. Bird manipulates both the plucked and bowed sounds of his violin to make his songs bounce or fly as he sees fit. His knack for creating expansive soundscapes relies on the textural contrast between these two sides of the instrument.

But the most creative outburst in Break It Yourself comes from Bird sneaking under his own sound and offering a fresh, and downright awesome, section of afro-Caribbean (and ghostly Appalachian) expression in "Danse Carribe." The song is a perfect example of what Andrew Bird could be; he infuses the typical sweetness of his sound with a crunchy edge that makes the song full in three dimensions. The song's novel texture implodes the album's staid conservatism with possibility. In his next release, I hope that Bird can pickup the pieces of his imploded sound and rearrange them in a way that strives towards growth, not just perfection.

La Sera

2012-03-30T12:20:00.001-05:00

"Break My Heart" MP3
from the album Sees the Light
2012
iTunes

BY REBECCA EDWARDS | Jonk Music

Reminiscent of music made in garage bands throughout the '90s, "Break My Heart" by La Sera — the new project from Katy Goodman (Vivian Girls, All Saints Day) — comes off as a break-up song that, while not exactly heartfelt, is something pretty darn close. Direct, aggressive, and succinct, the song comes off almost as a soundtrack to the combination of frenzied angst and phased indifference that are an unshakable part of adolescent romance.

This is supported by the almost "whatever" feel of the majority of the vocals — which cover a range of roughly three notes, with the exception of the crooning chorus of "I've done wrong / I've done wrong / Break my heart / Break my heart..." These lines slide along, flowing nicely over the alternating power chords that drive throughout the song. Within them, Goodman's bassist roots are easily heard. In "Break My Heart," Goodman deserves praise for effectively marrying a punk rock feel with power pop, producing a track that is just as enjoyable to listen to as it is inviting to jump around to.

Geographer

2012-03-29T10:20:00.000-05:00

"Lover's Game"
from the album Myth
2012
iTunes

BY CHRIS KRAEMER | Jonk Music

"There's nothing we can do. We were born to die fools." It is the voice of Michael Deni on lyrics like these that consistently define Geographer. Simply reading them is not enough. The man has a superb falsetto, and it is characterizes each and every track from this spring's Myth.

The Bay Area trio is often described as electronic or synth-rock. The synthesizer Deni originally found on the streets of San Francisco has always been a prominent feature of Geographer, yet the 2012 LP marks a more stabilized approach. The percussion of Brian Ostreicher and the electric cello of Nathan Blaz both compliment the high pitch vocals and synthesizer effects. "Lover's Game" is the best example. The steady, softening cello provides the foundation for the standout single that has more to it than the relaxed party lyrics and floating alto of Michael Deni. The soulful track is aided by the opening piano riff and an upbeat agenda no longer distracted by electronic solos and lengthy breakdowns.

After being one of the main components of 2010's EP Animal Shapes, synthesizer takes more of a back seat on Myth, allowing vocalist Deni to rise above the now mature looping of instruments underneath. No longer does it seem his beautiful voice is battling the guitar effects and similarly high-pitched synthesizer on every track. The balanced attack allows the LP to feel at home in various settings. "Lover's Game," for example, could grace a dance floor as easily as it could properly serve a study group. By no longer impeding it, Geographer has found its niche in Deni's voice. An instrument in its own right, his highs cannot be replicated, and the chill aura of Myth should not be missed.

Yellow Ostrich

2012-03-28T09:30:00.002-05:00

"The Shakedown" MP3
from the album Strange Land
2012
iTunes

BY ADAM PAGE | Jonk Music

With Strange Land, Alex Schaaf has attempted a complete makeover. The Yellow Ostrich main man garnered a bit of buzz last year when Barsuk reissued his debut bedroom production The Mistress. Now, with a record company backing the recording of his new album, the Wisconsin native has brought in a couple of young guns (one of whom, drummer Michael Tapper, has played with We Are Scientists and Bishop Allen, among others) to round out the sound and maybe turn Yellow Ostrich into an actual band. It's something that's often attempted by four-track pop savants who find themselves suddenly having to replicate their basement tinkering in front of a paying audience. Like Cloud Nothings' Dylan Baldi earlier this year, Schaaf emerged from his first major round of touring with a seasoned, powerful group behind him and a desire to develop material that would take full advantage of its capabilities.

The band has said in interviews that the new record was highly influenced by the post-punk classics they’d been listening to on the tour bus. On "The Shakedown," at least until the vocals come in, you might mistake the minimal, stabbing guitar and bleep-bloop bass for an outtake from Wire's Chairs Missing. Interestingly, though, the song quickly takes another direction, as the verse melody drifts into a minor key and the off-beat drums propel into a nicely cathartic middle section.

