Brolin - "Reykjavik"

Reykjavik - the capital of Iceland.  

Reykjavik - the debut song from UK artist Brolin's forthcoming EP, Cundo, expected to be released 03/25/2013.

We're not sure of the relation, however the fuzzy, cool and synthetic loops, beats and vocals are enchanting and reassuring... perhaps, it's the winter airwaves transposing the sound in your ears as you search for a warm light.  Or it could just be coincidence.  Either way, we're excited to see where else the album takes us.

If you ask me to stay...

/ I will lead you astray...

/ I will leave the lights on...

Washed Out - "The Sound of Creation"

Chillwave and Portlandia maestro Ernest Greene's dropped this "autobiographical exploration of his music influences" last week, and it's quite glorious - [Song link]

It's the unlikeliest of circumstances (a big corps' ad campaign sparks a troysnoise post), but this project's artistry, interactivity, and just overall beauty necessitates its sharing.

[Prior]

Kamp!

Poland is known for a few things, namely, mountaineering, pierogies, and JPII, but an electro pop band called Kamp! is emerging from the "future bread basket of the European Union" to add to the list.  

Piękności

Kamp!, meet Cut Copy and our friend Chad Valley.  You three will get along quite nicely.

Lubię

Kamp! - "Cairo"

If you can wait until March, catch Kamp! at SXSW '13.  Tour dates and locales.

It seems like tonight you’ll never be the same...

Send me fast into the night

Toro y Moi - Anything In Return

Toro y Moi is back with a new album, Anything In Return, and knocked one into the bleachers with it.  In the past three years this Chaz kid has gone from studying graphic design at U of South Carolina to a '12 Lollapalooza showcase.  Preparations now commence for a '13 world-wide album tour.  

Anything in Return overflows with addictive beats and hooks, from the uptempo "Say That" to the overly emotive "Cake", you'll find yourself hard-pressed to ever hit the next button.  In a new twist for Toro y Moi, these tracks are littered with "you, I, me, her, she, we, me" lyrics as Chaz lyrically opens up with a soft relationship side.  The album nonetheless has been spinning nonstop at the troysnoise studio and has shown no signs of slowing down.

Toro y Moi - "Say That"

Toro y Moi - "Never Matter"

For good measure, an official video for "Say That" featuring the great outdoors with camo red, tree hugs, and chillwave moonwalks.

Peep the upcoming tour schedule...

Click to read more ...

Poulbo - Summer

                                                      

Hard Mix - Defaults LP

One college dude from South Carolina is responsible for this electro-synth goodness.  Falling somewhere between James Pants and Moby, Hard Mix is giving away the brand new Defaults LP for free.  Get it here.

Hard Mix - "Now Her"  (Defaults LP)

Hard Mix - "Callers"  (January single release)

Click to read more ...

Work Drugs - "Rad Racer"

Philadelphia's premier Bat Mitzvah and Quinceanera party band, Work Drugs, released their third single yesterday called "Rad Racer."  This "sedative-wave/smooth-fi," is a project compliments of Thomas Crystal and Benjamin Louisiana, claiming to make music specifically for dancing, boating, yachting, sexting, and living.  Rad.

Work Drugs - "Rad Racer"  (video)

and from Monday Facelift #7...Work Drugs - "Third Wave"

Elite Gymnastics

Influences - The poetry of Rosie O' Donnell and Paula Abdul's "Straight Up"

Sounds Like - Robert De Niro in "Heat"

...claims their myspace page

Calling Minneapolis home, Elite Gymnastics flaunts hazy chillwave surf sounds, and it's probably not what you'd expect from an unsigned basement operation from the north.  This past summer they released a four track EP called Real Friends, and have floated out a few other singles, including an ode to Tony Montana called, "Montana," all tracks you can download for free on their tumblr page.  As the NY Post said back in June - "If bright bells were cartwheels and sneaky beats were back handsprings, then Elite Gymnastics would be executing a very brilliant floor routine in my ears right now."  Finally I can say, thank you Rosie and Paula. 

Elite Gymnastics - "Is This On Me?"

She skipped working out / She had a one night stand

Elite Gymnastics - "Montana"

I don't want to be cool / I don't want to move to New York

Teen Daze - Four More Years

Teen Daze is hard to explain, so we've brought you a sampling of each type of effort they've put out so far; a combination of covers, originals and remixes.  With this variety of tracks over the past six months Teen Daze has quickly built up cred in the indie world, and deservedly so.  Releasing the debut EP, Four More Years, of 8 original tracks in early August, he's now on tour while continuing to float around remixes of other's popular singles.

It's easy to dig this synth, dance, and chillwave combination that's craftily intertwined into purposeful tones.  You've probably heard Japandroids' "Wet Hair," and I think you'll definitely like (or more likely love) what was done with it and the other tracks below.  Peep the rest of Teen Daze's EP as well.  Enjoy.

Teen Daze - "Saviour"

Japandroids - "Wet Hair" (Teen Daze remix)

Teen Daze - "New Theory" (Washed Out cover)

Neon Indian - "Sleep Paralysist"

This video seemed appropriate for today.  You've probably heard Neon Indian by now from their first LP, Psychic Chasms, which dropped last October.  This track, "Sleep Paralysist," was originally supposed to be included in the album but was cut out and then released in March 2010 as a single, with the below video following in June.  Lead man Palomo, from Denton, TX, described their sound as “Childhood re-contextualized through a psychedelic, lo-fi filter. The idea of memory before you were old enough to have memories.”  Seeing them play this and a majority of their other hits off of Psychic Chasms last Saturday, following on the heels of Dom's domination, rounded out what was an excellent first CMJ for me.                                                                                            Neon Indian - "Sleep Paralysist"

Talking cryptograms
You know as well as day
But keeping to themselves
The words they'll never say

Happy Halloween people!

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today

When you and I were 10 years old we were playing little league baseball and shooting a plastic gun at the tele to kill flying ducks.  Ariel Pink, the now 32-year old L.A.-based recording artist, apparently had a different childhood, writing music when he was onyl 10 and beginning around 1996 put togther hundreds of songs on cassette tapes.  Just two years ago Pink finally slightly departed from his historically lo-fi sound and formed Haunted Graffiti.  Releasing their first studio album, Before Today, in late June.  For the first time in his career his work reached the top 200 Billboard charts for new albums while maintaining a relatively low profile.  Give this a few listens before you pass judgment; it's an acquired taste with a uniquely different turn on each track.