Best of 2015- Tracks and Singles

Some of the top tracks and singles that came out during 2015. 
Seems like there was a huge Tame Impala radiation. 

01. Tame Impala - The Less I Know The Better
02. Susanne Sundfør- Memorial
03. Viet Cong - Continental Shelf
04. Belle and Sebastien- Play for Today
05. Bjork- Stonemilker
06. Surfjan Stevens- Should Have Know Better
07. Blur- There Are too Many of Us
08. David Bowie- Blackstar
09. Brandon Flowers- I Can Change
10. New Order- Tutti Frutti

Best of 2015- Top 10 EPs

Our growing favorite format the EP has connected more than you can imagine in one Top 10. Berlin, London, NYC as well as artists from four continents and countries like USA, Canada, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, all with their very distinctive music style and all in this little space. Enjoy!

01. Liste Noire- Afire Afire
02. Yumi Zouma- EP II
03. Tropic of Cancer- Stop Suffering
04. Talking Bush- Ordinary Unusual
05. West Nile- West Nile
06. Petite Noir- King of Anxiety
07. Trust in Love- Obliquity Series
08. Programm- Like the Sun
09. Boan- Mentiras
10. Keluar- Panguna

Best of 2015- The Album List

Time to round up the best from the year 2015! Not so packed as 2014, but still, it gave birth to some interesting releases. Worth a very special mention to Martin Phillipps' The Chills and The Apartments who returned with first new albums in almost twenty years, both reaching the Top ten on our charts, proving they still got the beat going. Our favorites by far and most listened would be Susanne Sundførs' 'Ten Love Songs' and Tame Impala's 'Currents'. What else was hot? See below...

01. Tame Impala- Currents [Modular/ Interscope]

02. Susanne Sundfør- Ten Love Songs [Kobalt]

03. Viet Cong- Viet Cong [Jagjaguwar/ Flemish Eye]

04. The Apartments- No Song, No Spell, No Madrigal [Microcultures]

05. Belle and Sebastian- Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance [Matador]

06. Julia Holter- Have You in My Wilderness [Domino]

07. The Chills- Silver Bullets [Fire]

08. Dave Gahan & Soulsavers- Angels & Ghosts [Columbia]

09. Lusts- Illuminations [1965]

10. U.S. Girls- Half Free [4AD]

WAW: U.S. Girls- Woman's Work

Our final video for this year's WAW section is by Meg Remy's led U.S. Girls. She released her sixth studio album this year and the first for 4AD and it is entitled 'Half Free'. There were three singles taken form it including the haunted and atmospheric "Woman's Work". The video was directed and filmed by Meg Remy.

Next Wave: Lusts

Lusts a are the Leicester based band consisting of  brothers Andy and James Stone. Inspired by a Paris trip and lot more from their everyday life, they decided to start the band. Although it is a duo, Lusts really sound like a real band with their atmospheric and rich in sound. They also draw inspiration from previous decades, mixing Krautrock with New Wave and Shoegaze and creating a very unique blend of post-punk psychedelia. Their debut album 'Illuminations' is out now on 1965 records. Do check them out.

http://www.lustsmusic.co.uk

Retrovision: Propaganda- Duel

"Duel" was one of the most successful single released for the German band Propaganda which was released 30 years ago. The song was taken from their debut album 'A Secret Wish' which was released through ZTT. The song reached #21 which brought them their only appearance on TotP. The song was covered by Sophie Ellis Baxtor in 2007. 

Japan's Story in Music in 'A Foreign Place' Book

Burning Shed Label has announced the release of 'A Foreign Place' is a comprehensive biography of the influential band Japan which was written by musician and author, Anthony Reynolds. 

It chronicles the rise and fall of one of one of the most respcted and influental New romantic Artpop bands and lifts the veil on the creative processes and personal histories of a fascinating group of introspective musicians whose activities have frequently been shrouded in secrecy. 

 Reynolds, previously responsible for books on The Walker Brothers and Leonard Cohen, engagingly details the strange twists and turns that saw a group of friends from working class South London develop from unpromising provincial Glam Funk origins to eventually become the authors of the innovative and exotic sonic assault of the globally successful 'Tin Drum'. 

 Written with the full approval and co-operation of Richard Barbieri, Steve Jansen and Rob Dean, the book contains many unseen period photographs, as well as first-hand accounts of the band and its music from friends, music industry associates and musical collaborators. 

  www.burningshed.com

School of Seven Bells Anounce the Release of their Final Album

School of Seven Bells have announced the release of their fourth and final album. The only remaining member of the group Alejandra Deheza has revealed the story behind it for Stereogum. Alejandra also shared this beautiful words on their official page.

"Benjamin and I wrote this record during a tour break in the summer of 2012. I can easily say that it was one of the most creative and inspired summers of our lives. What followed was the most tragic, soul shaking tidal wave that life could deliver, but even that wouldn’t stop the vision for this record from being realized. This is a love letter from start to finish. It’s the story of us starting from that first day we met in 2004, and that’s the story of School of Seven Bells. So much love to all of you. Thank you for being a constant light in our lives. This record is for you <3"

 http://sviib.tumblr.com/post/132157416770/friends-benjamin-and-i-wrote-this-record-during

Their final album will be entitled "SVIIB" and it will be released on February 2016 via Vagrant Records in the US and Full Time Hobby in Europe. "Open Your Eyes" is the first official track from it.

WAW: Girls Names- A Hunger Artist

As previously announced Girls Names have released a brand new album this year. "A Hunger Artist" is the first video to be taken from 'Arms Around a Vision' which is out 2nd October on Tough Love. The video was directed by Matthew Reed.

Next Wave: Marcel Wave

Marcel Wave is the brand new project by former Terrible Splendour Synthesist MM Lyle, who decided to explore the world of synth on her own. Marcel Wave is Modernist pop from a lost world of new romantics aiming to synthesize and dream of strange lands and creatures. All tracks are written and recorded by MM Lyle. The record is available on artist's bandcamp page. 

marcelwave.bandcamp.com

Soft Riot Release a new Studio Album

'You Never Know What Might Come Next' is the latest album by Soft Riot, further honing an atmospheric synth pop sound that was starting to be explored on the sophomore album, 'Fiction Prediction' and after a brief detour on the more instrumental  'Some More Terror'. The album is out now and it will be available on Vinyl LP, Limited Edition CD and digital. A small tour around Europe will follow to promote the album release. 

 More info on Soft Riot offical

David Bowie Official anounces the Release of 25th Studio Album

David Bowie official has announced the release of brand new album on January 8th 2016. This will be his 25th studio release, once gain released on his birthday. The album release will be preceded with a new single “Blackstar” which is announced for November 20th.

https://twitter.com/DavidBowieReal

Killing Joke Release 15th Studio Album

Killing Joke have released their fifteenth studio album 'Pylon'. This album marks 35 years of the band, as back in 1980, they released their self titled debut album. All together, the band have released more than 30 singles in their long lasting career. "I'm The Virus" has been announced as the lead single from the Album. A nine-date British tour has been announced to promote the record. 

Killing Joke are the subject of a feature-length documentary film The Death and Resurrection Show scheduled for release in 2015. The film has already been shown in various festivals between 2013 and 2014. 

Tempers' Debut Album 'Services' out now

The long awaited debut album by the NYC based Tempers is out now. During the 2014, they have released several singles and video which will be featured on the album starter including our favorite "Hell Hotline". The album will entitled 'Services' and it will be be released by the European label Aufnahme + Widergabe. It contains 10 tracks all together, including the acoustic version of "Strange Harvest" and it is a limited edition of 300 hand numbered copies, white vinyl, 2015.

Minuit Machine are back with a new studio album

Paris based Minuit Machine are back with a new album! The new album will be entitled “Violent Rains” and it is their second album and a direct follow up to “Live & Destroy” released last year. The album contains 10 songs and keeps up with the energy and mood from the previous album. It was released through 'No Emb Blanc' label. You can listen and order their new album on band's bandcamp page.

http://minuitmachine.bandcamp.com/album/violent-rains

Retrovision: The Beautiful South- A Little Time

"A Little Time" was the biggest hit for The Beuatiful South that was released 25 years ago. It was the firt single from the album 'Choke' recorded asa duet featuring vocalists Dave Hemingway and Briana Corrigan. The song reached number one #1 and went Gold in the UK while the video for the song received a Brit Award in 1991.

 

WAW: Jaakko Eino Kalevi- Double Talk

The Finnish artist Jaakko Eino Kalevi has released his sixth album this year in June. It's laid back and chill and dreamy and sounds like a last summer day. In case you missed it here is a first single "Double Talk" and a good starter.

Dimension Gondry: Bjork- Bachelorette

Our final video from the Dimension Gondry will be another Bjork video. It was very hard to select which one to go with as Michael has directed several videos for Bjork. It's for the song "Bachelorette" which was released as a single in 1997. This music video is an exploration of self reference. The video was based on an original idea by Björk, who saw "Bachelorette" as a continuation of the character portrayed in "Isobel" and "Human Behaviour". The art direction of the video was heavily praised. The video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction.

 

Next Wave: Sexwitch

Sexwitch is a musical collaboration between Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes and the English rock band Toy. Khan and Toy previously collaborated in 2013 to cover "The Bride", a pre-revolution Iranian song. The album consists of six covers of 1970s psych and folk songs. According to Khan, she and producer Dan Carey bought several "old weird psych records from different countries, strange folk mountain songs", and invited Toy to record covers of the songs. 

On August 24, Sexwitch released a single, Helelyos while their self-titled debut album is due for release on 25 September. Take a listen below.

Tropic of Cancer Announce New EP Release in October

Camella Lobo aka Tropic of Cancer has announced her come back EP which is due to be released in October. The EP will be entitled "Stop Suffering" and it will we the first new material since the release of the debut album 'Restless Idylls' in 2013. The three songs EP was recorded and produced by ex Telefon Tel Aviv member Joshua Eustis in LA. There are also plans of an album release for 2016. Stay tuned for that!