WELL SORT OF..

Can we stop the Christina Aguilera rumours now? Another iamamiwhoami video appeared most likely while you were asleep this morning. The enigmatic performer plays a song at a piano covered in paper and plastic while two scruffy bearded dudes look discombobulated in the background.

Still no definite on who it is. Can we say it’s not Xtina, not Little Boots, not Fever Ray/The Knife, not Goldfrapp, not The Golden Filter. This artist or band are either Scandanavian or English I bet. Popjustice forum members reckon it’s Jonna Lee from Sweden (Myspace). It certainly looks like her (and her band). She’s also playing SXSW. The saga continues..but maybe not much longer now.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Modular – Femme Fatale
Listening to Modular’s music is like a journey back to a time when lounge and space-age pop were present on almost every soundtrack and TV show. This track is their own rendition of the great song Femme Fatale by The Velvet Underground, taken from a recent free EP called Yoga Para Extraterrestres (which you can download from here). Don’t miss Requiem Para Robert Moog, another great track from this EP.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Otouto – Astronauts
Exciting new trio Otouto from Melbourne have released a new single called Astronauts on their own artist collective label Two Bright Lakes. You may recognise singer Hazel Brown’s voice from Whitley’s song Killer. So catchy.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Eddie – Gafieira No Avenida
One of the founders of the mangue beat movement in northeast Brazil in the 90s, Eddie play a mixture of frevo (a kind of folk music usually related to carnival), rock and jazz. Gafieira No Avenida is taken from the band’s latest album, Carnaval No Inferno (“Carnival In Hell”) and highlights some of Eddie’s influences, such as Fela Kuti and Lee Perry.

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Yukon Blonde – Rather Be With You
There are all kinds of great power-pop bands from decades past that could be referenced when talking about Yukon Blonde. But you know what? As songs like Rather Be With You show, Yukon Blonde are a lot more than their influences, and it’s not hard to imagine that it won’t be long before future bands are referencing them as an influence.

CHILE: Super 45
Inverness – Nubes
Inverness has its heart divided between Santiago and England. The band flirts a lot with shoegaze revivalism but succeeds in avoiding a lame emulation of the sound, instead delivering a rich, lyrical world full of dreamy scenes. Their second album Illuminaciones was inspired by the far-away landscapes of southern Chile and received massive critical acceptance last year. The band faces the challenge of doing it again for the release of their next album this year.

CHINA: Wooozy
PB33 – Dance With Me
Formed in 2005, PB33 independently released their first album Disco Boys & Girls Night Out. It’s about youth, happiness, love, life, friendship and party. They are a band with a punk attitude. Are you ready for them?

COLOMBIA: Colombia Urbana
ChocQuibTown – En Circulo (Sa Rissa)
ChocQuibTown is the most successful urban fusion group in Colombia with two Latin Grammy nominations. The band try to mix hip hop music with native sounds of the Pacific coast. Their new album Oro has just been released.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
The Bronson Brothers – Ancient Land
Pop, decadence, France and the 1960s are keywords when it comes to Clyde and Ted Bronson’s musical universe. The excellent Ancient Land is taken from the duo’s freshly-released debut album The Melody Bronson, the title a nod to the 1971 concept album Histoire De Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg, who is also found among The Bronson Brothers’ influences.

ENGLAND: The Daily Growl
Stairs To Korea – All Of Your Friends
The awesome one-man band and king of the offbeat tweets, Stairs To Korea is a battery of lo-fi electronic effects, good tunes, wry lyrics and ace guitar solos. And behind his bushy beard there’s a reluctant rock god edging his way out. His new single All Of Your Friends, on the excellent Brainlove Records, is another in the gradual drip-feed of fine releases which should eventually see him with one of the best singles compilations of 2012.

ESTONIA: Popop
Honey Power – Get Country
This light, fresh and melodic indie tune from four-piece Honey Power carries a real country vibe and, as an early taste of the Tartu-based band’s long-anticipated second album, demonstrates good taste and an impeccable arrangement.

