Tyto Alba Exceeds Expectations With Its Latest Full Length Album Sucker

You can always tell when a band pours its heart out, Tyto Alba has been perfecting their craft for the last two years to bring us one of the most impressive albums of 2019. Their latest album Sucker hinges on all the blood, sweat and tears poured into this album. The production is stellar as it captures each bands members strengths to formulate a flawless sound that carries from the first track all the way until the ending. The band hasn’t even scratched the surface to what it can become, but with Sucker it has them taking that first step to becoming great. Often bunched into the shoe-gaze category, the band has carefully tiptoed around the genre to expand itself into a more indie feeling with this album. The bands sound has matured in a short period of time exhibiting the amount of patience that has equated to an album that is remarkable in all facets.

Melodic tempos and subtle hazy (not dark) overtones define the album with lead singer Melanie Steinway taking control with her soothing and infectious lyrics. Standout track for us would be “Papillon”, which perfectly starts off with a whimsical guitar intro in which Steinway’s vocals take over to dominate the song. The song plays straight out of an 80’s vibe with hints of The Cure present in amazing guitar and bass tones. Other notable hits include “Somnabulist” which we premiered here almost a year ago. The last track “Natural Selection” feels like the most personal song as things slow down a bit to showcase the bands ability to change tempo and tug at the heartstrings. Overall a well polished album that conjures up the feels of accomplishment that is well represented with each note played. The band has a few upcoming dates and we suggest you check the band out.

June 7th Ivory Circle + String Quartet w/ Tyto Alba, Bluebook, DJ Alf

June 17th Film On The Rocks: Mean Girls

July 26-28 The Underground Music Showcase

Modern Leisure's New Full Length Album Proves That Love Isn't Always Perfect

Modern Leisure has just released their debut full length album Super Sad Rom-Com. The project is headed by Casey Banker formally of Shady Elder and The Don't and Be Carefuls.

Super Sad Rom-Com presents itself as the ultimate pop album with nods to bands such as The Shins and Death Cab For Cutie. The 12 song album takes us on a journey as Banker plays the role of story-teller for a complex look at the ups and downs of the modern day relationship. Not to shy away from his feelings Banker expresses true vulnerability in pouring his heart out as he dissects the subtle intricacies of past relationships all played out to an amazing and well produced album that has us celebrating more than hanging our heads.

The album has a handful of stand out tracks such as "Girls In Black", "Super Sad Rom-Com", and "The Lucky Ones". A true testament to well crafted lyrics and capturing the listener, Banker takes us to an all too familiar place in which we all have felt the same way at one point or another. Sit back light a few candles and make no hesitation on sending that risky two in the morning text message, after all whats the worst that can happen.

-Castro

Hold-ups & fever dreams: Briffaut releases the long-awaited Helsinki

written & photographed by Meesh Deyden for the masses

For fans of Arcade Fire, Of Montreal, Camera Obscura, BadBadNotGood, Sufjan Stevens, DeVotchKa, Tame Impala and oh so many more ensembles, we present to you Colorado Springs based outfit, Briffaut. 

Daniel James Eaton (left) and Alex Koshak (right) of Briffaut 

Briffaut (pronounced Bra-foe, roughly-- you can google it) spent the last two years loving and hating what it has taken to release their latest album, Helsinki. Between members quitting the band for other pursuits, not having access to recordings they did for the album, trying to be likeable in an industry fueled by likes, to struggling to self-mix and master the project, Daniel James Eaton and Alex Koshak seem to have finally pulled it off. 

Helsinki is a tour de force, sometimes feverish sonic explosion marrying dreamscape vocals with heavily layered multi-instrumental crescendos. Listeners luxuriate in what feels like a quintessentially French cinematic siesta of Briffaut's "wild new future music" with tracks like "Domino" and "Pomegranate." It's a record you can listen to anytime for any reason. 

The album release show, presented by Grouphug, is Friday March 2nd at Syntax Physic Opera featuring opening acts in/Planes and Down Time. Helsinki can be purcahsed at the show in cassette and CD. You can purchase the digital album, as well, on Briffaut's bandcamp. 

Wildermiss | Lost With You | Review

View fullsize

Denver local outfit Wildermiss has just released heir first EP and we have been waiting awhile to get our hands on it. The band consists of three former members of Red Fox Run (guitarists Joshua Hester and Seth Beamer and drummer Caleb Thoemke), the foursome is led by the soaring vocals of Emma Drae. 

The first track Between Rooms has the silky smooth vocals of Emma Drae in perfect unison with what could easily be mistaken for an early The Strokes era guitar riff. It's catchy, it's fun and demands your respect.

The next track is one we have become familiar with Carry Your Heart has been circling the interwebs for a hot minute and will easily become a radio friendly hit. A definite country music influence on this one, Drae passionately sings the chorus of carry your heart with such a passion and conviction it makes you feel her pain.

Our favorite track Vivian starts off with an upbeat guitar riff straight out of the 80's. The drumbeat on this one stands out the most with influences ranging from new wave. This track would be perfect played in a dark cavernous hole in the wall venue while the locals dance with no regret.

The great thing about this album is the way it flows from song to song. On Keep It Simple, Drae channels her inner Ellie Goulding for an amazing song we can hear being a hit on the radio waves. This track has all the feels that makes us want to dance in front of the mirror from beginning to end.

