The Indie Electro Breakdown

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thebreakdownwithben.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/the-breakdown-with-ben-episode-53.mp3

Well… What an episode I have for you guys this time. It seems a swathe, nay, an army of accomplished indie bands have all dropped albums around the same time. I simply cannot remember a time when so many established and popular indie artists have released albums this close together. The list is quite impressive, as you can see from the list above, and I still have not included any songs as of yet from Daft Punk, Austra or Queens Of The Stone Age!

Anyway, please allow to get onto my wank about how good these albums are. Firstly I must begin with Gold & Youth, not that they are established just yet, but they shall, however, lead my rant. This is a band from my adopted home of Vancouver, Canada, whom I have been eagerly following since stumbling upon their beautiful track Time To Kill, a bit over a year ago. This track captured me enough to place it at number 2 in my top 100 songs for 2012, and I led with it at the final presentation night at the hugely popular 2013 TBA 31 Day Photo Challenge. I have now been to 2 of their live shows, and finally managed to pick up a copy of their debut album, Beyond Wilderness, while at the gig a few weeks ago. I had not been able to include any tracks from it in Episode 52, stemming  from my rushed exit from Canada a few days after the gig. We had been listening to it on the drive back up to Whistler, and in my haste to pack everything up in the next couple of days, I left it in the CD player in my van, which is now at a storage yard in Pemberton. Didn’t really help when I went to make the mix in Australia. Fail! I have now managed to get my mitts on another copy, and these beauties from a highly recommended release can now find their way safely into your ears.

Evergreen stalwarts The National have recently released their seventh studio album, Trouble Will Find Me, to widespread critical acclaim, and more importantly, huge excitement for lovers of good music! This band simply cannot be praised highly enough. For almost 15 years now they have continued to release high quality, emotionally charged, melancholy, wistful and beautifully delivered songs that go together with heartbreak like red wine and rare steak do. Over this time they have not changed their formula, they have just kept delivering beautiful music. Do yourself a favour and buy a copy of Trouble Will Find Me.

French indie masters Phoenix have also delivered their fifth studio album, Bankrupt!. Apologies as this one has been out a couple months already, however I have been distracted enough so as to lose a little touch with the music scene of late, but am now back and rocking out to this awesome album! There are enough standout tracks to keep littering Breakdowns for a while so strap in, guys.

One of my favourite releases so far this year is Wild Cub’s album, Youth. It is super refreshing and yet another example of fine music originating from Brooklyn, NY. Have a crack at it.

I have already crapped on too much. Other fantastic releases from artists I already know and love, appearing in this episode come from Empire of The Sun (one of Aussie musical genius Nick Littlemore’s 3 bands), Young Wonder (my favourite Irish group), Bravestation (Canada’s own pioneers of “tribal pop”), Caveman, Junip (Jose Gonzales’ band), Atlas Genius and new favourites In The Valley Below.

Please enjoy this melange of fantasticness.

Tracklist 
Artist – Song Title (Start Time)

1. Gold & Youth – Jewel (00:00)
2. Wild Cub – Colour (04:34)
3. Phoenix – Trying To Be Cool (08:40)
4. Atlas Genius – Symptoms (12:27)
5. The National – Sea Of Love (15:49)
6. Tunng – So Far From Here (19:31)
7. In The Valley Below – Last Soul (24:23)
8. Empire Of The Sun – Alive (28:57)
9. Youngblood Hawke – Forever (32:21)
10. Hungry Kids of Hungary – Do Or Die (35:54)
11. Rebecca & Fiona – Dance (39:38)
12. After Hours – Fast Life (Feat Nina Lorraine) (BWB Edit) (44:17)
13. Superhumanoids – So Strange (48:36)
14. Blondfire – Waves (51:49)
15. Bravestation – Somewhere We Belong (55:30)
16. Wild Cub – Wishing Well (59:52)
17. Junip – Your Life, Your Call (1:04:06)
18. Caveman – Ankles (1:08:09)
19. Gold & Youth – Daylight Colours (1:12:42)
20. The National – I Need My Girl (1:16:22)
21. Majical Cloudz – Childhood’s End (1:20:26)
22. Bravestation – Western Thrills (1:24:17)
23. Young Wonder – Time (feat. Sacred Animals) (1:27:54)
24. Youngblood Hawke – We Come Running (1:32:21)
25. Phoenix – Bankrupt! (BWB Edit) (1:36:30)
26. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – So Good At Being In Trouble (1:39:12)