the kinison - what are you listening to? (2004)

can't stop, won't stop the rhythm goin'
don't stop, won't stop the rhythm goin'

remember a few years ago when dance/post-punk was really big? well the kinison were poised to be the "next big thing" to come out of that scene. instead they released an album on a major label, got no promotion, essentially went under the radar, and later broke up. but the one full length they released is actually really good. imagine a dancier version of at the drive in with screechier vocals. recorded in just fifteen days, the best thing about this album is the rhythm section. the drum and bass combinations are insane. pounding yet intricate drumming, and some of the grooviest bass lines on an album of it's type. pick this one up if you like your music loud, but still want to shake it.

the kinison on myspace.

download what are you listening to?:


video for "you'll never guess who died":

- pands

wax tailor - hope and sorrow (2007)

french dj/producer wax tailor has finally made his place alongside his contemporaries (most notably dj shadow, portishead, and rjd2). this album is has very cinematic feel, drawing on movie samples throughout and providing what almost sounds like the soundtrack to an indie made physiological epic. several guest vocalists and emcee's help provide the score to your new favorite headphone album. i'd also definitely recommend picking up his first album, tales of the forgotten melodies.

wax tailor on myspace.

download hope and sorrow:


- panda

the ghost - this is a hospital (2002)

in this empty room, i will live with my mistakes.
hold this straw untill it's gold.. it will or i will break.

this is music at it's most urgent, raw, and sincere. i stumbled upon this album after noticing the artwork (which is incredible) at waterloo records in austin in 2002. this album went highly overlooked, as did the ghost's second album, leading the band to eventually call it quits. vocalist/songwriter brian moss is now fronting a new project called hanalei, which you can check out here. musically, the ghost set themselves apart from the contemporaries of their time by capturing an intensity on record usually only found in live shows. this album will have you drawing comparisons to bands like these arms are snakes, at the drive in, braid, and early alkaline trio. loud.. quiet.. slow.. fast.. this album will keep you guessing and have you exorcising your demons.

the ghost on myspace.
lyrics to this is a hospital (they're incredible and should be read while listening).

download this is a hospital:


- panda

genghis tron - dead mountain mouth (2006)

who needs ear drums really? i mean, when you think about it.. they're really not that important. with that said, i love this album. three guys, no drums, no bass, lots of electronics/synths/drum machines.. making some of the loudest, heaviest, danciest grindcore you've ever heard. destroy your senses.

genghis tron on myspace.

download dead mountain mouth:


- panduh

kissing tigers - pleasure of resistance (2004)

one reason i think kissing tigers haven't blow up with hip shaking hipsters world wide is because when you listen to who they're comparative to, they've got more in common with depeche mode and new order, than a lot of newer 'dance' acts, who just rip off each other. while obvious musical comparisons to the faint (only with brattier vocals) can be made when it comes to these guys, kissing tigers definitely hold their own and stand out amongst their peers of synth heavy indie rockers. this one will definitely have you out of your chair and getting down after the second song.. and your third shot.

new demos are up @ the band's myspace.

download pleasure of resistance:


- panda

120 days - 120 days (2006)

vice records is home to some big names, including bloc party and chromeo. vice is also the home to a group i feel is pretty underrated, considering their label situation. 120 days is an experimental/electro group out of norway. their self-titled record was released sometime in 2006, to favorable reviews. musically, they are more simplified than most electronic acts, but a lot of their songs are driven vocally and thrive on the climax. i caught these guys live earlier this year opening for ratatat, and they ended up stealing the show. holler.

myspace:
www.myspace.com/120days

-grizzly

ariel kill him - named after you (2006)

i'm gonna go out on a limb and assume there aren't many 25 year old swedish guys who have something like seven releases under their belts since the year 2000. well, david lehnberg (also known as ariel kill him), is the only one i'm aware of. self recorded and produced, his latest album brings to mind atmospheric/electronic acts like m83, air, dntel, and even the postal service (also if you dug that bear colony album a couple of entries down, you'll probably dig this). this is a great fall/winter album for all you mood music people out there. fall in love.

ariel kill him on myspace.
kasual recordings akh page.

download named after you:


- panda panda panda

radiohead - in rainbows (2007)

no one saw it coming. and then on october 1st, radiohead changed the face of music as we know it.

to the joy of their fans and the shock of the industry, radiohead announced that their new album was complete and would be out on october 10th (a nine day turn around) in drm-free download format. and YOU get to pick the price. not only that, but they announced a pre-order for a box set that includes an amazing amount of bonus material to accompany the album. all of this done without a record label.

i just finished my first listen, and in typical fashion, they've made a stunning album. diverse, yet cohesive.. grand and intricate in design, simplistic in approach. please show your support for this band and buy this album. they deserve it for not only challenging the entire music industry, but for delivering an album that will only affirm their status as one of the most pioneering acts in music.

download in rainbows:


- panda

telepopmusik - angel milk (2006)

i don't know if anyone in america is making music that shoots for the trip hop vibe of portishead mixed with the lush tones of french electronica duo air.. but there's three guys in france that have alredy conquered the sound. on telepopmusik's first album, all female vocals were provided by solo artist angela mccluskey. on angel milk however, solo artist deborah anderson provides a number of vocals, as well as mcluskey. also contributing vocals/rhymes to the album is a rapper named mau, who adds a less raspy tricky vibe to the mix. the trio provide an amazing center stage to telepopmusik's cinematic backdrop.

telepopmusik on myspace.

download angel milk:


- panda
(ps i know you're sitting there all like "yo, jerome keeps posting albums with pandas on the cover on purpose. i have two responses for that: first, how's the view from up on your high horse? second, it's purely coincidental. i can't help being a tastemaker.)

sebastiAn - smoking kills (2005) and ross ross ross (2006)

ed banger is officially in the wwm building. this is the first of what i'm sure will be many ed banger records related posts. sebastiAn (yes, it's supposed to have the capital a) is a french electro artist/dj. he's done remixes for daft punk, kellis, cut copy, and uffie, amongst others. in typical ed banger fashion, sebastiAn brings the raw ish to the table with quick cuts and big beats. hit the floor.

sebastiAn on myspace.

download smoking kills and ross ross ross:


- panda

i am x - the alternative (2006)

i am x (or iamx) is the theatric solo project of sneaker pimps' frontman chris corner. this album takes aspects from synth/electro pop acts like depeche mode and new order, and blends it with the moody sounds of brit-rock acts like placebo. in other words, it's amazing. this is the sound of an all night coke binge in the bright lights of a big city. corner's vocals are lush and his melodies grand, and the music is enough to get up on the nearest person giving off he right amount of pheromones.

official site.
i am x on myspace.


download the alternative:


- panduh

tahiti 80 - fosbury (2006)

do you need a soundtrack to a night out with your friends? do you need something to get your girl or guy in the mood? did you play out your justin timberlake cd? are you too indie for the maroon 5?

the answer to all these questions is tahiti 80 (pronounced like "tea 80"). this french outfit bring the soul to their brand of indie/synth pop. citing everyone from outkast to new order to curtis mayfield as inspirations for their latest album, fosbury, these guys put together an album of 14 pop tracks with the funkiest of swaggers. get your boy or girl, some friends, some drinks.. and get down.

official website.
tahiti 80 on myspace.

download fosbury:


- pander
(p.s. how dope is the panda on the album cover? quite dope indeed.)

peter toh

peter toh is straight up about the hustle. the brooklyn native (and former lead singer of equal vision records band the stryder) is constantly updating his myspace, website, and youtube channel with new shit. new demos, videos, and so on.. the man simply doesn't quit. he also co-runs one of the more diverse record labels out, hidden track media. i was going to put up his latest release, the shoes of a beast ep, but instead i'm putting up his hard to come by debut, the cleopatra ep. in addition, i'm posting a few of his recent demos packaged together with the two singles from the shoes of a beast ep. if you like what you hear, i highly, highly recommend going to his myspace page, where you can purchase the ep directly from him for a few bucks. as for what he sounds like, i'll let him tell you:

"i'm not an indie musician, i'm not pop, i'm not hip hop, i'm not rock, or r&b. i'm an artist and i make music that fits into one of two categories: the type you like at the moment or the type that you don't like at the moment. all you need to know about me is i'm never afraid and i promise to always blur the lines, take chances, and grow. forever."

official website.
peter toh on myspace.

edit: i'll be posting links to stream toh's music soon. in the meantime, do yourself a favor and buy his shit. next level, son.

"ages" video:


- jerome

ghostland observatory - paparazzi lightning (2006)

it's funny how a band can exist for years in a city that's less than two hundred miles away. a friend of mine showed me this band, and i was pretty stoked on the hooks that the song had. anyways, it's some sort of clash between electro and rock. whatever, i'm not good with genre classification. regardless, ghostland observatory brings the jams. apparently, they've been blowing up recently, but i've just been living under a rock.

add them on myspace:
www.myspace.com/ghostlandobservatory

download paparazzi lightning:


-roshan

ours - distorted lullabies (2002)

ours is the brain child of songwriter jimmy gnecco. even though i was late discovering them (despite having read about gnecco's music a lot over the years), this has quickly become one of my favorite all time albums. epic rock music, incredible vocals, it's all there. fans of radiohead and muse will definitely be into this.

ours on myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/oursmusic

download distorted lullabies:


- jerome

moving mountains - pneuma (2007)

each year, there's always one band that stands out to you and gives your record collection a much-needed facelift.this year, it was a small, unsigned band out of new york called moving mountains. it's pretty hard to shove them into a genre, but they have influences in post-rock, math, indie and pop. "pneuma" is their self-released debut lp, and there's something in it for everyone.

add them on myspace:
www.myspace.com/movingmountainsmusic

download pneuma:

-roshan