Desert (featuring Joakim Broden) – Lament For Soldier’s Glory: Order 227
Israel is comprised of many Russian-born people, some Jewish, some not. Lament For Soldier’s Glory: Order 227 by Desert taps into Russian history, describing Stalin’s cruel command that any soldier captured by the enemy was considered a traitor. Its haunting melodies and driving rhythms sonically depict pain and determination. And as all of Desert served (or are still serving) in the Israeli army, they know what it means to fight for survival. Vocalist Joakim Broden of Sweden’s Sabaton (Nuclear Blast Records) lends his talents to the tale of war and blood.

Check out the rest….

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Alvy, Nacho & Rubin – El Gal·n De La Paternal (The Magnetic Fields cover)
Alvy, Nacho y Rubin Interpretan a Los Campos MagnÈticos is the result of a singular process of research, translation and reimagining of Stephin Merritt’s songs. The project was crafted by three talented musicians from Buenos Aires and Mr Merritt himself revised and approved the adaptation of his songs. El Gal·n De La Paternal (The Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side) is the first single and you can download it here as a MAP exclusive. The whole album is available on iTunes.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Ghoul – 3Mark
I’m excited that over the next six months we’ll be getting both a mini-album (in January) and a full-length release from Sydney experimental/glitch/pop crew Ghoul. It’s been a long wait, but Ghoul have grown a lot since self-releasing their debut mini-LP A Mouthful Of Gold in 2008. Both the production and the songwriting have taken epic leaps toward a more nuanced, crisp sound that relies less on jazz streaks and tangential arrangements to maintain attention and more on melody and detail. 3Mark is a sign of great things to come.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Labirinto – Anatema
Epic, dark post-rock is at the core of Sao Paulo-based band Labirinto, whose first full-length album is already one of the best Brazilian releases of 2010 and is also remarkable due to its gorgeous artwork. Anatema is the main song on the album, which is available from their Bandcamp.

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Radio Radio – Dekshoo
On the surface, Radio Radio may seem like a joke: a couple of hipsters from New Brunswick rapping in extremely slangy French about stuff like Kenny G, luggage and, on this song, penny loafers. Dig just a little deeper, though, and you’ll find the band members are actually expert satirists, skewering just about every target they can find (except for Kenny G; their love for him seems serious). With brilliant lyrics and fun music, it’s no wonder the band was included in this year’s Polaris Music Prize shortlist.

CHILE: Super 45
La Reina Morsa – Fiesta PequeÒa
Originally from southern Chile, La Reina Morsa’s members took up permanent residency in Santiago with their own music projects. But their common tastes brought them together to release their debut album DÛnde Est·n Las JugueterÌas? (“Where Are The Toy Stores?”), the brand new sensation for the current season. Fiesta PequeÒa (“Tiny Party”) is the first single, a great presentation card for this band which creates a pop sound that features acoustic guitar, bizarre animal visions and a sweet, child-like naivety. We strongly recommend you download the full album for free, directly from the Sello Cazador website.

CHINA: Wooozy
JJay – Nostalgic Melody
JJay’s ear-melting vocals coasting smoothly over dreamy soundscapes peppered with catchy, thudding beats and soaring synths have earned him a serious fanbase. JJay first moved from Beijing to Shanghai to study while also forming several post-punk bands. After earning a master’s degree in science in the US, he returned to Shanghai and met B6 with whom he shared a passion for Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and Royksopp. Once the voice of IGO with B6, possibly the first synthpop band in China, JJay is now pursuing solo work after the band split in 2009.

COLOMBIA: Colombia Urbana
El Tigre – Quien Como Yo
Sebastian aka El Tigre is a rapper from Medellin. His new crew, Los Extraditables, are actually giving the world a new theory: Drugs aren’t the only thing that can be exported from Colombia – good music can be too. Quien Como Yo is a classic dancehall track with a nightclub vibe.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
The Kites – Summer Missus
Exactly one year ago I featured quartet The Kites and their very infectious pop-rock in the Music Alliance Pact. A month later they released the great four-track EP, The Kites Are On, and recently they followed up with this bittersweet gem, co-produced by neo-disco prodigy Vinnie Who aka Niels Bagge. Both the EP and Summer Missus are available for free at their website – so go download it.

ENGLAND: The Guardian Music Blog
Trophy Wife – Microlite (acoustic)
Exclusive acoustic version of the Oxford indie-dance trio’s debut single, out on Moshi Moshi Records now. “Four minutes of limpid loveliness that suggests ñ with its gently insistent electronic pulse, swathes of shimmering synths and aching perkiness ñ Vampire Weekend playing New Order”, says the Guardian’s new band of the day writer Paul Lester. “It’s our old friend, sad disco, something to dance to even as you ponder the vapidity and meaninglessness of frivolous self-expression.”

FINLAND: Glue
70vierailijaa – T‰rkeint‰ On (Puutarhanhoito)
With a gentle touch of female voices blending together and an elegant progressive instrumentation, 70vierailijaa create charming dreamy pop to melt the cold winter nights. Their recently released self-titled debut album is full of traditional Finnish themes and melodies, but with the refreshing twist of soft indie music, in an addictive mix of old and new and of local and global sounds.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
A Forest – A Stereotype
A Forest definitely run the unfair risk of being overlooked. Their musical mixture of souly electronica does not want to paint the town red. Instead, they create cautious, almost fragile songs on their debut album, Leaves Leaves Fall Fall Rain Fall, that get under your skin. The featured single, A Stereotype, is a perfect example for this sound which is founded on jazzy rhythms and soulful voices, especially from Fabian Schuetze. A Forest will release a new, as-yet untitled EP in March.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Film (featuring Hildur KristÌn) – Harmur Fuglsins
Harmur Fuglsins, an atmospheric song with cinematic aesthetics that effortlessly creates images of tender, hearth-side warmth, is the bewitching outcome of a collaboration infused by the strikingly contrasting geographical and artistic backgrounds of Film and RˆkkurrÛ’s Hildur KristÌn Stef·nsdÛttir. Curling around an eloquently subtle arrangement armed with guitars, delicate noises, pounding drums, sombre sonic textures, melodic synth lines and electronic facets and combined with the marvelous, ethereal vocal touches of Hildur brings out its tremendous beauty with every listen.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music
Sykur – Rocketship
First we had Sykurmolarnir, known worldwide as The Sugarcubes. Now an Icelandic electronic trio of youngsters from Reykjavik goes under the alias Sykur (“Sugar”). Their shows are fun-filled, sexy and energetic and they collaborate with local rappers and pop and rock singers. Rocketship, which has guest vocals from ⁄tid˙r singer Rakel Mjˆll, is taken from Sykur’s debut album Fr·bÊrt Ea Fr·bÊrt, which was released a year ago on the Icelandic Record Records label.

