Category: Mailbag

AUTHOR’S NOTE: From time to time, I get e-mails from artists suggesting that I might be interested in their music. The “mailbag” is my attempt to give back by showcasing the talent of those emerging artists whose work I genuinely enjoyed.

It’s been so long since we’ve done a mailbag, or any post for that matter! At the end of August I got an e-mail about the new NSFW ‘banned’ video for the new single by Perth indie synth poppers Voltaire Twins. You can view that video right here:

Voltaire Twins – Solaris from Voltaire Twins on Vimeo.

The nudity for which it was banned from the ol’ YouTube is moderate, in a writhing group-sex-scene-from-the-Matrix-sequel sortof way, but arty enough that I it isn’t tawdry or porny. I liked the video, personally.

So much so that I quickly found my way to the band’s SoundCloud page to hear more of the music, which is what really had impressed me.

I highly encourage you to hit up the SC link at the bottom, where you can stream the full Apollo EP. Clocking in at 4 songs, it’s over in roughly 16 minutes, but it’s such a rich experience that you can’t help but give it another spin the second it stops.

Initially, the video track ‘Solaris’ was the draw for me, but little by little the second track became my favorite, then the third… and finally the fourth. Every song on Apollo is worthy of being a ‘favorite’.

For the closing track, which is my present preference, ‘Silhouettes‘ paints a vivid image of a frigid, perfect world where the two objects of the song had never met.

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‘Silhouettes’
[ mp3 ♫ ]

The ethereal synth is amazing accompaniment over the dual vocals of Tegan and Jaymes, which ring with a sharpness and clarity only a proper listen will do justice. Thumping, tribal percussion offers contrast and texture that rewards repeat listens.

Can’t recommend this one enough. Super excited to see what a full-length from these guys would look like.

Voltaire Twins’ SoundCloud Page
Purchase Apollo on iTunes

AUTHOR’S NOTE: From time to time, I get e-mails from artists suggesting that I might be interested in their music. The “mailbag” is my attempt to give back by showcasing the talent of those emerging artists whose work I genuinely enjoyed.

This one will be short and to the point: a few weeks ago, at the start of May, Swedish label Labrador sent me a copy of a single by their newest (and at 16 years old, likely their youngest) artist, Amanda Mair.

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‘House’
[ mp3 ♫ ]

‘House‘ is a forlorn little tune that packs a hell of a punch. The lyrics are simple, direct, and accessible, all without being trite. With soft, emotive verses to bolster a strong, driving chorus, the song is quite balanced.

Besides that, I’d be remiss if I didn’t compliment the artist’s voice. ‘House’ actually is an exercise in restraint, but I’m excited to see what Mair does on a track where she can really cut loose.

I e-mailed Labrador for more tracks, but to no avail. Rest assured, dear reader, that I’ll keep my ear to the ground and let you know about the next exciting piece of music headed our way from this talented young artist.

Amanda Mair – ‘House’ Single

AUTHOR’S NOTE: From time to time, I get e-mails from artists suggesting that I might be interested in their music. The “mailbag” is my attempt to give back by showcasing the talent of those emerging artists whose work I genuinely enjoyed.

Boston’s own Breakfast of Champions sent me their most recent track, ‘Reservoir‘, which was just released in late February.

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‘Reservoir’
[ mp3 ♫ ]

In trying to come up with a way to describe this song, I arrived at ‘elemental’. The components are not especially exotic (percussion, very light synth, bass, lead guitar, distinctive vocals, horns), but there’s an elegance in the simplicity of ‘Reservoir’.

What I like especially about the song is that it was mixed such that at any instant you can hone in on an individual component of the track. Too much music now devolves into a cacophonous wall of sound, and all the detail is obscured. Breakfast of Champions provides a track here that has stunning clarity without sacrificing texture.

It’s also subversively catchy; proof pudding that all politics is local, I really ended up enjoying the tune a lot.

In a funny coincidence, I go to school nearby the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, and so in my head this song is about something I see every day, even if that’s probably not the band’s intent. I’m very excited to find out what happens to the group, and hopefully I can catch them at a show before too long.

Breakfast of Champions Bandcamp Page

AUTHOR’S NOTE: From time to time, I get e-mails from artists suggesting that I might be interested in their music. The “mailbag” is my attempt to give back by showcasing the talent of those emerging artists whose work I genuinely enjoyed.

Normally I enjoy a healthy dose of synthetic influence in my indie-pop; in fact, I almost do as a rule. Less common in my musical repertoire is more direct, synth-focused music. Recently, however, I’ve been trying to branch out, and one of the things I’ve really enjoyed so far has been Sensual Harassment.

Don’t let the name fool you: the only thing inappropriate about this music is how much it makes you want to dance.

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‘Soldier’
[ mp3 ♫ ]

The first track I chose to share was the multi-layered ‘Soldier‘. My first impression was that it evoked memories of Alphaville’s ‘Forever Young’, in that it sounds like you should be slow-dancing to it at some prom in the mid-80′s. There’s more to it than that, however, and the real strength of the song is it showcases that the genre is capable of emotive pieces that have real feeling.

However, if it’s a balls-to-the-wall tech-anthem you want, Sensual Harassment can do that for you too. Off of their brand-new record, Alpha Draconis is my favorite piece by the group so far, the bold and infectious ‘Boss‘:

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‘Boss’
[ mp3 ♫ ]

The best thing about this song is the chorus riff, which is really triumphant, and the whole thing just carries you along, from the laser “pow-pows” to the haunting vocals, it is a really streamlined piece of music.

If you’d like to hear more from the band, or purchase their record, click below:

Sensual Harassment – Alpha Draconis

AUTHOR’S NOTE: From time to time, I get e-mails from artists suggesting that I might be interested in their music. The “mailbag” is my attempt to give back by showcasing the talent of those emerging artists whose work I genuinely enjoyed.

Casey Chandler is Galapaghost, a one-man act (at the moment) with a wide array of influences who truly does them justice. The handful of tracks I listened to were quiet and subdued, perfect for maintaining the emotional connection that really proves integral to experiencing Chandler’s music.

For just one person the music has a pleasantly surprising amount of depth to it. It’s exciting to think of what Chandler could accomplish with a few bandmates to add to an already rich sound.

My favorite Galapaghost track was ‘Runnin’‘. The conflict within the narrative of the lyrics seemed honest, and the chorus has just enough of a beat to get my head bobbing in time to the tune.

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‘Runnin’’
[ mp3 ♫ ]

Like any respectable band Galapaghost has a mySpace page. If you’re interested in additional tracks besides ‘Runnin”, he just released a new EP titled ‘Neptunes’ earlier this year.