Tag archive for ‘synth pop’
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Best Albums of 2011: David Johnson-Igra’s Picks
For the best albums in 2011, SF Critic will highlight each of our staff’s picks, rather than an accumulative 25, 50, 1,000 best album list. About: I always tell people I started writing this blog because I wanted to be like that kid in Almost Famous. Three years later, and while I still haven’t been published in Rolling Stone, [...]
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The Sounds at The Warfield [Photographs]
The Sounds rocked The Warfield on Saturday night. Plain and simple. I say rocked, because there is really no other way to describe. it. Admittedly, I’ve listened to very little of the bands full length material, and considering myself a casual listener, I didn’t know quite what to expect of their live show. No doubt I found myself [...]
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Active Child, Chad Valley, and Silver Swans at Bottom of The Hill [Live Review and Photographs]
We arrived early to catch Silver Swans, the Bay Area based synth pop duo led by vocalist Ann Yu of LoveLikeFire. The sold out show was barely packed. Silver Swans have only a handful of released tracks, but after hearing “Secrets” I was eager to hear more. On “Secrets” Yu sings in a whispered, dry tone that balances [...]
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STRFKR “Bury Us Alive” [Video]
STRFKR just released an official video for “Bury Us Alive.” It’s one of our favorite songs, from one of our favorite albums, from this year, all coming together in one video–so we said one thing “Hey!” –and decided to share it with you. Read our album review of Reptilians or check out interview with Josh Hodges of STRFKR. [...]
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[SOTD] Princeton “Clamoring For Your Heart”
Indie-pop rock group, Princeton, caught our attention after the NY Times described them as “charming and frisky, with touches of the Cure and Leonard Cohen, and even some shoegaze pop.” The latter comparison made more sense to us than the former (“frisky?”), so we delved in and were delighted to discover the bright, sweetly melodic, and minimalist structure [...]
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[SOTD] “My <3″ by Chrome Sparks
Early last month (sorry we’ve kept this from you), Mikey of Blackbird Blackbird, introduced us to Chrome Sparks the Michigan producer. The seven song EP, My <3 includes bright bells, memorizing xylophones, crunchy samples, and dreamy synths. There are even two guest appearances from vocalist Steffaloo who has also worked with Blackbird Blackbird. The album is available to download by [...]
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Soundtrack to Summer: New York City
After the debauchery of D.C., I jumped on an Amtrak through the Chesapeake Bay of Maryland, the dense suburbia of Delaware and up through New Jersey (where my favorite Housewives live) into New York City. I met a good friend at Penn Station, where he took me back into the subway to his apartment on Bleeker St. in [...]
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[Stream] Chad Valley “Equatorial Ultravox”
Somewhere deep in the fuzzy vocals and gentle percussion of Chad Valley there is a melancholy sweetness in the tone of vocalist and creator, Hugo Manuel. On “Now That I’m Real (How Does It Feel)” Manuel sings “The time to feel is the time I need to dwell.” The chamber style vocals barely raise themselves over the bright [...]
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[SOTD] Soft Metals’ “Eyes Closed”
Soft Metals, the Portland duo, released “Eyes Closed” from their upcoming self-titled LP. The psychedelic synth layered tracks is brighter than the first single “Psychic Driving.” As the track builds, singer Patricia Hall euphoric vocals loops around the Tetris dialing notes crafting a late-night binge feel. Download Mp3 – Soft Metals: “Eyes Closed” [Audio clip: view full post [...]
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[Album Review] Junior Boys “It’s All True”
Junior Boys’ new album, It’s All True, as the album suggests, is all true to the Junior Boys’ range of musical styles. Their synth pop or new disco sound often described as “slick” has been a consistent (and evolving) thread throughout their music. Since their 2004 debut album, Last Exit, the duo has grown from a complex project [...]
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