Pitstop: Uni Ika Ai

I was first introduced to Brooklyn art pop quartet Uni Ika Ai when I saw they were playing a show with Michael Hilger of Thin Hymns. A fan of Thin Hymns for several years, the idea that he was out and about playing songs albeit solo after the band went on a bit of a hiatus appealed to me. While I wasn't able to make it out to that show Uni Ika Ai's name stuck with me especially as I saw them paired up with other artists I liked and/or had covered like Cantina and GEMMA. In fact one of Uni Ika Ai's cofounders is Lucius' own Peter Lalish.

Uni Ika Ai fall into a subset of bands that are among my favorite to discover: those that evade genre classification. The foursome helmed by vocalist Mala Friedman encorporate elements of rugged experimentalism, psychedelic haze, and electronics occasionally coalescing in smatterings of infectious power pop. But there songs are never quite what they seem and their debut album Keeping a Golden Bullseye in the Corner of My Mind is an album that's as engaging as it is challenging.

Their most pop-centric songs like "Make You Better" or "Soft In Ice" aspire to more than being merely ear catching and like much of Keeping a Golden Bullseye... seem to prioritize taking the listener on an aural adventure. "Make You Better" arguably the most straight forward and simple the band lets itself get is a masterclass in the band dynamic. Building off Peter Lalish skipping guitar melody, Friedman's vocals rightfully take center stage but there's a delightful amount of interplay happening between the band. Undulating synths bow and bend with Friedman's cadence, the guitar goes off on these little embellishments before harmonizing with the synth, and the drums keep pace in increasingly interesting rhythmic figures. It's a song that provides plenty to latch on to even as it attempts to replicate a simple (though catchy as hell) pop song. It's the shortness track on the entirety of the band by a considerable margin (most clock in around 7 or 8 minutes) but there's no shortage of dynamicness in its composition.





Songs like "Is This Life" or "Already Dead" make the most of their longer run times pairing deliberately plotted narratives with intricate, layered instrumental performances. Despite its song construction being rooted in improvisation (Friedman and Lalish exchanging bits and pieces of ideas electronically while Lalish was out on the road with Lucius) every part of their longer songs not only feels vital but methodical. The fact that they apparently aren't is a testament to the skills of its members: all talented members of other bands before embarking on this newer project. Uni Ika Ai's music ideas seem properly developed, their creative trajectory of their songs all but certain but at no point predicatable. And therein lies the appeal of Keeping a Golden Bullseye... as it's both an expression of the artists' certainty in theirs skills even when they haven't particularly mapped out the particulars.






Uni Ika Ai's debut full length record Keeping a Golden Bullseye in the Corner of My Mind is out now and available for purchase either digitally or on LP/CD via their Bandcamp.

Listen: Emily Reo - "Spell"

photo by Brian Vu

It's been a little more than three years since dream pop enchantress Emily Reo released her debut full length album Olive Juice. In that time Reo has been hard at work on producing her follow up as well as actually touring a field testing some of the songs. For anyone who's been following Reo since Olive Juice, her new single "Spell" arrives with a contented sigh of FINALLY. Since premiering it in a session for Portals back in 2013, "Spell" has become a highlight of any Emily Reo live set and it's a definite treat that an official recording is finally going to be available to own.

"Spell" is easily one of Reo's most emotive and expressive tracks to date even through Reo's characteristic digitalized vocals. Reo's music has always sat at the crossroads between futuristic arrangements and stirring humanistic touches but "Spell" takes that and levels it up: pairing the lullaby lilt with a sparse composition that draws incredible focus not only to the beauty of its growing layers but to its lyricism as well. It's pastoral as well as touchingly human. "Time cast a spell on me, burn down the trees/Make me believe, feel something" Reo sings after a series of evocative nature imagery and its the first instance Reo offers of what the song is about as its lyrics become more rooted in the self; building and building until the repetitive pseudo-chorus "I can't feel anything/I don't hear anything". As the song reaches its emotional climax, there's a shift in the production, a crystallizing chime, the entrance of strings, and various effects that all threaten to overwhelm and overtake the simple chorus and Reo herself. Reo's voice endures the cacophony but when they're all that's left, they're stripped of their clarity repeating a different undiscernable mantra instead.  



