Grizzly Bear
“Sleeping Ute”
From Still Untitled New Album (out 9/18)

It was an absolutely incredible week for music, but as I was busy with finals, I have fallen behind on my coverage. But don’t worry, I will make it up in the next few days. Of all the incredible tracks that dropped this week, none can trump the first single from this incredibly influential, BK avant-folk outfit’s highly-anticipated fourth LP. “Sleeping Ute” combines the jangly, guitar-driven, freewheeling style of their seminal 2006 LP Yellow House with the polished production of 2009’s breakthrough Veckatimest. Lead by Daniel Rossen’s dexterous, tongue-twisting guitarwork and his confident croon, the track is a perfect example of Grizzly Bear’s rare ability to craft songs that are immediate and accessible, while remaining esoteric and unexpected. Make no mistake; this is pop music, but it’s extremely sophisticated — lyrically, sonically, compositionally — pop music. There aren’t a lot of bands that can do that, and that’s why that class of band — your Animal Collectives, Radioheads, Grizzly Bears, etc — are often praised to the high heavens and absolutely deserve to be.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/48759127″ iframe=”true” /]

Disclosure
“Control”
The Face (Greco-Roman)

I’ve been a huge fan of this South London duo since last year’s severely underrated “I Love….That You Know,” and since then, they have been cranking out infectious, progressive post-dubstep with remarkable consistency. Consisting of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, the duo is set to release their long-awaited four-track EP next Tuesday on simmering German/British label Greco-Roman. This is the second single from The Face, succeeding the aptly-titled “Boiling,” which doubles as one of the very best songs of 2012 so far. Very few dubstep producers handle vocals with the same care and subtly as Disclosure, and that’s apparent on all three of the aforementioned tracks. Preferring to use them to build mood rather than take the spotlight, the group uses vocals to give the listener something to hold on to without letting them run rampant and turn the wheel into radio-pop land. I’m surprised they still haven’t made a jump into our continental conscious (á la James Blake), but I really think it’s coming soon. Brilliant.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/48079700″ iframe=”true” /]

Disclosure: “Boiling” (feat. Sinead Harnett)

Nico Jaar+Sasha Spielberg (aka Just Friends)
“Avalanche”
The Prism

I probably should kind of hate Nico Jaar. I’ve never met the man, but from the outside looking in, it seems like when he’s not DJing ultra-exclusive NYC club nights, playing sold-out shows, and being 194% more handsome than me, he’s making impossibly sexy jams with young Hollywood royalty. Coming off the back of his stunning collaboration with Scout LaRue Willis (Bruce and Demi’s daughter) “With Just One Glance,” he returns with a typically airy boner jam that features the breathy, alluring vocals of Sasha Spielberg (daughter of Steven and Kate Capshaw). While the studio version is only available on the pretty-damn-awesome Prism, this radio rip is indicative of why Jaar has amassed such an impressive library of work in such a short time. He has an incredible understanding of sonic space and can tactfully frame a vocal track with the touch and maturity of a seasoned producer. Did I mention that he’s still only 22? Ok, I think I hate him again….

NicoJaar+SashaSpielberg: “Avalanche”

Just in case you missed it, here’s “Just One Glance.”

Jaar+Willis: “With Just One Glance”

Lemonade
“Softkiss”
Diver (True Panther)

The same week we got a tasty video for the BK-via-SF 80’s-obsessed trio’s spellbinding slow jam, “Neptune,” they grace us with another slice of synth-slathered gold.  Though it’s a much more upbeat affair, it is cut from the same cloth as “Neptune” (one of the best ten songs of 2012 so far). Moody, expressive, and dripping with nostalgia, “Softkiss” again sees vocalist Callan Clendenin pinning over a lost lover. In the wrong hands, a refrain like “do you still wear my coat when you get cold?” would come off incredibly trite and callow, but Clendenin’s earnest croon turns it into an affecting rhetorical question that hits close to home. I thought their self-titled debut LP was forgettable, and their follow up EP, Pure Moods, was solid but unspectacular, but based off the two tracks I’ve heard, I think Diver might turn out to be an absolute gem. Watch this space.

Lemonade: “Softkiss”