indie

The Sarcastic Dharma Society: Other People’s Songs (Volume One)

Chill acoustic covers of old (or recent) folk favorites? Yes, please! This is the very idea of The Sarcastic Dharma Society‘s 2009 collection, Other People’s Songs (Volume One). While we have yet to see a volume two, the rich feel of this 10-track album is still as fresh as yesterday’s produce, lessening our clamor for a new one.

Kingfishers Catch Fire: Discoveries

A Brit band is sharing their unique “discoveries” with us. Tristan Irvine, Marcus Mozley, William Robertson, and Darran Paul Smith, also known as Kingfishers Catch Fire, compose an indie-slash-alternative folk band hailing from London. They’ve already won fans with their breakthrough 2012 EP, Ballerina, and the momentum continues as new music pours in next month.

Juleah: Entangled And Entwined

Ever heard of a record that’s gorgeously enchanting and calming? That’s how we feel about Juleah‘s third entry into the psychedelic rock canon: Entangled and Entwined. Compared by NME Radar to “the wavering vocals and instrumentation of Mazzy Star” and the “anthemic drive of Ride”, Austrian Julia Hummer successfully marries the much-hyped shoegaze genre and folk rock in dreamy ways we didn’t expect.

A Treehouse Wait: A Treehouse Wait

Climb up the treehouse and wait for the melodies to come pouring forth. An exaggeration, but that’s how listening to A Treehouse Wait‘s self-titled EP precisely feels and sounds like. Jenny Wahlström and her peers bring their amazing brand of indie pop from Stockholm to our ears — music that’s at par with the likes of Bon Iver and The Weepies.

Kevin Michael: LISA

Kevin Michael is at it again with another spunky mixtape. This time, we’re revisiting his 13-track collection, LISA, which stands for “love is so amazing”. The concept album, put together with the help of Michael’s longtime collaborator Brian Kidd, is a lite nostalgic affair that takes you back to the glory of the 2009-2010 musical period: pulsating beats, ‘swagger’, and ultra-smooth harmonies — elements that currently proliferates today’s top 40 picks.

Luke Gallant: Unplugged EP

Off we go to another EP filled with more relaxing acoustic tunes. Not much is said about Luke Gallant the musician — either Google won’t return our queries, or the search giant can’t pinpoint which one of the similarly-named dudes is the real one (or both). However, we’re sure of one thing: the one who’s crooning in this EP is a really talented guy.

Bonnie Bordeaux: The Damsel Diaries

In the mood for a throwback? We’ve got the damsel for you. Taking a share of the delicious musical pie is newcomer Bonnie Bordeaux (even her name sounds super gorgeous), who’s bringing her own iteration of pop by tastefully concocting it with 40′s style of jazz and soul. The result? A stunning 7-track debut masterpiece that we’ll simply refer to as The Damsel Diaries.

Snow Mantled Love: conversations

We’re not really critical of people who aren’t afraid to get mushy, as long as they can back it up with a riveting playlist. One good suggestion is the newest release by Ontario-based band Snow Mantled Love, entitled conversations.