Punch Drunk Radio.

Living In America, Dom ~ Sun Bronzed Greek Gods (2010)

Dominic, who goes by Dom, is a 23-year-old DIY skate fucker who makes lo-fi, sunny psych-pop. He has not revealed his last name because he owes “a lot of money.” This 2010 Pitchfork interview is highly entertaining and tragic regardless of its authenticity. When asked about the much blogged about “Living in America,” he responds:

“Living in America” is sort of facetious. What I really wanted to do was make a “YMCA”-type track that I would be best known for but forever hate myself for writing. Politicians can totally use it at cmpaigns as long as they pay me. But America’s pretty awesome. I can’t say enough about Worcester, Massachusetts. It’s a utopia.

Dom the trio formed in January 2010 and recorded their first EP, Sun Bronzed Greek Gods, three months later in the guitarist Erik’s bedroom. The band recorded their second EP in a studio alongside producer Nicolas Vernhes, who has worked with the likes of Dirty Projectors and Animal Collective in the past. Modular People and Astralwerks Records released Family of Love in August 2011. Apparently the band is up to five members now, they’ve toured with Ratatat and The Go! Team, and they could very well crash and burn at any moment. I’m so glad people like this exist. 

Velvet Elvis, Alex Winston (RAC Remix) ~ Velvet Elvis EP (2011)

Last summer, Alex Winston released an EP with two original singles - “Velvet Elvis” and “Fire Ant” - along with three remixed versions of the title track. King Charles gives “Velvet Elvis” an earthy, electronic quality, while RAC minimizes the beat, replacing it with a funky, pop alternative. Darwin Deez samples the chorus and Winston’s high note, creating a quirky hip hop song with the line “kill the bitch” running throughout. They’re all whimsically entertaining. 

Winston is a 24-year-old indie pop songstress, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Bloomfield Hills (outside of Detroit), Michigan. Although she is a classically trained opera singer, Winston caught the industry’s attention with a collection of covers in 2010 (download The Basement Covers EP here). She caught my attention with this recent cover of The Black Key’s “Everlasting Light.” Winston is currently working on her debut album in New York with Ben “B-Roc” Ruttner and James “Jpatt” Patterson. They’re the two producers, DJs and remix artists who make up The Knocks and operate the label Heavy Roc Music which has produced Winston’s work since 2009.

93 ‘Til Infinity, Souls of Mischief ~ 93 ‘til Infinity (1993)

California Bound!

She Found a Way Out, CANT ~ Dreams Come True (2011)

I know it starts mellow, but stick with it. The second half is a sexy sucker-punch. Best give it a headphone listen.

Instead of taking downtime following Grizzly Bear’s 2009 release, Veckatimest, the band’s bassist, Christ Taylor, started the label Terrible Records, produced albums for Twin Shadow and Blood Orange, and self-produced his first solo venture under the moniker CANT. Dreams Come True is brooding, layered experimental rock, contrasting from the indie folk Grizzly Bear is known for as well as the bands Taylor has produced (The Morning Benders, Dirty Projectors) and played in (Department of Eagles). Taylor collaborated with George Lewis Jr. of Twin Shadow, and the murky 80s vibe that shaped his 2010 album Forget can be heard throughout Dreams. I’ve seen it described as Depeche Mode meets Prince’s introverted moments. Long live synths.

I’ll Take Care of U, Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx ~ We’re New Here (2011)

Hopefully - for your sake - you’ve heard Gil Scott-Heron’s 2010 album, I’m New Here. Heron was very well known in the 70s and early 80s as a jazz vocalist, author and spoken word performer, but he spent the 90s out of the recording studio and the 2000s in and out of prison on drug charges. I’m New Here was his first original album in 16 years and was an unexpected, yet critically acclaimed comeback. Comparisons have been made to what Rick Rubin did for Johnny Cash in the 90s; starkly-produced releases where rebellious icons become reflective as they hit their sixties. 

