Seattle’s Beat Connection is something of a hidden gem on the chill-wave front. In the chill-wave-tidal-wave of our present year they’re doing something right and are sure to quickly float to the top. They have the given elements of their genre nailed–synthy-escapist ambiences floating through tribal clamor, but their debut LP Palace Garden has something else to it that makes it a bit more real. I think it manages to sneak past and beyond all of the other chill-wave bands of the moment. Despite its ethereal appeal, it’s not something you want to listen to face-down in your pillow at night, and you’re not going to be at risk of falling asleep at the wheel if you’re listening to it on the road.

It’s colors are more glaring and its beats more grooving. You’re gonna want to move to this stuff, and honestly it’s hard not to. Try sitting still listening to the title track, for instance. Their music is energetic and swift, so it’s not surprising that I’ve only heard wonderful things about their live performances. If all this isn’t enough to sell you, they’ve been on tour with Starfucker, a C+A+D essential. They’re young and on fire and are only getting better. Snag the album and keep your eyes open for these dudes.

Beat Connection on FaceBook | Buy ‘Palace Garden’ on iTunes

1. New Criteria
2. Palace Garden 4 Am
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/beat%20connection/02%20Palace%20Garden%2c%204%20Am.mp3]
3. Soala
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/beat%20connection/03%20Saola.mp3]
4. Oeuvreboard
5. Invisible Cities
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/beat%20connection/05%20Invisible%20Cities.mp3]
6. Trap House
7. Think Feel (Feat. Chelsey Scheffe)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/beat%20connection/07%20Think%20Feel%20%28feat.%20Chelsey%20Scheffe%29.mp3]
8. Foreign Embassy
9. Further Out
10. Other Side of the Sky
11. Sometimes Wonder
12. En Route

12FV

I bring to you another healthy blend of old choonz and new jamz to be a soundtrack for your summer daze. Check them after the jump!

Enjoy.

(more…)

You might have just had to do a double take but that man is not a young Paul McCartney. He is Miles Kane and he is a vision in guyliner. Mr. Kane recently released this EP, following his debut solo album “Colour of the Trap.” He has a very consistent sound, so if you heard his album and liked it, you’ll like this. If he is a new act for you, he has a ’60s rock throwback appeal.

For Fans of: Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys, Alex Turner

1. First of My Kind
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/first%20of%20my%20kind/01%20First%20Of%20My%20Kind.mp3]
2. Night Runner
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/first%20of%20my%20kind/02%20Night%20Runner.mp3]
3. Looking Out My Window
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/first%20of%20my%20kind/03%20Looking%20Out%20My%20Window.mp3]
4. Colour of the Trap (Acoustic)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/first%20of%20my%20kind/04%20Colour%20Of%20The%20Trap%20%28Acoustic%29.mp3]

Free Candy

The Last Shadowpuppets – In the Heat of the Morning
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/first%20of%20my%20kind/04%20In%20The%20Heat%20Of%20The%20Morning.mp3]

12FV

I could say something really cheesy about summertime but I’ll refrain. Let the music–old and new–speak for itself.

Poolside Playlist #2

^click to download

1. Tokyo Police Club – Box
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/01%20Box.mp3]
2. Beach Fossils – What a Pleasure
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/02%20What%20a%20Pleasure.mp3]
3. Surfer Blood – Voyager Reprise
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/03%20Voyager%20Reprise.mp3]
4. Wild Nothing – Chinatown
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/Chinatown.mp3]
5. Harlem- Friendly Ghost
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/02%20Friendly%20Ghost.mp3]
6. Bombay Bicycle Club – Shuffle
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/Shuffle.mp3]
7. Painted Palms – Canopy
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/05%20Canopy.mp3]
8. The Strange Boys – No Way For a Slave to Behave
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/08%20No%20Way%20for%20a%20Slave%20to%20Behave.mp3]
9. Jack White – Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/10%20Hip%20%28Eponymous%29%20Poor%20Boy.mp3]
10. Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/poolside%20playlist%20/15%20Sprawl%20II%20%28Mountains%20Beyond%20Mountains%29.mp3]

12FV

What was originally meant to be a “new releases” playlist morphed into an excuse not to study for finals which further morphed into a playlist of summerish jams. This (more likely than not) will usher in a series of playlists with summer choonz or whatever. Smells like summer, folks. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen and stuff.

Poolside Playlist #1

^click to download

1. Beck – Looking For a Sign
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/Looking%20For%20a%20Sign.mp3]
2. Kitten – Cut It Out
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/Cut%20It%20Out.mp3]
3. The Vaccines – No Hope
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/No%20Hope.mp3]
4. Esta Vivo – Smile Back
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/Smile%20Back.mp3]
5. YesYou – Half Of It
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/Half%20Of%20It.mp3]
6. Radical Face – Ghost Towns
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/07%20Ghost%20Towns.mp3]
7. Craft Spells – Scandinavian Crush
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/02%20Scandinavian%20Crush.mp3]
8. The Rapture – In the Grace of Your Love (Poolside Remix)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/In%20the%20Grace%20of%20Your%20Love%20%28Poolside%20Remix%29.mp3]
9. Beach House – Lazuli
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/03%20Lazuli.mp3]
10. Born Ruffians – Pool Party Fun
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/NEW%20ISH/05%20Pool%20Party%20Fun.mp3]

Replicants. Download this album. Right. Now. Very rarely will I tell you to do this and only when I feel very strongly about an album. It’s a synthy vacation, teetering on the borders of chillwave but without ever falling into the trap of the Washed Out wannabe. It features grooving elements of indie pop with often eerily distorted vocals. It is an addictive blend of funk nostalgia and bubbling techno-pop. My words don’t do it justice, really. I’m more or less in love.

For fans of:
Phantogram, Washed Out, Neon Indian, Craft Spells, Small Black, Memory Tapes

1. Obelisk
2. Cosmonaut
3. Easy Now
4. On-On
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/replicants/08%20On%20On.mp3]
5. Replicants
6. Tokyo 3
7. 001
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/replicants/01%20001.mp3]
8. Forerunner
9. Perfect Eyes
10. Calrissian
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/replicants/02%20Calrissian.mp3]
11. Sentimental
12. Gravity Feels
13. Syanthropic

Guy/gal duo Memoryhouse compose the sort of lovely aesthetic that is easy to fall asleep to. With an EP and a full length album to date, the music they’ve released has a faded, timeworn appeal that feels like drowning in an old picture. But there is a crisp modernity to it, too, that makes it current and addicting. Delicate vocals amongst chillwave ambient melodies, they construct their own vision of the world. Their music is really beautiful. They have been on tour with Washed Out and their music really does fit in well with his sound.

For fans of: Beach House, Best Coast, Washed Out

Lately
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/memoryhouse/%27Lately%27.mp3]
The Kids Were Wrong
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/memoryhouse/The%20Kids%20Were%20Wrong.mp3]
Little Expressionless Animals
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/memoryhouse/01%20Little%20Expressionless%20Animals.mp3]
To the Lighthouse (MillionYoung Remix)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/memoryhouse/To%20The%20Lighthouse%20%28MillionYoung%20Remix%29.mp3]