Unknown Mortal Orchestra

It's almost as if a young Cee-Lo and Prince decided to transform into a lo-fi classic psychedelia rock band of the 60's.  Other than being a self-proclaimed "tour de force," Unknown Mortal Orchestra is appropriately hiding behind it's soulful fuzzy rock, with only this to say in December when describing the 7" EP, "Don’t expect the man behind this release to step out of the shadows any time soon"

They have claimed the United Kingdom as home, which makes "Thought Ballune" even more easily mistakable for a song The Beatles could have dreamed up.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Thought Ballune"

With a self-titled EP released in December, the Brits have a full length album due out this summer (June 21) after just recently signing to Fat Possum records.  The mystery continues with this nameless video.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "How Can U Luv Me"

In an admittedly predictable yet deservedly declaratory conclusion, this band's music won't be unknown for long. 

The Pear Traps

This lo-fi goodness comes compliments of The Pear Traps, an unsigned group of Chicago-based indie rockers with the simple goal of playing a show at the United Center.  Embrace the minimalist and smooth nature of the sound and style, play it within the right context and you'll quickly understand it's effectiveness and power.

The Pear Traps - "Come Home"

Check out the entire EP,  at their bandcamp page, and then download a collection of five slightly different-styled tracks they released last year entitled, Basement Fidelity, for free here.

Compliments of an interview by WindyCityRock late last year, find out about The Pear Trap's lo-fi inspiration and a skosh more.

Nathan: Bryant actually builds his own amps, which adds a certain sound. There’s already so much set a certain way, it’s just a matter of every one plays a little differently and adds something to the sound.

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Clams Casino

A producer for Lil B, G-Side, and Soulja Boy, little-known Clams Casino unveiled an instrumental mixtape last week, revealing tracks that he's produced for the aforementioned rappers, along with a few previously unreleased pieces.  With the brazen vocals stripped away, these static-drenched beats are smooth and impressively effective all on their own.

Clams Casino - "Numb"

Clams Casino - "Motivation (Lil B)"

Get the entire mixtape here.

Guards EP

With no myspace or website, it's hard to figure out exactly who Guards are. 

Here's what their label, 3 Syllables Records has to say - "They formed in New York City when Richie Cullin (The Cults' lead singer's big bro) returned from a European tour to a recording studio with nothing in it but a broken electric 12-string guitar and an omnichord. He wrote and recorded a few songs for his little sister to sing on, but ended up singing on the songs himself."

Released late this summer, notables such as lil' sis from The Cults in "sail it slow" and Chairlift's Caroline Polachek in "trophy queen" guest star and helped intially spread word about the work.  For those of you that enjoy genre tags, we hear it as retro new wave rock meeting psychedelic lo-fi pop, with "resolution of one" really accentuating that labyrinthine label.  Whatever you want to call it, do yourself a favor and download Guards' EP for free at their bandcamp page.

With just under 20 minutes from 7 tracks, Guards flaunts their incredible talent without yet fully pulling back the curtain.  Let's hope we hear from them again soon.

Guards - "crystal truth" (lo-fi soft rock ideal for hipster prom night)

Guards - "don't wake the dead"           Guards - "resolution of one"

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.