Flight Facilities – ‘With You ft. Grovesnor’ Video

You don’t really need to find much beyond ‘Crave You’ and ‘Foreign Language’ to hear that production pair Flight Facilities have bestowed some unforgivingly catchy tracks on us all.

Here’s the brand new clip for their track ‘With You’ which features Grovesnor aka. former Hot Chip member Rob Smoughton.

This clip took animator Ben Drake and his team four months to complete. I’m frankly over watching band vids with pretty chicks running through forests, so these Daft Punk/Astroboy vibes are so up on my radar right now.

Producer: Samuel Beck
Production Manager: Ben Huxter
Character Designs, Story and Directed: Benjamin Drake
Guest Animators: Alexis Dean-Jones & Xin Li
Compositors: Steven Smith & Xue Sen Wong
Special thanks: Liam Hockins & Seera Rytkölä

www.flightfacilities.com

www.facebook.com/flightfacilities

Kristina Miltiadou – ‘Carousel’ video by Who By Fire

This video starts out like some friends having a dinner party in the park – all very pretty. Then features the lovely voice of Kristina Miltiadou doing a version of her track ‘Carousel’.
All shot and edited well but the location sound by Ed Denton is really good. I like seeing videos like this – nothing too serious but very well recorded. ‘Who By Fire’ have this style down and have been releasing a bunch of stuff over summer. I posted Lester The Fierce a little while back. Their team of writer/director Alexander Watkins, producer Sian Darling and cinematographer Ben Helweg are doing a pretty fine job. Check them out here – http://whothehell.net/sHT

MAP January 2012

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a .zip file of the whole 36-track compilation here.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Nubes En Mi Casa – Aceleremos
Nubes En Mi Casa is an indie-pop band led by singer Josefina Mac Loughlin. Aceleremos is a preview from their upcoming second studio album, Me Suelto y Vuelvo. The song sounds like an instant hit and we’re sure it will become one of our favorite tracks of 2012, so we can’t wait to hear the rest of it.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Sures – The Sun
The Sun is a short burst of sunshine from Sydney duo Sures. It sounds like a Beach Boys outtake, which might sound boring given the number of bands out there paying homage to Wilson and Co. Fortunately, The Sun is just two minutes of harmonising over a dull melody – it’s a catchy tune that will have those of us in the southern hemisphere pressing repeat throughout summer.

AUSTRIA: Walzerkönig
Diver – Illusions
Quiet is the new loud. Diver, a folky trio from various places in Austria and Germany and now based in Vienna, play beautifully melancholic songs with three acoustic guitars and lyrics that go “everyday reality is an illusion of possibilities”. Illusions is the opener of their first full-length album Kites, which will be out later this month. In the meantime you can listen to their self-titled debut EP on Bandcamp.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Bixiga 70 – Balboa Da Silva
Bixiga 70 is what happens when you combine African beats, jazz and Brazilian swing in a city as hectic as São Paulo, where they’re from. Their first CD was released last year and is available to download at the band’s website.

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Honheehonhee – We Only Go
There’s more than a hint of early Arcade Fire to We Only Go but, as someone who misses early Arcade Fire, I don’t see why that’s a strike against Honheehonhee. Besides, this song (not to mention the rest of their debut, Shouts) is exuberant, unhinged fun, and the world can always use more music like that.

CHILE: Super 45
Los Embajadores – Peso
From all the tips made in the Chilean music scene for this year, Los Embajadores is one of the most interesting. Romantic goth-pop songs reminiscent of Cocteau Twins as well as the darkest hours of Miguel Bosé. Faisanes is the name of their soon-to-come new album, and Peso (“Weight”) is its first single.

CHINA: Wooozy
Elenore – Psycho Man
Beijing-based Elenore formed in late 2009 and have developed a sound influenced by bands such as Oasis, Kasabian and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The single Psycho Man fuses 60s swing drum loops, fuzzy guitar riffs and a Middle Eastern instrumental chorus which became a hit on China’s popular site Douban. In February, Elenore will release their first EP both on CD and the band’s own digital distribution site.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Nelson Can – Apple Pie
Danish girl-trio Nelson Can release their eponymous debut EP this month as part of a triple EP release with The Freudian Slip and Echo Me. Punk aesthetics spoon with pop flair and hipster cool on their first single Apple Pie, which reaffirms that apples are indeed a good thing. Like the girls on Facebook and check out the video for Apple Pie on YouTube.

ENGLAND: The Guardian Music Blog
Money – Who’s Going To Love You Now
A four-piece based in Manchester, Money are part of that city’s tradition of earnest young men, “the weight on their shoulder”, as Ian Curtis once sang. They quote Austrian poet Rilke, while their Facebook features a “eulogy for the death of everything”. A recent Guardian New Band of the Day article contended that they “have a similar air of mystery and cerebral intensity to Wu Lyf, with a vocalist who can do enigmatically gruff as well as fervid and angelic”, positing them as the Mancunian Manic Street Preachers, with a shared sense of the sacred and intense.

ESTONIA: Popop
Zebra Island – Falling Through
Mysterious Zebra Island rocketed into blogs and social networks at the very end of 2011 and everyone in Estonia seems to love them, although no-one knows much about the band. Zebra Island is led by Rasmus Lill from Kosmofon (featured in the March 2011 edition of MAP) and beautiful vocals are provided by Helina Risti. Falling Through, their first and only song so far, is a lovely, pulsating electro-pop masterpiece that keeps you wanting for much more Zebra Island.

FINLAND: Glue
Greymouth – The Boy
Singer and songwriter Elisa Husu founded Greymouth in the summer of 2011 to recreate her folky songs with a full band. The Boy is the first taster of this project and highlights Elisa’s beautiful voice on top of epic acoustic sounds with a marked Fleet Foxes influence.

