The prolific Bradford Cox of Deerhunter/Atlas Sound fame is releasing his second official full-length album, Logos, as Atlas Sound in October. While IRC has yet to review the full album, Stereogum contends that Logos "flows together so gorgeously as a 44-minute patchwork of sounds," and Cox himself says the album, unlike it's predecessor, Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, "was recorded all over the world. It's not about me. There are collaborations with other musicians. The lyrics are not autobiographical. The view is a lot more panoramic and less close-up. I became bored with introspection."

Cox teamed up with Noah Lennox, aka Panda Bear, and member of Animal Collective, to record a track on the new album. The song, "Walkabout," is a cheery electronic pop tune featuring Panda Bear's recognizable Beach Boys sounding, echoed vocal harmonies, and Cox's energetic synth mixing.

"Walkabout" is so summer like, complete with sound samples of what sounds like children playing, that it makes total sense to release it now while summer still has a little fizzle left. Another song featured here, "Solo of the Square" is one of Cox's 2009 self-releases as Atlas Sound. Logos drops on October 20 via Kranky Records. Enjoy.

"Walkabout" (with Panda Bear) - Atlas Sound from Logos (2009)

"Solo Or The Square" - Atlas Sound from free 'Virtual 7", No. 6' (2009)

Known for releasing volumes of his music for free via his blog, Cox also has a neat new cover song of Fleetwood Mac's "Walk The Thin Line", available as a free download. In addition, there are loads of other free downloads from Atlas Sound sprinkled throughout the blog.

Cox also publishes awesome, eclectic mirco-mixes for download. The songs featured on each micro-mix are listed on his blog and downloadable as large MP3 files. Essential listening for Bradford Cox fans.

Labels: Atlas Sound, Bradford Cox, Indie Artist/Group Profiles, Panda Bear

Album cover of Panda Bear's 2008 Person Pitch

One 2007 release that cannot be emphasized enough is the last release from Animal Collective's Noah Lennox. As one of the many characters that make up the wildly popular psychedelic pop rock outfit, Lennox, better known by his moniker Panda Bear, released his third solo album last year. The more I listen to it - even now - the more it becomes apparent just what an awesome release it was.

Combining the high chorus, echo pop sounds of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys with his own brand of songs lush with sampling and electro-pop influences, a significant departure from Lennox's previous acoustic-centric release Young Prayer.



His record label, Paw-Tracks Records, wrote of Lennox's debut release: "Person Pitch is suffused with the kind of feel good modern toe-tapping pop that seems harder and harder to find these days." Indeed.

"Comfy in Nautica" - Panda Bear from Person Pitch

For those of you who missed it, here's an amazing remix from Panda Bear of a great Notwist song. Enjoy.

"Boneless" (The Notwist) - Panda Bear Remix

MySpace: Panda Bear

Labels: Best Independent Music, Best Indie Rock Songs, Panda Bear

Hard-core Deerhunter fans know about the band and it's many other projects, incarnations and collaborations.

Fewer know what kind of music the current and former band mates of this indie collective listen to. So, in summarizing a huge number of posts at their blog, here is series of personal playlist mixes from Deerhunter, Atlas Sound and Panda Bear.

First up, is Bradford Cox's playlist "mixed by Atlas Sound" titled Micromix 16: Bus Ambience, posted on May 25, 2008. Overall, most of the playlist is simply not really our kind of music (compared to all the great music out there); but hey, who's to say others won't enjoy it more.

Personally, I skipped over most of the songs, hoping for a jem within and found just about nada.

1. Animal Collective - Chocolate Girl (Live on BBC) - Predictable, but good.
2. The Dovers - What Am I Going to Do - OK, they have better stuff.
3. The Chills - Pink Frost - Good, like The Chills for some time.
4. The Avatars - Coil - SOK.
5. Jet Harris and Tony Meehan - Some People (around 19 minutes in) - Not.
6. B-52's - Theme From A Nude Beach - Umm, no thanks.
7. Birigwa - Okusosola Mukule - Nice world music until the baby starts crying at the end (around 31 minutes in); seriously, in a 'mellowed out' song, the last thing you want to hear is a crying baby. Hello?!
8. Black Sabbath - Solitude - Good. Classic and rarely mellow Black Sabbath from the 1970s.
9. Growing - Disconfirm - Spaceship keyboards with drum band backgrounds. Crap?
10. Beach Boys - He Gives Speeches - This is the freaking Beach Boys?!? OK, well this is the Beach Boys at their worst. With all the possible songs to pick from The Beach Boys!? Is this mix a joke?
11. White Magic - Day - Not so much. I mean yes if you're on acid. How many of you are on acid right now? This track would be better without the awkward choruses/chanting and some more note progressions.

Alright, not digging Bradford's mix all that much. Sorry man, nothing personal. Your own music is better.

Download it via MediaFire: http://www.mediafire.com/?tfregezuyyf

Total Time: 46:13

Next up, Panda Bear's Bookie Pad mix

Stay tuned for more plus our playlist challenge to the Deerhunter and Friends' Personal Playlists series.

Labels: Atlas Sound, Bradford Cox, Deerhunter, Indie Playlists, Mixes, MP3s, Panda Bear