…Bastille (@BastilleDan)? Style Etoile is excited about Bastille. Bastille is South London’s Dan Smith and he is making music that lies at the crossroads of synth, rock, pop, and indie–sort of like an 80s dance version of Frightened Rabbit. Bastille’s Double A-Side summer release Flaws/Icarus has left us longing for more—this guy is one to watch…stay tuned.
…Amanda Mair? Hello Saturday! Amanda Mair is here to help us ring in the weekend. This gorgeous 16-year-old (wait, what?) Swede makes beautiful pop music that sticks inside your head (in the best way possible). This is light, dance-y stuff and we’re not afraid to say we dig it. She is currently working on her debut album, and we can’t wait to watch her star rise…
why aren’t you listening to . . .
. . . Pogo (@pogomix)? Pogo is a mixmaster from Down Under, and we can’t get enough of his tracks created through the samples of music and vocals from films. This is dance-y, ethereal stuff that sounds like a cross between NewVillager and Animal Collective, and Style Etoile is more than a little impressed with this 22-year old’s creativity and talent (not to mention his dreamy looks). Pogo has a pretty impressive catalogue of mixes, and we have yet to hear one we haven’t liked . . .
why aren’t you listening to . . .
. . . Light Asylum (@LightAsylum)? Happy Monday folks, time to get spooky. Style Etoile loves ourselves some gothtronika, but we want to make sure you don’t lump Light Asylum in with the other bands out there layering haunting vocals over a little 80s synth, because these guys are creating their own very distinct, very unique sound. Light Asylum is Brooklyn-based Shannon Funchess and Bruno Coviello, and together the two make shadowy, chill-inducing electronica that sounds like a cross between Grace Jones and New Order. Their recently released In Tension EP is pure magic and DO NOT MISS these guys June 18th at Public Assembly—their live shows are like musical haunted houses in the best way possible . . .
why aren’t you listening to . . .
. . . Mr. Little Jeans (@mymrlittlejeans)? Style Etoile isn’t too cool to admit to liking a little female Scandopop every now and then. And when we are in the mood for some sunny, upbeat, dance-y tunes, we usually go right for Mr. Little Jeans. Mr. Little Jeans is London and L.A.-based Monica Birkenes and she is making pretty great music reminiscent of our some of our favorite sassy females—think Feist meets Lykke Li with a touch of Debbie Harry. Check out her tracks here but be forewarned—these are some seriously catchy hooks that you will be humming the rest of the day . . .
why aren’t you listening to . . .
. . . Polarsets (@Polarsets)? Newcastle electro-indie trio Polarsets is making music that gets us dancing—think Two Door Cinema meets Friendly Fires—and we see big things in their future. Their music is filled with urgent guitar, electronica, great beats, generous cowbell and energetic vocals that oddly remind us of Ben Gibbard. Grab the above single “Sunshine Eyes” here and look out for one of their live shows—these guys are a real party on the stage.
why aren’t you listening to . . .
. . . Satellite Stories (@SatelliteStory)? OK, so keeping up with this week’s upbeat, “hurray it’s hot out, let’s party!” theme, today Style Etoile brings you Satellite Stories. This Finnish band’s sound is Bloc Party meets Vampire Weekend—kind of like Two Door Cinema Club’s half sibling—and we can’t get enough of it. It is electrorock at it’s best—urgent guitar, thumping beats, nasal voice and all and we dare you to stand still while listening to it. Grab their Promo EP here.
why aren’t you listening to . . .
. . . Total Warr (@totalwarr)? Don’t let the title of the above track fool you—”Gangsta Rap” is anything but. Total Warr is a newly-formed French duo and you know how the French love their irony . . . almost as much as they love their synth-pop and these guys are putting the two together to make catchy, blissed-out dance tracks. Total Warr’s late 2010 EP Cascades sounds like a cross between Hot Chip and Yeasayer and we have yet to play it at a party when someone didn’t ask who it was and where they could get it . . . now you can beat us to the punch.
why aren’t you listening to . . .
. . . Museum of Bellas Artes? When Museum of Bellas Artes repeatedly asks “who do you love?” in the above track, Style Etoile answers with a resounding “YOU!” Because there is nothing not to love about this Swedish synth-pop trio. We have been hooked since they released “Who Do You Love”—a perfect cover/remake of the 1964 hit by The Sapphires—and their follow up EP Days Ahead just reaffirmed our devotion. This is 70s disco meets 80s new wave—think Hercules and Love Affair meets Young Empires—and we can’t get enough.