Emily Reo is releasing "Spell" on 10" with b-side "Strong Swimmer" on October 28th via Orchid Tapes. You can pre-order the record now. In case you missed it, here's Emily Reo's brilliant (and seasonally appropriate) performance for Portals:

Pitstop: Lemolo

(Photo by Genevieve Pierson)

It's no secret to anyone that some of the best music comes out of the Northwest so when The Head and the Heart sent out a promo tweet earlier this year championing the new release from fellow Seattleites Lemolo, I took immediate notice. And though I was expecting something more in line with The Head and the Heart's chipper, celebratory form of folk pop, the fact that Lemolo were nothing like that didn't detract at all from my enjoyment of the duo's shifting dream-pop reveries.

Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox make music that keeps very much inline with the waters where the two kayaking instructors met: their songs characterized by waves of beguilingly perfect harmonies, rich, flowing textures, and a loose adherence to standard songwriting structure - most of the duo's songs easily surpass the 3 minute mark and are far better for it.

 Lemolo - Whale Song by soundonthesound

What makes Lemolo so special goes a bit beyond the ear-catching nature of tracks like "Move Me" or "Open Air" or the stunning majesty of 7 minute sprawl "We Felt the Fall" or album opener "Knives". On their debut album The Kaleidoscope, Lemolo unleashes a dazzling display of atmospherics - an impressive feat considering the duo don't rely excessively on any effects. Instead, capitalizing on airy vocals that don't at all betray the raw vocal power the two wield effortless.



Lemolo are definitely ones to watch, equally at home in hazier soundscapes or straightforward indie-pop, brimming with an exceptional level of talent that can only refine more and more with time. The Kaleidoscope is no doubt a strong debut that satiates an aural need you didn't know you had while simultaneously making you crave for more. Here's hoping it won't be too long before Lemolo can deliver.

You can stream/buy Lemolo's The Kaleidoscope over at Bandcamp:

Stout Cortez - "Berliner"

My discovery of New Haven laptop pop maestro Justin Hunter Scott (better know as his stage name Stout Cortez) was the result of pseudo-obsessively watching Illuminator, to see when they'd put out more stuff. One day they announced that Illuminator's mastermind Bryn Bellomy had produced a track for Stout Cortez and without really thinking about it, I was on it. Normally I'm not much of a fan of electronic crafted indie pop jams and yet, my liking Stout Cortez's "Berliner" is a testament to the man's craftsmanship. Grounding ever-present boom-crashes and dizzy synthy sweeps, it's equal parts dreamy space pop and dancey floorfiller that's downright infectious. I dare you to only listen once. It's all sorts of impossible.

(via Alphabet Bands)

Pitstop: Jonquil

British quartet Jonquil are part of the vast multitude of bands from far and wide that attended New York's CMJ  Festival that I didn't get a chance to see. In fact, I didn't even know they existed but I saw their name on a poster and made a physical and mental note to check out their music. Almost five months later, I'm finally making good.

Jonquil is kind of what happens when you blend together equal parts Lord Huron ("Get Up") and Youth Lagoon ("I Don't Know I Know"). On the One Hundred Suns EP, there's the intricate trop-pop stylings that Lord Huron is known for with those arresting moments that Youth Lagoon has made his forte. But Jonquil are more than just a band that reminds you of other bands you might like (the Whistle Low EP's "Nite Time Story" reminds me greatly of Hot Club de Paris' "Boy Awaits Return of a Runaway Girl" but I digress). Jonquil's balmy tracks are stacked with their own brand of infectious pop with lilting melodies and waves of sound that peak at exactly the right time with trumpet swells and the like. Jonquil's jangly guitars resonate with surprising precision for songs with such a laidback vibe - each member fits together exceptionally and clearly despite the pervasive haze. One Hundreds Suns is a sun-kissed reverie crackling with moments of emotional intensity and soothing them with bits of dance-able pop.

