Things are cooling off for the holidays and the music is getting interesting. The pickings seem slim upon first glance, perhaps, but prove to be quite bountiful when given the chance. For this we should be grateful. That’s how we’re supposed to feel this time of year, isn’t it? This week gives us much reason to give thanks a few weeks early. The music never stops coming in from every neck of the woods, and what a blessing it is.
-Winston Robbins
Senior Staff Writer
The Antlers – “VCR” (The xx cover)
The Midas touch of The Antlers remains a constant with their cover of the oft-covered but rarely-insightful “VCR”. Darby’s voice finds this nice middle ground between Jamie xx and David Bowie (did this song always sound like “Heroes”?). -JL
“This ain’t no Beach House,” he says off the bat. Before you find your own niche, you gotta battle with those who’d like to define it for you. As Cities Aviv continues to carve out his own dugout for hazy hip-hop, let’s hang on to the great sample and a line like “I’m not trying run through you ho’s like shoe laces.” -JL
Chicago musician Zach Weinberg’s new project, who described it as a “girl-group without the girls,” leads off with a refreshingly long-winded garage-pop song. The song kicks around some old thoughts about young love, and because there’s no girls in his girl-group, Weinberg sings the lyrics from the opposite sex’s perspective. He told us the song is about a group of dames he knows who “…never sleep, they only party…and, of course, advocate for strong confident women and girl power.” The rhythm and pace of the song do their supposed revelry justice. -JL
Decide yet whether you love or hate Ms. Lana Del Rey? Maybe this will help. Things get a little gritty in this one, but her mumbling croon sits pretty atop synth and sexy percussion. -WR
Nite Jewel – “Sister”
This track aches with sincerity. The accompanying track to single “She’s Always Watching You”, “Sister” is tough to take your ears off. A strange albeit blissful mixture of texture and melody. -WR
Sigur Rós - “Lúppulagið”
How do you say “sight for sore eyes” in Icelandic? I’d guess that it’s “Lúppulagið”, because that’s precisely what it is. A previously unreleased studio song, “Lúppulagið” is a fresh reminder at why we love Sigur Rós so very much. Also why we should look forward. -WR
Star Slinger – “Moet & Reese”
I wish I could say I uploaded that picture for this song, but it’s the official artwork, which is actually kind of better. UK producer Star Slinger is exactly like Moet & Reese’s to me: a classy sheen mixed with some cheap, guilty thrills. The two simple sections — a smooth ride hovering just above a haute-ass beat and a chopped up proto-rap thing with synth horns — are all you need for a solid night. -JL
So, they’re back to finish out a year they started with a boom, with another boom. The product of being produced by The Black Keys’ drummer Pat Carney has proved to be fruitful. Tennis gets a more mature sound and feel, but remains singsong all the same. -WR
Twerps – “Coast to Coast”
This is the ultimate lo-fi garage summer song — the last one, I mean. It feels like no other song can be written after it because not only does properly encapsulate all the facets of an emotive yet lackadasical song, it has a finality to it, like it’s corking up and shelving all the feelings of the season until a much later date. The Melbourne natives pretty much nailed it (the final one in the coffin?). -JL
Grouper, aka Liz Harris the great ambient queen, and Ilyas Ahmed have joined forces on a project they’re calling Visiter. The yet-to-be-titled track is what you imagine it to be – sleepy and droning – yet so much more. The depth achieved here is something to be witnessed. -WR