If "The Shakedown" is any indication, it looks like Schaaf made the right move in filling things out. The fuller sound is a definite improvement, if not as mind-blowingly out-of-nowhere as Cloud Nothings' re-emergence in January. Still, the more lush arrangement is a good fit for Schaff’s general style. This is a solid, promising track.

Beach House

2012-03-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

"Myth" MP3
from the album Bloom
2012
iTunes

BY ISABEL REIDY | Jonk Music

Alrighty dear readers, I just got all of my wisdom teeth out so with between the pain and the drugs I'm going to have to cut to the quick: If you're anything like me, you spent a good deal of last winter with Beach House's Teen Dream on repeat, long past the point that your roommates found it acceptable. But eventually the sun returned and plants started unfurling themselves and you got a little burnt out on Victoria Legrand's androgynous vocals and Alex Scally's dreamy keys and turned your ears to something else (in my case Kate Bush or the PORCHES' Summer of Ten EP.)

I have a tendency to listen things into the ground, so the only albums that really stay with me are the kind that grow on you as you listen to them: The albums with one or two tracks that catch your eye and get you comfortable with the artist's sound and grab you more and more over time. My problem with Teen Dream was that it was not very dynamic. It was essentially variations on the same song, some more successful than others. At the time, that song was all I wanted to listen to, so I had no issue with hearing it 10 times over. However, given a year to sit on it, I can't really appreciate it anymore.

Beach House's new album Bloom is set for release this May. "Myth" is the lead single and I'm sorry to report it sounds a whole lot like something off of Teen Dream. A little more sweeping perhaps, but Legrand and Scally have not thrown us any curve balls. The structure of the song, even the chord progression, is pretty same-y. My estimation is that if you really, really liked Teen Dream you'll probably be able to enjoy Bloom. Personally I hope that the album in its entirety can offer us something more than the spaced out melancholy we've come to expect, but after hearing "Myth," I'm not holding my breath.

Delta Spirit

2012-03-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

"California" MP3
from the album Delta Spirit
2012
iTunes

BY NICK CROW | Jonk Music

Delta Spirit has joined the ranks of Interpol and Bon Iver, among others, in self-titling an album that isn't their first. Their newest LP (out now on Rounder Records/CMG) is actually their third. Despite the naming of the album, Delta Spirit's attempted change in direction musically hasn't strayed too far from who they already are. It can be seen as a natural progression. Certain things have changed for them but for the most part they have been able to maintain their sound on the new record. The band continues to produce attention-grabbing rock with a soulful twist.

I'm just going to come out and say it: "California" is a sad song. Creating a somber setting from the start, lead singer Matthew Vasquez thrusts the listener into a feeling of longing, regret, and love lost. The track fills your heart and haunts your mind with an intense feeling of demise. Repetitive guitar riffs attempt to fill the void and drive the song and spurned admirer towards the future. The song is extremely relatable as we have all been there. The song tells a tale as old as time, trying to be the better person and saying you are over a situation that you clearly aren't. Delta Spirit has captured the feeling of rejection as well as could be anticipated.

Theophilus London

2012-03-24T11:20:00.000-05:00

WEEKEND VIDEO

"I Stand Alone"
from the album Timez Are Weird These Days
2011
iTunes

BY CHRIS KRAEMER | Jonk Music

Theophilus London is the perfect example of the blending genre lines within today's music culture. Ever apparent through the electro and house inspired beats and breakdowns of current pop and mainstream hits, the use of just one sound is no longer as economically viable. Or maybe just not as fun.

London's body of work to date shows why he is becoming a poster child for music's genre confusion. His rap themes follow the fresh directions of Lupe Fiasco. His Brooklyn upbringing puts him in the heart of the indie scene. His alternative hip-hop method most commonly brings up Kid Cudi. His style reminds followers of... 1980s David Byrne?

On stage and in public, loud and vintage outfits usually accompany London's appearances. The music video for "I Stand Alone" is no exception; however, the cowboy theme is suddenly quite prevalent. Inspired by the 1986 film True Stories directed by David Byrne of The Talking Heads, a number of cowboy hats garnish London's constant wardrobe changes throughout the video. His clothing label even makes the costume rotation as he dons a baseball cap marked LVRS - apparently pronounced "lovers."

Whether his clothing line has an '80s feel to it or not is unclear but it's certain that his music cannot be easily dated or classified. Hip hop or indie; leather or fur? Alternative or soul; Stetsons or skinny jeans? The aptly titled Timez Are Weird These Days LP is worth the identity crisis created when added to your iTunes genius or Pandora radio stations.