FINLAND: Glue
Flannelmouth – Sharp Paper
Sharp Paper gently opens Flannelmouth’s second album and leads the Helsinki indie band into a collection of intense and diverse pop songs, with intelligent arrangements and a good sense of melody, underlined by the dominant voice of vocalist Tuomo Kuusi. Rather than limiting themselves to the classic four or five-piece band template, Flannelmouth draw their songs with a diverse palette including subtle sounds of ukulele, pedal steel and a variety of other instruments to build an addictive romanticism.

FRANCE: ZikNation
Saycet – Easy
Saycet is a French electronic artist made famous by his album One Day At Home in 2006. Pierre Lefeuvre, the man behind Saycet, is a daydream music specialist. His songs carry the listener away in a cocoon universe where nothing can hurt you and every little noise is a delight.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
Kissogram – Rubber And Meat
The death of German indie labels continues. This month Berlin-based Louisville closed its doors, leaving a bunch of the most influential and significant German bands on their own. One of these is Kissogram, whose last album Rubber And Meat got a lot of positive reviews. To bid a fond farewell to Louisville, we are able to present its title track exclusively. Thanks for all the music!

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Electric Litany – February
Preferring patience and restraint over explosive blasts of atmospheric wailing, Electric Litany slowly build up tunes that glimmer with hauntingly melodic ideas and climax with rhythms that capture the traditional musical heritage of Eastern European countries. Their debut album, How To Be A Child & Win The War, offers a sonically cinematic experience that will leave you feeling both elated and emotionally drained. Gorgeous sounds are pulled from within the deepest recesses of the human soul, while vocals full of intuitive swells and fades rise over piano, synths and tremolo guitars. A work of mesmerising beauty, like a tender touch on a sad day.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music
Sometime – Heart Of Spades
Sometime, a band formed by Icelandic music veterans, puts catchy dance-infused songs on the menu. Ingredients are the strong voice of frontwoman Diva De La Rosa plus the inventive drums of TheDanni, flavoured by turntable whizzkid DJ Moonshine and manipulated by Oculus. You can taste it while listening to the single Heart Of Spades from the album Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

INDIA: Indiecision
The Circus – FOPS
The Circus are an alternative rock act from New Delhi. The band’s music is Incubus-inspired, effects-driven fuzz that makes no bones about what it is and where it finds its roots. FOPS (an abbreviation of Full On Party Scene) comes from soon-to-be-released debut album From Space. It’s wholesome, angular alternative music executed without much fuss. Turn it up, get your party started.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Sajama Cut – Paintings/Pantings
Sajama Cut are praised for their lyrics and unusual songs arrangements, with influences ranging from Echo & The Bunnymen, The Beach Boys, Guided By Voices, R.E.M. and tons of obscure singer-songwriters. Paintings/Pantings comes from their new album Manimals, a record which has a varied approach in songwriting, with most of the lyrics taken from Marcel Thee’s journal.

IRELAND: Nialler9
The Cast Of Cheers – Derp
The Cast Of Cheers came from nowhere last month and quickly became Nialler9’s favourite new band. Their downloadable album (get it for free here) is a fully-formed 33-minute blast of post-punk, looping post-rock, tightly-wound songs with echoes of Battles, Foals and Death From Above 1979.

ISRAEL: Metal Israel
Orphaned Land – Sapari
Orphaned Land’s latest album The Never Ending Way Of ORWarriOR is a sonic tapestry that flies a completely different path than the usual Western metal fare of Europe and the States, though there are common threads. The influence of acts such as Paradise Lost, Iron Maiden and The Beatles are evident, but Orphaned Land weave elements together that run the gamut from blacker-than-black demonic intensity to let-the-sunshine-in hippie flamboyance. The band categorizes itself as Middle Eastern progressive metal with dreams of instilling peace through their music.

