Sixth Edition
Story by Kate Davies
Oppossom “Fly”
Best known as a member of the Unknown Mortal Orchestra, New Zealand’s Opossom is due to release a new album in August. First single “Fly” is a 60s-inspired ditty, which features a male-female harmony throughout. The music video is stylized much in tune with the song itself, having the washed-out and low budget appearance of a mid-60s sci-fi film. The story line follows 2 human-like robots who are directed to study a mysterious moving pyramid in the country, which upon investigation turns out to be a UFO.
Diamond Rings “I’m Just Me”
First single from Diamond Rings’ forthcoming Fall album release. The album was co-produced with Grammy-nominated Damian Taylor, who is known for working with Bjork, The Killers, Prodigy, and Robyn. Looking like he has been transported directly from Bill and Ted’s latest adventure, Diamond Rings’ brainchild John O yet again showcases himself as the king of androgyny. With glow in the dark neon nails, green flashing lasers, and billowing smoke to compliment his impossibly structured hair, John O manages to pull out another inventive dance hit.
Wye Oak “Spiral”
Written between albums, “Spiral” was commissioned by Adult Swim as part of their 12-single summer series which features a variety of indie groups. The single’s sound is such a glaring departure from their previous album Civilian that I had to double check to make sure I had read the band’s name right. With a semi-psychedelic retro track, programmed beats, and a chugging pace, this drastic new sound is hopefully here to stay!
Night Moves “Headlights”
Instantly classic retro-music makers Night Moves have quickly made their way to the top of the Minneapolis music scene. Described as a “slow-grooving, neo-twangy, cosmically-baked band”, this Twin Cities trio are now set to release their debut album this October. The album was produced by Thom Monahan, who has previously worked with Vetiver, Beachwood Sparks, and Devendra Banhart. First single “Headlights” has a laid-back, slightly drugged-out vibe that sounds like a sunset after a balmy day at the beach.
Nordic Giants “Shine”
If you have been itching to discover something entirely new and refreshing, look no further than this Brighton(England!)-based duo who are set to take the indie world by storm. Writing and performing entirely between the two of them, these young talents have created some of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching songs in years. They are known not only for their songwriting skills, but for their incredible creativity, playing their songs at a silent disco party on Brighton Beach last summer and incorporating all of their live performances against an unbeatable backdrop of award-winning short films. Their first single “Shine” features the haunting vocals of Cate Ferris and builds to an always-epic Nordic Giants style finish. Music video animation was designed by Canada’s Tristan Stevens and tells the story of a young bird learning how to fly. Definitely my overall pick of the week.
Justice “New Lands”
This highly successful electro-dance group is set to release their newest video for “New Lands”. Included in this link is the video preview of the upcoming release, which appears to be a sports movie football extravaganza. It is complete with cheering civilians, evil villains, and a whole bunch of thrillin’ in the form of touchdowns and takedowns. The concept of the video is reminiscent of Matt Mays’ hit “When the Angels Make Contact”. Something to look forward to in our next edition of The List.
