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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Just Rolled In: Crepes - "Ain't Horrible" [slacker pop / jangle pop / indie rock]

One of the most recent additions to Melbourne's robust indie music scene, the four-piece band Crepes (originally from Ballarat), has just released the easy going indie pop track "Ain't Horrible" as the first single from their forthcoming 2015 debut EP. The song's laid-back guitar/drums interplay and singer Tim Karmouche's lackadaisical vocal delivery remind me of a mix between Cass McCombs and Melbourne "dolewave" band Dick Diver, while its gratifying blend of harmonizing vocals and keys and the sometimes-strange assorted sound effects layered throughout the choruses and latter half of the song give me the feeling that I'm falling in slow motion into the freaky psychedelic realm of Connan Mockasin or Mac DeMarco. However, the way that Crepes have managed to draw from multiple influences to make a "slacker pop" song sound so rich, smooth, and catchy is what makes them truly unmatchable, and as the title seems to suggest, not horrible.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Swell EP: Monogold - This Bloom [psych pop / indie pop / experimental]

One of my greatest discoveries of 2011, Brooklyn's very own experimental psych-pop trio Monogold, is finally back in my life with new music. Not unlike The Softest Glow (their amazing LP that initially caught my ear) and the debut We Animals EP before that, the recently released This Bloom EP is by no means lacking in the hook department and is damn sure to make you shake something. Brimming with bouncy beats, soaring falsetto harmonies, tropical guitar licks, kaleidoscopic looping and sampling, and most importantly, positive vibes, these endorphin-inducing sound collages establish Monogold's This Bloom as the go-to pick-me-up record this fall to keep us from slipping into winter hibernation while making the arrival of spring seem within our grasp. 

It may have taken them a while to put out some new jams, but I'm psyched to hear that they are already working on an acoustic followup release called Good Heavens, and sometime next year, they will be gracing us with a full-length record!

Stream and purchase Monogold's entire new EP below and watch a video of the band doing a live acoustic performance of "Holograms" at NYLON Studios in NYC, which may be a bit more autumn-appropriate, so make sure to check out their first two releases on their BandCamp page to get your blood pumping again.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Just Rolled In: Denpasar - "Dumb Fun" / "Old Enough" [indie pop / indie rock]

As I tend to do in my spare time, I was spending the evening clicking through SoundCloud pages on my endless search for new music when I came across something that immediately stood out: the instantly gratifying and catchy-as-hell indie pop song "Dumb Fun" by Brisbane, Australia duo Denpasar (off their upcoming Joy EP). In the same vein as the snarly San Diego surf punks Wavves, Ben Fahey (who composed the song and seems to be the primary singer of the band) along with his production-savvy counterpart Alex L'Estrange pummel through this addictive track tirelessly, winding up just under the two-and-a-half minute mark, and with Fahey hardly having taken a breath.

Another pick from Denpasar's Joy EP, "Old Enough", caught my ear with its shimmery guitars, complex structure, and glossier indie pop finish. This one was composed by L'Estrange and rolls along at a more leisurely pace, but is unfortunately even shorter than "Dumb Fun". The slightly snotty vocals of the previous track are traded for more dreamy-sounding ones on "Old Enough", which makes for more of a euphoric listen.

The Joy EP was slated to be out mid-2014, but I haven't been able to locate it online, so check Denpasar's Facebook page for updates.

Stream the two songs below, along with a couple great tracks from Fahey and L'Estrange's previous indie rock band Don Koyote and a recent song from another one of L'Estrange's current projects – Bilby.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Just Rolled In: Wilder Maker - "Hope Springs" [americana / indie folk]

Boston-born, Brooklyn-dwelling Gabriel Birnbaum is the songwriter behind the Americana/folk rock band Wilder Maker, which used to be known as Boy Without God and already has a couple records out, but his credits don't stop there. Whether on stage or in the studio, the twenty-eight-year-old musician has played with the likes of Sharon Van EttenJens LekmanAkron/FamilyLady Lamb the BeekeeperDeVotchKaLandlady, and SKATERS. He is also a member of the Ethiopian pop group Debo Band who released a critically-acclaimed full length back in 2012 via Sub Pop Records.

