Dream Panther // Serious Sauce Vol. 1

I love it that Two Michael Jordans is a label that is always hard at work. These bros have a fantastic work ethic despite that huge setback they had earlier this year. On top of that they love what they are doing and that joy seeps out of every orifice of their label. So needless to say I love it whenever they email me with whatever project they are working on next. For instance, check out this excerpt from their next cassette by Los Angeles funkmaster Dream Panther.

Accompanied by a myriad of tampered-with vocal samples, the real treasure here is that nasty funk, man. Whatever Dream Panther is doing that results in these sticky jams, he must be doing it right because this thing is just dripping with silky sonic goodness. It stretches out and folds back on itself like a mystical taffy pull. Taste and see that it is good.

Stream this whole bad boy on the label’s bandcamp page and then buy a copy of the cassette so that these guys can have the means to keep supplying us with the goods.

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BANDCAMP | SOUNDCLOUD | TUMBLR | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

 

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Body Parts // On Purpose

This might be a tad different from the stuff I normally post on here, but it is way too catchy and wildly ridiculous for me to refrain from sharing.

There are days when music can change the course of your day. One minute you can be on the pathway of eternal grumpiness; nothing seems right and you’d rather just bury your head under a pillow and sleep the day away. Then you hear a song that immediately changes your mood. After hearing such music you couldn’t stay grouchy even if you wanted to. This was the case when I met Body Parts halfway through a slump day. From that moment on I was a changed boy.

Nestled comfortably somewhere between Dirty Projectors and of Montreal, this Los Angeles band balances the quirky and the catchy in equal measure. If you find yourself in need of a quick pick-me-up do yourself a favor and check out Body Parts. Pay what you want for it on their bandcamp.

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“Doing Things”

 

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SneakPeek // “WAYTOOMUCH”

I love being pleasantly surprised and such was the case with SneakPeek. This group of lifelong L.A. friends are working hard on a seven-song EP that they hope to have finished by the end of the summer. Featuring former members of The Willowz, this girl-fronted garage rock band is really too good to only have a few demos online. On track “WAYTOOMUCH” lead singer Dora Hiller’s vocal line is so beautiful that it almost seems incongruent with the track’s churning shoegaze underbelly. But the more you listen to it, the more you realize that it really couldn’t be any other way. She calls out like a siren and I willingly follow and am torn to bits on the jagged rocks below.

Check their bandcamp for a few more demos and live tracks. Then keep them on the radar because these tracks will show up again later on the band’s EP looking beautifully reworked and spit-shined.

 

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Soft Crest // “Young Blood”

I don’t know about you, but for me chillwave has long outstayed its visit. What fresh originality the microgenre once had is now sucked dry and hundreds of bands are churning out the same sorta music with the same sorta vibes and the same overall aesthetic. And with so many blogs writing about every new band that comes down the chute, its getting to be a tad overbearing.

When I received this track in an email, the word “chillwave” was thrown around a bit in the description. I’m not sure why though, L.A. band Soft Crest really has nothing to do with the microgenre other than the typical-looking chillwave cover artwork. Instead this track reveals itself to be more of a slow-burning shoegaze track. It takes a bit to gain some momentum, but once it reaches full speed it turns out to be a great song. The best part is how they manage to hide some sunny, California vibes in there by way of the vocal hooks which are tucked nicely under waves of heavy distortion. A great track indeed.

“Young Blood” is actually a single from their upcoming album Pacific Electric, so keep your ear to the ground for that. Until then hit up their bandcamp for some free tunes.

 

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Dumbo Gets Mad // Elephants At the Door

I had read/listened to several reviews of the Italy-by-way-of-Los-Angeles duo Dumbo Gets Mad and their most recent album Elephants At the Door. Now while I had every intention of checking them out, I honestly just forgot. Being a music blogger requires one to listen to and process alot of music. Sometimes things just get lost in the shuffle. Then two days ago the band sent me a copy of the album and asked me to check it out. I guess fate just really wanted me to give the band a chance.

It turned out to be a good thing, because the band is pretty good. They are first and foremost a psych band. I mean, the warbly 1960/70’s influence wiggles and radiates off this album like a mirage in the desert heat. While that sounds snakes it’s way through the album, they do extend their reach and incorporate more influence. For instance, noise plays a big role here. Now I’m not talking lo-fi scuzz noise, but rather experimentation of different bits and pieces (and bubbles and bleeps). The noises are layered on top of the music like the candy coating on the outside of an M&M. While the chocolaty-psych center is the reason you bite in, the experimentation certainly tastes good too.

Now, the band has done something interesting here for the release of the album. It’s free, but it’s a “pay with a Tweet” deal. Basically, just follow this link and it will tell you what to do. Pretty cool idea. Now if you want a physical copy of the album you can pre-order it from Bad Panda Records.

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check out: “Eclectic Prawn”

 

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