“It’s a jerky, dark, and layered record, complete with the kind of adept musical craftsmanship the London band first built its name on. On Four, Bloc Party learns the valuable lesson that sometimes the only way to move forward is to go back where you came from. And like a musical game of Jenga, the band rips out the pieces and starts again with equal parts precision, raw force, heart, and intellect.” (via Consequence of Sound)

♩Bloc Party – 3×3 [from Four]

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“Every new album Crystal Castles release is lacking one thing: a name. Each self-titled entry is instead branded with a number—a good choice, considering each feels like a chapter in the same book, rather than a new novel itself…(III) is fantastically full of energy, jumping from gentle shoegaze or rave-worthy, coked-out beats like with no trouble.” (via Paste)

♩Crystal Castles – Child I Will Hurt You [from Crystal Castles (III)]

♩[bonus] Crystal Castles – Child I Will Hurt You (Joneses Remix) [via Soundcloud]
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“Hot Chip has slowly grown more sincere and less self-consciously ironic, more romantic but no less nerdy. On In Our Heads, the band knits together references to sounds that made the band possible: Chicago house, Kraftwerk, funk, soft rock, soul. But it’s softer and heavier, an album that sounds like it was made by someone (or five someones) deeply in love.” (via NPR Music)

♩Hot Chip – Flutes [from In Our Heads]

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“True to the album’s title, they’ve followed their instincts, crafting a set for themselves that just happens to be brilliant. Their love of pop is evident: from the wistful Italo-disco of the huge ‘DJ Ease My Mind’, to ‘The Drummer’s’ ABBA-like echoed vocals and ‘Somebody’ channelling Madonna’s ‘Lucky Star’, these songs are immediate, intricate and uplifting. Each demands revisiting from the moment it finishes.” (via BBC Music)

♩Niki & The Dove – Tomorrow [from Instinct]
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“San Cisco‘s very accurately titled EP, Awkward, is all about crossed signals, misread cues, and failure to take a hint. Heavy on the choruses and heavy on the drums, the Australian four piece delivers infectious pop in the vein of Blur and Vampire Weekend.” (via Surviving the Golden Age)

♩San Cisco – Awkward [from Awkward EP]
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“‘Dreams’ is quite simply a living and breathing moment of perfected love.  It is an orchestrated love story for the ages told by the strings, and the angelic vocals that massages your shoulders into a deep sleep and places you right into a dream world that you will never want to wake from.” (via Et Musique Pour Tous)

♩Taken By Trees – Dreams [from Other Worlds]
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“‘Mr Bones’ oozes with innovation but can be easily appreciated upon first listen…and the many repeats after that. It is incredible in accomplishing this one key aspect: It’s a song that can inspire the individual to not only believe but also compel that person to make the effort to pursue that desire. Given the romanticism of the song, there’s absolutely no doubt that this song will help make your summer.” (via Life After Nirvana)

♩Tiny Victories – Mr Bones [from Those Of Us Still Alive]
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