Any angle, favorable or not, on World Unite! Lucifer Youth Foundation, four young guys from Manchester who incite mind-riots with a unique brand of melodically explosive, rasp-centric tribal rock, will, and probably should, start with that word: brand. Doubtful there’s ever been a more compelling and well-planted combination of enigmatic imagery/text and raw sound in the Internet age. And while the storyline (faceless gang sprinkles grainy mp3s to heavy blog-fueled speculation followed by a string of conceptually potent videos, all building up to their first US appearance at a small, sold out Brooklyn venue, and finally, the LP) is what commands our attention, this album is what keeps it. That initial track scattering has been collected, thickened, sharpened, and sequenced into full scope—a dangerously solid debut.
Yes, the mid-2000s electro-pop resurgence is beyond maturity phase, but then there’s Junior Boys, one of its most likable pioneers, and a refreshing counter to that point because they simply do what they do, too well, and consistently. And after a pair of rather slick boosts in their discography, It’s All True cuts down the production density in favor of their original weight: Jeremy Greenspan’s smooth falsetto and an intricately spun web of beats and basslines to support it.
Higher in fidelity, structurally sweeter, Sebadoh’s fifth album is widely considered the most accessible release from the indie rock titans. Bakesale hit new heights of acclaim for the band (fresh off the departure of founding force, Eric Gaffney) in a time that also saw fellow acts like Pavement and Guided by Voices reaching more ears; and perhaps they haven’t seen the same deserving name recognition that those others maintained in the years since. All seems ripe for a reissue then.
Going self-titled on anything after your debut is a declaration; something bold, and sometimes career defining. With her soft, storytelling soprano, the dream-pop songstress doesn’t seem one for direct statements, but she did say this is “the most honest, natural record [she’s] ever written.” And whether you’ve heard all or none of the four albums that preceded it, it should take just one stroll in this lush melancholy to believe her.
Airy vocals, negative space, sunshine…if The xx went on beach holiday, they might come home sounding like Mathemagic. The Ontario trio quietly disappeared from RSS feeds after a few hype machine ripples last year, and that appears to have been time well spent. II finds refuge on the sparse side of tropic pop, playing out like a moonlit conversation between two lovers on the outskirts of a winding down beach party. The self-recorded and self-released album is available streaming from Soundcloud, or free (pay what you want) at bandcamp.