Featuring tracks from 
Cloud Control, Poliça, Phantogram, Deptford Goth, Belle And Sebastian, The Polish Ambassador, Crooked Colours and The Kite String Tangle.
Stream it here:
To download the mp3 file, right click and “save link as” here: The Breakdown with Ben Episode 63
What’s up, friends. What a treat I have for you this time around. This episode freakin rocks. I’m indulging in some really good new albums and have come across some new material from old favourites that have matured like a good stinky French cheese would.
First I have to dive into the albums. Cloud Control’s second album, Dream Cave, is out of this world good. I’ve been following these guys since 2008, when they released a dirty EP that I enjoyed in my fledgling days of indie music appreciation, when The Breakdown was nothing but a twinkle in your wife’s eye. Their debut album Bliss Release was great, but still felt a touch raw and unhoned. Dream Cave marks their entry as an elite indie band on the world stage. The songwriting is as pure as it is brimming with musical genius, and their delivery has matured. Every song sounds different, while maintaining the same ‘band sound’, the hallmark of an accomplished indie artist. Do yourself a favour and get Dream Cave.
Poliça is an electro-pop duo from Minnesota, USA, that has very recently released their second album, Shulamith. In the ever expanding world of indie electro-pop, they have managed to carve their own little niche with a very unique sound. The songwriting is distinctive, as is the vocals, and the entire album is very listenable.
I’m also immensely enjoying two new releases from Oakland, USA, glitch producer The Polish Ambassador. This guy is really awesome. In my eyes, he makes a very niche genre accessible to the wider public, introducing awesome melodies and pop hooks, while never losing sight of his glitch roots. This genre is epic for its fat basslines and crisp, punchy sounds over the top. The Polish Ambassador offers all his music for “name your own price” (similar to seminal producer Pretty Lights) at his website http://thepolishambassador.com/free-music/ It is well worth a visit.
I’ve also been getting lost in the debut album by American outfit On An On. This one escaped me for a while, having been released in January of this year, however I’m glad I found it and not ashamed of my tardiness enough to pass it by on here. It’s brimming with swirling, dreamy guitar sounds and a gripping vocalist. Expect to hear a fair bit more of this band in coming episodes.
Aside from the albums, there’s also been some sweet single tracks I’ve come onto. A small Aussie duo, Crooked Colours, that I’ve been following for a couple years, has dropped a new track, which in my eyes marks their coming of age. They seem to have slowed their sound down a bit and got a little more technical, and have hit the nail square on the head with their new track, Come Down.
Another tiny Aussie artist that is doing great things is The Kite String Tangle. This guy is a solo producer and by the looks of it is very young, starting out in similar fashion to the way Gotye did. Everything I’ve heard from The Kite String Tangle is rad, and I’ll be one excited cat if he drops an album on us.
I’m also revisiting one of the biggest indie tracks of our generation, being Peter, Bjorn And John‘s brilliant song Young Folks, which you might remember as something along the lines of ‘the whistling song’. Wolf Saga have covered it, abandoning PB&J’s minimalist musical structure of a guitar and a bongo drum, and replacing it with some cool synth sounds. The bit I like the best about this cover is the absence of the whistling. It allows one to focus much more intently on the vocals, revealing what is a beautiful story of a couple getting lost in each other. Props, Wolf Saga.
Enough now, go and enjoy the tunes! If you like this episode, be sure to share it with your musically inclined friends and on your social media :)
Tracklist
1. Cloud Control – Island Living (00:00)
2. Poliça – Smug (03:12)
3. The Kite String Tangle – Given The Chance (07:12)
4. Phantogram – Black Out Days (11:06)
5. On An On – American Dream (14:51)
6. The Polish Ambassador – Breathe Her (18:00)
7. Crooked Colours – Come Down (22:14)
8. Jagwar Ma – Uncertainty (25:49)
9. The Mary Onettes – Years (29:51)
10. Belle And Sebastian – I Didn’t See It Coming (Richard X remix) (34:20)
11. Deptford Goth – Feel Real (38:05)
12. Fractures – Cadence (42:20)
13. Rufus – Modest Life (46:38)
14. Blood Cultures – Indian Summer (50:20)
15. Wolf Saga Feat. Lemon – Young Folks (Peter Bjorn And John cover) (55:15)
16. Ecstasy – Exhale (1:01:00)
17. The Lazy Calm – Paper Dreams (1:04:52)
18. Poliça – Chain My Name (1:08:54)
19. Cloud Control – Dream Cave (1:13:00)
20. Little May – Hide (1:16:18)
21. Naomi Pilgrim – No Gun (1:19:50)
22. Gold Panda – Reprise (1:24:05)
23. First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar (1:28:00)
24. The Polish Ambassador – Swing Connection ft. Vokab Kompany (1:33:05)
25. Bearhug – Be Fine (1:37:32)
26. Eyedress – Nature Trips (1:44:18)
The Indie Electro Breakdown 