Get a taste of Jonquil with a couple tunes from Whistle Low and One Hundred Suns below:

Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation (2011)

From the second The Year of Hibernation begins, you are griped with an unshakable feeling of pathos. Youth Lagoon's music is all about feeling. Sure there are lyrics but the majority if not all of their resonance comes from Trevor Powers' beautiful, soaring melodies and his dreamy but not fantastical textural landscapes. Powers, with his childishly sweet reverb-laden vocals, is able to inundate the listener in a sea of nostalgia effortlessly and for the complete duration of the rather short 8 song album. And yet in 8 songs, Powers is able to say so much in a surprisingly succinct way.

Trevor Powers may be young but possesses a talent for emotionally evocative arrangements that's startlingly mature. Each song gently blossoming into it's predetermined main point skillfully and. Powers lyrics may be a bit confessional and yet, there's none of the urge of eye-rolling that accompanies that. Even without being able to hear Powers' words, the very feel of them arrests you. The Year of Hibernation is an album unlike any I've encountered before: Where the instrumental plays an overwhelming larger part than the words and influence every other aspect with stunning ease; where what exactly is being said is secondary to how it's being said and what it in turn is saying to you;  an album that must be felt, in order to be properly understood and enjoyed. The Year of Hibernation is no doubt a future favorite that show a young master at work; a work of exceeding beauty and skill.

Get a peek of Youth Lagoon's charmingly evocative sound with the video for "Montana":

Youth Lagoon - Montana from Tyler T Williams on Vimeo.

Watch: Marissa Nadler - "In Your Lair, Bear"

Ever since I listened to the Marissa Nadler's self-titled fifth album earlier this month, I've essentially been waiting for this moment. Album opener and arguably my favorite Nadler track has finally gotten the video treatment it so rightly deserves. It kind of makes some sort of cosmic sense that the video for one of Nadler's most narrative of narratives doesn't really have a plot. Instead you're gifted with some intensely beautiful shots feauring the chanteuse herself. Marissa Nadler and director Alec K. Redfearn are a music video dream-team creating a brilliant work of art fueled by the subtle emotions that are the very essence of the track.

Enjoy!

Marissa Nadler "In Your Lair, Bear" from Alec K. Redfearn on Vimeo.

Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler (2011)

Before the release of her brand new self-titled album, I had never heard of Boston songstress Marissa Nadler and what a tragedy that was. Around the time of her album release, We Listen For You championed it so strongly that I felt compelled to check out her music. But not with the new album. No, Nadler's music seemed like it needed time and devotion to truly understand so I set about starting at the very beginning and working my way to her newest album.

Marissa Nadler begins with the hauntingly beautiful "In Your Lair, Bear" a track that could very well just be the album. It's that good. It shows off everything Nadler does so well - her poetic narratives, her pristine vocals, and her utterly captivating compositions. At six minutes, she takes her time letting her tale unfold slowly but enchantingly and most importantly, unexpectedly. Nadler's songwriting is almost maddeningly strong. There's no sloppy rhymes or singer/songwriter bravado or self-importance. Instead Nadler lets the songs go where she feels they need to and steeps them in an overwhelming sense of quiet that makes the listener far more attentive. Instrumentation and lyricism are given equal tempering in a way that creates some stunning musical moments and only adds an extra layer to Nadler's narratives.

