Starry Eyed: Sweet Night

As a continuation of our little love-fest with Korean label Electric Muse, we once again reach back into their archives for music that was released in 2008. As a follow up to the debut album Lo-Fi Dancing Star in 2005, Seoul-based trio Starry-Eyed completed their sophomore offering, titled Sweet Night, just this past year. The listening experience contained within these twelve tracks is not one of a predictable or even consistent nature by any measure. Instead, Starry-Eyed toys playfully with an endless supply of classic indie rock influences which seem to fall within a three year radius of 1992 by our best estimation... in this case, a very good thing. We've almost-randomly plucked a pair songs that should give our regular visitors a good indication of what to expect from the balance of lovely music belonging to Sweet Night. The first track featured, "Paprika", has an instant flavor of New Order, while "Nasa", an instrumental, builds slowly from its innocent beginnings into the scorching guitars we were perfectly in the mood for.

MP3: Paprika
MP3: Nasa

Orgeltanz: From The Cradle To The Grave

Another lazy Sunday is well underway and we have quite the departure from our usual content to share as a conclusion to the weekend. After spending the past few days taking in this particular celebration of international music, we can easily recommend today's featured artist and their most recent release. Before we get started, a brief excerpt from the press release and a song that deserves your immediate attention.

"Orgeltanz suggests their musical style by the name: orgel, the music box that plays music through a mechanical spring and tanz, meaning “dance” in German. The strain of a song that you hear on the street, and the swinging footsteps in line with the rhythm; when you take a break from the repetitive life and put a smile on your face, Orgeltanz’s music approaches, frolicking."

MP3: A Way To Get Free Champagne



Orgeltanz is the folk-minded five piece troupe of mostly acoustic musicians Marca Marco (accordion, vocals), MiOng (guitar), Angel (violin), Kkangile (percussion, vocals), Shoonguli (guitars, more) and DongWoo (contrabass, electric bass) who are based in Seoul, South Korea. Since their beginnings in 2005, the band has enlisted the visual accompaniment of belly dancer Eshe and have completed a full-length debut album, titled From The Cradle To The Grave, which was released through the Electric Muse label in 2008. The resulting listen to this collection of songs is a refreshing escape from the limitation in influence and sound we usually associate with the patronizing term "world music". The variation of moods and truly global representation of instrumentation we experienced within From The Cradle To The Grave could easily be at home in a busking environment on any street, in any city around the planet, while also providing the perfect soundtrack for daily listening from computer speakers at home. For additional information and music, visit the Orgeltanz MySpace page as well as the Electric Muse Last FM profile. Another lovely song from the debut album. Enjoy!

MP3: Sokdak Sokdak

Dabang Band: Last One EP

As was vaguely mentioned in our introduction to the multiple features we have planned from Korean label Electric Muse, not all of the catalogue being explored is comprised of recent releases... or even bands that still exist, for that matter. Today we have a couple of impressive indie rock songs that belong to a 2006 EP aptly titled Last One from the now defunct Jeonju, South Korea based four piece Dabang Band. After reading a dated press release on the band, it seems this was the last of three EPs that Dabang Band made available since their formation in 2002. The final lineup is listed as Myoung Jae Yi (vocals, guitars), Thai Iv (drums, backing vocals), Yoon Ho Sang (guitar, backing vocals) and Jung Sung Hwan (bass, backing vocals). We would seriously love to know what, if any, music projects each of these artists are currently involved with. Have a listen...

MP3: 45
MP3: It's A Lie

Atombook: Warm Hello From The Sun

It's been a long time coming, but we are now fortunate enough to dig into the catalogue of music that was sent to us by Korean label Electric Muse. To start things off, we've unwrapped the plastic from the first CD and found an amazing collection of 16 tracks that have kept our attention without a single song ignored in the listening process. From what information we've gathered, Atombook is currently a four-piece consisting of musicians simply listed as SP (guitar, vocals). Yeunbyul (synth, vocals), Sooyoung (bass) and Hankil (drums) who have been writing and recording music together since 2002. The most recent album, titled Warm Hello From The Sun, was released in 2008 and is brimming with the sweetness that is usually reserved for Swedish indie-pop bands while offering a perfect glimpse into the classic American folk music that seems to be an underlying influence throughout. There is additional information and music to be found on the Atombook MySpace page. Please have a listen to the following two songs that belong to Warm Hello From The Sun and be prepared to adore this band...

MP3: All The Ways To Find Nothing
MP3: Ice Cream (Magnapop influence?)

As an added bonus, we present a youtube video of the title track Warm Hello From The Sun... in love yet?

MML Label Feature: Electric Muse

A few short days ago, we received a large package in the post containing past and present releases from the kind folks at Seoul, South Korea-based label Electric Muse. After spending quite some time listening, we have decided against any sort of cheap multi-band feature in exchange for individual reviews for each of the artists. Be prepared for quite a few audio gems to find their way into your ears as we explore this impressive stack of CDs over the next couple of weeks. For an early start, please visit the Electric Muse MySpace page as well as the Electric Muse Cyworld profile for an abundance of lovely music. Our plan is to get started tomorrow night and hopefully continue every other evening with new sounds... see ya then! xo.

Church: Songforce Crystal LP

Another Sunday is almost in the books and we have a fitting band, if only by name, to re-visit with their most recent full-length LP being released just over a month ago. Since our October 2008 review of Portland, Oregon based experimental trio Church, musicians Brandon Laws (vocals, guitar, moog, taurus, banjo), Richard Laws (vocals, drums, sampler) and Cristof Hendrickson (fender rhodes, minimoog, omnichord, glockenspiel) have enlisted the assistance of percussionist Lane Barrington to complete the expanded new lineup. The result is an impassioned, yet subtle new collection of songs titled Songforce Crystal which is now available through local labels SoHiTek Records and Tender Loving Empire. Between listening moments of building tension and various levels of disheveled release in which song-structures could easily come unglued, Church manages to lure our ears into a deep, dark celebration of how effective the utilization of experimental electronic means to support basic analogue instrumentation can be. Each and every song is beautiful in a way you are hopefully already listening to with the featured track Opposite People. The next live performance will take place tomorrow night, September 21, as Church takes the stage along with Sea Wolf at a Portland venue known as Mississippi Studios. A preview for you...

MP3: Opposite People

MOIP: Brittney Lane Don't Care (Video)

Exactly what the subject line says. We originally featured Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based lovelies Meeting Of Important People in November 2008 with a follow-up of the band's impressive self-titled debut in May 2009. A brand new video for the track Brittney Lane Don't Care for your audio and visual pleasure...

Last Tide: The Broken Places EP

Once again, our email inbox proves to be a valuable little nest for discovering impressive new music and we now have another fine example to share this evening. Last Tide is a lovely new Washington, D.C. quartet who seem to embrace less than subtle hints of a three year radius surrounding the year 1989 where indie rock and/or shoegaze are concerned. This is quite a good thing. A debut EP, titled The Broken Places, is set to be self-released next month and a CD release party is scheduled to take place October 26 at local DC venue Black Cat when Last Tide shares the stage with Austin, Texas based outfit Ringo Deathstarr. For additional streaming music and information on picking up an early copy of the new EP, please pay an extended visit to the Last Tide MySpace page. Two completely different previews from this new mini-release for some of our regular visitors... be prepared to love 'em.

MP3: A Traitor In My Mind
MP3: Shapeshifter

Horse Shoes: The Imperial School EP

We've finally returned home from our vacation in a lovely mountain range down south and have some serious catching up to do here at MML. With our suitcase still half-full and email/post box in need of thorough investigation, it was a refreshing treat to quickly find impressive new music from one of our favourite labels in Portland, Oregon based Shelflife Records (Shelflife Myspace). Horse Shoes just so happen to be the duo of musicians Drew Diver and Jacob Graham who originally began creating music together in rural, northeastern Ohio. After some time spent in Florida, they now reside in Brooklyn, New York where finishing touches have been made to their September 22 debut EP release The Imperial School. More music and information can be found via links provided above as well as the Horse Shoes Myspace page and frequently updated Horse Shoes Blog. If you are even remotely a fan of classic British indie pop in the spirit of New Order or more recent artists we've mentioned from various Scandinavian music scenes, The Imperial School EP will not disappoint in the least. Please have a listen...

MP3: The Imperial School
MP3: Changing Winds

Girl Loves Distortion

MML originally featured the Washington D.C. trio of Chistopher Goett (vocals, guitar, bass, synths, organ), Steven Rubin (bass, guitar, vocals, organ) and Jenn Thomas (drums, vocals, percussion) in February 2008 with a preview of the Girl Loves Distortion debut LP Earth Beings on Exhibit, followed by another mention in September 2008 as the belated release date finally came to fruition. Now, after sifting once again through that rickety old postbox attached to our living quarters, we are more than pleased to report another outstanding collection of songs. You Better Run, Your Highness is the sophomore full-length release that was recently made available through DC-based label Etxe Records (Etxe MySpace) only a few short weeks ago. Instead of our usual extended and gushing blather regarding this lovely band, we can simply state that You Better Run, Your Highness is easily another favourite release for 2009. Have a first listen to what has us so smitten...

MP3: UFOs (Unidentified Fascist Operators)

For additional information and listening, pay an extended visit to the Girl Loves Distortion website as well as the compulsory GLD MySpace Page. The next live performance will take place September 4 (yes, tomorrow night!) at local DC venue Black Cat on the main stage. Love this band.