In Dee Mail 2010, Vol. IV: Neon Indian Produces New Miniature Tigers’ Track; Plus, Here We Go Magic, The Morning Code & More

miniaturetigersfortress

Today we received a just completed song from the Miniature Tigers that was produced by the indie electro-pop artist Neon Indian. The song, titled, “Gold Skull”, is an advance single from the upcoming new album by the band, which (aside from the Neon Indian produced song) was produced by The Morning Benders‘ member Chris Chu. The album, Fortress, is set to drop on July 27th.

“Gold Skull” (produced by Neon Indian) – Miniature Tigers from Fortress

Here We Go Magic sent in this song from the band’s June 8th release of their new album, Pigeons. We found this song to be almost immediately addictive, and once again, the band have delivered the magic that has made them a huge success in the past couple of year’s within Brooklyn‘s ‘indie’ rock scene, and beyond.

“Collector” Here We Go Magic from Pigeons – out June 8th

Today we learned of a new band we’ve never heard of before, but will now definitely put on our radar screens – could this be a new breakthrough band in the works? Last month, the New York City alternative rock band, The Morning Code, released an EP follow-up to their 2007 LP debut, Superhero Complex.

It’s not clear to us why this band has not received any substantial write-ups online. Huh? Well, this happens all the time, actually – bands that we really think show a lot of promise and skill, but somehow get overlooked (while lesser talented bands get hyped and showered with love). You can download all MP3s from the EP at The Morning Code website.

“Silver”The Morning Code from Tell Someone EP

“Mob”The Morning Code from Tell Someone EP

The Morning Code on MySpace

Drawing from obvious influences of The Beach Boys‘ classic album, Pet Sounds, the London band Gold Sounds – named after the Pavement song from Crooked Rain – released their debut EP, Home Schooled, earlier this year. The EP features four songs rich with crackling melodies, full-on orchestration, and sunny harmonies. Anyways, Pavement, is one of the headliners at this weekend’s Sasquatch Festival in Quincy, Washington.

“You’re A Vision”Gold Sounds from Home Schooled

“So It Goes”Gold Sounds from Home Schooled

Gold Sounds on MySpace

A recent submission from Birmingham, Alabama, college student stated simply: “my name is drew, i record a lot of songs in my room…i am unsigned…review my music?”   From the hazy keyboards and reverb vocals on “See Through” to the stripped-down acoustic country/folk rock of “Coquette”, there’s something raw and original that we like about Drew Prices music.

“See Through”Drew Price’s Bermuda Triangle from Cat in the Rain

“Coquette”Drew Price’s Bermuda Triangle from Cat in the Rain

On “Game Plan”, there is an immediate jolt of old-school sci-fi sound effects, followed by a quick transition into a floating, repetitive beat, acoustic plucking and layers of dubbed vocals. So far, it’s hard to fit his music into a genre (most fitting is probably ‘experimental’). However, Price’s MySpace page lists the genres as “Hawaiian/Chinese pop”.

“Game Plan”Drew Price’s Bermuda Triangle from Cat in the Rain

Drew Price on MySpace

Best Indie Rock Songs 2010, Vol. III: Black Keys, Wolf Parade, Dead Weather, LCD Soundsystem, The National, Band of Horses

About twice a month, maybe more, we’re going to publish the What’s Hot Right Now playlist mix. The way we calculate what’s hot is by analyzing our web statistics of which songs people are listening to and downloading the most, and then comparing those to additional resources like The Hype Machine, Elbo.ws, and other aggregators and popular music blogs to come up with a list that depicts the hottest songs on the web (not what’s hot on Billboard or radio).

