Johnny Fever's Not Pop Not Indie Shambhala 2015

What is Shambhala? It's hard to say. This is the fourth consecutive year I've started this thread and there's still no clear definition. Often it concerns songs with a pop bent that would never in a million years touch the pop charts, but songs that are still too clean and unscuzzy enough to be ignored by the likes of Pitchfork or Stereogum. It's a largely female dominated category—at least as far as my own listening goes—but it doesn't have to be. There are usually synths, layered vocals, and drum machines. Sometimes the sounds are bright and sometimes they're icy cold. If you come across something you think fits, then share it. We trust you.

I've been riding this song "Fearless" by Indigo Face pretty hard the past week or two. Liz Fraser and Kate Bush are often the comparisons people use when someone sings up high like the singer of this song, but it doesn't particularly sound like either of them. That said, it probably resides in the same zip code.

No video yet. Just a stream: http://www.reverbnation.com/indigofacemusic/songs

Would Chvrches fit this? Their first album, if the Sundays had produced it, there'd be celebrating on ilx in the streets...

Chvrches would fit, though I'm personally on the fence about them.

Shambhala = stuff that sounds like a more poppy The Knife? (theres a lot of this about)

Yeah, sounds apt.

New Monogem (my favorite yet?): https://soundcloud.com/monogem/theglow

The little fluttery synth sounds are one of my favorite things whenever they turn up in a song. Anyone know what synth voice that is? Maybe I should ask startrekman.

Also, new Tove Styrke track named "Ego" from the new album in March. Favorite thing I've heard from her yet, ever.

http://www.scandipop.co.uk/song-tove-styrke-ego/

allie x and alex winston have albums coming out in the next few months

Ooh, an Allie X album? Looking forward to it. I'll have to listen to the new Alex Winston song again to remember whether or not I should be excited for that one (the first album was a minor disappointment after some good singles).

Okay, yeah, it's good. Put me down for cautious anticipation.

Oh hey, there's an even newer one than "Careless". It's called "We Got Nothing".

https://soundcloud.com/alexwinstonofficial/we-got-nothing

http://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/7kNYZZEDWwIuIEnoHL7y5O

Cool, thanks!

yeah nice one forks for making spotify playlists for all these numerous rolling threads

thanks. as i say, let's see if i can maintain.

if i fall apart due to work or distraction, will open them up for group input but for the moment i wanna handle in/out as this seems potentially less successful as a wiki than as a one-man project. that said, if you wanna tailor more to your own tastes, i strongly recommend pulling and starting yer own list and building out from there.

Wyles and Simpson, smooth synthy album adult-contempo stuff by a London duo.

Stormy Skies: https://soundcloud.com/wylesandsimpson/stormy-skies-2
Light & Dark: https://soundcloud.com/wylesandsimpson/light-dark

Catching up… my fave thing so far is that Monogram track. Sounds Italo-influenced but without falling into the Italo cliches. Really nice!

…by 'Monogram' y mean MonoGEM, of course.

The little fluttery synth sounds are one of my favorite things whenever they turn up in a song. Anyone know what synth voice that is? Maybe I should ask startrekman.

Do you mean the middle 8th solo?

No, the high sounds in the verses. I've heard it in a few different songs. I guess it doesn't really matter since I don't have a synth of my own. I just love it when I hear it.

There's really no info about this one. She doesn't have a fb page, and there are no other links for her on soundcloud. But this song "Hope" by Silk Cinema is really breezy, but with a heavy 4/4 stomp.

https://soundcloud.com/silk-cinema/hope

would young ejecta (formerly ejecta) meet the criteria for this? i'm enjoying her latest EP and the full length from last year or the year before is also good

Ejecta's marketing schtick (i only appear in promotional photography naked) is a little uhhhhh

i mean if it's entirely her choice and not anyone masterminding the band or the producer she works with, i can't hate or judge, although i understand what you're sayin. the music itself is pretty good melodic synthpop

*not that of anyone

I'm not super familiar with her, but if you think it fits here then it probably does.

sloth: it's just cause i had an early club show i worked with her as an artist. The music is hardly transgressive and she doesn't PERFORM nude. it's just a pretty obvious marketing choice and not one i resent, just a lil eyerolly.

Leanne Macomber

I’ve been shooting myself naked for years. I’ve shot tons of people naked. I just don’t like what clothing can say about a person. I wanted Ejecta to be free of class, sexuality, and culture. I wanted Ejecta to be timeless and sort of an everywoman. Clothing is fetish. I remember shooting my first nude. I was in high school and a girlfriend wanted pictures for her boyfriend. She wore nothing but these tiny pink panties with hearts on them. My teacher pointed out to me how much more sexual the semi-nude is than the full nude. It’s so true.