FRANCE: Yet You’re Fired
Concrete Knives – Brand New Start
A perfect title for the first song of the year, Brand New Start is a highly enjoyable pop song, so good it’s featured in a commercial, and so fresh with its choir and upbeat sound, I would name it song of the year. Very good proof that the French indie scene is better than ever.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
Apparat – Ash/Black Veil
This month we’ve got one of the most discussed German artists of last year. Apparat’s 2011 album The Devil’s Walk took the concept of Sascha Ring, the man behind the moniker, further. The soundscapes created feels like a cairn, carefully layered and poised, yet built to last; but Ring has decided to use his falsetto, which has caused controversy with reviewers. Decide for yourself if this concept works well on Ash/Black Veil. I think it does!

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Hristos Lainas – H Thlipsi To Brady
Hristos Lainas’ first solo album, I Agapi Tha Lampsi (“Love Will Shine”) is stuffed to the brim with alluring pop melodies, drenched in skittering 12-bit samplers, filtered vocals, warm and luscious analog synths and infused with a pleasant aura of drowsiness. Lainas assembles an array of sounds and textures, adds sporadic splashes of static atmosphere and in the process creates a magnificent listening environment of rose-tinted optimism and disenchantment. H Thlipsi To Brady (“Sadness In The Night”) submerges a sense of intense feeling within its 80s fantasy electronic ether and instantly takes hold of your ears.

ICELAND: Rjóminn
Toggi – Let Them Bleed
This catchy little song, taken from the Iceland king of pop’s second album Wonderful Secrets, should be the anthem for any self-respecting Occupy movement. Feeling a need to protest? Then let Toggi’s tune occupy your mind and fire you up.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Belkastrelka – Pujian Ekspatriat
Belkastrelka are an eccentric electronic duo who sample sounds from various sources – windows, the library, television, nature and everything else. Combined with the tiny but wild vocals of Asa Rahmana, they create feral dance music.

IRELAND: Nialler9
Collie Collins & Monto – How Does?!?
A collaboration indicative of Ireland’s growing insurgency against genre borders, Keep Her Lit is an EP which was released last year from Dublin rapper Collie Collins. Teaming up with producer Monto for four tracks of electronic-infused rap, the result is something wholly Irish yet globally progressive. It’s a free download too.

ITALY: Polaroid
Esperanza – Aliante Giallo
Three skilled musicians and DJs put together a project devoted to an idea of music with no barriers. The sound ranges from chillwave to house, from trip-hop to psychedelia, and becomes a wide landscape. Featuring a collaboration with Banjo Or Freakout and released on the prestigious German label Gomma, this album works magic when the bpms slow down and the electronics becomes warmer and warmer.

JAPAN: Make Believe Melodies
Praha Depart – Portrait Man
Praha Depart demand attention, the Tokyo band mixing constantly morphing guitar with drum smashes to create mesmerizing tracks that reveal new sonic details with each new listen. All of those elements appear on Portrait Man, but the highlight of the song is lead singer Mai and her jittery voice. Over the course of Portrait Man, her vocals bring to mind Lydia Lunch before zigging towards a style reminiscent of Sue Tompkins of Life Without Buildings.

MALTA: Stagedive Malta
Dolls For Idols – Run
Dolls For Idols are an electronic band underpinned by indie and pop sensibilities. Their music embraces 80s-inspired synthesised sounds and the 90s rave generation, all served up with an attitude that is very much rooted in the here and now.

MEXICO: Red Bull Panamérika
Los Mundos – Ni Un Segundo Más Sin Música
Los Mundos is a long-distance collaboration that perfectly speaks about musical memory and desertic solitude. The title of this lush pop-shoegaze song means “Not a second more without music”. Indeed, it’s the urgent need of a music lover: to spend all their time in a record store (how nostalgic), living their days wearing headphones with an obsession for everything that spins – very accurate for a band whose name in Spanish translates as “The Worlds”.

NETHERLANDS: Unfold Amsterdam
Hospital Bombers – Traditional Maori Fight Song #9
This self-proclaimed stadium-folk outfit have been in hiding for too long, sitting on a wealth of new material that they’ve struggled to shape into that ‘difficult second album’. Thankfully, this month they’ll finally release the sequel to 2008’s Footnotes – the grandly titled At Budokan. Their lovingly lo-fi folk-pop is always rougher and rawer in the live setting, but this new collection again shows them up to be masters of careful songcraft, albeit unashamedly quirky songcraft that’s emblazoned with handclaps and violins.

NORWAY: Birds Sometimes Dance
Billie Van – On My Knees
Billie Van’s music makes me reminisce back to the 50s and the 60s, when country music was good and Nancy Sinatra was the one; when rock ‘n’ roll meant four chords and terrific songs; when guitar solos were mandatory and slapback echo came from the amps. Her music is all of this – great pop songs, tearful country ballads and hip-shaking rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s also new and done in a refreshing way.

PERU: SoTB
Chico Unicornio – Triángulo
Once again, it is the independent scene that gives us another interesting musical proposal. Chico Unicornio is a one-man project that combines acoustic folk sounds with a nice Andean instrument called a charango. The music that this young man makes is new to our local sound, giving it a freshness and novelty.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
We Trust – Time (Better Not Stop)
We Trust is André Tentugal’s one-man band. In 2011, Time (Better Not Stop) was one of the most-played tracks by a new independent artist on Portuguese radio. We are proud to have it here, exclusively, for download for MAP readers. You can also find it on We Trust’s debut album, These New Countries, which was released in November.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Coughy – Precambrian
Coughy are an experimental duo residing in Bucharest, featuring former and current band members of The Amsterdams. Therefore it is regarded as a creative playground where everything is accepted as a form of expression without the self-censorship required when playing in a regular and quite popular indie-rock band.

RUSSIA: Big Echo
M A Y Г L E Y – Farfour
M A Y Г L E Y are getting ready to strike Russia’s cruel winter with an ancient God’s spell, drowned in a wall of sound. Religion, symbolism, adrenaline, isolated genres and the naked language of post-Stalin 60s influence this psychedelic shoegaze project, who have made a great record.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Make Sparks – Your Heart’s On Fire
Scotland’s rock scene is firmly in the spotlight thanks to the wildly successful exploits of Biffy Clyro and young pretenders Twin Atlantic. For those looking for the next band to follow in their footsteps, two contenders stand out: Make Sparks and LightGuides (featured in the July 2010 edition of MAP). Catchy choruses are fitted as standard on Make Sparks, who are making all the right noises with their relentless touring and recording ethic, slick promo videos and a vivacious pop sensibility.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…
Riot !n Magenta – CTRL
Do androids dream of electric sheep? One thinks of such things when the contrast between the organic and inorganic meld together into a primordial blur of passion. Riot !n Magenta gently slip into the stream of your thoughts with Hayashida Ken’s dark, pulsing rhythms and Eugenia Yip’s wispful and forlorn vocal delivery. There’s tension in every stem as the words haze through: “I try to take it slow, you go faster…You need control…”. Definitely hoping to hear more from this special duo.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Jeremy Loops – The Gypsy Opera
Jeremy Loops is not a traditional band. He creates music on the spot with his gamut of loop pedals and impromptu collaborations. With The Gypsy Opera, he brings together his delicate mix of folk, hip-hop, bluegrass funk and blues all by using his guitar, ukelele, harmonica and beatboxing skills. It is something rather magical to behold.

SOUTH KOREA: Korean Indie
Galaxy Express – As Time Passes, Always Been Good
Galaxy Express is one of the best rock bands in Korea and have been for quite some time. During their Wild 30 project in 2010, a 30-day quest during which they recorded a piece of music for their Wild Days album every day, they showed that they put on the best of performances, even just going to karaoke. In late 2011, Galaxy Express released split EP Naughty Boy with Korean punk pioneers Crying Nut, which contained a re-recording of the somewhat atypical but gorgeous and engaging As Time Passes, Always Been Good from those wild days. Look out for more from Galaxy Express in 2012 as they’re heading for a US tour in March and playing SXSW for the second time.

SPAIN: Musikorner
Dolores – Volcán
Dolores are four, they’re from Madrid and they are certainly one of the best hopes for noise-rock made in Spain. Post-punk and shoegaze are two of the genres Dolores mix for achieving their sound (which is also spiced up with a touch of good ol’ pop and loads of energy). A good bit of that power can be heard on Volcán (“Volcano”), whose stunning rhythm will invite you to dance the hell out of yourself. And you won’t be able to refuse.

SWITZERLAND: 78s
Blanket – Hailey Fought The Law
Want to watch a video starring the runner-up of the figure roller-skating world championships dressed as a rabbit? Here you go. Given that Blanket’s accompanying song is a fragile and psychedelic piece of awesomeness, we obviously have a win-win situation.

TURKEY: WEARTBEAT
Haossaa – Holgar Godoni
Last year, Ozan Aktuna, Enis Özbek and Tolga Güldallı, three-pieced avant garde noise band Haossaa, became legends in the indie scene of Istanbul, mostly for their extraordinary live performances. And when their debut LP came out last September, their reputation finally got crowned.

UNITED STATES: I Guess I’m Floating
Fantasy Island – Avenue
One of 2012’s more promising American groups is Fantasy Island, a Los Angeles duo responsible for a pair of intriguing, soulful jams since their formation in late 2011. They’ve got a new single out on UK label Stroll On Records and a debut album on the horizon. With a song like Avenue (and the equally fantastic Breaking A Heart) it’s hard to keep wild expectations in check… guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the rest of the year cooks up.

VENEZUELA: Música y Más
Okills – Nube
Okills is a band that started in mid-2010 and fuses alternative indie-rock with other genres, resulting in some fun music. In September 2011, they released their Iniciando Transmisión EP for free via the web in a pack that includes six songs, illustrations and photos of the band.

WHOTHEHELL BEST OF 2K11

MATT’S FAV ALBUMS

1. Seekae - +Dome

Track: ‘Gnor’

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I probably don’t need to spend too many unlimited digital column inches professing my love for Seekae. These guys are the best band in Australia. Possibly the whole world. +Dome took all of its predecessors strong points and input them into a more mature, cohesive and ambitious album. A truly stunning achievement.

2. Guerre - Darker My Love

Track: ‘Millenium Blues’

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The hardest working bro in Australian music averaging 4.6 gigs per week, Guerre has burst onto the scene in a big way. Last year I was posting the tunes that this faceless dude was dripfeeding to the blogging world, and now he’s put out a truly amazing album (EP?) and has a swelling local profile. Knowing how prolific he is, I’m sure there’ll be more Guerre to look forward to in 2012 – which is great news for everyone who likes any music ever.

3. Ernest Ellis - Kings Canyon

Track: ‘New Blood’

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Ernest Ellis always seemed like an odd fit for Dew Process. I liked his last album, but it didn’t sound like Ernie was being himself. The question, “who is Ernest Ellis” has been resoundingly answered with Kings Canyon and the formation of his tight new band. 10 killer ambitious tunes that have also greatly improved his live show – EE was definitely one of my fav local shows of the year as well.

