Ballerina Black – Blue-ish Grey

Indie Rock
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Lush arrangement and poetic, but not horribly cumbersome, lyrics make this a song for movement – this is a track to drive to, to walk to, to dance to – but it is also a song for mental movement. It is a track to think to, as well. I actually found myself reminded of bands like The Railway Children; there is an element of that sumptuous mid-eighties New Wave sound represented here – a bit darker, but quite handsomely dressed in the same sort of brilliant guitar melodies and steady, up-tempo undercurrents.

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Moon Tapes – A Little Bit Of Paris

Indie Pop, Indie Rock
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There is indeed a warm staccato style of bass and guitar sound here which is highly reminiscent of the Smiths at their peak – Moon Tapes has mastered this particular brand of textured aural and emotional complexity, but give it their own unique spin. There isn’t quite Morrissey’s lyrical dexterity, but the plaintive angst vocalist Joep Meyer brings to the song is spot-on. Essentially, this is the Smiths without the hubris.

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Hearts Of Black Science – Wolves At The Border

Dreampop, Electronic
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Hearts Of Black Science have a knack for layering, building from sparse guitars and subtle synths into harmonies of complex splendor. Ethereal, chilling vocals lead into what is essentially a lesson in aural world-building; by the end of my first listen I felt I had been transported into the moody, unnerving realm of its lyrics….palpable mistrust, doubt, and fledgling hopes all combine to create a panoply to showcase the talents of this fantastic Swedish mixed-genre band.

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A Copy For Collapse – Grey Sunday

Dark Wave
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A Copy for Collaspe’s second single “Grey Sunday” is a sickly sweet, sinister treat for those who like darker synthpop. Fans of Teeel and Torul should welcome another shimmering nightmare into their listening consciousness, as this track packs just enough glitter in its fangs to make you wonder if you should stay asleep or snap out of the dream before you reach the song’s conclusion.

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Alternative Timelines – The Classics

Alt. Classics

We are bringing back a popular feature to Strangeways called Alternative Timelines. Each post identifies iconic images and formats them perfectly to fit on your Facebook Timeline Header. There will be a different theme each week and for the first installment, I decided to go with a simple Alternative Classics theme that focuses on three of the most iconic covers of all time.

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Spotify introduces Discover Weekly

News

Spotify has introduced a new featured called “Discover Weekly” that is aimed at providing you with a weekly mixtape of music based on your music preferences. You will find the appropriately named playlist “Discover Weekly” at the top of your playlist hierarchy. My initial impression of this feature is very positive. The first 3-4 songs were bands that I have never heard of, but ones that fit in perfectly with the type of music that I listen to

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Spotify release 1.0.9

News

Spotify release 1.0.9 continues in it’s attempt to make the product more usable. They are succeeding in adding in little niceties here and there, but at the same time have not offered anything truly innovative in a while. This release adds some aesthetic and usability features, but hasn’t put a huge dent in the list of features that the user base has been clamoring for.

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