Geneva Jacuzzi - Cannibal Babies

In the wake of David Bowie's death, it seems almost trivial to discuss music by other artists. When someone as beloved and admired as David Bowie passes, there is a lot of reflection about that persons legacy and the memories of their life. Bowie in some way or another arguably effected every musician making a go of it today, and ultimately changed the way we think about and process popular and independent music. How could anyone ever come close to filling such a polarizing figure's shoe? The answer is, they couldn't. There will never be another Bowie, but instead of searching for his successor we should really be celebrating the vast trove of sonic visions he bestowed upon us. Bowie paved a path for glam and funk artists of the 70s and even spawned a new wave of outsider music that framed the sound of the 1980s. His embrace of music videos, synthesizers, and androgynous imagery are what eventually made possible the exuberant pop music we hear from artists such as Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Adam Ant, and even Madonna. Today, Bowie's presence is inescapable, and his high wire dance between pop and the avant garde, still viewed as something of true admiration. We can easily point out his influence over large artists like LCD Soundsytem and even Lady Gaga, by why not probe the lesser known acts like Geneva Jacuzzi, who really shine in the ultra violet light of the weird. Jacuzzi has been weirding people out since 2008, with her own brand of sleaze-pop, that stands in line with with artists like Ssion, or Ariel Pink. The synths are heavy, the beat banging, and the vocals echoing through an endless slinky, dripping with motor-oil. The video here for Cannibal Babies, is filled with minimal imagery: Jacuzzi languishing infornt of a white background as the pixels distort in and around her. She's clad in a Bowie-esque unitard and her teeth glisten with a dark substance, as she sings about "cannibals coming out of my sex." Jacuzzi dredge's up feelings of nostalgia for ancient discos packed with popping freaks. While at the same time she consistently brings a vibe entirely her own to her tracks, giving this and all her songs a blurred sense of the past and the future. Bowie may have written the book, but he no doubt would have given a thumbs up, to the next chapter, being written by Geneva Jacuzzi and other's not unlike her.

Under-heard Releases of 2015

~Salad Boys - Metalmania This group of Kiwis slipped under the door of the 015, with a breezy set of carefully constructed guitar pop. With a pop punk drive and post punk vibe, Salad Boys fits comfortably among the canon of New Zealand indie rock. Equal parts The Skeptics and The Chills. Some of the more acoustic songs on here have lush sound that is so often lost on modern acoustic Pop songs, where the strumming is not wittled down like a brittle pencil, but rather built up with layering and chorus pedals. Metalmania is a delightful dream and deserves many more spins. ~Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion Coming off the heals of a Broadway stint, as well as the release of one of the most infectious pop songs ever written, Carly Rae Jepsen was poised to take the easy way out. Put Max Martin in a room, pen a few lyrics involving emojis and dunzo. Call Me Maybe part 2, making it rain. Instead the Canadian Pop star, went a different route. Channeling 80s new wave and disco, as well as early 90s house, Emotion is the sort of record you might expect from Kyli Minogue or even Robyn, at times. Its as a progressive as it is accessible and keenly focused on production and content. Nearly every song on the album can worm its way into your head, and yet it remains estranged from top 40 list. One could make the argument that I Really Like You is the sequel to Call Me Maybe, and maybe it is, but there are so many other tracks on this album that prove that Jepsen has transcended her breakthrough hit. I Didn't Just Come Here to Dance, Warm Blood, and All That are perfect examples, of a pop artist blending her influences into deeply moving, emotional dance songs. If you had originally written this one off, don't. I urge everyone to return to a record that critics will no doubt point to in 10yrs time. ~Tamaryn - Cranekiss Cloaked in a dark, gothic sexuality, Tamaryn's Cranekiss is the sort of record Robert Smith would have loved to contribute to in the late 80s. Shed is the psychedelic wooziness that penned Tamaryn into the already overcrowded Dream Pop field. Instead she take the full step into pop-hood, with a massive record bursting with glittering synths, jagged guitars lines, and Linn Drum like percussion. With a simpleton's perception one might say, Tamaryn moved from Lush like sound to something in the realm of Siouxsie Sioux, though that comparison falls short of what is actually constructed here. The sounds our lavish and grandiose, yet still dark and yearning. Tamaryn lives more in a world of Kate Bush the way she transforms a croon to whisper, flexing her range in each track. Returning to the production, this record was made in partnership with Shuan Durkan, guitar mastermind behind Weekend, who released one of the best records of 2013, Jinx. Often we hear albums of this nature are purely derivative, aping outdated sounds of the past. Though with one spin of Cranekiss it is obvious that these songs are far more than a blast from the past, but rather a string of modern Pop songs, cast in a Goth-like house. ~Tory Lanez - Say It Tory Lanez is a Canadian rapper/singer who optimizes what it is to be a Hip-Hop artist in 2015. Created by Kanye and perfected by Drake, singing and rapping on the same track is no longer a novel thing, but simply the norm. The staggering presence of Fetty Wap's Trap Queen to the hurtling rise of Ty Dolla $ign, Pop music is currently populated by minimalist R&B. What's different about today's R&B comes in the vocal delivery, often molasses intoned croons are coupled with staccato, ratatating; where the syllables bunch together and drop, like a mouth full of pebbles. Tory Lanez does nothing to disrupt or reinvent the current Pop-mosphere, but he has tapped into its best parts, producing a truly excellent club banging slow jam. Say it opens with the slow slink of an unwaveringly catchy keyboard line, before the meat of the song, a chorus of backup singers chime in with chill inducing, "Ooo Yeah.." What would otherewise be a fairly basic track is doubled down in the hook department, through the use of the backup singers and Lanez's breathy delivery. Not to be missed, this summer song stays warm through the winter.

