October 5, 2011

		FEATURED NEW RELEASES Zola Jesus Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Roman Flugel Leyland Kirby El Polen Prince Rama The Stepkids Lawrence Plaid Feist Faith Dinosaur Jr. (First 3 albums on LP)     We Were Promised Jetpacks System Liliputt LP Europa LP DJ Shadow Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/othermusicnyc Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/othermusic

		OCT Sun 02 Mon 03 Tues 04 Wed 05 Thurs 06 Fri 07 Sat 08   Sun 09 Mon 10 Tues 11 Wed 12 Thurs 13 Fri 14 Sat 15 Crystal Ark   LE POISSON ROUGE TICKET GIVEAWAYS! We've got a pair of tickets up for grabs for two great shows coming up at Le Poisson Rouge: Silver Mt. Zion on Thursday the 6th, and a week later on the 13th, the killer double bill of the Crystal Ark and Light Asylum. Thursdays at LPR are looking good. To enter, email tickets@othermusic.com, and make sure to list which show you would like to register for in the subject line. LE POISSON ROUGE: 158 Bleecker Street, NYC

		OCT Sun 02 Mon 03 Tues 04 Wed 05 Thurs 06 Fri 07 Sat 08   WIN TICKETS TO THE BUNKER FEAT: DONATO DOZZY The Bunker is consistently our favorite techno party, with the best guests in town. On Friday the 7th they are bringing in Donato Dozzy, Nuel and Marcellus Pittman, plus resident DJs and more. We have two pairs of tickets, email giveaway@othermusic.com to enter to win! FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 PUBLIC ASSEMBLY: 70 N. 6th Street, Williamsburg, BKLN

		OCT Sun 02 Mon 03 Tues 04 Wed 05 Thurs 06 Fri 07 Sat 08   SUPERSTAR DJ RECORD FAIR THIS SATURDAY Yes, we already spend a hell of a lot of time looking at records, but we could not be more excited about this year's Superstar DJ Record Fair, with its new Independent Label Market. We've been working with the Brooklyn Flea on this annual vinyl blowout for four years now, but this year is clearly stepping up the game, with more than twenty vintage vinyl dealers, a huge host of the best independent labels with their own stalls, great DJs all day (including a kid's disco party at noon with Mister Saturday Night), and so much more. We'll be selling a wide selection of both new and used vinyl, and there will be tons of great surprises all afternoon. Click the link for full details, and we'll see you at the fair! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 SMORGASBURG: 27 North 6th St. (btw. Kent Ave. + East River), Williamsburg

		OCT Sun 09 Mon 10 Tues 11 Wed 12 Thurs 13 Fri 14 Sat 15   WIN TICKETS TO LITTLE DRAGON + GUESTS As if Little Dragon live was not enough, this show also features none other than Questlove DJing, Javelin, and Donn T; a stellar night of soulful, eclectic dance music, and you can enter to win a pair of tickets by emailing contest@othermusic.com. We'll notify the winner on Monday, October 10. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 TERMINAL 5: 610 W. 56th Street, NYC

		On Sale $13.99 CD $15.99 LP $9.99 MP3   ZOLA JESUS Conatus (Sacred Bones) "Avalanche" "Shivers" After a winning streak of much-discussed Zola Jesus EP releases brought Nika Roza Danilova's dark visions to a wide audience, Zola Jesus returns with her first album proper since 2009's The Spoils, and it seems that the stakes are high. Those EPs were huge leaps forward from her early work, filled with murky, moody noise ballads heavily steeped in goth traditions and post-punk acknowledgements; with Conatus, Danilova delivers her best work yet, with a more assured grasp on song craft, crisp, clear production, and a rich, powerful voice that tones down some of the histrionics that left me with reservations about her early works, but which never sacrifices the emotional heft that she so seems to embrace. It's funny, but as much as people love to throw Kate Bush's name around when talking about Danilova, I'm actually reminded more of Peter Gabriel's classic fourth eponymous solo album (titled Security in the USA); each song is anchored by pummeling, mechanical machine drums with an almost tribal feel, blanketed with minor-key piano and eerie, alien synth tones that evoke greying, twilit environments. Her vocals are cut up and layered in ways similar to Gabriel's Fairlight experiments on Security, and her aching voice provides the only source of warmth and true emotion in these harsh landscapes. It seems that Danilova also learned a bit from touring with Fever Ray, as she's exploring similar territory, but sans the extreme vocal processing; the emotional bloodletting here seems less unbalanced, more confident, and more epic on the whole. This work also harkens back to a lost era of the album as an entity unto itself, rather than a collection of songs; while these pieces sound great unto themselves, the record's impact is more powerful when taken in one 40-minute dosage, where highlights like "Vessel," "Shivers," and the epic "Lick the Palm of the Burning Handshake" rub up against and feed off of variations on the formula from which she's made her name. The leaps forward on Conatus aren't large, but they're powerful, and while she has yet to display any vocal range that lowers her bellow to a whisper, she's found the courage to drape her dispatches in more user-friendly threads that could very well make this album a large breakout and breakthrough for her. If you're a fan, you probably already have this in your shopping cart, but if you're new to Danilova's dark, distraught world, I can't think of a better and more satisfying entry point. After a few years of being frustrated with her, I can finally say that she's made a record that I can get behind from beginning to end. For as tough and bitchy a critic as myself, that's quite an accomplishment. [IQ]

		$13.99 CD $17.99 LP   BONNIE 'PRINCE' BILLY Wolfroy Goes to Town (Drag City) "No Match" "Quail and Dumplings" Will Oldham continues to release numerous and much-varied records with a variety of collaborators, like his recent hazy EP with the Phantom Family Halo, but these days a proper Bonnie 'Prince' Billy album usually involves the refined instrumental prowess of Emmett Kelly and Shahzad Ismaily, whose delicate musicianship and relaxed interplay with Oldham makes for an instantly embracing, effortlessly low-key sound on Wolfroy Goes to Town, as warm and welcoming as Oldham's honeyed voice. The pace is glacial, the mood is somber, and the songs sort of seep into your consciousness, Oldham's melodies often buoyed by sweet harmonies from Angel Olson, who adds a touch of classic country-gospel (or Fairport Convention) emotion to the proceedings. Yet despite the smooth edges and the gentle swing of the recordings, the songs are among Oldham's most arcane, usually eschewing anything as quaint as a chorus (first single "Quail and Dumplings" not withstanding), in favor of a constantly shifting lyrical exploration. Oldham almost effortlessly draws you into his world, as you turn his little nuggets of wisdom over and over, looking for a way into their true meaning, but that essence is often hard to discern; on "New Tibet" he sings "As boys, we fuck each other, as men we lie and smile, noble enough until the first-born child, then we shuck our guile." Heavy, heady stuff -- I think. Oh crap, I don't know, but it sure sounds nice, and pretty damn serious too, when Oldham sings it. Years ago I quit trying to figure this guy out, but if you like the Bonnie P, you'll like this one, I'm (pretty) sure of that. [JM]

		$17.99 CD $24.99 LPx2   ROMAN FLUGEL Fatty Folders (Dial) "How to Spread Lies" "Krautus" A new Roman Flugel album on Dial is such a promising combination in itself that it might be enough to just say that it meets all the high expectations, and then some. Known for doing everything under the sun with a proficiency on par with Move D or Isolee, Flugel has produced stunning tracks ranging from extreme minimal experimentation (Eight Miles High) to highbrow acid house (Acid Jesus with Jorn Ellen Wuttke) to cavernous dub techno (Soylent Green) to club slammers (Alter Ego). But what makes Fatty Folders so enjoyable is how the album seems to have so much variety while still embracing the elegant restraint that Dial is known for. There's something very special at work here. Let me first point out that the relationship between Flugel and Dial is nothing new. Some of you may recall that Roman was very nonchalantly added to the NYC debut of Lawrence and Carsten Jost at our own Other Music Presents party back in 2006. They've been friends since the Ladomat days in Hamburg, and Flugel absolutely slayed that night, egged on by the great crowd who came out for Lawrence. Often, an enlightened and attentive audience can make the difference between a good and stellar performance, and with Fatty Folders, consider Flugel the performer and the Dial crew the audience. The album embodies this principle with its absolute exploratory nature that remains focused and full of intent. Each track is like a letter between friends, where each exchange is meant to stoke the other. What hits first is the highly developed melodic sense; opening track "How to Spread Lies" has a house structure laced with piano that is reminiscent of classic Lawrence, but as expected Flugel takes it to a different level, with more melodies met with counter melodies further accented by additional, subtly building percussion elements that remain tightly within the structure. Then there are tracks like "The Improviser," where a blobby, monster bass-bounce is accented with shakers, handclaps and digital steel drum only to be followed up by the gorgeous IDM/Krautrock track "Krautus," that just ripples into the stratosphere with typical Dial intimate pastoral beauty. Even with a quasi-stomper like "Rude Awakening," which could easily venture into overblown Alter Ego territory, Flugel keeps it focused, serious and streamlined like the mean side of Carsten Jost, Pigon or Denis Karimani. Then there's the complex yet elegant "Song with Blue," which is impeccably arranged with a command of beautiful piano arrangements and emotive textures that come across like Move D collaborating with Pantha du Prince. Even with these reference points, throughout the album Flugel's highly developed sense of arrangement takes the music to another place entirely. He even manages to successfully, almost imperceptibly, inject disco(!) elements into the Dial aesthetic with tracks like the epic Y.M.O. jam "Deo," with its glistening piano cascades, crystal cowbells, congas and glorious acid piano. So, have I said enough? Too much? I'm not sure, but I have to say this record really impresses with how dead-on it is despite its ultra wide-angle lens. We don't see too many albums like this here these days. Of course it's Dial who comes along and delivers it. Its charm is immediately apparent, but its magic will slowly reveal itself with repeated listens. Another top album for 2011! [SM]

		$17.99 CD $21.99 LPx2   LEYLAND KIRBY Eager to Tear Apart the Stars (History Always Favours the Winners) After three absolutely killer releases this year, including two volumes of his Intrigue and Stuff 12" EP series and one album as the Caretaker that's already sitting firmly in my Best of 2011 list, Leyland Kirby returns for perhaps the final salvo this year with a new album entitled Eager to Tear Apart the Stars. Where his work as the Caretaker focuses on repurposed and subtly manipulated samples of prewar jazz and chamber music 78s, here Kirby puts an emphasis on the sound palettes explored in the Intrigue EPs. Spare, somber piano chords and epic, Vangelis-inspired synth beds are washed in the rains of analogue sound-dust and vinyl crackle, with "They Are All Dead, There Are No Skip at All" adding lush layers of celeste, harp, and what sounds like cor anglais, evoking the same emotions so masterfully conjured in a work like William Basinski's The Disintegration Loops. These Blade Runner-styled synth washes are epic yet grey, like a sunset before a thunderstorm, slow-moving and massive, but beyond human grasp and with a nebulous foundation that has roots in something entirely emotional and intangible; Kirby's works are so moving precisely because though we can hear and feel them, as listeners we can never quite get a hold on just what makes such a simple yet grand statement so powerful. This is ambient music that refuses to be ignored, which slows down the time in which it is listened; it's one of the most gorgeous pieces of music I've heard all year in any genre, and like all of his other releases, the LP pressing is super limited, and won't last long. So all you vinyl hounds out there: buy now or cry later. Trust me, this is epic crying music... you don't want to sleep on this one. Absolutely epic, and most highly recommended. [IQ]

		$15.99 CD   EL POLEN Cholo (Lion Productions) "La flor (tema de Cholo)" "Secuencias de organillo y poliphon" We've been waiting for this landmark album of South American psych-folk to be reissued for a long time, and at last here it is presented in a beautiful mini-LP sleeve, though unfortunately in an edition limited to a mere 400 copies, which means you better snap it up post-haste! El Polen, from Peru, are generally pegged as being one of the very first genuinely psychedelic bands to come out of South America, alongside early innovators Los Jaivas. Saturated with the influence of folkloric elements from their Andean heritage, they gently expanded the parameters of the native music they took influence from by creating loping, almost trance-inducing music that subtly interwove the ancient and the modern. Cholo, the first of the two albums they released, was conceived for a film about Peruvian soccer player Hugo Sotil, though to these ears it doesn't sound particularly "soundtracky," and remains a compelling artistic statement in its own right. Immediately warm and engaging, suffused with acoustic guitars and flutes and plenty of forward momentum, this album has been a beloved companion on several road trips I've taken in the last several years. If you've ever been entranced with Other Music faves Congreso, Congregacion, and Pep Laguarda then you more than owe it to yourself to pick this up, it's that great! [MK]

		$13.99 CD $14.99 LP+MP3 $5.99 MP3   PRINCE RAMA Trust Now (Paw Tracks) "Incarnation" "Golden Silence" Now in top fighting form as the sisters-only duo of Taraka and Nimai Larson, fully ensconced on Paw Tracks and with some production help here from Scott Colburn (Animal Collective, Sun City Girls, Arcade Fire), Price Rama's new one is a focused, refined take on their established sound -- whatever exactly that is. Over the course of five albums, this Brooklyn group has made their name as the preeminent practitioner of d.i.y. Eastern psychedelia -- a blend of Far Eastern and Middle Eastern scales and tunings, and a freewheeling indie freakout vibe that is at once familiar (it could be the soundtrack to an anonymous LSD film of the late-'60s) and utterly original. Most modern groups who truck in this sort of stuff have tended to blend Eastern sounds with Western electronica, from Talvin Singh to Prince Rama's pals Gang Gang Dance, but these women have a much more primal approach -- more Amon Düül than Amon Tobin, for sure. The only electronics here bubble and swirl like so much analog ectoplasm, and the tom-tom-heavy drumming, carousel organ riffs and churning guitars have a raw, pounding sound that can be unsettling, even disorienting. Taraka's vocals, occasionally sung in English, but more often in her own self-created language, are soaring and incredibly accomplished, and the sister's youth spent on a Hare Krishna commune is evident in the natural way they tiptoe between cultures on Trust Now. Fans of Sun City Girls, Animal Collective's earlier stuff, or much of the looser Krautrock cannon should tune this in. [JM]

		$12.99 CD   THE STEPKIDS The Stepkids (Stones Throw) "Suburban Dream" "Santos & Ken" Stones Throw offer up the debut album from one of my favorite new bands, Brooklyn/Connecticut psych-soul outfit Stepkids, who are comprised of a group of seasoned session players (touring with the likes of Alicia Keys), and whose album offers up one of the finest, most fun slices of contemporary psychedelic soul I've heard in years. Heavily drawing upon the likes of Westbound-era Funkadelic and Rotary Connection -- one of my all-time favorite groups who mastered the sound of West Coast psychedelic baroque soul -- but updating the stylistic palette somewhat with a bit of retro-Afro-futurism that nods to both Sun Ra and Dam-Funk equally, the Stepkids combine solid stoned grooves, hazy organ and synth ambiences, and some wicked rock licks with some heavenly choral vocal arrangements for a tasty platter that's perfectly timed for the oncoming Autumnal twilight cool. They aren't trying to break new ground, but the hooks are powerful and the playing and arrangements are stellar. Stepkids are just doing what they love, and that love shines throughout the record's short but sweet running time; they conjure eight gorgeous songs and an intro and outro in just over half an hour's time, and the album's brevity and catchiness give it plenty of replay value. This is a band to watch, with a strong late contender for one of the year's best albums. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to hit the repeat button... [IQ] Check out the first video off of the Stepkids' album for "Legend in My Own Mind," directed by our good friend Tom Scharpling and co-produced by longtime OM employee Rob Hatch-Miller. It's pretty awesome!

		$17.99 CD   LAWRENCE Timeless (Cocoon) "Overcome" Soul Capsule "Thirteen Times an Hour" Isolee What? A Lawrence mix on Sven Vath's Cocoon label, an imprint known for floor-filling, big-room Ibiza-style guys like Vath, Villalobos and Loco Dice? While Lawrence is perhaps best known as a producer and co-head of the Dial label, he is also respected for his absolutely tasteful selections and smooth mixes as a DJ -- a style that might seem at odds with the Cocoon M.O., but he manages the task with surprising aplomb. Start by imagining that Lawrence is playing a large outdoor festival where he has to slowly work the crowd into his typically deep, intimate and subtle palette of sound. With a name like Timeless, you might guess that there would be some old-school favorites embedded here and there, and sure enough, Chez Damier with Stacey Pullen, Aril Brikha, Baby Ford, Robert Hood, Roman Flugel and Plaid all make appearances. Of course, Lawrence's programming expertise shines through, the tracks shifting dynamically while always carrying through a distinct element of the previous cut. The transitions between Chez Damier and Soul Capsule into Smallpeople would be a perfect example: the Detroit snap and "E-Dancer'' strings of the Damier/Pullen's "Forever Monna" becomes the snap/roll beat and percolating notes in the Soul Capsule track which then morphs into the house beat/vocal snippet/rainforest atmosphere of Smallpeople & Rau's "Life Aquatic." Things get even deeper and more atmospheric by track six with Schatrax's "Overcome," but it's the deft combination of Pigon, Mike Dehnert, Robert Hood, Roman Flugel and Plaid that truly reveal the magic Lawrence can deliver on a dance floor. (Flugel's "Brian Le Bon" is the introspective/ecstatic climax we expected to see in this mix, and is absolutely gorgeous coming out of Robert Hood's "The Realm.") Overall more upfront and engaging than you'd expect from Lawrence, but his blends, programing and transitions are what make this mix so special -- excellent work here!!! [SM]

		$16.99 CD $21.99 LPx2 $9.99 MP3   PLAID Scintilli (Warp) Preview Songs on Other Music's Download Store Discounting a few soundtracks and collaborations, Scintilli is the first proper new Plaid LP since 2003, and their film score work shows an influence here, especially on the almost-Baroque-sounding melodic opener "Missing." When the beats kick in on "Eye Robot" we're in more familiar IDM territory, although with a certain half-time feel this sounds more contemporary than re-hash. The active first quarter of the program leads up to the propulsive "Tender Hooks," and is then contrasted by the beatless and hazy "Craft Nine." "Sömnl" actually throws a bit of dubstep wobble into the mix, but retains a signature Plaid vibe. One of the strengths of the duo has always been their ability to maintain an organic feel, even though their palette is largely digital, as evidenced on "Founded." The album's centerpiece, it weaves staccato 16th notes around a soaring abstract female vocal. With all the sideway steps Warp have taken from their mission statement over the last decade or so, it's nice to see them still giving nods to the classics and continuing to support the groups that put the label on the map. On Scintilli, Plaid sounds as geometric as ever, but decidedly modern and certainly not square. [NN]

		$14.99 CD   FEIST Metals (Interscope) "Graveyard" "How Come You Never Go There" Feist's ascent to international stardom was somewhat unexpected, if hard-won and much-deserved; first coming to prominence as one cog in the giant wheel of Broken Social Scene, Leslie Feist was touring in bands since the mid-'90s, eventually rapping with Chilly Gonzalez, palling around with electroclash provocateur Peaches, releasing well-received solo albums and filling her downtime with BSS, and she was already an underground star when lightning struck with the release of the fourth Feist album in 2007. So four years after scoring it big with The Reminder and its whimsical breakthrough single "1234" -- a song that will forever be linked to the iPod nano and cemented in the minds of pre-schoolers thanks to Sesame Street (cue the dancing chickens) -- you couldn't have blamed her for shooting for the moon on this long-awaited follow-up. Instead, she returns with a subdued album filled with smoky ballads and ethereal pop songs. Produced by longtime collaborators Gonzalez and Mocky, there's a stark, almost hesitant quality to these tracks, from the slow, soulful bluesy swagger of "How Come You Never Go There" to the gray, downcast yearn of "Graveyard," which eventually unfolds into a haunting choir of voices calling, "Bring them all back to life." Throughout, Feist's soft-spoken (and oft-layered) melodies recall Chan Marshall and even occasionally Karen Dalton, but only more languid and dreamy than either of those singers. Whether the beguiling tone to this album is a conscious effort for Feist to pull back from that notoriety she achieved a few years ago with her unexpected hit, only she knows, but the beauty of Metals lies in its understatement, and that understatement makes for her most uniquely gorgeous and mature record to date. [GH]

		$10.99 CD $11.99 LP+MP3   FAITH Subject to Change + First Demo (Dischord) "Aware" "In Control" I always felt that the Faith got the short end of the stick; their half of the infamous Faith / Void split album is great, but it is also on the other side of one the most singular sounding hardcore bands ever. And the group never toured as much as Minor Threat, so they had to settle for blowing minds locally for the most part. That they did, as by all accounts I've heard they were one of the best live bands of the hardcore era and the devotion to them that still resides in the hearts of the olde-timey scenesters runs deep. For this expanded reissue they have moved all eight tracks of the Subject to Change EP onto the first side of the record, remastered so the whole thing sounds as good as the original, if not better. I doubt that I could put a real number on the amount of times I've listened to Subject to Change, but safe to say it is A LOT, so for me, it's the previously unreleased tracks on side two where my real interest lies. These demos are by and large the same songs as those on the Faith / Void split record, but these versions, recorded a month after the band played their first show, are distinct enough to stand on their own with little quirks and way more rough edges than the versions that ended up being released. I've mentioned before how enchanted I am with this Dischord archival series; I anxiously await each new record in the series and this might be the best one yet. Keep 'em coming! [DMa]

		$14.99 LP $14.99 LP $14.99 LP   DINOSAUR JR. Dinosaur (Jagjaguwar) DINOSAUR JR. You're Living All Over Me (Jagjaguwar) DINOSAUR JR. Bug (Jagjaguwar) There are two reasons why the 1985 debut LP by Dinosaur (pre-Jr.) has ragged charm; one involves the fact that the musicians' previous efforts were adolescent contributions to the Massachusetts hardcore scene. The other is clearer in hindsight, and is based in knowing that they proceeded to deliver two of the best guitar rock albums of that, or any, decade, after their formative debut. There are signs of the greatness to come ("Forget the Swan"), but the self-titled LP has detrimental lo-fi production and just didn't quite capture what they were capable of producing. It's immediately apparent that they've grown by leaps and bounds upon the opening drum fill of "Little Fury Things," which announces 1987's You're Living All Over Me with wild abandon. J Mascis had a real gift for sounding like the ultimate slacker, while somehow writing songs that were also deeply heartfelt. For every over-the-top wah-wah guitar freak-out, there's often a melodic tale about shyness hidden in the fuzz. Many of the songs on You're Living... have deceptive intros that sound almost metal, only to give way to catchy melodies, albeit still drowned in glorious guitar detritus. As tired as I am of seeing the genre referenced so often these days, I must admit that the opening shrieks of "Little Fury Things" really sound like genuine black metal vocals, twenty years before it finally became fashionable. By Bug, the palette had evened out a bit and the result was a slightly more psychedelic affair. Linear tracks like "Yeah We Know" enter a hypnotic zone through waves of repetition. "Freak Scene" sounds oddly anthemic at this point, and still relevant as ever in its articulation of the inevitable confusion surrounding relationships. Murph's drumming, especially throughout Bug, deserves a lot more credit than he's usually given. His patterns are meat-and-potatoes simple, yet inventive in a way that has a subtle beauty, and these two LPs somehow avoided being wrecked by late-'80s production values. They don't sound dated. Though the Merge CD reissues were welcome for their inclusion of a few classic cover version B-Sides as bonus tracks, these LP versions really benefit from allowing the programs to remain true to their original running orders. The last tracks on both of these records provide intentional punctuation to the respective proceedings of each album. On You're Living..., "Poledo" places a question mark at the end of Side 2; a visceral collage, it includes a claustrophobic acoustic song fragment by Lou Barlow, a sign of his future in Sebadoh, and a creepy dissonant drone section that I remember sounding like it was from outer space at a time when "drone" was certainly not a genre most indie-rock fans were conversant in. Bug ends with more of an exclamation point via the aggressive "Don't," during which a frantic refrain of "Why don't you LIKE ME?!" -- apparently the culmination of inner-band tension -- is screamed in horror over a wall of chaotic feedback and distorted sludgy drumming. Sure, it's nice that they've buried their hatchets and are back together, but if they had never made another record after Bug, they would still have been one of the best post-Crazy Horse, yet also post-hardcore, bands of all time. [NN]

		$12.99 CD $15.99 LP+MP3 $9.99 MP3   WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS In the Pit of the Stomach (Fat Cat) "Circles and Square" "Through the Dirt and the Gravel" While the epic rock anthems of U2 still can top the charts and fill stadiums around the world, there are three bands in nearby Scotland who would gladly accept the torch anytime the Irish legends are ready to hand it over. Not that the Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit or We Were Promised Jetpacks are plagiarizing Bono and Co's songbook, but this trio of groups all have a flair for crafting similarly soaring, dramatic music, each in their own way. We Were Promised Jetpacks are by far the youngest and most rocking of the bunch, though, with a penchant for muscular, angular guitars, powerhouse drumming, and yearning, heart-on-the-sleeve melodies sung through Adam Thompson's thick Edinburgh accent. Produced by Peter Katis, the group's sophomore full-length, In the Pit of the Stomach, finds WWPJ doing some belt tightening, ditching the glockenspiel of 2009's These Four Walls, turning up the amps, and going for the jugular. From the pummel of album opener "Circles and Squares" to the shout-along chorus of "Medicine," to "Boy in the Backseat," where the fiery post-hardcore drive of Fugazi meets intense Mogwai-esque crescendos, there's a life-affirming energy that defies the desperate subject matter. (How many group's can you name that can turn a bleak lyric like "He died alone / he died on impact" into catharsis?) And yes, during "Human Error" we do hear Thompson channeling a young Bono over the loud din of distorted guitars and cascading drums; it's the album's emotional peak and, should WWPJ continue on this trajectory, may one day be their own stadium anthem. [GH]

		$14.99 LP   SYSTEM LILIPUTT Harpa (Dark Entries) Originally released as a limited seven-track cassette in 1984, Norway's System Liliputt's lone (and little known) release, Harpa, has been lovingly remastered and reissued by San Francisco's Dark Entries on vinyl for the first time. The solo project of Geir Vassang, System Liliputt exists in that tenuous space where d.i.y. electronics meets the darker moments of synthetic pop; indeed, while these tracks certainly have a dark edge to them, the cheap analog gear and production values give the songs an endearing quality found only in the canon of d.i.y. art-punk. Like many privately released synth records of the early-'80s, Vassang's vocal delivery is detached and disaffected, which perfectly matches the sparse, playful production. While this is sure to please fans of the ultra-minimal brand of minimal synth (Transparent Illusion, Dark Day, A Blaze Colour, and Ceramic Hello all come to mind), the tracks here are stark in a way that is also reminiscent of the Cure's more melancholic output post-Boys Don't Cry; in fact, the rhythm of "Gatelangs" feels like a severely danker, more raw take on "Siamese Twins" from the Cure's Pornography. A straight-up reissue of Harpa would have been enough to make this a stellar release, but Dark Entries sweetens the deal with a flip-side full of never-before-heard demos, featuring many tracks as strong as the Harpa material that demonstrate the myriad directions Vassang could have taken this project -- straight-up synth pop, guitar-driven darkwave, and even a brief foray into electronic pseudo-folk that taps into Scandinavia's more psychedelic tradition all appear here. Overall, a fantastic document of d.i.y. synth pop. [CPa]

		$14.99 LP   EUROPA La Ultima Emocion (Dark Entries) And it doesn't stop there, folks! Released simultaneously with the System Liliputt LP, Dark Entries has also rescued another cassette from the vaults with the LP issue of Spanish synth-pop outfit Europa's La Ultima Emoción EP from 1981, and this one's sure to please all you new wave addicts out there. Originally released as a one-sided cassette (so you could record your own music on side two), Europa made pure, unadulterated synth-pop in the tradition of early Depeche Mode or Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (think "Boys Say Go!" and "Enola Gay"), but with a decidedly more playful edge. The tracks here have been expertly remastered, yet they still retain that great, unpolished quality that keeps things firmly within the realm of d.i.y. pop. The rhythms are fast and the LP flies by (in a good way), but not without memorable moments: "El Misterio de los Tomates Electricos" ("Mystery of the Electric Tomatoes" -- hah!) balances mournful synth lines with off-kilter harmonies and upbeat drum programming, while tracks like "Sentir Tu Cuerpo" and "Quien Soy Yo" are aimed straight for the dance floor. Fans of Our Daughter's Wedding, Aviador Dro, Classix Nouveaux, B-Movie ("Nowhere Girl"), or Landscape take note! [CPa]

		$14.99 CD   DJ SHADOW The Less You Know the Better (Universal / Island) "Stay the Course" Feat. Posdnuos & Talib Kweli "Scale It Back" Feat. Little Dragon "I'm back, I forgot my drum," states a gruff elderly voice at the start of DJ Shadow's fourth album, The Less You Know the Better, but there's more bumping here than merely drums. And after the hyphy "hunh?!!"ness of 2006's The Outsider, one would be tempted to say that this is a return to form for the man, but what exactly is his "form"? The dizzying scratch-crobatics of "Back to Front?" Or the razor-sharp hip-hop of "Stay the Course?" The furious garage funk breaks of "Run For Your Life?" Then yes, Shadow does play to those strengths. But what to make of the straight-up shredding metal (yes, metal) of "Border Crossing?" The Billy Idol '80s electro-strut of "Warning Call?" To say that Shadow does it all here would be an understatement. This is the weirdest mixtape that was never made for you back in the day, jumping genres like it ain't no thang. And that every track bears the singular thumbprint of Josh Davis makes it all the more fascinating, but perhaps no more listenable. Which is not to say that there are not some great moments here, or that Davis has not again shown his depth and talent as a producer; he's done that and more. But taken as a whole it's a somewhat schizophrenic album that perhaps justifies its title. [AB]

		PHONE ORDERS Phone orders are accepted at (212) 477-8150 (ext. #2, mailorder) Mon-Fri, Noon - 7pm EST EMAIL For general inquiries or other information please email sales@othermusic.com. Do not reply to this message. REMOVE This is an automated list. If you would like to be removed for any reason, please visit: digital.othermusic.com/subscribe.php   THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS [AB] Adrian Burkholder [GH] Gerald Hammill [IQ] Mikey IQ Jones [MK] Michael Klausman [JM] Josh Madell [DMa] Dave Martin [SM] Scott Mou [NN] Ning Nong [CPa] Chris Pappas THANKS FOR READING - all of us at Other Music

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