Gazelle Twin- "Unflesh"

Amidst the current electronic music landscape, there doesn't seem to be a dearth of innovation-- more so, varying camps of exploration and sub-genre classification that almost cripples the output. Mainstay acts either push the medium to glitch-based machine gunning percussion or glacial synthwave textures and the two often don't find common ground; enter Gazelle Twin.  Comprised solely of Elizabeth Bernholz (née Walling), Gazelle Twin has evoked a favorable critical following-- thanks, in part, to her art house approach and outsider execution.  Her debut album, "The Entire City" was a sweeping spectacle of dance-textured mathematics, truncated amidst violent drum blasts of precision; the sort of production that has remixed John Foxx and a myriad of Brit-based techno acts.

Bernholz's recent output, "Unflesh", pushes the soundscapes explored in her previous efforts- but to a much more focused and aggressive degree.  The lyrics are bare-bones and direct, sparing us misinterpretation amidst the frenzy of patchworked chaos and calm (which are often simultaneous in one song).  The album could easily stand against the discography of The Knife while still inviting the minimalist fans of later-day Plastikman, a definite stepping stone between contemplative post synth and the forward momentum of modern EDM.

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A Place To Bury Strangers- "Transfixiation"

There's no denying how easily Brooklyn has become one of the more enigmatic creative hubs in the country- throw a brick through your standard-issue SXSW beer tent and you're bound to hit six bands from the borough.  Understandably, it's become overrun with "next big thing" hopefuls and gentrified angular-pop that you've come to expect from any metropolitan freak-factory, but with that also comes the disappointment of the inevitable "too much of a good thing" plethora.  Which is what makes A Place To Bury Strangers a noteworthy band- being the most un-Brooklyn of the Brooklyn bands to make a splash.

Their self-titled debut introduced us to a bang that loved guitars- letting them dredge canals of feedback and distortion louder than their shoegazing forefathers; this was a band that could make a car crash sound as if it had longing.  Over the span of 4 albums, APTBS have gradually found the perfect blend of 80's goth sensibility, Wire-worthy post-punk and distorted bliss that have culminated in their recent outing, "Transfixiation".

Bridging the gap between their earlier soundblast, noise-punk debut and the refined gloss they explored on their previous album, "Worship", their latest album seems like a band readying for their next move; doing what they do best by tepidly exploring new sounds while calling back to their nostalgia. Whatever the future may hold for the members of A Place To Bury Strangers, "Transfixiation" could easily be the album reflected as a turning point in years to come.

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John Carpenter- "Lost Themes"

The films of John Carpenter have become one of the foundational blueprints of modern blockbuster filmmaking; everything from his camera framework to intensely captivating lighting has been fervently imitated on screen. Movies like The Thing, Escape From New York, Halloween or The Fog have a unifying utopian execution of the pop arts that have left an indelible mark on how cinema is made. His work, often held in cult classic reverence has one undeniable unifying theme- in a literal sense- the scores Carpenter himself composed for the films.  Sculpted with layers of classic synth tones which he utilized at face value (no effects or orchestra-imitating patches here)- the soundtracks themselves have become so intrinsically integral to the modern soundscape, they manage to stand on their own as essential instrumental works.

With a handful of years under the radar and rumors of an alleged retirement from filmmaking, Carpenter's latest endeavor is a surprising departure and a welcomed addition; an album aptly-titled "Lost Themes".  At 9 tracks, John Carpenter's debut album is the soundtrack to the best John Carpenter movies NEVER made. True to his patented tone, he keeps his synthesizers sounding like synthesizers- at their most menacing and eerie, with assistance from his son Cody Carpenter and fellow composer Daniel Davies.  Each score (because the word "song" lacks the ability to encompass the sonic worldbuilding going on) shifts tonally throughout and often dramatically, but much more intensely than in his legitimate film scores- it's evident that "Lost Themes" is a passion project and an immensely engaging one as well!  With a soundtrack this good, you practically don't even need a movie to accompany it.

Get YOUR copy of John Carpenter's "Lost Themes" HERE!

Caribou- "Start Breaking My Heart"

 

Canadian-bred electronic composer Dan Snaith, or Caribou as he's known to music press, recently released his seventh album (the celebrated "Our Love") earlier this year to much-deserved accolades.  Snaith's earlier work however, is also finally reaching a wider audience- thanks to a vibrant reissue of his debut album Start Breaking My Heart. Originally released in 2001 under his initial moniker "Manitoba" (he was forced to change it after former Dictators lead singer Richard "Handsome Dick" Manitoba threatened a law suit), Heart is a pensive and melancholic ride through light organic instrumentation and Boards Of Canada-tinged synths.  The results are smooth hybrid of glitched electronics and effortless jazz tangents that could easily intrigue both the most hard-nosed Verve Records aficionado or a chill-room dance recluse.

