This week’s mix features artists with names that roll off the tongue. Rufus Wainwright has a great ring to it, as does Toro Y Moi or Freelance Whales. And how can you not fall in love with a girl who calls herself Kitten? OK, so maybe we judged these musicians a bit by their monikers, but that’s not to say that we weren’t satisfied with the content as well (we know, what an anti-April Fool’s thing to do). Check out our selections after the jump, and be sure to Right Click + Save As if you’re swayed.
1. Rufus Wainwright – “Who Are You New York?”
With an orchestral piano arpeggio backing his warm vibratto, Wainwright’s latest from his upcoming
is a welcome change from his most recent, more commercially successful album.
2. Delorean – “Stay Close”
The Spanish dance-pop quartet started out as a band in the vein of Jimmy Eat World and (thankfully) have gone all Air France, bestowing us with the next “Seasun.” Their upcoming full-length, Subiza , is out June 8.
3. Freelance Whales – “Generator ^ First Floor (Aislyn Remix)”
Passion Pit’s keyboardist, Ian Hultquist, and his girlfriend make up Aislyn, the couple responsible for this dreamy reworking. And this was in Hultquist’s downtime. Damn.
4. Real Fur – “Pride”
Harmonizing ooh’s leading to an Afrobass and jerky guitars set this song off to a great start that culminates in a cyclical return to harmony, but not without that oh-so-satisfying breakdown.
5. LCD Soundsystem – “Drunk Girls”
Love it or hate it, there’s something really catchy about James Murphy’s newest single from his upcoming album, This Is Happening, the supposedly last hurrah as LCD Soundsystem. It’s not the repeated title in the song, that’s for sure.
6. The Bird & The Bee – “Rich Girl”
Swapping the guitar riff for a synthy one, Inara George backs her own vocals with a blues-y choir that truly establishes this Hall & Oates cover as the best of both worlds.
7. Dignan Porch – “As You Were”
Aside from the awesome Bottle Rocket reference in their name, Dignan Porch lives up to the Wes Anderson reputation and crafts a short and sweet ditty, reminiscent of the auteur’s original short.
8. Kitten – “Kill The Light”
The cute band name isn’t a complete misnomer. Chloe Chaidez’s voice wavers between a soft whimper and megaphone timbre, with the lyrical prowess that should be expected from a 15-year old recently signed to Atlantic Records.
9. Keepaway – “5 Rings”
This is what a supergroup of Animal Collective and Born Ruffians would sound like (and it’s just three dudes from Brooklyn). “5 Rings” has the familiar haunting harmonies, mellow vocals, and complex instrumentation that we’ve come to know and love.
10. Tegan & Sara – “Alligator (Toro Y Moi Remix)”
Tegan & Sara receive the glo-fi treatment from Toro & Moi, who blow fresh, dewy fog over the sisters’ single from last year’s Sainthood.