Hudson Mohawke’s Satin Panthers EP  is on YouTube as a continuous video stream, watch it here. Some of our favorite tracks are “Cbat” and “All Your Love” .

Rashaad Newsome is a Renaissance artist able to take one idea and interpret it across a wide span of mediums including: collage, music videos, photography, sculpture and installation. His most recent project draws parallels between heraldry in the past– think distant past or even fictional past such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table– and the present, think BLING!

Here’s the video for 10 minute odyssey of weirdness “Forever Dolphin Love” from New Zealander and jazz-pop strangeling Connan Mockasin. The song’s eerie, tendril-like unfurling is only the first stage in a series of unsettling mutations orchestrated by Mockasin. Rattling, groovy sideshows dissolve into shimmering, languid guitar licks and thunking bass hooks. The opening air of wonder and menace is preserved in Mockasin’s obscurely winding harmonies and his bizarre, almost androgynous vocal (like fellow hideous jumper wearing islanders Sigur Ros, Mockasin sometimes decides to quaver in his very own made up language. Perhaps the psychological stress of recording in a haunted house was too much). This sounds like Radiohead being sucked into an opiate whirlpool and makes Brian Wilson sound like a straight-laced choirboy.

The slow, electronic pace of Peaking Lights “Tiger Eyes” matches with the video’s slow-moving, sensual clips that hold a distinct throwback feel due to hazy camera filters and Technicolor movie sets. Both the music and video stand alone on their own but together they prove a hypnotizing combination.

By: Stephanie Glass

We be fans of Featureless Ghost here at SOTR. The project is a coming together of Elise Tippins of Fantastic Lands and Matt Weiner of Twins (who sometimes hang out and call themselves Best Hits or the Peace Age Collective). Here’s their delicious grainy lurid video for Scanproof: part science ed VHS, part lawnmower man, part kaleidoscope chunder-vision.

Richard Greenan.

Italian now L.A. based Dumbo Gets Mad has a delicious vintage sound on their track Eclectic Prawn, which makes sense as they ditched the fancy tools of blogosphere rock in favor for the roots of electro-pop via tape machines and analog synths. The track starts out deceptively soulful with a quick snap of the snare drum and a funky guitar hook that delves into sultry territory with slow moving vocals. Things transform and pickup tempo mid-song with the arrival of a powerhouse tenor and a frenzied electro beat. Just as quick as it began, Eclectic Prawn moves right back into its original sensual vibe. The track continually trades feverish with possessed styling before ending on an explosive note.

Music videos use to be one of the first ways (besides the radio) that people got introduced to material from new artists. In the reign of blogs though streaming Mp3’s have taken over as the vehicle for discovering new music (don’t get me wrong, I love a good Soundcloud clip) but there is something about the art of the music video that just resonates with a person. Soft Kill (comprised of Toby Grave and wife Shiloe Alia) seems to understand the allure of mixing visual with sound in the video for their demo An Open Door. The mysteriously haunting synth based track transfers harmoniously into a collection of darkly vague images ranging from a catholic prayer lights to shadows walking down pathways (defiantly has an David Lynch feel to it). The vintage, non descript feel of the video fits with the song’s 1980’s gothic feel and the ambiguous nature allows the viewer to place their own spin on what they think the video and/or song might mean. Be on a look out for Soft Kill’s full-length debut in March off of Fast Weapons.

It Came Out The Other Side, Ok: Duzheknew

It’s been awhile since I’ve thought of our counterparts to the North (Canada, not Alaska) but tension, post-punk laced Duzheknew reminded me that Canada has more to offer than poutine and Ellen Page. The group hails from Nova Scotia and mix taut and quick guitar strumming with beautiful crashing drums on their standout track It Came Out The Other Side, Ok. The instrumentals create a building pressure throughout the 3 ½ minute track that calls for jerky body movements a la Ian Curtis as the steady rhythm keeps your foot constantly tapping. The vocals mix the perfect combo of talking with little inclinations of singing. Now gonna go dance in a pub in Manchester (or at least in my head).

Bitch Prefect are from Adelaide, a pretty ordinary small city in Southern Australia. It shows as a sense of boredom and apathy seems to spill from their songs. Here is one example of the evolution of the punk mentality, which now often manifests itself as nihilism in the face of the boredom and lack of opportunity that young people face in the suburbs. On their myspace page, Bitch Prefect list Pavement and the Rolling Stones as two of their influences.

