Friday, June 13, 2014

Download Seatraffic "Precious Stones"

San Francisco post-punk duo Seatraffic return this week with new single "Precious Stones" as the first sampling from their forthcoming full length debut Beauty in the Night set for late summer 2014 release. The new collection of sweeping, synth heavy tracks were recorded in fall 2013 at Different Fur Studios with Nic Pope (STS9, Bob Mould, The Morning Benders), the same fantastic team behind the project's beloved 2012 Crimes 7".



Seatraffic formed in 2011 when Mark Zannad added drummer Brandon Harrison to his then fledging solo project based in San Francisco. Together the duo wrote and recorded their self-titled EP merging together synth minded, layered pop with Harrison's background in northern California hardcore.

Following the initial EP the duo began recording at Different Fur Studios with Nic Pope in 2012 and released a string of singles as well as their Crimes 7" which included a handful of solid remixes.

As the project began to gain momentum Zannad headed out to Seal Rock, Oregon in the summer of 2013 and set up shop for 6 weeks writing and arranging tracks that would eventually become material for their forthcoming full length debut Beauty in the Night. Returning to Different Fur Studios that fall the duo incorporated elements of synthesizer drone, 80s post-punk and dreamy soundscapes to the new collection of tracks.

Keep an eye out for Beauty in the Night due out late summer 2014.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Papertwin "Arco"

Brooklyn synth-pop trio share new single "Arco" from their forthcoming Vox Humana EP. Stream the track over at Refinery29, or on SoundCloud.

Papertwin has been playing music together since 2009, formed by Max Decker after narrowly escaping a lucrative career as a landscape painter. After two homespun EPs, the band is set to release their first studio collaboration, Vox Humana, on June 17.

Recorded under the guidance of producer Abe Seiferth (Yeasayer, Eleanor Friedberger, Turing Machine, DFA's Plantain Studios), and mastered by Joe Laporta (Vampire Weekend, Beach House), Vox Humana escalates the band's unique brand of synth-pop to new heights. Dreamy, dark, and nostalgically sci-fi, the EP features analog synthesizers, driving percussion, and reflective vocals. Drawing on influences from The Cure to Gillian Welch, Vox Humana builds upon the band's previous recordings Porcelain (2011) and Peru (2012).

Papertwin is comprised of Max Decker (vocals, guitar, synth), Francis Cardinale (drums, programming) and Nick Shopa (synth). They are friends, and have been for a while. Before forming Papertwin they were valet car parkers, land surveyors, piano tuners, landscape painters, denim tailors, movie popcorn poppers...and sometimes still are.

Beta Frontiers "Undone Things"

Toronto producer Beta Frontiers shares his latest offering, "Undone Things." The synth-heavy dance track is complimented by a color-washed video that compiles footage from 80s aerobic exercise videos. Check out the video for "Undone Things" over at SPIN, and stream the track on SoundCloud. The track is available for download on via iTunes/Bandcamp.