James Blake - CMYK EP

I don't know.
This is just really god damn good.
It's a gosh-darned great mix of electronic music and 80's mainstream production, I tell you what.

I hate him for doing what I wish I was doing.

Did you find her?

Download because this is what being relaxed must sound like.

The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead (320)

The Helio Sequence are Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel. Any Modest Mouse fans reading this will surely recognize Ben as once having drummed for them during 2003 and 2004, when they were releasing Good News.

This album has incredible sentimental value for me, as it was basically the first non-mainstream music that I really got into. I was doing a search for the best albums of 2008 and this repeatedly made its way onto my screen; I just couldn't ignore all the people saying it was a masterpiece, so I gave it a listen.

What I found was undoubtedly the most eye-opening experience I have ever had from a musical standpoint. Even now I feel like they transcend being defined by a single genre. It's not enough to just say shoegaze, or electronic, or alternative rock. Those things together don't even accurately describe The Helio Sequence. Tags are certainly just a formality here, and there isn't a person I can think of that wouldn't be able to at least find some joy in this album. The themes are universal, the music is aesthetically intriguing, and the tone of Brandon's voice sounds like a younger Bob Dylan, creating a feeling of antiquity throughout the songs. For these reasons, Keep Your Eyes Ahead is, without a doubt, my favorite album of 2008.

It's just authentic, I guess.

Download here and buy it here.

Avey Tare - Down There (V0)

So most people know Avey Tare as the best and most talented member of Animal Collective [<3 u avey<33333]. But here he is, doing his solo act and creating something very similar to Animal Collectives last EP, Fall Be Kind. It's made up almost entirely of wavey ambient sounds and someone yelling at you from very far away trying to explain to you how to put together a coherent sentence in english, even though they are speaking an entirely other language. Alabama's a crazy place. But it's kind of similar to Panda Bear's Person Pitch, not in sound but in it's tone and mood, a very "listen to this alone" album that won't really find you singing along as much as just enjoying Avey's grrr-rr-r-r-rrrrrrrrr-rrr-rrrrr-rrr-reat melodies.

I wonder what Charles Dickens would think of this.

Download this because you need some swampcore in your collection.

Winter Blanket - Actors and Actresses (FLAC)

A mix between the relatively uptempo, lush arrangements of Carissa's Wierd and the minimalistic despondency of Low. Winter Blanket is grossly underrated, competing strongly with some of the biggest names in the Duluth indie scene, and even broader acts in San Francisco and Portland. Actors and Actresses is arguably their best work, if not their most comprehensive, and it legitimately brings something to the table in terms of bands, past and present, signed to the Chairkickers label. It's a huge relief to hear music this genuine and beautiful all at once.

Download.

Low & Dirty Three - In the Fishtank (FLAC)

"In November 1999 Konkurrent invited Low to record one of Konk's in house Fishtank-sessions. Low, being familiar with the series, accepted. In the spirit of 'In The Fishtank' Low took things a step further and extended the invitation to their friends Dirty Three to collaborate on the session which took place when both bands played the multi-media festival Crossing Border in Amsterdam.

One can imagine that this created quite a hectic scene when the actual recording took place. While Low where soundchecking, Dirty Three got off the plane on Schiphol Airport. And when Dirty Three were busy doing overdubs, Low did a wonderful show at the festival. Through it all both bands kept their legendary cool, and recorded, faster than anyone could have guessed, six basic songs. The combination of Low's open, desolate sound and the melancholic yet folky violin of Dirty Three's Warren Ellis inspired Mimi to indulge in a more crooning way of singing and Alan to play some amazing banjo. Low's open minds and the way Dirty Three perfectly fit in, makes this Fishtank the record you would expect from such wonderful bands."

Download.

Brian Eno - Small Craft on a Milk Sea (V0)

Brian Eno. One of the most influential musicians of the last five (yes, five) decades still hasn't stopped making music. Partially responsible for David Bowie's Low, Talking Heads, and Sonic Youth, Brian Eno is a legend in the music industry.

His latest album, Small Craft on a Milk Sea, was written in collaboration with Leo Abrahams and Jon Hopkins and features the heavy turntablism influence that listeners have come to expect from Warp Records labelmates. The first few tracks harken back to Eno's Music for Airports days – sedated and ambient – until the latter portion introduces tracked drums and backbeats.

Download.

Drink Up Buttercup - Born and Thrown on a Hook (V0)

"Is that a new Beatles album?"

That was my first impression of the album, I was 100% sure that was Paul McCartney and John Lennon singing. I was also 100% sure that was Ringo's drumming and Harrison's guitar.
And you know what, it might as well be. This album feels like its out of place in time. Like it belongs exactly at 1969 as an album that came right between the recordings of Let It Be and Abbey Road. But it didn't, it came out earlier this year by an indie band named Drink Up Buttercup. So what does that mean?
Is it awesome y/n?
y
y it is.

Lock your windows, lock all your doors and remember your seasickness pills.
(that's the only song where they don't sound exactly like The Beatles)

Download/feed your cat with music here.