BBU – Please No Pictures (ft. Das Racist)
BBU – Beau Sia

Brian Larsen – Frozen

Ceremony – Adult

Damon Moon & the Whispering Drifters – Lungs, Dirt, & Dreams

The Danvilles – Seemed So Easy

Ducky – Overdose

Inca Gold – Emergency Talks

JD Samson + MEN – Next

Now, Now – Thread

Pulpa – Min Kniv

Sauna – Wanting You

Seun Kuti – The Good Leaf (Spoek Mothambo Remix)

Sonoi – Cotton

U.S. Elevator – All Through the Night

Violens – Unfolding Black Wings

SOUNDCLOUD

Addison Groove – Savage Henry

The District Attorneys – Confusion of Trust

EJ – Mama, I’m Gonna Sing (Pete Tong Remix)

One Finger Riot – Fever

Pepper – Happy Girl (Acoustic)

The Shamefaced Sparrows – Murder In The Dollhouse (Demo)

Arbz – Dawn of A New Era

Bright Moments – Travelers

Charlotte Gainsbourg – Paradisco (Gottfried Beyer Remix)

Isidore – You Will Remain

Joywave – True Grit

Mirror Lady – You Left Me

Octavion X – Begun

Picture Book – Sunshine (Justin Faust Remix)

Rossi B & Luca (ft. Flirta D) – Mind the Gap (Teeza Temix Instrumental)

Sara Radle – Last

Tripwires – Emerald

Two Suns – Not the End Pt. 2

Virginia Plain – Electric Eyes
Virginia Plain – Swamp Thing

Wrinkle Neck Mules – Leaving Chattanooga

SOUNDCLOUD

Gazburn – Walkin’ On Another Planet

Rita Ora – Somebody That I Used To Know (Gotye & Kimbra BBC Live Lounge Cover)

Sam Gray Singing – Bigotry

Softwar – This Time Around

Your 33 Black Angels – Patient Love

Yuzima – My Love Is Your Love (Whitney Houston cover)

The first thing you should know about Grimes is that she’s a producer before she’s a musician. Those two things are not mutually exclusive, but the whole point of mentioning it is because it affects the way she puts together songs. In fact, Boucher is doing what so many other forward-thinking artists are doing these days, which is attempting to break the rules of traditional songwriting and composing through the use of technology. At its core, “Visions” is a record created by a voice and a keyboard. Listening to it, there’s almost no way you’d realize that given all that’s going on. Virtually everything is run through some sort of filter or effect, and portions of songs are dubbed and overdubbed and smashed atop one another like some sort of sonic sandwich. Credit to Boucher for knowing when to stop adding more, because in more than a few cases it feels like the depths of some of the songs could be infinite. Her restraint is admirable and a great sign that she knows what she wants and tweaks it ever so slightly until she gets there. The ultimate result is a record that’s equal parts pop music and ambiance, pleasure and pain, not to mention human and computer.

The first track on “Visions” is “Infinite Love Without Fulfillment”, and it immediately lays out what to expect for the rest of the record. Lasting a mere 96 seconds, it confounds traditional song structure while maintaining a very danceable rhythm and sugar-sweet vocals. Boucher’s voice takes on 3 distinct personalities on the track, and they intermingle with one another with no regard for decency or clarity, to the point where it becomes like trying to listen to a single conversation in a room full of talking people. In spite of the perceived vocal confusion and the challenge of distinguishing lyrics, there’s a symbiosis and elegance to how all the moving pieces of the song work together. Indeed for most of “Visions” you’ll struggle to understand what Boucher is singing about, and that’s not always because of overdubbing. On the song “Genesis” for example, her singular voice is so drenched in echo it becomes the auditory effect of trying to see the car in front of you while driving through a dense fog. For “Eight”, she turns one of her vocals into a deep-voiced robot and another into a woman that’s clearly been breathing in way too much helium. Despite all the different ways Boucher throws her vocals around, there are a few moments of genuine clarity, and those brief snapshots tend to be about relationships going through some sort of turmoil. “Oh baby I can’t say/that everything will be okay,” Boucher sings on “Circumambient”, signalling right from the start that there’s problems. Towards the end of “Skin”, she’s also in a sad place, espousing, “You touch me again and somehow it stings/because I know it is the end.”

