For many people, December is the heart of the holiday season. However, that doesn’t mean that the only music to listen to is about jingling bells and a fat guy in a red suit. There were plenty of bands releasing new albums, singles, music videos or otherwise making news.  Have a look at a few noteworthy releases that we came across during the past month.

Future History – Lungs

Recorded in the backwoods of Ontario, CA, Future History’s Lungs is a channeling of the changing of seasons. Following the success of last year’s Loss:/self, the four-member band released this latest album in late November. Eight tracks of alt rock goodness await those who listen. You can also check out the music video for single “Without (You)” here.

Nate “Suave” Cameron – “Let Me Dream”

Suave makes another return visit to our music roundup feature, most recently being featured back in July’s edition. As with previous releases, “Let Me Dream” is a team-up with New Orleans-based producer Prospek. Suave continues his message of making the world a better place, this time by encouraging listeners to ascend above the problems of their individual worlds. The single features the vocal stylings of Suave along with Prospek, Coco Dank, and Chuck (of Private Pile) manning the instrumentation.

Christine Leakey – “My Heart Has Been Broken By One Unfit To Name”

Although December is typically associated with a different set of holidays, Christine Leakey’s latest offering “My Heart Has Been Broken By One Unfit To Name” conjures up a mood more associated with Halloween. This makes sense considering it was released at the end of October. The single is laced with creepy sounds and vocals, though it maintains a bit of a jazz feel. Have a listen below, and you can also check out the music video here.

go nogo – Things Ain’t Right

go nogo is the musical brainchild of Markus “Fred” Scholl and guitarist Eric Scheimer. In December the duo released their EP Things Ain’t Right, but it’s not your typical compilation. The six tracks include the single “Things Ain’t Right” along with five interesting remixes that vary widely in how much they deviate from the original.

Abstraction – Do This Justice

Do This Justice sprang from the creative whirlwind that was this past November’s NaSoAlMo competition. Musicians like Abstraction were challenged with creating an entire album within the span of one calendar month. What emerged from that was a set of nine tracks which include everything from synth punk to spoken word. We’ve included the first track, “Got My Game”, but I’d recommend listening to the whole album since it’s so diverse.

Go Life – “I’m Not Really Here”/”Waves”

Earlier in December staff editor Jennifer reviewed two new singles from UK musician Rhys Viney who is working under the name Go Life. “I’m Not Really Here” and “Waves” both feature prominent synth sound, but whereas the former mixes in some chillwave, the latter includes underlying surf guitar. Check out the full review here.

YUCA - Rebuilding the Fallen Empire

Langley, Canada-based YUCA are no strangers to the indie music scene. In fact, the band has been rocking for a solid five years now. In October the band released their latest album, Rebuilding the Fallen Empire. Their sound reminds me most of Muse, though you can pick out a few other bands like U2 (especially in the vocals) in their influences.

Illitry – “Kingdom Perverted”

Last month we brought you news of Illitry’s latest single, “Kingdom Perverted”. Well, the band’s back again this month. After spending some quality time in an old textile mill, the group has released of a new music video for the song which you can check out below.

STACEY - Stacey

Stacey is the self-titled debut EP from musician STACEY. The five-song set contains motifs of longing, regret, and unrequited love, with STACEY’s vocals leading the way over a piano backdrop. The album released in early December and interestingly enough is available for sale on specially-designed USB cards.

Dugout – On Our Own

We’ve discovered a number of new bands thanks to the folks at Painted Ox Records. In December they brought us news about Dugout, a Pennsylvania-based punk band.  The group released their EP On Our Own back in June, but recently created a music video for one of the tracks, “Towamencin”. Check out the video then have a listen to the EP’s intro, “H.B.D.”.

Various Artists - Tinsel Machine

The holiday season is drawing to a close, but if you haven’t had your fill of the music, then Tinsel Machine might just be the album you’re looking for. The album contains 17 tracks from various artists under the Small Bear Records label including Postcode whom we’ve previously covered. The songs aren’t the typical Christmas fare you’d hear over the radio, so it does offer some nice variety if you’re tired of the same old, same old.

Velvet Ants - Solt Olio

Velvet Ants might be one of the longest-tenured bands we’ve featured in our music roundup series, but the band’s seen some big transformations recently. At one point lead man Ian Margolycz was the only one working on their latest project. Eventually producer Jordon Zadorozny signed up along with musicians Erik Sakmar, Dave Dunham, and Robert Vazquez. What they created together is Solt Olio, an alt. rock/nu wave album with a dozen entertaining tracks.

Steffan Rundquist - Steffan Rundquist

Steffan Rundquist is making his Indie Mine debut with the acoustic album bearing his name. The Swedish-born musician has put together a set of six tracks featuring elements of ska and reggae. Each song is a part of Rundquist’s personal story and showcase his new age lifestyle and spiritualism.

