Reviews

Die Pretty: Battle Over Brooklyn

Battle Over Brooklyn is the product of pop punk band, Die Pretty. The foursome only started about 2 years ago (2009) but they're definitely wasting no time getting their music together and spreading the word. They've already released a short EP titled, Bittersweet. This was released in Europe via Unconform Records and helped win the band a solid following overseas. With Battle Over Brooklyn, the band is looking to expand and maybe win over more people to their brand of upbeat pop punk. Soaring through the scene with a good mix of pop, punk, alternative and rock; Die Pretty seems to have what it takes to make more than an impression in the music world.

Paper Plane Pilots: Demo 2009

Thanks to a knack for incorporating a fun, energy-filled vibe to their songs, Paper Plane Pilots don't have much of a problem making their listeners enjoy their music. This Paris-based group bring together an upbeat indie punk alternative vibe to their songs; infuse it with catchy rhythms and really fun lyrics to win their audiences. Demo 2009 is obviously a few years old but it still deserves good exposure. Influenced mainly by the American alternative band scene, the guys take after their heroes to create an 8-track demo filled with punchy cuts worth bouncing around to.

William Nein: Homeless

Although he may not be a household name yet, William Nein has already managed to release six records under his belt. Every single one is available as a free download including this 2010 acoustic delight, Homeless. Nein is a London, UK based musician who likes to frequent upstate New York. His songs are evocative of fleeting emotions; beautifully capturing something that is slowly slipping away whether it's a person, thing, or emotion. Armed with an acoustic guitar and some crazy oft-melodic-yet-sometimes-high-pitched-singing; this is certainly an interesting record to check out.

Texas Poker

If you love poker, then this cool game should be right up your alley. Texas Poker- Pokerist is a free game that even poker novices can enjoy. The game involves playing a fast-paced and exciting game of Texas Hold'Em online. Unlike other poker games where you play against a computer, you actually play with other real, live players from across the globe. Don't fret if you've never played poker before since the game offers a great in-app tutorial on how you can learn to play the game. Created by Kamagames LTD, this is available for free download onto your iPad, iPhone or iTouch. Check it out.

The League of Moveable Type

Typeface has always been an integral part of art... For me it is art. And it is good to see that there are other people out there who think the same way. The League of Moveable Type came to life thanks to two designers, Caroline and Micah, to combat the limitations and raise the standards of the web. It features a collection of some of the highest-quality of typefaces I came across online in a very long time. As a user you are more than welcome to contribute, browse, download, and use the chosen typefaces for free as all of them are subject to SIL's Open Font License (which means that you are allowed to use the fonts for either personal or commercial purposes as long as you give a credit to its original creator).

Abdoulaye Alhassane: Sahara Spirit

Abdoulaye Alhassane is often called a master of the music of the Saharan cultures and languages; from Songhai, Sonrai, to Tamaschek, Peil, Toureg, and Zerma. More than anything else, however, he is an incredibly talented composer, arranger, producer and has been a part of a highly successful Niger based band, Mamar Kassey, which toured the world gathering countless of rave reviews. Although playing mainly guitar, Alhassane's instrumental entourage includes many Central Saharan strings such as Molo and Gurmi and today brings some masterfully crafted sounds further reminding us that instruments... can sing too.

ne:o – direkt (live)

Ne:o is a German band that mixes a whole lot of genres to create an essentially artistic piece of work. The group recently released a live performance compilation to cap off their German tour last 2009. It wasn't meant to be the last group performance but until today it remains to be seen whether the guys will be getting back together or not. The album is available at Aaahh Records as well as on Internet Archive. Ne:o played songs from previous albums, âne:omuzicâ, âmusikkritikâ and the critically acclaimed, âillojâ. Listening to this band is like taking a wonderful, psychedelic music trip where you encounter layers and layers of sound as well as instruments that beautifully harmonize or mingle with each other. Take a listen.

Pterodactyl: The Dark Side of the Moon

With the success of Weezer's 8-Bit Album version, there was bound to be a sequel. This time around, the boys of Pterodactyl have set their sights to cover one of the greatest bands ever, Pink Floyd. The Dark Side of the Moon has always been an iconic record ever since it was released in March 1973. Hence, it was the obvious choice for the next 8-bit rehash. The Pterodactyl Squad has gathered up some of the most prominent names in chiptune talent and made use of old game consoles to create a truly unique but true-to-the-original sound. This isn't just for those who love Floyd, it's pretty much for anybody who loves great music and good old videogames.

Greg Gibbs: The Lights

If you're looking for a relaxing electro indie pop album, you might enjoy The Lights by Greg Gibbs. Compiling 20 great tracks in one record, the singer/songwriter is definitely on a roll with his third release. The singer is currently based in Chicago. He has released two previous albums, 2007's Raincoat and 2009's Hemoglobin, which you can both get for sale at iTunes. This third compilation, The Lights, is filled with beautiful electro pop tracks that would make a lovely background to a quiet, relaxing afternoon. Check out the download by hitting the link towards the left.