With this extensive résumé and the release of the lead single, "Hope Springs", from the first volume of Wilder Maker's upcoming Everyday Crimes Against Objects of Desire series, Gabriel Birnbaum is on the right track to making a name for himself and putting his band on the map. The song floats along at a leisurely pace with wispy guitars, dreamy organs, and beautiful boy/girl vocal harmonies, but the most standout characteristics of the track are Birnbaum's blues-y baritone (much like Bill Callahan's voice, or Justin Vernon's, when he's not hitting falsettos or tweaking the AutoTune knob) and the contradictory echo of the word "die" during the hopeful choruses. However, considering that Everyday Crimes... is a conceptual series of three EPs dealing with the tribulations of a rough breakup, the mixed emotions of the choruses make sense, and when bandmate Katie Von Schleicher chimes in with Birnbaum on the choruses just after he finishes reminiscing over his lost love in the verses, it effectively adds a realness to the melancholic situation of which we have just scratched the surface with "Hope Springs".

Pre-order a copy of Everyday Crimes Against Objects of Desire, Vol. I here or get your hands on it when it's released November 18 via Bleaksploitation Records. Enjoy the first single "Hope Springs" from Wilder Maker's three-part EP series below, as well as an excellent track from their 2013 album Year of Endless Light.


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Swell Album: #1 Dads - About Face [indie rock / soul / experimental pop]

Tom Iansek has been featured on holaOLA before, but as half of the award-winning Australian duo Big Scary. Now, the Melbourne songwriter is back, further proving his excellent musicianship, songwriting, and vocal skills as the force behind #1 Dads, his solo project, which recently released the beautiful record About Face on Pieater Records.

Formed as a way to keep busy creating new material between recording sessions and touring with his more established music project, #1 Dads first made its mark back in May 2011 (as Dads) with the debut release, Man of Leisure. The only real sonic connection that can be made between the two projects is that they both feature Iansek's passionate vocals and experimental pop sensibilities. Comparing #1 Dads' new record with Big Scary's recent genre-defying Not Art LP, Iansek not only mellows down his vocals a bit (albeit without sacrificing any of the soul), but he tones down the music too, favoring subdued piano arrangements and acoustic guitars to punchy keys and percussion. The presence of guest vocalists (Tom Snowdon of Lowlakes, Ainslie Wills, and Airling) on select tracks of About Face also adds a new dynamic to his minimal indie rock, making for an engrossing listening experience that's just as diverse as the list of genres tagged to his previous music.

Stream/purchase the entire album below and hop on over to #1 Dads' BandCamp page to stream and/or buy 2011's Man of Leisure.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Artist Making Waves: Pat Hull [folk / soul / singer-songwriter]

Originally from Connecticut, singer-songwriter Pat Hull is the son of two classically trained musicians and vocal/piano teachers who fortunately managed to pass on their singing skills and love for music to him. Growing up, Pat picked up multiple instruments like piano, saxophone, and cello, but fell in love with the guitar and starting playing with bands in his college years in New York. After graduating in 2009, Hull moved out to Chico, California for graduate school where he sharpened his skills, recording three albums with the help of other musicians. In 2010, he moved back to Brooklyn where he met and collaborated with Jason Beck and Michael Chinworth on his next two albums, 2011's Light and last year's Shed Skin. Now, Pat Hull resides in Santa Cruz, CA and recently put out his newest record, In The Yellow Room, which is a collection of intimate songs recorded live between 2011 and 2014 with bandmates Mark Robertson and Bob Reynolds at Yellow Room Recording in Portland, Oregon.

As is evident on In The Yellow Room, Pat Hull is one of the few great modern folk musicians with a soulful voice that enraptures you the moment it meets the microphone. My family and I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live on his solo tour this summer in Newburyport, MA, where he played for a small crowd of unsuspecting microbrew aficionados in a local brewery. He played for a few hours, churning out original songs along with a number of classic rock and folk covers that would have slipped by me had my mother not recognized the lyrics and started mumbling along. Everything sounded uniquely his own thanks to the marriage between his alluring singing style and complementary guitar playing. One thing is certain as you listen to Pat Hull play: His impassioned, soothing signature is left on everything he touches.