Lyrical content is really the last thing you should be looking for on “Visions” though, because it’s far more about how these songs come together than it is any message they’re trying to get across. Boucher herself has said in interviews that she often feels the need to cover up her lyrics out of self-criticism over her skills as a writer but also because the melodies themselves should be telling you how to feel and not the words. With so much emphasis placed on what’s being said and not the way it’s being said, that’s a very refreshing take on pop music. Think of this record like a synth-pop inspired version of Sigur Ros, where the vocals are first and foremost another instrument in the mix rather than something intended to sit front and center as a path to deeper understanding. Or, even better, there are portions of the album that are very K-pop and J-pop influenced, and whether you’re a fan of Dance Dance Revolution or simply like those sorts of songs without speaking the language, there’s plenty of moments such as “Nightmusic” that you’ll be able to wholly enjoy. In fact, there’s a whole host of influences on “Visions” that may tickle your fancy depending on your tastes. Obviously if you’re into electronica and its many subgenres like IDM and Balearic you’ll be impressed with the strong beats that populate much of the record. The same goes for devotees of 80s pop, wherein the strains of a track like “Vowels = space and time” calls to mind Stacy Q or “Oblivion” has something distinctly Cyndi Lauper about it. And while 2011 was the year of the R&B revival, songs like “Be A Body” and “Skin” break out those influences as well, the former even impressing with some sky-high Mariah Carey falsettos. In spite of the various swaths of genres across the album, it all holds together quite nicely thanks to Boucher’s dynamic production style and ability to put together a very strong melody.

It goes without saying that Grimes is one of the most exciting new talents to emerge out of an ever-evolving music scene. Her previous records all hinted at what “Visions” would be in one way or another, and it’s extremely pleasing to hear her finally fulfill much of that early potential. For all of its oddities, this record is extremely listenable from start to finish, and cuts like “Genesis”, “Oblivion”, “Circumambient” and “Nightmusic” make it supremely catchy as well. In many ways these songs feel like the next step towards a genuine breakthrough in music, one in which a multitude of styles gives birth to a beautiful new hybrid that’s more aesthetically pleasing than any single one of them on their own. The best part is there’s continued room for improvement and growth, even as this record hovers near the precipice of perfection. Grimes has been an artist to watch from the day she first started releasing music 2 years ago, but only now, thanks to “Visions” will she begin to earn the attention she truly deserves.

Grimes – Genesis
Grimes – Oblivion

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Black Mountain – Mary Lou

Black Tambourine – What’s Your Game

Charli XCX – I’ll Never Know

Dan London – Little Bit About Me

Diplo – Express Yourself (ft. Nicky Da B)

Electric Flower Group – Eclipsed

Jonquil – It’s My Part (Co La Remix)

A Little Affair – December

Luke Roberts – His Song

Miike Snow – Devil’s Work (Keys N Krates Remix)

Nu Sensae – Gumbo

Pets With Pets – Pixie Child

Poppet – Wayward Notions

Rusko – Somebody to Love (Skream Remix)

Subburbia – I’ve Got No Friends

TacocaT – Spring Break-Up

THEESatisfaction – QueenS

tree – Universal (ft. Ariel Thiermann)

SOUNDCLOUD

Automusik – General Masses

Django Django – Default

The Drums – Days (Trentemoller Remix)

Evans The Death – Telling Lies

Portico Quartet – City of Glass (LV Remix)

The Cast of Cheers – Family (Royal Scams Remix)

Christopher Paul Stelling – Solar Flares

Clubfeet – BrightLightsBigCity

Dreamend – Your Apparition Stays With Me Still

Eyes, Wings & Many Other Things – Cruelty

Filewile – You Say I (Electric Blanket Remix)

The James Low Western Front – I Would Have You

The Jayhawks – She Walks in So Many Ways (Live)

Midtown Dickens – Only Brother

Pandercakes – Paint By Numbers

Sophia Knapp – Into the Waves

Superhumanoids – Geri

Uncle Roman’s Jetboat – Floodlights in the Sunlight
Uncle Roman’s Jetboat – Fearless Like Yourself

The Young – Livin’ Free

SOUNDCLOUD

Capybara – Neighbor Crimes

The Kills – Pale Blue Eyes (Velvet Underground cover)

The New Limb – Refugees

Pete Yorn – Surfer Girl (Beach Boys cover)

Skyjelly – Shepherd’s Pantry

Yournalist – C’mon People

Aaron & The Sea – There There Creature Creature

Cats on Fire – A Few Empty Waves

Cousins – Jules

The Cribs – Chi-Town

Cuff the Duke – I Hear You Calling (Billy Fay cover)

Emily Jane White – Black Silk

Juston Stens – Edge of the Moon

La Sera – Break My Heart

Lushlife – Big Sur

Mikill Pane – I Like You

Panama – Magic (Midnight Magic Remix)

So Many Wizards – Lose Your Mind

Ticktockman – Archaic Republic

White Hills – Pads of Light

Zander Bleck – Temptation (Hype Jones & Beastmode Remix)

SOUNDCLOUD

Daniel Laufer – Gentleman (ft. Chloe Charles)

House Of Wolves – 50′s

Mouse on Mars – Polaroyced

Ninjasonik – Turned Up

Saadi – Snowyman (Delicate Steve Remix)

That Ghost – Morning Now

The cover art for “Animal Joy” tells you a lot about what to expect on the record itself. Two furry, clawed animal feet photographed in close-up, looking like they could tear just about anything apart, including a human being. It’s very primal in nature, and the music is too, like an attack straight at your jugular. That’s not to call it harsh or necessarily fierce, but for a band whose last 3 efforts have been largely gorgeous flights of fancy, the plain and direct way these songs are presented feels just a little bit alien. “Animal Life” quivers just a little in its finger-picked beginning, fragile but sparse beauty that it is, before Jonathan Meiburg gets his gusto up and tears into a dynamic and vital chorus. It makes for one of the poppiest songs in the band’s catalogue to date, and the ease at which it goes down is more comforting than you might think. The voracity at which single “Breaking the Yearlings” races along is equally thrilling, in part thanks to an overdubbed double percussion attack and some seriously deep guitar work. There is nothing delicate or even beautiful about it, even though the badass exterior it puts up projects a different sort of loveliness. The piano and drums chug of “You As You Were” brings a very Springsteen-esque quality to the track, which is tempered only by some plinking xylophone work and Meiburg’s commanding vocals as he chants, “I am leaving the life” as if he’s breaking free from an oppressed state. In fact much of the record’s themes are about the yearning to escape social conventions and embracing our own natural instincts.

Undoubtedly some will be left wishing for the more lush and gorgeous version of Shearwater from their last few albums, and the somewhat good news is that “Animal Joy” doesn’t leave those people completely out in the cold. The 6.5 minute “Insolence” does a fair and rather lovely job of bringing the first half of the record to a close in an epic ballad style that holds an air of familiarity to it. Following those moments of classic Shearwater comfort comes “Immaculate”, which roars to life at the pace of a cheetah and doesn’t slow down for even a second of its 2.5 minute duration. It is the most unique moment on the entire album, less because of originality’s sake and more because it is so unlike any of the other songs on the record. Yet after that point the album’s final few songs turn out rather bland and forgettable. “Open Your Houses (Basilisk)” tenderly jaunts along with such an instrumental similarity to Spoon that you half expect Britt Daniel to make a guest vocal appearance. The tenderness of “Run the Banner Down” and “Believing Makes It Easy” are very nice on the surface, but are ultimately very listless and whitewashed, almost as a means to an end. Speaking of the end, “Star of the Age” has plenty going for it instrumentally and vocally, but once again feels like another hat Shearwater is trying on to see if it fits. This particular piece of headwear feels as if it’s been worn a thousand times before by different people, none of whom have the same unique qualities Meiburg & Co. have going for them. Only the intensity and vibrance of “Pushing the River” brings some serious gravitas to the back half of the album, and it’s just a shame there aren’t more tracks like it to lend some additional support.

Shearwater is the sort of band that should know better by now. They’ve been in existence for over a decade, even if the first half of that was spent as Meiburg’s side project to Okkervil River. They’re right to want to change course and try something new, but it’s important to carefully think through a move like that before attempting it. “Animal Joy” has plenty of positives going for it, particularly in its very direct and pop-strewn first half, but eventually it loses sight of such fresh-faced charm and becomes a set of copies that it feels like we’ve heard before from different bands. Clearly their next evolutionary step is still under development. Call it a transitional record if you like, but by no means is this something to ignore. There’s moments that will suck you in and leave you breathless, while for others having the band show a little teeth and claws is a form of wish fulfillment. Meiburg’s vocals are as powerful as they’ve ever been, and drummer Thor Harris is allowed to shine like never before. If “Animal Joy” is treated by the band as a learning experience with the best moments used as a template for the future, things will undoubtedly remain bright for Shearwater in the future.

Shearwater – Breaking the Yearlings
Shearwater – You As You Were

Buy “Animal Joy” from Amazon

Adam Cohen – What Other Guy

Bobby Conn – Underground Vktm

Cheers Elephant – Doin’ It, Right

Drunken Prayer – Always Sad
Drunken Prayer – The Missionfield

Eli Mardock – Everything Happens for the First Time

FIDLAR – No Waves

Joachim Cooder – Bright Light Blue (ft. Frank Lyon)
Joachim Cooder – Pointed Into Zoom (ft. Inara George)

