Lizard Kisses #3 - Little Things

Facebook / lizardkisses.tumblr.com

Lizard Kisses have been on my radar for some time now and never fail to bring both sunshine and melancholy to mind with their tracks, last year's Loving Creatures EP (which I wrote briefly about last March) a near-perfect example of the Brooklyn duo's soothing dream-pop where woozy guitar melodies blend with sweetly-sung lullabies and slow motion drums, if you missed out on it, do get a copy via Bandcamp.

This post though focuses on a new track that Lizard Kisses contributed to a Zine from one of my favourite blogs, The Le Sigh, "Little Things", a languid, natural beauty that will cause nothing but butterflies all over with a nostalgic blend of heart-ache and laid-back daydreams. If you are new to the band, the feeling you are experiences right now is probably that of you falling in love all over again.

The Zine is now sold out but you can grab "Little Things" on a pay-what-you-like basis here.

Curxes #6 - Avant-Guarded

Facebook / curxes.com

After a series of terrifying electro-pop tracks in 2012 Curxes were relatively quiet in 2013, their sole release (until the track I'm talking about today) being a track which took the Brighton/Portsmouth duo in altogether new direction, the hauntingly beautiful "Further Still".

That was until just before Christmas when the band returned with "Avant-Guarded", a more typically assault of noise propelled by aggressive mechanical synths  and accompanied by a slightly bonkers video. If you've a phobia of Budgie's, you may want to close your eyes...

Roberta's vocals are as commanding and ferocious as ever around hard driving rhythms, a wall of distorted guitars and wave after wave of industrial noise, creepy and intense throughout "Avant-Guarded" is a breathless return from this boundary pushing duo.

Dios Mio #2 - Cat's Cradle / Proto

Facebook

I got pretty excited writing about "Tough Crowd", the debut single by London quartet Dios Mio last September, a track that saw the perfect marriage of luscious guitars, rigorous percussion and a beautiful, ethereal vocal. "Proto" is the bands next release and it's safe to say it confirms that I was right on the money (not for the first or last time of course)...

Showcasing a more expansive side to the band the track is full of vast, shimmering melody and rich, expressive vocals, fully immersing you within its guitarscapes as the track builds with emotion and tension. Fellow new track "Cat's Cradle" puts more of the emphasis on Helena's ethereal, sepia-tinged vocals, they warm like a winter blanket floating wistfully around ringing layers of guitars that simmer on the edge with brooding menace before taking over for a finale full of intoxicating atmosphere.

The band look set to be one of those you need to keep a firm eye on in 2014.

Life Model #2 - Come Round

Facebook

Glasgow's Life Model return after last springs debut EP with "Come Round", a heavenly track which immediately highlights a progression in the quintet's ambient, dream-pop soundscapes and one which is undoubtedly their finest yet.

Clocking in at almost six minutes in length, a sign in itself that "Come Round" is never in any rush to hurry you along (and it's all the better for that), it slowly drifts around a languid, weightless melody of gauzy guitar shimmers and pared-down beats in which Sophie Evans' beautiful, ethereal vocals glide effortlessly towards a space-out finale of grungy guitar noise. The result takes you straight back to the sweeter side of 1990's shoegaze and is utterly delicious.

The single is released on limited cassette / digital download on January 20th via Viscerality Records and is available to pre-order now.

First Aid Kit #5 - On The Road Again

Facebook

Another song I should have picked up on before Christmas (I might be saying that a lot this week so forgive me) but was on full festive wind-down when this track popped up in my soundcloud feed, a cover of Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again" by the wonderful First Aid Kit.

Johanna & Klara Söderberg stay faithful to the country classic with Klara leading the vocal duties, entwining around her sister's backing harmonies and a crystal clear melody that bristles with the originals toe-tapping excitement and optimism that hints at extremely good news for 2014.

I doubt I'm the only one who cannot wait to have First Aid Kit back on the road again soon...

Mountain Man #7 - Around and Around

Facebook

I somehow managed to miss this before Christmas... The return of Mountain Man has been a long, long, long time coming. So much so that I wondered if it were to happen at all. The trio were one of my favourite things way back in 2010 after I literally stumbled across them playing in the Crow's Nest at Glastonbury festival (I wrote about that as one of my end of year highlights here). Their debut album Made the Harbour was one of the same years real treats and a series of live dates towards the back end of the year were shiver inducing moments. Then silence (besides one show at End of the Road last year).

That ended with a seasonal (of sorts) posting and a new track, a cover of John Denver's "Around and Around". It re-introduces their spellbinding harmonies and beautiful, entwining vocals, as tender as any moment you are likely to hear, it's the perfect way to kick off a brand new year.

Here's hoping for much more from the band soon.