ITALY: Polaroid
Heike Has The Giggles – Robot
Before you ask, the name comes from a character in an English grammar book the band used to read at high school. Heike Has The Giggles are three young kids who play sharp and dry rock ‘n’ roll in the vein of PJ Harvey and early Gossip. They just released Sh!, their forceful debut album, and you can’t listen to it without starting to dance and play air guitar.

JAPAN: JPOP Lover
Omodaka – Kyoteizinc (Video Mix)
Known as an electro/techno artist, Soichi Terada teamed up with a few visual directors and has started the collaborative music project Omodaka. Omodaka’s sound is characterized by the seamless mixture of Japanese traditional Geisha songs and electro music. Omodaka will appear live at the Japan Nite showcase at this month’s SXSW and will also go on tour the US with Red Bacteria Vacuum and Okamoto’s.

MEXICO: Red Bull PanameriKa
Los Macuanos – Pueblo Muerto (feat. Scout Klas)
Is there such a thing as ethno-dubstep? London’s urban soundscape has been well charted by dubstep – how about Tijuana’s? Los Macuanos are a duo formed by Moises “Moih” Horta and Moises Lopez, and this is their nu-electronic post-nortec mix of blurry Mexican folkloric crumbs with cyclic dubstep. Pueblo Muerto was recorded by Moih and gloomy artist Scout Klas (from Sweden via Vietnam) in his recent visit to the Red Bull Music Academy in London. The song portraits the hypnotic fumes spreading from ghost town Tijuana to the whole stratosphere.

NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam Event Guide
The Stutters – Starlight Love
Top musicians as well as first-class artists, this three-piece group have it all going for them in 2010: new songs, more gigs, screaming fans and some very fancy dancing. After the critically-acclaimed first EP back in 2008, their 2010 release Viva La Stutters has got a lot of people excited. First listens see the trio go for a slightly heavier feel than their previous singles but they still stay true to their indie-rock sensibilities, keeping it very rock ‘n’ roll and danceable. Make sure you catch them on their European tour scheduled for early June – we’ll be at the front!

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat
An Emerald City – Seizuretron
An Emerald City’s first album Circa Scaria is the stuff of legend, being recorded in a cave on a storm-swept coast. Even without that back story their music is memorable for combining a traditional rock line-up with lute, violin, tablas, violin and sitar. Their songs start off quiet then build in scale and grandeur to create huge Eastern-influenced instrumental soundscapes. Surprisingly, Circa Scaria reached the New Zealand top 40. After a few months in Berlin, An Emerald City have released Seizuretron as a taster for their forthcoming second album.

NORWAY: Eardrums
Solvor Vermeer – Final Hour
Three years ago, I stumbled upon Solvor Vermeer’s music. I was amazed by the delicate and fragile beauty she managed to create with only her voice and the piano as her tools. Since then, Vermeer has developed her sound. She has a rare gift for composing and can make something really complex become catchy and accessible. On her upcoming four-track debut EP, her sound is richer and more orchestrated, with her musician friends having added strings, horns, layered vocals, glockenspiel, etc. The EP will be released this spring on her own Bloksberg Music label in partnership with UK-based Lazy Acre Records.

