Alt-J — Taro

On their full length debut "An Awesome Wave," Alt-J presents us with a collection of brief melodies and interludes woven together like a collection of short stories, culminating in the musical melting pot that is “Taro.” Carefully chosen layers of electric guitars, strings, and percussion slowly build up to the climactic chorus, at which point not even the most serious ones among us can resist from nodding their heads to the beat.

See Alt-J on tour here and watch a live performance of “Taro” courtesy of KEXP here.

Explosions in the Sky — The Only Moment We Were Alone

Governor’s Ball Music Festival, Randall’s Island, NYC, 2012

Unreal.

The Weeknd -- The Party & The After Party

Abel Tesfaye a.k.a. The Weeknd manages to craft songs that sound like that groggy morning after a night of heavy drinking. A little Beach House, a little Michael Jackson, and a lot of raw emotion.

Port St. Willow — Hollow

If I had to classify the music of Nick Principe a.k.a. Port St. Willow, I would say something along the lines of “melodic ambient rock”. But with him, it’s less about subscribing to a certain genre and more about sonic sincerity.

Principe’s arrangements and carefully placed falsetto harmonies make for one of the best albums of 2012, Holiday. It’s no surprise that Principe is a longtime friend of Peter Silberman of The Antlers, as the two share similar musical tendencies and have a history of collaborating and touring together.

Throughout the musical soundscape that is Holiday, Principe creates a distinct mood- one that’s not quite euphoric or despondent, but perhaps somewhere in the middle. A place that’s familiar to all of us.

Buy Holiday here and check out tour dates here.

Beach House — Lazuli

Beach House’s 2012 release Bloom stays true to form, with familiar sweeping synthesizers and dreamy vocals cascading down and enveloping the listener in a sonic dreamland. One song in particular, "Lazuli", builds up to a haunting refrain that will resound with anyone who has experienced some sort of loss.

“Like no other you can’t be replaced.”

SD

Upcoming Shows:

Pinback — His Phase

After 5 years, Pinback is returning with their fifth album, Information Retrieved, which drops on October 16th. In a world of musical unpredictability, where Muse plays dubstep and successful musicians quit at the height of their popularity, it’s comforting to know that Pinback still sounds like Pinback.

Other Lives -- Tamer Animals

"We're just tamer animals" - Jesse Tabish, Other Lives

I saw Other Lives open for Bon Iver in 2011 - their unique instrumentation combined with the amazing acoustics of the Greek Theater provided for one of the best opening acts I've ever seen. Check them out on one of their many stops across the country starting in late September.

SD

Upcoming Shows:

Wet The Day -- The Album Leaf

Best heard with a pair of headphones and a cup of coffee. Preferably at sunrise.

SD

Upcoming Shows: