It was a busy week for me with the release of the newest NYC podcast and presenting our latest show Friday night. But I did find a little time to discover some new tracks and videos to share for the Weekly Roundup, too.
We start with quite a new band Sioux Lion, who recently made their live debut and have issued their first single called "The Sea." It's a strong opening statement, with glimpses of exciting places they might go. Sioux Lion (on this track at least) has a synth-oriented, icy electronic surface that subtly reveals the warm, live sound pulsing underneath. It can be solitary and nocturnal but you can also imagine a group of people dancing to it. Look out for more.
Getting even further into evocative electronic music, we have "Planet" from Anamanaguchi. This song is described as their ode to the cosmos, which makes sense to me. You could think of it as Carl Sagan space pop. Or, in the words of Soundcloud user Paquito Hwt, "It's like I'm traveling through space on an atomic vespa!" That probably puts it better than I ever could. Look for new album Endless Fantasy out May 14th and a tour date at Irving Plaza May 17th.
A few months ago, we shared the cool track "Amrika" from Brooklyn duo Azar Swan and now they've released its video. It features a little girl watching surreal imagery on television, including the band performing. The projections into the room are a cool touch, making the sound all the more immersive. "Watching" is probably not active enough, as the girl explores the house and dances too. At first, it gave me some horror film vibes, but mostly I find it charming to see the pure reactions to the music.
Azar Swan "AMRIKA" (Official Music Video) from Jason Akira Somma on Vimeo.
We've been a little electronic heavy so far – not that there's anything wrong with that – but it's time to shift gears to something simple and unadorned. This is an acoustic demo from David Shultz called "The Sea" (no connection to the above by Sioux Lion) and I really dig it. It's an honest, direct performance that can't help but grab your attention. Just six strings, a voice, and a gripping tale. David's in the early stages of making an album and the early signs from this track point to a stunner.
Air Review put out their second album Low Wishes at the end of January and their latest single is called "Animal." Compared to their stuff I've shared in the past, it seems to be moving towards a more fleshed out, highly produced, even dance-y sound. I think it works pretty well, particularly because the elements of solid songwriting and catchiness are still present. See what you think.
One quick link before we wrap it up, RDGLDGRN made their live TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel recently. Click here to watch "I Love Lamp."