New Single: Abby – Streets [Official Video] (2013/03/15)

:: Indie joy!

Streets is new single by Berlin’s indie-dance-rock four-piece Abby. The band is comprised of four friends - Filou [vocals], Philipp [guitar/cello]), Lorenzo [keys]) and Henne [drums]. The name Abby refers to the band’s musical concept to form a narrative story with their songs, just like a mosaic it’s put together by the listener. It’s up to us to decide how and in which order the songs belong together, but the more we listen the more the whole thing is rounded off. Abby have gathered a loyal fan-base in Germany ever since the release of their 2011 debut EP ‘Welcome Home’. The new single is the first taste of the band’s upcoming debut album ‘Friends and Enemies’. It was recorded in London’s Kensal Town Studios and will drop this summer. Streets is out in Germany today (March 15, 2013) via Universal Music. Watch above the official video directed by Kai Kurve and Joffrey Jans (Wolf&Lamm). The song will also be Abby’s UK debut single, release is set for April 29 via Universal.

Cover Art:

Follow ‘Abby’ on:
Official homepage at: http://searchingforabby.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/searchingforabby
Twitter at: https://twitter.com/abbyband
Soundcloud at: https://soundcloud.com/abby-official
Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/Searchingforabby

Debut Album: All Eyes – Shelf Life (2012/11/13)

:: M-A-R-V-E-L-L-O-U-S-!

 

‘Shelf Life’ is the utterly brilliant debut album full-length by Minneapolis-based darkwave/electro-rock outfit All Eyes. Following their debut single All I Want released in October, the record was self-released by the band in North-America on November 13, 2012 (under exclusive license to Danger Village Records). Buy the whole set on the band’s Bandcamp, it’s well worth it. Key tracks are On The Sidelines, I Will Come Trough and If Only.

Cover Art:

Tracklist:
01. Warning Signs
02. On The Sidelines
03. Lost You Once
04. All I Want
05. Clean Slate
06. Them Miracles
07. I Will Come Through
08. Rush Hour
09. Vulture Eye
10. If Only
11. Shelf Life

Follow ‘All Eyes’ on:
Official homepage at: http://alleyesmusic.com/
Bandcamp at: http://alleyesmusic.bandcamp.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/alleyesmusic
Twitter at: https://twitter.com/alleyesmpls
Soundcloud at: https://soundcloud.com/alleyes-1

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More ‘All Eyes’ on Music Pickings:
2012, Oct 14 − New Single: All I Want

New Single: Little Dragon – Sunshine

:: Worth it!

Cover Art:

Artist: Little Dragon
Title Of Single: Sunshine
Release Date: Jun 27, 2012
Label: Peacefrog

Band Members:
Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion)
Erik Bodin (drums)
Fredrik Källgren Wallin (bass)
Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards)

 

4 Tracks of the album ‘Ritual Union’ (July 26, 2011)

Upcoming Tourdates 2012:
5 Jul 2012 – Sète, France – Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival
7 Jul 2012 – Sesimbra, Portugal – Super Bock Super Rock
13 Jul 2012 – Costa Azahar, Spain – Benicàssim Festival
14 Jul 2012 – Dour, Belgium – Dour Festival
>> The full touring schedule is available here

Follow ‘Little Dragon’ on:
Official Homepage: http://little-dragon.net/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/littledragonpage
Twitter at: https://twitter.com/#!/littledragon

Debut Album: Clock Opera – Ways To Forget (2012/04/23)

:: I am very excited about this album!

Once And For All (2012 Album Version)

Lesson No. 7

Clock Opera’s long awaited full-length debut “Ways To Forget” is finally out today in the UK via Moshi Moshi Records / Island Records. The Deluxe Version comes with eight additional tracks and 3 videos.

Cover Art:

Man Made

Belongings

Tracklist:
01. Once And For All
02. Lesson No. 7
03. 11th Hour
04. Man Made
05. Belongings
06. White Noise
07. A Piece of String
08. The Lost Buoys
09. Move To The Mountains
10. Fail Better
11. Ways To Forget [Deluxe Version]
12. Alouette [Deluxe Version]
13. New Arrivals [Deluxe Version]
14. Let Go The Lifeboats [Deluxe Version]
15. Glass Eye [Deluxe Version]
16. Seven Hours [Deluxe Version]
17. Outro [Deluxe Version]
18. Once And For All (Under The Floorboards) [Deluxe Version]
19. Belongings (Video) [Deluxe Version]
20. Lesson No. 7 (Video) [Deluxe Version]
21 Once And For All (Video) [Deluxe Version]

Follow ‘Clock Opera’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.clockopera.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/clockopera
Twitter: http://twitter.com/clockopera
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/clockopera

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More ‘Clock Opera’ on Music Pickings:
2012, Mar 16 − Man Made [Official Video]
2012, Jan 21 − Once And For All (2012 Album Version) [Official Video]
2011, Oct 13 − Architecture in Helsinki – Contact High (Clock Opera Remix)

The Ting Tings – One By One / New Album ‘Sounds from Nowheresville’

:: Sounds good. Is.

Cover Art:

Artist: The Ting Tings
Title Of Album: Sounds from Nowheresville
Release Date: February 24, 2012
Label: Columbia

Tracklist:
1. Silence
2. Hit Me Down Sonny
3. Hang It Up
4. Give It Back
5. Guggenheim
6. Soul Killing
7. One By One
8. Day To Day
9. Help
10. In Your Life

Follow ‘The Ting Tings’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.thetingtings.com
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/thetingtings
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thetingtings

New Single: Clock Opera – Man Made [Official Video]

:: Yet another video of Clock Opera which couldn’t be more beautiful. And the track’s a massive one as well!

This is the official video for ‘Man Made’, the second track taken from Clock Opera’s upcoming full-length debut “Ways To Forget”, set for release on April 23, 2012 via Moshi Moshi / Island Records.

Clock Opera:

Follow ‘Clock Opera’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.clockopera.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/clockopera
Twitter: http://twitter.com/clockopera
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/clockopera

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More ‘Clock Opera’ on Music Pickings:
2012, Jan 21 − Once And For All (2012 Album Version) [Official Video]
2011, Oct 13 − Architecture in Helsinki – Contact High (Clock Opera Remix)

Breton – Interference [Official Video] / The Commission [Unofficial Music Video]

:: BRETON! Can’t wait for the album!

This is the first track taken from Breton’s upcoming full-length debut “Other People’s Problems”, set for release on March 26, 2012 via FatCat Records. ‘Interference’ is out as single on March 19 via FatCat. The provocative video is directed by Breton, following their particular way of creating audio-visual art.

Cover Art:

This is the stunning unofficial music video Luc Roux directed with his friends for Breton’s track ‘The Commission’ in honour of their music. It still leaves me speechless everytime I’m watching.

Follow ‘Breton’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.bretonlabs.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/bretonlabs
Twitter at: http://twitter.com/bretonLABS
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/bretonlabs
Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/bretonLABS
Vimeo at: http://vimeo.com/bretonlabs

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More ‘Breton’ on Music Pickings:
2012, Jan 22 − Sandpaper / “Blanket Rule” EP [Free Download]

New Single: M83 – Reunion [Original & White Sea Remix]

:: And yet again: a brilliant track gets brilliantly remixed! I love both versions!

This one is the latest single taken from M83′s great album “Hurry Up We’re Dreaming”, released October 14, 2011 via Naïve Records.

Cover Art:

Tracklist:
01. Intro (feat Zola Jesus)
02. Midnight City
03. Reunion
04. Where The Boats Go
05. Wait
06. Raconte-moi une histoire
07. Train To Pluton
08. Claudia Lewis
09. This Bright Flash
10. When Will You Come Home?
11. Soon, My Friend
12. My Tears Are Becoming A Sea
13. New Map
14. OK Pal
15. Another Wave From You

This is absolutely stunning remix of ‘Reunion’ by White Sea.

Cover Art:

Follow ‘M83′ on:
Official homepage at: http://ilovem83.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/m83music
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/m83
Twitter at: https://twitter.com/m83news
Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/m83

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More of ‘M83′ on Music Pickings:
Nov 29, 2011 − New Map
Oct 19, 2011 − Midnight City (Trentemøller Remix)

Breton – Sandpaper / “Blanket Rule” EP [Free Download]

:: Damn, this definitely is hot shit! I particularly love ‘Sandpaper’, but the whole EP is fuckin’ great!

This is one track of the new EP of the electro newcomers Breton from the UK. You can download the complete EP for free, all you gotta do is like their facebook page. The EP also is a very good first taste of Breton’s upcoming solo debut “Other Peoples Problems”, to be released March 30, 2012 via FatCat Records.

