Streams o’ the week

Foals – “Inhaler” – Holy Fire (2013; Transgressive)

Foals are back, and they have a louder and more aggressive sound that will surely please fans and those who still haven’t yet had the pleasure of discovering them. Yannis Philippakis, the band’s lead singer, told NME that their new sound is “swampy” and that their new album, Holy Fire, would have some “heavier” and “dirtier” tracks. The band is known for their musical evolution — 2010’s Total Life Forever differed largely from 2008’s Antidotes. Philippakis’ resulting voice in “Inhaler” is a mixture of his distinct calm vocals and the band’s new ‘dirty’ sound. Paired with edgy guitar riffs and bass lines, “Inhaler” sounds like a trippy hybrid of their popular hits “Cassius” and “Spanish Sahara”. The track’s music video itself can be considered a separate work of art, featuring spasmodic synchronized dancing, bike stunts and graffiti. Known for their artsy videos, which include everything from singing in open fields to swinging around animal hearts, fans will be happy to see that Foals is always bringing their work to another level. You can purchase “Inhaler” on iTunes now and pre-order Holy Fire, which will be released in Feb. 2013.

 

Kitten – Cut It Out  (2012; Atlantic Records)

Kitten, an electronica quartet hailing from Los Angeles, has been gaining some well-deserved attention in the music world lately. Lead singer Chloe Chaidez may only be 17 years old, but she and the band have already been featured on Nylonmag.com, had their single “G#” featured on the FIFA 13 video game and will be opening for No Doubt in L.A. on Dec 4. Their six-song EP, Cut It Out, includes their next single, “Japanese Eyes”. In the video, Chaidez dramatically dances around her band mates, impressing listeners with her stunning vocals. Songs like “Sugar” and “Cut It Out” will mesmerize and draw you into obsession. You can buy Cut It Out on iTunes or visit their website to download “Sugar” and “Cut It Out” for free.

 

Sigur Rós – “Brennisteinn” – Live at Iceland Airwaves Festival

For those of you who missed Sigur Rós this summer at Osheaga, here’s a special treat for you. Pitchfork media reported that this weekend the internationally acclaimed band debuted some new material when they played the Iceland Airwaves Festival. The Icelandic band’s signature dream-pop/ambient sound is slightly altered in this new video. The new song’s sound is obviously heavier and gloomier. The band performed the new song “Brennisteinn” with alien-esque green lights and black shadows in the background, which added to the somewhat gloomy feel of the song. However, cheers from the crowd overheard at the end of the eight-minute video suggest that the band’s slight mood shift is warmly welcomed. One thing is for sure; the video is the perfect mind-break listeners will be looking for as the weather gets colder and the skies get darker. Visit Pitchfork.com to watch “Brennisteinn” and experience their ethereal sound with a new twist.

 

 

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