Empire of the Sun, "Walking on a Dream" (EMI)
Hyped on: My Old Kentucky Blog; linesthroughlines
Official site
MySpace
Who: This Australian dynamic duo, made up of Luke Steele (of underrated popsters the Sleepy Jackson) and Nick Littlemore (of Down Under dance band PNAU), is burning up the blogosphere with their dreamy synth-pop. Currently riding high on the quiet storm that is the title cut of their full-length debut, Empire of the Sun has already been tagged “the Australian MGMT.”
What: Somewhere between ‘80s hot hits and classic California “sunshine rock,” Empire of the Sun shines brightest when cooking up nearly perfect pop tunes like “Walking on the Sun” and “We Are the People,” which drops springy acoustic guitars into the mix. “Standing on the Shore” is yet another sparkling single that captures the band’s heavy melodies, while “Country” is an ethereal instrumental that puts a smiley-faced spin on a melancholy guitar twang reminiscent of the “Twin Peaks” theme song.
Made for: MGMT fans in need of another band to obsess over. Hardcore indie pop aficionados that still get teary over old St. Etienne CDs. Anyone that’s ever wondered what Flight of the Conchords might sound like if they had a penchant for face-paint.
X-Factor: Nick Littlemore is also involved in the band Teenager with New Zealand’s Pip Brown, better known as Ladyhawke. They’ve created an Internet sensation with the moody single “Alone Again.” – STS
dälek, “Gutter Tactics” (Ipecac)
Hyped on: Covert Curiosity; the of mirror eye
Official site
MySpace
Who: Rap-metal died, thankfully, but the art of noise mixed with hip-hop beats lives on in this Newark, New Jersey duo (pronounced die-a-leck), who have opened for everyone from De La Soul to shoegazer-metal gods Isis. Put those two groups on the end of the spectrum, plop Dalek (or, to be official about it, dälek) in the center and you’ll pretty much figure out the band’s sound.
What: And you thought the new Kanye was cold and robotic: “Gutter Tactics,” dälek’s fifth album, matches the ominous guitar drone of Godflesh with the stoned menace of Cypress Hill—sonically, not lyrically. Add in some distorted trip-hop beats (see “2012 the Pillage”) and old-school scratching, and you’ve got some seriously moody, spooky stuff that crosses borders into metal, early rap and ambient.
Made for: Metal fans who want to embrace a hip-hop group. People who miss DJ Spooky and his ilk. Mike Patton groupies; the band records for the former Faith No More singer’s brilliantly weirdo indie label, Ipecac.
X-Factor: Although “krautrock” and “hip-hop” rarely mix (outside of Afrika Bambaataa sampling Kraftwerk), dälek tested it out in 2004, releasing an album-length collaboration with German experimentalists Faust entitled “Derbe Respect, Alder.” – KM
Gramercy Arms, "Gramercy Arms" (Cheap Lullaby)
Hyped on: Brooklyn Vegan; Whale Week; quick before it melts
Official site
MySpace
Who: Billed as an indie-pop “supergroup,” Gramercy Arms is really the brainchild of singer-songwriter Dave Derby, who was also frontman for the Dambuilders, an underrated part of Boston’s fertile early ‘90s indie scene. He’s joined here by former Dambuilders/GBV drummer Kevin March, former Luna guitarist Sean Eden, Joan as Police Woman keyboardist Rainy Orteca, and an impressive who’s who of players from various New York-based groups.
What: Derby is a student of the Big Star/Sloan/Crowded House school of power-pop; his songs are short, punchy, and built around simple but slightly left-of-center melodies that tend not to reveal their catchiness until you’ve heard them a few times. He’s capable of swaggering, guitar-led anthems like album opener “Automatic,” but his songwriting really shines on the set’s more laid-back tunes, especially the bittersweet “Since Last September” and “Shining Bright,” a deceptively sunny tune about missed opportunities (“All the years I waited, medicated to make it through”). Here’s hoping Gramercy Arms proves to be Derby’s long overdue opportunity to get the attention he deserves.
Made for: Former Dambuilders fans—c’mon, there must be a few of you still out there. Former Luna fans—Sean Eden’s distinctive guitar work features prominently on several tracks, particularly the very Luna-like album closer “Moving Slow.” Any professed power-pop junkies.
X-Factor: The guests on “Gramercy Arms” include the likes of Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws and Joan As Police Woman’s Joan Wasser, but the big surprise comes on the album’s lead single, “Looking at the Sun,” which features very credible backing vocals by Sarah Silverman. (Yes, that Sarah Silverman.) – AH
Tobacco, "F---ed Up Friends" (Anticon)
Hyped on: the switchburn anti-blog; The Sky Report; The Silent Ballet
Official site
MySpace
Who: Black Month Super Rainbow front-creature Tobacco (born Tom Fec) is a pretty reclusive dude—he refuses to conduct in-person interviews and reportedly lives somewhere deep in the Pennsylvania woods. Double spooky given the videos he’s spun for his first solo effort. Think chopped and screwed ‘80s TV commercials (Teddy Ruxpin!) and public access ephemera. Plus, guy wears masks while performing live. Triple spooky.
What: Like Black Moth’s excellent LP “Dandelion Gum,” Tobacco’s thesis lies in '80s-era analog synth-bending, nostalgic chip-tune basslines and hazy flute swirls that remind us of filmstrip soundtracks from second grade. The twist that makes this a true solo effort is the focus on head-nodding beats. Instrumental “Truck Sweat” blends a standard hip-hop snare/bass combo with grinding Juno chords while “Hairy Candy” picks up the tempo with Fec singing into the trademark BMSR filter. Reinforcing the hip-hop nod is a cameo by Aesop Rock on “Dirty,” a tease for bigger and better collaborations in the future. (Are you reading this, Jigga? We can already hear your flow over the moody “Backwoods Alter.”)
Made for: M83 fans who bump Atmosphere on the way to the concert. Vintage analog synth collectors looking for a real showcase of the hardware.
X-Factor: On probably the 15th listen, we realized that during the intro of “Dirty,” buried under a heavy bassline, Aesop Rock endorses one of our favorite breakfast items. “It’s my duty to inform you that Honey Bunches of Oates is the greatest cereal ever created.” Goes well with, uh, milk. – MR
