Step Rockets - Heart Attack Again

Ooh, this is one single we've been awaiting with much anticipation.

Back in August, we were introduced to Minneapolis band Step Rockets through their bloody amazing single "Kisser", commenting at the time that they "will be your favourite new band of 2014". Much to our amazement, but not to our surprise, the song powered its way to the top of the Hype Machine chart with little-to-no promotion, and currently sits at around 500k plays on Soundcloud, which is pretty fantastic for an unsigned band. Having named them one of our international Tips for 2014, we were sure they were going to deliver something special.

And 5 months on, special is exactly what Step Rockets have delivered in the form of "Heart Attack Again", which premiered earlier on today on the blog of top tastemakers Neon Gold. The song sees the band adding a slight R&B vibe to their sound and toning down the guitars a little, whilst still retaining their own unique melding of indie-rock and electronica. Once again, the band shows off their knack for great big hooks (you'll have the "give me heart attack" part stuck firmly in your head for ages once the song is over), and wonderful anthemic choruses.

On initial "Heart Attack Again" might not be as strong as its predecessor, "Kisser", but let's face it - you'd be hard-pressed to find many songs released last year (or even since then) that were. "Heart Attack" is still a worthy follow-up for Step Rockets, who have done a fantastic job of re-tailoring rock music for modern audiences.

So were we right last year when we said they will be your favourite new band of 2014? You bet your life we were. Now all that needs to happen is for the wider world to take notice, because now they have no excuse.

Step Rockets - Kisser

Minneapolis based quartet Step Rockets appear to have lofty ambitions, expressing their desire to become the first band to perform on the moon. Given the strength of their new single, "Kisser", I imagine that they might have every hope in the world of achieving that.

For a song by a self-released band, the sound of "Kisser" is surprisingly accomplished. Step Rockets appear to have followed the example of other indie-rock artists of late like Imagine Dragons, taking ideas production-wise from electronic and pop and synthesizing them into their own sound. They've got deep drums, up-to-date synths, a massive stadium-sized chorus, and rather refreshingly, a big hulking guitar solo.

Keep an eye out for Step Rockets in the near future. With a sound that is current, accessible and ridiculously radio-friendly, they will be your favourite new band of 2014.

"Kisser" is available to download on a pay what you like basis.

Cmn ineed yr hlp - It Came Without Warning...As Most Disasters Do

As the overwhelming success of the wonderful Public Service Broadcasting has demonstrated, people react incredibly positively to music that utilizes vocal samples from the past in order to successfully make the music of the present and future. Although there are bands on this side of the Atlantic who are doing this to great effect (like Fold, who recently remixed the aforementioned PSB), it's even nicer to hear bands doing the same on the other side.

Enter Cmn ineed yr hlp (sic), a trio hailing from Chicago. Their 2nd release, "It Came Without Warning...As Most Disasters Do", was launched earlier this month, and just like PSB, they use vocal samples as the basis for their music. However, that is largely where the similarities end. Whilst the samples used by PSB are largely used in context, the samples employed by Cmn ineed yr hlp have been taken from various public domain movies, newsreels, television shows and radio dramas in order to create an original, sci-fi influenced narrative. To quote the band:

"The album tells the tale of a gentle sea monster trapped and kept against his will for the amusement and profits of his oceanfront captors. Our protagonist becomes frustrated with his predicament and sets forth on a plan to escape, regardless of the cost in human life."

And in keeping with the epic scale of their narrative, the band's sound is found firmly within what is perhaps the most epic of all rock genres - post-rock. With it's uncompromising peaks, misleading troughs & complex guitar patterns over the release's 24 minutes, it calls to mind the darker moments of fellow post-rockers And So I Watch You From Afar.

"It Came Without Warning..." will be somewhat an acquired taste for those who aren't big on post-rock, but with its sea monster anthemics, it's hard to deny that there is unlikely to be another album like it released in 2013.

"It Came Without Warning..." by Cmn ineed yr hlp is out to download now, both in a 5 track version and as one continuous song.

The Deltahorse - The Guy Who Walks Away

The Deltahorse is a Berlin-based trio comprised of producer Sash, Australian singer/songwriter TJ Eckleberg and saxophonist Dana Colley, formerly a member of group alt-rock Morphine. Together, they create a rather distinctive sound, if "The Guy Who Walks Away" is anything to go by.

The sound of The Deltahorse is largely saxophone and bass led, calling to mind the David Byrne & St Vincent collaborative material from last year. The song also has a bluesy feel to it through the vocals of Eckleberg, and coupled with a production style which borders on dance, should make this song a winner for fans of Alabama 3.

"The Guy Who Walks Away" is available as a free download, and is taken from the band's forthcoming debut E.P, which is due to be released in the autumn.

Sounds of System Breakdown - Mayfly

I stumbled across Dublin trio Sounds of System Breakdown after they made the final shortlist considered for inclusion in Derry-Londonderry's Other Voices Showcase, alongside other acts like blog favourites Little Bear. Their latest single, "Mayfly", is a lovely electronic rock track, with a gorgeous understated chorus ("let's surface, so the weight of the world can hurt us"), and a quirky central guitar riff/synth interplay. The song calls to mind the songs of Two Door Cinema Club, Ladyhawke, and a little bit of Human League too.

"Mayfly" is taken from Sounds of System Breakdown's 2nd album, "Nomad", which will be released on 1st March.

Aware Wolf - Skummy Skummy Skam Guy

 

For a rock band that only has two members, New York based Aware Wolf sure do make a lot of noise. Taken from their first E.P, "Scummy Scummy Skam Guy" takes its lead from a variety of different sources, be it the loud guitars of Japandroids, the lo-fi charm of The Libertines, or the pop-laden punk of Green Day (elements of the track do bear melodic similarities to their track "Jesus of Suburbia"). It's this sort of fun garage-pop that inspired me to start this blog in the first place nearly two years ago, and it's a song well worth taking 2 1/2 minutes out of your day to listen to.

The track from the band's self-titled debut E.P, which is available on a pay-what-you-like basis.

Port Isla - Sinking Ship

Hailing from Norwich, quartet Port Isla are purveyors of the nu-folk sound made acceptable by Fleet Foxes and Mumford & Sons. Their latest single, "Sinking Ship", encapsulates their sound rather well, with anthemic choruses and soaring vocals. And the fact that the intro sounds an awful lot like "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree" by KT Tunstall isn't a bad thing either.

"Sinking Ship" is available as a free download from the band's website. 

Gaoler's Daughter - When We Were Young

It's been more than a year since I last paid a visit to London based 4-piece Gaoler's Daughter. Since the release of "St Peter", the band have toured with Graham Coxon and We Are Scientists, as well as recording a live session with Tom Robinson. 

Their newest single is due out at the end of this month. "When We Were Young" (not to be confused with The Killers track with a similar name) continues the band's tradition of releasing darkly tinged, yet infectious tracks with engaging guitar hooks, as singer John Sterry croons about unobtainable childhood dreams. The band have also released a music video to coincide with the release, with its cardboard stop-motion action tying in to the song's themes of kid-like naivety. 

"When We Were Young" will be self-released on August 27th as a limited edition CD. 

Cheerleaders - Puzzles

Do you like your guitar music loud, shouty, and a little bit rough around the edges? Then Leeds based trio Cheerleaders might be right up you metaphorical street. Their debut single release, "Puzzles", is a sub-2 minute cavalcade of noisy, lo-fi guitars, shouty, slogan filled vocals and youthful energy. The cite The Replacements, The National and Husker Du among their influences, although they sound more like The Klaxons stripped of their rave-y, sci-fi side. They are still a bit away from reaching their potential, but it's a promising debut single from the lads.

"Puzzles" is available now as a free download. 

The Sun Electric Band - In the Clouds

Are you disappointed the your pop doesn't have enough jangle in it? Is the only thing in harmony in your life the balance of good bacteria in your stomach? Are you tired of waiting several more years for a new Teenage Fanclub record to come out? If so, then The Sun Electric Band is for you.

"In the Clouds" shows the Mancunian 5-piece on top form. With their sumptuous harmonies, ringing guitars, and feel-good lyrics, the song sounds like it's a forgotten gem culled from the "Grand Prix" recording sessions, which is of course no bad thing indeed.

"In the Clouds" is taken from The Sun Electric Band's debut E.P, "Want to Feel Like..", which is available now.

Fuzzy Empire - Contraband

 

 It's been all change in camp Fuzzy Empire since the last time I put metaphorical pen to paper about them. The Dublin electronica merchants have now expanded to a trio with the recent addition of bassist Hil White, and have marked the occasion with their first post-expansion song, "Contraband."

"Contraband" is the strongest song the group have released by far. The added bass has added a bit of depth to the group's sound, as well as adding, for perhaps the first time, a sense of fun. It's electro-punk territory calls to mind the less polished side to LCD Soundsystem, as well as calling to mind another Irish trio doing rather snazzy stuff at the moment, Not Squares. I'm not sure whether the song will act as the new "Ground Zero" for the project, but it's a great demonstration of a band with heaps of potential upping their game to exciting new levels.

Parchutes Over Paris - Evolution of the Species

Belfast based sextet Parachutes Over Paris are shaping up to be one of the more exciting new bands to break through in NI in 2012. After spending a year honing their craft live, the group have just released their debut E.P "The Gultiness of Youth", from which "Evolution of the Species" is taken from.

"Evolution of the Species" is an exciting piece of indie-rock, with the synth and guitar lines working in tandem with each other to create something rather memorable. It's toe-tapping sensibility brings about obvious comparisons with Two Door Cinema Club, although the great lyrical depth sets them apart from them. Even more excitingly, when the band play this song live, there is ample use of cowbell, and we all know that the key to musical greatness is more cowbell (well, at least if you're a fan of THAT Saturday Night Live skit).

"The Guiltiness of Youth E.P" is available as a free download for a limited period.

Tea Leigh - Left Behind

After Popjustice's sweeping declaration that Lana Del Rey is now firmly the property of pop, the hunt is on for hundreds of indie bloggers to find a new alternative chanteuse to rally behind (well, at least among those who either ignore PJ or haven't moved on to the fabulous Lucy Rose already).

Whether Boston based Tea Leigh can be that person to whip the blogosphere into that dizzy hysteria remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that there is a lot of charm in her track "Left Behind."

A song that revels in it's lo-fi aesthetics (c.f the tape hiss), "Left Behind" is a minimalist track, featuring just finger picked guitar and luscious harmony vocals, with heartfelt, delicate lyrics throughout ("love is like the schoolyard, you dared me to do it").

There is a lot of potential and charm in Tea Leigh's lo-fi recording. However, I can't help but feel that with a bit of production polish, Tea Leigh, like Ms Del Rey before her, has the potential to have something truly magical in her hands.

Best Boy Grip - Barbara

"This ain't gonna be a love song," proclaims Eoin O'Callaghan at the beginning of "Barbara" by Derry based band Best Boy Grip. The group produce what could best be described as piano-pop with a dark heart. The sharp contrast between the jaunty, polished Beatles-esque melody and the bleak, bordering-on-nihilistic lyrics is stark - it's as if The Feeling have recorded an album inside a black hole.

"Barbara" is title track from their debut E.P, which mixes the dark with the light throughout.

Wildswim - The Fallout

Listening to "The Fallout" by Oxford based quintet Wildswim, you would be hard pressed to realise that the band are still all in their teens, and even more surprised that the youngsters haven't been picked up by a record label yet. From the opening flanged kick drum, to the last symbol crash, we hear the sound of a band with a surprisingly sophisticated sound.

In terms of comparisons, the baroque stylings of Wild Beasts would be a good starting point, particularly the baritone vocals of Richard Sansom, which are quite similar to those of Tom Fleming. However, their sound also contains elements of dance production, with house keyboard riffs featuring prominently through the latter part of the song.

It's a striking introduction to the world of Wildswim, it will be interesting to hear how the band develops over the next few months.

The Fallout by WILDSWIM

Burrows - In the Rugal Folds

Fun fact about LA based four-piece Burroughs: their drummer starred in the music video for "Bounce" by Calvin Harris. Go figure.

Thankfully (or unfortunately, depending on your music taste), the sound of the band is miles away from the knob twiddling of Monsieur Harris. "In the Rugal Folds" is a doom laden post-punk track, in the same vein as White Lies, with a slightly more dancable feel.

"In the Rugal Folds" by Burroughs is available to download for free, and the music video, featuring glitter, girls and gloom, can be seen below.

Echo Raptors - Plastic People

As I've noted on numerous occasions, I am a massive fan of Britpop inspired artists, which is probably why I have such a soft spot for Belfast based quartet Echo Raptors.

Their track "Plastic People", which is available as a free download, is an expansive, psychedelic production, reminiscent of The Verve or Kula Shaker at their most introverted.

Calaca Strides - Graves

The enigmatic nature of lo-fi folk artist Calaca Strides makes information on the act, who have just released the debut E.P "Quiet Haunt", very difficult to come by. What I have learned about the artist so far is:

1. The music of Calaca Strides is made by one person, who is based in the north west of England.

2. He was formerly played keyboards in an electro band amongst other projects, which makes his forray into pastoral folk rather intriguing.

3. He takes inspiration from his moniker from the Mexican Day of the Dead and the illustrations of José Guadalupe Posada.

4. The lead track from the E.P, "Graves", sounds as if someone has attacked a Bon Iver master tape with a mix of hydrochloric acid and whiskey, with the finished product sounding jagged, yet somewhat endearing.

Pandas and People - Grab Everything

Up until yesterday, if you asked me if I knew anything about Redditch, I would respond with a blank face. Now however, I can improve on that and add one detail about the town: it's the hometown on alt-pop fourpiece Pandas and People.

Their track "Grab Everything" is a finely produced, sonically pleasing song that utilizes Yeasayer's unusual grooves with an intelligent pop aesthetic. With the song written, recorded and produced by the band themselves, it signals a bright future for the group.

"Grab Everything" is taken from Pandas and People's debut album, which is also called "Grab Everything".

Moscow Times - Fault

Belfast based quartet Moscow Times have released their debut E.P, and taken from it is the song "Fault", which with its variation of tempos and dynamics, reminds me of some of Biffy Clyro's earlier material.

"Fault" is taken from Moscow Times' E.P "Show Your Colours", which is out now.