4. Lawrence English - The Peregrine

[The tracks are too massive to add here in any decent quality, so please accept this Soundcloud promo instead and just got and buy the thing]

Lawrence English – The Peregrine (album preview) by experimedia

I love almost everything Lawrence English puts out. A Colour For Autumn is one of my favourite albums of all time, and the The Peregrine finds him mining territory that mixes the loose “song-ness” of that album with the dense textures of his other work. Stunning, haunting, totally engrossing. It’s not for everyone, but that doesn’t take anything away from this work of art.

5t. Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders - Hurtsville

Track: ‘Position Vacant’

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I have a photo of Nick Cave in my wallet. In front my licence. I don’t understand Nick Cave fans who don’t like Jack Ladder – but there’s plenty of them. Yes, he sounds pretty damn similar, but seriously… These songs are really special – atmospheric, moving, at times haunting. Despite opening with a comparison to Mr Cave, I’m also for considering this album on its own merits – but even in the shadow of NC it still holds its own. I don’t know anyone else who could make the line “I wanna make like a tree” sound cool. Maybe Britt Daniel, but that’s it.

5t. Royal Headache - Royal Headache

Track: ‘Down The Lane’

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I’d heard great things about this album before I’d even heard the album itself, but the weight of expectations didn’t do it any harm. I was late on the Royal Headache bandwagon, but I’m on it in a big way now. A lot of lo-fi rock has come out of this country lately, but none have done it as well as Royal Headache IMO. It never relies on the aesthetic to give it cred, and the way Shogun makes some fairly plain lyrics sound so emotive is the mark of a standout frontman. Possibly the best frontman in Aus?

Honorable Mentions: Oliver Tank, Thrupence (for these amazing mixtapes), Twerps, Nakagin, Cut Copy, Total Control, Oscar + Martin, Lost Animal, Collarbones

Bonus International List

1. Real Estate - Days
2. Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972
3. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
4. Action Bronson - Dr Lecter
5. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde

Honorable Mentions: Jurgen Muller, James Blake, Tycho, Blanck Mass, Clams Casino, Lil B, Coppice Halifax, The Antlers, Panda Bear, Lykke Li, Nicholas Jaar, Gauntlet Hair, Rangers

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MEL’S FAV ALBUMS

1. Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders – ‘Hurtsville’

Track: ‘Beautiful Sound’

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Tall, brooding, baritone kinda guy comes out and themes his third record about the shitfalls of love. People were just going to take jibes at this, but you have to get past the superficial Nick Cave comparisons (music never came out of a vacuum ya know). Sure, it’s lesser a chirpy follow up to ‘Love Is Gone’, but this was never intended to be a charismatic record. From the first swell of ‘Beautiful Sound’, to the Triffids tinged ‘Cold Feet’, there’s so many reasons why this is a brilliant record.

2. Twerps – ‘Twerps’

Track: ‘Dreamin’

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Couldn’t put Real Estate’s ‘Days’ in here for the purposes of sticking to Aus bands, but the Twerps album is probably the next best thing. Lyrics like “we’ll get drunk, we’ll get stoned, we’ll get high, we’ll get drunk” reek of surburban precociousness on paper, but the Twerps subtle delivery makes this an earnest album at best. Matt Frawley’s vocals tend to lazily saunter off track but that’s all part of the appeal. Droney surf track ‘Dreaming’ and the gorgeous treble hooks in ‘Who Are You’ are my faves. Would make friends with this record if I could.

3. Kins – ‘Dancing Back and Forth In Whipped Cream’

Track: ‘Mockasins’

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A great release from one of my favourite Melbourne bands, who’ve recently relocated to the UK. The album is apparently about a guy who ‘spent $2000 at a brothel and was baffled by his wife’s lack of understanding’. Thom Savage’s fragile refrain is hard to shirk away from and Simon Lam drums like a machine. Enjoyed all the tracks on this, but ‘Lake Troposphere’ is a fave.

4. King Gizzard – ‘Willoughby’s Beach’

Track: ‘Lunch Meat’

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Name a song ‘Dustbin Fletcher’ and you’ll probably wind up in this list too. An enthusiastic first LP for the 7 piece who’ve only been jamming since the start of the year. Good things happened when these kids discovered reverb. ‘Willoughby’s Beach’ packs in at a punchy 20 minutes, and with lyrics that don’t span more than a few words for most songs, this revels more in hummability than anything else. Watching these dudes fight over stage space, eat several mics, hump theremins and swing off the roof of the Tote with plenty of reptilian finesse also put them in my gig highlights this year. ‘Lunch Meat’ is my pick. Awesome cover art is also another reason to get this record.

5. Middle East - ‘I Want That You Are Always Happy”

Track: ‘Months’

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On surface listen, this album simmers on the slow burner – but what it lacks for in cohesiveness of ideas, it makes up for as a wonderful collection of separate tracks. There were high expectations for this record, and I’m not sure if those people who were disappointed by this album were looking for more hooks or to be lulled into another emotional malaise like ‘Recordings of The Middle East’ did. Moments of cacophonic jams (‘Mount Morgan End’) against more orchestral flourishes (‘Sydney To Newcastle’) might fight against consistency, but ‘Land of the Bloody Unknown’ and ‘Dan’s Silverleaf’ offer more ground. Narrated by delicate songwriting, the album captures a great sense of warmth and open space present in that distinct ‘Australian’ sound I love. If anything, ‘Months’ is the best song that sums up this record. A fitting send off for The Middle East, this is definitely an album I’ll continue to return to in years to come.

Bonus 6-10 list!

