Vivian Girls - I Heard You Say (official video)

Trembling Blue Stars - Fast Trains And Telegraph Wires

Dream pop, what a genre.
Bliss, haunting, shivers, the notion that someone else had his heart broken too and you are not alone in this fucked up world that is all about youth. All in 3 minutes.

The Trembling Blue Stars have a new album just out called "Fast Trains And Telegraph". It has one song that is so immensely beautiful that makes you wish you never made all those mistakes in your small life that is not even enough for your self, let alone hurting others. It is called "In Arrivals" and you need to listen to it now, on repeat.

The album (which comes in 2 CDs with 18 songs) sounds so pefrectly 90s; if you want to find out what fragile indie folks were listening to 15 years ago, here you go. It couldn't get more original. And as a true album of the 90s, this one too is uneven. Some songs (In Arrivals, Cold Colours) are perfect pop diamonds (attention: 90s expression), while others are not up there. This was the norm in the 90s, but you had to buy the album to get these 2 good songs.

Glasser - Ring

Everybody's talking about the Glasser album lately. Well, here it is. It was worth the fuss, for sure. Dream-pop but different. Melodies, polyphonic, echoes, clear background, dreamlike: you get the idea. Interesting and nice sounding album, this one.

So, stream it and make up you mind.

Best Coast - When I'm With You

the video is horrible, the lyrics rule, the tune is ok. can't have it all, now.

The world is lazy
but you and me
we're just crazy

So when I'm with you, I have fun
Yeah when I'm with you, I have fun

Ever since I was a little girl
My mama always told me
there'd be boys like you

So when I'm with you, I have fun
Yeah when I'm with you, I have fun

I hate sleeping alone (4x)
Alone (5x)

jj - jj no3

If you've read this, you know how I feel about jj. So, you might guess that I don't care if anybody says anything bad about this album. People, wake up: it's all about what YOU like, and not what anyone else tells you.

jj are the shit. the album is not amazingly great, but it is so much lo-fi, dream-pop fun. Just listen to "Into The Light", after the 2minute mark, you can hear an Italian sportscaster describing Zlatan Ibrahimovic's effort! I mean, where else can you find these things? "Voi Parlate, Lo Gioco" has this amazing ending. And so on.

Listen to the album here

I don't really like the video for "Let Go" that Marcus Soderlund made. But it shows a dog and the members of jj and a spliff, so give it a go. The song is amazing, anyway.

Vello Leaf - Tonight I'm Leaving

I first found out about Vello Leaf from my buddies', the Lilis Bros, compilation "City Campers", which I urge you to seek: it was a significant release that helped as any, in the build up of the burst of new greek english-speaking scene of the last 2-3 years.
Just before last Christmas, Vello Leaf released their second album, called "Tonight I'm Leaving…". If you are a dream pop, shoegaze, ost fan, I think you should check it out. And as the seller of the headphones I have been using for more than 10 years told me at the cashier of his tiny shop in a small town of Greece, "you will remember me". I do remember him and you will remember me.
The album features female vocals by Alexandra McKay and Evira (of Abbie Gale), music from Dalot and whispers from Aubben Renée. Artwork from Kate Alizadeh.

You can buy the album here for 13 euros (shippment included) and you can listen to the beautiful song "21 Station" below.