MonocularSomewhere on the Line(VierSieben Records/Alive) Monocular’s sound is akin to Bjork as a mildly schizophrenic lounge singer on Alphaville. The German electro duo, comprised of Jan and Nic Koray, tempers Trip Hop into soothing soundscapes and morphs ambient noise into morbidly mellow synth pop. The enveloping darkness of their synthetic musicality is balanced with a storytale sweetness in their songwriting. […]
CryptacizeMythomania(Asthmatic Kitty) Cryptacize’s sophomore effort sounds along the lines of Belle & Sebastian scoring a Spaghetti Western. Mythomania pits the ineffably kitschy against the ineffably hip in a way that is as fetching as it is avant-garde. A traditional brand of twee is layered with Spector-esque harmonies and squealing guitars in a fashionably brilliant manner. “Tail & Mane” is like […]
Psychic TV/PTV3Mr. Alien Brain Vs. the Skinwalkers(Sweet Nothing/Cargo Records)Reviewed By: Izzy Cihak The latest release from Psychic TV/PTV3 is an erotically morbid pastiche of Industrial Psychedelica and GlamCore – something along the lines of …Trail of Dead as a tribute to Bowie. The album is a culmination of all the sounds that Genesis Breyer P-Orridge has indulged in in recent […]
Darker My Love | Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA) | December 4, 2008 | Although their latest album, 2, is surprisingly accessible, beards are far from the only fuzziness left of Neo Psychedelic Shoegazers Darker My Love. They may have recently returned from a jaunt with Indie Pop faves the Dandy Warhols, where they appeared as bourgeoning rock stars in the […]
Paramount Styles@ The KhyberPhiladelphia, PAOctober 12, 2008 When Girls Against Boys’ Scott McCloud found himself at Philadelphia’s Khyber, promoting his latest project, Paramount Styles, he found himself looking at an audience of a little more than a half-dozen, comprised of music journalists, probable record store owners, and others who realize that Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby is as important as […]
Hyped By: Izzy Cihak Finally, high school cheerleaders and burgeoning scenesters have something to bond over. The sound of Avian X, Natalia Ivachkevitch’s foray into the glamorous world of NYC Synth Pop, provides the link between Madonna and The Sounds. With all the dance-able sass of Shiny Toy Guns, but lacking the Post-Punk-inspired edge of peers like Theo and the […]
Hyped By: Izzy Cihak Since her 2005 debut, Tangos and Tantrums, Sylvie Lewis has been playing the part of the fairy princess of the world of singer/songwriters and dinner theater venues. Her ethereally Jazzy vocality and a delicately other-worldly Folk musicality combine to create a sound that could underscore any Disney climax or the cutest moment of your life. Last […]
