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Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago usually involved teenaged dreams of escaping the cookie cutter lifestyle for something bigger and essentially better. Some people succeed in dodging their parents’ footsteps and making their own luck as a musician or artist, while others remain stuck in high school drama and pleased with familiarity. Daphne Willis grew up in my hometown and has been grinding the music industry since I was lonely fresh meat at Fremd High School. Willis certainly falls into the former category of Fremd alum since her career as female musician has amplified since graduation. Read More…

A few weeks ago Veoba brought you the electro-pop gem “Lazer Tag With Imaginary Friends” to be taken from Kyle Andrews’ forthcoming record, ROBOT Learn Love. Since the release of his single, Andrews found some (real) friends and transformed them into video game characters to appropriately capture the track’s lyrical component in his latest video premiere. The plot reminds us of some classical game favorites though none of the characters earn extra lives and most (excluding Andrews himself) meet an unfortunate fate. Check out the video and stay tuned for ROBOT Learn Love to drop on August 16th.

Following their debut album Cold in the Guestway, Chicago’s very own Gypsyblood have managed to raise ears and build fans since they’ve become part of the Sargent House roster. The group sounds similar to garage punk bands, however, they distance themselves from the genre by adding noise pop influences and elements of surf rock. Check out the latest video for “Take Your Picture” below.
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As the summer season begins to dwindle we should all be prepared for the inevitable. Though autumn isn’t as oppressive as winter, Tes Elations‘ new video reminds us of the gorgeous, yet brief juncture we’re bound to experience. Hailing from Los Angeles, the 5 piece outfit fashions chamber-like sonics with a post-punk, folky atmosphere. Female vocals carry “Autumn” through the band’s scenic imagery, but the double cellist and minimalist approach used by the quintet is unmistakably relaxing as well. Check out the new video after the jump Read More…

Gold Panda has been playing non stop on my iTunes lately mainly because I find his mix of MPC sampled beats to be particularly pleasing and cohesive to a typical Chicago summer. So this new track “MPB” has been perfectly timed. So check it and head on over to his website for a free download.

MPB by Gold Panda

UK power house Joy Orbison (Joy O) known for melding UK funky, UK Garage, dubstep, and house drops Sicko Cell, which some critics in the scene are already hailing as track of the year. Take a listen. Drake and Ne-Yo fans may appreciate this track. Or not…

Famed French indie music blog, La Blogotheque, known for capturing raw and organically crafted short videos of artists performing their music in a intimate public setting, featured Bon Iver back in 2008 with three short videos for “The Wolves (Act I & II),” “Skinny Love” and “Flume.” Now with his latest release, Bon Iver, being a chart topping success these videos are all the more relevant for new Bon Iver fans trying to dig into the Bon Iver persona. So sit back relax and take in the beauty that is Bon Iver La Blogotheque style.

Bon Iver – Wolves (act I & II) – Une Soiree de Poche from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

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Watch French dream pop wonder group, M83, and their trailer for their upcoming studio album set to be released this fall. The album will be the group’s 6th full length effort since the release of Saturdays = Youth in 2008.

Andy Kiel, Jim Wittmann, and Andrew Hertzberg aren’t homeless or begging for money to waste on wretched addictions. Instead they’ve been performing on the streets, at festivals, radio stations, and venues under the stellar moniker Moon Furies for an important cause. On May 17th, the trio commenced their mission to raise money and perform 100 shows in 100 days for cancer research, specifically to support Andrew’s mother after she was diagnosed with throat cancer. Their musical output is a blend of starry-eyed synths and celestial harmonies, but while playing in the streets, the band is forced to strip back to acoustics and impromptu verses. Read More…

Doll and the Kicks float somewhat under the indie radar. It’s kind of difficult to imagine why, especially after hearing Hannah Scanlon’s boisterous vocals and the group’s overall output. The British punk quartet has been making strides since the beginning, even if such movement required auctioning off signed merch and live, in-house appearances on ebay for some quick cash. Read More…