"Can you hear me when I'm trapped behind the mirror?"

20 αγαπημένες κυκλοφορίες που κατάφεραν για διαφορετικούς λόγους η κάθε μία να αφήσουν το αποτύπωμά τους στη μνήμη και στην καρδιά μου, να μου κρατήσουν συντροφιά για αμέτρητες ώρες και να εξασφαλίσουν μία θέση στη δισκοθήκη μου, με τις εμμονές σε συγκεκριμένους ήχους και τις αδυναμίες σε ορισμένα συγκροτήματα και καλλιτέχνες να παραμένουν εμφανείς για ακόμα μία χρονιά. Η σειρά της ταξινόμησης αποτυπώνει τις προτιμήσεις της δεδομένης χρονικής στιγμής και παραμένει σχετική, αφού άλλαξε αρκετές φορές μέχρι να λάβει την ακόλουθη μορφή. Σύντομα αναμένεται εμπλουτισμός της!

20. TV on the Radio - Seeds



19. The Twilight Sad - Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave



 18. Cloud Nothings - Here and nowhere else



17. Mogwai - Rave tapes



16. Lawrence English - Wilderness of mirrors



15. Alexander Turnquist - Flying fantasy



14. Damon Albarn - Everyday robots



13. Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's modern boxes




12. Sophia Loizou - Chrysalis



11. A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Atomos



10. The Antlers - Familiars
Το 'Familiars' περιλαμβάνει εννιά ονειρικά υπέροχα, ατμοσφαιρικά βελούδινα νανουρίσματα, με τις απόκοσμα αέρινες μελωδίες, τον έντονα νοσταλγικό, χαρακτηριστικά πένθιμο ήχο της τρομπέτας και την παράφορα εκφραστική φωνή του Peter Silberman να σε προσκαλούν να αποκοιμηθείς στην αγκάλη τους.



 09. Wild Beasts - Present tense
Οι Wild Beasts μας εκπλήσσουν, για τέταρτη φορά, με το αποστομωτικό 'Present Tense' και τις ακόμα πιο λιτές ενορχηστρώσεις, με έμφαση στην κάθε λεπτομέρεια και με μια ευρηματική στροφή σε αναλογικούς ήχους και τεχνικές παραγωγής, με τα synths και τους διακριτικούς, αισθαντικούς χτύπους των κρουστών και της drum machine στο επίκεντρο, τις απλές, επαναλαμβανόμενα μαγευτικές μελωδίες, τα δραματικά, μελαγχολικά τραγούδια τους που ριζώνουν ακόμα πιο βαθιά στη μνήμη μας, με φόντο ποικίλες εκφάνσεις της αγάπης, της σύγχρονης ζωής και της ανθρώπινης φύσης, τα επώδυνα που μας επιφυλάσσει η άγνοια, την αναζήτηση εκείνων που υπάρχουν κάπου εκεί έξω για εμάς, τους νοσταλγικούς απόηχους του χρόνου που αφήνουμε πίσω μας και το τώρα και φυσικά, τις εντυπωσιακές, εκφραστικές ερμηνείες τους. Από τη μία, η εκτυφλωτικά λυρική, εκθαμβωτική, γεμάτη ευαισθησία και αισθησιασμό φωνή του Hayden Thorpe και από την άλλη, η εξίσου έξοχη, αλλά με διαφορετικό εύρος, του Tom Fleming να αιχμαλωτίζουν τις αισθήσεις μας.



08. Xiu Xiu - Angel guts: Red classroom
Τολμηρά καινοτόμες, πειραματικές ενορχηστρώσεις με τις οποίες τους αγαπήσαμε σχεδόν πριν μία δεκαετία, με τα αναλογικά synths και την drum machine στο επίκεντρο, πλήθος απρόσμενων, εμπνευσμένων, ηλεκτρονικά επεξεργασμένων και παραμορφωμένων ήχων, beats και νοσηρά εφιαλτικών θορύβων, στρυφνές, προκλητικές, δυσοίωνα σκοτεινές, οδυνηρές, στιχουργικές απεικονίσεις, θρήνοι και μελοδραματισμοί, σχέσεις σε αποσύνθεση, ιδιαίτερες σεξουαλικές αναζητήσεις και έρωτες σε αδιέξοδο, πληγωμένες αναμνήσεις και ανεκπλήρωτες υποσχέσεις, φόβοι, κραυγές, ψίθυροι και βέβαια, η έντονα συναισθηματική, αποκαλυπτικά εξομολογητική, ξεχωριστά υποβλητική ερμηνεία του Jamie Stewart που εξακολουθεί να αγγίζει με ένα παράξενα, ανατριχιαστικά μαγευτικό τρόπο την καρδιά μας.



07. Hamilton Leithauser - Black hours
Μελαγχολικοί στοχασμοί, βαθιοί αναστεναγμοί και αποσπερινές εξομολογήσεις με την ασύγκριτα εκφραστική, αισθαντική ερμηνεία του Hamilton Leithauser για ανεκπλήρωτους πόθους και υποσχέσεις που βρέθηκαν σε στενά αδιέξοδα με σπασμένους τους φανοστάτες, για μοναχικά όνειρα κρεμασμένα ψηλά στη νύχτα και αφηρημένες σκιές κάτω από το άκαρπο δέντρο της αγάπης, για ερωτήματα που αναζητούν, απογοητευμένα, απαντήσεις μέσα σε δεκάδες, σκόρπια, ρομαντικά σημειώματα, με συντροφιά μελωδίες παλιομοδίτικης αύρας και ενορχηστρώσεις που άλλοτε βασίζονται σε ένα πιάνο ή στους δραματικούς ήχους των εγχόρδων, άλλοτε παραπέμπουν στους δίσκους των αγαπημένων The Walkmen και άλλοτε εμπλουτίζονται με ευφορικούς, πολύχρωμους τόνους και φωνητικά.



06. Elbow - The take off and landing of everything
Οι Elbow χωρίς να αποκλίνουν από τον ήχο που αγαπήσαμε, διευρύνουν το μουσικό ύφος τους και μας χαρίζουν μία ακόμα απαράμιλλα θαυμάσια κυκλοφορία. Το 'The take off and landing of everything' περιέχει δέκα συνθέσεις σε σχήμα καρδιάς, θεμελιωμένες στην ανείπωτη γοητεία της απλότητας και του μέτρου, που αγκαλιάζουν εγκάρδια μελωδίες από όργανο, κιθάρα και πιάνο, με διακριτικούς χτύπους των drums και με πνευστά, έγχορδα και χορωδιακά φωνητικά να αναλαμβάνουν να μας χαρίσουν στιγμές ψυχικής ανάτασης. Στο προσκήνιο, η αφοπλιστικά εκφραστική ερμηνεία του Guy Garvey και οι παράφορα συναισθηματικοί στίχοι, έντονης ποιητικής και νοσταλγικής αύρας, μέσα από τους οποίους μας επιτρέπει να τρυπώσουμε στις σελίδες του προσωπικού του ημερολόγιου, να κρυφοκοιτάξουμε πως αποτυπώνει στο χαρτί, ρομαντικές αναμνήσεις, υπό τη φευγαλέα σκιά ενός αποχωρισμού και να αντικρίσουμε μελαγχολικούς στοχασμούς για την αφοσίωση, το χρόνο που περνάει και την παντοτινή αγάπη.



05. Have A Nice Life - The unnatural world
Οι Have a Nice Life μας συγκλονίζουν με το 'The unnatural world', το δεύτερο, θριαμβευτικά άψογο έργο τέχνης τους και μέσα από μια συνοπτικότερη (όπου μεταξύ άλλων μεταλλάσσουν κάποιες παλιότερες demo ηχογραφήσεις τους), αλλά εξίσου συνταρακτική, μουσική εμπειρία ζωής, μας εγκλωβίζουν σε μια διαρκή, κλειστοφοβικά μυστηριώδη και δυσβάσταχτα, φλογισμένα συναισθηματική ατμόσφαιρα, εκρηκτικά διαπεραστικού θορύβου, παραμορφώσεων, αντηχήσεων και ζοφερής ambient και μας συνθλίβουν με τα εκκωφαντικά στοιχειωμένα, απόμακρα, αδυσώπητα απεγνωσμένα φωνητικά, τις πνιγμένες στην αιθάλη του φόβου, της αποξένωσης, της απελπισίας κραυγές τους, τα δραματικά χορωδιακά μέρη και τα μουρμουρητά αποπνικτικής αμφιβολίας.



04. Iceage - Plowing into the field of love
...



03. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Η πολυσχιδώς ταλαντούχα, St. Vincent μας μαγνητίζει με την τέταρτη, ομότιτλη κυκλοφορία της, παραδίδοντας ακόμα ένα ασύγκριτα εξαίσιο κομψοτέχνημα. Με τολμηρή, πειραματική, αντισυμβατική διάθεση συνεχίζει να αναζητά, να προσεγγίζει και να δοκιμάζει νέες υφές και ανατρεπτικούς ήχους για να πλαισιώσουν τις pop αισθητικής, μουσικές φόρμες και τις λεπτομερείς, αξιοθαύμαστα πολυεπίπεδες ενορχηστρώσεις της, συρράφοντας στις σαγηνευτικές μελωδίες της, ευφάνταστες εναλλαγές ρυθμού, synths, πνευστά και περίτεχνους, παραμορφωμένους, απρόσμενους, αλλά άψογα μελετημένους, ακροβατικούς αυτοσχεδιασμούς με την κιθάρα της, φωτίζοντας με τους στιχουργικούς προβολείς και τη διαπεραστικά βελούδινη φωνή της, σκηνές προσωπικών εμπειριών και περιστατικών της ζωής της.



02. Swans - To be kind
Οι Swans μας προσφέρουν ακόμα μία αποκαλυπτικά απόκοσμη, εξαντλητικά αδυσώπητη, εκστατικά δραματική, ραγισμένα εσωστρεφής και εκφραστικά πολύμορφη, ηχητική εμπειρία. Ένα μουσικό γλυπτό εντυπωσιακά σμιλευμένο πάνω σε ισορροπημένα επαναλαμβανόμενους θορύβους, ταραχώδεις μελωδίες και παραμορφώσεις, περιεκτικά ατμοσφαιρικές παύσεις και στιγμές γαλήνης, πένθιμα εμβατηριακούς και ξαφνικούς, εκρηκτικά βροντερούς χτύπους των κρουστών. Ένας επιδέξιος ενορχηστρωτικός κυκεώνας που παγιδεύει τον ακροατή σε ένα αποπνικτικό λαβύρινθο χωρίς διέξοδο διαφυγής.



01. Spoon - They want my soul
Παρά τη μακρόχρονη δισκογραφική τους απουσία, το πάθος, το δημιουργικά ανατρεπτικό τους πνεύμα και η διαρκής διάθεση των αγαπημένων Spoon να διευρύνουν τον ήχο τους, να τον εμπλουτίζουν και να χρησιμοποιούν διαφορετικά, στοιχεία που έχουμε λατρέψει σε προηγούμενες κυκλοφορίες τους, όχι απλά δεν ξεθώριασε, αλλά στο αριστουργηματικά εξαιρετικό 'They want my soul' ακτινοβολεί εντονότερα από ποτέ. Δίνοντας και πάλι έμφαση στην κάθε λεπτομέρεια, μας χαρίζουν δέκα ακαταμάχητα υπέροχες συνθέσεις, απογυμνωμένες από οτιδήποτε περιττό, με ευφάνταστα, επαναλαμβανόμενα, κολλητικά groove και πανέμορφες μελωδίες, κοφτούς ρυθμούς, χορευτικές αποχρώσεις, φλεγόμενα λαμπρές, αρμονικές υφές των synths πλάι σε ακουστικές και ηλεκτρικές κιθάρες, παραμορφώσεις, παλαμάκια, σφυρίγματα και αφαιρετικά εμπνευσμένους χτύπους των drums και όπως πάντα, μελαγχολικά σκοτεινές και ονειροπόλες διηγήσεις για τις αδιόρατες εκφράσεις της αγάπης, της απελπισίας, της αβεβαιότητας και των προσδοκιών και επιδέξια, γεμάτα συναίσθημα φωνητικά από τον μοναδικό Britt Daniel.