6. Tim Fitz - Beforetime EP
7. Abbe May - Design Desire
8. Big Scary – Vacation
9. Witch Hats - Pleasure Syndrome
10. Snowman - Absence
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DAVE’S FAV SONGS

Catcall - ‘Satellites’

This is taken from Catcall’s debut album which I understand is arriving very soon. The joy I felt pumping Miami Horror’s ‘Sometimes’ the year before has been replaced by the sparkle of this fantastic dance bump. I’ve seen Catcall play a couple of times and her shows are amongst the most fun, emotionally charged and uplifting experiences I’ve ever had at live gigs.

Harmony – ‘Cacophonous Vibes’

If you don’t feel something deep inside your guts when listening to this track you must be fucking dead. Great idea to join such gorgeous backing vocals with the gravel of Tom Lyngcoln’s dark vocals. Try singing this chorus out loud and not feel peace afterwards.

The Jezabels – ‘Endless Summer’

If you listen to JJJ I’d forgive you for being sick of hearing about The Jezabels but thankfully I have community radio so I’m actually sick of the sweet DIY loop pedal hoopla. This band plays a thundering set live and the ‘Endless Summer’ video actually had a narrative which considering all the pointless fluff flooding our blogs is quite refreshing.

Ernest Ellis & The Panamas – ‘Great Sky’

Ernest Ellis & The Panamas played the Toff earlier this year and it was probably my fav local show of the year. I was lost in their sound, transfixed by the presence Ellis has on stage and took some of my better photos of the year.

International: James Blake - ‘Lindisfarne’

The international bump for the year comes from the remarkable self-titled record by James Blake. The only thing better then this record was seeing him perform it live. An achingly beautiful sound and genius movement of experimental beats and vocal distortion.

Tim Harvey – Our Galaxy (Who By Fire)

There’s been some fantastic work from film collectives showing off local stuff lately (big ups to the guys from 6 On the St & No Dice Paradice). Who By Fire (Alexander Watkins, Sian Darling + Ben Helweg) are another talented bunch to join the pool. In ‘La Blogotheque’ style, the trio have teamed up with a bunch of Melbourne musos including Johnny Mackay (Children Collide), Matt Bailey, Brous, Seagull, Mesa Cosa + HOY for a series of takeaway shows to be released each week over summer. Along with this acoustic gem from Tim Harvey, there’s another great vid of Brous reppin’ some spaghetti western vibes in a Lygon St cafe (see here) and a whole bunch of other shorts up on their vimeo worth a look too.

www.whobyfire.com.au

MAP November 2011

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a .zip file of the whole 35-track compilation via MediaFire.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Fútbol – El Asedio De River
El Eternauta is an amazing science fiction comic created by Argentine comic strip writer Héctor Germán Oesterheld with artwork by Francisco Solano López. It was first published from 1957 to 1959. Los Ellos is a tribute compilation to this work and its author, one of 30,000 people who disappeared during the dictatorship that ruled the country between 1976 and 1983. The album contains 18 original tracks written by independent bands from La Plata and Buenos Aires. El Asedio De River is one of them, an instrumental track from alternative rock trio Fútbol.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Feathers – Cat Burgler
Cat Burgler is a sweet new jam from Brisbane’s Feathers, taken from their forthcoming 12″ Hunter’s Moon, out through Bon Voyage. The song showcases this all-female four-piece’s ability to intertwine whimsy and hooks into irresistible tunes suited for both Saturday nights and Sunday mornings.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Kassin – Calça De Ginástica
Kassin is a producer who has worked with some of the most creative artists in Brazilian contemporary music. He has also played in some bands and projects and this year he released his first solo album, from which Calça De Ginástica is taken. The electronic pop is combined with funny lyrics in which a man tells of his desires with a girl he knows (such as having sex with her in a paraplegic’s bathroom while wearing his gym clothes).

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
First Rate People – Someone Else Can Make A Work Of Art
Someone Else Can Make A Work Of Art is a dance song, but only in the way that, say, All My Friends is a dance song. It’s got incredibly catchy beats and a wonderful vocal performance, but it’s held together by a genuine emotional core. It, and the album it comes from, are currently free for download from Bandcamp, so there’s really no reason not to go get it right now.

CHILE: Super 45
Fernando Milagros – Carnaval (feat. Christina Rosenvinge)
San Sebastián, the third album from singer-songwriter Fernando Milagros, is, in simple terms, a masterpiece. Although in his early days as a musician Milagros pointed towards a more contemplative kind of folk (a big reference here would be Nick Drake or the calmer moments of Devendra Banhart), in his newest album he explores South American music, creating denser pieces, darker yet more powerful. Carnaval, the first single from the album, features guest Spanish musician Christina Rosenvinge.

CHINA: Wooozy
Tong Dang – Don’t Let Me Cry
Tong Dang formed in 2001 in Chengdu. Their name is derived from the Chinese word meaning “Young Gang”. They started off as a melodic nu-metal band and gradually added elements of pop-punk and emo. Tong Dang are known for their explosive performances which features catchy hooks and melodies. Don’t Let Me Cry is taken from their album Far Away, released in 2007.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Echo Me – Darkest Hour
It’s alternative pop-rock with a folksy touch. It’s Echo Me aka Jesper Madsen. It’s an eponymous debut album. And it’s great.

ENGLAND: The Guardian Music Blog
WooWoos – Fizzy Lettuce
WooWoos are Nicky, Tasie and Jess, three London girls shaping up to be the new Sugababes – only the Sugababes when they were good, when Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan were in the group, not the three ciphers they’ve got in now. They’re funny, they’re sassy, and their debut single, Fizzy Lettuce, is 90s trip-hop revisited with a solid chorus that suggests there in a substantial musical base below the fizz and pop. We still don’t know what is a Woo Woo, or indeed what is fizzy lettuce, but at least they’re getting us thinking, these sugar-babes with subversive intent.

