Nightlands - Oak Island

Nightlands - Oak Island
Secretly Canadian




This is some dreamy music. Singer and composer Dave Hartley has made something masterful here by combining elements of chillwave and shoegaze pop into an absolute delight of sounds. There are even R&B and IDM influences thrown into the mix, as the tracks seem to vary widely yet somehow coalesce through a signature sound that is constant throughout the playlist.

If you're looking for something that is both refreshingly relaxing and inspiring, this album will deliver in a surprising way; sounding vintage at times and contemporary at other times, each song is a real treat to hear. Many of the moments sound influenced by Brian Wilson which might sound daunting to the experienced listener, but proves immediately satisfactory from the first listen.

Some of my favourite parts are when funkier dance beats come into play, and the ethereal crescendos delve into darker expulsions of primal energy. This album is enjoyable from beginning to end, suitable for many occasions and will definitely present a promising experience to the listener.

Puberty - Invitations 7"

Puberty - Invitations 7"
Telephone Explosion




This quirky indie duo have released two songs here that are conducive to either dancing, grooving or just chilling out to. The opening track, "Invitations," starts out with a short and settling surf rock riff and tapers off into a hypnotizing bass line that is accompanied by semi-monotonous yet dreamy male and female vocals. The track eventually gets a bit more colourful when drums and synth enter the equation, coalescing into a mysterious vibe of almost classic-rock era psychedelia.

"Parties," the second track is a bit more upbeat and dancey, with catchy melodies and anti-climactic lyrics. Between the ironically bubblegumish style of the verses is an interluding riff that sets a completely different tone, building up with a crescendo of post-rock sensibility only to jump all too soon back into the next verse.

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Puberty - Invitations by telephoneexplosion

NGOD - XL EP

NGOD - XL EP
Independent




I'm not even sure how you're supposed to pronounce this band's name, but what I can tell you is that these guys have written an incredibly infectious, poppy math rock EP.

Everything just comes together perfectly here; the arrangements, the intertwining instruments and even the somewhat unique vocals, which sort of sound like the dudes from Wolf Parade and dredg smashed together. I will be listening to this one over and over again; it's just one of those perfect examples of writing catchy, perfect pop songs without feeling like some bullshit radio pap.

Recommended for fans of dredg, Man Your Horse and older Minus the Bear.

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Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials
Island Records




The primary description that comes to mind when I listen through this record is spiritual envigoration. The intensity of emotion that singer Florence Welch conveys teeters on the robust extacy of expressed sincerity, as the music this band creates tends to reveal itself as a memorandum of inspirational anthems to soothe, awaken and energize the soul. Not only are the songs comforting, they are also addictively catchy, lending to the credence of their rising popularity.

Compared to the last album, this one has a tad bit of a fuller soundscape and some moments of spooky mysticism with tracks like Seven Devils and Bedroom Hymns. Also, the album is definitely dance-worthy; maybe not in the nightclub or weekend party sense, but dramatic flailing, pausing and contorting feels encouraged.

Atlas Sound - Parallax

Atlas Sound - Parallax
4AD




This is my first time hearing Atlas Sound, the solo project of Deerhunter's Bradford Cox, and the first thing that has me hooked on its sound is its versatility. The vocals are quite shogazerish for the most part as the music rolls along sweetly with a predominantly light, indie, pop rock. Occasionally peppered among the songs are electronic effects and percussion, impressing a dreamy and at times almost tropical feel.

While much of it plays as an easy-listening endevour, the mood sways from gloomy and pensively comfortable to upbeat and drivingly inspirational. This is definitely an album worth many repeated listens.