Blood Orange - Sandra's Smile

The latest from Blood Orange is an indelibly stark melody that fits comfortably among the long list of his other, hauntingly, infectious ballads. The most basic of beats is brought to life by Devonte Hynes's wisp like croons and intonations. He again sounds like Prince at his barest, or a more toned down Silk. The song is structured around Hynes's voice, which seems to glide above the tinkering of John Carpenter-like bells, and guides us through this tale of woe. Since its arrival on the web, I keep revisiting this clip. Its shot in black and white it has a real timeless, nostalgia feel to it. As is always the case with Hynes as Blood Orange, he is both musician and performing artist. Here, he and his cohorts, decked out in serious time-warped-New York-early-90s gear, dance their way down a vacant city block. The moves feel effortless and free-form, though knowing Hynes, one can assume each aspect was fine-tuned and choreographed. As the Pop-ozone continues to mutate and reshape beneath the pink cloud of the Internet, we will repeatedly witness the meteoric rise of outsider artists. Grimes, is the perfect example of bedroom producer, turned Guggenheim curator/ Miley Cyrus compatriot. While we have already seen Blood Orange collaborations of the highest pop pedigree, we have yet to see him touch the sky. With time, there is little doubt that he too will have a Can't Feel My Face moment, straddling the line between familiarity and the future. Check the vid here, and keep a look out for all his other releases!

Salad Boys - Dream Date (video)

Salad Boys sounds like the name of a mid 00's group with electro Indie leanings, in the vein of CSS, Deerhoof, Black Kids, or VHS or Beta. In reality these New Zealanders are a bunch of jangle wranglers, with a refreshing bit fuzz (think more Yuck, than Beach Fossils.) Dream Date is a poppy romp through the woods, with lumbering vocals and a thicket of precise guitar lines. Its like Thin Lizzy meets REM, by way of The Bats. Its New Zealand lumberwave, ya dig?

Christopher Owens - Me Oh My

Christopher Owens has a new album and its really something to take note of! Chrissybaby Forever is a lovely smattering of generally upbeat, self reflecting, pop ballads, with some seriously groovin beats. Me Oh My is a stand-out jangle wrangler, with knowing nods to Felt in both structure and sound. There's a wandering guitar, some cheery organ, and Owen's dribbling rhyme. Are you looking for a good time? Oh, me, oh my, it must be summer's time!

Neon Indian - Annie

Neon Indian is an artist who you'd expect to follow in a similarly sloppy path as say, Twin Shadow. Both one-man-bands evolved around the same time, with a similar propensity for dabbling in warped 80s-leaning Pop. Shadow quickly shed his lower fidelities and reached for a more stratospheric sound, leaving some to wonder where exactly there was a golden light(at the end of tunnel?)... I really enjoy Twin Shadow's Yeezy-esque self indulging, you have to appreciate someone who truly appreciates themselves. Its just that his tunes have perpetually landed in the crapper, following his excellent debut. Neon Indian has a different story. He too has a yearning deep inside his soul, to soar above his early dressage, and thankfully he has done so in a most refreshing and bodacious way. From Should Have Taken Acid with You, to Future Sick, to Annie, his latest and sunniest single to date. Annie is a chirpy, upstroke-laden dance track, that sheds the Helsinki-heaviness of Era Extrana and introduces a new (un-deadbeat) summery sound. This single is almost a return to form, with a touch of Orange Juice, or Flock of Seagulls to it. If you're totally bummed that Summer is getting washed away in a whole week of rain, you need to totallly press play on this guy. Gang, this is soooo June 2015. Get into it:

Puro Instinct - Lake Como

Been waitin for some new Puro for a min now and finally they dunk all of our skulls into a swirly of a tune. Like drizzling marmalade onto a lit candle this one starts off all oozey and winds up all sizzly. Caked in flange and sparkling with synthetic rhythms, Lake Come is an unquestionably hazeified dream. For those who like a little fog with their Fruit Loops, this Pop gem will totally werk:

Miguel - Coffee Fucking

New Miguel track is a pulsing Pop ode to morning sex. I could take or leave Wale, but Miguel dominates this AM affair. Whatever you take to get through the morning, coffee, or uhhh..s.e.x.. this ones for you. #HotTuesday

Soko - Lovetrap ft. Ariel Pink

Sleaze-Poppies Soko and Ariel Pink team-up for a very Arielied out ballad to true lugh-ve. Sounding a little bit like a creepier version of Love Is The Drug, Lovetrap explores the darker side of New Wave and Glam. Sometimes you can get totally wrapped up when you're in a relationship, man. Sometimes you're with some babe who just can't let you breathe man, and like all you really wanna do is go down to the arcade. Or drink a beer. Or smoke a cig in bed. You know? Anyway, Soko knows. She totally gets it. That's what this whole things really about:

Taylor Swift - Style (video)

There something about Taylor Swift that is actually under-spoken about. Despite the record sales, despite the tabloid exposure, despite the Tonight Show appearances, despite the bagillion youtube views, despite the future Kanye collaboration and stage rockin with Paul McCartney, there are still not enough printed words in the world about Taylor Swift. Easily one of, if not the, best albums of 2014, 1989 is a record of hit after hit. Its one of the only albums I can put on and listen from track 1 - bonus spoken word tracks. What is it about Swift's latest shift that is so compelling? Its the song-writing. Not the lyrical content, which itself admittedly is quite impressive, but more the conscious structuring of melodies. Whether assisted by Max Martin or not, Swift is one of the unfuckwith-able gals, when it comes to guiding a song from verse to chorus to post chorus to bridge etc. Her affected way of pronouncing syllables and delivering cadences can come off as teenage or immature, yet its a much more of a calculated move. She's a pop-singer with the polarizing ability to let a song breathe. Not unlike early Madonna, TS often delivers a talk-singing-croon to her verses, before dropping a hydrogen bomb of a hook in the chorus that overwhelms the listener with gooey satisfaction. Style is one these types of songs. In fact its the best song on 1989 and probably the best song 2014. Sorry, its true. Debbie Harry wish she wrote this jam. Forreal. Finally we get a clip for this wondrous tune and of course its on point. One handsome gent is locked in the mystical time warping mirror, that is Taylor Swift's gaze. (Don't leave this chick alone, she's likely to picture you half drowning during a lightning storm!!!!!!) If I would have directed this video I would have had Taylor driving through the desert like Richard Gere in the remake of Breathless. Luckily someone else directed the vid and infused it with all the right amounts of emotion, melodrama, and overcast beach landscapes. You may not love Taylor's style, but you can't deny she's got it. Watch this video. It rules, dude.

