Screens 4 Eyes are an electro indie rock / dream pop music project from Tel Aviv. Their first EP Ask Me Not was released in August 2015 and a few days ago the group released their second EP Behind These Doors. The lyrics describe a yearning for intimacy and being drifted to the world of dreams and the subconscious, which offer an adventurous and intriguing alternative to the banality of everyday life. The EP is available to stream and download on Bandcamp and below you can listen to the gorgeous and new favourite already 'Channel To Id'!
They come from Brazil but they are currently based in London and they make post punk/krautrock music with shoegazey influences. They got their name from Jarvis Cocker's anecdote about wearing glasses for the first time and realizing that the holes in the trees were the sky. Tito Cordeiro (guitar/vocals), Brenno Balbino (bass/ synthesizers), Juliana Favero (drums/ percussion) are Sky Between Leaves, a band that released their debut EP Klein Blues in early October. The title track is one of a "perfect blue", evoking feelings of intensity while being unrestrained and infinitely free and hopeful. Below you can watch the video for 'Klein Blues', an homage to Yves Klein (the inventor of the particular colour), and immerse yourselves in boundless skies.
Sometimes there is in the air, diffuse and indefinable, something that catches, snaps, something that leads to the faint-hearted, to the creative and inventive. It may be an idea, a trend, a state of mind; unable to escape. Jean-Marc Le Droff might not pay attention and stay comfortably in what animates, since 2002. He stayed in the "rock fight" in a Brest electro-rock duo. But then, his fighting pessimism needed to be expressed differently. After making more personal compositions with his machines and his guitar, he kept discreetly to himself before giving in to pressure from his entourage, seduced by his music. Listening to Egoprisme, it is hard not to think of a cold wave-post-punk-80s inherited music. While we tend to dream about the future, sometimes it reinvents the legacy of past decades without taking forcing consciousness. Reminiscent? Perhaps. Or maybe not.
The indie scene also feeds on itself. So according to his musical knowledge, especially in Egoprisme, we find what we want to see. A cold wave that will be sensitive to this dark world, this serious and monotonous song that will evoke the glory days of rock which wanted Gothic. The synthetic side of his music also recalls of the boom times of synth pop, and the electro and indie rock audiences will find themselves immersed in an echo of their own references. Returning things intuitively where they were left, Egoprisme built a modern music, with a dark wave and dark synth pattern, which is the junction of many currents; at the intersection of cold, rock and indie, a resolutely upbeat electro. This music, moving and moving, is made to be listened to and dance. And with Egoprisme, we dance with much gravity with levity. In Paris, Rennes and Brest we have been able to see Egoprisme share the bill with Tropic of Cancer, Qual (Lebanon Hanover) Try not , Fuzeta, mode in Gliany, the Wheal, Republic of Dahu and Icesun. EP2 is out today digitally on Beko Disques. The cover artwork was made by French artist Jb Stephan. FP2T is excited to premiere the 4-track EP as well as the video for the opening track 'En Secret'. Stream, watch and dance to one of our favourite 'unkept' secrets of the year!
Belgian shoegazers Newmoon shared 'Head Of Stone', the first track off their upcoming debut album Space a couple months ago. With the day of the official release drawing near (October 14th), the band just dropped a video for a new stellar track called 'Helium'. The beautiful video captures friends of the band dancing around in a freezing warehouse. Space will be available on LP/CD via PIAS Recordings and Mayfly Records and you can (pre)order it here. You can watch the video and join in the dance below.
Mirror Days is the solo works of California based musician Graham Harrington. In the summer of 2012, what began as a creative outlet and a place to put musical ideas to use turned into a full-fledged project that would become Mirror Days. Following his first EP 'Hearts & Heading Home', Harrington released the Solstice EP (2014) as well as a Split EP (2015) with Detroit based artist Sardonic Sunshine. Summer 2016 will see the release of his first full-length album. Harrington dedicated a lot of time writing and performing all instruments on the record. He also had the help of long term producer friend Jesse Wilson of Hazel Street Recordings and Kip Carie (Sardonic Sunshine) back in his home town of Waterford, MI in recording the vocal tracks. He has recently released two tracks from the coming LP, 'Let The Minutes Die' and 'Left To Wander', which you can hear below. It's a mesmerizing song in which shoegaze and alternative elements blend beautifully together and make this record one to truly look forward to!
It's not often that I find myself at a loss for words while hearing a new album... And yet, here I am; trying to explain what I like about it and all I can say is how it makes me feel. PAT MOON, the solo project of Portland based up-and-coming musician Kate Davis, released her debut album 'Don't Hide From The Light' on June 27th. Having listened to the brilliant first single 'Love Me As I Am' a couple of months ago, I was intrigued to hear more. And I was not disappointed in the end. I was not only absorbed in Kate's captivating voice or the melodic synths, but engrossed in the 8 tracks, which seem inscribed as a constellation of antithetical pairs. Luminous and dark. Adamant and submissive. Ethereal and palpable. Melancholic and happy. Submissive and unyielding. Gloomy and yet aspiring. 'Don't Hide From the Light' is a revelation in itself, a stellar debut album that is worth your time and attention. Discover it below.
Follow the Sea is Erik Solfeldt and Magnus Lundgren's noise pop band from Stockholm. The Swedish duo released two EPs, in 2013 and 2014, and spent 2015 preparing their first full-length album. Blue Joy will be released digitally and on 12” vinyl on May 25th via Häxrummet Records. The first track off the album is called 'Virhe' and it's an ethereal blend of electronica and the Scandinavian melancholy without excluding the band's shoegaze inspirations. You can check out 'Virhe' and pre-order the album below.