Jump on over to Pat Hull's BandCamp page to stream all six of his beautiful albums, or you can start below with his two latest records, In The Yellow Room and Shed Skin. Be sure to follow him on Facebook to hear about upcoming shows and releases.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Just Rolled In: Burn Antares - "Crystal Love" [psychedelic / rock 'n' roll / 60s revival / soul]

The 1960s might be long gone, but luckily enough for us millennials (and nostalgic baby boomers), psychedelic rockers Burn Antares from Sydney, Australia are gracing stages and studios today channeling the soul, melody, and groovy vibes intrinsic to that decade's music. Fronted by the seductive pipes of Grace Farriss, daughter of INXS keyboardist/guitarist/composer Andrew Farriss, Burn Antares manages to catapult us back almost half a century with their psychedelic guitar riffs and solos, jangly percussion, ceiling-busting background vocal harmonies, blazing organs, and of course, Farriss's soulful, energetic vocals, which are quite evocative of those of Stevie Nicks.

Already having released an excellent self-titled debut EP in late 2013, Burn Antares are back with the single "Crystal Love" from their upcoming EP Fur Coat & The Peace Boat, which is being released this October. Check out the track below, followed by their beautiful rework of INXS's song "By My Side" and a full stream of their debut EP.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Swell Album: Jordan Ruiz - The Mountain [indie folk / singer-songwriter]

Screenshot from Jordan Ruiz's live video for "The Mountain" on YouTube
I get music entries from time to time here at holaOLA, but the music usually doesn't fit into what I like to write about on the blog or I don't really dig it in the first place. That's why Los Angeles singer-songwriter Jordan Ruiz has caught me completely off guard. He sends me a link to his new album The Mountain and after clicking 'play', as I would do with any entry, I am actually impressed by the opening bars; in this case, it's the artful acoustic guitar picking of the opening title track. Shortly after, his soothing voice floats in, taking on a loose resemblance to Iron & Wine, but before long, the song picks up into something genuinely beautiful, something that makes me think of Bon Iver. Horns come flying in with a pitter-patter drumbeat that escalates into an explosive chorus of uplifting heys, aahs and oohs (yes, in that order) to leave me truly inspired (...to hike up a mountain, maybe?). The only problem is that the song hardly makes it past two and a half minutes. Luckily for me, the remaining 35 minutes of the record help me maintain my newfound state of elation with nine more beautifully crafted ambient folk tunes that have so much heart that they also deserve comparisons to singer-songwriters James Vincent McMorrow and Ben Howard.

After listening, I'm left with the baffling question: With a voice this outstanding and an expertly-produced record, how hasn't Jordan Ruiz blown up yet? Well, I guess that's the nature of self-released albums on the Internet; we just have to give it time. In the meantime, take a listen to Jordan Ruiz's The Mountain below, share it with your friends, and buy a copy!

NoiseTrade is offering The Mountain and its five-song predecessor Sundial Heart, which is also great by the way, on a tip-what-you-think-it-deserves basis, or you can get the former on Jordan Ruiz's BandCamp page.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Just Rolled In: Stolen Jars - "Folded Out" [indie folk / loops / experimental]

Cody Fitzgerald is a 21-year-old student from Montclair, New Jersey studying music and computer science at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. In 2009, after gaining experience playing in various bands, Fitzgerald decided to create his own material from the comfort of his bedroom, which birthed his loop-based experimental folk project Stolen Jars. A couple years later, with the help of some singing friends and a loop pedal, Fitzgerald managed to mesh his guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, and keyboard into a complex arrangement of sounds over busy organic percussion and sugarcoat it with saccharine harmonizing vocals to produce his debut self-titled full-length (available pay-what-you-want-style at BandCamp).

Now, Stolen Jars has incorporated 20-year-old vocalist Molly Grund as a member and is back with the first single "Folded Out" from their upcoming sophomore release Kept. It falls in line with the music on the first album, but this time, they've traded in the computer mic for some professional recording equipment; the percussion, guitar, and other instruments are more defined and the vocals have a more prominent presence. "Folded Out" unfolds, builds, and pushes along like a Delicate Steve or Dan Deacon song and sports a boy/girl vocal dynamic reminiscent of that of Dirty Projectors, only less jaunty, preferring a softer, more heartfelt approach.

