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Tag: Vial of Sound

MP3 Catchup, pt 2: Dusky Tunes

Dusky Tunes

1. “Holy Ghost” – Michael Flynn. Flynn spent more time in the Radiohead school of electronica than in the club, it appears: Haunting, hooky, high falsetto.

2. “Time Between” – Bear in Heaven. I think we have reached the point where classic rock and indie rock are essentially the same. We could put Bear in Heaven on tour with like half the bands from the ’80s OR The Steve Miller Band and it would be totally cool. This song rules, by the way.

3. “Retro” – After Party. Autotune meets gospel towering meets pulsing electro. Get your slinky dance on.

4. “God’s Oscillator” – Vial of Sound. PROTIP: If you want to catch my attention, namedrop LCD Soundsystem in your press release. Vial of Sound’s new track features some ex-LCD musicians, even though it sounds more like Daft Punk.

5. “I Never Knew” – Wonderful Humans. Big synths, big melodies, airy harmonies: it’s the formula these days. And it still works.

6. “The Dancer” – Villiers. This dark synth-pop track rides the line between ominous and sultry.

7. “Fancy” – Starlight Girls. WHOA, THEY WENT DISCO. FULL DISCO.

8. “My Heart” – Werebearcat! It’s a ballad! It’s a slow jam! It’s an indie electro track! It’s Superman!

More Summer Jams: ’80s Movies Division

1. “Into the River” – The Quick and the Dead. This exclusive download toes the line between power-pop and Old ’97s alt-country and includes a killer harmonica solo. Back to the Future Part Three was rad.*

2. “Primitive Style” – Johnny Delaware. I am in a roadtrip movie. I am in an ’80s convertible. Johnny Delaware is riding on the back of the car and playing guitar, somehow standing upright at 60 mph. My feathered hair is flying in the wind. I feel like yelling “FREEDOM” into the air in a Breakfast Club sort of way, not a William Wallace sort of way. Did Molly Ringwald listen to Bruce Springsteen? She would have loved Johnny Delaware.

3. “Dybbuk” – Remedies. I am transported to a kids’ movie in the ’80s, where I am wandering through an enchanted cave. Something awesome or maybe terrible is about to happen. My hair is still feathered. My jean jacket is on. The viewers are holding their breath. Let’s do this.

4. “Lost Track of Time” – MTNS. The Antlers, How to Dress Well, Vondelpark, and MTNS would be an absolutely incredible soundtrack to a 16 Candles-type movie. You know it’s true.

5. “Electricity” -FMLYBND. It’s like M83, The Rapture, and The Temper Trap collaborated on an ’80s club jam. SET PHASERS TO STUN.

6. “The Day We Both Died” – Vial of Sound. I’m always afraid to namecheck Daft Punk and LCD Soundsystem at the same time but screw it SET PHASERS TO KILL

7. “Told You Twice” – Milo’s Planes. Because sometimes you just need a thrashy, scream-it-out tune to blast in your car.

*I’m aware that BTTF3 came out in 1990, but let’s be real. 1990 was still the ’80s.

Some Summers’ Sum

It’s finally summer! Less rain, more heat, bug bites. That means it’s time for rock and electronica. Here’s a short mixtape about it.

Some Summers’ Sum

1. “Back to the Way I Was” – Emily Bell. Vintage sass with soulful class. You rock that, Ms. Bell. You rock that.
2. “Plains” – Vundabar. Fans of The Who will find themselves inextricably drawn to the rhythmic attack and the wiry guitar melodies in this rock track.
3. “Back to Life” – Dresses. Purevolume is still a thing? Welcome back, I suppose. I’m just glad they’re bringing us this perky little acoustic-pop gem, somewhere between The Weepies and Chairlift.
4. “I Heard a Rumour” – Annette Gil. Because we can always use more synth-pop with great melodies in the world.
5. “Ghost Ditch” – Vial of Sound. When is the best time to drive on an urban highway? At 3 a.m. while you’re blasting this synth-tastic creation.