SEE & HEAR: Boards of Canada - "Reach For the Dead"

With a group like Boards of Canada, atmosphere is everything. The elusive, mysterious Scottish electronic duo of Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin will release their fourth studio album, Tomorrow's Harvest, on June 10th in Europe and June 11th in the U.S. via Warp. It marks the duo's first release of new music in seven years. They just shared a Neil Krug-directed music video for the album's first single "Reach for the Dead," which you can catch below. It's a sweeping journey through valleys, desert, and abandoned structures. Matched with the soothingly eerie soundtrack, it feels rather lively despite each shot capturing rather lonely, forgotten corners of the world.

The sequence that starts around 3:26 is pure magic and visually mesmerizing.

LISTEN: Phantoms - "Do Yer Thang"

This LA electro-funk duo splits the difference between timeless grooves and modern flair, as exhibited here with "Do Yer Thang," the bonus track off their new EP. Often times bonus tracks can wind up sounding more like b-sides or less accomplished cuts, but that couldn't be farther from the truth with this track. It's got soul, it's got funk, and it's got a heavy dose of electro bass, which all wind together to create a propulsive, seductive jam. Spin this and turn your Monday into a Friday.

LISTEN: Pony Time - "What If You Caught Me" + "Because I Care"

Photo by Emily Denton

MP3: Pony Time - "What If You Caught Me"
MP3: Pony Time - "Because I Care"

Lately, jadedness seems to smother everything. Nothing is stimulating, everything has started to feel rather monotonous. It's not that life has become predictable, but it feels like it's dominated by a sense of complacency. It all just seems so stagnant. Only a wrecking ball of epic proportions could crack this all apart.

Enter no frills, straightforward, loud rock 'n' roll.

LISTEN: fjords ii - "Seabear"

MP3: fjords ii - "Seabear"

Parallels divide at some point in time, because, eventually, every road narrows. Expecting that one path will be straight until the end only leaves room for missed opportunities as you move along. And it's hard to find excitement with a lack of contrast. Appreciation for what you have -- and where you are -- never comes without a chance to see the other side of things, to miss what you've come to know.

LISTEN: My Goodness - "Blackout Baby"

My Goodness - "Blackout Baby"


The first time I heard this song, I thought it was some lost MC5 b-side. But the MC5 were never this bluesy, and they never did sound this Southern fried. "Blackout Baby" has that raw, sort of guttural punch that sounds big and hits even harder -- like the MC5 meets Led Zeppelin. It only takes one electric guitar, a drum kit, and a howling set of pipes to stir up this storm of bluesy rock 'n' roll, and that certainly says a lot about the conviction and talent of this Seattle band. My Goodness, rock 'n' roll is alive and doing quite well (sorry, I couldn't resist).

LISTEN: Falcons

Among the many great 2011 releases I didn’t manage to cover before 2012 appeared was Falcons’ mini-LP Indian Summer. It’s a seven-song collection of instrumental music that’s built upon hip-hop style beats. And while seven tracks of extended beats might seem like something that might require central points of rhyming or singing, you end up realizing that vocals, or lyrics of any kind, would be more of a distraction than anything -- detracting from the strength of the music as it currently exists. This Oakland/Vancouver duo finds a happy median between hip-hop, world, and IDM, and they certainly succeed in their mission to mix characteristics from a variety of genres into one exciting new sound. Whether it’s the salsa/latin samples that define “The Trot” or the sound clips in “Anaconda” from the film of the same name (yes, the film starring Ice Cube and J. Lo) that establish a fittingly ominous mood, Indian Summer is not only eclectic, it's unique and cohesive.

WHAT'S YOUR MUSE? Bard & Mustache

It's time for another edition of "What's Your Muse?"

The concept is simple: We ask a band/artist to choose a song that means a lot/the most to them. Then, they record and send us a video of themselves describing why they chose the song. Think of it like a collaborative video mixtape project.

In this edition, we hear from Bard & Mustache.

Photo by Scott Braun

Sarasota duo Bard & Mustache (cellist Greg Bortnichak of The Sparta Philharmonic and vocalist/guitarist Erin Murphy of The Equines, respectively) recently released their Found EP on Valentine's Day -- fitting since the duo is also a couple. Mixtape Muse had the opportunity to premiere both a live performance and interview with Bard & Mustache on the very same day, which was, altogether, almost too apropos. Bortnichak and Murphy share a bond of love that's rather indescribable, but, lucky for us listeners, it's something we can experience and see firsthand. Love is what their band seems predicated on, or, at the very least, strongly inspired by.

SEE & HEAR: Dag för Dag - "I Am the Assassin"

MP3: Dag för Dag - "I Am the Assassin"

Singer Jacob Snavely sings around the borders of the proper pitch, capturing the essence of impending chaos. Bass and guitar riffs work their way down as if to suggest a gradual slip into darkness -- a perfect support for Snavely's free yowl. There's a chill that creeps into the song as it progresses, one that draws you deeper into its percussive web. It moves with a slyness, under the cover of an ominous mood. Watch out.

Dag för Dag (Swedish for "Day by Day") is brother/sister duo Sarah Snavely (electric guitar, keyboards, bass, violin, vocals) and Jacob Snavely (bass, electric guitar, percussion, vocals).

Watch the video for "I Am the Assassin" after the hop, which was directed by the Shout Out Louds' Ted Malmros.