July 2011 Mid-summer Gems

1. Artist: WU LYF     Album: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain

Big sounds, large echoey delay, gritty energetic angst with some alternative harmony, and tons of lo-fi, hidden, guerrilla promoting ... yep, smells like the next subterranean hipster hype of 2011. To complete the package, it's worth the hype. Get yourself a copy of the album Go Tell Fire to the Mountain and pester your local promoting company to get these guys to your town while they still got that precocious ambition of rebellion!

2. Artist: Cults    Album: Cults

What decade is this? This neo-late 50's and early-60's sound is almost more ubiquitous in the current hipster universe than chillwave. Great summer pop-throwback rock record with jangles and just enough guitar riffs to fill out the sound. Some tracks stand out more than others here, but it's a solid effort most of the way through. 

3. Artist: Washed Out    Album: Within and Without

More chillwave spillover from last summer....and, unfortunately, I'm buying this one. There certainly is a lot of hype and buzz surrounding an album devoted to blissing out. In addtition, Mr. Washed has been producing tunes for our aurcular-mind-body pleasure for an eternity in hipster-interwebs time. Yet, the emergence of the full-length, right in the heart of summer does pleaseth!














4. Artist: Typhoon  Album: A New Kind of House EP

Orchestral pop done beautifully well, with just the right amount of home-spun, living room style production and chorusey passion. This is the music I want to break out in the later stages of a summer thunderstorm. Looking forward to a new proper full-length at some juncture.