Revisiting YouTube Narnia

It's been awhile since LYED last visited "that part of YouTube"... so let's begin! 

High Highs - "OPEN SEASON"

High Highs are Jack Milas, Oli Chang, and newly added drummer Zachary Lipkins who currently reside in NYC. "Open Season" is off their self-titled EP, released in 2011. You can grab the EP for a very low price on their BandCamp, and it's also available for your listening pleasure if you check out the playlist featured at the end of this post! Keep an eye (or ear) out for their debut record which is due out sometime next month!  

Cave Painting - "SO CALM"

If you're not sure who Cave Painting is, then we're on the same page. Not much is known about Cave Painting except that they're a group from the UK & was a recent supporting act for one of LYED's favorite finds of 2012, Alt-J! Much of today was spent listening to their debut album titled Votive Life, and it is suggested that you do the same. Good ol fashioned indie rock & plenty of shoegaze to keep your feet busy until the album ends...unless you're quick enough to hit the repeat button ;) 

To listen to the entire album on Spotify --> Cave Painting – Votive Life ! 

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - "HELIUM"

The right amount of lo-fi distortion paired with catchy background looping at best. LUDGF started in Los Angeles, California but is not situated in Austin, Texas! "Helium" was released as a solo single this year, but if you're interested in listening to Untogether, the most recent full-length release (October 2012) 

by LUDGF via Spotify - Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Untogether

Cherokee - "ONSET"

Now for some lovely French electronic vibes, because... why not? "Onset" is the first proper single from Cherokee & was released back in June of 2011, but it doesn't matter because you're hearing it now! When the repetition is groovy like this, 4 minutes & 30 seconds will fly by. 

Check out Cherokee's SoundCloud for more tunes, including their 2012 EP titled American Spirit.

Kartell - "COST OF LOVE"

Off Kartell's debut EP titled Riviera released back in May, I am a bit speechless. I love it so much that I included all 5 tracks (including the Darius remix of "Pantera) on the Spotify playlist featured below. If you thought this was it, head over to Kartell's SoundCloud for even more treats for your ears. Easy listeners paradise // Nu-disco French vibes. 

Now if that wasn't enough, here's a playlist featuring the artists above & a few more gems that have been Sunday favorites in the past. Enjoy! :)

One AMAZING Way to Start Your Morning :)

For me personally, getting ready in the morning is something that cannot be done without listening to MUSIC. Listening to something that's upbeat is a MUST! Sorry espresso, but you're not #1 on my list of pick-me-ups when I'm looking for something to start the day off right (although there are days when a pit-stop for coffee is more than necessary). My preference for music in the morning varies with the type of day it's going to be. Some mornings I immediately go straight for Yeasayer's latest album Fragrant World, and then there are mornings where I blast LCD Soundsystem like there's no tomorrow and it turns into a one-person dance party with my hairbrush in hand. Take it from me, LCD Soundsystem does wonders especially when you have to wake up at 4:15AM for your 6AM shift. ;)

The playlist featured below is more of a mellow (but nowhere near as mellow as a Bon Iver track) selection of songs! These are the songs that I immediately turn on the second I walk out the door of my apartment complex, and into the chilly Philadelphia weather. There's a great chance you've heard a few of the tracks before. My morning playlist is never the same, so there will be different versions popping up throughout the next couple of weeks, hope you find them just as helpful as I do!

4 THINGS YOUR EARS NEED TO HEAR ASAP.

& what a big surprise, each of the songs featured below are quite different from the next one. This was definitely a coincidence, but then again I've never been one to stick with a single genre when blogging or listening to music. I also posted a couple of videos/tracks that I'm currently digging on my Twitter account 

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& also - don't forget to check out www.facebook.com/LetYourEarsDecide!

For all of you Bombay Bicycle Club fans - I recently gave away two free tickets to tonight's sold out show at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood from the LYED Facebook page! Congratulations to Calia Minasian who won the tickets & is currently enjoying the show :) 

ON AN ON - "GHOSTS"

This was recently brought to my attention from a good friend named Kat, and without hesitation I clicked on it because she is someone who knows what I like (when it comes to music). I immediately fell in love with the track and that led me to find out more about this group called ON AN ON. What attracted me to this track? I'm a sucker for melancholic-sounding tracks. Ironically, this type of song makes me happy inside when listening to it. It definitely triggers a form of nostalgia that is somewhat heavy-hearted, but I appreciate a song's ability to do so. This track is off their forthcoming album titled Give In & it will be released on January 29, 2013! 

