Let the summer anthems rule! New tunes by Holy Ghost! and Empire of the Sun pave the way for this latest playlist. Debut albums from the Olms, Palma Violets and Secret Colors are juxtaposed next to the latest from Divine Fits, Portugal. The Man. and Cold War Kids. During the next heat wave, why not cool down by listening to the breezy acoustic strumming of the Olms, ambient music from Eluvium, Bibio’s electronica and more?
1. “Dumb Disco Ideas” — Holy Ghost!
This single off the upcoming second album, Dynamics, by Holy Ghost! could not have arrived at a better time. Brooklyn-based synth pop duo Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel capture the seasonal mood to dance, without losing the irony of its history.
2. “Alive” — Empire of the Sun
The Australian electronic music team of Nick Littlemore and Luke Steele has released their sophomore album, Ice on the Dune. “Alive” exploits a soaring synth melody over a pulsing dance beat.
3. “Wanna Feel It” — The Olms
Singer/songwriter Pete Yorn joined together with musician, artist and photographer J.D. King for a new band called The Olms. A warm acoustic vibe masks the discontentment in the lyrics embedded in this song off their self-titled debut album.
4. “Your Life Your Call” – Junip
Swedish folk and psych rock trio Junip are back with their second self-titled album. “Your Life Your Call” is the single for the collection, featuring the unique vocals of José González.
5. “À Tout à L’heure” – Bibio
English electronic music producer Stephen Wilkinson has released his seventh full-length album, Silver Wilkinson. This whimsical tune, “À Tout à L’heure,” translates from French to “in a little while.”
6. “Oh Sailor” — Mr. Little Jeans (featuring The Silverlake Conservatory Music Youth Chorale)
This single from Norwegian (now based in LA) singer/songwriter Monica Birkeness enlists a children’s choir for endearing background vocals. The soaring, melodic song will appear on the forthcoming debut album.
7. “In The City” – Caveman
Caveman has released a self-titled sophomore album, which embraces the strength of their guitars and a confident singing by Matt Iwanusa. The dense instrumentation mirrors this single’s theme of the quintet’s life in New York City.
8. “Miracle Mile” — Cold War Kids
This indie rock band returns with “Miracle Mile”, the single for a fourth album Dear Miss Lonely Hearts. Nathan Willet’s raw, heart-on-your-sleeve vocals lead the charge for the quintet from Long Beach, California.
9. “Ain’t That the Way” — Divine Fits
This North American indie rock quartet formed by Texan Britt Daniel (Spoon) and Canadian Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) recently released a double-sided single. The band explors the crunch of a Spoon song with “Ain’t That the Way”.
10. “Modern Jesus” — Portugal. The Man.
Portland’s quintet Portugal. The Man. returns with a sixth studio album, Evil Friends. Vocalist John Gourley finds a soulful point of reference for the musical montage of “Modern Jesus”.
11. “Hurricane” — MS MR
This NYC duo (pronounced “Miss Mister”), vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and producer Max Hershenow, met as students at Vassar College. This alt-art rock meets dream pop single is off their EP, Candy Bar Creep Show.
12. “Sure Stuck” – Honeymoon
Australian LA-based music producers Aaron Shanahan and Benjamin Plant embrace their love of ’60s and ’70s psych pop with this new musical project. This brightly bouncing tune is off a forthcoming debut album, scheduled to drop later this year.
13. “College” — Rogue Wave,
This indie rock quintet from Oakland, California, is back with its fifth album, Nightingale Floors. Frontman Zach Schwartz (a.k.a. Zach Rogue) overlays his distinctive, laid back vocals for a catchy single about higher education.
14. “Best of Friends” — Palma Violets
UK indie rock band Palma Violets was recently formed by frontmen Samuel Fryer and Chilli Jesson. A distinct, fuzzy swagger permeates this lead track off their debut album, ISO.
15. “King” — Secret Colors
Seattle’s Matt Lawson abandoned his previous guitar-based improvisational methods for writing music with a cheap Yamaha keyboard and pared down composition. This electronic puzzle of a song is from the new album, Days Off.
16. “Envenom Mettle” – Eluvium
Ambient recording artist Matthew Cooper blends various genres with a steady craftsmanship over seven albums. This hazy tune is off the latest double album, Nightmare Ending.