INDIA: Indiecision
Sulk Station – Contentment
Bangalore downtempo act Sulk Station define themselves as “mellowdramatic pop”, a term that captures the essence of their ambient soundscapes particularly well. The young duo’s minimal yet stark productions are powered by vocalist Tanvi Rao’s lazy delivery. Contentment grows from a Zero 7-esque drone to a swirling dance track which wouldn’t be out of place at an EDM club downtown.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Bangkutaman – Ode Buat Kota
Ode Buat Kota, which means “an ode to the city”, is taken from Bangkutaman’s latest concept album about hard life in Jakarta – the pollution, traffic, crime, house loans, etc. Their music is influenced by The Stone Roses, The Byrds and The Mamas & The Papas. They are one of the most well-respected bands in Indonesia.

IRELAND: Nialler9
Kasette – You Were More
Kasette consist of a trio of school friends who formed a music partnership while on a J-1 visa in Vancouver. They have just released their debut EP entitled A Mixed Tape which showcases the girls’ brand of chamber folk-pop. Simple and soft, Kasette’s music is in its infancy but it’s already lilting and lovely.

ISRAEL: Metal Israel
Desert (featuring Joakim Broden) – Lament For Soldier’s Glory: Order 227
Israel is comprised of many Russian-born people, some Jewish, some not. Lament For Soldier’s Glory: Order 227 by Desert taps into Russian history, describing Stalin’s cruel command that any soldier captured by the enemy was considered a traitor. Its haunting melodies and driving rhythms sonically depict pain and determination. And as all of Desert served (or are still serving) in the Israeli army, they know what it means to fight for survival. Vocalist Joakim Broden of Sweden’s Sabaton (Nuclear Blast Records) lends his talents to the tale of war and blood.

ITALY: Polaroid
Sybiann – Monsoon Breath
You don’t really want to know where this is going to end up. Kraut, post-rock, noise, Liars, Deerhunter… it’s a scary, puzzling orgy of sounds. The amazing debut album of this young band from the town of Ravenna will fire up the imagination of anyone who has the guts to listen to it.

MEXICO: Red Bull PanameriKa
Movus – Al Filo Del Origen
Movus is a five-piece band from Guadalajara. Theirs is a very cinematic post-rock sound, filled with peaks and valleys of instrumental narratives. For their second album Maxa FireKeeper (produced by Jimmy LaValle from San Diego’s The Album Leaf), they were inspired by the Huichol Indians’ myths: Maxa is a deer that guards the mystical fire of the universe. Al Filo Del Origen (translated as “at the rim of the origin”) is as epic as Explosions In The Sky and as evocative as a new soundtrack to the Dr Who sci-fi series.

NETHERLANDS: Unfold Amsterdam
Daily Bread – About Birds And Bees
This raw trio from the north of the Netherlands label themselves as “sexy garage dance”. They’re certainly sexy, glamming it up at times, banging out taut, fast, noisy grooves reminiscent of Franz Ferdinand or !!! – albeit with a female vocal on top. Particularly live, they’re all about big beats, sweat and dancing. However, About Birds And Bees tunes into a summery Sixties garage-pop vibe instead. And they’ve delightfully avoided any tweeness precedent by writing a deliciously poppy, organ-driven ode to the one-night stand.

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat
Disasteradio – No Pulse
Disasteradio is Luke Rowell’s one-man synthpop outfit. No Pulse comes from his second album Charisma. With this album, Disasteradio has shifted the balance a little more on to songs rather than sounds compared to past releases. The end result is an album with vocodered vocals and a crunchy new wave feel – part Devo, part Gary Numan and part computer game. Charisma is available on Bandcamp and you can watch the video for No Pulse on YouTube.

NORWAY: Eardrums
Young Dreams – Young Dreams
Young Dreams is a Bergen-based collective who make beautiful pop with equal doses of tropical flavours and Phil Spector/Brian Wilson influences. The project started in 2009 and now has as many as 10 members, including profiled musicians such as Matias Tellez and Chris Holm. Young Dreams will release two 7″ singles in early 2011 and their debut album is in the making. They will also perform at the upcoming by:Larm festival.

PERU: SoTB
The Satellite – El Sol
The Satellite began their activities as a band in 2006 with a slight tendency towards post-rock, fusion and experimentation, using any sound that was available. In 2008, with a consolidated style, they released their second EP, 124, which contains El Sol. The band is currently composing more musical pieces and looking forward to making a debut album which they hope will come out very soon.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Emmy Curl – Seafire And Its Waltz
Emmy Curl lives in a northeast Portuguese town and has studied classic guitar in a music conservatory. However, her songwriting and singing is closer to a mix of ethereal and alternative folk than to anything classical. Imagine a blend of Lisa Germano and Suzanne Vega. She is one of a number of promising unsigned Portuguese artists and is due to have her first European tour.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Thy Veils – The KnifeChild
Daniel Dorobantu comes from Timisoara and is the mastermind behind this beautiful experimental/ambient project. A bit dark and somehow persistent, Thy Veils’ music is that soundtrack you always wanted for your weird dreams. And if you have trouble dreaming, visit the official site, where a slideshow of the band’s videos (The KnifeChild included) will help with the visuals.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Bwani Junction – Two Bridges
You should know fairly instantly whether Edinburgh’s Bwani Junction are the band you’ve been waiting for when I tell you that they sound like a cross between The Libertines and Vampire Weekend. They are unsigned but, given the buzz that surrounds them, probably won’t be for much longer. Two Bridges is already a singalong anthem among their rapidly increasing fanbase.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…
Nicholas Chim – Midnight
Nicholas Chim is a singer-songwriter who walks the thin line between being absolutely self-indulgent and giving every iota of emotion that he conveys through his music. What results is some of the most earnest songs that shine in their simplicity; yet, the complexity of his arrangements and lyrics come forth distilled and pure. Nicholas is in the middle of recording his second album, Forgiefan, but has kindly shared a contemplative, folksy offering from it entitled Midnight. He hopes you enjoy the music as much as he did writing it.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Merseystate – Jersey Girl
With a rock sound that has been compared to other stellar acts but is still uniquely their own comes Merseystate. They are the culmination of alternative rock at its best. Jersey Girl officially launched them on to the music scene last year. It’s a deftly-crafted song that tugs at you then whirls into melodic pop euphoria.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
Autumn Vacation – Dreamy Even In Deception (Fooled But Dreamy)
Autumn Vacation showcases the songwriting skills of Bobby Chung – the mastermind behind former MAP artist Julia Hart – and the warm, addictive voice of Gyepy, who could previously be heard as the female vocalist of Broccoli, You Too? The duo recently put out a self-titled album full of what they hope to be perceived as thought-provoking easy listening, providing the same sense of peacefulness as strolling in a park. As lovely as anything else from the band, Dreamy Even In Deception is a light and sweet pop tune that is bound to make you crave more.

SPAIN: Musikorner
6pm – Letters Play
Formed in mystical Santiago de Compostela in 2003, 6pm are an electronic/indie duo that has found inspiration in ambient/shoegaze bands such as Sigur RÛs, M˙m, Styrofoam or even The Postal Service. Letters Play, taken from their rather uknown last EP called Tape Worms, is certainly a breath of air in the Spanish ocean of indie music, where we rarely find inspiring ambient electronic tracks. 6pm are working on their sophomore album, set to be released sometime next year.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
Johan Hillblom – Sneak Preview
Sneak Preview by Johan Hillblom may be underproduced but that doesn’t mean it’s amateurish. The trumpet solos are great, the odd beats cool, and Johan’s crooning vocals clear and crisp. The lyrics are personal and clever without being pretentious. Examples include “you should see the gallery in my cellphone, you look like an angel from every angle” and “once when I was drunk I accidentally poked you on Facebook, and what’s worse you didn’t poke back”. If you are looking for the next Jens Lekman or Montt MardiÈ (or the next cast member of Glee for that matter), look no further.

SWITZERLAND: 78s
The Circle Brothers – Hands At The Steel
You say Nick Cave, I say Alban Ringli. Never heard of him? Alban Ringli is the singer of Swiss indie-folk outfit The Circle Brothers and he gives his two bandmates (who also happen to be his brothers) a special touch in a Nick Cave manner. They have just released their new record Love & Disorder. It sounds gloomy and anxious but still has a gleam of hope.

UNITED STATES: I Guess I’m Floating
TV Girl – On Land
San Diegan dudes TV Girl know how to make one hell of a pop song. On Land is quickly becoming one of our favorites of the year, matching the earnestness of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s debut with the hooks of MGMT’s most memorable songs. Their debut EP is a free download on Bandcamp. Keep your eyes peeled for TV Girl in 2011, they’re gonna dominate it.

VENEZUELA: Barquisimento
Mochuelo – La Reina Del Lugar
Venezuelan rock band Mochuelo are known for their electronic sounds and all of the members pour their influences into one unique concept. Their guitar distorsions, contagious rhythms and sweet female vocals saw this band walk away with first prize in the 2005 New Bands Festival. La Reina Del Lugar is from their second album, Un Tanto Mas.

Q-Unique aka Capital Q is quite a legendary name in the indie hip-hop world. Hailing from Brooklyn and The Bronx, the MC/producer is in a tumultuous period now. He just released the second solo record Between Heaven & Hell and –the readers of Metal Israel might already know- he is about to put out the debut LP of his rock/metal influenced group with Fieldy of KoRn.

Metal Israel: First of all, this is mainly a metal related magazine.  We are about to cover all of your musical projects, but at first let’s focus on your group with Fieldy of Korn, called StillWell. Introduce a bit, how the whole project came together…

Q-Unique: About 5 years ago, we were introduced by a mutual friend, the president of Tribal Clothing, when we 1st met we did our 1st song the same day, it was the “Killing Myself to Live” song, but that song is very different from what we do now with StillWell, the band is a full on rock band, and I, as the lead vocalist sing, so its very different from what I do with the Q-Unique brand of music.

Metal Israel: Fieldy is definitely one of the top bass-players nowadays. How much did he influence you back in the day and what does it mean to you to work with him?

Q-Unique: Well it was more of the insight that he gave me and the inspiration to go beyond what I normally do, in StillWell he is actually the lead guitar player, so it puts both of us in a place where we are doing different things than what people expect of us, and we grew together as musicians.

StillWell

Metal Israel:The music I heard so far is something not easy to put in a box (and this is a good thing). Hip-hop, metal, hardcore – all in one package. How could you describe your music?

Q-Unique: We call it Street Metal, its describes the 2 different worlds where we come from, but like I said, the song that’s on Youtube was done about 4 years ago, before we had any direction for the band. Now we have a sound and a direction.

Metal Israel: Some of the readers might know, but at the first place you are a well-known and respected MC from New York City for mad years. First as a group member of the legendary The Arsonists, then a solo artist. Whats the main difference in your writing style in StillWell and when you do the straight hip-hop thing?

Q-Unique: It’s 2 different mindstates, but being with StillWell and working with Fieldy has brought a different thinking process to how I approach music. With both Q-Unique & StillWell, I’m in a place where I want to make good songs, in the past, with hip-hop, at times I just wanted to say great things about myself, but it’s very different now.

Metal Israel: This month you dropped your new solo album “Between Heaven & Hell”. The title sounds really hard. Tell about this material…

Q-Unique: The material is dark, almost in the same vein as grunge rock, very personal and emotional and very realistic with sharing life experiences, almost like Alice in Chains for hip-hop.

Metal Israel: As a lyricist what did you try to accomplish with this LP?

Q-Unique: I wanted to speak more about life experiences and things that I find necessary to speak about, real life issues.

Metal Israel: How would you compare to your last album “Vengeance Is Mine”?

Q-Unique:Vengeance has ½ of what I did on this album as far as sharing life experiences and telling true to life stories, I think Vengeance was a more angrier album, a lot of fire in my thoughts.

Metal Israel: You always operate with diverse flows in each track, keeping’ it fresh. How do you expand your word power, train yourself to be better and better? Do you read a lot?

Q-Unique: Ill Bill is the one that made me challenge myself when it comes to coming up with new flows. When we worked on Vengeance he would always push the best out of me. I do read a lot, and I read anything from real serious non-fiction books to comic books. I love to read.

Metal Israel: Besides Korn, what are the main metal/rock/hardcore groups that influenced you and what part did these styles play in your life?

Q-Unique: I’m a big grunge rock fan, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Sound Garden, Pearl Jam. Other metal includes Korn (of course) Slipknot, Down, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Madball, Sick of it all, and of course the great Metallica.

Metal Israel: What’s your life-creed or philosophy?

Q-Unique: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Metal Israel: At the end of the interview, share your plans and/or anything you feel important…

Q-Unique: We are almost done with the StillWell album, I know a lot of people have heard me say that a lot, we just really had to find our path, and we finally did, we recorded a lot of songs over the years which is a good thing because we needed to build as a band and try different things in order to get where we are. As far as Q-Unique, the album is in stores now…just go to q-unique.com and it will navigate you to where you want to go as far as Q-Unique is concerned. Thank you!

