Purity Ring

Released on July 24th, ‘Shrines’ is the debut album by Purity Ring, a Halifax/Montreal-based duo comprised of Corin Roddick and Megan James.  They first appeared last year with the release of their debut 7” ‘Ungirthed’ and ‘Lofticries’ through Transparent Records which caused considerable interest in the blogging community.  They’ve since signed with 4AD and Last Gang Records to release their debut LP, and to coincide with the announcement, they’re giving new single ‘Obedear’ away for free.

At its core, there is a beautiful simplicity that is incredibly absorbing. Megan’s remarkable voice is at once ecstatic and ethereal, soaring joyfully through Corin’s carefully chopped beats, trembling synths, and skewed vocal samples.  This haunting track shows why there is great anticipation for the full album and will no doubt set the band up for even more hype in the coming months.

Download ‘Obedear’ for free from the 4AD website.

Mike Landry

Being completely honest, I have absolutely no information whatsoever on Mike Landry.  Looking at his Soundcloud page, it is a collection of clips and samples with the exception of the beautiful ‘Heartbeat’.  It samples a vocal loop from a Childish Gambino track of the same name, but with its deep, brooding bass, gives the track an incredibly atmospheric feel and a life of its own.  I urge you to listen to this track through a good set of speakers.  Download it for free from his Soundcloud page.

KO KO

It would seem that LA is producing some pretty exciting bands at the moment.  Having written about The Neighbourhood earlier in the month, KO KO are another California-based band that, after putting out just three songs, are creating serious waves online.  Ryan and Taylor Lawhorn are the brothers behind the sounds and the most promising so far is the beautifully atmospheric ‘So Strange’.

Its dreamy, West Coast feel is given a slightly ominous tone with the inclusion of an organ playing throughout, but the singer’s beautiful, high-pitched vocals make the track sound like an eerie dream.  The lyrics are equally as captivating, with the chorus line “I’ve tried to run to free my soul / Wide open space can be so cruel”, giving the song a real sense of emotion and depth.  

‘Float’ is more upbeat and positive in its sound and has a greater chance of crossing the band over to a more mainstream audience with its catchy beat, whistling and instantly memorable melody.  That said, it doesn’t loose the ominous tone and personal association the listener will experience with the lyrics.  It explores the emotions of not achieving your goals, both professional and personal, and the consequences on your psyche and ability to move forward.

Head over to KO KO’s Bandcamp page to download their songs for free.  As with The Neighbourhood, if these tracks are anything to go by, expect to hear a lot more from KO KO in the coming months.

The Neighbourhood

Only two songs in and I’m already hooked.  The Neighbourhood are a mysterious LA quintet that look set to have a promising year ahead of them.  It all began two months ago with the release of ‘Female Robbery’, a post-pop, Lana Del Rey inspired indie track full of hip hop beats, fuzzy bass and an incredibly catchy melody.

This was followed up last week with the release of ‘Sweater Weather’.  If you were a fan of ‘Female Robbery’, this will blow you away.  The hip hop inspired beats are still present throughout, with the melody almost rapped over the verses, before it drops out to an acoustic track with a laid back feel and a real California sound to it.

They’ve clearly got a knack for writing infectious melodies with beautiful lyrics that instantly become ingrained in your head, all accompanied by equally captivating visuals.  If both of these tracks are anything to go by, expect to hear a lot more about The Neighbourhood over the coming months. 

The Shoes

Absolutely incredible new video from The Shoes for their new single ‘Time To Dance’.