smash vinyl

Somewhere in brooklyn are a few young guys who stumbled into an east coast forest and found themselves sprinkled with Mono tinged pixie dust... only to emerge with an album full of feverish music. The woods is a crackling and hissing noise of a reel to reel tape recorder, the light strumming of an electric guitar running through a 10" amp running past unnameable distortion pedals, and a collection of campfire style singing voices. The woods bring an eclectic combination of noises and melodies that form a very unforgettable collection of little numbers. Take a listen to 'be still' below... and if you like what you hear check out other bands on the fuckittapes label like Meneguar - the woods other band.

M.I.A. is musical attitude. And the beats are as sexy as the mastermind and artistic genius behind M.I.A., Maya Arulpragasam. The Kala album is a unique mixture of styles, merging dancehall, electronic, dub, and world music. The musical textures used in the sampling of M.I.A's driving melodies, and percussive hits are meticulously selected. And Maya's vocals are somewhere between Sri Lankan tribal hollers, and electroclash sassiness. I'm sure you've heard this band talked about, but if you haven't given a good listen to the Kala album, now is the time to do so. M.I.A. ain't fucking around. Check out the 20 dollar track below...

Beirut is a brilliant assortment of musicians. Masterminded by one young Zach Condon and his love of instruments... French horns, trumpets, ukelele's, viola's, xylophones, stand up bass, accordions, flugelhorns, conch shell horns... If it makes a noise this band probably plays it. With song names based on physical places in eastern europe, the music pacing along in a martial waltz, and crying in gypsy horn hollars... the melodies of an ancient type, from an unknown place in a long forgotten country played by a sadly forgotten people... translated by a unique and mysterious kid from New Mexico.

Two men, one sound, possibly two video game consoles climaxing together in an ultimate entertainment system orgasm. The result is 'Fuck Buttons.' Many of their sounds come from things found a thrift stores and flea markets, like small children's toys and other odd instruments. The resulting sound is something like a small gray cloud raining little buzzsaws ripping through miniature wind chimes on an overcast day. It is the most beautiful, and chaotic combination of noises I've ever heard.

This sweet sweet sweetheart musician has a knack for writing oddly wonderful lyrics with despairing and haunting melodies. In a way not unlike Chan Marshall of Cat Power, this one has the ability to play music that sticks in your head for days. Her voice is confident and powerful enough that sometimes your forget where you are, and wander aimlessly into a childhood memory of hers and yours blended together. I find that at least a few of her songs make my eyelids a bit heavier for sadness and want of a sweet dream away from reality. Alela Diane makes a type of gypsy folkish music you won't soon forget about.

Not since their seminal album 'the shape of punk to come,' by Refused, has a band from Sweden, convinced the ears of listeners that Sweden has a brilliant and unique brand of sound to bring to the music world. But unlike the sharp, in your face, hardcore punk offered by Refused, Lykke Li is instead a warm, subtle, and danceable pop music. It is the type of album that your ex-girlfriend would put on and dance upon her bed wearing only her underwear. Lykke Li's style is sometimes reminiscent of the norwegian pop singer Annie. However, Lykke Li's music isn't strictly a pop dance music like Annie's. In fact, it often takes on a pulsingly rythymic, and atmospheric style. Her voice is so otherworldly gentle. At times, it seems her tiny throat can't encompass the sweetness she sings entirely in a sound. Instead it breaks, and cracks to octaves reserved solely for heavenly sounds. And the way she pronounces english words is like candy in your ears. Lykke Li is precious, and her music even more so.

Imagine its a very late night, someone put on some stupidly depressing and buzz-killing music like Stereolab, or Belle and Sebastian, and amazingly people start to go home with 'headaches' and sudden bouts of 'tiredness'. Break out the uppers, and spin some Cut Copy. The sweet blissful, and entirely danceable tracks like 'feel the love' will keep the headaches at bay, and neatly convert your waning buzz to another plateau. Their music will gently wash against you on the dance floor and keep you going for hours to come. Highly recommended as apart of any standout dance mix.

According to Vice, Vampire Weekend, is a "pussy, pussy band." Well, I maybe pretentious, but I'm not pretentious for the sake of being pretentious, and although Vampire Weekend may be a "pussy, pussy band," their ability to write melodic, poppy, catchy, unique, and upbeat music can hardly be matched by any band currently producing music. Get their latest album, and take a walk for a few miles, and you'll find yourself in one of those rare good moods that only music can evoke. For those that enjoy comparisons, I would tell you that Vampire Weekend is akin to what Simon and Garfunkel would have produced if they were in their early twenties, and living in the upper west side. This track, Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, is from their self-titled debut. Enjoy.