Femmepop – “Timescapes”

“Timescapes” is a collaboration between UK artist Margaret O’Sullivan (aka Femmepop) and Timecop1983. It also marks the third time this year she’s released a new single. While Femmepop handled the vocals and lyrics, Timecop1983 handled the music. What they’ve produced together is a single loaded with an 80s pop feel. We’ve got a full review in the works so check back soon.

Lojah - Pub Songs on Palafox

Pub Songs on Palafox is the low-fi EP from Jay Moody aka Lojah. While the four songs heavily embody Lojah’s Irish heritage, there are also Caribbean and world music influences to be heard. The EP is currently available as a free download for the holiday season, and we’ve included it in its entirety below.

Various Artists - Pluviôse

Pluviôse marks the 2nd album included in this month’s music roundup that consists of the works of a variety of musicians. In this case, the nine tracks all come from bands under the Seashell Records label. The musicians come from all around the world, and their sounds consist of a mix of dream pop, folk, and shoegaze. We’ve included the first track below, but I recommend listening to the whole album since it’s not just one artist.

Leptus - From My Kirkbride Cubicle

Mid-December saw the release of Leptus’ latest album, From My Kirkbride Cubicle. The Massachusetts-based act has combined elements of punk and alt rock to create 13 tracks with a low-key, ambient feel. The band is a bit of a mystery to me, but this appears to be its first album in in more than half a decade.

Malka – “Mirame”/”Mientras se Respira”

Malka is a bit of an interesting story. We’ve covered a lot of bands that fall under the shoegaze and/or dream pop genres, but Malka is the first that sings entirely in Spanish. The group is based in New York City, and they recently debuted two new singles: “Mirame” and “Mientras se Respira”.

The Almighty Rhombus – “House Burns Down”

The Almighty Rhombus returns to our music roundup for the fourth time in 2013. Last month saw the release of their album Lucid Living, and the band has since created a music video for “House Burns Down” featuring a pretty entertaining barroom brawl.

LOVETAX - LOVETAX

Back in September,  Jennifer reviewed Try Solitude, the solo album from musician Jeff Tomassen. Jeff is back again but under a side project by the name of LOVETAX. The album of the same name was released on December 1st and includes five tracks with a mix of chillwave, dream pop, and other styles. The opening track “Our Neurosis” has been included for your groovy, ambient listening pleasure.

Unconditional Arms – “No Nerves”

Last month we included Unconditional Arms for the release of the album Kinship. Musician Jeffrey Wright is back already with a new single, “No Nerves”. Whereas Kinship was written to celebrate the birth of his son, this new instrumental rock track was put out for two of his friends that were recently engaged.

Green Mountain Road Band - Lend A Hand

I debated whether to include Lend A Hand in this month’s music roundup. While the Green Mountain Road Band hasn’t officially released the six-track EP yet, they have posted half of the songs off of it with the others just days away from joining them. Despite hailing from the great, white north (aka Canada), the band puts a nice blend of southern rock and blues into their work. Have a listen.

 
Well, that’s the end of 2013. As you start 2014, make a resolution to open yourself up to experiencing more new music. Checking out our monthly music roundup is a good place to start. Make sure you come back for January’s edition. We’re planning some exciting changes to the format, and we’ll hopefully be able to pull that together by the end of the month. Thanks for visiting, and if you feel so inclined, leave a comment about what music YOU enjoyed.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

They say records are made to be broken. Well, September was bursting at the seams with new music and that’s evident by the fact that we included a whopping 17 bands in our latest music news roundup. Electronic music made a strong resurgence after disappearing a bit for the last few months. Alternative, rock, soul, pop, and more can also be found in this month’s inclusions. Grab a drink and a set of headphones then sit back and listen to the music of September 2013.

Ions in the Ether – (Un)titled

Adam Joseph White starts off our coverage this month with the release of his 4-track EP (Un)titled. Working under the pseudonym Ions in the Ether, White has had a very busy year in the electronic music scene. This EP is one of a handful produced just this summer alone. I’m not a huge aficionado of electronica, but I was fondly reminded of Jim Guthrie’s Sword & Sorcery soundtrack.  Have a listen to White’s synth stylings below.

Future History – Lungs

What’s creepier than little kids? Little kids in creepy animal masks playing around old haunted cabins. That’s just a glimpse into what can be found in the music video for Future History’s single “With Haste”. That track is part of the band’s album Lungs, slated to come out this October.

Dúo del Sol – hello Kaleidoscope

Javier Orman and Tom Farrell make up the duo of Dúo del Sol, though the classical musicians are accompanied  by a number of other talented artists on their latest release, hello Kaleidoscope. The 11-track album has latin and jazz elements though it’s really music of the world at large. I particularly enjoyed the high-energy “Cualquiera”, though the first track – “Never the Same River Twice” – is quite simply a beautiful song.

The Almighty Rhombus – “Blank”

The Almighty Rhombus makes their triumphant return to our music news roundup, last appearing in March’s edition. This time around the band has released a new single, “Blank”, which is one of the tracks off of their upcoming album Lucid Living. While the album’s not slated to come out until the end of October, readers/listeners can check out “Blank” and its Summery feel below or via the associated music video.

Crashing Colors – Crashing Colors

It’s been an adventurous Summer for Crashing Colors. The Houston-based band recently moved shop to London just a few months after releasing their self-titled album. The 6-track EP features the band’s delightfully eclectic mix of soul, blues, rock, electronic, and other musical genres. Have a listen and try to pick out your own favorite elements.

Max Bergé – Fox’s Wedding Weather

Electronic singer-songwriter Max Bergé makes it onto this month’s list with his latest EP, Fox’s Wedding Weather. The 5-track electronic EP is emphasized by driving synth and bass, but it’s Bergé’s vocals that take center stage on each of the tracks. Check out the video below that includes samples of each of the tracks along with some behind-the-scenes insight into the artist’s creative process.

Trevor and The Joneses – There Was Lightning

Pounding drums, driving bass, wailing guitar, and of course vocals make Trevor and The Joneses the very definition of a rock band. Their 10-track album There Was Lightning released back in May, but only recently came to our attention. I always say better late than never, so have a listen and enjoy.

Postcode – The ZebrATP

Last month we came across our first band based on Isle of Man, Post War Stories. September brings us Postcode and their 7-track album The ZebrATP. The alt-rock/’zebracore’ album was inspired by the band’s recent visits to the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival and also led to a music video for final track “Goodbye Minehead”.

For Esmé – “Cinque Terre”

We covered For Esmé back in our July Roundup for their self-titled debut album. The band is back with their first music video, this time for single “Cinque Terre”. Fall weather may be approaching, but the video extends the outdoor season with a Summery feel. Have a look and a listen.

SPC ECO – “Fallen Stars”

Staff music writer Jennifer reviewed SPC ECO’s previous release – “Delusional Waste” - a couple of months ago, but the duo is back with another single, “Fallen Stars”. This epic track hits you with layers of music coming from all directions. As with the previous single, this track is a part of the band’s upcoming album Sirens and Satellites, due out in late October.

Running Red Lights – “Mulberry Love”

Running Red Lights has been together quite a long time. Seven years in fact. Despite that longevity, “Mulberry Love” marks the band’s first release. The catchy alt-rock/pop track will be part of RRL’s debut album, tentatively due out in January. In the meantime, have a listen below.

Action Cube – The Bits Detective

Action Cube is a project from Chicago-based musician Robert Carey. Carey has played in a handful of area bands including Jesus and the Devil as well as Battlestations. The Bits Detective is Carey’s first album since going solo. It’s also the byproduct of a laptop and bedroom recording studio which creates the album’s lo-fi electronic/rock sound. Carey humorously comments that “broken guitars, borrowed microphones, cheap effects and general ignorance informed the entire process.” My favorite track on the album is “Like The Young” which I’ve included here.

Kojo ‘Easy’ Damptey – Daylight Robbery

It’s been over a year since the last time Kojo Damptey made an appearance on The Indie Mine. At long last Damptey returns with the 10-track EP Daylight Robbery. As with the artist’s previous efforts, this new album has a strong focus on issues that affect the world at large. The Ghana-born musician keeps his finger on the pulse of hot-button issues like racial injustice, but also incorporates brighter subjects like love. The album as a whole has hip hop, soul, and reggae influences, while also including spoken word tracks like “Are We Minorities?”.

Sun Stone Revolvers – Spaceship X

Old is new again with Sun Stone Revolvers. Often drawing comparisons to classic rock mainstays, Sun Stone Revolvers released their latest album Spaceship X in mid-September. With a total of 10 tracks, SSR manages to put a bit of a psychedelic spin on the genre. The band also has a music video for the single “America”. Included below is the title track, though I actually enjoyed “Born Again” the most.

Erland – On Our Side

Erland is an alternative/folk/americana ensemble from Santa Barbara, California. Earlier this year, the band was able to get their debut album On Our Side crowdfunded and released. The album features a dozen tracks which the band performs in a style that’s drawn comparisons to well-known musical acts like Wilco.

Kloq – “High”

Classifying their musical genre as ‘punktronic’, Kloq has reinvented themselves with their recent work. The solo project evolved by adding lead vocalist Dean Goodwin, drummer Alex Baker, and bassist Tim Jackson to band founder Oz Morsley. The band has released a music video for single “High” and are set to launch a new album in mid-October.

Pete Van Dyk & the Second Hand Band – “Shake Me”/”Plan B”

Pete Van Dyk & the Second Hand Band are another set of veterans in our music roundup series having previously made the list in May. The band is back with their first 7″ record which contains songs “Shake Me”, “Plan B”, and bonus track “To the Night”. For those unfamiliar with the band, they have a magically southern rock sound despite hailing from Hamilton, ON. Don’t believe me? Have a listen.

That’s it for September. I warned you there was a lot of music, but hopefully you found some favorites. Feel free to share those with us. If there’s a band or genre you’d like to see covered in greater depth, let us know about that too. See you all next month.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.