Author Archives: Zoe Yarborough

[Indie] Taken by Trees – Dreams

Posted by Zoe Yarborough - August 9, 2012

Taken by Trees, the solo project of the lovable Swede Victoria Bergsman (former lead singer of the Concretes), has released an enticing piece from her forthcoming third studio album Other Worlds — the first we’ve heard from her since 2009. I was hooked from the very beginning of “Dreams,” but the song doesn’t really pick up until the arrival of the punctuating electric guitar riff around 1:22. It’s an unexpected, yet welcome, addition to the trance-like vocals and clappy beat that are present throughout. Pretty cool tune overall, although I felt the concluding fade-out, however intentional and “dreamlike” it might be, robbed me of something left to come. Also check out Taken by Trees’ version of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” if you haven’t yet.

“Dreams” is the first single from Other Worlds, out on October 2 via Secretly Canadian.

’Taken By Trees – Dreams’

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Delphic – Good Life

Posted by Zoe Yarborough - July 24, 2012

Indie-electronic-rock trio, Delphic, just released the first single off their forthcoming album. This song begs you to turn up the volume and dance. The unfailingly uptempo beat is laced with existential questions about the “good life” and an overlay of super-high, happy screeches from frontman James Cook. The single marks a welcome reappearance from the Manchester-based group who went essentially silent after the release of Acolyte in 2010 and the subsequent tour. It will be interesting to hear if the more pop-y temperature of this tune carries throughout the full album.

We might be hearing a lot of this song beginning, well, Friday, as it’s one of the official songs of the Olympic Games. Stay tuned for more from Delphic.

’Delphic – Good Life’

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Electronica

[Indie] Years & Years – I Wish I Knew

Posted by Zoe Yarborough - July 19, 2012

London-based 5-piece Years & Years just put out this single, “I Wish I Knew,” and it’s catching on fast. Lead singer Olly Alexander’s voice is one of the most unique and infectious I’ve heard in a while. The looped guitar riff and percussive “claps” combine beautifully with chanty lyrics and octave leaps. I love what happens around 2:25, when all the sounds combine and overflow.

Hopefully an album is in the works, and Years & Years will make a trip across the pond to tour in the U.S. soon.

’I Wish I Knew’

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[Indie] Hannah Georgas – Enemies

Posted by Zoe Yarborough - July 19, 2012

Hannah Georgas. “Gorgeous” is what comes to mind. This Canadian, redhead, singer-songwriter rocks. Her latest single, “Enemies,” should NOT be missed. Unassumingly simple and “cute” at first, the songs builds and takes you by surprise with some instrumental twists and turns. The chorus sounds like one of Sia’s and is impossible not to sing along to. Download the track for free on her website.

“Enemies” is one of ten songs that make up Hannah Georgas’s third album (self-titled), to be released October 2nd from Dine Alone Records.

’Hannah Georgas – Enemies’

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Alternative/Rock

[Indie] Wye Oak – Spiral

Posted by Zoe Yarborough - July 13, 2012

Baltimore based indie folk rock duo, Wye Oak, comes out with a killer single “Spiral.” The group was commissioned to write and record a song for the 2012 Adult Swim Singles Program. The result is a synthy, retro, and inescapably catchy combination of instrumentation and reverberating vocals. With vocals coming mostly from the male half of the group, Andy Stack, this track is different than their biggest hit “I Hope You Die” in which Jenn Wasner dominates the creepy, intoxicating lyrics. In “Spiral”, a calypso-like beat pervades and an ascending scale repeats like a spiral. Don’t miss this very cool track from this very cool duo.

’Wye Oak – Spiral’

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