GHOST BEACH - "TEAR US APART"

The word "ghost" seems to be the key word in most band names that are currently on the rise (don't forget Holy Ghost!) and this is one of the examples. Ghost Beach = "Tropical Grit Pop" and I definitely cannot argue with that! The more I listen to them, the more I find myself attracted. Very catchy and this a band that I would file next to Reptar (who I've featured on LYED in the past). Feel free to check out CRAZY HEART RECORDS via SoundCloud for more Ghost Beach tracks that are more than worth your ears' time!  

JESSIE WARE - "RUNNING"

So this isn't the first time I've posted about the lovely woman named Jessie Ware from London. This is definitely an artist that's very underrated, and I want to share the talent that this woman has with each and every individual that finds their way onto this website! I've posted a bit about Jessie Ware's hit single "Wildest Moments" in a variety of ways. I first posted the Star Slinger remix of this track back in July, and then a few weeks later I stumbled across an edition of "Watch Listen Tell" that featured Jessie Ware! She has such a soulful voice 

BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD - "IT'S A WAR"

If you've ever listened to an Indie band on Pandora, there's a huge chance that Blackbird Blackbird has popped up in the randomness of tracks that play. That is actually how I found out about this artist while listening to Discovery's Pandora station about a year ago. This is the opening track on Blackbird Blackbird's recent EP release titled Boracay Planet. I love what this song does to my mind, and I didn't realize how long it was until I actually looked after I listened for the first time. In a previous post I featured "All" by Blackbird Blackbird which was the first single off the EP, and I love how "All" is the 2nd track following the one above. Overall the EP is amazing, and if you have the time - go check it out! Definitely something that is fitting for a night drive or an early morning subway ride to work (take it from me). 

FRESHVIBESMONDAY #15

This post should've beenyesterday for FRESHVIBESMONDAY, but this Senior Portfolio is kicking my butt. I'm currently at LAX waiting to fly home for a week so I decided this is the appropriate time to not only entertain myself with listening to good music, but also to share it with you guys! P.S. if you've been debating on going to FYF Fest, which is September 1st & 2nd.... I'll be giving away a two-day GA pass for it within the next week or so! Go to the FB page for LYED to find out more information, and if you haven't already please "like" LYED! The more likes - the more willing this music nerd is with posting on here. :)  

P.S. don't forget to show some love to LYED & pass it on to your friends.

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Bloc Party - "KETTLING"

WOO HOO HAPPY FOUR RELEASE DAY! I'm still on Cloud 9 from Bloc Party's set at Outside Lands; if you were able to catch it I'm sure you could relate. This is one of my favorite tracks from their new album that was released today in the US. Bloc Party is one of those rare bands that can successfully deliver both a heavy & relatively light side of rock in their music, and that is what I like about them. As I've read in a lot of reviews for this album, I'm not the only one who's happy that they're back. Four years TOO LONG if you ask me. 

LOUDPVCK - "NV$TY"

This track is addicting, and I'm so stoked for my friend Ryan Marks who's 1/2 of LOUDPVCK. I can definitely see why people go crazy over this type of music in the club scene. If this track gets me hyped via YouTube, I can only imagine hearing it live. Top names in the undergroundtrap game have been dropping their tracks recently, and I'm not surprised by it one bit. I'm hoping to get a post on them in the near future, as they just announced they will be remixing an Adventure Club track. You know that shit will be golden regardless. 

Minus The Bear - "STEEL & BLOOD" 

This is off their forthcoming album Infinity Overload & the US release date for it is August 28th! I haven't had a chance to listen to all of the tracks that weren't recently leaked besides the tracks I've covered in previous blog posts. 

One thing I've learned about artists/bands when releasing new albums is to not have this giant expectation that the new album will sound exactly like the last album or your most favorite album by them that you listen to on a daily basis. There's a huge chance you will be disappointed and automatically have a bad impression of the album. TAKE EVERY ALBUM AS THEY ARE. Unless you've listened to the album from beginning to end, it's unfair to voice your opinion on an album. There's a lot of talk about this album from Minus The Bear, and I think each of us will be our own judge once we take a listen for ourselves. 

Yeasayer - "REAGAN'S SKELETON"

The followup to Odd Blood will be released tomorrow (among other amazing albums) in the US! The new album is called Fragrant World, and I've been a fan since the first track "Henrietta" was released a few months ago. 

Yeasayer never comes up short with dance-y indie tracks that have a exotic twist to them. I'm sure I just described a genre that had a name for it, but oh well. 

