Jan 16, 2012 By Laura Studarus Big Black Delta

Former Mellowdrone frontman Jonathan Bates has stepped out on his own as Big Black Delta. While his debut full-length—the appropriately named Bbdlp1—defies categorization (Ambient? Danceable? Loud?)—it’s difficult to deny its potent blend of heavy beats, scream-along choruses, and eerie electronics. More

Sep 08, 2011 By John Norris Web Exclusive

More often than not when people talk about a “summer record,” they’re talking about those with a certain bounce and thematic preoccupation with, in no particular order: beach, sun, fun, boys, girls. More

Aug 31, 2011 By Laura Studarus Pallers

Take a moment to consider your best friend. He’s awesome, right? Now imagine locking yourself in a room with him and beginning an artistic process that will take years to complete. The picture may start to look less than ideal. Pals and musicians Johan Angergård (Club 8, The Legends, Acid House Kings) and Henrik Mårtensson managed to do just that—and maintain a sense of humor about the process. Leaning on a bulletproof friendship, the two musicians slowly chiseled out their haunting electro take on love and loss over the course of two years (or three—depending on who’s telling the story), displaying a patience usually reserved for sculptors. More

Aug 30, 2011 By Laura Studarus Niki & the Dove

Niki & The Dove seem somewhat otherworldly, delivering larger-than-life tunes built around multi-instrumentalist Gustaf Karlöf’s complex webs of electronics and singer Malin Dahlström’s oversized voice and ambitious storytelling. But, speaking from Dover, England over a cup of tea, the two best friends from Sweden chalk up their partnership not to the hands of fate or other supernatural forces, but rather a gradual evolution. “We had sporadically been making music together over the years,” says Dahlström, dispelling the idea that their current musical constellation simply fell from the heavens. More

Aug 18, 2011 By Austin Trunick Web Exclusive

SBTRKT‘s songs are nearly as cryptic as the persona he’s adopted, often mixing dark, digital beats over soulful-yet-haunting R&B grooves. The mysterious London-based producer keeps his face covered by colorful masks, and his real name separate from his growing body of work. More

Aug 08, 2011 By Austin Trunick Soft Metals

As what now could be considered an electro-pop power couple, Patricia Hall and Ian Hicks have been making music together as Soft Metals since 2009. He was looking for someone to add vocals to his catchy synth tracks, while she was writing songs in need of music. A prosperous relationship quickly bloomed, both creatively and romantically. Drawn together by a mutual love for early ’80s synth-pop and retro film scores, Hicks uses vintage gear to create rich soundscapes that are at times both addictively danceable and darkly cinematic, acting as the perfect backing for Hall’s airy vocals. Their self-titled debut LP, Soft Metals, is now available from Captured Tracks. More

Jul 15, 2011 By Chris Tinkham Puro Instinct

Puro Instinct’s Piper Kaplan likes to have a laugh, oftentimes at her own exploits. On Twitter and Facebook posts, the vocalist for the L.A. dream pop outfit gives the impression of someone who leads a colorful life. Together, with her professed affection for ‘80s Soviet New Wave, the adoption of faux Cyrillic typography on a couple of the band’s releases, and a debut LP entitled Headbangers in Ecstasy, Kaplan’s persona suggests ironic outré chic. In conversation, however, the 23-year-old is candid, down to earth and at times self-deprecating. She speaks seriously about music and gushes about her 16-year-old sister and bandmate, Skylar, a guitarist with legit skills. More

May 19, 2011 By Laura Studarus Still Corners

Dedicated cinephiles Greg Hughes, Leon Dufficy, and Tessa Murray—of London-based quintet Still Corners—are stumped. “I like to think I’d be played by Michael Douglas,” says Hughes, mulling over the question of who should portray him in a film. “A younger Michael Douglas,” he clarifies. More

May 17, 2011 By Laura Studarus The Stepkids