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
The Kyoto Connection – H.E.A.T.
The eighties are back! At least, that’s what we felt after listening to No Headphones Required, the cc-licensed brand new album by The Kyoto Connection. This amazing band delivers sweet electronic music mixed with Japanese juice and Flashdance-like synth sounds. If you like it, you can download the whole record from their website.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Kimbra – Settle Down
Iíve been following Kiwi-now-Melbournite Kimbraís work for a year now, most of it in the form of either guest performing with other bands or solo with a guitar work. Only recently Iíve heard her new stuff, produced by Franc Teta. The song Settle Down opens with cut up beat boxing vocals – a bit too close to Bertieís style of production for my liking – but is rescued and lifted by the chorus and soared into lush harmonies, that are all part of Kimbraís own signature sound.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Dead Lover’s Twisted Heart – Where I Am
Where I Am is part of the first full length album of the Brazilian band Dead Loverís Twisted Heart, released a few weeks ago. Far away from the indie-folk influences that are highlighted in the bandís history, itís a great pop song which could easily be in any album from She & Him or The Ting Tings.

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Forest City Lovers – Pocketful Of Rocks
Over the last few years, Forest City Lovers has morphed from simply being a vehicle for Kat Burns’ acoustic folk into a full band with a knack for writing catchy folk-pop. On their new album, Carriage, Burns is joined by members of The D’Urbervilles, Ohbijou and Born Ruffians, among others. As this track (on which Burns is joined by Ruffians front man Luke Lalonde) demonstrates, the results are simply magical.

CHILE: Super 45
Maifersoni – La Turbulencia Quiere Hacernos Levantar Hoy
Maifersoni is the musical adventure of young Enrique Elgueta, in which he decides to blend psychedelia and noise in a lo-fi-ish perspective, with a strong pop accent. Taller Deslizante (Gliding Loom) is his first work, released this month on Chilean net label Michita Rex. It captures Panda Bear’s contemplative spirit, Sonic Youth’s fondness for experimentation and Vashti Bunyan’s warmth, creating a resounding weave that – with the likes of El Sueno De La Casa Propia and De Janeiros (both highlighted on earlier editions of MAP) – is giving Chilean pop a new perspective.

CHINA: Wooozy
Lilysay – Last Party
The band Lilisay is a Beijing-based trip-hop band, founded by Lilisay and Shang Shao in March, 2010. At first the band started as a shoegaze duo, but as time went on they have evolved into a trip-hop band. After the first gig at D22, Lilisay met Li Wei. Sharing the same taste in music, they decided to collaborate. After several rehearsals and performances, they settled on Trip Hop/Electronica. Last Party is one of their early songs, which reminds a lot of the 80s shoegaze stuff.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Waking Life – Chirango
With The Flaming Lips and The Shins among their influences, Copenhagen based six-piece Waking Life work in uplifting, danceable ways. Hereís first single, Chirango – from their forthcoming debut album Fiction – an upbeat indierock song with ukulele, bells, trombone and whatnot that would make you all smiles if it hadnít been for the rather serious lyrics.

ENGLAND: The Daily Growl
Wet Paint – Dead Night
Here’s a wee MAP exclusive. Ace east London scuzzy rock types Wet Paint are back with another album of great tunes and noisy guitars. No word yet of when the album’s going to be released, but here is a track from it. A sneak preview of what’s going to be a fantastic record.

ESTONIA: Popop
Opium Flirt – Parade In Chimes
Opium Flirt have been playing live, writing and recording music since 2004. Projects have included music for multimedia installations, films and choreographic performances.
Parade In Chimes is taken from the new album DejaVoodoo.

FINLAND: Glue
Delay Trees – Cassette 2012
Just a little bit over a year ago, MAP featured a song by a Helsinki indie band that shocked the scene with a superb self-released EP. Now signed with an important label, Delay Trees offer the first single off their debut full length, out in September. The dreamy intensity of Cassette 2012 anticipates a new round of tender pop songs that will melt your ears.

FRANCE: ZikNation
I Love My Neighbours – Swedish Babe
Everyone has neighbors. You can hate them or love themÖ but one thing is for sure: it’s impossible not to love these crazy Neighbours. Presented as a big step between Block Party and Nirvana, I Love My Neighbours is a very good acidulated pop/rock band. Instigated by an omnipresent battery and swaying bass riffs, the three boys swing between pop songs and true aggressiveness. A schizophrenia materialized by the guitar riffs and the melodic and tortured voice of the singer. A noted French magazine called Les Inrocks wrote about them : ” These Parisians enter by the large door of the new english scene, dance and pop, with a full bag with catapults provided by Nirvana “. Prepare yourself to apply the theory of the “Bang Bang”, because there’s gonna be rock n’roll…

GERMANY: Blogpartei
Herpes – Keine Experimente
Herpes may be the most ‘German’ band ever, posted on the MAP. Their straight-forward electropunk with pseudo-political lyrics draw the line from infamous Superpunk to the stepsons of Kraftwerk, like Trio or DAF. Hence, their label has to be Tapete Records, and yeah, of course they live in Berlin. Keine Experimente is the single from their recently released album Das Kommt Vom Kussen.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Mikael Delta – She’s A Boy
Mikael Delta began his career as a member of the band Stereo Nova. He is one of the most prolific and influential musicians in Greece in the past decade. His latest album, Tech Me Away is made of thrillingly danceable sounds and references to techno music scene, disco and electronica.This is music that hits the head, heart and hips all at once. You can dance to almost anything here. She’s A Boy demonstrates Deltaís talent for building simple, clattering dance beats and riffs into audio addictions. But what takes you by surprise is Etten’s marvellous voice, which pops up like a primary color and paints absolutely stellar pictures.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music
Cosmic Call – Owls
Cosmic Call is a five-piece indie rock band from Akranes, a small town on the West Coast of Iceland. Band members are singer/guitarist Sigurmon, Fjolnir on guitar, synthesizer & backing vocals, Begga on bass and backing vocals, drummer Petur & Asa on violin & synthesizer. They are inspired by Arcade Fire, The Cure, The Pixies, Joy Division & Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They recorded one EP so far, which was released on July 24, 2009. The song Owls is a track of this limited, hand sewed edition of 1000 copies made by the band & family members.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Sir Dandy – Jakarta Motor City
Sir Dandy or Dandy Ramdhani or Acong, is the vocalist of one of the most obscure garage band in Indonesia Teenage Death Star, known for their quirky style on stage. This is his latest project, recording ballads using only his guitar and sunglasses on his garage-band software. This song tells us the story about the motorcycle flood in Jakarta.

IRELAND: Nialler9
Bingo – Cold Without You
Bingo is a 21 year-old producer from Dublin who makes luscious tracks with nods to dubstep, garage and UK funky. His music recalls the likes of Mount Kimbie, James Blake and Burial. If you find yourself in Dublin on a Saturday night, be sure to check the listings to see if Float, Bingo’s new club night is taking place in either Twisted Pepper or Tripod. You’ll find the likes of the vocal-twisting Cold Without You coming out of the speakers.

ISRAEL: Metal Israel
Ghost Bike – Ghost Writer
Jerusalem, Israel’s Ghost Bike will take you on an ambient trip-hop via the vehicle of dub-influenced electronica, spinning your mind in sonic circles with aural tales of dark, intense emotion. Diverse musical elements like Middle Eastern chants and beats mix with spooky haunted house effects and everything in between to create this sonic tapestry. Some Hollywood producer in need of a soundtrack should pick this stuff up.

ITALY: Polaroid
Movie Star Junkies – The Wallnut Tree
It’s summer, a damned hot summer. I wanted to sail away on an ocean wave but it’s all covered in spilt oil. I don’t care. My beloved surfboard wonít let me down. I put the new Movie Star Junkies record on (wild guys, you should see them live) and drink last drop of rum. A toast to the Birthday Party and the Gun Club. Everything is perfect now. C’mon, let’s put out to sea. Goodbye.

JAPAN: JPOP Lover
Sputniko! – Google Song
Sputniko! (Hiromi Ozaki) is an experimental electro pop female musician based in London. Since 2007 Sputniko! has shown music, performances and films exploring intersections between technology and popular culture. In 2009 she published the DVD Parakonpe 3000, a collection of eccentric music videos talking about the quirky ways in which we engage with technology, such as google searching your crush’s name or desiring to become a cyborg to eliminate periods.

MEXICO: Red Bull PanameriKa
Orlando – Solo Dios Sabe
Orlando is a singer from Tijuana, Mexico with an organic approach to his compositions. He creates memorable pop choruses that rely on acoustic progressions and just released his first formal LP titled Capullo. This is the first single from the record, under production and arrangements from his collaborator El Poeta and additional mixing by the much respected composer Murcof (also from Tijuana). Solo Dios Sabe is a song that ideally represents Orlando’s soft acoustic sound and its blend with slight electronic details.

NETHERLANDS: Unfold Amsterdam
Bird On The Wire – Strange Days
Although formed in the harsh winter of 2010, when their first burst of song material emerged, Amsterdam trio Bird on the Wire write laid-back indie pop that’s perfect for a sweltering summer. Simple, sweet and ever so slightly melancholic, the soft, lulling vocal harmonies of Rosa, Thijs and Nina remind of Camera Obscura, balancing the folk sounds of the ’60s with contemporary lo-fi pop.

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat
The Body Lyre – Pig
The Body Lyre is a multi-instrumental duo putting together an album, Escape Songs, song by song over the 12 months of 2010. Each month a new track is completed and put on-line for download at http://thebodylyre.bandcamp.com/ At the end of the year the album will be released on vinyl. The music is guitar based and reverb heavy, with a touch of surf, a pinch of country and a sprinkling of Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra.

NORWAY: Eardrums
KooKooo Kitchen – Sweet Caress
KooKooo Kitchen is one of Oslo’s more interesting new bands. In front are Eva and Marianne, constantly fighting for attention with their vocals and guitars, sometimes nice and harmonic, the next second as rough and edgy as it can get. The girls are backed by Henning and Brox on bass and drums. The combination of their sharp, ringing guitar sound, the heavy use of toms and the in-your-face attitude of the vocals reminds me of the early days of Siouxsie and The Banshees. KooKooo Kitchen has a lot of the energy of The Banshees, but the music is filled with lovely pop-harmonies. As they say themselves “Dirt under their nails, and nail polish to cover the mess.” A video is currently in the making for their song Bedsheet. Keep an eye on their myspace page for details.

PERU: SoTB
Kinder – Encuentro Inesperado
Kinder is based on experimentation to create its sound, it has only an EP titled Mini-EP, on which each song is the result of the combination of different rhythms, electronic sequences and some playful samples. These features give Kinder, in several of its songs, a curious relationship to a childlike theme; this line achieves its balance when its sound gets into the instrumental environments. It’s probably this style that predominates in its first LP, ready for release sometime this year.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Madame Godard – Atlas 1977
The quintet Madame Godard have (on MySpace) one of the best covers of Clashís Spanish Bombs that you will ever hear. They produce a sound that is a mix of world music, folk and pop but always humorous. After almost ten years of hiatus, they have released their first LP, Galapagos, this year, which has been acclaimed by the Portuguese critics and audience.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Identitate – Alone
Alone. Sleepless nights and lonely early mornings when the lights go down and the dawn breaks. The music is rising in loops, choruses that add up to this beautiful and minimal psychedelia. Identitate is a Romanian artist currently splitting his life between London and Timisoara. His third album called Who I Am and What I Want features songs originally meant to be soundtracks for short films and it can be downloaded from here

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
LightGuides – The Lion And The Pocketwatch
It’s the middle of festival season and nothing goes down better than a meaty power-rock anthem, which makes LightGuides the perfect alfresco band for the summer. The Lion And The Pocketwatch has a monster chorus that Biffy Clyro would raise devil horns to, while singer Mark Cowan’s vocals aren’t too dissimilar to Nate Ruess of Fun/The Format fame.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…
Cheating Sons – The Last Queen
Look at some Singaporean cliches and you’ll be faced with an urban cityscape with sterile modern amenities. But scratch the surface and you’ll remember that we were once a humble fishing village that actually remembered how to relax. Cheating Sons sounds like a band that is in the process of retracing those roots, turning over every leaf and scribbling notes in the margins of journals. To say they’re updating a nostalgic country-rock sound would be downplaying the creativity behind the band’s songwriting. While they’re still recording their debut album, they were nice enough to share this demo with us because everyone back home is so excited about the music these boys are making.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Jack Parow – Onder Draai Die Duiwel Joints
Move over Eminem. Jack Parow has arrived. Heís white. He raps. Oh and yes, heís Afrikaans. Jack Parow truly is original; he is in fact the ìoriginal donker dodgy Afrikaans rapperî. His lyrics are brash, brazen and funny and his song Onder Draai Die Duiwel Joints showcases his unique style. He has caused quite a stir in the music scene, locally and internationally alike. Heís set to take over the world. Watch out!

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
Glittering Blackness, Fall – 3
After playing together for a few years, post-rock act Glittering Blackness, Fall took it in their own hands to release an untitled EP – their first – at the beginning of this year. The septet counts a media graphics responsible to its members, ensuring interesting imagery to go with their captivating music. The song simply going by 3 builds up beautifully during the first half before a strong finale where the listener will wish for it never to come to an end. The whole EP is available for download from last.fm.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
The Telepathics – 23:59
This little nugget of Italian/Swedish electro disco from The Telepathics is a certain cure for the end of summer blues. This duo is comprised of Cristiano and Isabella. The song is not quite as sunny as their sun drenched faces shown above, yet still it brightened my day considerably.

SWITZERLAND: 78s
Alvin Zealot – Bricks Over Bricks
If it comes to name a current common denominator in the Swiss rock music scene there is no getting around Alvin Zealot – four young guys from Lucerne who made a highly addictive and unpretentious rock’n'roll-record. Tears Of St. Lawrence sounds bold and experienced at the same time. Quite an effort for a debut by four teens.

VENEZUELA: Barquisimento
Tomates Fritos – Perdoname
Tomates Fritos was born in Puerto La Cruz, east of Venezuela and since the beginning, in 1997, the group has edited 4 LPs and have been part of important music festivals like Festival Nuevas Bandas (1998) and Cool Summer Music Festival (2002). Their music comes from mixing Spanish pop-rock with classic rock from the 60s and 70s, developing a unique sound, flooded with energy that has captivated tons of fans. This song, Perdoname, has been played very often in radio stations all over the country and belongs to their latest CD, Hombre Bala.

To download all 33 songs in one file click herenection-H.E.A.T.(Argentina).mp3]
The eighties are back! At least, that’s what we felt after listening to No Headphones Required, the cc-licensed brand new album by The Kyoto Connection. This amazing band delivers sweet electronic music mixed with Japanese juice and Flashdance-like synth sounds. If you like it, you can download the whole record from their website.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Kimbra – Settle Down
[audio http://whothehell.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Settle-Down.mp3]
Iíve been following Kiwi-now-Melbournite Kimbraís work for a year now, most of it in the form of either guest performing with other bands or solo with a guitar work. Only recently Iíve heard her new stuff, produced by Franc Teta. The song Settle Down opens with cut up beat boxing vocals – a bit too close to Bertieís style of production for my liking – but is rescued and lifted by the chorus and soared into lush harmonies, that are all part of Kimbraís own signature sound.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Dead Lover’s Twisted Heart – Where I Am
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Dead_Lovers_Twisted_Heart_-_Where_I_Am_-_Brazil.mp3]
Where I Am is part of the first full length album of the Brazilian band Dead Loverís Twisted Heart, released a few weeks ago. Far away from the indie-folk influences that are highlighted in the bandís history, itís a great pop song which could easily be in any album from She & Him or The Ting Tings.

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Forest City Lovers – Pocketful Of Rocks
[audio http://www.iheartmusic.net/mp3/ForestCityLovers-PocketfulOfRocks.mp3]
Over the last few years, Forest City Lovers has morphed from simply being a vehicle for Kat Burns’ acoustic folk into a full band with a knack for writing catchy folk-pop. On their new album, Carriage, Burns is joined by members of The D’Urbervilles, Ohbijou and Born Ruffians, among others. As this track (on which Burns is joined by Ruffians front man Luke Lalonde) demonstrates, the results are simply magical.

CHILE: Super 45
Maifersoni – La Turbulencia Quiere Hacernos Levantar Hoy
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Maifersoni_-_La_Turbulencia_Quiere_Hacernos_Levantar_Hoy_-_Chile.mp3]
Maifersoni is the musical adventure of young Enrique Elgueta, in which he decides to blend psychedelia and noise in a lo-fi-ish perspective, with a strong pop accent. Taller Deslizante (Gliding Loom) is his first work, released this month on Chilean net label Michita Rex. It captures Panda Bear’s contemplative spirit, Sonic Youth’s fondness for experimentation and Vashti Bunyan’s warmth, creating a resounding weave that – with the likes of El Sueno De La Casa Propia and De Janeiros (both highlighted on earlier editions of MAP) – is giving Chilean pop a new perspective.

CHINA: Wooozy
Lilysay – Last Party
[audio http://www.wooozy.cn/wp-content/uploads/MAP/2010.7/Lilysay%20-%20Last%20Party%20(China).mp3]
The band Lilisay is a Beijing-based trip-hop band, founded by Lilisay and Shang Shao in March, 2010. At first the band started as a shoegaze duo, but as time went on they have evolved into a trip-hop band. After the first gig at D22, Lilisay met Li Wei. Sharing the same taste in music, they decided to collaborate. After several rehearsals and performances, they settled on Trip Hop/Electronica. Last Party is one of their early songs, which reminds a lot of the 80s shoegaze stuff.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Waking Life – Chirango
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Waking_Life_-_Chirango_-_Denmark.mp3]
With The Flaming Lips and The Shins among their influences, Copenhagen based six-piece Waking Life work in uplifting, danceable ways. Hereís first single, Chirango – from their forthcoming debut album Fiction – an upbeat indierock song with ukulele, bells, trombone and whatnot that would make you all smiles if it hadnít been for the rather serious lyrics.

ENGLAND: The Daily Growl
Wet Paint – Dead Night
[audio http://www.thedailygrowl.co.uk/downloads/WetPaint-DeadNight-England.mp3]
Here’s a wee MAP exclusive. Ace east London scuzzy rock types Wet Paint are back with another album of great tunes and noisy guitars. No word yet of when the album’s going to be released, but here is a track from it. A sneak preview of what’s going to be a fantastic record.

ESTONIA: Popop
Opium Flirt – Parade In Chimes
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Opium_Flirt_-_Parade_in_Chimes_-_Estonia.mp3]
Opium Flirt have been playing live, writing and recording music since 2004. Projects have included music for multimedia installations, films and choreographic performances.
Parade In Chimes is taken from the new album DejaVoodoo.

FINLAND: Glue
Delay Trees – Cassette 2012
[audio http://www.glue.fi/mp3/delay_trees_cassette_2012_finland.mp3]
Just a little bit over a year ago, MAP featured a song by a Helsinki indie band that shocked the scene with a superb self-released EP. Now signed with an important label, Delay Trees offer the first single off their debut full length, out in September. The dreamy intensity of Cassette 2012 anticipates a new round of tender pop songs that will melt your ears.

FRANCE: ZikNation
I Love My Neighbours – Swedish Babe
[audio http://files.me.com/damienjouvenceau/bo9lty.mp3]
Everyone has neighbors. You can hate them or love themÖ but one thing is for sure: it’s impossible not to love these crazy Neighbours. Presented as a big step between Block Party and Nirvana, I Love My Neighbours is a very good acidulated pop/rock band. Instigated by an omnipresent battery and swaying bass riffs, the three boys swing between pop songs and true aggressiveness. A schizophrenia materialized by the guitar riffs and the melodic and tortured voice of the singer. A noted French magazine called Les Inrocks wrote about them : ” These Parisians enter by the large door of the new english scene, dance and pop, with a full bag with catapults provided by Nirvana “. Prepare yourself to apply the theory of the “Bang Bang”, because there’s gonna be rock n’roll…

