If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Natalja Kent San Francisco's Cold Beat perform a style of music called coldwave. Not being familiar with the genre, I'm going based solely on their latest single. "Mandelbrot Fall" sounds like an indie/bedroom style of electronic music. It's heavy on synthesizers and electronic boops instead of the thunderous beats you get with most electronic music. That doesn't mean "Mandelbrot Fall" isn't dance music, because it one hundred percent is. It just isn't dance in a field with fifty thousand people music. It's more dance alone in your bedroom music. And that's what makes us love it. Cold Beat's Hannah Lew says of the new song: “ Mandelbrot Fall is about embracing change & surrendering to uncertainty. There's no fighting time or gravity. This song is about submission to those forces.  This process of deterioration was cathartic, just like the making of the song .” You can watch the video for "Mandelbrot Fall...

Artist : Limbo Album : Mixed Feelings Quick Description : Lovely little indie electronic stuff. Why You Should Listen : Limbo is really unlike anyone else right now. Overall Thoughts : I’m a recent Limbo convert, having found this cat-masked producer thanks to “Airplane Mode” and falling in love with the whole thing. The new album is somehow better than her already great stuff, and I’ve wanted to get back to it perhaps more than I have for much else as of late. If you don’t mind some poppy electronic action, this is for you. Recommendation : A favorite this week. Artist : Sierra Hull Album : 25 Trips Quick Description : The superlative bluegrass virtuoso back with a great album. Why You Should Listen : Sierra Hull is amazing. You should already know this. Overall Thoughts : Maybe her most mature sounding record to date, this is bluegrass and roots music that is simply so much further along than most of what’s out there. What Hull does has always been special, but this...

Some solid stuff out this week! Album of the Week : Artist : Diet Cig Album : Swear I'm Good at This Quick Description : Debut from an indie-alt duo. Why You Should Listen : This is one of the great releases of the last few months. Overall Thoughts : After I listened to this amazing album, I went back to their first EP because I knew I had listened to it and I couldn’t figure out why it didn’t register with me. If you were thinking “that’s nice” with the EP, then strap in, because this debut effort is a much more full affair. Lots of that great 90s-esque alt-rock sound, but with a modern indie sensibility that is just so good. The lyrics are extremely current, which provides an extra novelty factor, and the overall feel of the thing is both immediate and fun. This is absolutely a duo to watch, and this is absolutely one of my favorite recent listens. Recommendation : Do not let this slip by. Artist : KOLARS Album : Kolars Quick Description : Poppy punky duo's...

Waaaaaaay too much out this week, and none of it is especially mind-blowing. Album of the Week : Artist : Widowspeak Album : All Yours Quick Description : Dreamy folk rock. Why You Should Listen : It's the prettiest album released this week, and does a lot of interesting things. Overall Thoughts : I had a visualization of this band that was much different than the end result. It's definitely a strange record in some regards, but its beauty more than makes up for the challenge. In a week where there's a lot of straightforward music out (the new Miley notwithstanding), this does stand out. Recommendation : Best release of the week. Artist : Family of the Year Album : Family of the Year Quick Description : Latest, more mainstream, album from the indie rock band. Why You Should Listen : Pop folk is your thing. Overall Thoughts : The first thing that came to mind during this listen was how polished it was. "Make You Mine" has radio hit written all ov...