L.A. indie pop dream team Golden Coast keep up their recent run of strong buzz-y singles with latest “Futurist”. Sugary, vaguely tropical in sound and boasting a large in stature falsetto-laden chorus “Futurist” is another sunny score for the twosome.
Golden Coast 
(Soundcloud)
Iain Woods’ “Fiend” is a remarkably unique four and half odd minutes. Equal parts A-level pop songwriting construction (our friend “Mr. Woods” is a deeply accomplished melodicist) and inventive arranging (wild and voracious horn playing and drumming mark some of the instrumental’s more distinctive moments) “Fiend” decidedly indicates Iain Woods as a serious talent.
Iain Woods 
(Soundcloud)
The Charlie Andrew (Alt-J) produced We Slept At Last is the debut album from Marika Hackman. New single, the eclectically arranged and supremely listenable “Animal Fear” is out the same day (February 16th) as the LP on Dirty Hit.
Marika Hackman (Facebook)
We loved Manchester band Gorgeous Bully’s track “925” for Rough Trade NYC’s 80N7 compilation. Here Gorgeous Bully release the latest iteration of their reverb-laden gaze-y sound on “2 Broke 2 Old”. A+.
Gorgeous Bully (Facebook)
The stylistically varied “The Intimidator” is new from Alex Burey’s upcoming debut EP “Inside World”. “The Intimidator” meshes elements of psychedelia (think Soft Moon-era Flaming Lips), 60’s pop and modern rhythm driven indie like Alt-J. Alex Burey’s “Inside World” EP is out February 6th on his Pling Recordings label.
Oh Wonder (Soundcloud)
World Crass is the project of Boston native Michael J. Thomas. “Hit Me Up” is kinetic in its rhythmic qualities and raw in its fidelity but really wins in its energy and mood which evoke the early 00’s heyday of bands like The Stills and Interpol. We love it.
World Crass 
(Soundcloud)
“Steady” is the new track from English sister trio The Staves Justin Vernon-produced LP If I Was. The album is the follow up to the stunning “Blood I Bleed” EP from last year (also produced by Vernon). “Steady” sparkles with layered harmony and chugging acoustics and you can sample it below.
The Staves (Soundcloud)
The school of Little Dragon pop of “Truth” is new from Brooklyn-based Her Habits. “Truth” excels on its on neat rhythmic hooks (that synth bass wob thing is fresh) and firmly on trend sonics. Give “Truth” your attention below.
Her Habits 
(Soundcloud)
Disclosure collaborator (and by extension writer with Sam Smith, Mary J. Blige and others) Jimmy Napes pens the modern pop gem “Give It Up”. Howard Lawrence (one half of Disclosure) produces.
Jimmy Napes (Soundcloud)
Finally Famous affiliate Earlly Mac gets a vocal assist from fellow Detroit native JMSN on the velvety smooth two step of “Naturally”.
Earlly Mac 
(Facebook)
Have a quick look through some of the artists that this band shared a stage with recently or generally attracted the attention of and you’ll notice the likes of Bonobo, SOHN and The xx. They’ve even been described already as “the Finnish Portishead”. That should be enough to make you hit play with a certain degree of confidence and from there on in you’ll be handsomely rewarded for giving Phantom you’re undivided attention. ‘Shadows’ is an astonishingly deep and enchanting listen – it sits comfortably within the aforementioned names yet crucially has enough to say for itself and doesn’t tread on the toes of any of them.
As a duo, singer Hanna Toivonen and beat-maker Tommi Koskinen have been crafting brooding, jazz-inflected trip-hop for a couple of years now and it’s worth looking to their first release “Scars” if you’re not already familiar. It’s perhaps a less developed track overall but the achingly soulful vocal more than hints at the potential breadth of any forthcoming EP/LP and is clearly a huge asset to their live performance.
“Shadows” is available now from VILD Recordings. Reviewed by Nathan Hetherington
Phantom 
(Facebook)
We’re digging “Prescription” the latest from Church-esque post-punk upstarts Nite Fields. The latest track from the Australian band’s forthcoming Depersonalistion LP, “Prescription” glides a most excellent line between the best of 80’s UK indie (Bunnymen, etc) and the romance-driven guitar intricacies of Cocteau Twins. Depersonalistion is out February 3rd on Felte.
Nite Fields 
(Facebook)
