Brooding British band, Peace, reaches new territory on their first major-label release on Sony. Though this release is only four tracks long, it tackles synths and experimental haziness like no other. Standout track #3, "California Daze" is deliciously poppy and reminiscent of 60s surf rock. While #4, "1998 (Delicious)," has an intimidating track length for radio play, it features some very neat instrumentals and is an interesting finale to the album. Take a listen.

FCC CLEAN

RIYL: Vampire Weekend, Foals, WU LYF

This second album from Pascal Pinon, showcases the twin sisters' signature fusion of English and Icelandic songwriting. The upbeat opener "Ekki Venmeta" sets the tone for a look into the sentimental bond the sisters share. atmospheric, symphonic bedroom pop/folktronica w/ choral vocals.

play: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 FCC Clean.

riyl: tasseomancy

Tracks rampage through everything from ambient piano, to telephones, to what sounds like someone splashing in the bath.  there's industrial techno with a didgeridoo, and Teen Paranormal Romance suddenly explodes into beautiful symphonic music. The standout is perhaps Very Large Green Triangles, a dancefloor collision of strings and voice. A bizarre, baffling, occasionally infuriating but sometimes brilliant listening experience culminates in a crazed electronic pounding of ESP, Buzzcocks' 1978 classic about telepathic communication. Guests include: Dan Deacon, Dominique Leon, Jenn Wasner and many more.

play: 2, 5, 8, 9

riyl: soft pink truth, kid 606

Now with a full-time drummer, Beach Fossils entered the studio in the fall of 2012 with producer Ben Greenberg (The Men) and began work on this new LP, Clash The Truth. Instead of a simple transition from “bedroom DIY” project to “better fidelity studio project” -- the deliberate decision to work with Ben was determined to capture, if not in style, the spirit and enthusiasm of punk and aggressive music in general. Drawing from the melodic strengths and uncanny guitar textures of previous works, and emboldened by a sound closer to their energetic and cathartic live set, it’s the clear next step in the trajectory of the band, and a dis-association from the home-recording boom from which it originated.

We like: #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7,  8, 9, 10. FCC Clean.

riyl: DIIV, craft spells, real estate

In their fourth studio album Pissed Jeans showcase drudged post-hardcore, delivered through the guise of a frustrated white collar worker. Working 9-5s, finding friends on the internet, gross cafeteria food are some of the mundane things Pissed Jeans tear apart with angered vocals and instrumentation that goes from heavy lumbering riffs to shearing noise. Unlike the early post-punk/post hardcore bands these guys will find themselves compared to, their scope of complaints is much more proximate and every-day. Their thick and laboring delivery fits the feeling of clawing through the bordom and frustration of an average life. They deliver music with a lot of versatility, but don't veer off of their pummeling style. Honey holds up as their best release to date.

RIYL: Big Black, Harvey Milk

Play: 1,5,6

FCC: Clean

Debut album by a 12-piece London band that grew out of the members' shared love of the music of Fela Kuti, and now has taken England by storm. Features seven original and highly creative compositions that are also authentic to the genre. A WRUV exclusive sent to us directly from England by the band.

Here's the official website

Listen to the entire release here (on Bandcamp)

Original & re-worked versions of Afrobeat, Brazilian, Afro-jazz, funk, soul, & rare groove gems from the Ubiquity vaults, just released as four 12" records. Not all of the material is strictly world music but these important tracks and remixes were way too good to pass up. Details in the collected "liner notes" tucked in with the CD. Don't miss - listen for yourself.

Here's what's on our CD; each release has two tracks:

1, 2: More Heavy 12” - Bosq from Whiskey Barons, feat. Nigerian singer & guitarist Kaleta (formerly with Fela Kuti).

3, 4: Vol.3 - African Roots Of Jazz Feat. Carlos Niño & Friends (a re-work of the Spiritual Jazz classic “The Healer/Don’t Break” by E.W Wainwright’s African Roots Of Jazz).

5, 6: Vol.4 - Harry Whitaker’s Black Renaissance feat. "GB" (Gifted & Blessed, aka Gabriel Reyes-Whittaker). H. Whitaker was a celebrated pianist & composer who, in his original 1976 recording, sought to create a new "Afrocentric" jazz-soul-funk style.

7, 8: Darondo (a funk and soul singer from the San Francisco Bay area) re-worked by Tall Black Guy & Dandy Teru.