Written by Ron Trembath
Westfold serves as a prime example of “contemporary” in the most literal sense on their second EP, Morning Commute. Using their classic antidote of happy despair, Westfold manages to create something bold and original, using a template that is faded and worn. It is always a pleasure to hear from a group that is not scared of imaginary boundaries, but doesn’t forget their beginnings.

Written by Fense
If you know me, you know I love carefree, youthful pop music. This wintery pop gem is just that. The video is also a fun little ditty. The song can be found on Thunder Power‘s debut EP, Love Yourself on Nebraska imprint Slumber Party Records. It’s a brief five songs, but believe me, it’s worth it.

When I first heard the voice of Sanni Baumgaertner at the beginning of “Mach Dich Los.” I did a double-take. I had to check and verify that Dancer Vs. Politician wasn’t the solo project of Acid House Kings female counterpart Julia Lannerheim. It, of course, is not. Baumgaertner is a native of Germany, a country with plenty of untapped pop resources.

The first track from Silence Is Wild, the latest release by Frida Hyvönen (MySpace), reminisces on Hyvönen’s childhood. Having just discovered her heritage — she’s from Sweden — I think back to my childhood and a young Swedish boy named Peter. He was an exchange student who stayed with my family while I was in high school.

The music AristeiA (MySpace) creates is surreal. In a live setting, the sound is deafening. It has the ability to surround one so completely, one can slip into a trance. On record, the effect is similar, but best experienced through large headphones. How To Kill A King is the latest from AristeiA, and features a new percussionist.

Written by Fense
In music, it is very rare to create something entirely new. To break ground would be to christen a new instrument, one that does something bizarre, one that sounds like no other. Or to use an instrument in a way that has never been done before. Moments like these have spawned great works — my recent viewing and subsequent coverage of Kraftwerk And The Electronic Revolution comes to mind. Another artist along these lines could be Wolf Eyes.

Written by Fense
I’m a bit sad. Yesterday, the 6th of November, was my one month anniversary at my new job. I really enjoy my work and the people I work with, but it means I must rent a room in the small town of Edison (at a really great house with a really great roommate) and I am only able to be in Seattle Friday evening through Sunday early afternoon, when I can return to my condo in Ballard, where I live on weekends (and where my girlfriend …

Written by Fense
Woah. Talk about channeling 80s synth pop! Disasteradio is Luke Rowell, a name that sounds suspiciously like you growl, and the music he makes sounds suspiciously 80s. But like 80s synth pop, it comes with the glorious flare of colorfully flashy synth lines, computerized tidbits, and all the swank a wacky early twenty-something male can muster out of the nether regions of… well, you know what I’m getting at.

Anytime you inject rock music with orchestration, especially when it “rock” is often synonymous for “pop”, the term anthemic comes to mind. That’s what you get with Light Pollution (MySpace) — anthem-like rock music with hints of Arcade Fire’s instrumentation. When it comes to this group’s vocals, however, I’d say they sound a bit more like Feral Children (minus the Modest Mouse reference).

Written by Fense
I may be slightly off in my vision of who exactly Kindercore Records is as an entity — my perception stems to a single folk-pop release from around a decade ago. From this quiet, self-titled album birthed one of my favorite groups, Kings Of Convenience. Beyond that release, I knew the label to be a haven for bands of the Elephant 6 notoriety.