Champanes was started by Lexi Freider after he made a Dutch bargain with a bass savage. Getting reinforcements from Puerto Rico, the band rehearses for the first time with drummer Tommy Daimes in April 2014. Lexi used to hang out in backstreet bars at the time, boozing up pure alcohol drinks. That is how he met Lisa, an Ariel Pink’s unlawful bride, and invited her to join the band. Defining themselves as a sparkling fun from outer space, Champanes were recording their first bedroom tapes. With regular line up changes, the band approached the ionosphere playing a number of shows. First half of 2015 caught Tommy and Lexi playing as a duo since Lisa had left the band at the beginning of the year. Writing a new song at each rehearsal, they presented a completely new set of songs in June. However, the going gets very tough in mid-summer. Only a miracle can save Champanes,and it actually does: in a haze of shoe Lexi meets Nick, a prophet pimping a red nine.
By the end of August, Champanes had reunited with Lisa and locked themselves in their own studio to set out into a six-month journey. “Daniel Laments”, a first song from the journey, was dropped by the band to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2016. Next Champanes' release was brought by Washington-based Really Rad records and contained two songs recorded during the journey. At this point the band has joined Beko disques family and started to prepare their new release called “Daysaway”. Lisa left the band for the last time. The female voice for “Daysaway” was provided by Laura, a friend of the band, when she coincidentally had boarded the band’s studio. From Pop 2 Top is happy to premiere the video for 'Daysaway', the title track of their new EP which is out today on Beko disques. The EP also contains a remix by Aldous RH and you can find it as 'Name your price' on Bandcamp. Enjoy the breezy and refreshing dreampop tune below.
Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, The Blessed Isles is a duo that makes dreamy pop music. In 2011 Aaron Closson and Nolan Thies released an EP and in 2012 they signed with the amazing Saint Marie Records and last year they caught our attention with 'Winter Moon' and a beautiful cover of Slowdive's 'When The Sun Hits', both part of Static Waves 3 . April 29th marks the release of their debut album "Straining Hard Against The Strength Of Night", which you can order on CD or vinyl here. The band have just premiered a video for 'Caroline', one of the album's gleaming tracks. You can watch it below.
We first met Danish band Another Juggle back in May 2015 when they released the single 'Dance Sunshine, Dance'. On January 29th earlier this year the Copenhagen quartet (Nikolaj Dalsgaard, Emil Eggert Scherrebeck, Anders Cederblad and Thomas Haahr) released their debut album on Target Records. They describe their music as dreampop and it is invariably impregnated with 80's inspired synthesizers and melodic guitars. However, their sound is hazily reminiscent of the past. Here they have succeeded in creating an album that transforms the Nordic melancholy into an audible awakening experience. Here you will find mid tempo tracks, such as 'Slide' and 'Coins'. And here you will find more upbeat songs like 'Dance Sunshine, Dance' and 'Cities Crash'. It is how the band express their feelings about the morose heart's - sometimes futile - leap to an introspective and at the same time self-liberating journey. This is a debut masterfully done that absolutely deserves your attention. 'Dance Sunshine, Dance' is available to stream and buy on Bandcamp. You can also watch the video for the opening track 'Not Now' below.
True I.T.C. are an electronic pop duo formed in Bergen, Norway in 2013 by John Olav Nilsen and Eirik Vestrheim. FP2T is happy to premiere their third single 'Please Don't Die', which is out now on Beko Disques. Through seemingly smooth synth lines and vocals the duo have managed to create a powerful track proving that true beauty sometimes lies in simplicity.
While listening to NTW on DKFM yesterday I stumbled on a new band that immediately caught my attention. Their name is Jupimatoon, they come from Seattle, WA and they describe their music as a blend of electronic, ambient and dream pop. The duet of Anna Thompson and Eric Smith released a dazzling debut EP on February 2nd called 'Take Your Time'. It comprises five tracks full of resplendent synths accompanied by Anna's mesmerizing vocals. 'The Window' is the first single off the EP and the darker 'White Lightning' is a personal favourite, but the whole EP is absolutely worth listening to. You can stream 'Take Your Time' on Soundcloud as well as on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.
Formed in 2013 in Wrexham, North Wales, Kidsmoke are an indie-pop quartet consisting of Lance Williams (vocals and guitar), James Stickels (bass and vocals), Sophie Ballamy (guitar and vocals) and Chris Trow (drums). Following their second EP So Long, Emptiness released in April 2015, the band have just returned with a new single called 'Cut Yourself Loose' with a follow-up expected in April 2016. Lively guitars and synths let off a brilliant pop sound that invites you to travel towards sunny skies. With Mike Payne's artwork, 'Cut Yourself Loose' is out digitally and you can stream/buy it below.
I Saw You Yesterday are an indie pop band from Tokyo who formed in 2015. I discovered them recently and they were one of the bands that I immediately took to. Their sound is fresh and full of chiming guitar strings that easily get you on your feet. Their debut EP 'Malibu' was released a few days ago via Japanese label Ano(t)raks and you can stream/download it below. Enjoy!
Toronto based dream-pop/shoegaze quartet Indoor Voices recently came back with their long-awaited 'Auratic EP'. Featuring five exquisite tracks with additional vocals by Sandra Vu (of SISU and Dum Dum Girls), Jimena Torres (of The Great Wilderness), Alisha Erao (of Lush Agave and Alligator Indian), and Maja Thunberg (of Star Horse), 'Auratic' is an essential listen for lovers of shoegaze and ethereal tunes. You can stream the EP and watch the video for 'Atomic' below.
