Tomorrow is the third Saturday in April, which means that independent record stores across the world will face an influx of limited-edition vinyl, avid fans, and rabid audiophiles. With myriad releases hitting shelves, we’ve provided you with some of our most anticipated picks to make Saturday’s shopping (relatively) quick and painless.
Meaghann Korbel
Q&A: Jel
Jel: Greenball 3.5 (Fieldwerk, 4/17/12)
“Ignition Key”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/11-Ignition-Key.mp3|titles=Jel: “Ignition Key”]Knowing nothing about his sleeping patterns, Just looking at his discography, one gets the sense that producer/rapper Jel (born Jeffrey Logan) lives and breathes on beats alone — that for him, rest is but an afterthought. Ever since the 1997 formation of hip-hop duo Themselves, in which he partners with Adam “Doseone” Drucker, the prolific artist has put out multiple releases every year either under his own name, with Themselves, with other projects such as Subtle and 13 & God, or as producer for other innovative rap artists such as Serengeti. Oh, and he co-founded LA-based indie hip-hop label Anticon. No big deal.
Video: Shmu’s “House of Stares”
Shmu: Discipline / Communication (Grand Theft Zamboni, 6/5/12)
Multi-instrumentalist/singer Shmu — otherwise known as Sam Chown or the percussion half of Austin synth-prog duo Zorch — is about to make his solo debut in June with Discipline / Communication.
Compared to the manic sensibilities of Zorch, Shmu brings a more chilled-out vibe with elements of pop and shoegaze, opting for some serious grooves rather than spacey synths.
The video for the album’s first single, “House of Stares,” is highly infectious due to Chown’s vocal harmonies, catchy xylophone loops, and guitar accents — all while a grown man rocks some carnival-ready onesie pajamas.
Video: Trentemøller’s “My Dreams” (f. Marie Fisker)
Trentemøller: My Dreams (In My Room, 4/21/12)
Acclaimed Danish producer Trentemøller is among the roster of musicians gearing up for Record Store Day. His contribution to independent record stores across the world is a seven-inch single, My Dreams, which houses a cover of The Gun Club‘s song of the same name.
The track, which features vocals of repeat collaborator Marie Fisker, can be heard in the video below, which includes live footage and stunning cinematic visuals taken on the road.
Video: The Shins’ “The Rifle’s Spiral”
The Shins: Port of Morrow (Columbia, 3/20/12)
Indie-rock heavyweight The Shins has recruited Emmy Award-winning director/animator Jamie Caliri to interpret “The Rifle’s Spiral,” a track off the band’s latest album, Port of Morrow.
The video below — also available for 24 hours over at Nowness — features The Nightmare Before Christmas-esque stop-motion animation involving three menacing, mustachioed men, a magician, and (of course) a rabbit.
Hopscotch Festival 2012 lineup revealed
Some big names in independent music will roll through Raleigh, NC this September 6-8 for The Independent Weekly’s third annual Hopscotch Music Festival, with 170+ bands joining headliners The Roots, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Built to Spill.
Video: Fear Factory’s The Industrialist album teaser
Fear Factory: The Industrialist (Candlelight, 6/5/12)
LA-based industrial-metal quartet Fear Factory is releasing its aptly titled new album, The Industrialist, June 5 via Candlelight Records.
For you impatient metal-heads out there, below is an official trailer for the album, followed by a taste of its first single, “Recharger.” Enjoy.
Video: Lee Fields & The Expressions’ “You’re the Kind of Girl”
Lee Fields & the Expressions: Faithful Man (Truth & Soul, 3/13/12)
Forty-three years into his career, soul veteran Lee Fields is still going strong, as evidenced by last month’s release of Faithful Man — his second for Brooklyn’s Truth & Soul Records — and his current tour, which included dates at SXSW.
Backed by his band The Expressions, Faithful Man is a modern twist on a classic, paying homage to the time-honored traditions of funk and soul upon which Fields built his career. Here’s his new video for “You’re the Kind of Girl.”