Tunnel Vision is a love song that reminds us of the everyday struggles that a relationship may have with no mutual respect for either party. A darker song on the album, the song repeats the chorus of the song while making sure we get the meaning of the cry for help.

The final song Pieces is probably the best produced song on the album with an arena anthem feel. We picture a packed house holding up their lighters (iPhones) in unison making the crowd glow as the they sway back and forth. This song gives us a glimpse of the heavily Coldplay influenced pain and sorrow of Chris Martin similar to hits like The Scientist and Fix You.

The album is complete from start to end and is one of the best pieces of work we have had a chance to listen to so far this year. Get this in the hands of the right people and we have ourselves Denver's next biggest band.

The album can be found on the following:

SoundCloud
Spotify
iTunes

View fullsize

Marco Polo? NO. Polo & Pan.

Summer is quickly approaching and I know you all are on the hunt for the perfect road trippin’, pool dippin’ tunes, and boy, do I have a treat for you. French duo, Polo & Pan have just dropped a musical journey of an album, Caravelle, which coincidentally is a Portuguese sailing boat used to explore that became popular during the 15th century. The album explores many genres, making it hard to pinpoint their exact style, but it’s heavy on the tropical, funky, Euro-disco sounds.

So Paul Armand-Delille is Polo and Alexandre Grynszpan is Pan. The pair met in Paris at Le Baron nightclub where they both were resident DJ’s. Their first collaboration was a project called Rivolta with Hamburger records that was a 1930’s Italian voice sample with a disco bassline. How can you go wrong?

Grynszpan is inspired by early 2000’s pop music, electronic music, and psych rock. He is a musical mastermind, and it shows in his radio concept, Radiooooo.com. The site is an interactive and user-friendly map that you can click on to choose a region and a clickable timeline to choose an era of music. You can then go on to choose a slow, fast, or weird song, and basically enter an endless music wormhole. Armand-Delille is inspired by his mystical trips in the desert and his work with MAD agency creating workspaces for artists in industrial warehouses. And together, they make tight dance music that makes you feel like you’re eating sunshine in the jungle.

The album begins with strange, psychedelic sounding trance called, “Abysse”, which is obviously the French word for abyss and feels like exactly that.
“Aqualand”, the next track has a completely different feel altogether and sounds like a French K-pop dream. Or would that make it F-pop? In any case, it’s enchanting and vibrant, and continues you along in the journey full of surprise.
One of my favorites, “Canopée”, refers to the forest tops creating a canopy in the jungle and is reminiscent of Thievery Corporation’s soft guitar interludes. A catchy bassline and French lyricism disallows the listener from standing still, and is enjoyable to most people (as I have tested out in multiple scenarios in my own life).
“Nanã” is also a noteworthy simple sounding disco sample turned into a not too bassy summer anthem. I feel as though I should be sipping a pina colada and roller skating down a coast somewhere.
“Dorothy”, a single off their 2014 EP Dorothy is a tribute to the Wizard of Oz, and the imaginative, unmasked desires of childhood, turned into an electronic, Romare-esque, dream. I cannot express how different every track on this LP is, but the tropicality and danceability is apparent throughout.
“Plage Isolée (soleil levant)” has an Emancipator like chord progression and translates to some lovely stuff about a sunrise on an isolated beach.
“Mexicali” straight up sounds like a circus happening in Ibiza and it’s tight. But why are you still reading me explain the songs to you? LISTEN TO THIS GOLD, thank me later.

Bonobo Delivers With His Latest Migration | Album Review

View fullsize

Photo Credit: Claudia Jaime

At this point in Simon Green’s career as our beloved Bonobo, I am convinced that this human can do no wrong. Migration, as an album, strays away from Bonobo’s servitude to the dance floor, and is a compilation of what seems to be more explorative and mature content.  Reminiscent of BADBADNOTGOOD, Four Tet, and even newer Gold Panda, aspects of unfamiliarity add a new twist to Bonobo’s otherwise soft piano and guitar sounds. Well layered, I noticed a growing texture of sound in nearly every track and it kept me interested where the bass lines may not have.

Different than previous albums, a heavier pop influence is apparent on this album with features such as Rhye, Nicole Miglis, and Nick Murphy, but Bonobo seems to find a natural balance with soft, ethereal sounding “Second Sun”, the worldly trance of “Bambro Koyo Ganda”, and the R & B groove of “Kerala”.

“Outlier”, holy heavens, takes a turn for the upbeat in the simplest way, and won my heart immediately.  Simple downtempo drums, layered over a mixture of ethereal and cosmic sounds, with a steady buildup that makes it hard to stop moving. “Outlier” feels like a familiar house anthem, neutralized by classic Bonobo’s soft instrumental strums, and it feels damn good.

Every album needs a banger, so to say, and “Bambro Koyo Ganda” is it. An upbeat drum progression reminiscent of earlier work “Flashlight”, worldly chants, and a trance hook that is hard to escape, have my body convulsing almost involuntarily. Layers of bells, claps, and bass allow for 5 minutes of non-stop pulsating. Tight.

Seventeen years after his debut album Animal Magic, Green’s signature downtempo sound is still vibrant and relevant, as well as ever evolving, which is all we talentless people can hope from our favorite artists.

 Bonobo’s upcoming tour with Nick Murphy aka Chet Faker will certainly be a beautiful crossover of electronica, downtempo, and pop. See it come to life at Red Rocks May 21st for what’s sure to be an unforgettable show!

-Lina Skrzypczak