1940 (AmpLive Remix) - The Submarines

Recently on a trip to Charlotte, NC a friend pulled me aside at a party and told me to listen to the song playing on the stereo. He had thrown on The Submarine's "1940 (AmpLive Remix)" and little did I know it would soon become a top played song on my iTunes. The dark, undulating backbeats take a ride along haunting vocals from female lead singer Blake Hazard. Blake, the great-granddaughter of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, and John Dragonetti make up the indie-pop duo and they have much on the horizon. The Submarines are currently touring with Ra Ra Riot on the west coast and recently released a new EP and it is streaming on their website.

Here's the AmpLive remix of "1940", though the original track is definitely worth listening too. The original is much slower, but has some nice strings and the addition of a tambourine..

The Submarines- 1940 (AmpLive Remix)

Virtual Boy

Why there isn't more hype around these guys right now is a mystery to me, but something tells me it's a matter of weeks -days, even-before they're blowing up the blogosphere. Preston Walker and Henry Allen, the artists behind the Los Angeles-based duo Virtual Boy, have crafted an electronic album with intricate attention to classical technique and a severe amount of style.

The self-titled album seems to pull influence from all over. It's equal parts Chromeo, TOBACCO, Justice, and The Glitch Mob, capped off with an ethereal through-line reminiscent of James Blake. It's  a pleasure to listen to, and I'm proud to say I knew them back when they were performing their student projects in the music halls of Chapman University. This latest project is an attestation to the progress and musical evolution they've made, and keep making at an exponential rate.
Check out "Memory of a Ghost" below:

Air: Le voyage dans la lune

It's no secret that French electronic duo, Air, is inspired by the celestial. From their debut album "Moon Safari" to their latest album "Le voyage dans la lune", it seems space has been on their minds. This particular album comes with a twist-the music serves as the soundtrack for a beautiful-if not overly- restored version of Georges Méliès 1902 film of the same name.

The album contains about 30 minutes of music to the film's 15. Consequently, it can feel out of place and filler at times, there are only a select few tracks that can really stand on their own: "Sonic Armada", "Seven Stars", "Parade", and "Cosmic Trip" are among these. However, the overall effect is astral and ambient. It deserves a listen, and the film deserves a look.

New music from The Shins

It's impossible to say what exactly Port of Morrow will sound like as a whole, but judging by The Shin's recent single, "Simple Song", it seems to be a much more grainy, in-your-face, whimsical kind of project with classic Shins attention to detail and catchy melodies. Looking forward to March 20th, when the full album is released. Hear "Simple Song" below, or listen on the neat little player on their site