EP Cover Artwork:

EP Stream:

EP Tracklist:
01. Ordnance Survey
02. Certain Little Facts
03. How Can They Tell
04. Sandpaper
05. The Well (Bonus Track)

Follow ‘Breton’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.bretonlabs.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/bretonlabs
Twitter at: http://twitter.com/bretonLABS
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/bretonlabs
Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/bretonLABS
Vimeo at: http://vimeo.com/bretonlabs

Clock Opera – Once And For All (2012 Album Version) [Official Video]

:: Can’t get enough of this brilliant track! The outstanding video will you make just feel!

This new album version of Clock Opera’s “Once and For All” is released January 30, 2012 via Moshi Moshi / Island Records, including a remix of the track by Andrew Weatherall. It is the first taste of Clock Opera’s upcoming full-length debut “Ways To Forget”.

Cover Art:

Follow ‘Clock Opera’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.clockopera.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/clockopera
Twitter: http://twitter.com/clockopera
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/clockopera

Diagrams – Tall Buildings & Ghost Lit / Debut Album “Black Light” Out Now

:: This records definitely is one of the first highlights in 2012, absolutely great! 

This is the debut album of Diagrams, the new project of Tunng’s former singer and songwriter Sam Genders. “Black Lights” was released January 13, 2012 on Full Time Hobby. The videos for ‘Tall Buildings’ and  ’Ghost Lit’ are both directed by Mathy & Fran.

Album Cover Art:

Album Tracklist:
01. Ghost Lit
02. Tall Buildings
03. Night All Night
04. Appetite
05. Mills
06. Antelope
07. Black Light
08. Animals
09. Peninsula
10. Night All Night (Disco Bloodbath Remix) [Bonus Track]

Follow ‘Diagrams’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.diagramsmusic.co.uk/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Diagrams

Read more:
BBC − Diagrams Black Light Review

Alpine – Hands [Official Video]

:: Strange but amazing video perfectly fitting a very nice track!

This is the official video for “Hands”, the first single of Alpine’s upcoming full-length debut album, to be released in early 2012. The track was out as single on November 04, 2011 via Ivy League Records. The video is directed by Luci Schroder.

Stream “Zurich EP”:

This is the debut EP of Alpine, released on November 12, 2010 via Ivy League Records.

‘Alpine’ picture:

Follow ‘Alpine’ on: 
Official homepage at: http://www.alpineband.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/alpineband
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/alpineband

King The Fu − Summer Rains [Official Video] / Debut Album “City Trees”

:: 4 guys from German Augsburg making fine indie-pop music… essential’s the right word!

This one was released on King The Fu’s impressing debut album “City Trees” on November 25, 2011 on Schaf Records

Album Cover:

Album Tracklist:
01. City Trees
02. Footsteps
03. The Show
04. Summer Rains
05. Rocket I & II
06. Don’t You Ever Beg
07. Mongolian Racer
08. Running Heart
09. Zero Ways
10. For the Doomed

Follow ‘King The Fu’ on:
Official homepage: http://kingthefu.de/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/kingthefu
Soundcloud at: http://soundcloud.com/king-the-fu

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Discovered on Rote Raupe

Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) [Official Video]

:: and yet again Arcade Fire surprise with a beautiful interactive video for their latest single release.

‘Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)’ is the latest single release from Arcade Fire’s fabulous current album “The Suburbs”, released July 30, 2010 on City Slang. The amazingly beautiful video was directed by Vincent Morisset. He and friends also produced another version of the song’s video, which is interactively controlled by the viewer’s movements.

Check out the interactive video version here (webcam needed).

Album Cover:

Album Tracklist:
01. The Suburbs
02. Ready To Start
03. Modern Man
04. Rococo
05. Empty Room
06. City With No Children
07. Half Light I
08. Half Light II (No Celebration)
09. Suburban War
10. Month Of May
11. Wasted Hours
12. Deep Blue
13. We Used To Wait
14. Sprawl (Flatland)
15. Sprawl (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
16. The Suburbs (continued)

Follow ‘Arcade Fire’ on:
Official homepage at: http://www.arcadefire.com/
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/arcadefire
Twitter at: http://twitter.com/arcadefire

Phantogram – When I’m Small (Official Video)

:: Certain songs are towering over the world of music like a king is reigning his realm! This one certainly is one of those…

“When I’m Small” is the second single release of Phantogram’s full-length debut “Eyelid Movies”, released October 2, 2009 on Barsuk Records (BBE).

The amazing video fits the song just perfectly. It was directed by Isaac Ravishankara and published in February this year, quite a while after the album was released.

Follow Phantogram:
Official homepage at: http://phantogrammusic.virb.com

More of ‘Phantogram’ on Music Pickings:
Phantogram – When I’m Small (Official Video)