The rebranded reissue is a noteworthy companion piece to this years "Our Love", featuring an additional disc of nearly an album's-worth of material from his earlier works.  Since this breakthrough 2001 release, Snaith has received numerous awards including the prestigious Polaris Music Prize and a Juno Award for 2011's "Swim", and he continues to produce breathtaking sonic works in a modestly prolific pace.  

Get YOUR COPY of CARIBOU'S "START BREAKING MY HEART" HERE!!!

Marilyn Manson- "The Pale Emporer"

Allow us a moment to reminisce without anyone casting any aspersions; for all intents and purposes we SHOULD be talking about those new Aphex Twin EPs or perhaps that new Belle And Sebastian if we knew what was good for us (and our record store "cool points")- but today we have to pause and reflect on Marilyn Manson. Years before Miley was leading the armies of selfie-addled tweens, an almost-comically misanthropic, androgynous ghoul named Marilyn Manson was shocking parents throughout the tail-end of the MTV generation. Often self-aggrandizing to the role of villainy in any of his incarnations, Manson's garish brand of obtuse "shock" rock has remained a constant tent pole in mainstream alternative rock.

Since his 1994 debut, "Portrait Of An American Family", Manson's slowly descended from the role of a manic teenage spaz-demon to that of an idiosyncratically aged vampire on his recent "The Pale Emperor". As The Pale Emperor himself has become fervently reclusive and private, so has his music- the oversexed guitars and tribal percussive thrust is still there, but it now sludges under the weight of the world, trudging like a one night stand thanks to Manson-newcomer/collaborator Tyler Bates (whose work as a film composer recently scored box-office blockbuster Guardians Of The Galaxy). The rage of his younger self has slowly dissipated into the fog of disappointment and disdain of adulthood and the results are intriguing to say the least.

Grab your copy of MARILYN MANSON'S "THE PALE EMPEROR" HERE!

Jellyfish- "Bellybutton"/"Spilt Milk"

 

When well-to-do, in-the-know, record store counter jockeys debate the musical impact of the nineties (after they collect themselves from laughing) they'll smarmily namedrop the staple indie rock darlings that emerged and the inevitable rise and demise of grunge.  However, amidst the frantic rush of trapper keepers and Bush administrations was a subtle and engaging power-pop resurgence, at the forefront of the movement was a little band called Jellyfish.  The brainchild of Jason Falkner, Roger Manning, and Andy Sturmer, Jellyfish existed in a pop bubble of hook-driven, bubblegum choruses and drew from a pool of influences that ranged from Queen to XTC to The Beach Boys.

Releasing only two albums from 1990 to 1993 ("Bellybutton" and "Spilt Milk", respectively), the band quickly dissolved due to creative differences, the members going on to become staple players behind the scenes in modern pop production.  With over a decade since the release of their prominent works, both albums are finally available in a deluxe dual-disc special edition format.  Each reissue contains the albums proper and includes a myriad of supplemental material including b-sides, rarities, demos and live versions that are finally seeing the light of day. The perfect way to discover or rediscover a true hidden gem.

Get your JELLYFISH reissues RIGHT HERE!

Mark Ronson- "Uptown Special"

Nostalgia could easily be categorized as a genre in these ever-changing modern times; the rate at which quality new pop music is released and radio filler clutters the racks is almost neck and neck. Enter the black sheep: Mark Ronson.  The dial-tuner behind some of the decade's favorite darlings, including Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" and Amy Winehouse's "Back To Black", Ronson has made a conscious effort to craft layered, catchy pop songs that evade easy categorization.  His recent release, "Uptown Special", is no exception.

Relentlessly harkening back to Stax-era funk and jive street shuffle grooves, "Uptown Funk" succeeds at creating a vacuum of radio nostalgia that is severely absent from the charts today.  With it's modern guests spots in tow (you've probably already heard the single with Bruno Mars enough) and the reverence for its roots planted firmly (Stevie Wonder and his patented harmonica hues are ever-present and welcomed), the album embraces its time capsule mission statement. In the hands of another producer, the result could have been a mixed bag of kitsch and eye-rolls, but Ronson succeeds at making his beloved era of music shine with his glossy, modern production. Similar in retro-futurism to Daft Punk's "Random Access Memories", "Uptown Special" delivers relevant pop charm with strong roots to the past.

Get your copy of Mark Ronson's "UPTOWN FUNK" HERE!