New Artist: Veelee

Veelee is a new band from North Carolina with a new album called The Future Sight, available on limited edition 12″ and digitally from Grip Tapes.  Described as “minimalism maximized,” Veelee is a boy/girl duo: Matthew Park and Ginger Wagg.  Ginger?  Yes, we love them already.  I can’t quite put my finger on who they remind me of, but I keep listening to the song “Amber” over and over, so it should come to me soon.  Listen below or stream (slash buy) their album here.

A little bit more about the album from their label: “Veelee recorded THE FUTURE SIGHT in their home; at the edge of a field, among trees and deer, open skies and fire pits. It’s an album of stress and relief; humanity and transcendence; compulsion and serendipity. It’s for those who might need to be somewhere else, even if they can’t find their way back.”

Veelee – Amber

exlovers – New Tracks

The UK’s exlovers released a new song called Motheaten-Memories, a b-side to their new single “Blowing Kisses.”

They haven’t come over to the U.S. yet but I think by next CMJ they will be here. They are young. They are talented. They maybekindofmightbe the next xx. A new one:

exlovers – Motheaten Memories

An older one:

exlovers – New Years Day

Download the new song here. For Feb/Mar tour information and to pre-order the limited 7″- go here.

Candy Claws

Candy Claws is the type of music that while you’re listening, you just keep thinking ‘this is so f***ng good, this is so f-ng good”. It has an addictive sound that’s fun and happy and light but also complex and dreamy- or how they describe it -”dream pop.”

Their label explains their sound further: Ryan Hover and Kay Bertholf, composers, arrangers, and principle songwriters of Candy Claws, wrote Hidden Lands on keyboard because they don’t know how to play keyboard. They had to rely completely on what sounded right, rather than rely on techniques they had learned. Strange chords and melodies arose that might sound “wrong” to the trained musician, but sound mysterious and exciting to them.

They just released “Glacier Prey” for free – a 17 track collection of rarities, cover songs, Christmas songs, and side projects. SEVENTEEN tracks for free here. And all beautiful. They’re playing in CO March 5 and a bunch of showcases soon to be announced at SXSW March 16-20.

Get lost in their world with “Silent Time of Earth” below.

It was hard choosing one or two tracks for this post because they are all so good but here is the first off of “Glacier Prey”:

Candy Claws – 670,000,000

Candy Claws – Catamaran

New Track from Quiet Lights

A few months ago we were introduced to Brooklyn’s Quiet Lights and their amazing single “Ablaze,” which I put on Le Miel du Mois. They just released a new track called “No More Canyons,” below.

The album artwork above is stunning- a release on Old Flame Records (Cloud Nothings; MillionYoung) which is out on vinyl February 15.You can pre-order and while you’re at it, buy a t-shirt: here.

The fivesome is one of my new favorite 2010/2011 finds.

Catch their next show in Brooklyn at Bruar Falls on February 11th.

Quiet Lights – No More Canyons

Grab the free MP3 here.

Wine & Cheese

I can’t stop dancing to this one..

I’ve been meaning to post this overdue Christmas present from Wine & Cheese. Wine & Cheese is Santa Monica’s Wes Cadwell. He released his latest single last month called “Make It With You.”

Wes is a producer from Santa Monica. He works on a number of projects – one known as Westorius, where he creates mash-ups of boogie and funk with hip hop lyrics.  I haven’t heard that yet but if its anything like Wine & Cheese’s funk/dance/disco vibe, then, yes.

Wine & Cheese – Make It With You

Check out other funk tunes from Wes’ Wine & Cheese project on his SoundCloud page, which were all available for free downloads, but ALL have run out of their limit. Climbing Up the Ceiling below…

Climbing up the Ceiling by Wine & Cheese

Hit the Flo

Have you heard of Chrissy Murderbot? Pitchfork, Stereogum, The New Yorker and more are paying him attention and I agree you should listen up…

He’s a DJ out of Chicago and also heads Sleazetone/WIDE Records. He’s done some official remixes including Delorean’s “Real Love” and describes his style/passion as ” juke-rave-jungle-disco- dubstep-hi-NRG-dancehall- ghetto-core.”

He will be at sxsw and look out for his upcoming album called “Planet Mu.” One of his remixes that you need on Monday, trust me, below:

Waxmaster Maurice – Hit the Flo (Chrissy Murderbot Remix)

New Artist- Slowwave

Want to go get a cup of coffee? and then hold it? and then take a picture? ….joking aside, I love these guys and the more I listen to them, the more I love…

Slowwave is a band based out of Washington. They are putting out their new EP, “Drag Lake Sin” on indie label Savings n Loan Records next week, on January 25th.

I listened to the first track off the EP, “18th Year” and immediately felt this artist was special. I hope it makes its way to the next Wes Anderson film, which is the way I see it as it happily clouds my thoughts. Then came “Pour,” the second track, which is now being offered as a free download on their bandcamp page, and a perfect seg-way into the rest of the album. With 6 tracks, the first two are certainly my favorite, but you decide with a full listen here. It’s only $5 bucks for the full download, get it…I’m sure you will be hearing a lot more about them. Both tracks below to start your Friday on a lovely, lovely note…

Slowwave – 18th Year

Slowwave – Pour

They have two upcoming shows in Washington, if you’re there, check em out.

New Artist: Autre Ne Veut

Autre Ne Veut‘s self-titled debut album, out on Olde English Spelling Bee / Upstairs CDR this past Summer, received a bit of praise but not too far reaching.  Now, however, as ANV gears up for a few dates at the end of January, including a Pianos show on January 29th with Zambri and Mirror Mirror (two more acts you should definitely check out), the buzz should start up again; people who haven’t had the chance will finally get to check out this one-man-act, who seems to keep his identity a bit under wraps.  We happened to catch a show during Hooray For Earth’s residency at Pianos back  in October.  The pop-synth, solo performance with some R&B flare drew us in, as AVN poured everything he’s got into his music and his performance.  It’s definitely a sight to see…

Autre Ne Veut – Soldier

Loch Lomond – New Album

Portland’s Loch Lomond will release their second full length on February 22 on Tender Loving Empire Records. It’s titled ‘Little Me Will Start A Storm’ and the first glimpse I’ve got of it is beautiful.

Some facts: The album was mixed by Adam Selzer (who has recorded all of M Ward’s records), Tucker Martine (Laura Veirs, The Decemberists), and Kevin Robinson (of Viva Voce).

Some fun: The new track “Elephants & Little Girls,” is the first single. It makes me think of when I was younger and in the car with my mom and us both singing Crosby Stills Nash and Young on our long drives.  Just beautiful:

Loch Lomond – Elephants & Little Girls

Buy the album here. Now we’re having fun.

New PB&J

Peter, Bjorn and John put out the new single “Breaker Breaker” from the forthcoming, 11 track album Gimme Some (March 29th) + a video and the internet is abuzz.  You can download the song in exchange for an e-mail address HERE.  It’s short and uptempo; just a taste of what’s to come.  And we’re excited.  PB&J consistently deliver and put on some of the best live shows we’ve seen.  The band has announced tour dates for Europe, but nothing quite yet for the U.S.  Stay tuned…

Peter, Bjorn & John – Breaker, Breaker