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“Tighten Up” The Black Keys

“Hustle and Cuss” The Dead Weather

“Drunk Girls” LCD Soundsystem

“What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)” – Wolf Parade

“Factory” Band of Horses

“Cloudy Shoes”Damien Jurado

“Your Hands”The New Pornographers

“Party With Children”Ratatat

Best New Releases of the Week, Part Two: Seabellies, The Tim and Sam Band, Inspired Flights,

Yesterday, we published the Best New Releases of the Week mix featuring fresh tracks from new releases by The New Pornographers, Broken Social Scene, The Hold Steady and many others. Since there are so many great new releases this week, we broke up the usually one installment into two parts. In today’s mix, Part Two of the best new releases, we feature mostly bands that sent their music to us, including Seabellies, Tim and The Same Band, Inspired Flight, Unbunny, Snowglobe, The Sister Ruby Band, Shodes, Cast Spells, and Gift Horse. As with Part One, today’s mix offers you a chance to hear a lot of fabulous music that you may not have otherwise heard.

Despite an overwhelming consensus among music bloggers who find the North Wales band name, Tim & Sam’s Tim & The Sam Band With Tim & Sam, ridiculous, annoying, and so on, the band has managed to create some great songs that allow for a pass on the stupid band name. The band have toured and performed at In The City Festival, as well as other fests, like Latitude, Swn and The Great Escape. They also opened for bands like  Slow Club, Metronomy, Peggy Sue, Maps, and Scouting For Girls.

We’re going to refer to the band as The Tim and Sam Band, and will list them as such on our 2010 Bands to Watch list.  It would be smart on the band’s part to shorten the name now, rather than later. Anyways, the band members employ lush instrumentation, craft sweet, melodic songs that are daydream inducing and all just all around luring. Hope to hear more from them soon.

All four members of Tim and Sam Band are accomplished multi-instrumentalists, effortlessly switching between instruments such as glockenspiel, marmonium and clarinet, as well as melodies of light xlophones , accordions and rich choruses during live shows.  Their new album, Life Stream, out now, has been in the works for two years. If you like the songs included here, you’ll probably love the album. Their debut album, Put Your Slippers On, was released in 2008.

“Choices” The Tim and Sam Band from Live Stream

“Hope’s Garden” The Tim and Sam Band, instrumental single (2009)

Tim and Sam official website

You can also hear more of the band’s songs on their MySpace page.

From Sydney, Australia comes yet another Band to Watch – Seabellies. The band is signed with indie label Hub/Albert Music. Seabellies have opened for bands like Mum and The Temper Trap, and also performed at the V Festival along side Phoenix, The Pixies and Pet Shop Boys. Their music is rich and lush, full of ethereal electronic sounds, strings, metalaphones and melodicas, soaring guitars and Scandinavian-influenced melodies.

Swapping instruments throughout the set, the bands onstage presence is akin to bands like Architecture in Helsinki, Broken Social Scene and the Go! Team. They broke through last fall with the release of the single “Orange X” (see video) and their US release include the new single included here, ”

“Feel It Leave”The Seabellies from By Limbo Lake

Seabellies on MySpace

The unsigned San Diego indie electronica band Inspired Flight show a lot of promise from what we’ve heard thus far. Rooted in hip-hop and dipping into elements of indie rock, down-tempo, dub and dance, Inspired Flight is taking your pre-conceived notion of what a band and DJ are and merging them into something new and quite appealing. By creatively integrating traditional DJ elements, like sampling and scratching, the San Diego musical duo perform live using multiple laptops, keyboards and turntables while incorporating guitars, kalimbas, melodicas and vocals, translating into the ultimate electric, live experience.

“I Won’t Let You Down”Inspired Flight from s/t debut

“Pull, Push, Let Go”Inspired Flight from s/t debut

Inspired Flight on MySpace

cast spells the band

More of our Favorite Songs from New Releases

“Pioneer Scalps”Cast Spells from limited 12″ Bright Works and Baton

Cast Spells on MySpace

“Love”Snowglobe from Little More Lived In

Snowglobe on MySpace

“Rebecca (Just Take It from Me)”The Sister Ruby Band from A Shot In The Dark

The Sister Ruby Band official website

“My Dear One”Shodes from My Dear One

Shondes official website

“Countersign”Unbunny from Moon Food

Unbunny on MySpace

“Missionaries” Gift Horse from Mountain of Youth

Do you have a favorite song in this mix? Let everybody know in the comments section. And if you like these playlists, send the links to friends; it’s let’s us know better what folks like and don’t like :)