 Aγαπημένα EP, mini LP και singles

Chelsea Wolfe & King Dude - Sing more songs together...
Savages - Fuckers
Deafheaven - From the kettle onto the coil
Wild Beasts - Soft future / Blood knowledge
Autobahn - Autobahn 2

Jon Hopkins - Asleep versions EP
My Brightest Diamond - None more than you EP
Moonface - City Wrecker EP
Mogwai - Music industry 3. Fitness industry 1. EP
Julianna Barwick - Rosabi EP

Συναυλία της χρονιάς
65daysofstatic στο Plisskën festival

Ζωντανή ηχογράφηση
Björk - Biophilia Live





"Supermoon"

Οι 65daysofstatic δε σταματάνε να μας εκπλήσσουν. Αυτή τη φορά αναλαμβάνουν να ηχογραφήσουν τη μουσική που θα συνοδεύει τις τρισδιάστατες εικονικές εξερευνήσεις του γαλαξία και τις ατέρμονες περιηγήσεις στο απέραντο διάστημα για τις ανάγκες του παιχνιδιού ‘No Man’s Sky’. Το πρώτο δείγμα που προσεδαφίστηκε ξαφνικά, το "Supermoon" πιστοποίησε ότι για ακόμα μία φορά, μας περιμένει μία συγκλονιστική ηχητική εμπειρία!



"Full Bleed"

"Full Bleed is a more experimental turn for Paul Wolinski following his more song structured work as POLINSKI and numerous albums, movie scores and one-off performances with 65daysofstatic. Full Bleed is an all together different kind of record, a move into bleaker, more experimental territory. The digital glitches have been subsumed by analog tape hiss; the kick drums have been eaten by white noise; tempos have become atemporal. Pianos topple over themselves, lost in a hail of interference/distortion pedals, not sure if they’re being played by a human or robot, whilst badly-built MIDI systems spit out melodies before crashing whatever laptop they’re running on."



"On Monos"

Τέσσερα χρόνια μετά το έξοχο 'Helioscope', οι Vessels επανέρχονται για να μας καθηλώσουν με τη νέα κυκλοφορία τους, το 'Dilate' (αναμένεται το Μάρτιο) και όπως μας προϊδεάζουν τα θαυμάσια "Elliptic" και "On Monos" στο προσκήνιο των συνθέσεών τους θα βρίσκονται τα synths, τα ηλεκτρονικά και οι χορευτικοί ρυθμοί, χωρίς να απουσιάζουν εκείνα τα στοιχεία και οι λεπτομέρειες που τους έκαναν να ξεχωρίσουν.


Vessels' Tim Mitchell: "The new album is both a clear departure and a continuation from Helioscope. A departure in a number of obvious ways : there are less awkward time signatures, less guitars, more four to the floor rhythms, sampled beats and analogue synthesizers. There are also some beautiful female vocals on two of the tracks. Like our previous work, there is a lot going on textually and there are still the dynamics that were present in our previous music. However there is even more of a rhythmic urgency in this album, and tricks taken from the world of dance music."



"Stealing cars"

"'Stealing Cars' is a yearning, tender yet billowing thing of smoky wonder. A heady mix of clattering percussion, serrated guitar lines, minimal yet addictive piano refrains, and those all-important enigmatic vocals; it will be ringing in your ears for days."



Music Alliance Pact - November 2014

Η μηνιαία συλλογή του Music Alliance Pact με σύντομες πληροφορίες για όσα ξεχώρισαν 22 συστηματικοί ακροατές μουσικής από την σκηνή της χώρας που διαμένουν. Αποκτήστέ την στο σύνολό της πατώντας εδώ ή μεμονωμένα στον τίτλο του κάθε τραγουδιού.

Babis Papadopoulos blends the organic nature of Greek traditional folk music, rhythms rich with contemporary elements and avant-garde jazz and succeeds in creating a sequence of lush, varied and nostalgic tracks. Spring, the splendid first preview from his forthcoming album, Joy In Pain, Pain In Joy, is dominated by a delicate, recurring melody in bouzouki, mournful violins, a broody viola and the warm restlessness of his guitar.

CHILE: Super 45
The Dagger Complex were formed in 2013 by Hernán Díaz (vocals/guitar), Michaela Boman (vocals), Abraham Vicencio (guitar), Gonzalo Chandía (bass) and Ignacio Álvarez (drums). Their debut EP, Vibrant, released by Beast Discos, is a collection of songs inspired by early 90s shoegaze and dream-pop, one foot set in the cadence of bands such as Slowdive or Mojave 3, the other one in the fuzzy mass of noise of The Jesus And Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
In March 2013, a mixed group of musicians gathered together in Cordoba and Buenos Aires to play some songs and sound pieces composed with lyrics taken from the work of a federal collective of artists called Esta Vida No Otra. Some of them recorded the results several months later, and those tracks were then released as a compilation titled 15 Artistas Cantan Esta Vida No Otra. The song we have selected from this album, also available for free at Bandcamp, is Cuando Te Hablo by Tomás Ferrero from the band Rayos Láser.

Open Swimmer's version of pop is jarring, even discordant at first, but it's this blatantly simple approach that has us hooked. (Dirty Projectors fans, pay attention now.) Sugar Bowl is a brilliant introduction to the band; playful yodelling is cut and pasted along a steady 4/4 drum beat, while witty banter takes the fore. Songwriter Ben TD was based in Glasgow for seven years, touring extensively and landing multiple sessions on BBC Radio One and a stint at T in the Park before settling in Melbourne. The band comprises some of Melbourne's most admired independent music alumni (The Harpoons, Seagull). Expect to hear a lot more from this group.

Alessandra Leão shows off her experimental side with Mofo, taken from her new EP, Pedra De Sal. Avoiding the world music sound from other works, this song has dark music and some weird programming that fits the angst of the lyrics.

There's not actually much out there on Beach Season besides the fact the project is from Calgary. The smooth vocals of Midnights complements the hip-hop influenced rhythms. This is a duo that won't be much of a mystery for long.

IAmFire have their debut EP ready and apparently it sounds like a "massive drug experience" to frontman Peter Dolving. Come December, he and the rest of the gang will be releasing this groovy stoner metal dragon and here's Burn Your Halo as a MAP exclusive download.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Casetera
Hip-hop producer Gnómico has always been interested in preserving Dominican musical culture for the present and future generations. Now he's embarking on a new project called Sinergia that will add an urban twist to many songs from past decades. The first one is Mesita De Noche, a famous 90s bachata by Victor Victor, now remade with a funky fresh attitude, Gnómico's own rap verses and Mr Victor himself singing its signature chorus.

ECUADOR: Plan Arteria
From the city of Cuenca, Da Culkin Clan represents the most weird and experimental contemporary hip hop of the country. Their lyrics and music are a bunch of random, powerful and creative ideas - a mixture of carnival and fiction figures. From debut album Special Dark, we present its first single, Sometimes You Make Love.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Dangdut Koplo is one of the most famous electro genres in the shady underground clubs of Indonesia. This trashy dance anthem was created by the guy behind Dubyouth as an introduction.

Hyped up by authorities as hefty as The Guardian and NME, Dublin's SPIES are widely seen as the city's next big thing. Moosehead is the latest of their slow to emerge singles, released on the band's own Trout Records label. Leaning on the same glorious desolation that fronted Factory Records' world-renowned soundscapes, it's a jittery, dingy piece of indie-rock that brings atmospheric depression up to date. Think social awkwardness meets Interpol, and put a hefty bookmark on this space.

ITALY: Polaroid
On the cover of Bleak, the debut album by Klam, there is a foggy road, a city in the shadow, a storm seems to be approaching. It's a perfect introduction to the sound of the band: dark shoegaze with post-punk sharp edges. They can create hazy clouds of feedback, but they can also write vibrant and trembling songs like this one.

If the term 'vaporwave' gives you chills, either turn back now or try to think beyond whatever concepts of the internet microgenre you have. Toyohirakumin makes music that is often filed as - and in some cases sounds like - vaporwave, but Cliff is far more than an exercise in aesthetics. It is a slow burner, and a minimal one at that, but a compelling throbber from a promising Japanese producer.

Fastidju was born when Nigel Baldacchino (essentially a non-musician) started conceiving vague sung melodies and aural structures for existing pieces of writing compiled for the exhibition, Sajda, in 2012. Nigel started seeking collaborations with electronic producers he admired, such as Istishhad Hheva and Cygna, to provide flesh to his musical skeletons. An album was devised and a band took on the task of developing some of the structures - and even creating new songs. Cygna ultimately ended up being the main crucial guiding light in the final studio phase.

Hailing from Guadalajara, Pumcayó is a band that weaves their region's folkloric heritage, with patterns found on Grizzly Bear or Fleet Foxes' music. Following a Kino-Pravda aesthetic - as in Dziga Vertov's Soviet documentary from the 20s - the video for the song Don Jacinto follows the semi-industrial art of making colourful papercrafts, a simple decor in Mexican celebrations with a beautifully complex craft.

PERU: SoTB
Mirella Bellido is the songwriter and lead singer of Mind Black. These Days is her debut five-track EP that moves through different emotions such as anxiety, perversion, obsession and regret. Mind Black, as defined by its creator, is a balance between the emotional and rational.

Coimbra band A Jigsaw are back with a new album, No True Magic. Jorri and João Rui, the two members of the folksy alternative band, invited Carla Torgerson (The Walkabouts) to join them on vocals for one of the tracks, Black Jewelled Moon. They also produced the record, which will find new fans in those who appreciate artists such as Tindersticks, Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits.

PUERTO RICO: Puerto Rico Indie
After an exhaustive and intense European tour, garage-rockers Los Vigilantes returned to Puerto Rico with a new record under their belt. Aptly titled Al Fin (At Last), it perfectly showcases the band's brand of melodic surf punk: both infectious and melancholy, it makes your bones rattle, a bit from pain and a bit from joy. Los Vigilantes recently shared a video for the record's second single, Ahí Ya No Estoy, in which a scorned lover wills himself into feeling hopeful for the future with a little help from his friends, cheering us all up in the process. Dance those blues away with Los Vigilantes.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Billy Jeffrey Jnr's debut album, Eternal Blue, received modest attention when it was released in early 2014 but - thanks to the power of word-of-mouth and mesmeric live performances - it continues to gain the Glasgow songwriter a host of new fans and followers with each passing week. Possessing the same otherworldly quality as Bon Iver, it is a record full of elegant moments, with title track Eternal Blue being a personal favourite.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
We Hate JH - 20
Emo/power-pop band We Hate JH made the finals of this year's edition of the foremost South Korean rookie competition, Hello Rookie. A brand new single will be out very soon, but 20 is the charming and extremely likeable opening track off the official debut EP Officially, We Hate JH released earlier this year.

SPAIN: Musikorner
Role - Shrine II
Role are a four-piece from Madrid whose sound is influenced by dream-pop, trip-hop and even art-rock. They have played live at Valle Eléctrico, one of the most important experimental electronic club nights in Spain, and their first album is due to be released in the first quarter of 2015.

UNITED STATES: We Listen For You
Jenna Dean - Blown
Funk-based hip hop is alive and well in the form of this brilliant track from Jenna Dean. Smooth guitars open into a locked groove that swarms around a controlled lyrical outpouring. It's a song that builds and builds, never letting the listener down.

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a zip file of the full 22-track compilation through Dropbox here.



Music Alliance Pact - October 2014

Η μηνιαία συλλογή του Music Alliance Pact με σύντομες πληροφορίες για όσα ξεχώρισαν 21 συστηματικοί ακροατές μουσικής από την σκηνή της χώρας που διαμένουν. Αποκτήστέ την στο σύνολό της πατώντας εδώ ή μεμονωμένα στον τίτλο του κάθε τραγουδιού.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Dead Gum - Float
Panagiotis Spoulos, as Dead Gum, mainly uses guitar and vocals through minimal effects to create instant songs, psychedelic collages and direct, stripped-down bursts. The music itself - partially improvised but fully psychographic - has anthropocentric characteristics and lo-fi character and flirts with punk, bedroom pop and analog noise. Float is the gripping opening track off his upcoming album, GAINER.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Ubika - Fahrenheit
Hard rock guitars, solid bass and drums plus strong female vocals are the formula behind Ubika. Fahrenheit is the first single from their latest album, Amigos Del Bosque, and it's inspired by Ray Bradbury's novel. The song has a video directed by Diego Stickar, which you can watch here.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
The Twoks - First Light
The Twoks are a Melbourne two-piece comprising Xani Kolac on violin and vocals, and Mark Leahy on drums. Initially the solo instrumental project of Kolac, who studied jazz and improvisation at Victorian College of the Arts, the duo is now renowned on the local live circuit for their unpredictable sets which feature Kolac on loop station and a smorgasbord of effects. On The Twoks' latest release, First Light EP - which boasts crisp production from Tony Buchen (The Preatures) - Kolac's improvisations have been whittled down to concise retro-pop tunes in the vein of Pat Benatar or Kate Bush.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Baleia - Breu
Breu is one of the strongest songs from Baleia's debut album, released last year. They first caught the attention of the indie press in Brazil with a jazzy cover of Justin Timberlake but in their album they show a handful of influences, resulting in experimental indie-rock that dabbles in baroque pop and folk.

CANADA: Ride The Tempo
Friends Forever - As Long As You Call Me
The duo of Jordan Pearson (New Zebra Kid/Halcyon) and Sam McDougall don't have many songs yet under the moniker Friends Forever, but As Long As You Call Me shows off vintage 80s synth-pop inspiration with sparking melodies.

CHILE: Super 45
Magaly Fields - Love Scene
Magaly Fields is a duo formed by Tomás Stewart (guitar) and Diego Cifuentes (drums) who rock fast and strongly. They released their debut album Chromatic Days in September through Algo Records. Their first single is Love Scene, a fictional tune about a rotten relationship that fantasies that the romance never really happened.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Hit The Hay - Long Way Home
One of my favorite Danish bands right now, Hit The Hay travel dusty American roads with bags packed with catchy Scandinavian melancholy. Here is my first meeting with them, Long Way Home, as a MAP exclusive download, but do also check out the great Never Wanted Out and Running.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Casetera
Doob - Put On Your Seat Belt (Brenda M Remix)
True island vibes can be felt all over the work of Doob, a young producer from La Vega who spends his time remixing, and ranging between soul and progressive house on tracks of his own. The original Put On Your Seat Belt song can be heard here, but the one featuring on this MAP edition is a Nu-disco remix by Brenda M, a DJ and collaborator from the neighboring Santiago province.

ECUADOR: Plan Arteria
Estereo Humanzee - Insaciable
In less than one year, Estereo Humanzee return to MAP with their new EP, 8min 20seg. This three-song EP, that came with their new live album Signaux Lumineux, is a real statement of the evolution of their electronic sound.

FRANCE: Your Own Radio
Singapour - Paris SA
Singapour is the new project from the duo Mondrian, who are composed of Roman Oswald and Lee Gordon. On their track Paris SA (Paris Société Anonyme) they present the Paris you don't really want to know: €10,000 per square meter, €3 coffee, stressful life. It's the storytelling of a complicated relationship between Parisians and their city, a kind of "I love you… me neither".

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Megatruh - Annelies
Megatruh come from Malang, a small city in the eastern part of Java with plenty of music talent, and Megatruh is one of the latest breed. After a series of painful things happened to frontman Kidung, he started a project influenced by post-punk, psychedelia and noise-rock with 90s sensibilities.

IRELAND: Hendicott Writing
Conor Walsh - The Front
West coast modern-classical pianist Conor Walsh has one foot in Ireland's contemporary scene through his toned-down samples and nuanced electronics. In the most part, though, his music exudes a mellow timelessness, taking the gorgeous throwback farmland of rural Mayo and converting it into a sound that's part film score, part desolate romance. At first listen this sounds like simple piano music; let it sit and The Front's gentle flow whisks you away.

