Wow. I just…don’t even…First the Coachella lineup, now this? 2013 trying to be the best ever or something? If you didn’t know already, this is half of C+A+D’s favorite band. They’re just that important. Download the song free from here. Excuse me while I cry happy tears. Strokes are coming back!

Alright to be honest, this post was a long time coming. When I first heard that Breakbot mix, I didn’t know what to do. I fell in love. I listened to it on repeat until I memorized the whole thing. You can quite literally start that mix from any part and just set sail on a glorious trip to disco-ville. Anyway, then the Flume mix came out. I mean, this kid has been doing such big things. His debut album (top 3 on our best of 2012) is topping chart after chart around the world. This mix he did for The Fader showcases his wicked awesome style along some of his best productions. Really good stuff to just chill out or drive to. Can’t get enough.

THEN, the other night…our boy Treasure Fingers (interview) dropped his new mix for DJ MAG out of nowhere! Treasure Fingers just so happens to be one of my all-time favorite mixologist. For good reason. He’s a true talent that the everyone can appreciate. Going from being in one of the top drum & bass acts in the world (Evol Intent), to being at the forefront of the disco house movement. This mix isn’t any less dancy than his former releases. Be ready for more cowbell, hi-hats, and booty shakin’ gems for a solid hour.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BREAKBOT BEATPORT LIVE SET

Fort Lean is five straggly looking dudes from Brooklyn. The frontman is what Taylor Swift would look like on steroids, I think. But I digress. Their music is a truly delightful blend of jangly rock and roll–reminiscent of The Walkmen and Young the Giant–with subtle beach-rock flourishes. I can never get enough of bands like this on my iPod. They’ve released two EPs a single to date. Their most recent release, Change Your Name, was released late last year. Four tracks short, its dreamy and idyllic. It’s sun kissed and yearning and bittersweet, but everso catchy. This is escapist pop-rock, if that’s a thing. Now it is. They’ve clearly mastered a sound, a sunny and feel-good one at that, that is more than likely to garner them some blogosphere attention. Fingers crossed for a full-length album in the next year.

Fort Lean – Beach Holiday
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/2012%20albums/FORT%20LEAN/09%20Beach%20Holiday.mp3]
Fort Lean – Dreams (Never Come True)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/2012%20albums/FORT%20LEAN/02%20Dreams%20%28Never%20Come%20True%29.mp3]
Fort Lean – Perfect
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/2012%20albums/FORT%20LEAN/04%20Perfect.mp3]

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Beatport’s 2012 Artist of the Year (source) are back to it with an original track to start off the new year! I love how consistent these kids are with putting out new material. Feeding their hungry fans with originals and remixes and having them begging for more. Their sound continues to move forward with every release, and this song of course is no different. With supporting vocals from the lovely AlunaGeorge, “White Noise” comes together in a very special way. How they work their beats has an infectious effect on the mind, body, and soul. With their dreamlike sounds and soulful vocals, their tracks continue to amaze. Check out some bonuses of my favorite tracks after the jump. No word on the release date for “White Noise” yet.

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I want to precede this by saying we never do this. It is rare to never that we will post on something we feel negatively about, but in the case of Free Energy’s sophomore album Love Sign, I feel more than obligated to share my honest reaction to an album whose anticipation I have been hyping for several months. Truthfully, I expected much more from the Philadelphia five-piece. Or maybe it would do better to say I expected much less. To put it simply, this album tries way way way way way way too hard. It’s incredibly poppy and obnoxiously polished. It’s so over the top I couldn’t begin to take it seriously, even if it removed about five pounds of makeup and took off its glitter wig. After listening to it all the way through, I feel about eight years younger but not in a good way. With so much “dancing all night” and “waiting around to fall in love,” this album might appeal to you if you’re depressed that the Twilight series is over. No offense. It’s difficult to say what the highs and lows of the album are because every song–more or less–sounds exactly the same. There are definitely moments where I could see how someone with cheap taste in music might say “Oh this is great!” (see: “Dance All Night”) but they are short lived. This is bound to be divisive. Not to be an overly cynical asshole, but this album is, in several ways, a joke to the indie genre. I’d be happy to go back to Stuck On Nothing and pretend Love Sign didn’t happen.

Free Energy – Dance All Night
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/2012%20albums/FREE%20ENERGY/Free-Energy-Dance-All-Night.mp3]

Indie pop outfit The Airplanes is actually just one dude, Joshua Vest, churning out carefree jams with a lo-fi edge. He released his debut EP last year and already has more in the works, set to release early this year. Galloping, guitar-driven anthems, this stuff is hard to argue with. He’s on my radar. You should be looking out for him too.

Paper Hearts
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/foxygen/05%20Paper%20Hearts.mp3]

Nosaj Thing is the master of ambient and subtle beauty. His new album “Home” is coming out next week; as a teaser he just released this ethereal piece with Toro Y Moi. Listen to ‘Try’ below and Preorder “Home” here.

Bonus:

Wayward – Only Flaw
[audio: https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/23YOLO/Only%20Flaw.mp3]