ESTONIA: Popop
Ewert And The Two Dragons – Jolene
Ewert And The Two Dragons, consisting of Evert Sundja, Erki Pärnoja, Ivo Etti and Kristjan Kallas, sky-rocketed into the Estonian music scene in autumn 2009 with their debut album The Hills Behind The Hills. 2010 was a busy year for the Dragons: they performed in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, including noted festivals such as Tallinn Music Week and Positivus. Their smooth sounds and melodies have been praised both at home and abroad. Their second album, Good Man Down, came out in April and has enjoyed tremendous success.

FINLAND: Glue
The Saturnettes – Girl Named Sue
The Saturnettes, from Tampere, blend in a refreshing way the 70s glam rock sounds of David Bowie and T. Rex with a touch of new wave and synth-pop. Girl Named Sue is the very catchy first single off their debut album.

FRANCE: Yet You’re Fired
1995 – La Source
Ask someone from France if they like French rap and they will most likely answer ‘no’, but ask if they likes old-school rap and the answer is most likely to be ‘yes’. And that’s what this month’s band is all about: old-school rap, with modern lyrics. 1995 (or “un-double-neuf-cinq”/”un-neuf-neuf-cinq”) is a young rap collective (five MCs, one DJ) hailing from Paris who released an extraordinary, well-received EP, La Source, last June. The EP is a work of art for people disappointed and bored by gangsta-like music, and is almost a miracle for the purists as well, thanks to the return to basics, the flow and the instrumentals. You can buy La Source on Amazon or iTunes.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
Jolly Goods – If I Were A Woman
When you listen to Jolly Goods’ second album Walrus, released recently on Staatsakt, you should be prepared for some serious disarray. Their songs, especially their lyrics, bear testament to a deep doubt in the world as it appears to these two sisters; they capture emotions like anger, trepidation and a little bit of hope in an extraordinary way.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Sugar Factory – 440
Sugar Factory have unleashed their luminous, lilting, lovely debut single, the double A-side 440 / Explosions. It’s an insular instrumental experience, casting intrigue in the minute details, an immersive and inevitably cinematic gem rich in fuzzy memories, nostalgia, melody and atmosphere, with woozy accordion that accentuates the underlying emotions, guitars and samples with an otherworldly quality that lingers with you. Listen to 440, a perfect mood piece as the night begins to draw in.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Polka Wars – Horse Hooves
Horse Hooves is an echoey, spacey song made by a collective of young boys influenced by the current fuzzed and mopey music scene. You’ll love their simple interpretation of what we call humble music.

IRELAND: Nialler9
We Cut Corners – Go Easy
Go Easy is a fine example of what to expect from Today I Realised I Could Go Backwards, the debut album from Dublin duo We Cut Corners. Restricting themselves to drums, guitar and voice doesn’t hamper John Duignan and Conall O’Breachain in the construction of their direct songs. Rather, they find new ways to create unique songs from a limited palette. They might Go Easy but they will go far.

ITALY: Polaroid
Horrible Present – Cloudy Talks
Nicola Donà used to sing in the band Calorifero, now he lives in London and writes music under the moniker Horrible Present. His new songs are more lo-fi, bedroom pop-oriented, ranging from synth-driven experimental tunes to romantic acoustic guitar ballads, but always with a big shining love for melodies. And the love is returned. Expect a debut album in early 2012.

JAPAN: Make Believe Melodies
Avec Avec – Kuzuha No Sunday
Avec Avec is one of the most promising young artists to emerge in a burgeoning electronic scene based in the Kansai region. Kuzuha No Sunday stands as one of the best tracks from this fledgling movement, a stuttering beat-driven song reminiscent of Bibio or Cornelius that sounds like a perfect sunny Sunday. The sweetest part comes via that glitchy vocal sample, one of the most joyous sounds to come out of Japan this year.

MALTA: Stagedive Malta
Cable 35 – Cow Head
Formed in 2006, Cable 35 have become known for their highly energetic performances and are arguably Malta’s tightest band. The three-piece is made up of singer and guitarist Jeffrey Zerafa, bassist Kriz Zahra and drummer Chris Mallia. Following a couple of EPs, the band released their aptly-titled debut album Louder three months ago and are currently touring Europe to promote it. Louder brings back Bleach-era Nirvana to your ears.

MEXICO: Red Bull Panamérika
Antoine Reverb – You As A Fish
The tradition states that Guadalajara is the quintessential land for Machos and Mariachi in Mexico. But Antoine Reverb (actually a quintet, not a person) doesn’t belong to their time and place. On their splendid second album Everything Is A Foreign Language To Me, the band sets their inner clocks backwards on a swirly Victorian time-travel in a quest to reach the land of the Pet Sounds, rabbit-holing on a twee-gaze mood (reminiscent of Broadcast in the 90s), finally sliding on a spiral that leads to confusing atmospheres that resemble the soundtrack for the Czech vampire film Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders. Antoine Reverb are not only strangers in their own land, but in their own dreams.

NETHERLANDS: Unfold Amsterdam
Moon & Sun – Hunt (Gavin Russom remix)
Although based in Amsterdam, Moon & Sun is very much an international concept. At its core is artist/musician Monica Tormell, who’s originally from Sweden but who wrote and recorded her debut album, The Wild Things, in Curaçao, the Swedish woods and also back in Amsterdam. That original collection emerged last November, offering bouts of atmospheric and tribal folk. One year on, a number of its tracks have been reworked by a host of international collaborators. This remix by DFA artist and LCD Soundsystem collaborator Gavin Russom draws on the heavily percussive elements to create electronic patterns reminiscent of Swedish peers The Knife and jj.