ITALY: Polaroid
Niagara - Vanillacola
Niagara are a Turin-based experimental pop duo. They say their sound incorporates elements of electronic, psychedelic, Eastern and dance music, but I think it's more surprising than this. The track Vanillacola, from their second album Don't Take It Personally (out now on the UK label Monotreme), is a wonderful example of Niagara's elusive idea of music: Boards Of Canada synths that destroy a catchy pop structure, while the vocals become more obsessive as the melody gets hypnotic.

JAPAN: Make Believe Melodies
The Somedays - Remember Me
There is no shortage of indie-pop music in Japan. There has never been a lack of twee-leaning, ennui-dunked groups in this country. Osaka group The Somedays have found a smart way to stand out from the pack. Remember Me is anchored by all the regular trappings of the style - guitar, drums, melancholy vocals - but is given a buzzy edge thanks to the presence of synthesizers, lending a futuristic vibe to their sound.

MEXICO: Red Bull Panamérika
Pájaro Sin Alas - Alfombra Mágica Mental
Rodolfo Ramos Castro aka Pájaro Sin Alas ("Bird With No Wings") not only penned one of the most heartbreaking songs of the first half of this decade, but also became a figure whose slow output is worth the wait. Alfombra Mágica Mental functions as bitter sips of shared realities that strangely link the mystery of the Arabian Nights with the barren landscapes of his home state of Chihuahua in northern Mexico.

PERU: SoTB
Las Amigas De Nadie - Should Not Let It Go
Human Dress is the new album of Las Amigas De Nadie, released two years after Sincronia, a record that created great interest in the Latin American music scene thanks to its originality. Human Dress gives us a much deeper insight into the experimental melodies that the band introduced in their previous album. Should Not Let It Go is their first single, an addictive and remarkable mix of electronic textures and distorted vocals.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Pernas De Alicate - Pássaros (Casa Para Pássaros, Parte I)
Pernas De Alicate is not really a band but a project started by drummer Carlos BB, who is also a recording studio owner, and Sara Feio, an illustrator. They invited some of their friends and acquaintances to contribute their art, music, illustrations, photography and film for Pernas De Alicate. The music was recorded over Carlos BB's drums, with every musician invited on a one-by-one basis. The video for Pássaros (Casa Para Pássaros, Parte I) was directed by Sara.

PUERTO RICO: Puerto Rico Indie
Samalot - Valle De Luz
After two intense albums as part of experimental rock group Tachdé, Fernando Samalot has created his own niche in the prolific Puerto Rican music scene with his introspective and meditative songs. With the steady hand of engineer and producer Héctor "Stontape" Hernández, Fernando has created musical landscapes filled with desire, hope and wisdom that seem to travel like wind from our lush Caribbean mountains down to the intricate river channels of the island. Samalot's most recent EP - available through Bandcamp - features two "sister" songs, Rayo De Luz and Valle De Luz. Both are definitely faces of the same coin.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
The Xcerts - Pop Song
The Xcerts have been my favourite Scottish rock band since their debut album In The Cold Wind We Smile was released in 2009, with its impassioned choruses and gripping moments of melancholy. It wasn't difficult to fall under its spell. While the follow-up record was deliberately rougher around the edges, their imminent third album, There Is Only You, out on November 3, is an exhibition of The Xcerts' songwriting strength. The melodic explosion of the aptly-named Pop Song, a MAP exclusive download, is a case in point. Check out the video for it here.

SPAIN: Musikorner
YDVST - 2044
YDVST breathes mysticism and irrealities. His first EP, DVST / CUTS was written during silent and uncertain nights. It was released by the Sweat Taste label and contains experimental essences of ambient, downtempo and vaporware. This mysterious yet captivating artist from Madrid will certainly develop his projects at his own pace.

UNITED STATES: We Listen For You
The Fervor - Moment Of Truth
Louisville, Kentucky's The Fervor mixes in lush orchestration with pounding vocals that conjure up thoughts of Neko Case. The music is filled with small moments of beauty that once heard as a complete piece results in a blissful listen.

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a zip file of the full 21-track compilation through Dropbox here.

Follow their traces