Ah, Fenech-Soler, welcome back, boys, welcome back. “Magnetic”, the new signal from the band’s, September 2nd-due sophomore LP Rituals is no doubt the strongest track we’ve heard from Fenech-Soler since maybe “Lies”. Try not shouting out “It’s a FEeeeeeeeling” at 1:44 when the second chorus comes in. Yes, by chorus two you’ll be hooked; “And I neeeeeeed it”.
Fenech-Soler 
(Official)
Rating 8.4
Freddie Dickson. The name of West Londoner Freddie Dickson we project will line the coffers of Critics’ Bests of Lists in 2013 and beyond. “The End” is the sort of confidently-written accomplished dark pop that Mercury Prize nominations are made of (really). “Shut Us Down,” the debut four-track EP from Freddie Dickson, is due May 20th.
Freddie Dickson – The EndFreddie Dickson (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
The lurching psychedelic simmer of “Mossy Grounds” by London band Antimatter People is sound-wise an intriguing antithesis to the sound of 2013. Bombastic grooves, nowhere man sonics, classical pianos (!), it’s all the product of a sound honed over many years in relative isolation (that would be the five plus years of bedroom studio toil of Antimatter People principal Yehan Jehan) and truthfully in the context of the mountains and mountains of mediocre “cool house-influenced records” et al. we get each and every day, Antimatter People’s sound is really refreshing.
Antimatter People (Facebook)
Rating 8.4
The anticipated sophomore album from East-London quintet Chapel Club is titled Good Together. The band’s return welcomes their appetite for innovative pop music. Although, frontman Lewis Bowman’s baritone and the band’s guitars have been checked-in for a medley of analog synthesizers and samples. Good Together was recorded at a self-built studio in Los Angeles with producer Tom Biller and you can almost feel the disco psychedlia glitz of Hollywood’s recent decades throughout the band’s exploration of pop on the album. Chapel Club have also released a new video for their next single, “Shy.” Sample both the album and video below and be sure to pick up a copy of Good Together on June 3rd via Ignition Records.
Chapel Club: 
(Facebook)
“Growing” is the beautifully-conceived reverb-washed new track from Oakland band Harriet Brown. There’s something about “Growing”, perhaps its sauntering tempo or its smooth as silk melodies, that strikes a majestic, cinematic quality for us. We are loving it.
Harriet Brown 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
“Give Up” is a nicely textured piece from Luxembourg trio Monophona. Listeners with eclectic palettes are sure to appreciate their mix of melodic, psychedelic and post-dub music. Monophona has gigged with the likes of Fink, Daughter, Polica and Sun Glitters, and they will be playing their first UK shows at The Great Escape festival next weekend. Be there.
Monophona (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.2
Join us in Santa Monica this Tuesday night as B3SCI Presents team up with the Central S.A.P.C. for a great night of local music with this month’s artist in residence, L.A. based rock band Rainbow Jackson. And just like the band’s single “Flamingo Starr” suggests, their live show is gonna ‘take you over for a supernova.’ Trust us! Rainbow Jackson will joined that night by a stellar bill of buzzing talent that includes LEVELS, Burning Jet Black, Act As If and DJ sets by Immigre. Entry for the residency night is FREE (21+) and you can get additional details on the show here. We’ll see y’all there!
The Neighbourhood’s debut album I Love You has already landed a spot on our top albums list for 2013. For a band that came from nowhere in mid-2012, this quintet from Los Angeles have done a sufficient job of kicking up noise all around the world with their sing-along lush pop-scapes and reverb drenched rock. We had the chance to speak with the band back in November about this rise to fame and what the future might hold (listen to our interview here).
For one lucky reader out there, we are giving away an exclusive prize pack of autographed swag by the band. For your chance to win a signed I Love You CD and poster email us here and say that you’d like to to be entered in The Neighbourhood prize pack giveaway. Include with your submission an answer to one of the following questions. We’ll be picking our winning email submission at random next Friday morning (5/17). One entry per person please. Also, be sure to pick up your copy of the new album here.
Questions:
Who in the band looks the coolest in a pair of shades?
What famous LA street sign is featured in The Neighbourhood’s new music video for “Sweater Weather?”
In what city will you be seeing the band perform on tour this summer?
Stream the I Love You LP:
The Neighbourhood (Tumblr) (Facebook) (Purchase ‘I Love You’ LP)
“Call It What You Want” is new from L.A. band Wardell. Sampled below from the duo’s debut EP “Brother/Sister”, “Call” is three minutes ten of sharply-crafted sweet & sunny guitar pop that we think deserves your attention (ASAP). You can start sorting that out with the play buttons below.
Wardell (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.6
Check out the expertly constructed beats-pop ode to rat-poison turpentine martinis “Universe Is Blessed” from Dovecote artist Wise Blood. Excerpted from his forthcoming debut full-length id Wise Blood a/k/a Christopher Laufman impresses with a tour de 2013 beats (he cites Zomby and SpaceGhostPurpp as inspirations) on the orchestral-loops heavy-on-the-ones-driven track. id is due June 25th.
Wise Blood – Universe Is BlessedWise Blood
: (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
“Last Forgiven” is a new favorite. The track comes from NYC based artist Luke Rathborne in anticipation of his forthcoming LP, SOFT, which is set for release July 3rd. The album was produced by Emery Dobyns and Albert Hammond Jr. While you can definitely hear Hammond Jr’s arrangement experience on some vertical qualities in “Last Forgiven”, more than that, “Last Forgiven” has a timbre that ushers in the sound of summer and all the menacing fun in life that’s yet to come. Rathborne performs May 14th in New York City at Glasslands, be there.
Rathborne – Last ForgivenRathborne 
(Official)
Rating 8.5