Stream and download Stolen Jars' "Folded Out" for free below, as well as their 2011 debut album, and look out for their upcoming sophomore release Kept.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Swell EP: Griff's Room Band - Shut The Case EP [folk rock / pop rock / bluegrass]

Griff's Room Band is a folk rock/pop trio from Virginia that formed in 2011 and earned its street credit (quite literally) by playing to tourists and locals alike on the streets of Colonial Williamsburg. Over the past few years of their existence, the three friends have tightened up their infectious sound, playing numerous shows at and away from their usual bench location (see picture above). They even traveled over to Europe to enliven other historic streets. Recently, they uprooted their two acoustic guitars and fiddle over to Richmond, VA to live and make music together, which led to their first proper recording.

Their debut EP entitled Shut The Case is a 6-song collection of what Griff's Room Band does best: upbeat folk pop with rich acoustic guitar melodies, lively fiddling, and vocal harmonies that are almost too perfect. From the energetic lead-off track "Cornerbooth" and the sincerity of "Could Be" to the bluegrass-leaning "The Fine Line" and complex intertwined guitar picking of "All In", Griff's Room Band's proves to be a band with enough range to please just about any pedestrian and the originality to attract active listeners.

Download the Shut The Case EP at iTunes or BandCamp and stream the whole thing below. If you happen to be in Richmond, VA on July 25, be sure to join Griff's Room Band and their good vibes for their CD Release Show.

—My personal favorites: Could Be, The Fine Line, All In—

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Just Rolled In: Pepa Knight - "Clams" [world / indie pop / tropical]

After making a big splash with his euphoric single "Rahh!" a few months ago, Central Coast, Australia's Pepa Knight is back with another catchy-as-hell single, "Clams", littered with his spirited lead vocals, tribal percussion and chants, Indian-influenced guitar/sitar plucking, and melodic backing vocals, which altogether, make it easy to understand why he describes his uplifting brand of worldly indie pop as 'tipi pop'.

If you're in Australia, you can catch Pepa Knight in concert August 1 in Sydney or August 7 in Melbourne. If not, enjoy the music on his SoundCloud until his debut Hypnotized is released later this year.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Artist Making Waves: LOW ROAR [dream folk / electronic / ambient pop] ***UPDATED (album stream added)***

I've been listening to LOW ROAR's new singles a lot in the past few months and it's taken me this long to look deep enough into the band to find out that the man behind it all, Ryan Karazija, was the frontman of Oakland, CA's now defunct indie rock band Audrye Sessions. I saw them about 5 years ago in St. Petersburg, FL opening up for Manchester Orchestra with then-overlooked Fun and was really impressed by the band's eerie explosiveness, Ryan Karazija's soaring falsetto, and the way he played the guitar with a cello bow. While Audrye Sessions reminded me of Radiohead's energetic rock songs, LOW ROAR seems to derive influence from their slower, more expansive tracks, creating a dreamy brand of ambient electronic music with orchestral and post-rock elements.

I suppose when I saw that LOW ROAR was a band from Reykjavík, Iceland I simply deduced that its members must also be Icelandic, which was partly correct. Apart from California-native Karazija (pictured above in the center), there are two members from Iceland, and listed as a member on their Facebook page, but not pictured above, is American Grammy-winning producer Andrew Scheps, who contributed keys and programming on LOW ROAR's 2011 self-titled debut album, so it's safe to say he plays a similar role on their upcoming sophomore release entitled 0 (yes, that's a zero).

Moving to Iceland after the dissolution of his previous band, Karazija hoped to find inspiration similar to that of which most Icelandic musicians seem to feed off on the majestic Nordic island, and I'd say he's found it. Its awe-inspiring landscapes have made their way into LOW ROAR's vastly beautiful arrangements enough to have comparisons be drawn to Icelandic post-rock giants, Sigur Rós. Apparently, you don't have to be from Iceland to sound like you're from Iceland; you just have to live there.