NEW ZEALAND: Einstein Music Journal
Fabulous/Arabia – The Ballad Of State Highway 1
James Milne (Lawrence Arabia) and Mike Fabulous (The Black Seeds) unveiled their collaboration last month and surprised many fans by presenting an album of nu jazz songs – combining elements of funk, soul and jazz, while quite obviously retaining Lawrence Arabia’s indie-pop influence. Their debut album is a mixed bag, each song exploring a different path. The most obvious reference is British downtempo DJ Mr Scruff, courtesy of Fabulous’ wonderfully unusual instrumental experimentation. Their debut album Unlimited Buffet can be downloaded from Bandcamp.

NORWAY: Birds Sometimes Dance
Bendik – Igjen
Bendik is a lush, ambient electro-pop band signed to the great Trondheim-based label Riot Factory alongside the likes of Scarlet Chives, Dråpe, Angelica’s Elegy and Pelbo. It started as Silje Halstensen’s solo project but has now grown into a trio. They have played at some of the biggest festivals throughout Norway, such as Øyafestivalen, Pstereo and Slottsfjell, and their debut album will be released next year.

PERU: SoTB
Division Mayday – Lugar Seguro
Division Mayday formed in 2008 and their sound ranges from post-punk to electro-pop. A mix of electronic guitars, intimate lyrics, an intense rhythmic base and electronic sequences are the raw materials of their musical proposal.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Rose Blanket – Feel My Way Around
Nothing Ahead Nothing Behind is the third album from Miguel Dias’ project Rose Blanket, recorded between 2008 and 2011. For this double album, he collaborated with several Portuguese musicians and two American vocalists, Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields) and Dana Schechter (Bee And Flower). Feel My Way Around features Jennifer Charles.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
East Roots – S.O.S.
East Roots is not a conventional dub/reggae band. As the cardinal points, each member comes with a new direction: drum ‘n’ bass, reggae, ska, dancehall and even trip-hop, you will find it all in their music.

RUSSIA: Big Echo
Valotihkuu – Two Shadows
Valotihkuu’s Flutter EP is made up of 15 tracks which collect memories and emotions of a full year, filled up with nostalgia, old vibes, cassette tapes, weird samples and a unique feel that might remind you of Madlib and Monster Rally.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Bats In The Attic (Unravelled)
Rarely has the word “timeless” been more appropriate for a record. It took seven years for King Creosote and Jon Hopkins to make their first collaborative album, the Mercury Prize-nominated Diamond Mine, and it handsomely captures delicate snapshots of unhurried, everyday life in rural Fife – literally, with the sound of coffee shop chatter, running streams and chirping seagulls. Here’s an exclusive free MAP download of their reworking of album track Bats In The Attic, taken from their Honest Words EP.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…
Magus – Riders On Psychedelics
Magus is a new collaboration between Mark Dolmont and Leslie Low, the latter best known for his work with Humpback Oak and The Observatory. Their debut effort is fittingly the first release by Ujikaji Records, a new independent label and distro focusing on experimental music in the region. The album, titled Sun Worshipper, presents a dark and spiritual brew of kraut-inspired psychedelia which makes for an addictively harrowing pilgrimage through the deepest of valleys.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Laurie Levine – Six Winters
Six Winters is the lovely first single and title track of the third album by acclaimed Johannesburg singer-songwriter Laurie Levine. Piano and acoustic-driven, twinkling and atmospheric with an electric tinge, it all makes Laurie’s heady blend of folk coupled with her captivating vocals one that has earned her critical acclaim and a growing audience.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
Coedwig – Let Her Go
Street folk artist Neofolk has gotten himself a band member and formed the unit Coedwig. Let Her Go is one of the indie rock numbers on the recently self-released first EP, which also contains a couple of acoustic tracks – a sound that is very popular in Korea at the moment.

SPAIN: Musikorner
Lasers – Solar System
Lasers are a cosmic pop three-piece from Barcelona. Influenced by acts such as Animal Collective, Fuck Buttons, locals Delorean and label mates The Suicide Of Western Culture (featured in September’s MAP), Lasers have learnt to create extraterrestrial atmospheres using “samples, tireless cyclic sounds, breeze melodies” in their music, which can be both obscure and optimistic at a time or, as they call it, “noise and poetry”. Lasers will release their first album Juno through Irregular in December, from which Solar System is taken.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
Halina Larsson – Puget Sounds
Halina Larsson is an expat from Sweden who has lived in LA and now resides in Brooklyn. She has a diverse sound and a variety of influences including Janis Joplin, Nina Simone, Erykah Badu, Feist and Elliott Smith. Halina is a trained jazz vocalist who, on her latest Fires & French Horns EP, falls somewhere between indie folk songstress and new soul chanteuse. It’s an odd combination but on certain songs and in certain styles she can pull it off.

SWITZERLAND: 78s
laFayette – Heavy Rain (feat. Lena Fennel)
Since their launch in 2009, Basel boys Jascha Dormann and Simon Hauswirth have found their place in the Swiss electronica scene. Musically, laFayette boldly go into the deep end of a pool filled with electronica, hip hop and techno music. Their debut EP Sputnik was released in September.

UNITED STATES: I Guess I’m Floating
Saskatchewan – Skinny Dipping
Orlando, Florida’s Saskatchewan are masters of slow-built dream pop, lush vocal harmonies and melodies that are damn near impossible to ignore. Skinny Dipping is their latest single, available for free on Bandcamp. Look out for an album sometime in early 2012.

