My Favourite Songs of 2012

Well hello, blog. It’s been a while. I think that last entry said May on it, no?

Well hello, any readers I may have left. This entry is not a return to form (aka this blog is quite stagnant and I’m not taking pitches) but I still want to talk about music sometimes and right now I really want to share with you my favourite songs of 2012, the only sort of list I’ve made this year so far. Not a top 10 or 20, just my favourite songs. No order either! What is this madness? Just sing or dance along with me now.

Big Boi ft. Little Dragon – “Mama Told Me”
This song is such a tease. First, Big Boi & Little Dragon released a live video of this collab for Big Boi’s new album. Next, we found out the song could not go ahead on the album due to label disputes. Then we find out Kelly Rowland took over the Little Dragon duties and made them completely bland. Then Big Boi brought Little Dragon to perform the song on Jimmy Fallon’s show and released their version of the track for free, so guess what, we win! Little Dragon are perfect on this track (besides the fact that they’re one of my favourite bands) and add the right amount of groove and soul for Big Boi. It’s so sweet and soulful.

Hot Chip – “Night & Day”
This was my summer jam. So groovy. All I ever do when I hear this song is wiggle. That is all.

Kim Ann Foxman – “Return It”
One of the former singers for Hercules and Love Affair, Kim has completely taken off on her own and has done so well at it. This song is sexy, so ‘80s and has been one of my favourite dance tracks of the year.

David Byrne & St. Vincent – “Lightning”
Really I just picked one song off the album here, but of course this one is stellar. Love This Giant is hands down my #1 album of the year and “Lightning” is a good poster child for St. Vincent’s contribution to the partnership. This song builds itself up and explodes all around the sweetness of her voice and the horn arrangements. It’s commanding. And made even better by seeing it live.

Jessie Ware – “Wildest Moments”
I tried listening to Jessie Ware’s album Devotion when it came out to see what all the hubbub was about, but didn’t get it then. A few weeks ago, I put it on again and was instantly obsessed. I don’t find her lyrics particularly exciting but boy this album really gets to you. First it’s her amazing voice and then it’s the amazing instrumentation around her. I especially love the low bass and synth beats throughout the songs. I picked this one because it’s a real heartstrings-puller. For real I’m just sitting here swaying and singing to it as soon as I brought it up on YouTube.

Grizzly Bear – “Yet Again”
This song gets ya right in the melancholy feels. It stopped me in my tracks.

The Dirty Projectors – “Dance for You”
I really grew to love this album during the car rides to and from Buffalo with my boyfriend. We just listened and listened and listened until we loved it. This song stuck with us the most and kept us calm during holiday traffic jams.

Dr. Dog – “Lonesome”
Hoo boy, this song is catchy. And with hand claps!

Here We Go Magic – “How Do I Know”
I really loved this album for the first half of the year. This song was so euphoric and deciding to me, after “Make Up Your Mind.” It is just so precious and lovely. Unfortunately when I saw them live the experience kind of ruined their music to me, but I still really like this song and its video.

M. Ward – “The First Time I Ran Away”
This is probably one of my most-played songs of this year. It will instantly calm me down. I like to think of this singer as Mmmmmmm Ward. Please play live, Mmmmmm. I want to sway in front of you.

Parlovr – “Holding Onto Something”
So much energy! So much chaos! So many friends! Hair everywhere! Screaming at shows! Fun! This was one of the most overlooked Canadian albums of the year, for sure. So good. And this video is just hilarious.

Snowblink – “Black and White Mountains”
So pretty. Just soooo pretty. This whole album. Let’s hold hands and sing.

Django Django – “Hail Bob”
Ahh these guys are so much fun. This album was really entertaining. I once read that they were spaghetti-western pop and ever since then I’ve been googly eyed for them. I am so stoked to see them in March.

Dusted – “Property Lines”
Strong work, Brian and Leon. Strong work. This is one of the most gentle beast records I’ve loved. So lovely and yet so rough around the edges, just how I like it. The guitar in this song is great. I’ve seen these guys a lot this year and all in different kinds of settings, which has been a great experience. They’ve had a great 2012.

Teen – “Better”
This song tussled my hair and gave me dreamy eyes right away. I haven’t listened to this album as much as I’ve wanted to because it is quite strong in the dreamy department but this song is great. It makes me wish I was a hip girl living in Brooklyn.

Honourable mentions:
Andrew Bird – “Danse Carribe”
Daniel Rossen – “Silent Song”
DIIV – “How Long Have You Known?”
Gossip – “Get a Job”
Half Moon Run – “Full Circle”
Royal Canoe – “Hold Onto the Metal”
Tim Fite – “We Are All Teenagers”

Top songs that will technically be released in 2013 but we already know about:

Foals – “Inhaler”
I AM SO EXCITED. Favourite band. Ridiculously crazy song. Let yourself go!

Suuns – “Edie’s Dream”
This song shows off a more collected Suuns, and you can even hear what the singer is saying. The sounds in it are just hypnotizing, too.

Phosphorescent – “Song for Zula”
Lovely. Just lovely. And sad.

Watch Royal Canoe’s “Hold Onto the Metal” and see them tonight at the Garrison

Tonight my favourite band from Winnipeg, Royal Canoe, are dropping by Toronto once again. They recently wowed me at Canadian Music Week, so I’m ready to watch their very fun live performance for the second time in a couple months. With six members, two of who play drums side-by-side (a music weakness of mine), their busy and fun dynamic is interesting and appealing. There’s a LOT of gear, everyone’s singing together and even some distortions they use are oddly groovy. Their quirky Extended Play EP will be on my top list of EPs this year for sure.

Watch the video for “Hold Onto the Medal”:

They’ll hit the Garrison stage around 11 p.m.

Win two tickets to see Tim Fite at the Drake on April 1

One of my favourite mad scientist musicians, Tim Fite, will be coming back to Toronto this weekend (April 1) in support of his new album Ain’t Ain’t Ain’t. If you’ve ever seen him live, you know you’ll want to again, and if you haven’t yet, well know you’re missing out on one of the kookiest interactive and heartwearming performances out there.

Heres Tim when I saw him at Lee’s Palace in 2008, with his three back up singers: himself.

Courtesy of ANTI-, here’s your chance to win entry for you and a pal to Sunday’s show.

Just RT this tweet or Like this Facebook post.

Contest closes Friday at 4. Only the winner will be contacted.

Download Bravestation’s new song “Signs of the Civilized”

Bravestation’s back! After stowing away for half a year, the Toronto band who I feel like describing today as mystical wave rock have put forth their first new offering, “Signs of the Civilized,” from their upcoming album.

“Signs of the Civilized” is airy and promising. It flutters and flaps its wings like a baby bird getting ready for its first take-off while under the tree it sits in, there are fish in a stream swimming down their yearly route as the ground seems to thaw. Bravestation’s rejuvenated, bringing the spring closer to us than global warming already has (and for that I’m thankful, to be honest).

Take a listen to the calm confidence. You can download the track in exchange for your email address.

In response to The Grid’s “Is Toronto the greatest music city in the world?” article

This week's cover of The Grid. Courtesy of their website.

Here’s an unusual post for me and this blog. A rant! After griping about The Grid’s cover story on Twitter this morning and receiving a slightly overwhelming response, I’ve decided to air out my feelings here.

This week, The Grid got a cover story about music published. Awesome. But when it’s posing the question “Is Toronto the greatest music city in the world?” I somehow have a problem with it (and not because all of their covers look like web ads I would never click). I don’t want to have a problem with it, but I do. Here’s why.

Just because there are a lot of bands from Toronto on some popular Best of 2011 lists, that makes us worthy of ruling the world? I want to give a hearty congratulations to Feist, Fucked Up, Austra and even Drake for putting out successful albums last year. Good job. You guys did great! Critics loved you! But I don’t think you’re ready to rule the world quite yet. But hold up, since when did any city ever rule the world for their music? I have never heard of such a thing. I had never thought ‘Oh yeah New York City just dominates those little towns with their music scenes.’ Why do we feel like we have to rule the world? What competition is this? Don’t people realize that every city has lots of different kinds of music and LOTS of people who make it? Be happy with what your city is producing, and be proud people are getting a lot of recognition, but do we have to go farther than that? This is so sensational and something we’d say when we were teens.

Sure that article is the kind of post most writers secretly want to write. But I wouldn’t say they’d want to write it like the way it was written. Part of a music journalist’s job is to get the word out on who they think deserves it, and sure they want everyone to like what they like and see the good that comes from where they are. But it does not have to be done in such a shallow, vain and redundant article. And I bet anyone outside of Toronto barely cares and is even probably quite annoyed.

As someone who absolutely adores this city, works to promote it and its fantastic music scenes and has been thinking about ways to take closer looks at music scenes in cities, I want to like something like this. But I just can’t. I just feel face-palms. I like that we can show how we have many talented people working here and I like that others take notice, but let’s save this for our next tourism books and websites. In fact, I highly suggest that tourism channels for Toronto use the music scenes to get more people here.

Here’s an excerpt from the story:

You don’t have to love all of the bands that have emanated from Toronto in the past decade to recognize that this has been a period of exceptional musical quality, not to mention bracing originality.

So has this gust of creativity made Toronto the greatest musical city in the world, more dynamic and vital than even London or New York? The question is deliberately grandiose, and, of course, impossible to answer.

Response to that: First paragraph – okay, cool, yay. This is true. Second paragraph – did you actually just write why this question is useless?

The New York Times blog even picked up. Written by a Torontonian. And yes I know this, because he wrote disclaimers in the post four times.

I guess because Megavideo’s down, Jay-Z’s back to saying the word bitch and we might finally be over Lana Del Ray, we don’t have much else to talk about.

Basically what I’m trying to say is: way to go Toronto, your stars shine pretty brightly these days. But whatever, we’re a city. Just like all the other cities. Now let’s go back to looking for more talented people, telling people about them, but with some context and modesty. There’s no need to rub an opinion like this in everyone else’s faces.

RoundLetters’ Best of 2011: Top Albums

Part Two in my Best of 2011 coverage: Top 10 albums!

Now, I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again: I did not really like 2011 for music. It was pretty bad. I waited and waited and waited multiple times this year for music to hit me in the face that I would love and it took forever. I don’t like what feels like all the indie artists who got really popular this year. I don’t like Top 40 either. It just happens. I can dance around to stuff but that doesn’t mean I’m going to sit and really give it my time and thoughts. Though I’m a total grump about this, the albums that did break through for me are pretty great. I can say that I’m in love with my top two or three, I think they’re amazing. It’s similar to what happened to me last year. (My top 3 were Foals, Junip and !!! – still three of my favourite bands, and still three albums that I listened to well into 2011.) My top 3 mean the most to me this year and they’re a mixture of a band someone got me into and I then became obsessed, a singer who I’ve been into since her first album came out a couple years ago and a new local band that shot to stardom as fast as you can say stardust.

So here goes:

10. Peter Elkas – Repeat Offender

I spent January dancing around to Repeat Offender, and I’ll always remember my mom dancing around to it too when I had it on one day while I was visiting home. Peter brought us simple yet hearty songs that were infectious in charm and easy to sing along to, and it was even more fun to see him play them at the Dakota Tavern.

9. Pat Jordache – Future Songs

Pat took me by surprise. At first I didn’t think I could get into his music, but it didn’t take me very long to fall right into it. He keeps you coming back, leading you by a hook on a string, to his carefully crafted quirkiness and dark, deep vocals. His bass playing drives every other little bit through and through all of that, the songs come out catchy.

8. Dog Day – Deformer

I cannot resist Seth Smith and Nancy Urich’s ways. Deformer saw the band’s first full-length release as just a duo of the married couple, and I found it to be their best work yet. Songs like “Part Girl” and “Scratches” are gems, and I still can’t help waiting for Seth’s high notes that work so perfectly. I was also really glad to be able to see them play again this year – if they ever come through your town, go.

7. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy

This year, St. Vincent fully caught my attention, and not just for those big brown eyes. (Note: if you see her live, many a bro will yell things like ‘Annie, you’re so beautiful!’ ‘Annie, I LOVE YOU!’ which just feels hilarious, but there is more to this siren.) Her lyrics are amazingly well thought-out, you won’t find work like that very far in indie music these days. Strange Mercy puts a hold on you, but it doesn’t shake you or anything like that, it sits you down and explains things and maybe ruffles your hair up a bit. “Cheerleader” is one of my favourite songs of the year.

6. David Lynch – Crazy Clown Time

2011 was the year I was introduced to Twin Peaks and I’ve loved every minute of it. So when I found out the creator/director David Lynch had an album coming out, I was intrigued and excited, knowing my neck hairs would raise and be tingled in weird delight. David definitely has songs on here that sound just like you’re in that wooded town, and every time it comes on it feels like an adventure. “Pinky’s Dream” and “Good Day Today” are two of the coolest songs I’ve heard in a while, and they make me dreamy and optimistic, respectively. Try playing this album while driving along the highway at night, I have, and you’ll be captivated. Each song on this album brings up crazy imagery to me, which is another reason that made me love it. I’ve pictured a cyclops dragging his arms along his sides in woe and so much more. Now that’s how you do music.

5. Hooded Fang – Tosta Mista

I declared it then, Tosta Mista was my album of the summer. It’s full of fast jams and lyrics that somewhat mask the opposite feeling of what it’s showing in a sunny light. It’s a lot of fun, and that’s exactly what I needed when it came out. It’s impossible to resist bopping around to.  It’s over very quickly and so you just play it over again. A fine piece of work that came from a local band.

4. High Places – Original Colors

Though I have to keep stopping myself from writing ‘colours’ and they’re not as good live as they are on record, I still loved this. It brings me to a new level of mindset whenever I listen, like I’m in some hazy art gallery club where the walls are slanted and the lights are red and moving around and people are all dressed in glittery costumes. But they’re talking about reality, not dreams. It’s slow and fast at the same time. “Year Off” is compelling.

3. Austra – Feel it Break

Austra blew up in 2011. It was the craziest rocket to fame I’ve seen for a band since the emo days in high school with Cute is What We Aim For (heh). I remember Dorian, the bass player, talking about how he was in a new band with a bunch of girls after Spiral Beach ended, and they had to come up with a name before a show. They were Private Life, then back to the leader’s name Katie Stelmanis and then Austra. I interviewed Katie in the spring and I was stunned by the response to them then, but look at where they are by now, it’s incredible. And well-deserved. Feel it Break is a magical piece of work, like Katie and the gang struck gold while digging and digging and digging for years. Yes, they had to switch gears in the music they were normally working in, but as long as they love what they’re doing now, I’ll love it too. “The Beat and the Pulse” knocked me over and still does every time it comes on. I’ve seen them live a couple times and it’s dazzling, even though the Phoenix last month felt packed beyond capacity and I was all the way at the back. I’m really curious to see what’s in their future, and for god sakes I hope they get some rest soon. Poor guys, getting to go to Europe about a million times this year.

2. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l

Dear Merrill Garbus, you are my hero. I dressed up as you for Halloween and won a costume contest. I wish I could dress that way every day. I can’t stop smiling whenever I see you play (twice this year, hell yes) and neither can anyone else. Your shows are my happy place. Your energy is extremely positive, whether you’re feeling that or not, which makes me think you’re a strong, in control woman who knows how to get things across, even though every time you play, you seem utterly surprised at the response you get from the crowd (not just the things people try to get your looping pedal to pick up). It’s just warm and fuzzy and it’s so great to see an entire venue dancing and smiling. So great. Especially in Toronto. I loved BiRd BrAiNs but w h o k i l l knocked it out of the park for me. I knew this kind of music was coming – more streamlined and focused, but put together much better and with you taking on drums – so I was prepared. This album is brilliance to me. I tear up to the “Bizness” video and I get my girl power on with “Killa.” I played “My Country” over and over when I was upset at the ugly response of Americans to the death of Osama Bin Laden (yes, it’s a good thing this is over, yada yada, but those people were ridiculous in the way they celebrated, and it made me ashamed to come from there). This album will stick with me for a long time.

1. Little Dragon – Ritual Union

My coworker introduced me to Little Dragon in the summer and my year was changed from that point on. I was obsessed with Ritual Union. “Nightlight” and “Brush the Heat” are mesmerizing and exciting. I saw them play in the fall and fell in love with the entire band. Each member has this way they move and it’s amazing to watch. They have their own charm that works together even though they all seem so different. I wasn’t too familiar with their other two albums at that point, but seeing those songs played live – especially the ones they let loose on – was so cool. From that point on, I wanted to hug myself whenever I played them but it wasn’t until I could not stop playing older songs “Place to Belong” and then the trio of “Looking Glass” “My Step” and “Feather” that I was really, really hooked. Ask any of my close friends and they will tell you. Those songs mean so much to me and the year I’ve had, and they bring this strange aura over me whenever I play them, especially “Place to Belong” and “Feather.” Ritual Union is my album of the year, but really it’s all three of their albums together in my mind. Plus, Little Dragon makes it very easy to be a fan, they’re all over the web from Twitter to Facebook to Instagram to YouTube. I’ve watched a ton of great things from them on YouTube that are quirky and cute or captivating and interesting. Everything about this band is so fascinating to me, and their blend of electro soul is so fresh and exactly what I needed.

 

Albums of note from 2011:

Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital
Rubik – Solar
Casiokids – Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen
Little Scream – The Golden Record
The Albertans – New Age
Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting
Sam Roberts – Collider
Feist – Metals
Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo

RoundLetters’ Best of 2011: EPs and Shorter Albums

Here’s Part One of my Best of 2011 coverage — the best EPs and shorter albums I’ve had the pleasure of listening to this year.

1. Beth Ditto – self titled

Whenever I needed a dose of girl power this year that wasn’t more aggressive (at those times, I’d play Le Tigre), Beth Ditto was my girl. I adore this EP because not only did it get Beth Ditto back into a spotlight where she should be and pair her to really good dance music with Simian Mobile Disco, but her lyrics are inspiring and empowering. This was an EP that had me dancing while doing the dishes, walking to work and at parties. I only hope we hear from Beth or her band, Gossip, sometime soon.

2. Jeans Boots – txt msgs

Another empowering female, Jeans Boots took my breath away this year with txt msgs. I still remember her hair flying all over the Horseshoe’s stage and her shiny, sparkly dress from when she came many months ago with her other band Slow Down, Molasses. This lady’s got guts, a powerful voice and her mysterious air keeps you interested. And, random extra points, she’s an arts journalist for the Saskatoon Star Phoenix.

3. Army Girls – Close to the Bone

This really was a year that ladies took over in music for me. (See my top 10 albums to come as well.) Carmen Elle’s voice is mesmerizing and even though it feels like she’s punching you in the gut, it’s the sweetest damn punches you’ll ever feel. Paired with Andy Smith, these two came up with a dynamic that’s really worked for them, and Close to the Bone was a beautiful release. I’m excited for more from them in the future.

4. We Are the City – High School

I spent a good amount of time at the beginning of the year getting to know We Are the City and their transformations for an article for Exclaim. I feel like I really got to see a lot of growth from them since their first album came out last year, and it made me proud. I think High School was a huge accomplishment for them as people and as a band, and they’ve still got so much more ahead of them if they keep on that path. The songs on High School are quite catchy and my favourite, “Dark/Warm Air” even got the drummer Andy onto main vocals.

5. Parks and Rec – Seeds Grown Here

Seeds Grown Here reflects on life and death with music that makes you feel like flying; it’s a heartbreakingly beautiful release. There’s a lot of love that pours to and from this band in the Toronto scene, which is also great to see.

6. Each Other – Taking Trips

I just can’t get enough of the weird music that comes out of this band (formerly part of Long Long Long). They’ve got this distant way of angling everything that turns the floors upside down and lets you figure out what to do. Taking Trips came out of nowhere to me when I realized Long Long Long broke up (and yes, I realized months later) so this was a pleasant surprise. “Goosing Statues” is a wicked song.

7. Heartbeat Hotel – Intae Woe

Their most cohesive album yet, Intae Woe gives Heartbeat Hotel more lasting power. It’s dreamy and chill with the best of em, but the hooks and melodies are ones that will stick around like wisps in the air.

8. Nightbox – self titled

A short dance soundtrack for me earlier this year, Nightbox came out with full force to Canada and now they’ve had a show on Much Music, toured with Lights and played with Death From Above 1979. Pretty good year for these lads!

9. Armen at the Bazaar – Noor

Armen is equally as interesting to hear as he is to watch. As a one man band electronic set-up with big goals, he’s got a lot to do, and pulls it off nicely. Noor is quirky, pretty and intriguing, and like I’ve said before, his rendition of “Over the Rainbow” is awesome. I’ve seen him live a couple times this year and I do hope that in the future I can see him play full rooms, but perhaps more in a DJ capacity, as he elongates some of his songs into full dance numbers that should be enjoyed like that.

10. Long Long Long – Who the Fuck Said Family Ain’t Family No More

As mentioned above, Long Long Long were what birthed Each Other. But they’ve put out numerous solid releases under this name, and this is just one of them I’ve really liked. (Last year’s Shorts should have made my lists.) One of my favourite things about this then-East Coast band are the guitars, that sound like confusion but in an exciting way that makes you want to push through your mental capacities or just lie there for a while in the reverberating lines.

Album Review: WAZU – EP

Consider this a premature review for an EP that won’t be released until January 10th. But seeing as WAZU is so kind to put up the three tracks up online for streaming, the good words need to be spread earlier than later.

I saw WAZU two weeks ago in Brooklyn. It was the first show I’ve ever been to outside a city I’ve lived in, and the first I’ve seen in New York City. I was in town with The Ruby Spirit, and this Aussie couple played the set just before the Toronto art pop-rockers. The Ruby Spirit curated the show, and have been fans of WAZU for a while, but this was the first I’d heard of them. Their curious stage persona was instantly appealing to me as Matt (WA) punkily plugged away on his guitar and Riz (ZU) played her synth with one hand and the other hand on her hip, donned in all black — an Adidas t-shirt, pants and jacket to the floor. With them in front of a movie projection, it was striking to their dark, electro pop.

WAZU have this sneaky charm about them, they seem to find optimism in the seediest places. These songs kind of taunt you and please you in a way you might not expect at first. What we hear from them is edgy and mysterious, and especially because we only have three songs right now, it definitely leaves you wanting more. (Their album is set for a May release.)

From the haunted house full of anxiety and zombies in “Murder 1” with numerous pressure points (perhaps my favourite being the tornado synths at 1:15) and alternated hushed and rise-from-the-underbelly vocals to the upbeat whirligig with a killer hooked chorus that’s  “Happy Endings” to “Walk All Night,” which is ghostly and lovely, WAZU shows a lot of promise and I know I’ll be paying attention throughout 2012 and you should too.

Stream the tantalizing earworm EP below:

RoundLetters Recommendations: David Lynch, High Places and AA Wallace

It’s been a while! Once again, I’m here for you, apologizing. But I was pretty busy making the second issue of Static Zine and all. What’s everyone been listening to this fall so far? Are you starting to work on your Top 2011 lists yet? I am.

But WAIT. Those lists better not be finalized just yet. I’ve got some recommendations that I hope will put the wind back in your hair and the bounce back in your step. The sun may be taking its sweet ol time to wake us up these days, but these recommendations have sure made an impact on me so far.

David Lynch – Crazy Clown Time

While I’ve been slowly wading my way through Twin Peaks (and LOVING it), its creator and main director David Lynch has been working up his first solo album. I was hooked as soon as I heard “Pinky’s Dream,” which features Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on vocals. It’s absolutely mesmerizing, and the album continues to loop you into this twisted world that’s sometimes underwater, sometimes actually what you’d picture to be an vast, empty white space where Lynch is just sitting there getting all mind-bendy. It helps that it definitely feels like youre in the sad, sleepy Washington town of Twin Peaks at times, but overall this is a very intriguing, artistic and exciting release for this year.

Stream “Crazy Clown Time” on NPR.

Stream Lynch’s mixtape for The Stool Pigeon with James Blake, The Kills & more.

High Places – Original Colors

No other album will make you feel like you’re in a drugged-up, tripped-out art gallery; hazy bedroom as light trickles in; Bollywood; a dance club; soundtrack and generally curious landscapes. That sounds like a smorgasbord of locations, but tie it all up together in wire and you’ve got one of the coolest records to come out this year. I’ve spent weeks using this as my soundtrack for the walk to work (or anywhere for that matter) in order to get there faster. The California-by-way-of-NYC art pop duo are dreamy for the best of times and turn lyrics about dirty water into something captivating. This album is a lot more dancy (even though there are also some nicely done slower tracks), addictive and just better off for them. I’m excited to see them at the Garrison on November 14.

Download “Altos Lugares” on NPR.

AA Wallace – “Bowie”

Here’s my latest favourite dance track. Straight outta Halifax, the dance party reaches this-a-way all in the name of one pretty cool dude. AA Wallace seems to have made quite a name for himself over on the east coast in bands, making remixes and his own material, but it seems this could be the track that breaks him out even farther, as he makes all the noise he can make. I think from now on, every time “Moves Like Jagger,” that cursed earworm, comes anywhere near me, I’ll try to get this on in time to fight it off.

Download “Bowie”:

And there are remixes too!

RoundLetters’ Guide to Fall 2011 Releases

A couple months ago, I wrote about the music I’ve loved through 2011 so far. Now it’s time for what I’m looking forward to for the rest of the year, and it’s surprisingly a much longer list than I thought it would be. And with the artists that have found themselves on this list, I can rest knowing that 2011 should hopefully end up with some great albums to boast.

