U.S. Girls
U.S. Girls – “Island Song”
Like most songs on U.S. Girl Meghan Remy’s latest LP U.S. Girls on Kraak, “Island Song” isn’t built from much, just a piano line, keyboard that slowly lurches from chord to chord, and shuffling looped drums. But combined with Remy’s powerful vocals, the mysterious and evocative result is hard to forget.
Tonstartssbandht – Shot to La Parc
The brothers behind Tontstartssbandht hail from the suburban dreamscape of Orlando, Florida but call New York and Montreal home, and somehow managed to tour to Russia and Ukraine in 2011. No surprise then that the clattering propulsive drums, blasted guitar fuzz, and barely-there yet melodic vocals of “Shot to La Parc” capture a forward-looking wanderlust, jumping head first into the future simply because it’s there and it’s fun.
Innergaze – Shadow Disco
Based on the evidence, “Shadow Disco” is what happens when you record a solid mutant disco song, featuring a subliminal bass line blanketed by synthesizers, then play it back, messing with the filters the entire time and periodically dropping explosions of dub echo. Innergaze’s song is a fine example of the scene emerging around the 100% Silk label, which finds former noise musicians diving into full-on electronic dance.
The Offset: Spectacles – The Loop Swing
From Hong Kong, but now based in Beijing, The Offset: Spectacles are characterized by an unshakeable commitment to outdated gear and analog recording. Little more than the pulse of a few chords, subtle viola textures, and hectoring Cantonese vocals, “The Loop Swing” is brighter than the rest of their material but captures the focus and dedication that makes their minimalist sound so engrossing.
Group Inerane – Tehiteyman
Desert blues of the highest grade, the guitar playing on Group Inerane’s “Tehiteyman” sounds like five Howlin’ Wolves playing at the same time. Hailing from Agadez, Niger, most of Group Inerane’s releases so far have been rough audio verité live recordings, and “Tehiteyman” is no exception. You may hear a child shouting at some point, but the song is so exhilarating it doesn’t matter.
Femminielli – Atlantida
What sets apart “Atlantida” is its scope and vision. Montreal artist Bernardino Femminielli allows his synthesizers to warm up for two minutes before we’re deposited into a cosmic nightclub for eight more. Amidst hall-of-mirrors-guitar-riffing and a relentless drum machine, Femminielli’s Gainsbourg-gone-Latin whisperings will either seduce you or make your skin crawl.
A$AP Rocky
A$AP Rocky – Bass
2011 was a fairly exciting year for hip-hop, but by the end, it was hard to remember what exactly made everyone so rabid about Odd Future and their ilk. A potent reminder came from A$AP Rocky’s woozy, strangely ethereal rap. “Bass” struts along to a typically eccentric beat from producer Clams Casino, the pitched-down vocals providing disorienting yet catchy choruses.
Actual Water – Latoya
After releasing a few CDR’s and tapes, Toronto’s Actual Water got convinced they were the biggest band in the world. It’s not true yet, but based on “Latoya” it is possible. Released as an extremely limited single, this piece of over-the-top enthusiastic chiming guitar pop deserves to be heard.
Iceage – New Brigade
Danish teenagers Iceage perhaps didn’t fulfill the huge expectations placed on them for their debut album New Brigade but revisiting the title track easily brings back the shock of the first listen. “New Brigade” is equal parts menacing and infectious with singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt’s post punk baritone speeding by at a hardcore pace as guitars both clang and jangle.
Slim Twig – Pastiche
It may be a B-side, but “Pastiche” also might be one of the best songs Toronto’s Slim Twig has ever written. Stabbing, granulated organ and a whip-crack groove set the stage for Twig’s vocals which are more a malevolent hiss than composed lyrics. The song’s off-the-cuff nature gives it a charm far greater than more mannered efforts.
