Mixtape by Jesus Avec Pas Des Pantalons

Witch house is an emerging genre. In fact, it was created around 2009. According to my perspective, this genre is like a new hype thing, that manages to make sense of all these new visual: collages, triangles, "neosurrealism"...
It's like the hypnagogic pop term that David Keenan invented sort of gone into a manic depression or bipolar disorder state. Actually, there are other synonyms of witch house that can be seen as arguments to justify my previous sentence: "occult house" and "gothic chillwave".
However, the music itself is original in its own means: slow, dark, electronic, filled with little details, sometimes lo-fi, sometimes awkward...

This blog, Jesus Avec Pas Des Pantalons did a great job and compiled this mixtape just for all new contemporary music fans (or whatever you want to call to these exquisite sounds).
The playlist is the following:
1. SALEM – Whenusleep (2:25)
2. oOoOO – EGYPTYNLVR (2:40)
3. White Ring – IxC999 (5:07)
4. RAW MOANS – rose bath (demo) (2:53)
5. SLEEP ∞ OVER – Your world is night (4:21)
6. Modern Witch – Not The Only One (4:37)
7. CREEP – HOT SHIT RMX (2:54)
8. yusuf b – shakespearsgone (1:22)
9. Diamond Black Hearted Boy – New World Order (3:36)
10. Mater Suspiria Vision – Exorcism of the hippies (3:42)
11. White Ring – Faded (3:37)
12. Modern Witch – Chalice (2:29)
13. oOoOO – PCKRFCRMX (2:02)
14. dir†ypride – sOme†hiNgiN†heway(cObain) (4:45)
15. ///▲▲▲\\\ – tetanus wine (3:44)
16. Balam Acab – Big Boy (4:27)

My favourite song around here is, for sure, dir†ypride – sOme†hiNgiN†heway(cObain): what a great cover this is.

Below is SALEM's "Piggyhog":

[gig reviews] Black Bombaim and Mamute at Galeria Zé dos Bois, March 2010

Black Bombaim are a portuguese band that are part of the Barcelos' underground scene. Their psychedelic, stoner apprentices. Tight riffs, fast drums, blazing theremins, absent vocals, all these things make the listener beg for more of their songs. They sure get you high without the need of any drugs: the music is the drug here.
At Z.D.B. they performed what seemed almost like for straight an hour or so. I filmed almost all the gig. It's available on youtube: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5.

Below is the fifth part of Black Bombaim's concert I filmed:


Mamute consist of a portuguese duo that love and create heavy rock. They entitle it "cliché". It may sound like it is such thing, but not the kind of deal that'll get you bored for sure. You could rock on to their music for days.
Here are some parts I filmed of their gig: part 1, part 2 and part 3.
Below is a part I filmed of Mamute's performance:

[upcoming bands] Picture Plane

Pictureplane isn't that new [he's been active since around 2004].
However, to me it is something new. Signed to Lovepump United, this guy has got some great songs. He also does some cool remixes, I presume. He's also possibly, friend with Teengirl Fantasy and HEALTH [both have been talked about on Serotonin Sounds].
You can check his myspace here.

Below is one dope track of his, entitled "Goth-star":

Micachu "Jewellery"

This is one of my favourite albums this year, perhaps. "Jewellery"... what an awesome work it is! I love how they can be at the same time a lo-fi band and keep a classy touch constantly in their records. It's Micachu and her backing band, the Shapes... You got to love them! Even Björk loves them!
I first heard of them in 2008, thanks to the Patrick O'Dell's website. They started in August 2008 and released this album in March 9th 2009. This album received mainly excellent reviews. Check these reviews out: Metacritic's, Drowned in Sound's, The Guardian's, All Music's, BBC Music's, FACT Magazine's, The Times' and Pitchfork's. I also advise you to hear this album... It's the debut album of some distorted awkward pop, with some "punky energy" as many critics recall it. It has nothing cliché, it's a new own particular genre, that has made them a hype band with a relevant somewhat-underground indie cult behind them.
The track list of this album is the following:

1. "Vulture" (2:49)
2. "Lips" (1:21)
3. "Sweetheart" (0:53)
4. "Eat Your Heart" (2:20)
5. "Curly Teeth" (2:27)
6. "Golden Phone" (2:43)
7. "Ship" (1:59)
8. "Floor" (1:22)
9. "Just In Case" (2:46)
10. "Calculator" (3:09)
11. "Wrong" (3:35)
12. "Turn Me Well" (2:58)
13. "Guts" (3:12)
    • "Hardcore" (1:33) is an unlisted hidden track at the end of the record.

My favourite tracks are [not in a particular order]: "Golden Phone", "Sweetheart", Eat your heart", "Curly Teeth", "Wrong" and "Turn me Well". What, I just said I prefer almost half of the album? No wonder! It has lots of cool songs on it. The album's lenght is around 31 minutes and 57 seconds.
By the way, last Saturday, this is November 21st 2009, I saw Micachu and the Shapes live at the Loft, here in Lisbon (I also got the opportunity to see a bit of Jon Hopkins show next). It was awesome and what I find more peculiar, is that some of their songs are even more appealing live, like the song "Wrong" for example. I also got the chance to take a pic with them, along with my friends. I'd love to see them live again. Oh, their t-shirts are also original and worth the price! Go grab yourself a Micachu goody!
If you want to hear the album, click here. Hope you like this album.
PS:I'm going to post a live review about Micachu and Shape's performance at the Loft, when I have enough free time to do such thing.


Next, is the song "Golden Phone" which is about suicide, according what Mica said live: