With 6 albums in their back catalogue, Death Cab For Cutie have taken a bold new step with their seventh entitled ‘Codes and Keys’. The album was recorded at 8 different studios in two week bursts and heavily features vintage keyboards. Digital modification in aspects such as beats and guitar effects seem to play a larger role than in their earlier more organic sounding albums. Codes and Keys is definitely different, and I wouldn’t even say necessarily for the better but it’s certainly refreshing.
Frontman Benjamin Gibbard has admitted being somewhat embarassed about the dark nature of earlier album ‘Narrow Stairs’ and hinted that the lighter nature of this album came from living a more stable, married life. “I’m so proud of this album that at this point I don’t care if people don’t like it.”
“I don’t feel like we went all ‘Kid A’ on everyone. But there are moments on this record where we looked at each other and said, ‘Oh, man, fans of ‘The Photo Album’ are going to wonder what’s going on here.'”
Delooze are destined for something big. Their latest singles ‘Too Heavy To Stand Up’ and ‘We Are Transient’ feature a blend of electro and hard rock with almost gothic elements to it. This mainly comes through due to the choice of classical instrumentation and dramatic feel and it’s like nothing else around at the moment.
We Are Transient isn’t officially released for another 2 months so only the first 57 seconds can be heard on bandcamp at the moment (pretty uncool). However, I’ve embedded an earlier single entitled ‘Big Love’ that was released in June 2010 which has been made available for free download (pretty cool).
It’d be fair to say We Are Transient has a much heavier feel to their earlier singles such as ‘Big Love’ and ‘Out Of The Rabbit Hole’ in which electro aspects featured more predominantly in the music and had a streak of Crystal Castles or even The xx about them.
The Civilization EP will be the most significant release since Justice’s ‘Cross’ back in 2007. Scheduled for release on June 6th, it is currently unclear what other tracks the Civilization EP will contain but it is known it features a remix from Mr. Oizo. There’s also word of a currently untitled second album set for release in autumn. Exciting times.
If shattered monuments raining down on wildebeest in a post apocalyptic, gravity reversed setting is something you’re into, then you’ll love this immense work of CGI mastery.
With The Horrors set to release their third album Skying on July the 11th (26th in US), the first single from the album entitled ‘Still Life’ has been made available to stream. The self-produced DIY supplies album that was first hinted at over a year ago was recorded in the bands very own London studio.
To me, this latest single lacks the drive and edginess we saw in their earlier stuff from the ‘Strange House’ and ‘Primary Colours’ era. It’s still a decent sound though and I’m pretty hyped about Skying being released in July as you so often can’t judge an album from the first single, especially with a band like The Horrors.
The track listing for ‘Skying’ has since been announced and the band have a couple of lined up over the next couple of months across the UK and Europe.
01. Changing the Rain 02. You Said 03. I Can See Through You 04. Endless Blue 05. Dive In 06. Still Life 07. Wild Eyed 08. Moving Further Away 09. Monica Gems 10. Oceans Burning
Ahead of the release of Bon Iver’s second album, a track from it entitled Calgary has been made available for free download in glorious 320kbps from his website. It’s been a three year wait interspersed by the Blood Bank EP in 2009 but Bon Iver’s new self titled album is set for release on the 21st of June 2011.
Bon Iver, Bon Iver’s progress has been tied into the construction of a new recording studio created in his hometown of Wisconsin and this album features some unusual track names corresponding to cities such as Lisbon OH, Perth and Hinnom, TX from previous tours. At the forefront, as always, are Justin Vernon’s archetypal harmonized vocals underpinned by his sublime acoustic chord patterns but with the mandatory occasional synth pad/electronic beat in the background we’ve come to expect.
Bon Iver is also set to tour again this year: a North American tour in late July/early August alongside The Rosebuds and a European tour in October/November with Kathleen Edwards. Tickets are already on sale and can be found through these links.
Indie Music Finds was started in April 2009 as a place for people to find something new. I try and keep it quite diverse so rummage around a bit and I’m sure you’ll find something you like to take away with you.
