Coldplay – Ghost Stories
Following 2011’s Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay’s sixth full-length Ghost Stories is booked for release on May 19th. However, if you don’t like waiting a week for it, they conveniently put up an itunes stream yesterday for all you eager beavers.
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewRadioStation?cmd=AddStation&id=ra.862722892
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PvBc2TOpE4
Dead Congregation – Promulgation of the Fall
Greek death metal band Dead Congregation do pretty much everything that death metal does best with their pummeling sophomore release. For fans of occult, Immolation-style thick riffage and growls. Eat your heart out.
http://deadcongregation.bandcamp.com/album/promulgation-of-the-fall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaTKrSQfMsQ
ECO VIRTUAL – ATMOSPHERES 第2
Have a spiritual relationship with weather channel outlooks? The Local on the 8’s have any nostalgic value to you? If you’re anything like me, who watched the weather channel and the TV guide channel to fall asleep, you might find warmth in ECO VIRTUAL’s music. A follow-up to last year’s ATMOSPHERES第1, these ambient beats pack a subtle but powerful emotion that the vaporwave genre is known for. Check it out here:
http://ecovirtual.bandcamp.com/album/atmospheres-2
Fatima Al Qadiri – Asiatisch
In a fashion that almost recalls Oneohtrix Point Never’s synthetic labyrinth R Plus Seven, Fatima Al Qadiri brings us Asiatisch – an album built around the concept of an “imagined China”, or rather, China as seen by someone who has never been there, through media and stereotypical kitsch found in Western culture. A surreal and almost hauntingly empty experience, the full album is available on Spotify for your not-so-Chinese touring pleasure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-SzLpBU63E
Low Leaf – AKASHAALAY
Mutli-instrumentalist Low Leaf delivers her most focused and effective piece of music yet. Replete with enchanting vocals, folktronic mystique and summer delights in rich variety. I already wrote about this for 2 weeks in a row, so I’ll finally shut up (for now) and let you enjoy this great album:
http://freshselects.bandcamp.com/album/akashaalay
Swans – To Be Kind
Experimental titans Swans return with their follow-up to 2012’s colossal The Seer, and it is similarly a daunting listen at just barely over 2 hours long. Officially released yesterday, the band revitalizes their mastered brand of brooding, diverse post-rock and maintains the high pedigree the band is known for. Stream the album here:
http://www.npr.org/2014/05/04/308392426/first-listen-swans-to-be-kind#playlist
Trophy Scars – Holy Vacants
Much like the above To Be Kind, Trophy Scars hits hard with ambitious material this year in the form of Holy Vacants. Conceptually grand, while infusing blues elements into post-hardcore. Certainly won’t be vacant from best-of 2014 lists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-bl06tHoeA
tUnE-yArDs – Nikki Nack
Eclectic, colorful, experimental pop that flies like a quaint little bird in the blue sky. Percussion that is full of life, spirited, androgynous vocals, brimming with whimsy on every corner – Nikki Nack is both a step up from her previous album w h o k I l l and a delicious oddball of an album. Also, make sure you check out this awesome video: