2012 - CARPARK
5.7
____________________________________________________

The cover of Melt, from the new yorkers of Young Magic, already tells a lot about the album: a strange silhouette that we can’t identify properly (a man dressed as a fish or a rabbit dressed as a man?) in between colours and lights that resonate both calmness and tension. And when listening to the album those indefinitions remain, in a sound that mixes countless references and little noises, that go from cheery handclaps to the drumming of chains.

Young Magic is usually compared to Yeasayer that used to be compared, in their beginnings, with Animal Collective. As we hear the album, it stays nitid them boys from Young Magic listened a lot of Animal Collective (I daressay they must be fans of 2005 Feels). It is clear in the sound of Young Magic the need of sounding universal and modern, playing with sonorities and turning ordinary objects into instruments. Those experimentations turn out to be the most interesting thing about Melt, cause the rest of it, they sound like another indie band from Brooklyn (whether that is positive or negative).

Even though with that experimental aspect, the songs ain’t sounding nothing further than pop music, like the sticky “You With Air”, with repeated verses that sound like a tribal mantra. This pop verve from Young Magic is what doesn’t make it presumptuous, once the songs feel fast and cohesive, cohabiting a space and an organization that makes it all float.

The presence of tribal sonority on the album is what points out the aesthetic of Young Magic and that makes a bonding among the experimentations, the pop sonority and the soundings that reminds us of bands in the like of Toro y Moi and WU LYF. Songs where the vocals feels foggy by many layers of sound and certain sadness are quite present in this not so remarkable album, perhaps Young Magic might grow, but for now they still sound like teenagers that discovered that it is possible to play up with the sounds from common objects and mix it all up with foggy layers of audio. It ain’t a bad album, it ain’t a good album and it sure has that taste that it will be long forgotten on our HD.

GUERRA, Renan

Read More

2012 - BARSUK
9.0
____________________________________________________

I swear that until this year I would never find a band name as different as Nada Surf. I had never heard his work, as far as I studied and listened, they actually have story to tell. A lot of history. The band from New York, which already has hits like “Always Love” and “Inside Of Love”, started in 2012 with everything, just everything to be one of the stars of the year.

The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy, an album title that, at least, arouses curiosity, and it is undoubtedly among the best albums of the year. The band kept the idea, melodically speaking, but innovated, creating a new look indie rock, and somehow less “feeling down” compared to some jobs. There are ten tracks of a beautiful and well made organizing notes and rhythms.

Without finishing, something like an intro, for example, the great work starts with the energy “Eye Clear Clouded Mind” and the lively “Waiting For Something”. Only with these two initial songs can enter into the atmosphere of Nada Surf. “When I Was Young” carries an amazing array of notes and the amazing vocals of Matthew Caws, which can be considered, no doubt, an unique voice.

For those who watched cartoons that showed American schools and the lives of countless high school students will at least fit one of several songs that somehow give this jovial felling, as the “When I Was Young” and “Jules And Jim”. Other strong moments in the rest of the album come with the beginning of “The Moon Is Calling” and “No Snow On The Mountain”.

Nada Surf proved in one of his great works that the indie rock scene has a lot to give. If you could give an advice to the group if they had to take as a basis for future albums a previous work, I would just say that the stars are indifferent to astronomy. And well, after everything, I have to say: what a name.

COLARES, Pedro

Read More

2012 - HELL, YES!
6.4
____________________________________________________

Egyptian Wrinkle is not the album of the year, nor a great revelation and perhaps you’ll even forget about the band right after you hear it, but the mood that Boy Friend creates during the listening is already worth it. It’s a bit over thirty minutes of a certain peace, like an electro-lysergic trip through calmness. The album’s got that same aspect of tripping, since the first and last songs (“Rogue Waves I” and “Rogue Waves II”, respectively) have got that vibe, along with their instrumental rhythms, of embarking you through Boy Friend’s girls’s tiny world.

With an ethereal sound, that initially reminds you of a mixture of Austra and Sleep ∞ Over, Boy Friend captivates us with electronic songs that sound like mezzo dramatic mezzo happy ballads. What could be a problem is the duo’s great beauty: this sound could either be a soundtrack to our depressions as well as a peaceful companion to ordinary days.

The album is also shot through with a 90s vibe, sometimes it sounds like Spice Girls songs in a more atmospheric rhythm. In a certain way these girls are able to revisit all that sonority that certainly is part of their childhood and adolescence and transforms them in a music that sounds extremely current, with all the 90s revival and lo-fi valorization.

Forgettable or not, Boy Friend’s got potential to make great albums, because even with this simple and without great innovations they can be quite captivating. Egyptian Wrinkle is an album that ought to be listened to in moments of loneliness, in the company of good friends, in moments of a certain melancholic happiness, and if you don’t really understand what i mean by “melancholic happiness”, maybe Boy Friend’s album will introduce you to this weird feeling, that relaxes the soul.

GUERRA, Renan

Read More

2012 - MOM + POP
9.6
____________________________________________________

When Sleigh Bells released their first album, no one really knew what was going on. Heavy metal and punk riffs over pop and hip hop percussions, vocals that went from soft shoegaze-like to agitated cheerleading chants; and a great deal of samples. Their sound was completely chaotic in a twisted and brilliant way. Treats was so remarkable that it caught the attention of notable names such as Diplo and M.I.A. - the latter which even sampled one of their songs in her controversional album /\/\ /\ Y /\.

Sleigh Bells were such an odd mixture that it was sort of hard to imagine what they would do next. If they kept the exact same formula, chances are it’d get boring too quickly; but if they changed too much, it wouldn’t sound like Sleigh Bells. So it came as a somewhat surprise that Reign Of Terror, the second album, is actually significantly better than the first one.

This time around, the guitars are heavier and more omnipresent, the lyrics are darker and there are less samples. It doesn’t change much in their basic sound - it is still noisy and loud and chaotic - but it’s just enough to keep them fresh and interesting. They never have been an easy band to classify: they’re not exactly punk nor heavy metal, they’re not a twee-inspired shoegaze like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart nor a classic shoegaze like My Bloody Valentine, they’re not a shapeless noise like Sonic Youth. They’re all that, and more, rolled up in one.

Even with all of the heaviness and chaos, Reign Of Terror does have some fantastic radio-friendly tracks and singles, such as “Comeback Kid”, “Crush” and even “Demons”. Their second studio effort is a more accessible one than their first, and it all works brilliantly for them. However, Sleigh Bells still are what could only be described as a hellish experience to some people and utter bliss to others. No matter how many times you listen to it, if you hate them you probably won’t change your mind. And, if that’s the case, sadly, it’s your own loss.

SALLES, André

Read More

2012 - 4AD
8.9
____________________________________________________

It is a common belief that musicians must begin their musical practice at an early age, lest they lack the necessary skill to become professionals later on in life. However, Claire Boucher, a Montréal resident better known as Grimes, often admitted in her early interviews that she was not particularly musically inclined until around the age of eighteen. This fact is one that interviewers and fans alike enjoy clinging onto, attempting to dissolve the thick barrier between classical training in an instrument and untrained musical exploration. Regardless, this fact should not limit one’s opinion of Grimes’ music, though it allows the listener to better understand how this multi-talented artist is able to create such individualistic and ambitiously explorative music. Electronic music can be repetitious and uninventive, or it can be adventurous and engaging, and Grimes’ latest album, Visions, demonstrates the latter with great dexterity.

Immediately upon deciding to purchase the latest installment of Grimes’ weird electro-pop, it becomes evident that she does not want to approach music traditionally, be it the actual music, the song titles or the methods of release. Claire Boucher opts to release Visions in a lot different ways (digital, iTunes, physical…). At least she is not releasing this album solely on cassette, as she attempted with her debut album, Geidi Primes, in 2010. As for song titles, Claire Boucher chooses to confuse the listener with track names like “Be A Body (侘寂)” and “Infinite ♡ Without Fulfillment”.

However, these artistic choices, in addition to the fact of Grimes getting into the musical craft later on in the game, cannot compromise the talent of this Canadian musician. Her latest album flows in electronic glory from the beginning to the end, pausing momentarily to remind the listener that this is not your traditional electronic pop album (such as during the track “Eight”, which begins with a heavily digitalized vocalized drones overlapped by vocals that squeal outside of ordinary human range). Cuts like “Oblivion” and “Genesis” are more accessible Grimes’ previous work, taking more traditional elements of dance music while maintaining her irresistible reverb-enhanced, haunting vocal lines.

Unlike her previous release, Halfaxa, Grimes’ latest album does not derail in order to include experimentation for experimentation’s sake, but rather incorporates small moments like nothing that one has ever heard before into a fairly consistent groove of musically diverse, beat driven songs. Indeed, this is not only a great album to dance to, flawlessly implementing synthesizers and drum machines together, but it also shows off the raw vocal talent of Claire Boucher like never before. Even through a thick cloud of reverb and multi-tracked instrumentation, the vocals cut through hypnotically, giving the various tracks such emotional backing that the lack of enunciation is unimportant. Songs like “Skin” project such a layered atmosphere of melancholy and confinement that one cannot help but sympathize with the music, making the experience of Visions an emotionally engaging one. You may very well cry, even if it occurs while you are dancing.

Do not let the frightening image of a skull engulfed in flames dissuade you from embracing the music of Vancouver-born Grimes. She may create strange music, but her music is as alive and engaging as any electronic music out there, though it may not seem inviting initially. Visions proves Claire Boucher’s talent as a musical artist, and maintains her originality without forfeiting the backbone of her musical expositions: her captivating voice, her synthesizer mastery and her creative experimentation. Grimes intrigues, and once you lend your ears for a quick listen of Visions, good luck getting them back until Boucher’s message has been delivered in full.

BOER, Sam

Read More

2012 - ROCK ACTION
7.7
____________________________________________________

Errors is a Scottish four piece band, with some albums hitting the stores which are the representations of the “post-techno” genre the band has created for itself. While the band has achieved some recognition by mainstream media mainly with their early works, the new album Have Some Faith in Magic really is something for the band to be proud about.

Although not as diverse and compound as their debut album It’s Not Something But It Is Like Whatever, Have Some Faith In Magic is feel-good and pleasing – in a psychedelic manner, naturally. Taking track “Magna Encarta” – a rather nice wordplay, by the way – for example, it seems to have caught you in some kind of trance, like it’s some kind of ear-drug.

The whole album feels like a trip to some place new, full of musical surprises. There’s some attention to details over the course of the tracks that makes them sound unique, ‘Errors-esque’. This feature is very promising and so is the band on its own.

The new album may not be the best of the three, but it certainly provides the band with this kind of signature that makes their songs easily recognisable without losing their determination to experience new sounds. The album feels and sounds like the Errors, and that is definitely a good thing.

MOTA, Paulo

Read More

2012 - WICHITA
8.4
____________________________________________________

Last November in Toronto, Ontario, a crowd comprised principally of wide-eyed twenty-somethings, but also including the occasional caffeinated teenager or out-of-placed middle-aged couple, stood haphazardly around the stage of the Sound Academy, anticipating the performance of Swede Lykke Li. Before this performance was to take place, the opening act, a pair of long-haired young women, humbly slid onto the stage looking nothing more than a couple of teenagers in surprisingly fashionable outfits comprised of what appeared to be a variety of old-fashioned tablecloths. Their shy appearance was immediately juxtaposed with an unbelievably confident air onstage, as they played an incredibly engaging and emotional set. How could these two girls be striding around the stage, swinging guitars and swaying their hair to the intoxicatingly aggressive or superbly soft sounds of their songs? Before you could even question it, the Söderberg sisters had you captivated, whether it consisted of uncontrollable head banging or narrowly avoiding tears.

These sisters, Klara and Johanna, are only 19 and 22 years respectively, but they emulate the songwriting ability and vocal talent of much older musicians. The Lion’s Roar showcases these positive aspects of the sisters very well, filled with lush harmonies and a good diversity of pace and instrumentation that keep it interesting to listen through. Produced by Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, M. Ward), this album brings a certain fullness to the sound of First Aid Kit that may have been lacking in their first record, The Big Black And The Blue. However, moments of tenderness and minimalist beauty remain, as is showcased in the album’s title track (and the first single), “The Lion’s Roar”. This energetic folk jam has the perfect balance between full, intense verses and quieter moments throughout, especially towards the end of the song, where the Söderberg sisters are able to show off their impeccable harmonies with only guitar and some gentle woodwind drones in the background.

The Lion’s Roar is an album that few would blindly guess was created by a pair of Swedish sisters, as it contains a very American country-folk sound throughout. Indeed, this album will certainly expose many indie music lovers to the most likely unfamiliar world of country music. Steel guitar is used throughout behind vocal nuances that could be interpreted as southern drawls. This is epitomized in the song “Emmylou”, as the sisters croon: ‘I’ll be your Emmylou and I’ll be your June if/You’ll be my Gram and my Johnny too’. However, this country twist maintains an originality that will more likely entice new listeners rather than repel them. Indeed, the pure talent of First Aid Kit and their undeniably enjoyable songwriting is likely to make this album the most recent success in allowing hipsters to enjoy the traditional elements of country music, without digging up much older records.

From the first, confidently strung minor chords that begin the album, to the celebratory cheers that follow an appearance from Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst on the final track, The Lion’s Roar is a tribute to the power of more traditional songwriting, as well as the emotion that can be captured with beautiful vocal harmonies. This album translates the amazing live show of First Aid Kit into an accessible, engaging collection of ten well-produced songs. Some may state that there is still an inevitable simplicity in the songwriting of the young sisters, but as they state in the refreshingly introspective penultimate track of this album: ‘I know I am naïve, but if anything, that’s what’s going to save me’. Indeed, that may be what makes the album seem as alive as it is.

BOER, Sam

Read More