new wave

Kevin Michael: LISA

Kevin Michael is at it again with another spunky mixtape. This time, we’re revisiting his 13-track collection, LISA, which stands for “love is so amazingâ€. The concept album, put together with the help of Michael’s longtime collaborator Brian Kidd, is a lite nostalgic affair that takes you back to the glory of the 2009-2010 musical period: pulsating beats, ‘swagger’, and ultra-smooth harmonies — elements that currently proliferates today’s top 40 picks.

Bess Rogers: Songs Other People Wrote

Brooklyn native Rogers, who, if not moonlighting as a vocal buddy to Ingrid Michaelson, is crafting her own magnificent tunes. Her independent efforts date back to 2007, but she’s now going for the kill — nope, not jumping the shark — as she astounds us with this 4-track cover EP.

The Embracers: Tasteful Thickness Vol. 1

The Embracers is one of those bands that are likable because they have a sound that's so familiar. Despite belonging to a saturated genre, they manage to hold their own and deliver a record that capture a laid-back, lounging-on-the-couch-being-cool vibe. Tasteful Thicknes Vol. 1 is their latest online release. It's being offered as a free download over at BandCamp and serves as an awesome introduction for the band. Currently, the five-piece has been on the road and doing the rounds in festivals which is helping them gain and solidify a steady fanbase.

Kit Oh Nein!: KON!

Feel-good psych punk with a touch of indie rock is one way to describe Kit Oh Nein!'s music. The three piece band hails from Detroit/NYC and seems to know their way around the sound. Led by frontman Ryan Milligan from The Hotwalls, KON! (an acronym of the band's name) is the group's debut record. The album contains 10 tracks that run circles around punk, pop, and psychedelic indie rock. Enveloped in raw energy as well as a hazy indie rock club vibe, it's hard to believe the entire set of tracks were recorded in only 3 days. This is one of those debut albums worth checking out if you like dirty, cerebral indie punk rock.

Bravestation: EP

Even though new wave has somewhat taken its course, occasionally there are bands that transform this standard genre into something so much more. Bravestation is one of those bands. Taking the typical new wave/hipster sound and weaving it together with lush melodies and colorful instruments. The band is from Toronto and this EP serves as their debut compilation. It came out back in 2010 and has been praised for their distinctively likable sound.

Motorama: Alps

Russian fivesome, Motorama, has been steadily building a solid fanbase with their post-punk, Joy Division-inspired sound. The group has been around since 2005 but they only released their first full length album last year entitled, Alps. The sound is unmistakably a clash of new wave, 80s sound with slightly danceable beats and monotone vocals. Inspired by some of the more prominent bands in the past decades, they also cite The Strokes and The Coral as bands that they grew up listening to.

This Co. “This Co.” – free debut new wave/post-punk album

Who knew that the Chileans were such fans of the New Wave movement? This Co. describes itself as a "band that combines Post-Punk and New Wave into a hybrid between rock and electronic," which is, in itself, an apt description of many Indie Rock groups which are around today. The rock trio stamped their unique musical identity onto the scene in 2008 with their self-titled debut album. Not too long after, the group's first single "As You Know" was preselected as a Top 10 most requested song on MTV. Since then they've been writing more songs, and of course, touring and doing gigs, most notably in Barcelona, Weimar and Berlin in July 2009.

netBloc 13

"Color in a world of monochrome" is the tagline for the thirteenth netBloc compilation release from blocSonic, and there couldn't be a more appropriate way to describe this collection of photos, artwork, and of course fantastic free music. A feast of visual and audio delights, there's more than enough here to keep you interested for the long haul, and to make you want more.