VENEZUELA: Música y Más
Carlos Angola – Hasta Mañana
I first saw Carlos Angola at a festival called VirgenFest which was being held in a public square. The atmosphere was magical, it felt like Woodstock. On stage there was this boy with glasses, an acoustic guitar and a great voice. Carlos Angola used to be part of a ska band called Skabiosis, but now he is displaying his talents as a solo artist with his album Rompecabezas which guarantees total relaxation no matter when you listen to it.

Don’t look back – photo review

I have been posting on WTH for 2 years so for my 50th post I thought I’d share my top 5 gigs over that time. Thanks for getting out and seeing live music, it’s a joy to cover for you.

Let’s kick off with Brendan Suppression riding the crowd during an Eddie current suppression ring gig at Billboard on the 18 December 2009. It was so damn hot that night, I thought I was gonna pass out. I couldn’t find my way out when trying to leave and had to have a bouncer walk me out as I was so freakin delirious. These guys sent the crowd into a frenzy and to get this shot I jumped up onto the stage and faced back into the crowd. I wouldn’t advise doing that but at the time it felt right and I’m pretty happy with this picture.

This shot is of Tim Jenkins of Parades and I think it’s fair to say he was in the moment. Parades were a pretty nice surprise for me as I had not heard any of their music prior to this gig at the East Brunswick Club 4 May 2010. From the get go I was hooked into the melody and their energy on stage was intoxicating; these guys were young and having loads of fun. I really enjoy shooting at the EBC as there is plenty of light and a wide stage to shoot back across to get a clear frame like this – signature EBC photography.

Before Kimbra did that catchy tune with that guy who’s gonna win all the ARIA’s she supported Little Red at the Forum on the 29 Oct 2010. Whoah… hot damn! I was so impressed by her voice and presence on stage that I considered going home after. It was a real shame for Sparkadia and Little Red as those guys seemed dull compared with the sparkle of this glamorous diva. Her very photogenic posing with full stage lights made the hardest part choosing which image to post.

I love festivals and Good Vibes on the 4 Feb 2011 was a great summer day that kicked off with Melbourne band Strange Talk. These guys have picked up on the popularity of dance/rock or indie/electro as the critics prefer but for me it is simply feel good tunes. Strange Talk had the kids dancing before anyone was peaking and during the self-conscious opening slot in the middle of the day. I really enjoyed shooting Strange Talk plus a crowd reflection in sunglasses is photo gold! Expect to see more of these guys during the summer.

As for the camping festivals, I’d recommend Tassie Falls as my fav but on the mainland, Golden Plains in March takes the cake. This may come as a shock to cool indie folks but Airbourne were probably one of the most exciting acts at this years Golden Plains. The very hip Wavves was so lazy and boring compared to the riot these guys brought for 45 minutes of musical mayhem. I loved everything about this set - the sneakers with torn jeans and no t-shirts. The beer blasts and crazy nonsense screaming at the crowd. The shit load of marshal amps and the guitarists running back and forth across the stage like lunatics. Airbourne played their guts out and everyone that let themselves enjoy it, did so with a huge grin.

‘Ghost’ of Young Romantics

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We covered the first single release of Young Romantic’s film clip for ‘Dark Times’, but after hearing them play recently around the Sydney traps, I thought I’d give them a second look.

The band’s made up of some talented players; the drummer playing for Slow Down Honey, while the singer Dave Jenkins Jr is also in SDH and plays in the backing band for Mister Andy Bull. Together they’ve created a unique sound, and a promising start with this first EP ‘Dark Times’.

This track ‘Ghost’ opens with a guitar tone worthy of a Tarantino film, moving swiftly into an authentic 80’s driving swagger, with a vocal delivery reminiscent of Steve Kilby from The Church – A classic lazy, deep, drawl. The song instantly puts me in a movie scene, where some serious shit’s just gone down, and now I’m on a mission. Driving a black Mustang. Cool Track, I like it.

But that’s just me. Feel free to send in your own imaginary adventures.
Band deets – http://youngromantics.com.au

I’lls’ – ‘Thrice’

(mp3)

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Whoever’s idea it was to slap a few apostrophes in this band name for some harmless fun should probably be shot. Screwing with syntax may get your band cut through, but it’s highly inconvenient for the rest of us trying to conduct a google search.

Pronounced ‘isles’ not ‘ills’, this new Melb three piece scored a Parklife spot after just one gig. Frontman Simon Lam also plays in The Ocean Party and Kins.

The first thirty seconds of this track fizzles out on the contemplative slow burner, but some gorgeous layers begin to surface soon after. A thoughtful, transient track – multi-tiered parts jump out of the ether and evaporate into the troposphere in a seamless dissolve. That cruisy guitar hook plucked from the void at 2.11 tops it for me.

Willing to get past the grammatical mindfuck, because I’m convinced this is a pretty awesome tune.

Catch I’lls’ at Parklife alongside other locals Gold Fields, Kimbra, Bon Chat Bon Rat, 8 Bit Love and more.

I’lls’ Facebook
www.illsmusic.bandcamp.com

Dancing Back and Forth in Whipped Cream

Kins – ‘Mockasins’

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Melbourne’s Kins are finally releasing their mini LP Dancing Back and Forth in Whipped Cream on May 20th. The LP was recorded in Kins’ home studio late 2010 and mastered by Matt Voigt (Cat Power, Augie March, Big Scary) earlier this year.

The band have also just been announced on the bill for newcomer Castle Festival alongside a list of other local acts.

These guys put on a pretty swell live show, although I’m still yet to witness some smooth choreography and whipped dairy goods as the LP title suggests. Three shots at redemption below.

www.hellokins.blogspot.com

www.castlemusicfestival.com