Songs are a Sydney based band (featuring members of New Zealand’s post-punk wailers This Night Creeps and Ela Stiles of sisterly-duo The Said Sos) that do only simple things. From their single-syllable handle to their hand-drawn artwork to their music itself; it all has to be simple. Their debut LP makes a smooth transition from NZ influenced pop (via labels such as Flying Nun) through to the more interesting elements of Krautrock. This track for instance has a killer build up to drone.

MP3: Songs – My Number

One of my favourite tracks by one of my favourite bands, Wire, covered by one of my other favourite bands, My Bloody Valentine. Hard to beat (though the original is fantastic too. Incidentally this was the last track MBV recorded before their long hiatus in the 90’s.

MP3: My Bloody Valentine – Map Ref. 41° N 93° W

Soul Jazz’s very own in-house electronic disco group Subway return with their first full length album since 2005’s ‘Empty Head’ set. The list of equipment used to fashion this album includes an enviable roll call of Roland Jupiter 6, Korg MS20, Univox SR55, Roland MKS80, and a Moog Prodigy alongside the usual guitars, drums and tape loops proving that these guys are a fully analog outfit. there’s no radical departure from their previous sound, sticking to what they do best with intuitive dancefloor jams and spacey head-music sounding like they could have come from any point between the late 70’s and today with elements of NYC avant-disco, Krautrock, German electronics, Radiophonic ephemera and proto house sculpted into a unique sound. The cover art also completely looks the part.

MP3: Subway – Xam
MP3: Subway – Lowlife

Nite Jewel is the performing moniker of Ramona Gonzalez and is the remarkable combination of Bronx pop and hazy experimental electronica. Like her ex-pop peers, Ariel Rosenberg and Geneva Jacuzzi, she records solely on portable 8-track cassette deck, often composing her songs by layered tape edits. This track was also featured on the new Milky Disco comp, ‘Let’s Go Freak Out’.

MP3: Nite Jewel – What Did He Say

My Dad used to tell me that The Presets were just ripping off Depeche Mode. I didn’t really get it until I really started listening to them. This track I first saw on Rage years and years ago, then on the Anton Corbijn directors DVD and it kinda just stuck in my head. I suggest watching the video here first, its just a perfect example of Corbijn’s ability to create a non-sensical narrative yet have it compliment the track so well.

MP3: Depeche Mode – Behind The Wheel

Neu!, formed by Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother in 1971, are sometimes seen as laying the grounds for many musical movements such as Proto-Punk (Public Image Ltd), Ambient (Brian Eno) and todays dance/punk (Foals, LCD Soundsystem, Pets With Pets). The songs are a deconstruction of traditional formula, relying on what would later be called ‘Motorik’, a minimalist constant driving rhythm taken from the feeling of driving on the motorway. Some tracks over their 3 albums (four if you count ‘Neu! 4′, but Rother doesnt like to) are just like nothing else before it.

MP3: Neu! – Hero
MP3: Neu! – Super

One band that suddenly found themselves on a Neu! tribute album, along with Oasis, Kasabian, Ciccone Youth, Holy Fuck etc are Melbourne based band Pets With Pets. The noise punk duo has been stirring for a couple of years and just starting to really find their feet planted properly in the ground. If your in Melbourne and want to catch them (along with my favorite local act, Popolice) come along with us to Pony on the 27th of March.

MP3: Pets With Pets – We Only Found This Place
MP3: Pets With Pets – The Girl Up And Down

The (hopefully) resurrected Have Fun Club beat me to this one, but who gives a shit. Higamos Hogamos will be the next big thing. Give them a year or so to refine their sound, and their infectious krautrock/psychedelic/electronica tunes will be up there with bands like Holy Fuck, Metronomy and whoever else is still kicking around.
Thanks to HFC for the first track.

MP3: Higamos Hogamos – Major Blitzkrieg
MP3: Higamos Hogamos – Infinity Plus One
MP3: Higamos Hogamos – Moto Neurono

This has to be a short post because Im getting packed to head off to the Golden Plains festival tomorrow (to catch Gary Numan, Of Montreal, Mogwai and plenty of other sweet stuff).
Im basically obsessed with heaps of great old Krautrock tunes, which Ill have to post next time. But one band that draws its influences from Krautrock (amongst other things) is another band Im obsessed with, Holy Fuck. They even found themselves on a Neu! (pronounced ‘Noy’) tribute album, due to come out soon. Heres a track off their first album, and then Foals covering Holy Fuck, then vice versa.

MP3: Holy Fuck – K. Rhythm Part 1
MP3: Foals – Super Inuit (Holy Fuck Cover)
MP3: Holy Fuck – Balloons (Foals Cover)

Everyone in blogland these days seems to have been caught napping. Late March, when alot of crap is out the way, I’ll have to get my ass back into gear. I’ve taken a quick break from my summer studies (exam on Tuesday on Economics, kill me now..) to do a quick post on three quality acts coming to the Toff this weekend.

To begin, on the 13th we have JD Twitch & JG Wilkes, the two lads that make up the infamous Optimo; they need no introduction. This will be a killer night with Optimo enduring a 5 hour set; Andee supporting. Now, I’m not sure if tickets are sold out for this but you can try your luck at Hear Now or Moshtix.

MP3: Zounds – War (JD Twitch Extended Edit)
MP3: Liquid Liquid – Optimo (Optimo Remix)
MP3: Allez Allez – She’s Stirring Up (An Optimo (Espacio) Drum Attack Mix)

The main love-affair, the maincourse of the weekend: On the Saturday (Valentine’s Day), The House deFrost is running a free party starting at midnight with Felix Dickinson. You guys might remember him from the time he played at the bloodbath party at Third Class?

Read the blurb babes:

THE HOUSE DEFROST understands that in these tough economic times people have to tighten up their budget’s, so while your waiting for Mr. Rudd to give you your handout you’re still need some dancing relief. Make no mistake we got your dancing dollars back! The House deFrost & The Toff In Town have decided to give you something for nothing in the name of LOVE! This Valentines day be treated to a DJ set from FELIX DICKINSON (UK) or Foolish Felix to his loved one’s is best known for his releases on Eskimo Records as Foolish & Sly along with his edit label Bastedos created long before edit’s were the flavour de jour. He is a resident at the infamous HORSE MEAT DISCO in london, & has played all over the world including Life Force parties in Tokyo & DJ HARVEY’S Sarcastic Disco Parties.

Since it is free entry and we want to make sure those most deserved of this aural platter are not left behind send your names for the guest-list to andee@hearnow.net.au for guaranteed entry on the night

Now onto my last item, the lovely dessert item to close the weekend… here’s something that will tickle your fancy. The 15th of February is something that should also not be missed if you are Krautrock crazy and if you consider yourself a Krautrock fan then you religiously listen to Can (well you should as they pioneered Krautrock). You may remember Can having Japanese singer Damo Suzuki during 1970-1973 where they produced their trilogy of masterpieces. Damo will be returning to the Toff with supports from The Kits. Only $15 on the door so get in and see the greatness.

MP3: Can – Paper House
MP3: Can – Future Days
MP3: Can – Mothersky (Pilooski Edit)

Eine Kleine Nacht Musik, or ‘a little night music’ as it would be translated, is UK Deejay Riton’s latest side project and if your even slightly into any form of krautrock electronica (Kraftwerk, Neu! etc) then you’ll really dig this. The album definitely takes a huge cue from the German sounds of the past, but puts a fresh spin on all, and must have taken someones liking as Modular have even stepped up to release it. Good to see theyre starting to give the label a more varied sound.

MP3: Eine Kleine Nacht Musik – Bardolator

Now another Modular release, the Tame Impala EP, should be released on Oct 11, but to get a little taster here’s a little remix I stumbled upon. Honestly I could go either way on these guys. From what Ive heard already its sounding like more derivative psychedelic rock (without the afro) with possibly not enough substance to lift them up. But you never know.

MP3: Tame Impala – H.f.g.w. (canyons drunken rage)

I can honestly say that it only took one listen of Deerhunter’s new album, Microcastle, to propel them into my top 5 bands of all time. It is fantastic dreamy, psychedelic indie at its best, and made me care a whole lot more about the very talented frontman Bradford Cox. Even his side project, Atlas Sound, is great though it has a rather softer tone. My favorite track off the Atlas Sound album below.

MP3: Atlas Sound – Recent bedroom

This album slipped right past me last year even though it was one of the highest rated albums of the year on several sites. Its The Field’s debut album ‘From Here We Go Sublime’, probably known before this for his remixes of Gui Boratto and Maps. This track is actually a really beautiful piece of ambient techno that works its way into a very smooth choppy beat. The whole album actually is worth a listen too.

MP3: The Field – Everyday

Also I hope everyone is still bearing with us for October 10th (apologies for the lack of eye candy on the site as we work switch the designs). Alot of big changes and big surprises are coming that all our regular readers and fans can join in and be a part of too.