I’m New Here was produced by XL founder Richard Russell, and it was at Russell’s encouragement that Jamie xx re-contextualized Heron’s new material. Jamie Smith is an English producer and remix artist who gained fame as a member of the electo-ambient trio The xx; he appropriately named the project We’re New Here. He remixed every track on I’m New Here, but it would be a mistake to compare the two albums, as they should be seen as complimentary. The original is a grim vehicle for Heron’s baritone voice, while Jamie xx reinvents Heron’s music in a bright, electronic light - they’re two different worlds. I’m not even sure how I feel about the electronic versions, but I admire the risk taken, and I’m amused that Heron heard the remixes before he passed away in May.  

1977, Ana Tijoux ~ 1977 (2009)

Anamaría Merino, known by her stage name Ana or Anita Tijoux, became famous in Latin America during the late ’90s as the female MC of the hip-hop group Makiza. She is the daughter of Chilean parents who lived in political exile in France during Pinochet’s dictatorship; thus Tijoux was born in France, but moved back to Chile when she was a teenager and found a home in the emerging hip-hop community. After breaking from Makiza for unknown personal reasons, she moved back to France in 2001 and announced she was giving up her music career. Although she didn’t release any music during her time in France, Tijoux returned to Chile in 2004 and started singing with a Chilean funk band and collaborating with popular Latin artists. Makiza also reunited and released new music, but Tijoux decided to leave again in 2006 to pursue a solo career. While recording her first album Kaos, Tijoux was featured in Julieta Venegas hit “Eres Para Mí,” which crossed her over into the mainstream Latin pop market.

In 2009, Tijoux released her second solo album, titled 1977 after the year she was born. The album was a return to her rap roots and is largely auto-biographical. It’s obvious that her true talent lies in being a MC versus a pop singer. 1977 earned her a spot at SXSW last year and a successful U.S. tour. Her next album, La Bala, is set to come out in early 2012 and is a collaboration with Uruguayan composer Jorge Drexler who is known for his arrangements on The Motorcycle Diaries.

Click this if you want to stream 25 minutes of Ana Tijoux awesomeness.

Wood, ROSTAM (2011)

Rostam Batmanglij made waves in 2008 as Vampire Weekend’s producer, co-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, but he has had his hand in several projects over the last three years. He began recording with Ra Ra Riot vocalist Wes Miles, which evolved into the electro-funk group Discovery. They released their debut album LP in July 2009 on XL Recordings; I’ve listen to songs off this album many times without ever realizing his involvement. This year, Batmanglij started releasing remixes under the moniker Boys Like Us, and also works as a producer and solo artist under the name ROSTAM. He produced the track “The Trick” on the Das Racist album Relax, and released two new songs on his tumblr this fall. “Wood” is Bollywood/classical/pop fusion, while “Don’t Let It Get To You” is a rhythmic, electronic piece. Just the work of your average 28-year-old producer…

… also, dude’s from D.C.! 

Turning Into Stone, Phantogram ~ Nightlife EP (2011)

The electro-pop duo Phantogram have been rigorously touring since their breakout full-length Eyelid Movies in early 2010. Instead of writing and recording songs in a remote barn in upstate New York, they wrote their new EP Nightlife while on the road, resulting in brighter, electronic songs over the brooding trip-hop sound of past projects. “They” consists of longtime friends Josh Carter (guitar) and Sarah Barthel (keyboard) who are sampling artists known for aggressive layering and adding their own pop melodies and vocals. Although their roots are around the Saratoga Springs area, the two have been with Seattle’s Barsuk Records since 2009.

I had only ever heard Barthel’s gauzy vocals on their better known tracks “When I’m Small,” “Mouthful of Diamonds,” and the dance track single “Don’t Move” off Nightlife. But I really like Carter’s lead on vocals for this track, not to mention the Otis Redding sample from “Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)” and industrial hip hop beat.