in the parking lots of these endless nights

TWO MORE FUCKING DAYS! I'M GOING CRAZY WAITING FOR SATURDAY! I never dreamed I'd see them in Singapore, much less in the same day.

Beach House - Silver Soul
Their brand of hazy dreampop already imprinted in us as their signature, they deliver it with the usual panache. Pouring their entire soul into this one, the syncopated keyboards dovetailing nicely with Legrand's ethereal vocals.

Lotus Plaza - A Threaded Needle
With a persistent rhythm and tinkly sounds, how can I not be hooked into the song? The rhythm subsequently forms the backing of the song, over and above the barely heard vocals. Elegiac in a rough way, the entire song feels hazy amidst a microcosm of intimate sounds, and it runs out amidst a dishevelled blast of intense repetitive sounds.

Deerhunter - Agoraphobia
A thoroughly enjoyable listen; comforting and warm. A slow tender piece that takes delight in its measured pace, preferring to let the music speak for itself.

Deerhunter - Desire Lines
Accompanied by a fat reverby guitar line, Cox reminisces about the nostalgia of youth, awash in careless freedom. And just when you thought what could get better than the first 2 minutes of awesomeness, a good 4 minutes of instrumental takes over. It's ponderous yet urgent, slowly seeping into your consciousness. Going on and on, you're sinking deeper and deeper, only for you to be jostled out as it gradually ends.

when i look around i can feel it spinning

Simon Hinter - Take Care
What a myriad of sounds this track presents - a certain eye, or ear-opener for that matter. A winding road, tall firs looming. Blinding white light. Streets of nowhere, a dull thud. Mesmerising blinking light, in the distance.

Deerhunter - Fountain Stairs
Super swell and loving it. Warm fuzzy guitar lines and warbly vocals from Lockett Pundt.

each day takes you some place i can't find

Ducktails - Killin' The Vibe
Oh so chill. A sweet laconic vibe with a backing piano? that sounds a little like Bibio's Lover's Carvings. I totally agree with the comments on the video that it's a great driving song. I can picture myself in a old Dodge, just clunking and cruising down the countryside roads.

Azure Ray - Don't Leave My Mind
Damn, I missed out on this release last year, which would have definitely made my 2010 list. A seven year hiatus as a duo clearly did nothing to diminish their fantastic chemistry. Testament to their craft, the two best friends have given us an exquisitely gorgeous song to savour. The electronic beat and lush melody provide a lovely complement to Orenda's? spectral vocals - stunning.

no pockets full of grain and crumbs

Flying Lotus - MmmHmm (feat. Thundercat)
Aural pleasure with a soundscape put together with such panache. Flying Lotus is Steven Ellison, and he has carefully arranged a wonderfully crafted piece with influences I can't put a finger to. Almost balladic, the electronic nature of this tune does not really settle in entirely as the vocals serve as an elegant distraction.

Flying Lotus - Zodiac Shit
Trippy stuff filled with psychedelic imagery that would just blow your mind into the stratosphere in the first half, before abruptly going into electro-funk stuff that juxtapose nicely against the first half. Amazing shit.

Jenny Wilson - Like A Fading Rainbow

together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail

Broken Social Scene - All to All
Exquisite gem led by Lisa Lobsinger. It lost to Sweetest Kill by just a handful of listens. The intro is a soft delight, with a short and deft touch of trance. Led by the wonderful Lisa Lobsinger, her lush voice graces our ears, complemented by a back drop of electronic elements which seem in an urgent rush to somewhere. The strings are a neat touch as well. Very similar to RSR's stuff, but it's prolly due to her voice.

Broken Social Scene - Puff, the Magic Dragon
I've known the original version by Peter, Paul & Mary for quite a while, but only chanced upon this version by BSS recently. What an awesome find. Heavily slowed down, with more purposeful enunciation of the words, they infuse a whole lot more mood here, no doubt trying to elicit a reference to the "subtle drug referencing" many people speculate that is present in the original.

Tennis - Marathon
What summer bliss. A little hazy nostalgia here, a bit of hooky hooky there, a perfect recipe for a fabulous song. Don't count out the soft oooohs as well. As she coos so wistfully, I wonder if I could be the one on that yacht out yonder on the sapphire sea instead of being buried in my books.

i only go where you won't be

A short post to welcome the new year!

Plasticines - Pas Avec Toi
It's a pretty straightforward fist-pumping song that gets you going. From what I surmise, it's about a guy chasing after a girl after she decides to leave him, and the chorus basically just means "time passes but not with you".

Plasticines - I Am Down
Quite a down-tempo song good for an evening listen. These girls are not half as bad as many people say actually. I really like this song, very simple and listenable(?) on repeat.

Those Dancing Days - Fuckarias
Check out those insane drums - machine guns gone berserk; the orangey lips too, sweet. The chorus jams come a close second as well. All these from a quintet of girls from Stockholm. Absolutely catchy rampant feisty garage pop that will knock the socks off anyone, maybe a teeth or two as well. Free grab from the band here.