POLICA - "DARK STAR"

This track is off their debut album Give You The Ghost, but this music video was released about a week ago. Her voice is unique in a way that bounces off an auto-tune style but is so mesmerizing. What attracted me to this track is literally how sleek yet groovy it is. I've definitely stepped up on my listening game for this band, and I advise you to do the same if your ears are diggin' this track.   

Fourt Tet - "LION"

If you've got some time to kill, listen to this 9 minute track from Four Tet that was released just last week! There's not much to say about this track unless you listen for yourself, and then you'll understand what I'm talking about. This is the type of music you'll want to surround yourself when you're looking to get lost for a bit. 

Wild Nothing - "NOCTURNE"

I'm a bit late on this band to be honest. This band isn't to be confused with Cloud Nothing; a band that takes a more drastic route on their sound. This track is off Wild Nothing's forthcoming album also titled Nocturne that will be released on August 28th off Captured Tracks. You can stream the entire album here if you're interested. Just my opinion, but Wild Nothing reminds me of a combination of Real Estate & Cut Copy. Two bands that I definitely incorporate into my playlists. 

July State of Mind

It's a brand new day, a brand new month // HELLO AUGUST! I thought i'd feature about an hours worth of my favorite tracks from the month of July before I dig into the newer stuff. You're probably thinking, "wait I heard this song back in May or June". That might be the case, but the majority of these tracks were featured on albums that were officially released sometime in July. I know, I know, there I go again with the music nerdism.

P.S. Shout-out to Chad for making it way too easy for me to figure out how to attach playlists from Spotify onto this blog! 

Oh yeah, "LYED" is 5 Likes away from 300 on Facebook!  Click here if you feel like helping a blogger out! 

 X

FRESHVIBESMONDAY #14

SO MANY ERRANDS for a Monday. This perfectly explains how my day went so excuse how late this post is. I added a few more tracks than usual because I spent a little too much time indoors (it was 104 degrees outside up until 8PM yesterday). Hope you guys enjoy tonight's post! Tomorrow is a big day for album releases FYI, Passion Pit & Purity Ring's album will finally be up for grabs among others LEGALLY. WOOOOO!

Bat For Lashes - "LAURA"

Here's the first dose of the new Bat For Lashes material off her upcoming album The Haunted Man. This will be the first studio album since her 2009 release Two Suns. The US release date is October 23rd, and do not expect anything less than theatrical for what's to come. 

Milo Greene - "SILENT WAY"

This type of beautiful melody is easy on the ears to say the least. If you have a second, give their self-titled debut album a listen! Milo Greene just released a list of tour dates on their website, check them out here! 

Kill Paris - "THE LOVE WE SHARED" 

This track samples Ivan Gough's "In My Mind", and if you're digging on it then help yourself to the free download of this track --> HERE! What's awesome about Kill Paris is that most of the tracks on his SoundCloud account are available as a free download, and they're kind of amazing. 

 

Bloc Party - "OCTOPUS (RAC Mix)"

Those that are apart of RAC (Remix Artist Collective) know how to take a decent song, and transform it into something different. You can always count on some form of a groovy flow/tone if it's a RAC mix, and that's the truth.  

How To Dress Well - "COLD NITES"

If you're a fan of Active Child, then you'll probably find yourself drooling over this track. Active Child & HTDW actually collaborated on an amazing track called"Playing House" that I featured on LYED awhile back. There's only one person in How To Dress Well, and that's Tom Krell from Brooklyn. His voice give

How To Dress Well's Blogspot --> http://howtodresswell.blogspot.co.uk/ 

The xx - "ANGELS" (Theatre of Delays Remix)

Breton - "JOSTLE"

Just stumbled across this experimental rock band from London while I was on La Blogotheque's website the other day. Breton was featured as one of the more recent "Take Away Shows"with this song, and it wasn't long before I was hooked on their sound. Don't let the horrible review on Pitchfork for their debut album Other People's Problems change your mind about these guys. Give their album a chance, it's worth it. 

Ghost Beach - "BEEN THERE BEFORE"

Available for free download on their website http://www.ghostbeachmusic.com/ - It's a fun one in my book. If Neon Indian & Reptar had a child together, it would be Ghost Beach. The End

Kitten - "CUT IT OUT"

This trio from Los Angeles will be the opening act for Charli XCX's LA show @ the Troubadour on August 17th! That night will be nothing but dark bubblegum jams, and I'm curious to see how it will turn out. 

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Thank You! :)

New Tunes from Yeasayer/Stars/Peter & the Magician

As of today, LYED (aka this lovely little music blog) is exactly three months old! & it would make the day even more amazing if you would please "like" LYED on facebook! :)

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THANKS & hope you enjoy the three fresh tracks featured below.