PERU: SoTB
Pipe Villaran – Sinnerman
When members of the band Los Fuckin Sombreros went their separate ways, Pipe Villaran began to compose new songs, preparing for what would be his new project, called Long Player. His style is still rock ‘n’ roll, to which he has devoted his whole life, influenced by classic rock and some blues touches. Sinnerman is a preview of the direction his new band will take when their debut record is launched in May.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Peltzer – A Story To Tell Me
Peltzer used to be Rui Gaio’s one-man band. Today, there are more members but they continue with their electronic sound and cite the new wave movement, Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips as their influences. They have released tracks digitally and on three Portuguese compilations. A Story To Tell Me, from their new Outdated EP, is an exclusive MAP download.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Hot Casandra – Chroma
Hot Casandra is a new project behind which we can find Paul Ballo (the drummer of last month’s featured band, Kumm). It’s a personal playground, where no compromises will be made and everything will sound as wanted. The first song, Chroma, is a dark electro track with beautiful, haunting vocals.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Admiral Fallow – Squealing Pigs
It’s hard to say what Admiral Fallow’s greatest strength is. It could be the luscious melodies which burst out of their songs, or the thick Scottish brogue that defines Louis Abbott’s strikingly unhurried delivery, or perhaps it’s the fact they have the sort of craft and invention their peers could only dream of. MAP exclusive download Squealing Pigs whisks through the speakers with a bundle of verve and is taken from the band’s forthcoming debut album Boots Met My Face, which at times sounds a lot like Elbow.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…
Sidd & His Self-Esteem – Occupation
I’ve been informed that the frontman of Sidd & His Self-Esteem is a nervous individual, so much so that it inspired the naming of the band. Well, if Sidd finds his solace in the sheer gregariousness of his other band members, then this must surely be a case of strength in numbers. All inhibitions seemingly fall away as they deliver brilliantly on this stellar Led Zeppelin-esque track, with confidence swelling in each instrument and the vocals deliberate and full of conviction. Occupation pays homage to lo-fi garage rock, with the mix perfectly balanced for your ears to take in everything.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Will Mono – Seks Vir Plesier
What Will Mono does when making music is slightly different to most – he collaborates with other artists by adding their vocals to his music. In this case Will Mono worked with Jan Joknie and Seks Vir Plesier was born. It is Afrikaans electro-pop at its best. Draw conclusions where you will with regards to the content but as for the song as a whole, it’s catchy electro genius.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
3rd Line Butterfly – Nine Days
3rd Line Butterfly has been one of the most loved Korean indie-rock bands since 2002, when their music became known through drama series Ruler Of Your Own World. Following the release of their third album in 2004, the band went on a long hiatus, returning only late last year. Earlier this month, their out-of-print albums were re-released in remastered versions, but Nine Days is a beautiful, melancholic Americana-style folk track from new EP Nine Days Or A Million.

SPAIN: Oscuro Magazine
The Closers – Come Down
The Closers are an industrial rock band from Zaragoza similar to Nine Inch Nails or Filter. Their first work was called The End and is a preview of four songs from their forthcoming debut album. It is a very catchy and addictive work that could make a real impact beyond our borders. Come Down has touches of Primal Scream, but the powerful guitars and killer choruses are more like the best works of Trent Reznor.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
Holy Family – Whatever There’s To Know
Holy Family is an electronica trio from Goteborg. The fuzzy beats and glowering vocals on their song Meathooks remind me of some of the heavy industrial music from the late 80s and early 90s, while the lighter, more accessible sounds on Whatever There’s To Know hint at a band that could expand their sound and possibly cross over.

UNITED STATES: I Guess I’m Floating
Javelin – Vibrationz
Javelin are an eclectic duo currently residing in Brooklyn by way of Providence, Rhode Island. Their electronic jams have been turning heads for quite some time, yet their upcoming LP, No Mas, and tour dates with Yeasayer will catapult this funky duo to the forefront of independent acclaim.

VENEZUELA: Barquisimento
Los Paranoias – No Sueltes Al Murcielago
Los Paranoias have a sound that resembles the 80s post-punk and 60s Britpop scenes. No Sueltes Al Murcielago is the second single from their album Aqui Fue, which was inspired by the troubled times our country is going through. The song is a happy rock ‘n’ roll tune with a contagious rhythm – a symbol of Venezuelan optimism.

