Eye on New Releases: October 11th

Whether you're carving pumpkins, picking out that perfect halloween costume, or booking those holiday plans, two of this week's releases will stir your creative juices, err, egg nog, into results!

Label: Cosmicleaf Records

Release: Phial Of Love

Artist: Eguana

Genre: Downtempo, Ambient

Careening through space on a shimmering cloud built from ambient dreams births the latest release from Eguana, Phial Of Love. Cinematic sonic environments detailed with wispy and organic synthesizers, nimble vocals, and a warm, welcoming low end, elevate listeners into an intimate involvement within their own senses. The album’s second track, “Last Dream Of A Galaxy Warrior,” pulls the imagination into a cathartic canvas filled with dreamy, and euphoric landscapes, gracefully rising and falling from static passages. “Spaceship War,” the album’s final track, is the most up-tempo of the three, inviting the body’s imagination to embrace the danceable conflict of the song’s climax. The album’s symbolic title represents Eguana’s offering to the masses, a freedom to let your spirit radiate in all its hypnotic capacity.

Label: Q Division Records

Release: Q Dee Rock and Soul #3: Muck and the Mires

Artist: Muck and the Mires

Genre: Rock

 The Q Dee Rock and Soul 7” Series is back in all its bouncy, garage-punk-surf glory, carrying a timeless rock-and-roll attitude with their latest release, Muck and the Mires. The 7” Series pays homage to rock-and-roll history, times when record labels were synonymous with the studios they were built around. Both songs from the release are filled to the brim with the whimsical and restless energy found on British Invasion records. Fans of the Ramones, Sonics and Beatles take note: “Muck and the Mires” will have listeners reminiscing about freewheeling summer nights, nights where exciting young romance flourishes.

Eye on New Releases: August 23rd

While the sun is setting on summer all across the country, here in SF we're just getting started! Since our weather is like Autumn mixed with Winter and Monsoon Season all year round, we relish the chance to break out the shorts 'n' barbecues and get outside. A perfect opportunity, then, to check out these three hot new titles from IRIS:

Label: Moodgadget

Album: Spiral Style

Artist: D Gookin

Genre: Electronic Pop!

If you're desperately hanging on to the last vestiges of your summer vibe, look no further than the fourth album from D Gookin, Spiral Style, a shiny, happy kaleidoscope of electropop sure to put a spring back in your step. The record is so relentlessly upbeat and nearly rave-like in its intensity that it could easily act as a coffee substitute! Mr. Gookin likes his pop messy, though, so don't expect anything too clean as he shreds a breakbeat on "Unbraid the Knot", pushes his synths into overdrive on massively smiley album opener "Way 2 Grow" or filters his voice through all manner of disguises. Let this album worm its way into your brain when you need a boost - you'll be bouncing around the room in no time!

Label: Demigodz/Dirty Version
Album: Honkey Kong
Artist: Apathy
Genre: Hip Hop

If bumping jeep beats through large car audio systems is more your summer steez, you'd do well to check Honkey Kong, the newest missive from Apathy. The Connecticut-born emcee has been around the block a few times - since his first raps on Jedi Mind Tricks' underground-classic debut in 1997, through his partnerships with downlow legends like Celph Titled and 7L & Esoteric as Demigodz and enough major label BS to make him an indie rap warrior, Apathy has remained steadfastly dedicated to his craft. Over hot production from the likes of DJ Premier, Evidence, DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill), and Da Beatminerz, Apathy's burly raps hurl themselves out of the speakers with inventive wordplay and a forceful attitude. Who needs sun & fun when you can mean-mug down the boulevard blasting these raw joints?

Label: SmartGuy Records
EP: Rat Columns
Artist: Rat Columns
Genre: Pop

Finally, if you're cynical and prone to brooding during summer (like me), this spectacular new EP from Rat Columns might be more up your alley. You know that scene in most John Hughes movies where our humble protagonist sees his dream girl across the room and has his moment of epiphany? "I Wonder" is the soundtrack to that moment.

Delightfully lo-fi, recalling the best of the 80's "college rock" scene, Rat Columns' new EP will satiate your desire for something strange and familiar simultaneously. Sounding like Joy Division as covered by a gamelan orchestra at times ("Glass Coffin"), atmospheric without sounding overly polished at others ("Darkness"), This EP delves deeper than your average indie pop band and comes up with the stuff of summers spent inside, like so many of my own…