Marissa Nadler rewards dedicated fans with references to old songs, like "Mr. John Revisited", the sequel to Mr. John Lee (Velveteen Rose) off The Saga of Mayflower May and references to Ballads of Living and Dying's "Box of Cedar". But such knowledge isn't necessarily to fully enjoy the album. Nadler is a skilled songwriter and gifted in every sense. Each song a fully realized piece tended to with an artistic attention to detail. The result is an album in which each song is a treat and a thing of utmost beauty. Nadler is often lauded for the impressiveness of her dreamy landscapes but it's those moments when reality crystallizes amid those dreamy hazes that are really impressive most noteably in "Baby, I Will Leave You in the Morning" and "Wind Up Doll". Marissa Nadler is an album of limitless beauty that manages to be literary, musical, and amazingly relate-able all at the same time. An absolute gem of carefully constructed art.

Get a taste of Marissa Nadler with a live video of "In Your Lair, Bear":

Pitstop: Lands & Peoples

As what seems to be the case these days, I discovered Baltimore band Lands & Peoples while tending to my minor obsession with Brooklyn band ARMS. I was watching videos of ARMS performing for the Big Ugly Yellow Couch when a curious little video of Lands & Peoples performing "Awake" a Capella on a giant windchime in Austin, Texas during SXSW popped up.

Since their SXSW stint, Lands & Peoples has undergone major changes: namely the loss of two of their members and subsequent conversion from quartet to duo. That hasn't deterred Caleb Moore or Beau Cole in the slightest though. The two are accomplished multi-instrumentalists and their work as a two-some are on par with their previous releases and no doubt poised to be much better.

To date, Lands & Peoples has one EP released in '09 and a single by the name of "In Living Colour" released last year. The duo are currently working on new tunes and are playing shows. So if you're either in the New York City area on July 2nd (they'll be at Pianos) or the Baltimore area on the 5th or 27th (they'll be playing Penthouse Gallery and Metro Gallery respectively) make sure you give them a listen.

You can check out their updated sound on a live recording from a June show at the Metro Gallery here or their old stuff on Bandcamp here. Both are awesome. End of story.

Give Lands & Peoples a listen with this live track of new song "Everyday" from their Live at the Metro Gallery show last month.
Lands & Peoples - Live at the Metro Gallery (6/11/11) 01 Everyday by All Around Sound Blog

1, 2, 3 - New Heaven (2011)

My introduction to Pittsburgh duo 1, 2, 3 was due in equal parts to Listen Before You Buy and Sam at MiddleClassWhiteNoise. You see, Listen Before You Buy has weekly mixtape battles and two weeks ago Sam competed and both he and his competitor put 1, 2, 3's "Work" on their mixtapes. Color me intrigued. And then came a delightful tweet advertising that I could stream all of 1, 2, 3's debut album New Heaven.

1, 2, 3 is kind of hard to characterize in terms of genre. They have hard-hitting beats juxtaposed with dreamy melodies and lilting though slightly raspy vocals. Their songs are as varying as their songwriting style. Some songs beachy reveries like "Lonesome Boring Summer" or "Wave Pool" and there's even some old school rock n' roll and soul influence in "Just Like Heaven(Is Gone)" and "Sorry, Soldier" (which is also vaguely country-esque). And yet 1, 2, 3 is able to cluster together all these influences without seeming like they're trying too hard. Instead it's just sounds good; smartly well-crafted.

1, 2, 3 releases their debut full length this Tuesday on Frenchkiss Records. So if you like what you hear on their stream here, make sure it buy it.

If for some reason you're still not convinced, take a gander at 1, 2, 3's video for "Work":

Eardrums Pop release second digital single

Eardrums Pop latest free digital single is from Finnish band Paperfangs. The band creates sparkly dream-pop not unlike first digital single artist Tiny Fireflies, except Paperfangs involves noticeable use of electronics and is much more upbeat. The second single features the two original songs "The Fastest Planes" and "The Vastest Plains" followed by a cover of US duo Kiss Kiss Fantastic's "Violet. They're certainly a talented bunch as they even made their own cover art. Learn more about the artists, the project, and download the single here.

Listen to the Paperfangs' digital single:
Paperfangs - ePop006 - digital single by EardrumsPop