To download all 36 songs in one file click here

Some MP3s from the official SXSW of bands on my hitlist:
Brahms – Toward The Ghost
Boat Beam – The Rain Pauly
Everything Everything – My Keys, Your Boyfriend
Freelance Whales – Generator 2nd Floor
Lissie – Little Lovin’

Memory Tapes – Bicycle
MNDR – Fade to Black
Oh No Ono – Helplessly Young
Peter Wolf Crier – Untitled 101
Slaraffenland – Long Gone
Small Black – Despicable Dogs
So Cow – Moon Guen Young
Solid Gold – Synchronize
Surfer Blood – Swim
The Golden Filter – Hide Me
The Strange Boys – Be Brave
Toro Y Moi – Blessa
Villagers – Pieces
Woodhands – Pockets
Yes Giantess – Tuff ‘n’ Stuff

20 acts on my must-see list I’ve never seen before:
Active Child, Bachelorette, Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls, Flying Lotus, Holly Miranda, JJ, Magic Kids, MEN, Mountain Man, Nice Nice, Phantogram, She & Him, Sleigh Bells, Surf City, The Bewitched Hands on Top of our Heads, The Middle East, The Morning Benders and Washed Out.

Deep breath now for some of the parties..

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1. Foals – Spanish Sahara (Mount Kimbie remix)
2. Glasser – Tremel (Astronomer remix)
3. Oh No Ono – Eleanor Speaks (Caribou remix)
4. Pantha Du Prince – Stick To My Side feat. Panda Bear (Four Tet remix)
5. Gorillaz – Glitter Freeze (feat. Mark E Smith)
   
6. Cults – Go Outside
7. The National – Horrible Love (live on Fallon)
8. Solar Bears – The Quiet Planet
9. Tanlines – Real Life
10. Pilotpriest – Body Double

Here’s their cover of ‘Skinny Love’ and the five tracks in total. Download them from here. HRA are supporting Yes Cadets alongside We Cut Corners next Friday Upstairs in Whelan’s.

MP3: The Holy Roman Army – Skinny Love (Bon Iver cover)

I bought their EP, Settings from eMusic. They’ve also got a couple of sweet remixes floating about one by Memory Tapes and another of them remixing Solid Gold. Both are below. Jim Carroll’s also on the Tanlines buzz.

Tanlines – Real Life

Tanlines – Real Life (Memory Tapes remix)

This tune is from their split 7″ with SALEM for The Fader:

Dedicated to Ciaran as its his birthday tomorrow and he’s a massive fan of the band.

SB’s music is a mix of old-school electronica, cosmic flourishes, nostalgic sampling and sounds at times like a mish mash of DJ Shadow, Air, ’60s psychedelia, ’80s synths and touches on the same sound sources as the current trend for hypnagogic pop (aka chillwave aka glo-fi aka WTF are you talking about?). Look out for the Inner Sunshine EP coming soon and their debut album, provisionally titled She Was Coloured In in the summer. More tunes at Myspace and a video after the jump.

MP3: Solar Bears – The Quiet Planet

MP3: Solar Bears – Crystaline (Be Again)

This new single is released through Green Label Sound and can download via the site or the widget below. Paloma wanted to do something through GLS as he’s now on phase two of Neon Indian after releasing Psychic Chasms so it afforded him the perfect opportunity to release a new single. I’m looking forward to their SXSW party.

• Live Shows and demos: Automatic Tasty, Crayonsmith, Out On A Limb (Label presentation).
• Workshops: Ableton and more.
• Banter talks with Richard Brophy: Headshop debate, Donnacha Costello on Irish Techno, Steve Reich, Poker Flat & his forthcoming album.
• A screening of Banksy’s film: Exit through the Gift Shop at 5pm (Good interview here).
• Fair: Buy records,CDs and clothing from All City, Beatfinder Records, >Circus Clothing, !Kaboogie, Kling, Littleroom, Skinny Wolves, SkunkFunk & more.
• There’s 3FE on the coffee front with food on sale too.

More info with Banksy trailer after the more.

Here, Leo Zero and DJ Zinc put their own stamps on ‘No Tears To Cry’ and ‘Wake Up The Nation’ respectively. Leo Zero’s has a light-hearted touch: all strings, a repetitive background funk lick and breezy percussion. It clocks in at 8 minutes and is a gentle celebration.

MP3: Paul Weller – No Tears To Cry (Leo Zero remix)

Zinc’s remix has a harder edge to match Weller’s angry sounding vocal delivery. It’s electro beats, house percussion, big bass and synth breakdowns. Not a million miles from his La Roux remix last year.

MP3: Paul Weller – Wake Up The Nation (Zinc remix)

Weller’s new album also called, Wake Up The Nation is out on April 19th on Island Records. Kevin Shields appears on the record too.

Aforementioned Portishead remix after the jump.

MP3: Paul Weller – Wildwood (Portishead remix)

It’s got a flute solo, a psychedelic soul and I’ve a feeling it won’t help them win any new fans. Tickets for their Academy show on March 20th appear to be sold out.

Panda Bear

Highlights this week include Panda Bear, Filthy Dukes, Local Natives (with Peggy Sue supporting), Passion Pit, The Beatyard on Saturday Afternoon and Ellie Goulding. I’ve got the last two ticket to Ellie Goulding on Sunday to giveaway. Email freebies@nialler9.com before Thursday at 6pm to win. Don’t forget you can still win a signed Ellie album here. Sample MP3s below.

Tuesday 9th March
- Trashed (Indie/Electro club) @ Andrew’s Lane Theatre (10.30pm, €5)
- C U Next Tuesday (indie/electro/pop/dance) @ Crawdaddy (11pm, €3/5)

Wednesday 10th March
- Local Natives, Peggy Sue @ The Academy 2 (€13.50)

Thursday 11th March
- Soundcheck @ Spy (7pm, Free before 11pm/€5)
- At Last An Atlas @ Tower Records (6pm)
- MUSIK @ The Button Factory (10.30pm, €6)

Friday 12th March
- Sidetracked (Indie, Dancey Disco) @ Chocolate Bar, The Pod (8pm – 11pm, Free)
- Panda Bear, Kurt Vile, Angkorwat @ Vicar St. (€24)
- Damen Dempsey @ The Good Bits (€15)
- Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby @ Andrew’s Lane (€16)
- Power Of Dreams @ Whelan’s (€20)
- MUD: Breakology Present Dreadzone // Shut Up and Dance & Gamepak @ Twisted Pepper (11pm, €15)
- Cassette @ Wax (Free before 10pm)
- Now That’s Why I Call Music @ The Academy 2 (Free until 11.30pm)
- NoDisko (Indie and electro) @ Crawdaddy (11pm, €8/€6)

Saturday 13th March
- The Beatyard @ Twisted Pepper (Free, 3pm)
- Retribution Gospel Choir @ Whelan’s (€15)
- European Week Against Racism @ Le Cirk
- Souls of Mischief @ The Good Bits (€15)
- Fionn Regan @ Vicar St. (€21)
- New Young Pony Club @ Tripod (€20) – postponed.
- Passion Pit, Ellie Goulding @ Olympia Theatre (€21)
- POGO: Donal Dineen live, Barry Redsetta, Discotekken & more @ Twisted Pepper (11pm, €8)
- Come as Soon as you Roulette @ Twisted Pepper (€5 before 12)
- The Avett Brothers @ Crawdaddy (Sold out)
- Transmission: Filthy Dukes @ The Button Factory (€10)

Sunday 14th March
- M.A.S.S. at Hogans
- Power Of Dreams @ Whelan’s (€20)
- Ellie Goulding @ The Academy (Sold out but win tickets: email freebies@nialler9.com)

Monday 8th March
- Hefty Monday: John Blek and The Rats @ Whelan’s (Free, 11pm)

MP3: Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed Remix (featuring Penguin Prison and Theophilus London)

MP3: Ellie Goulding – Under the Sheets (She is Danger remix)

MP3: Filthy Dukes – Nonsense in the Dark C90s remix

MP3: Kurt Vile – Beach on the Moon