DWNTWN - 'Til Tomorrow'

INDIE POP, INDIE ROCK

From DWTWN EP 2014

The Rebel LIght - 'Strangers'

INDIE POP, INDIE ROCK, RETRO POP

From Strangers 2014

Hands - 'Elegant Road'

INDIE POP ROCK

From Synesthesia (2013).

Also recommended (faster tempo) Brave Motion by Hands.

Beach Fossils - 'Daydream'

INDIE POP, INDIE POP/ROCK

Daydream from Beach Fossils on MySpace.

Hospitality - Rockets and Jets

INDIE POP, POP/ROCK

From the album Trouble.

Untogether - Letting Up Despite Great Faults

INDIEPOP, SHOEGAZE

Untogether: By Letting Up Despite Great Defaults

Letting Up Despite Great Faults (LUDGF) is an indiepop/shoegaze band based in Austin, Texas. In Untogether, LUDGF soothes its listeners with pulsing synths and rusty guitars.

The album takes its listeners on a journey through someone's nostalgia. LUDGF manifests this nostalgia with an interesting mixture of synth instruments that make up layers of magic carried by the steady drumbeats.

Members: Mike Lee, Kent Zambrana, Anna Fisette, Daniel Schmidt

Aside from the tracks with warm instrumental segments, there are some tracks, like "Numbered Days" and "Breaking," that give a separate sound from the album. Overall, Untogether sounds heavily influenced by The Postal Service.

The wistful vocals are sung by composer Mike Lee, who also plays piano, bass, and guitar. His lyrics add to the nostalgia.

Genre	Indiepop/Shoegaze
Album	Untogether (2012)
Label	New Words
Source	Radio
Spotify Link	Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Untogether

Vocals and Guitar	Mike Lee
Vocals and Keyboard	Anna Fisette
Bass	Kent Zambrana
Drums	Daniel Schmidt

Track favorites, highlights, and links: 

Ski Mask - Islands

Indie Rock, Indie Pop

Ski Mask: Island's 5th album

In Ski Mask, the Canadian indie rock band Islands gives insight into the thoughts and feelings of heartbreak through inventive snare compositions and expressive lyrics.

Wonderful soft, chill vocals to share sorrowful lyrics that sound like heartbreak poems in a well compiled short book. The clarity of the vocals make it easy to sing along and focus on the meaning of the song which is stressed by the instrumentation.

Members: Evan Gordon, Nick Thornburn, Geordie Gordon

The marimba in the first song is used to simulate island music, as suggested by the band name. BUT the album consists primarily of reverb guitar sounds and creative snare rhythms. Based on the major accompaniment of the piano, the instrument was probably the foundation for the composition process.  The snare parts are what make Islands's music unique.

The whole album sounds as if it was recorded in a large hall since there's a lot of hollow/echo sound from the guitar and the vocals. As a listener, perhaps we're supposed to feel alone stranded on an island while hearing your voice echo poetic lines and reassessing your breakup.

Assumed Genre	Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Album	Ski Mask
Label	Manque
Source	Flyer
Spotify Link	Islands–SkiMask

Vocals and Guitars	Nick Thornburn  aka Nick Diamonds
Keyboards/Guitar	Geordie Gordon
Bass	Evan Gordon
Keyboards/Guitar	Luc Laurent

Track favorites and highlights:

1. Wave Forms" - Sense of rebirth.
2. "Death Drive" - Hip. Strategically placed dissonant piano chords.
3. "Becoming the Gunship" - Pronounced snare action.
4. "Nil" - The most cheery song in the album rhythm wise. Lyrics contrast the instruments and give the song an ironic mood.
5. "Sad Middle" - "lalalala…" More snare action!
6. "Hushed Tones" - 80's tone.
7. "Here Here" - Soft, slow, clean guitar. Sustained syllables in lyrics. Very mellow.
8. "Shotgun Vision" - Sluggish. Almost crawling, still walking.
9. "Of Corpse" - Crescendo into high emotions.
10. "We'll Do It So You Don't Have To" - Interesting moods progression from ponderous to certainty.
11. "Winged Beat Drums" - Vivid imagery.

References: http://www.emusician.com/artists/0767/islands/147772