Did you know that dictators usually are of below average height? From Mussolini and Stalin to Franco Kim Jong Il, they could never quite reach that top shelf. Here then comes Danish trio The Great Dictators, who sport a bit of a controversial name but then again it’s only letters. They just released their new album Woman last month on Royal Toad Records. Attached below is Dream No Evil, a big bag of swag and lovely fuzzy riffs and a distinct sense for tempo and rhythms, marvelous. Team Poule says, aw yiss.
Driving home for Christmas? Team Poule has got you covered well with a new playlist to serve all your holiday needs. Popular Vote is a collection of 17 songs, accumulated over the past month. New names, old names, names to remember.
First on the ticket are Aarhus’ Lowly, a group of music students who have been Lowly for some time and will release their debut album early next year. Up next come Plant Eater, a sort of trip-hop group out of Portland OR who just released an album last month. After that, a dream pop number by Melbourne’s Polykite who had a debut EP out at the end of October. Malmö’s Echo Ladies follow up, a strong dream pop group with a debut to be released next year.
Pittsburgh’s wwoman share a great lo-fi pop track, check their colour cassettes that make a fitting Christmas present. Closely are up next, an engaging indie electronic trio out of Toronto. Back to Europe after that for Amsterdam’s Dakota, a quartet fusing a delicately produced lo fi pop, and a new EP out. Next come Viigo, a versatile LA/New Jersey trio ranging from glitchy electro to more poppy angles.
Los Angeles’ producer Kauf serves the next song, off his to be released debut album. Next up, Bitter Pill, a catchy experimental group of Oakland. Find after that, Wolverhampton producer Callum Drummond and his mellow beats. London power group Archivist are filed right next, strong.
The back five are led by Midnight Mystery Club, a poppy dream wave solo band out of San Luis Obispo. Next is Psychic Shakes, a fuzzy indie solo project from Southampton. Edmonton’s Tropic Harbour share a dreamy wavey tune off their new album which came out in October after that. Next, Los Angeles’ songwriter Xander Singh adds a track off his just released debut album. Finally, former Waylayers singer and Blakey form London shares a poppy number off his solo works.
And there you have it, 17 tracks that could make a Christmas commute even more worthwhile, a collection of young and rising talents, moving forward, making a collective progress. Team Poule says, let’s go.
Did you know that when in 1961 Alan Shepard became the first American in Space, his view of the Earth was all black and white and colourless because someone had forgotten remove a filter from his periscope window before the launch? Well, that’s a bit on of an in between situation isn’t it. In Between then, is also the name of Surf Rock Is Dead’s new single. The charming New Yorkers shared the single at the of November in anticipation of their debut EP, a pleasant dreamy shoegaze track with a poppy heart, attached below at your convenience. Team Poule says, follow your dreams.
Did you know that legendary Ross Barnes of the Chicago White Stockings hit in 1876 the first home run in the history of professional baseball? They say that you know it is going to be a home run the split second when the ball left your bat. In the vein of this, Newcastle’s Seeing Hands‘ latest offering is outed as a banger the second you hit the play button. It’s True is a beautifully dreamy pop squeezer of a song. Team Poule says, straight A’s.
Are you familiar with the popular German movie Victoria of 2015? A breathtaking drama filmed in a single shot, 138 uncut minutes of basically a night out in Berlin and everything that usually comes along with it, beautifully scored by Nils Frahm. In a similar vein then, comes main man BLVTH‘s latest EP 7IGER, accompanied by a 15 minute movie featuring his ventures in the German capital.
The EP follows his trademarks of vast synths and slow, icy beats, as well as a knack for leetspeak. The spaces opened up by his broad production style then, are adequately filled with life by his aesthetic video, directed and shot by Felix Aaron and Henrik Alm. 7IGER probably marks the pinnacle of BLVTH’s solo works to date, an independent, stand alone piece of art, a Yeezus of his days. 7IGER is out now, with the stellar track Ocean attached below. Team Poule says, right up top this one.
December, month of happy holidays and soothing weekends. Right in that vein then come the team of brothers Inc. No World from Los Angeles, and their hugging spin of indie pop. Even better than their new album As Light As Light is the range of tour dates that came along with it. Playing Copenhagen, Aarhus, Paris, London and Berlin before Christmas, they will also make a stop at Hamburg’s Häkken, this Friday, December 2nd, sharing a stage with the lovely Jeannel and her Mind Tricks.
Team Poule reached out for you and secured 2×2 tickets for the night on Reeperbahn which can be yours via the comment section below. Just state your number one Christmas present for this year and wait to be surprised by December 1st, 6pm CET, when the lucky winners will be drawn. Team Poule says, good luck!