Yeasayer was kind enough to release another track from their upcoming full-length album Fragrant World. The name of the track? "Longevity" and it follows the previously released track "Henrietta" perfectly.

This "video vignette" was directed by Yoshi Sodeoka, and it fits perfectly to the exotic yet flowing sounds of "Longevity". Fragrant World will be released on August 21st via Secretly Canadian (an independent record label in Bloomington, Indiana) Other artists that are on this label are Nite Jewel, The War on Drugs, Porcelain Raft, Here We Go Magic, and more!

Also a recent release in the last 24 hours is a new track from Stars, an eloquent indie pop group from Canada. Stars will be releasing their sixth album titled The North on September 4th!  It's been about 2 years since their last studio album The Five Ghosts. The song below is titled "The Theory of Relativity" and is actually the first track off the new album.

Dig it. 

Here's another tune that I recently stumbled upon that in my opinion, is too good not to share. It's called "Memory" by Peter & The Magician. This track has a pretty cool tropical sound to it, but super catchy like a Cut Copy track (aka it's a gem). One half of P&TM is Yuksek, a french electronic producer/artist/all of the above. The other half is The Magician, aka Stephen Fasano from Belgium (and an ex-member of Aeroplane). This song will be released worldwide on an EP also titled Memory July 9th on Kitsuné Music. 

Another Dose of Youtube Narnia/New From Purity Ring!

So for today's post I decided to do a little research and see what posts have been receiving the most attention. Without a doubt, one of my first posts featuring "The Chronicles of YouTube Narnia" was a winner for some people apparently, so I decided to do a 2nd dose. Not to sound like the ultimate nerd (although I am) but YouTube narnia is quite entertaining. One of the first groups I found while surfing through Youtube narnia was Purity Ring, who I will be talking a little bit about at the end of the post since they just released a new track! 

So how does this Narnia expedition start? I decided to start with a track from Baths aka Will Wiesenfeld, an electronic musician from the LA area. This is your go-to if you want mellow relaxing beats. From there on, I just clicked on a random video on the side and went from there. There's not much to say about the videos below, except that they rule & I hope that if you like what you're hearing you'll click on their name which will lead you to their Facebook or the most reliable website for them. Hope you enjoy today's post & don't forget to share with your friends! :)  

Baths - "MAXIMALIST"

Flood of Red - "LIKE ELEPHANTS"

Burial & Four Tet - "MOTH"

Caribou - "BOWLS"

To see Caribou live is on my bucket list. This track is from their 2010 album Swim. Other favorites of mine from that album are: "Leave House" "Odessa" & "Sun"

Regal Safari - "ONLY"

Computer Magic - "RUNNING"

Vondelpark - "HIPBONE"

So one of my favorite groups "PURITY RING" released a brand new track today titled "Fineshrine" from their upcoming LP Shrines , and it's no surprise that I'm diggin' it! Purity Ring was featured in NYLON'S June/July issue, aka "The Music Issue", and consist of Corin Roddick (Production) & Megan James (who provides all of the vocals). From the NYLON article Purity Ring would be "most likely to elicit lucid dreams of space travel, and least likely to write straightforward relatable lyrics" It's definitely a nice way to start the beginning of summer, and Shrines will be released on July 24th on 4AD/Last Gang. Wooohooo!

Like It? Hate it? Not Your Style? I'd love to know! 

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YEAH-YEASAYER!

Ready for something new from Yeasayer? ME TOO! after the band sent members of their mailing list physical copies of the song, it was bound to find it's way online after Yeasayer posted a teaser on their website saying "NEW SONGS?" There is a summer tour in the mix for this groove-folk-dub group from Brooklyn, but I guess A NEW SONG will do for now ;). Below Henrietta are two of my favorite tracks from Yeasayer: SUNRISE, a little bit of a throwback/nostalgia if you worked at Urban Outfitters 2 years ago. 

ENJOY FOLKS! 

Yeasayer - Henrietta

"Oh Henrietta, we can lay around forever".

 SUNRISE (from the 2008 album All Hour Cymbals)

O.N.E (from the 2010 album Odd Blood)

ear refreshments pt. 1

Looking for a pick-me-up jam or 5 after a rough night or in need of some study tunes for the adventure you're about to endure at Davidson today? Have no fear, here's some tunes (both new & old) that will be by your side while you're studying your ass off....or reading last night's text messages. ouch.

Just some mellow vibes with different electronic spins to help create a slightly energetic mood that you might be on the hunt for. If this isn't what you're looking for, either leave me a comment or proceed to the next blog. ENJOY!

 

TV GIRL - I Wonder Who She's Kissing Now

M83 - Kim & Jessie

NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB - You Used to Be a Man

AUSTRA - The Choke

CLASS ACTRESS - Careful What You Say

GRIMES - Oblivion

sunday pick-me-ups pt. I

Don't deny it, you're probably agreeing with the image above. So here's a few songs to energize your mind while you're still trying to piece together the night.....or the entire weekend. We've all been there......plenty of times.

ENJOY!

guards -DO IT AGAIN

WE HAVE BAND: WHERE ARE YOUR PEOPLE?

ADRIAN LUX - TEENAGE CRIME

A little bit of trance never hurt anyone.

WOLF GANG - LIONS IN CAGES

SANTIGOLD - LOOK AT THESE HOES

HAPPY SUNDAY! :)

& WE'RE BACK!

My dearest apologies for dropping off the face of Blogger recently, I'm still recovering from Coachella while juggling this full-time school & work lifestyle. There I go again acting overly-dramatic.... Once I'm able to upload everything from my camera I promise to share the pics & video on this lovely page :) So, what better way to pick back up from where we left off by exposing your eyes & ears to new (or maybe not so new) tunes!

 

PURITY RING - OBEDEAR

Purity Ring has will release their first official album on July 24th, and needless to say it was a sweet surprise for them to drop a track months before the release. There's just something about this futuristic-pop duo that never fails to disappoint. Their sound will drop-kick your worries until you decide to move on to something else. 

BEACH HOUSE - EQUAL MIND

As most of you already know, April 21st was the date for "Record Store Day" 2012. Record Store Day is celebrated internationally on the third Saturday in April every year! As apart of the celebration, Beach House released a limited edition 7" vinyl single with "Lazuli", a track from Bloom, their upcoming studio LP. "Equal Mind" was chosen as the b-side and will not be found on Bloom's track listing. The beginning of the track reminds me a little of "Myth". It won't be long before you find yourself heading down a different path from the sounds of Myth, but expect it to be equally as dark & lovely. A.K.A. what i'd like to describe as the forté for Beach House. 

MARINA & THE DIAMONDS - THE STATE OF DREAMING

I'm sorry but I've turned into an impatient diamond and when I heard that bits of Electra Heart (the upcoming album for Marina & the Diamonds) were leaked, I could only stay away for so long before giving into temptation. One of SEVERAL cool things about this track is that the instrumental is the same that is used in Part 4: The Archetypes (see previous post for the video clip). Electra Heart is released in the UK in about a week, and will not be released in America until July....... I know, I know......Tragic. 

ZEDS DEAD FT. OMAR LINX - THE ONE

If you missed Zeds Dead at Coachella, I don't know what to tell you except LOOK IT UP ON YOUTUBE RIGHT NOW. Their set blew my mind, to say the absolute very least. The icing on the cake for the set was that Omar LinX was also present, and hearing this track live = adios. 

YOUNG WONDER - ORANGE

I recently heard this track and it was love at first sight. I've yet to get my digital hands on their recently released self-titled EP, but I have a good feeling about this "electronic dub-pop" duo from Ireland. Check out their page by clicking on the link above when you get a chance! Great vibes, and most of all-contagious.

TILL NEXT TIME! XX

New Album From Oberhofer/ New Music Video From Swim Deep: TREATS!

Tis the season for new album releases....




The debut album from Oberhofer, titled Time Capsules II, was released today just after making their television debut on the David Letterman show 5 days ago. If you're feeling a bit tired, this might be the perfect pick-me-up. "Away Frm U" is the track they performed and actually has been around for about 2 years (first released as a single with the track "Dead Girls Dance" in 2011, and earlier this year on the Time Capsules II EP). There's a few changes on the track from when it was first released, but I believe that it only made the track stronger. Brad Oberhofer's voice.....need i say more? 
Anyways, I REALLY like this album a lot & a few standout tracks besides "Away Frm U" are (in my opinion): HEART, Gold, and I Could Go.  This New York band gives off a lo-fi vibe that's been hanging out in your garage for a few years with just enough age to make you wish that you can listen to it on vinyl.........or really loud in your car. 

If you happen to be one of the lucky ones attending Coachella this year, these guys are playing on Day 3/Sunday. You can bet your bottom dollar that i'll be at their set during the first weekend. :)


P.S. SWIM DEEP just released a video for their track "King City" that's catchy as hell. Three guys from Birmingham living the life that will immediately remind you of what goes on in Venice Beach. 
Do those ears a favor & check it out.