Greetings, readers! I was kicked out of an artsy fartsy gig the other day. Why? I dunno, but one day I’ll reveal the truth and it will be as massive as Wikileaks, but with more kebabs and less sexual harassing (alleged or not). Why am I not allowed to walk into a venue wearing noodles? I want to wear noodles, you obey, ok? You are insulting my pastafarian beliefs if you chuck me out of your lil’ venue, you bald-headed gorilla!

Phew, sorry, for a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself. This week’s singles come courtesy of Red House Painters, because they were awesome, yo!

Ah, singles, right:

Dead Sons – Hangman

Holy chicle masticado! The sound of Dead Sons keeps getting louder, even if the rhythm in this track is slower than their usual. Then again, the iceberg that 86’ed the Titanic was probably slow too. ‘Hangman’ is but a taste of the grittier sound the band has embraced and assimilated so well over the past 2 years. Desert sessions for the Yorkshire generation, anyone? Mad for this (creepy laugh startled me, tho…it’s probably Bernie chopping up another helpless victim!) . – Orestes ‘Simón Pedro’ Xistos 

Hey Sholay – My Blood

You know? For the past 50 years or so, the people of México complains about “El Penacho de Moctezuma” (Montezuma’s headdress!) not being where it should be (“it belongs in a museum!”). All this time, turns out it wasn’t in a collection in Vienna, but laying in the head of Hey Sholay‘s lead singer. ‘My blood’ is the hyperpop ballad that Hey Sholay offers with cupped hands, waiting for you to take a minute of your time and listen to them. Beware: it’s a gateway drug to their stronger congeners, all included in that collection of psychotropic pop songs called ((O)). Lovely video too! – Orestes ‘Andrés Pedro’ Xistos. 

Fashoda Crisis – Horatio / He’s got gills

Don’t you hate it? You’re having a boring birthday and no gifts measure up to your dreams. Enter Fashoda Crisis and their slightly disturbing (but rocking) single, ‘Horatio’ (wait, is that Clara Cowbell’s husband?). Meandering between straight out rock with some tangential art rock moments, the song is unconventional and engaging. PS: Don’t smoke, kids, this video shows you why!

B-side ‘He’s got gills’ is a more straightforward affair: a hard rocker with loats of well placed screams and a punchy refrain/chorus/mantra that is both multisyllabic and catchy. Short but quite satisfying even if the lyrics freak me out. – Sam “Santiago hijo de Zebedeo” Valdés

Ohnomoon – So Long (Sweet Dreams) / In the mouth a desert

Have you heard of this band before? If no, let me tell you a lil’ about them. Ohnomoon play indie through several pedals, including reverb and a magic black box that contains both Schrodinger’s cat and the ether that turns music into dreamy shoegaze. ‘So Long (Sweet Dreams)’ is extremely sunshiney, with those angelic voices juxtaposing with some forlorn moments that seep through the distortions.

‘In the mouth a desert’ is a Pavement cover. Ohnomoon are no strangers to good covers (check this beauty) and they respect the original’s sense of quirk while still giving this song a few coats of their own mix of colourful paint. Out now as a digital singe on a “name your price” basis.  Sam “Felipe hijo de Besaida” Valdés

I am Kloot – Hold back the night

One of the darkest (and best) bands to come out of Manchester is the always overlooked, often ignored dudes of I am Kloot. All their albums are seminal works of the inner thoughts that fly through your head while having a few pints by yourself and ‘Hold back the night’ includes some drinking, wonderful photography and a rather cool twist (a motif in most of their videos). Mr. Bramwell’s voice feels raspier here, as if he wants to let out a really loud heavy metal scream, but he just lets the anger build up and let the music and the gorgeous orchestra express the emotions. – Orestes “Bartolomé” Xistos. 

Letting up despite great faults – Bulletproof

Letting up despite great faults drop another slice of shoegaze electronica with ‘Bulletproof’, a breezy ditty that is as retro suave as a Trapper Keeper (the ones with designs) and still as refreshing as a mint shower gel. The slightly surreal vocals just add to the dream-like atmosphere that the band so deftly creates. For the naysayers that demand all shoegaze to include guitars, the stringed one makes an appearance as yet another layer of lucid dreaming. Sam “Tomás” Valdés. 

Wild Swim – Echo / Bright Eyes

“A simple approach to electronic music. Minimalism with a few layers.” That was what I was going to write about Wild Swim‘s ‘Echo’ until I started to notice how there was a crescendo of emotions and instruments. The song eventually explodes, without sounding neither overproduced nor minimalistic. There’s even a quick change of genre (and pace) that makes it even more delish. Like a great 70s pop song that never existed, ‘Echo’ is pure magic.

B-Side ‘Bright Eyes’ goes a bit James Blake on us (without aping his sound, though). Echoing sounds travel back and forth in the speakers (love the synth in the back). The vocals dominate this song, but need to be sequestered by the inventive sounds created by the melting pot of instrumentation. Love the spot of experimentation/glitchiness by the end. Sam “Mateo” Valdés. 

Crowns – Parting in the porch

Let me define Crowns real fast for you: Celtic Folk Oi Oi Oi! ‘Parting in the porch’ has all the stapling elements of a clappity clap singalong (I square danced to this!) with the raspier voice of a punk track, so while it never goes for the full angsty roar of punk, it utilises the energy to create a fun track. Is that a mandolin? Well played, Crowns, this is sweet. Orestes ‘Santiago hijo de Alfeo’ Xistos. 

Deaf Club – Break it slow

Y’know, just last week I was wondering what happened to Polly Mackey and the Pleasure Principle. I still don’t know but I see Ms. Mackey is now in a band called Deaf Club and I’m happy to hear that those sounds that I used to like are still there, just more elaborated, polished and dreamier. Now, in ‘Break it slow’ , the rock bits are minimal; the energy is released as a sublimation of ideas.  A dream rock song wearing a pop husk, it will creep and crawl around, but it will leave its mark in your territory. Wonderful bass riffs. Sam ‘Judas Tadeo’ Valdés

That’s it, we ran out of Apostles!  Until next time, I’m Orestes Xistos and I AM THE LORD. No, wait, I’m just fat and full of lard.  See ya and kisses and (((sholay))) (((hugs))).

Links: 

Dead sons Website. Myspace. Soundcloud. Facebook. Twitter.

Hey Sholay Soundcloud.Myspace. Twitter. Last.Fm. Facebook. Blog.

Fashoda Crisis Website. Facebook. Bandcamp. Twitter. Last.fm. Myspace.

Ohnomoon Website. Tumblr. Facebook. Twitter. Bandcamp. Soundcloud.

I am Kloot Website. Myspace. Facebook. Last.fm. Spotify. Twitter

Letting up despite great faults Website. Myspace. Facebook. Twitter. Last.fm. Soundcloud.

Wild Swim Website. Facebook. Bandcamp. Twitter. Soundcloud.

Crowns Facebook. Website. Twitter.

Deaf Club Website. Soundcloud. Twitter. Bandcamp. Facebook.