Enjoy three dreamy tracks from LOW ROAR's sophomore release 0 below Stream LOW ROAR's new album 0 below, stream the debut album here, and be sure to pick up your own copy of 0 on July 8th.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Swell EP: The Tambourine Girls - The End of Time EP [psychedelic / folk rock / britpop]

The Tambourine Girls is the side project of Simon Relf, the guitarist of Sydney, Australia's psychedelic indie pop band Deep Sea Arcade. With help from some friends and DSA bandmates, Relf has brought us his distinguished debut EP entitled The End of Time via Chugg Music. While it projects the psychedelia and nostalgic 90s Britpop characteristic of his main band's music, The End of Time stands apart with its reverb-heavy spiraling of guitar solos and acoustic strumming, its hazy pace, and its loose adherence to the traditional pop structure. Stream The Tambourine Girls' five-song EP below (purchase it here) and be sure to 'follow' the band to receive news on future tours and releases.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Just Rolled In: FISHING - "Your Mouth (feat. Jonas Nicholls)" [electronic / indie pop / beats]

The Australian electronic duo FISHING from Sydney produces radiant sample-laden electronic music influenced by hip-hop and indie-pop. With their debut LP Shy Glow coming out this week via, and with summer finally here (for most of us) I found it all too appropriate to share the latest sunny single from the record entitled "Your Mouth", featuring Jonas Nicholls of fellow Sydney band SURES on vocals, as well as a couple other songs from the new album. If you're lacking summer vibes I'm sure this will help.

Friday, May 23, 2014

holaTUBE: Mac DeMarco - "Passing Out Pieces" [jizz jazz / indie rock / experimental]

During an interview with Exclaim! Magazine around the time of the release of his sophomore effort entitled 2Mac DeMarco, Canada's most interesting export, was asked how dedicated he was to making 'jizz jazz' a legitimate subgenre, to which he replies, "I'm going to pump the world's ass full of jizz jazz." Much like that record, his third release Salad Days is filled with sleazy minimal lo-fi rock'n'roll gems that could be more easily labeled as 'jizz jazz'. Wondering what the hell is going on in DeMarco's new video for the synth-ridden "Passing Out Pieces"? Well, I think he made it perfectly clear: He's pumping your ass full of jizz jazz. Enjoy!


If you found that interesting in any way and want to see more of Mr. DeMarco, I recommend you check out "Pepperoni Playboy" below. If you have half an hour to kill, that is.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Just Rolled In: Lowly - "Daydreamers" [noise pop / dream pop / shoegaze]

Lowly is a band from Denmark consisting of five musicians who had their own solo projects before uniting to form this powerful pop band. Exploding on to the scene with their first single "Daydreamers", Lowly establishes themselves as a noisy dream pop band with a beautiful blend of celestial dual female vocals, powerful percussion, echoey guitars, booming bass, and soaring synths. If I had to place them, I'd put them somewhere between M83 and The Joy Formidable.

Listen to "Daydreamers" below and look out for Lowly's five-song EP coming soon.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Artist Making Waves: Pepa Knight [folk pop / world / dream pop]

Cameron "Pepa" Knight is a musician and vocalist from the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia and is known as the co-frontman of tropical dream pop band Jinja Safari. Now, as Pepa Knight, he is releasing solo tracks, as part of an upcoming collection called Hypnotized, which were written and originally recorded (then accidentally deleted from his computer) during several trips to India from 2011-2013. On these trips he fine-tuned his sitar-playing skills, learned a handful of other Indian instruments, and recorded various samples, all of which play an integral part in crafting his dreamy brand of worldly folk pop.

'Rahh!' is the first original Pepa Knight single to be released in support of Hypnotized, which is being recorded in his backyard tipi studio. According to Knight, "it was originally written on [his] first trip to India and all [he] wanted to do at the time was to escape everything and become a sadhu [hermit]." That's essentially what drives this euphoric song, the desire for change, or something more.

Watch the extremely fun video for 'Rahh!' below, followed by a beautiful Peter Gabriel cover and a recent track by the young Melbourne electronic musician Japanese Wallpaper on which Pepa Knight lends his ethereal vocals.



Friday, April 25, 2014

Swell EP: Yuck - Southern Skies EP [indie rock / shoegaze / dream pop]

Not many bands consider moving forward with their project or have the fans' support to do so after losing a lead singer, but London's "90s rock revival" quartet Yuck managed to bounce back with style and plenty of listeners after the departure of vocalist/guitarist Daniel Blumberg (currently recording as Hebronix) one year ago. Last September saw their strong Blumberg-less sophomore comeback Glow & Behold, with which the band managed to prove that putting guitarist Max Bloom behind the microphone full-time wouldn't change the nostalgic, fuzzy indie rock that makes them Yuck. Hell, Bloom actually had lead vocals on a couple of my favorite songs from their 2011 self-titled debut (see "Operation").

As if surprising fans and critics alike with a successful recovery wasn't enough, seven months later Yuck are back with a new release entitled Southern Skies EP. This record brings us four new Yuck songs, two of which don't really sound like anything explored on the previous two full-lengths. The soaring opening track "Athena" wouldn't have been out of place on Glow & Behold and the EP's most energetic song, "Another One", takes me all the way back to 2011's Yuck. The two remaining songs open up new sonic possibilities for the band. The second track "Set In Motion (Let's Say We Did)" is mostly foreign to the ear for Sebastian Fors's guest vocals and its twangy psych-pop feel, while the gorgeous title track hints at a dreamier, more subdued future for Yuck's infectious sound waves.

Stream the Southern Skies EP below and download your own copy now via iTunes.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Just Rolled In: Merchandise - "Figured Out" [post-punk / indie rock / shoegaze]

photo by Sean Lewis at Primavera Sound 2013 (Barcelona)
Sharing my hometown of Tampa, Florida, post-punk rockers Merchandise are back from last year's excellent Totale Nite LP, which made #39 on holaOLA's Top 50 Albums of 2013 list, with new music, a proper drummer (pictured above), a horn/sax player, and a new record called After The End coming out on their new label 4AD. Their latest track "Figured Out" won't be released on the upcoming full-length; instead, it will be released by 540 Records as part of a three-way split 12" entitled USA '13 also featuring Milk Music and Destruction Unit as a document of the three's spring 2013 tour together.

If you've heard Merchandise's previous recordings, you may be surprised to hear an actual drum kit on "Figured Out" and a more traditional "pop" rock structure, although the band's nostalgic post-punk sound, resonating guitars, and singer Carson Cox's quavering baritone voice remain intact. The band says to expect a different sound on their forthcoming release so I'm assuming this track is a taste of what's to come.

Get your hands on one of the only 2,000 prints of USA '13 this Record Store Day (April 19) and look out for Merchandise's new album being released sometime soon. Stream "Figured Out" below followed by their first 4AD single "Begging For Your Life / In The City Light", and the single from their 2013 Totale Nite LP, "Anxiety's Door".

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Swell Album: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Oddments [garage / psychedelic / soul]

Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have just released their fourth LP, Oddments, in as little as eighteen months. The most impressive part is that each album successfully pulls off something different—the Thee Oh Sees-indebted garage-psych of 12 Bar Bruise, the experimental narrative-led spaghetti western album Eyes Like the Sky, the 60s-influenced psychedelia of Float Along – Fill Your Lungs, and the soulful pysch-pop kaleidoscope of their most recent LP Oddments. Since the first installment of this hyperactive recording series, the Gizz & Liz Wiz have scraped away a good amount of the fuzz signature of any psychedelic garage rock band to let the vocals breathe a bit more and to reveal their more soulful side, making this record the most dynamic and accessible listening experience.

While there's no doubt that garage rockers like Black Lips or Thee Oh Sees have played a part in driving the seven-piece to produce their energetic, and often humorous, brand of psychedelic garage rock, a likening to Unknown Mortal Orchestra is also plausible, especially in the comparably unhurried lo-fi track "Stressin'". The main difference between Oddments and its predecessors is that it doesn't cling too hard to any one idea. Each song brings something different into the mix, leaving us with a melting pot of influences and most importantly, a really fun record, maybe just as fun as saying the band's name—King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

Stream the entire album below or listen to it on their Bandcamp, along with the rest of their discography.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Just Rolled In: SALES - "Chinese New Year" [indie pop / electronic / lo-fi]

Since we last checked in with Orlando, Florida's endearing indie pop duo SALES about eight months ago, they have released a handful of catchy tracks on their SoundCloud and expanded their fan base considerably. On their fifth single "Chinese New Year", SALES continue their minimal sound but kick the tempo up a few notches, resulting in a tender indie pop song that recalls the clarity and candor of The Drums while preserving their originality thanks to Lauren Morgan's indelibly sweet voice and Jordan Shih's less-is-more approach to electronic production.

