[mp3] Crocodiles // Cockroach

Crocodiles Crimes of Passion Cover [mp3] Crocodiles // Cockroach

Brooklyn-via-San Diego outfit Crocodiles are back with their death roll rock, having announced their newest effort, Crimes of Passion, a couple of weeks ago. Crimes of Passion follows up last year’s Endless Flowers, though there is decidedly less penis on the cover of this new album.

Along with the announcement comes a new track from the album as well, the predictably bleached out “Cockroach.” It continues in the same vein that the band is known for, scuffed up and displaying plenty of reverb. Crimes of Passion was produced by Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes, and is due out on August 20th through Frenchkiss. As of right now there’s only a pre-order of the CD version available on the Frenchkiss website, though I’d expect (hope) to see it available on vinyl at some point as well.

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Crocodiles // Cockroach [mp3] from the forthcoming Crimes of Passion

[stream] Smallpools // Dreaming

smallpools dreaming cover [stream] Smallpools // Dreaming

I’ve had this track on my personal back burner for about a week now, waiting for some time in my schedule to sit down and write about it. The band, however, has been decidedly impatient with me, as every time I log in to Facebook I see an advertisement for downloading it in my sidebar. While this post undoubtedly won’t stop the targeted advertising, it will at least quell any guilt I’ve been feeling for not writing about it sooner.

So, here we have Smallpools. In demographic terms, the band hails from Los Angeles. In logistical terms, there are four members of the band. In astronomical terms, they sound like the months that take place between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox. “Dreaming” is the only single they have at this point, but it’s a perfectly anthemic gem that falls somewhere on the continuum between the pop-punk forebears and Passion Pit.

It’s downloadable for free if you follow the link in the Soundcloud stream; you just have to trade them your email address. This might be the only thing we’ve heard from Smallpools at this point, but it’s certainly not going to be the last we hear from them.

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[mp3] TV Girl // She Smokes In Bed

tv girl she smokes in bed cover [mp3] TV Girl // She Smokes In Bed

San Diego’s TV Girl released their final sampled album in early May of last year, titled The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle, and now the band has returned with some new original material. “She Smokes In Bed” is the first taste of their new EP, Lonely Women, which will be released in the middle of June.

It’s everything that I’ve come to expect from the outfit, combining looping drums and a summery sheen that goes hand in hand with their tales of love that might not be perfect, but that are perfect in right now. Smoking cigarettes indoors, let alone in the bedroom, have never sounded as good as they do here.

Lonely Women will be available through TV Girl’s Bandcamp page – and you can pre-order it digitally right now if you’d like for $5. If you’re a fan of physical releases, you can pay an extra $2 and scoop up the EP on cassette, which is limited to a run of 150. I’d get my hands on that now if that’s your thing.

Connect with TV Girl // Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

TV Girl // She Smokes In Bed [mp3] from the forthcoming Lonely Women EP

[mp3] Cypria // Let’s Go

cypria the sunday soul sessions cover [mp3] Cypria // Lets Go

Cypria is a twenty-year old producer from the United Kingdom, and he’s been soundtracking my work day for the better part of this week with his mixtape The Sunday Soul Sessions. I ran across Cypria while watching a video of Andrew Wiggins posterize everyone else on the basketball court via Deadspin. Whoever put the video together used the track “Let’s Go” from the aforementioned mixtape as the soundtrack, and though Wiggins’ skill on the floor is incredible, I was drawn more to the sampled track that provided the background for the highlight reel.

As it turns out, “Let’s Go” isn’t just good for use behind basketball highlights, and can be used for making your Excel spreadsheet formatting seem almost as awesome as 360-degree dunks over hapless defenders. Try it out and see if I’m lying.

The Sunday Soul Sessions is available in its entirety for free through Lunatick Records’ Bandcamp page, and it all runs in a similar chopped up vein. Perfect for Friday nights at the bar, or setting your next money steadicam shot to music.

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Cypria // Let’s Go [mp3] from The Sunday Soul Sessions

[stream] Gold Lake // We Already Exist

gold lake cover [stream] Gold Lake // We Already Exist

Whatever you’re expecting a band named Gold Lake to sound like, that’s exactly what you’re going to get from this Brooklyn-via-Madrid outfit. The band’s new album, Years, was mixed by none other than Phil Ek, who has produced the likes of The Shins and Fleet Foxes. While there is no official word about when the album is going to see the light of day, the band is releasing a two song single on June 18th to whet the appetites of potential listeners.

“We Already Exist” is my introduction to the trio, and it’s a breathless, layered affair that’s sure to win some converts to the band’s sound. Not unlike the body of water from which they take their moniker, there’s a depth to their sound that goes well beyond their short time making music together.

The single will feature a remix of the “We Already Exist” as well, done by The Helio Sequence.

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