The Presets have some awesome singles. They have this one track that sounds like Mark E. Smith running up a mountain. The one I posted below sounds like the Rocky IV training montage with the RoboCop anthem in synths. It's refreshing to see these guys not take themselves too seriously, and just make fun and simple dance-y tracks. I'll leave off with one of their quotes, "The more shirts you buy, the more Wendy's we can eat."

The Presets- Girl and the Sea


Hilary Duff is easily the the standard for all girl pop-rockers, but I'm not gonna hate on all girl groups who tread on her territory. The Veronicas sing kick-ass girl anthems that I can't stop singing along with. I hope they can make that crossover to MTV. I could see myself rocking out with my daughters.

The Veronicas- 4ever

-John

Philip Jeck's most recent record Piosenki dla Europy finds the avant-guarde turntablist collaborating with Janek Schaefer, a respected sound manipulator in his own right. The opening track, "Taxim" is both terrorizing and hypnotic, lulling listeners to a dream-like, semi-concious trance. To simply call this music ambient would be unjust and almost insulting, as Jeck & Schaefer trascend the banal connotations of the term. When listening to the record, one gets the impression that the music is part of something greater, which is unsurprising considering Jeck's history of combining slide and film projections with music to create a sort of performance or exhibition. Ten years into his career, Jeck continues to create exciting, innovative, beautiful music.

Philip Jeck & Janek Schaefer - Taxim

Mouse on Mars have been "cutely" referred to by journalists as a more pop-sounding Autechre, but the statement really isn't far from the truth. Where Autechre create densely textured electronic music with a mathematical, detached presense, MoM injects soul and rhythm into what would otherwise be a complicated mess. "Actionist Respoke" represents MoM at their absolute best.

Mouse on Mars - Actionist Respoke

New Radio Dept. Like many other shoegaze and dream-pop groups, the Radio Dept. are a bit of a one trick pony. Thankfully, the formula happens to be one I never tire of. Washed out, hazy guitars & synths matched with lazy, dreamy vocals are my self-professed weakness.

Radio Dept - The Worst Taste in Music

-David

I remember when Madvillainy was first thrown into the indie gauntlet. I was standing near these scensters at a record store, and this dude was explaining to his girl how Madvillainy was hip-hop's Loveless. I was on floor laughing. Fuckin' kids don't know any better. I feel bad for Doom. Doesn't get much worse than misguided youths embracing you as the best thing since Def Jux.

Dabrye ft. MF Doom- Air

-John

Carsten Jost plays coy, but his intent is to get you shaking those hips. He flirts with subtle changes in depth and draws you in with a luring siren beat. It'll be over before you know it, and Carsten will already have had his way with you. Breakout those headphones, or, Dave in your case, those $600 speakers.

Carsten Jost- You Don't Need a Weatherman (Superpitcher Remix)

Turner- After Work (Carsten Jost Remix)



This song is all BenWelsh. The guy knows his pop music.

Amine- J'voulais

-John

This is the first half of the new Sunn 0))) 12' split. It's pretty terrifying. I almost got hit by a UPS truck walking spellbound in unearthly trance. I'm warning you: Don't fuck with Sunn 0))). They will kill you.

Sunn 0)))- Coma Mirror




This track is from the Kevin Drumm/2672 12' split. This is some of the quieter stuff I've heard from Drumm. If you've never heard of KD, you don't really know where he is coming from. If you want to understand his music, then you must understand that he enjoys punishing his listeners.

Kevin Drumm- Totemic Saturation

-John