Stream "Chinese New Year" below along with four other beautiful SALES tracks.


Thursday, March 13, 2014

Swell Album: Yellow Ostrich - Cosmos [indie rock]

Before moving to New York and subsequently signing to Seattle's Barsuk Records, Yellow Ostrich's singer/guitarist Alex Schaaf lived in Wisconsin. He was the frontman of indie rock band The Chairs for a couple years then went solo as Yellow Ostrich in 2009, recording heartfelt numbers on his 4-track that caught my attention for the raw emotion and experimental layering and sampling of his youthful voice (check out 2010's interesting Fade Cave EP for 6 songs he recorded using nothing but his voice and a drum machine). When Schaaf moved to Brooklyn he had already released a total of five EPs and two full-lengths.

Yellow Ostrich's third full-length The Mistress (and fifth release of 2010!) marked the first Y.O. recording that Schaaf made with another human being, current drummer Michael Tapper. After giving The Mistress a proper release in 2011, Barsuk went on to release the following year's excellent full-length Strange Land and the R&B-influenced Ghost EP. Since joining the Barsuk roster, the band has experienced a few personnel changes but currently stands at four members. With their current lineup, Yellow Ostrich brings us their fifth album Cosmos, which was inspired by astronomer Carl Sagan's documentary series of the same name.

As the title of the album suggests, Yellow Ostrich's sound has expanded skyward since Schaaf's solo days by taking on a fuller, at times frantic, rock sound and by inviting celestial synths and electronic effects into the mix to allow for more intricate, atmospheric melodies, recalling Local Natives or Radiohead ("Neon Fists", particularly). Notwithstanding these changes, Yellow Ostrich still is and will always be led by Schaaf's sincere, tender voice, which quavers along gently with the melodies of softer songs like "My Moons", "You Are The Stars", and "Don't Be Afraid", but explodes like a supernova through the heavier walls of sound on tracks like "Shades", "Any Wonder", and "How Do You Do It?". Somehow, Cosmos manages to be Yellow Ostrich's loudest and smoothest record at the same time, thanks to the band's cohesive instrumentation and songwriting and the excellent production of Beau Sorenson (Death Cab for Cutie, Superchunk, Sparklehorse) and Paul Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead, Dinosaur, Jr.).

Listen to the full album stream below and purchase your own copy here. Also, enjoy my favorite tracks from Yellow Ostrich's three previous records.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Artist Making Waves: Vensaire [pysch pop / indie folk / experimental]

Among all of the great bands and musicians that blossom out of Brooklyn and those that make the pilgrimage to "the center of the world" to join the scene, one band in particular stands out in this creative crowd—Vensaire. This colorful quintet, comprised of frontman Alex Laliberte, guitarist Robert Earl Thomas (one half of Widowspeak, which released holaOLA's No. 41 album of 2013), clasically-trained violinist Renata Zeiguer, bassist Hunter Hawes, and percussionist Alex Jacobs, draws from traditional Asian music, Western folk rock, and digital sampling to produce beautiful psychedelic folk compositions that sound like something that an Animal Collective/Grizzly Bear/Prince Rama collaboration would birth.

Vensaire already has a self-titled EP under their belt, for which each member wrote his/her own song for the rest of the band to elaborate upon and record. This collective approach to songwriting and recording clearly illustrates the band's desire to allow each member's style and influences to shine through in their music, not to mention it has a pretty excellent outcome.