Nic Hessler - I Feel Again

Soundtrack to a speedway, Nic Hessler's rollickin new single really spunks things up! Nic Hessler is the poppiest artist Captured Tracks has signed since Wild Nothing, yet Pop is not their only commonality. Both groups share a familiar thread of Post-Punk guitar work, that shakes their tunes with dreamy nostalgia. I Feel Again is a real strumbucker, with super groovy riffs, pepped up to get us in the mood (for Spring?). Whether your into this kind stuff or not, you cant deny Hessler's accessibility. Check this one out, guys:

Charli XCX - Doing It (video)

Pop music is really popular right now, and its time someone said something about it! Channelling the early 00s, where radio hits acceptably combined glossified guitar tracks and synthetic string arrangements, Charli XCX once again puts out the most infectious song for the charts, with Doing It. The reason Rita Ora is on this track is a mystery to everyone, but its no matter, she hardly detracts from the song and she's a welcome presence in the video! This sort of song reminds me of a more interesting Spice Girls song, or more recently Icona Pop, which of course Charli is connected to. More and more it becomes obvious that Charli XCX is on the level of Ariana Grande, or even Taylor Swift as one of the best and most exciting Pop crafters and brands of 2015. Have crop-tops reached a tipping point? As if!!

Sugababes - Push the Button (video)

Look back In Anger: Member Sugababes?????? DO YOU? ! They were the best and we should think about them. Its snowing like a lot right now, so what we really need is a super sexy clubbanger to warm our bodies. Push the Button almost remind me of some Future Pop of 2015, with hints of Charli XCX. Anyway, have a listen to England's greatest contribution to Pop.

Toro Y Moi - Empty Nesters

New Psyche-Funk'd Pop jam from Toro Y Moi. This spacey, spiced up guitar whirl from Chad Bundick is a real turn from some of his last work. Absent are his massively warm synth brass chord progressions, and in their place are some sparkly, fuzzy-wuzzy guitar licks. Its a real rockin pop tune. And one that deserves your attention, reader:

Twerps - I Don't Mind

Remember in the 90s when everyone was way into like The West, and adding a pseudo-Country twang to all their shit? I feel like that's kind of happening these days as well, with all the War on Drugs, Cass McCombs type acts. Anyway, who can really say.. its not like its a bad thing, or anything! There's just something psychedelic about the desert, man. Here we are now in chilly January with Twerps. The Melbournians loosen up a bit on their latest jam, letting those 6 strings rattle a little longer. Indebted to other jangle wranglers, such as (late career) Jesus and Mary Chain, Starflyer 59, Paula Cole (yup), and more recently Pure X, Twerps blend their own version of (Long Hair-Don't Care) TumbleWeed-wave. The chorus is a crescendos of dizzy haze, with backing vocals, distortion, and the steady throb of some groovin toms. Its very Indie and its very good, in fact I don't mind this one at all. Be sure to check out their new LP (Home On The) Range Anxiety, out soon.

Waxahatchee - Air

The newest from Waxahatchee is a plodding slow builder, carried by an infectious coupling of vocals and bass. With some Cranberries-esque 'Ooo's, a sprinkling of guitar tinkling, and dash of synth brass, Waxahatchee has produced one of her poppiest and most pleasing tracks to date. Who knew, sometimes all you need is a little air... have a listin right heerr:

Belle and Sebastian - The Party Line (video)

Belle & Sebastian have released one of their catchiest singles in years and now there's a video. The Disco leaning, Saint Etienne indebted dance track has a wonderfully shot clip of some pretty young things out on the town. Its super fun to be young and hot (in the 1970s), until that dude you're mad into ends up with another chick! (Ughhhhh). Mondo bummer, but hey this be B&S, and not some other BS.

The Ocean Party - Head Down (video)

Jangle-lovin guitar boys, The Ocean Party strike an Autumn pose with their latest tune. Head Down is a repetitive, lead driven number, that parallels something written by someone like Real Estate. If you've been starved of chorus heavy guitar this is absolutely for you. Like a slushy that freezes your brain on a windy day, Head Down is some heady shit. I've never been to a party on the ocean, but if I did I wouldn't mind if it sounded like this jam. Check out these guys' new album, out this week.

Captain & Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time (video)

Look Back in Anger: Captain & Tennille were a husband and wife, songwrting/ hitmaking duo, who endured a string of success throughout the 1970s. Riding the waves of Soft-Rolk, R&B, and a post-Beach Boys form of Pop, C& T pumped out a number of keyboard centric singles that contributed to the defining 'sound of the 70s.' The group carried on intermittently through the early 80s and 90s, inspiring countless other acts to utalize the synthesizer as a focal point for pop song construction. Here's the dreamy video for their 1979 single, Do That To Me One More Time.

The Drums - I Can't Pretend

New Drums single. Affected affection on display in this sparkly, straight forward tune. Dig: