Mar
05

Featured Artist: Computer Magic


Going simply by the name, Danz, the voice and force behind the synth-fueled tunes of Computer Magic says the project started out as a small one. After months in New York City juggling school and work with no time to concentrate on writing music, the fledgling artist fled to her family home in Florida. Deep in the south she found the time and solace to write and record music in her bedroom with just a laptop and some lyrics. Danz posted her creations online and the buzz began. In the months to follow, she would return to New York in time to release her debut EP, Electric Fences, last year. We love her reverb-heavy, keyboard dreamscapes, and think that you will too. Her track “Grand Junction” plays in the background of our recent clip, Let The Sea Set You Free.

Feb
27

Featured Artist: Fiend Without a Face


Sometimes it’s healthy to have a second identity, so when Brent Hinds isn’t scorching the stage as guitarist for fearsome metal warriors Mastodon, he turns down the volume to lead his own surf-rockabilly band, Fiend Without A Face. Hinds’ surfabilly is jangly and distortion-free, so given his classicist taste in one of rock’s oldest styles, Fiend’s fun instrumental “Tsunami” is the perfect match for our Spring 2012 Teenie Wahine clip!

Feb
20

Featured Artist: One For The Team

Featured Track: Ancient Age
Album: Ghosts
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Ever have trouble letting go of something? We feel exactly that way about One For The Team. We don’t care if this Minneapolis group is no longer a full-time band – we’re still huge fans of their ultramega-catchy tunes. Between 2006-10, the foursome (led by singer-guitarist Ian Anderson) put out three killer albums and an equally blazing EP, and it’s from the last of these releases, Ghosts, that we’ve cherry-picked “Ancient Age” to soundtrack one of our most awe-inspiring Roxy Refreshments clips, featuring our girls shredding all over snowcapped Mont Blanc in the French Alps!

Feb
13

Featured Artist: Big Search

Although he’s best known for his work as a member of Los Angeles folk-rock band Foreign Born – among myriad other groups he’s been involved with over the years – Matt Popieluch is out to change that with his own project, Big Search. Indeed, it’s become the primary focus of his songwriting and recording, and once you hear his crazy-gifted knack for dreamy vocal harmonies and breezy melodies, you’ll understand why. Since he’s only released a pair of singles to date under his Big Search moniker (both available via Bandcamp), we’re eagerly awaiting his upcoming full-length record!

Feb
06

Featured Artist: Ladyhawke

Featured Song: “Black and White”
Album: Anxiety
Facebook: /Ladyhawke
Twitter: @ladyhawkeforyou

Finally following up her multi-award winning, critically acclaimed, self-titled debut album, Ladyhawke (aka, Phillipa Brown) is about to release her second album, Anxiety, on March 16 via Modular Recordings. Needless to say, we are huge fans. We can’t even tell you how many times we played her album Paris is Burning (especially “Back of the Van” – we still crank that one at the gym!). The new album was recorded in New Zealand and France last year with producer and friend Pascal Gabriel, and it features ten new songs including the single “Black White & Blue,” which is the video we’ve embedded up there. Like last time, she played a good chunk of the instruments on the album, so on this particular track she sang, played lead guitar, bass, and the drums. We’re definitely impressed!

Jan
30

Featured Artist: Memoryhouse

Featured Song: Walk With Me
Album: The Slideshow Effect
Facebook: /Memoryhouse
Twitter: @inmemoryhouse

The story goes that Evan Abeele and Denise Nouvion of Memoryhouse never intended to collaborate in a proper band setting. Rather, composer Abeele and photographer/filmmaker Nouvion originally envisioned a collaborative art project pairing Abeele’s compositions with Nouvion’s photographs and short films. We all know what often happens to the best-laid plans, however, and it wasn’t long before the Toronto duo was gigging across the US and Europe. The momentum they sustained turned into a recording contract with Sub Pop, and following 2011’s The Years EP – one of our favorite releases of last year – the legendary Seattle label is now prepping to release Memoryhouse’s full-length debut, The Slideshow Effect, in February.

Jan
23

Featured Artist: Little Boots


Featured Track: Shake
Facebook: /LittleBoots
Twitter: @littleboots
Youtube: littlebootsvideos

It’s a new week here at Roxy, and a new day. We’re getting a later start than normal (these posts usually go up first thing in the morning), so we’re going to need something extra special to get us going today. Mining similar sonic territory to Robyn and La Roux, Little Boots (a.k.a. Victoria Hesketh) first broke through in 2009 with a pair of infectious powerhouse singles, “New In Town” and “Remedy,” from her full-length debut, Hands. In the time since, the beautiful blonde Brit has delivered other dancefloor staples, including “Stuck On Repeat” and “Meddle.” Rumor has it she’s cooking up some new grooves for release this coming spring…so, naturally, we can’t wait to hear what’s next! For now, visit her Soundcloud page for several remixes of her current killer single, “Shake.”

Jan
16

Featured Artist: Kyle Andrews


Featured Track: “Heart U 4 Ever”
Album: Robot Learn Love
Facebook: /thekyleandrews
Twitter: @TheKyleAndrews

You’d think someone who’s been hailed by NPR as a pop genius would record in a glossy studio, but that’s not Kyle Andrews’ style. Rather, this Nashville electro-pop wizard records his ruthlessly danceable tracks exclusively at home…but you’d never know it by how shiny they sound. Andrews’ recent releases, including the Kangaroo EP and full-length Robot Learn Love, are as precise – yet warm and fun – as anything he’s ever put out. If you missed Andrews’ hit “You Always Make Me Smile” in a Holiday Inn campaign a couple years back, you can still catch his super-catchy “Heart U 4 Ever” in the trailer for our current season of Roxy Refreshments!

Jan
09

Featured Artist: Brian Jonestown Massacre


Featured Track: “Straight Up and Down”
Album: Take it From the Man
Official Site: brianjonestownmassacre.com

While it’s likely that most common word used to describe Brian Jonestown Massacre is “infamous,” the group’s brilliant music far outweighs whatever outrageous shenanigans have been attributed to them throughout their nearly two-decade stint on the scene. Led by indie rock royalty figure Anton Newcombe, BJM have been mesmerizing and alienating audiences since forming in San Francisco in the early ‘90s, and their signature psychedelic sound hasn’t lightened up much over the years. Listen for their track “Straight Up And Down” in the trailer for the upcoming feature The Water Dancer, starring surfer Stephanie Gilmore.

Jan
02

Featured Artist: Interest Relief


Featured Track: “On The Fritz”
Album: Even More Homemade Music Nobody Cares About
Facebook: /interestrelief

Recording under the moniker Interest Relief, the husband-and-wife duo of Brad and Jennifer McConnell create a sweet mix of electronica-infused indie pop. These former high school sweethearts are inspired by a wide scope of influences, from Radiohead’s glitchy beats and the rangy Americana of Wilco to the laid-back vibes of Portishead. We’ve become suckers for their mis-titled new EP, Even More Homemade Music Nobody Cares About – head to their MySpace page for a taste!