On April 15 they will release their full-length concept album entitled Perdix, which is based on Homer's Odyssey and inspired by Audubon bird paintings. For now, enjoy the first two singles from Perdix and stream the entire Vensaire EP  below.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Swell Album: Abram Shook - Sun Marquee [indie pop / tropical / psychedelic / jazz / soul]

As I listen to the new album Sun Marquee by Austin-based multi-instrumentalist Abram Shook I try to pick up some sort of consistency in his songs—as I do with all the music I write about—to be able to come up with genres it may fit into and to help me write a little something about it, but the only thing I've grasped so far is that no two songs are really alike. Shook's dreamy debut solo album is "all shook up" (har har har) in terms of musical direction. With one song you're grooving along to a soulful jazzy tune, then you're bouncing around to an upbeat indie pop jam, and the next one shoots you down a tunnel of syncopated psychedelia.

A spirited world traveler and apparently a big fan of Serge Gainsbourg, Shuggie Otis, fellow genre bender David Bowie, and Brazilian music, Abram Shook does a great job of drawing from his multitude of worldly influences to create a well-balanced eclectic record that hooks you upon first listen. If this great mixture of sunny pop songs has anything consistent about it, it's Shook's effortlessly cool vocals, groovy bass lines, an intricate rhythm section, and his beautiful guitar melodies all intertwined into a catchy record filled with lush production.

Enjoy the full album stream below and be sure to support Abram Shook by purchasing his album via his label Western Vinyl or by clicking the "Buy all on iTunes" link on the SoundCloud player below.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Just Rolled In: Hundred Waters - "Down From the Rafters" [electronic / ambient folk]

Eighty-four years ago yesterday the former ninth planet of the Solar System was discovered by American astronomer Clyde M. Tombaugh. Although Pluto was demoted to "dwarf planet" last decade, we can't help but thank Mr. Tombaugh because in honor of his discovery of this desolate icy rock, my favorite Florida band Hundred Waters has shared the equally dark and mysterious track entitled "Down From the Rafters".

Channeling the unhurried eerie tracks of their 2012 self-titled debut (see "Caverns" and "Gather" below), Gainesville's Hundred Waters return in the wake of touring with Canadian art rock band BRAIDS with a mellow and stirring song that doesn't fail to show off their expert instrumentation while the ethereal vocals of lead singer Nicole Miglis sweep you away into the haunting melody. While a sophomore LP is on the horizon, it hasn't been confirmed just yet as to whether "Down From the Rafters" will have a spot on the record.

Check out the "Pluto Day" celebratory song below and if you're new to Hundred Waters, I demand you take the time to listen to their 2012 self-titled debut (my favorite album of 2012), which I've also embedded below.


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Artist Making Waves: Shivum Sharma [electronic pop / soul]

After releasing a pair of soulful piano-based bedroom demos last year, 19-year-old South Londoner Shivum Sharma is back with a studio version of the powerful slow-burner that turned heads in the first place, "Flicker", and its lusty B-side "Only You". The two tracks will be on the Flicker EP, which indie label National Anthem (home to CHVRCHES, HAIM, and Sir Sly) will be putting out on March 3.

Shivum Sharma enlisted the help of Warp signee Kwes. to produce his originally piano/vocals-heavy tracks. The result falls somewhere between James Blake and Antony and the Johnsons—unique passionate music with captivating electronic beats and textures that serve to add depth, not to divert attention away from Sharma's vulnerable, compelling croon and his solid piano work.

Enjoy the two tracks below (don't miss the climactic closer on "Flicker") and purchase a copy of the Flicker EP in March!

Thursday, January 30, 2014

holaOLA's Top 50 Albums of 2013

Here is my first attempt ever at a "Top 50 Albums" list, or rather, a "50 Favorite Albums" list, and it's a month late. haha. I've only considered LPs (sorry about that, RY X) and have left out re-releases, B-sides, demos, and compilations. As you may know, holaOLA was started as a platform to recommend music that I like and that I think should get more attention, so if you don't see your favorite album on this list, it's either because I think these 50 records are better, I haven't listened to it, or I simply don't like it. I hope you manage to find some new music here that you can appreciate as much as I do. For your convenience and listening pleasure I have included a song or two and often the entire album stream below each album art. You can access the list buy clicking here, scrolling down to the previous post, or by clicking the "older post" link below. Enjoy and thanks for listening!

-Sean

holaOLA's Top 50 Albums of 2013: Page 1 (50-41)

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