Soley – We Sink – Sept 2

This beautiful Icelandic singer releases her first full-length, We Sink, after last year’s lovely daydream EP, Theatre Island. (It was a RoundLetters favourite of 2010.) You may know her as a member of Seabear, the cute beyond words pop band, but she’s really starting to come into her own solo, all soft and imaginative. Hear “I’ll Drown.”

CANT – Dreams Come True – Sept 13

Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor goes solo via his own Terrible Records and Warp. Take a listen to “Answer,” which is a gloomy, underwater groove kingdom.

St. Vincent – Strange Mercy – Sept 13

Annie Clark will release her long awaited for third album, and if the rest of it is like the new single “Cruel,” it’s bound to be a beautiful expedition into tenderness, texture and many layers. Watch the video for “Cruel,” in which the gorgeous songstress gets kidnapped and buried alive.

Wild Flag – Wild Flag – Sept 13

This lady super group of members from Sleater-Kinney, Helium and Minders release their exciting debut on Merge, and it’s bound to put a spark under grrrl power for the rest of 2011. Check out the track “Romance,” with a quirky keys riff and head boppin’ beat. In fact, why don’t you just go stream the entire album right now?

Jens Lekman – An Argument with Myself – Sept 20

Like a true artist, Lekman may be arguing with himself, but he’s emerged four years after his last full release with an even sunnier and snarkier exterior. It’s time to hit the beach in every last moment you can; cha cha to the same titled song.

Elliott Brood – Days into Years – Sept 27

Finally, this ever-Canadian trio is back with a new album, one that, from the two songs I’ve heard, sounds more light-hearted but aged. Casey Laforet seems to have taken more control of the singing, which is a different kind of texture than what Mark Sasso boasts. Check out the latest of the two country-folk tracks, “If I Get Old.”

Ohbijou – Metal Meets – Sept 27

These Toronto darlings are back too, since 2009’s Beacons. Metal Meets is their third album, and no doubt it will have the essence to bring us locals smoothly into the fall via their soft tones and Casey Mecija’s lovely vocals. You can hear the new single, “Niagara,” on their website.

Feist – Metals –  Oct 4

Metals marks Feist’s foray back into the music world since the music world got to know her by “1 2 3 4.” That’s a pretty high standard to live up to, but the name and talent hasn’t been shattered once, so she’ll bring this next album up strongly. You can hear teasers for the album on her website, listentofeist.com.

Loney, Dear – Hall Music – Oct 4

This sweet Swede Emil Svanängen will release Hall Music, the first since 2009’s Dear John. His beautiful, quiet orchestral tunes can be heard if you download the single “My Heart.”

Casiokids – Aabenbaringen over aaskammen – Oct 11

These Norway popsters on Polyvinyl have a new party to bring to us this fall, but let’s get excited now. This release, translated to “The Revelation Over the Mountain,” is bound to be heaps of fun. On stage, they’re known for puppets, light shows and general crazy fun, and on record it’s a light bounce to get you through the day. This album features pals of theirs Of Montreal, too. You can listen to the first sleepy hopper single, “Det haster!”

Marketa Irglova – Anar – Oct 11

This half of The Swell Season is going solo, and it’s interesting for the facts that she’s the quiet, timid one of the Once-couple and seemed to like the shadows. Her talent is undeniable though, and that was best seen in concert. She’s gotten more and more into writing her own material, and now we have Anar to look to as a new view of the shy musician. Hear her break out of the shell on the soulful “Go Back.”

High Places – Original Colors – Oct 11

Rob Barber and Mary Pearson took their band from Brooklyn to LA, giving it a sunnier, shinier texture. Original Colors is their third full-length, after last year’s sleeper hit High Places vs. Mankind. The first artsy electro offering from the album is “Year Off.”

Kathryn Calder – Bright and Vivid – Oct 25

This precious BC-based songstress of The New Pornographers and now defunct Immaculate Machine is back with her sophomore solo album, and it’s much more of a foray into electronics than her previous work. It’s layered, adventurous and light, as evidenced by the first single, “Who Are You?”

Update:

Also looking forward to Dan Mangan’s Oh Fortune, as well as local releases from Army Girls, Heartbeat Hotel and the Darcys. TBC.