Category: albums/eps

[album] En Attendant Ana โ€“ Principia

acute.pop

On their third album Principia, a Parisian five-piece En Attendant Ana achieve something that can be called a real indie pop triumph. Ringing guitars, light melancholy feel, rare entrances of saxophone and trumpet โ€” there is everything here to please even the most sophisticated listener.

The band’s magnetism and virtuosity seep through every instrument, through every small detail, but most often via the voice of vocalist Margaux Bouchaudon, which is completing the brilliant arrangements. If you are a fan of dreamy, vintage and experimental music with a touch of French charm, Principia is definitely worth checking out.

Stream below and buy the record here, out now through Trouble In Mind Records.

[ep] Redbud โ€“ Long Night

acute.pop

With the new EP from Austin-based Redbud, the brainchild of artist Katie Claghorn, spring is welcoming us sooner than we might have expected. Long Night contains five meditative songs, and each of those emphasizes the musician’s ambitions.

The opening track โ€œKinโ€ recreates psychedelic pop in the best traditions of the 60s French pop, and โ€œSad On The North Sideโ€ captivates with its sonorous guitar overflows. One of the most poignant songs on the release, โ€œFrannyโ€ combines classic indie pop with funky structures. Obviously, with such a promising start, Redbud has every chance to go far.

Listen below and purchase the release here, out now via Good Eye Records.

[ep] Dancer โ€“ Dancer

acute.pop

The dancing process for Dancer, a band from Glasgow, is something sharp, groovy, and sometimes even slightly rock ‘n’ roll-ish. Proof of this is the group’s debut EP of the same name, a set of six songs, each of which represents Dancer in a different way.

Where the opening number โ€œDisposable Vapeโ€ is replete with ringing math rock guitars, โ€œFerret Fancierโ€ emphasizes the dirty and unpolished sound of the good old punk. However, despite the stylistic variations, all the songs are united by the common feeling of avant-garde pop music, as if by a lucky chance we managed to get a ticket to someone’s secret and truly spectacular show.

Stream below and buy the EP here.

[album] Unthank : Smith โ€“ Nowhere And Everywhere

acute.pop

Consisting of Maxรฏmo Parkโ€™s Paul Smith and Rachel Unthank of The Unthanks, Unthank : Smith release their collaborative album Nowhere And Everywhere. It is a beautiful collection of folk songs which showcase the duo’s introspective, emotive songwriting and their distinctive vocals that work together perfectly.

Vocals and storytelling are truly in the spotlight here, and you cannot help but admire the work the pair did on those elements. Three pieces on Nowhere And Everywhere go unaccompanied, giving a very authentic and powerful feel to it. The overall result is a deeply moving and authentic record.

Recorded by David Brewis of Field Music, the album also features Faye MacCalman of emerging avant-jazz group Archipelago on clarinet and exploratory drums by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy / Alasdair Roberts collaborator Alex Neilson, of Trembling Bells.

Listen below and buy the LP here.

[album] SadSvit โ€“ ะะตะพะฝะพะฒะฐ ะผั€ั–ั

acute.pop

SadSvit aka Bohdan Rozvadovsky is a young and talented musician hailing from Ukraine, who has been making waves in the local music scene for the last couple of years. He is gaining more recognition now abroad too and is already having 500K monthly listeners on Spotify, which is a fantastic number for the 18-year-old DIY musician, who records and releases all the music himself.

Yesterday he returned with a new mini-album titled ะะตะพะฝะพะฒะฐ ะผั€ั–ั (Neon Dream), on which he changes the direction from initial post-punk/new wave sound to the big, blasting and euphoric electropop. The artist opens new horizons in his creativity and presents a hopeful collection of synth pop bangers. According to Bohdan, “the songs on the album are united by a “cosmic sound”, and thematically each of them is a separate story: from fear of a nuclear explosion to longing for hometown or reflection on open gestalts”.

A truly exciting step forward and another great chapter in SadSvit’s musical universe that is both introspective, deeply emotional and extremely catchy.

Stream below and get the release here.