New Tracks

MP3: Life Size Maps – “Darkling”

Life Size Maps are a rare find in their ability to juggle cinematic atmospheres with glittering pop infectiousness. Their murky vein of electro-rock is without a dull moment, its soaring and infectious

MP3: Boy Friends Club – “Paradise”

Boy Friends Club pay homage to underground jangle-pop, as well as the bedroom variety in the vein of Ariel Pink, whose early releases are somewhat comparable to Boy Friends Club. They make no

Obscure Sound: Best of August 2012

This compilation made a six hour plane ride pass by quickly, which was helpful since I'm never able to sleep on planes. I feel this tracklisting is easy to get lost in.

MP3: OWK – “Shine”

Raleigh-based producer CGMUZIK handles the beats for OWK (James), an aspiring rapper from South Philly. The latter's location renders the samples on OWK's debut EP, SPTMBR, appropriate. Extracted from gems of Philly

MP3: The Last Names – “The Dirt”

Bishop Allen's EP project in 2006 found the Brooklyn-based group releaasing a new EP every month of the year. Usually quality is sacrificed for such frequency, but not on those EPs. The

Video: Ross Fish – “A349M”

“All you do is cry, especially at night,” Ross Fish sings solemnly on “A349M”. It’s the only lyric in the song, which rides on the strength of its gripping and ominous atmosphere and

MP3: Zach Schimpf – “Movin’ Right Along”

Zach Schimpf produces easy-flowing pop that ranges from the fleeting guitar-led rock of "Movin' Right Along" to the warm, synth-led twinkles of the more emotive "July". The St. Louis-based producer and songwriter

MP3: The Royal Tribesmen – “Me and Mr. Kong”

The joyously infectious "Mr and Mr. Kong" introduces us to The Royal Tribesmen, a new indie-pop group from Chicago. The track features streaks of distorted synth-bass reminiscent of The Flaming Lips, and

New Albums

Zack Clarke – ‘Plunge’

A grippingly unique melding of jazz and electronica immerses on Plunge, the newest album from NYC-based artist Zack Clarke. “I feel there

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Maya Shaw – ‘Unfocused Freedom’

Featuring poetic and heartfelt lyricism alongside stirring arrangements, Unfocused Freedom is the riveting debut album from Maya Shaw. An artful depiction of

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Helen Yee – ‘Orchestrope’

Michigan-based artist Helen Yee shows a mesmerizing sound across the new album Orchestrope, a moving success from the violinist and composer. Ranging

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