Rap Muhammad – Prayer

Sandro Perri – Futureactive Kid Part 1

Shannon Stephens – What Love Looks Like

Summer Twins – I Don’t Care

TRMRS – Goodtime Blues
TRMRS – Enter the Door

Viper Creek Club – Now You’re in the Mirror

Yalls – Gave Away & Broke

Young Magic – Night in the Ocean (S.Maharba Serpent Love Song Remix)
Young Magic – You With Aid (Galapagoose and Wooshie’s Remix)

Young Mammals – Landlady

Yuksek – Off the Wall (Brodinski Remix)

SOUNDCLOUD

American Royalty – Matchstick

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister – Can’t See The Stars

Killer Mike – Big Beast (ft. Bun B, T.I., and Trouble)

Marissa Nadler – The Wrecking Ball Company

Oceanwake – The Words of Gods Lie Among Us

ZZT – Partys Over Los Angeles (Attaque Remix)

Arian Saleh – Underhill

Casey Shea – Let It Slide

Charli XCX – Valentine

Fenster – Fantasy II

Grouplove – Tongue Tied (Spacebrother Remix)

Howth – Wind Blows Cold

I Am Oak – Gills

Mighty Mouse – Smiling Faces

Minarets – The Tide

Octavion X – Only One You’ve Got

Soso – My Women My Guitars (Cody ChesnuTT cover)

Spirit Animal – Crocodile Skins

StoneRider – Trigger Happy

Sun Glitters – It Takes Me

Tic Tic Boom! – For Feeling

Two Suns – Time Again

Voltaire Twins – Animalia

SOUNDCLOUD

Apparat – Candil De La Calle

Ex Norwegian – Original Copy

Kotki Dwa – Poison

Mondkopf – Ease Your Pain

“Took a train to/took a train to get to you,” Moore sings as the very first lines on opening track “It All Feels the Same”. Unintentional though it may be, there is a certain parallel to be drawn between that and the sailboats dominating all of “Cape Dory”. Fear not, friends; “Young and Old” is not a record about train travel or really any form of transportation. The song “Traveling” is sort of the lone exception in that regard. In fact, this new album is in many ways the topical opposite of the last one. “Cape Dory” was all about beautiful locales and a couple in love with the sea and one another. The relationship between Moore and Riley may be as strong as ever, but they’re either no longer writing songs about their own experiences or are trying to expose us to another side of things on the new record. “Paradise is all around, but happiness is never found,” Moore somberly professes on “High Road”. Emotions run high throughout the record, and there’s plenty of turmoil to go around which gives Moore the chance to show off her range on multiple levels. “How much is required to set things right?/Have you confused your power with might?” she emphatically interjects on “Origins”, while on “Take Me to Heaven” she wishes she could believe in an afterlife: “My mistakes, imperfections, they make me long for a place where they can’t overtake me.”

Dark as this album might be lyrically, the songs on “Young and Old” are far catchier and uptempo than you might expect. There were a few outright misses on “Cape Dory” that felt more like padding between the hits, but virtually everything on the new album stands well on its own and could be considered a potential future single. One of the bigger reasons why that’s the case is the sheer muscle and sonic building the band displays this time. The guitars are stronger and are covered in an extra layer of fuzz, the drums are far more forceful and the piano works itself higher into the mix. Patrick Carney deserves some credit for how he pushed the band in the studio, though you’ve got to wonder how many of these new adjustments came about organically through time spent performing on the road. Even a quieter and more somber track like “My Better Self” has a bit of oomph and insistence to it, infused with handclaps for good measure. Moore’s vocals get an upgrade too, with plenty more backing harmonies and “ooh oohs”, or in the case of “Petition”, some very retro “sha la las”. It all contributes towards helping Tennis sound quite a bit like a lighter, poppier version of Beach House, which is by no means a bad thing.

As delightful and forward-moving as “Young and Old” is, it in many ways feels like a stepping stone for Tennis. Their debut album proved they could write at least a few strong pop songs. This new record proves they were more than just a flash in the pan and are invested in career longevity. It features a fair amount of growth for the band, but it lacks true sonic innovation. We’ve heard songs like these before, though arguably never delivered with quite the same scalpel-like precision and overall catchiness that they are here. This trio is talented to be sure, and it’s great to hear them moving past boat stories and unveiling new layers, but they’re not quite where they need to be just yet. They can do better, though getting there might just require taking some serious sonic risks and alienating what’s currently an expanding fan base. If success is all they desire, “Young and Old” is another grand investment towards achieving massive popularity. If it’s genuine respectability they’re aiming for, they’re inching towards that too. For most, a crossroads will emerge where they’ll be forced to choose one or the other. Play your cards right though, and you can have both. Look forward to Tennis’ next record, it’ll probably be the one that either makes or breaks them.

Tennis – Origins

Tennis – My Better Self

Buy “Young and Old” from Amazon