Psychic Reality- FRUIT

Gross Magic- Waiting For You

No Age – Fever Dreaming (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Directed by Patrick Daughters

The Feeling of Love may call France home, but their warm, jangly sound recalls more Velvet Underground than Daft Punk. Since 2005 the group’s feedback, strong guitars, and a smug tenor have time traveled the listener back to the heyday of 60’s garage rock and it continually feels good. Beyond the Dirt off of 2010’s OK JUDGE REVIVAL LP evokes a Patti Smith feel as the guitar reverb and jingly drums kick the song off and the drawn out vocals keep pace with the fuzz. Beyond the Dirt focuses more on the solid instrumentals that are foot tapping worthy. Young Jesus (also off of their LP) has more of a bluesy feel from the guitar and high-octane vocals that fit along perfectly with the more up-tempo drums creating a durable vintage-tinged sound. Currently The Feeling of Love is staying across the Atlantic, but perhaps they’ll bring their American sound over yonder sooner rather then later.

Canada’s Memoryhouse are known for their dreamy tracks that bring to mind distant, indistinct memories thanks to the ethereal quality of Memoryhouse’s rich soprano. The group just released a video for their song Heirloom, which is a B-side from their November 7-inch Caregiver. The video was directed by Jamie Harley, a man known for his ability to piece together beautiful moving imagery. His gift is clearly displayed in Heirloom’s video as the viewer follows a mysterious raven-haired beauty through hazy shots of beaches and deserts. The different stills bring to mind the feeling of when you discover an old photo album of your parents and realize they had this amazingly cool life before you came along. The non-linear video matches perfectly with the peaceful music and the combination of the visual with audio creates a peacefully calming vibe.

Tralier for upcoming animation entitled” Old Feed” from Rubber House Studios.

Credits

Director/Animator: Greg Sharp
Sound & Music: James Brown

A-Frames: Black Forest

Loud, crunchy guitars? Hard, banging drums? A strong snarl emanating deeply? If these aren’t things you are looking for in your music, then Seattle’s A-Frames probably aren’t for you. BUT if you do enjoy the sounds of classic garage rock, with a punk twist then this might be your new favorite group. Keeping things straight and to the point, the A-Frames don’t mess around, recalling sounds from the early punk scene in their short, power-packed songs like Hostage Crisis and Black Forest. Spin these guys next time you feel like getting some aggression (just in time for the holiday season as well!)

Nasty Gal has taken a new approach to showing off their inventory. With beautiful model Karina Nicholson to strut her stuff, this “teaser” behind-the-scenes video will have you rushing over to Nasty Gal to place your order. Think of it as a late Christmas gift to yourself. You’ve been good this year, right?

By Genesis Nadal

Bear Hands, a Brooklyn-based indie foursome, have been buzzing around since they toured with handfuls of everyone’s fave hipster bands after the 2007 release of their EP, Golden.

Earlier this year, their ever-growing fan base and music industry following enjoyed the teaser single, “What A Drag” while they impatiently awaited the release of the band’s debut full length.

“Deuce“, an animation by Monica Cook is most definitely a dark and bodily feast for the eyes: I have no problem in labeling it grotesque. This claymation oozes creepiness, and not the kind of creepiness inherent in a stop motion using clay people. The saliva that drips out of the man’s mouth as his tongue licks the woman’s neck was enough to make my skin crawl. Cook’s concept visualizes the process of desire and attraction, right from the initial meeting to the birth of children, which is an inevitable thought process for most people. You meet someone, you’re attracted to them, you envisage your life with them – what “deuce” does is compact that process, graphically illustrating what may only be a 3 second thought. Urbandictionary gives us a lovely definition of the word, which if applied to the animation, makes me feel a little ill. What doesn’t lessen my appetite are the amazing still photographs, reminding me of how much time and sculpting went into this project. If I were wearing a hat I would take it off to Cook.

Vermont based tooth ache. knows electro downer pop to the hilt. Atmospheric beats? Yep. Beautifully haunting soprano vocals? Check. Songs referencing Greek myths involving Wood Nymphs? But, of course. tooth ache. is the brainchild of one gifted lady, Alexandria Hall who mixes a kaleidoscope of sounds ranging from childlike spunk to club sexy. It’s refreshing to see a solo project headed by a female, although Hall’s sound transcends gender due to its ethereal quality. Different beats emanate from organ based synths and drum machines that wonderfully mix with Halls’ layered and echoing singing. The combination of intrinsic instrumentals and indistinct  vocals creates a mood which recalls ancient time and space. (Think Gang Gang Dance but a bit less feral and more dreamy).