Musically, a bit too twee for me.

xp tru the image and actual art are kind of incongruous. lyrics are the only thing that could be considered remotely transgressive - and only by the prudest of prudes

*true

be naked/don't be naked is whatever but when you say "i will ONLY allow naked press materials to be circulated" you're being a bit precious for me

Listening to the ep now. She sings just barely above a whisper and I can't tell if that makes me like it or hate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h4CTdIhDF0

Hi JF! Does this count? It's rather twee, admittedly, but such a gorgeous song.

I dunno, that seems squarely "indie" to me.

I'm new to this thread

will this be the year that ILM deigns to create an actual indie thread?

I think last year is the only one in recent history where there wasn't a dedicated "indie" thread.

Amory, traditionally this thread is dedicated to mostly electronic, low to mid-tempo pop that sounds a bit too 'indie' to fit squarely into the mainstream. Coincidentally (or perhaps not) a lot of it tends to be by new-ish Scandinavian artists… also, more often than not, it's sung by women.

That's turned out to be mostly true. I'm sure there are other sounds that qualify as "not pop not indie," but we all seem to gravitate towards much the same thing. Also, forks, if you read this, you're missing the Tove Styrke song "Ego" in the spotify playlist.

Something that fits squarely in daavid's description, though, is this song by Susanne Sundfør from her next album. The instrumentation is clearly modern, but I think the melodies/harmonies and general structure of the song is 100% ABBA. I love it to pieces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdSB_PcBW3k

xxpost - Actually, JF already described it better in the first post. More than being indie, I'd say the song you posted is a bit too guitar-oriented and too retro (it's got an obvious '90s-alternative influence) for this thread.

Karin Park & Pandora Drive - Hurricane (soundcloud)

Sandra Kolstad - My Yellow Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8Ake7jrWY

Ooh, Karin Park's always good. Will check out Sandra Kolstad shortly.

Emilie Nicolas - Fail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIwdO3Sp3XM

Maybe too close to industrial filthstep to be considered indie.

I like this song a lot.

For forks' benefit, it's not on US spotify, but it can be found here: http://open.spotify.com/track/7euAaMslcTxajhincX2FhC

New Laura Groves EP in February:

https://deekrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/committed-language-ep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-u9n_xrAtg

Also a lovely live performance from last month:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFfIjCe7TsI

That Nautic ep last year was nice. And I sort of halfway remember liking her last solo ep, so I definitely want to hear this. "Dream Story" is cool.

This is a quick, third-quarter reminder that all available tracks mentioned on this thread (and/or an album selection from each listed) are being updated to the thread-specific Spotify playlist as posted. I just did another top-to-bottom sweep prior to posting this message and have revised as of today with everything that's been added since first mentioned. Subscribe if you're into it!

It's 205 tracks, over 13 hours long.

Rolling Not Pop Not Indie Shambhala 2015 Thread Spotify Playlist

not sure how much it fits here but i'm v into this molly nilsson song, and also its super simple but effective video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9ukSm5gmKk

Let's just forget about those three decades.

Shana Falana - Anything
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Mpu4GbXQ8

not sure if this is the right thread for it but this autour de lucie track is phenomenal, just world-endingly good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By2920j6zCA

I would say so!

Polish Shambala

Mary Komasa - Come
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PHJz37OBeY

The new GEMS album is out there now. I'm particularly fond of "Tangled Memories" and "White Light".

http://i.imgur.com/DhNSs8k.jpg
http://pressplayok.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/artworks-000069402233-aus3s6-t500x500.jpg

Shambhala is eating its own tail now.

I guess Cult Club never did anything beyond that one track that was posted earlier in the year? I played it a ton and was really looking forward to an album. I like the Sally Dige album but nothing on there connects like "All the People" did.

^ I feel the same. Her album is nice enough, but "All the People" is a stunner.

Kate Boy's long belated debut album One is now available on Spotify
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51TLY8CZsEL.jpg

whoa that GEMS album is good

gems album is good, kate boy excellent

this is an outsanding powerful track...the vocals, the production, the words, the emotion

REMMI - Bobby K
https://open.spotify.com/track/1o4NTGC77RBp82ZLn5qT9q

synth pop / future bass / trippy trap

part of the "New America" EP by Remmi
https://open.spotify.com/album/4Vt8O62OYNU21gfvCJJTRx
released November 6th

on soundcloud previously

Lucian X Remmi - Bobby K
https://soundcloud.com/lucianofficial/lucian-x-remmi-bobby-k
over 1 Million plays

Camp Claude just dropped a video for "Trap," which as far as I'm concerned now makes it a 2015 song!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Nbrik9-UI

impressive new ethereal track

Acre Tarn - Lantern

http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/new-music/song-of-the-day/acre-tarn-lanterns

Continuing in the distinguished vein stretching through from the likes of Kate Bush and the Cocteau Twins up to Bat For Lashes, Cumbria’s ACRE TARN, the electronic art pop project of Anna-Louisa Etherington, lays her own fine brick on that road with her latest single, “Lanterns”.

soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/acre-tarn/lanterns-1

additional, there is a single track from earlier this year from Acre Tarn

Acre Tarn - Flex
https://open.spotify.com/track/6nZ7zvxaR5RKIlzhDRblPg

and remix

Acre Tarn - Flex - saycet remix
https://open.spotify.com/track/5uy0xsmrFKwTHs6cUJpJEB

Another new find:

Kria from Iceland

there is a transcendental, immersive ethereal purity to this track as reflected in the video

KRÍA : hiding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Z-fc5NhEw

3 track ep on spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3H5Pj7oTO9Yjd8aGqbhbuM

=== Also Posted on: research into Ethereal Goth and Dreampop (and other stuff for fans of early 4AD and Projekt)

Loving everything about that Acre Tarn song.

Loving everything about that Acre Tarn song.

― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, November 20, 2015 8:39 AM (Yesterday)

This is damned near neck and neck with "Delirious" as my most loved track of the year already.

Johnny Fever, this should be right up your street - dreamy electronic art-pop from Florida band Kingslynn

Kingslynn - Steady

https://soundcloud.com/kingslynnmusic/steady

https://open.spotify.com/track/7gXaSFUhPlnMIWc15CO0w5

Kingslynn - Transcendent

https://soundcloud.com/kingslynnmusic/transcendent

https://open.spotify.com/track/5oIUACPUK4KpCMXeOrbFtj

from a 6 track ep

Kingslynn - Steady
http://kingslynn.bandcamp.com/album/steady-ep

spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6IQy2XWAtzdJFyL0Go1qQW

Year end listmaking apprised me of this gem:

Computer Magic - Secret
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw9dUTuvhrU

Autolux - Soft Scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nwp5uMvvIU

That's the first Autolux song I've ever actually liked.

Don't really know much about them, other than that the female drummer doesn't take many lead vocals.

one of the key shambhala tracks of 2015, the synths remind me of Gary Numan / John Foxx, an addictive and alluring track

Sophie Lowe - Understand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMq6o2gCD7M

I can imagine this one being a slow burner.

JF, i reckon you will enjoy this track

Choir of Young Believers - Serious Lover
https://soundcloud.com/ghostly/choir-of-young-believers-serious-lover

regarding the sound aesthetics: Sade, Rhye, Milosh, Junior Boys, the recent Movement single: Lace

‘Serious Lover’ is a fine example of the new chapter Choir of Young Believers has entered for his new record; it’s a captivating, glossy synth pop song anchored by an undercurrent of electronic experimentalism. Choir Of Young Believers
via
http://circuitsweet.co.uk/2015/12/choir-of-young-believers-share-new-track-serious-lover-album-grasque-out-feb-19th-via-ghostly-international-european-tour-announced/

I was into CoYB when they first bubbled up a few years ago, but lost track of them. This is deliciously sophistopop-ish i.e. The Dream Academy.

dubby dreamy balearic art-pop track

BEA1991 - my name is written on it
https://soundcloud.com/1991bea/my-name-is-written-on-it

spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/66vV2EQlpWdD1Z2szUqCjZ

--- Also posted on: this is a thread for the BALEARIC REVIVAL

Finally a new track from Cult Club:
https://domestica.bandcamp.com/album/cult-club-never-enough-2015-ref-dom06-s

^ Just now noticed this last post. So fucking great. I should've asked Santa for a whole Cult Club album for xmas.

Do we want to try to create a voting block this year to get something in the EOY poll so everyone else can say "WTF I've never even heard of THAT!"?

I'd be most inclined to rally behind Cult Club's "All the People," but would definitely entertain other options.

First, one of us would have to nominate it. Here are all the nominated tracks by artists mentioned in this thread:

Acre Tarn - Lanterns
American Wrestlers - Kelly
Ariane Moffatt - Debout
Chairlift - Ch-Ching
Chairlift - Romeo
Chromatics - Just Like You
Chromatics - Shadow
Chvrches - Clearest Blue
Chvrches - Leave A Trace
Class Actress - The Limit
Elohim - She Talks Too Much
Emilie Nicolas - Fail
Empress Of - How Do You Do It
Georgia - Heart Wrecking Animals
Iris - I'll Wait For You
Kate Boy - Midnight Sun
Kiiara - Gold
Laura Groves - Dream Story
Loreen - Paper Light (Higher)
Molly Nilsson - 1995
MUNA - Loudspeaker
Nicole Sabouné - Lifetime
Petite Noir - Chess
Petite Noir - MDR
Poliça - Lime Habit
Priest - The Game
Pure Bathing Culture - Pray for Rain
Purity Ring - Begin Again
Purity Ring - Push Pull
Purity Ring - Stranger That Earth
Rangleklods - Lost U
Say Lou Lou - Skylights
Shura - 2Shy
Shura - White Light
Slackk & Dullah Beatz - Forest Walk
Superhumanoids - Anxious in Venice
Susanne Sundfør - Accelerate
Susanne Sundfør - Delirious
Susanne Sundfør - Fade Away
Susanne Sundfør - Memorial
Susanne Sundfør - Slowly
Tamaryn - Cranekiss
Tamaryn - Last
The Japanese House - Teeth
The Mary Onettes - Ruins
Throwing Shade - Honeytrap
Tove Styrke - Ego
Wet - Deadwater
Zhala - Holy Bubbles

I expect Shura's - "White Light" (what a grower) and several Sundførs to place on their own merits, but I'd be happy to contribute to a block vote for the Acre Tarn, Iris, Rangleklods, or Superhumanoids.

A few points

- ha, don't forget my nominations still to come !

- I'll be voting for Acre Tarn - Lanterns.

- Empress Of - How Do You Do It - will this track have a chance of top 77 placing?

- Kiiara - Gold - from total obscurity, to soundcloud upload, to my mention on ILM ...and finally to major label deal and millions of streams.

- Throwing Shade - Honeytrap, is such a dreamy hypnotic track

- everyone use your 10 extra nominations wisely, have a look through this thread and thread spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/7kNYZZEDWwIuIEnoHL7y5O

e.g Tei Shi - Bassically - hasn't been nominated yet.

e.g Mabel - Know Me Better - Surprised that this track hasn't been nominated yet

- JF and Sanpaku do you read this blog: disconaivete.com

Best Songs of 2015
http://disconaivete.com/post/136262902741

some great tracks on this list:

including this to add to this thread's spotify playlist

Tsar B, Belgium's answer to Tala / FKA Twigs / Kelela

Tsar B - Escalate

soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/tsarb/escalate

spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5dGrtSJS1RmG9Igmo7PrPJ

- Sanpaku, any further thoughts on changing the voting? there is still time to up the voting to 40 Albums and 40 Singles.

I'd totally be down with trying to get "Lanterns" in the top 77, but I didn't suspect it had much of a chance (even in this thread).

Disco Naivete was better a few years ago than it is now, but I still see new posts on my tumblr dashboard.

"All the People" and "Lanterns" both are going on my EOY ballot, as well as Camp Claude's "Blow" so if anybody wants to rally vote for any of those three I'm doing my part.

e.g Tei Shi - Bassically - hasn't been nominated yet.

I nominated it in 2014, though I guess it was eligible a second year because of the EP. I probably should've nominated Go Slow, but in all honestly it would've been squeezed out of my ballot anyway.

I nom'd "Blow" and will almost certainly have it on my ballot even after I whittle it down to 25.

Two people did, actually, because I had to clear out a duplicate when I was tidying up the spreadsheets.

I'll be voting for "Ego".

I wasn't counting Ego as shambhala-specific because she got her own thread, but yes...I voted for that as well.

I'm wrapping this playlist for the year. It has been updated with quite a lot of new adds (Indigo Face, Karin Park, Marz Léon, Rainer, Zhala, MUNA, MISOGI, Soho Rezanejad, Lowki) and includes every track mentioned on thread that is available via Spotify's US catalogue as of EOY 2015. If I missed something or if a track comes available sometime in the future, bump here to let me know and I'll add.

Rolling Johnny Fever Not Pop Not Indie Shambhala 2015 Thread Spotify Playlist

Not sure if Foxes qualifies as shambhala but "Body Talk" has been hitting the spot the last few days

Realized one of my favorite songs from last year prob fits this thread:

https://la-soc.bandcamp.com/album/night-games-dopamine-single
https://open.spotify.com/track/59ohqIDQIPz9CCuDs5suZU

new thread?

I was waiting until I find something from this year I like.

fair.

really like the allie x songs on the EOY poll playlist, i assume that's from this thread?

Yeah, she's been a semi-regular.

I wanted to poll the big 'Heart of Glass' ripoff songs from the 2010s, but I can't remember them all. I'm sure there must be one at least every year, right?

Arcade Fire - Sprawl II: Mountains Beyond Mountains (2010)
St Vincent - Cruel (2011)
Susanne Sundfor - Fade Away (2015)