GERMANY: Blogpartei
Herpes – Keine Experimente
[audio http://www.blogpartei.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Herpes-KeineExperimenteGermany.mp3]
Herpes may be the most ‘German’ band ever, posted on the MAP. Their straight-forward electropunk with pseudo-political lyrics draw the line from infamous Superpunk to the stepsons of Kraftwerk, like Trio or DAF. Hence, their label has to be Tapete Records, and yeah, of course they live in Berlin. Keine Experimente is the single from their recently released album Das Kommt Vom Kussen.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Mikael Delta – She’s A Boy
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Mikael_Delta_-_Shes_A_Boy_-_Greece.mp3]
Mikael Delta began his career as a member of the band Stereo Nova. He is one of the most prolific and influential musicians in Greece in the past decade. His latest album, Tech Me Away is made of thrillingly danceable sounds and references to techno music scene, disco and electronica.This is music that hits the head, heart and hips all at once. You can dance to almost anything here. She’s A Boy demonstrates Deltaís talent for building simple, clattering dance beats and riffs into audio addictions. But what takes you by surprise is Etten’s marvellous voice, which pops up like a primary color and paints absolutely stellar pictures.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music
Cosmic Call – Owls
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Cosmic_Call_-_Owls_-_Iceland.mp3]
Cosmic Call is a five-piece indie rock band from Akranes, a small town on the West Coast of Iceland. Band members are singer/guitarist Sigurmon, Fjolnir on guitar, synthesizer & backing vocals, Begga on bass and backing vocals, drummer Petur & Asa on violin & synthesizer. They are inspired by Arcade Fire, The Cure, The Pixies, Joy Division & Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They recorded one EP so far, which was released on July 24, 2009. The song Owls is a track of this limited, hand sewed edition of 1000 copies made by the band & family members.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Sir Dandy – Jakarta Motor City
[audio http://deathrockstar.info/media/sampratot/2010_07_june/Sir_Dandy-JakartaMotorcity-Indonesia.mp3]
Sir Dandy or Dandy Ramdhani or Acong, is the vocalist of one of the most obscure garage band in Indonesia Teenage Death Star, known for their quirky style on stage. This is his latest project, recording ballads using only his guitar and sunglasses on his garage-band software. This song tells us the story about the motorcycle flood in Jakarta.

IRELAND: Nialler9
Bingo – Cold Without You
[audio http://www.nialler9.com/mp3/Bingo_-_Cold_Without_You_Ireland.mp3]
Bingo is a 21 year-old producer from Dublin who makes luscious tracks with nods to dubstep, garage and UK funky. His music recalls the likes of Mount Kimbie, James Blake and Burial. If you find yourself in Dublin on a Saturday night, be sure to check the listings to see if Float, Bingo’s new club night is taking place in either Twisted Pepper or Tripod. You’ll find the likes of the vocal-twisting Cold Without You coming out of the speakers.

ISRAEL: Metal Israel
Ghost Bike – Ghost Writer
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Ghost_Bike_-_Ghostwriter_-_Israel.mp3]
Jerusalem, Israel’s Ghost Bike will take you on an ambient trip-hop via the vehicle of dub-influenced electronica, spinning your mind in sonic circles with aural tales of dark, intense emotion. Diverse musical elements like Middle Eastern chants and beats mix with spooky haunted house effects and everything in between to create this sonic tapestry. Some Hollywood producer in need of a soundtrack should pick this stuff up.

ITALY: Polaroid
Movie Star Junkies – The Wallnut Tree
[audio http://www.polaroidallaradio.it/audio/Movie_Star_Junkies_-_The_Walnut_Tree.mp3]
It’s summer, a damned hot summer. I wanted to sail away on an ocean wave but it’s all covered in spilt oil. I don’t care. My beloved surfboard wonít let me down. I put the new Movie Star Junkies record on (wild guys, you should see them live) and drink last drop of rum. A toast to the Birthday Party and the Gun Club. Everything is perfect now. C’mon, let’s put out to sea. Goodbye.

JAPAN: JPOP Lover
Sputniko! – Google Song
[audio http://jpoplover.net/mp3/sputniko%20-%20google%20song%20%28JAPAN%29.mp3]
Sputniko! (Hiromi Ozaki) is an experimental electro pop female musician based in London. Since 2007 Sputniko! has shown music, performances and films exploring intersections between technology and popular culture. In 2009 she published the DVD Parakonpe 3000, a collection of eccentric music videos talking about the quirky ways in which we engage with technology, such as google searching your crush’s name or desiring to become a cyborg to eliminate periods.

MEXICO: Red Bull PanameriKa
Orlando – Solo Dios Sabe
[audio http://panamerika.fm/blog/media/audio/mp3s/orlando_-_solo_dios_sabe.mp3]
Orlando is a singer from Tijuana, Mexico with an organic approach to his compositions. He creates memorable pop choruses that rely on acoustic progressions and just released his first formal LP titled Capullo. This is the first single from the record, under production and arrangements from his collaborator El Poeta and additional mixing by the much respected composer Murcof (also from Tijuana). Solo Dios Sabe is a song that ideally represents Orlando’s soft acoustic sound and its blend with slight electronic details.

NETHERLANDS: Unfold Amsterdam
Bird On The Wire – Strange Days
[audio http://www.unfoldamsterdam.nl/music/birdonthewire-strangedays.mp3]
Although formed in the harsh winter of 2010, when their first burst of song material emerged, Amsterdam trio Bird on the Wire write laid-back indie pop that’s perfect for a sweltering summer. Simple, sweet and ever so slightly melancholic, the soft, lulling vocal harmonies of Rosa, Thijs and Nina remind of Camera Obscura, balancing the folk sounds of the ’60s with contemporary lo-fi pop.

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat
The Body Lyre – Pig
[audio http://map.countingthebeat.gen.nz/The%20Body%20Lyre%20-%20Pig%20%28New%20Zealand%29.mp3]
The Body Lyre is a multi-instrumental duo putting together an album, Escape Songs, song by song over the 12 months of 2010. Each month a new track is completed and put on-line for download at http://thebodylyre.bandcamp.com/ At the end of the year the album will be released on vinyl. The music is guitar based and reverb heavy, with a touch of surf, a pinch of country and a sprinkling of Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra.

NORWAY: Eardrums
KooKooo Kitchen – Sweet Caress
[audio http://www.eardrumsmusic.com/MAP/KooKoooKitchen_SweetCaress_MAPNorway.mp3]
KooKooo Kitchen is one of Oslo’s more interesting new bands. In front are Eva and Marianne, constantly fighting for attention with their vocals and guitars, sometimes nice and harmonic, the next second as rough and edgy as it can get. The girls are backed by Henning and Brox on bass and drums. The combination of their sharp, ringing guitar sound, the heavy use of toms and the in-your-face attitude of the vocals reminds me of the early days of Siouxsie and The Banshees. KooKooo Kitchen has a lot of the energy of The Banshees, but the music is filled with lovely pop-harmonies. As they say themselves “Dirt under their nails, and nail polish to cover the mess.” A video is currently in the making for their song Bedsheet. Keep an eye on their myspace page for details.

PERU: SoTB
Kinder – Encuentro Inesperado
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Kinder_-_Encuentro_Inesperado_-_Peru.mp3]
Kinder is based on experimentation to create its sound, it has only an EP titled Mini-EP, on which each song is the result of the combination of different rhythms, electronic sequences and some playful samples. These features give Kinder, in several of its songs, a curious relationship to a childlike theme; this line achieves its balance when its sound gets into the instrumental environments. It’s probably this style that predominates in its first LP, ready for release sometime this year.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Madame Godard – Atlas 1977
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Madame_Godard_-_Atlas_1977_-_Portugal.mp3]
The quintet Madame Godard have (on MySpace) one of the best covers of Clashís Spanish Bombs that you will ever hear. They produce a sound that is a mix of world music, folk and pop but always humorous. After almost ten years of hiatus, they have released their first LP, Galapagos, this year, which has been acclaimed by the Portuguese critics and audience.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Identitate – Alone
[audio http://babylonoise.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/identitate_-_aloneromania.mp3]
Alone. Sleepless nights and lonely early mornings when the lights go down and the dawn breaks. The music is rising in loops, choruses that add up to this beautiful and minimal psychedelia. Identitate is a Romanian artist currently splitting his life between London and Timisoara. His third album called Who I Am and What I Want features songs originally meant to be soundtracks for short films and it can be downloaded from here

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
LightGuides – The Lion And The Pocketwatch
[audio http://thepopcop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/LightGuides-The-Lion-And-The-Pocketwatch-Scotland.mp3]
It’s the middle of festival season and nothing goes down better than a meaty power-rock anthem, which makes LightGuides the perfect alfresco band for the summer. The Lion And The Pocketwatch has a monster chorus that Biffy Clyro would raise devil horns to, while singer Mark Cowan’s vocals aren’t too dissimilar to Nate Ruess of Fun/The Format fame.

SINGAPORE: I’m Waking Up To…
Cheating Sons – The Last Queen
[audio http://wakingupto.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/cheating-sons-the-last-queen-singapore.mp3]
Look at some Singaporean cliches and you’ll be faced with an urban cityscape with sterile modern amenities. But scratch the surface and you’ll remember that we were once a humble fishing village that actually remembered how to relax. Cheating Sons sounds like a band that is in the process of retracing those roots, turning over every leaf and scribbling notes in the margins of journals. To say they’re updating a nostalgic country-rock sound would be downplaying the creativity behind the band’s songwriting. While they’re still recording their debut album, they were nice enough to share this demo with us because everyone back home is so excited about the music these boys are making.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Jack Parow – Onder Draai Die Duiwel Joints
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-06/Jack_Parow_-_Onder_Draai_Die_Duiwel_Joints_-_South_Africa.mp3]
Move over Eminem. Jack Parow has arrived. Heís white. He raps. Oh and yes, heís Afrikaans. Jack Parow truly is original; he is in fact the ìoriginal donker dodgy Afrikaans rapperî. His lyrics are brash, brazen and funny and his song Onder Draai Die Duiwel Joints showcases his unique style. He has caused quite a stir in the music scene, locally and internationally alike. Heís set to take over the world. Watch out!

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
Glittering Blackness, Fall – 3
[audio http://map.super45.cl/map-2010-07/Glittering_Blackness_Fall_-_3_-_South_Korea.mp3]
After playing together for a few years, post-rock act Glittering Blackness, Fall took it in their own hands to release an untitled EP – their first – at the beginning of this year. The septet counts a media graphics responsible to its members, ensuring interesting imagery to go with their captivating music. The song simply going by 3 builds up beautifully during the first half before a strong finale where the listener will wish for it never to come to an end. The whole EP is available for download from last.fm.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
The Telepathics – 23:59
[audio http://swedesplease.net/music/23-59.mp3]
This little nugget of Italian/Swedish electro disco from The Telepathics is a certain cure for the end of summer blues. This duo is comprised of Cristiano and Isabella. The song is not quite as sunny as their sun drenched faces shown above, yet still it brightened my day considerably.

SWITZERLAND: 78s
Alvin Zealot – Bricks Over Bricks
[audio http://www.78s.ch/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Alvin-Zealot-Bricks-Over-Bricks-Switzerland.mp3]
If it comes to name a current common denominator in the Swiss rock music scene there is no getting around Alvin Zealot – four young guys from Lucerne who made a highly addictive and unpretentious rock’n'roll-record. Tears Of St. Lawrence sounds bold and experienced at the same time. Quite an effort for a debut by four teens.

VENEZUELA: Barquisimento
Tomates Fritos – Perdoname
[audio https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5637913/MAP/TomatesFritos.Perdoname.Venezuela.mp3]
Tomates Fritos was born in Puerto La Cruz, east of Venezuela and since the beginning, in 1997, the group has edited 4 LPs and have been part of important music festivals like Festival Nuevas Bandas (1998) and Cool Summer Music Festival (2002). Their music comes from mixing Spanish pop-rock with classic rock from the 60s and 70s, developing a unique sound, flooded with energy that has captivated tons of fans. This song, Perdoname, has been played very often in radio stations all over the country and belongs to their latest CD, Hombre Bala.

To download all 33 songs in one file click here

Interview: Aviva Fort/Metal Israel
Photos: Mark Yashaev

Check out more exclusive photos taken by professional photographer Mark Yashaev here.

MI: How are you?

MS: I’m alright, we’ve been out for six weeks, so we’e a little tired but other than that, it’s pretty awesome.

MI: Well, I’m sure you’re gonna give a great show out here.

MS: Of course, it’s all about the show.

MI: It looks like a comfortable bus though, that you can get some sleep.

MS: Oh yeahyeahyeah, for sure. It’s fantastic, actually.

MI: First question. I love the way you write. You’re an awesome lyricist. So in a few words, if you choose of course, what does each track on the new album mean, like what were you trying to say in each song. So I’m going to say each title, and please say what you wanted to say with it, if you had wanted to say anything at all.

MS: Well, I’d rather go for the overall experience, the overall theme of the album. I decided since when we started the band, you know, we didn’t want to be an ordinary death metal band. So we decided never to write about death and life, the big topics, you know. Well, the cliches, so to speak. So I never really touched on it until now. I felt like hey we’ve been around for 20 years – it’s time to do something more about the big issues: Death, sorrow, grief, loss, that kind of thing. So that’s how it started, and the inspiration came from Scandinavian poetry about death, really. I read 200 poetry books to get inspiration and that’s really where it comes from. It’s just, I don’t know, somewhat of a Scandinavian view on things, on life and how we deal with the inevitable nature of things, and how we deal with the fact that we’re not going to be around forever. I find it really, really interesting and like the way that I’d rather use the poetic sense. You’re always taught a way to make sense of the world: Why are we here? What are we doing? And try to find something that keeps you going. People find comfort in faith, in family, whatever. And just kind of fill your life with something that makes sense to you. And that’s not always very easy. I’d rather take the poetic route and just try to use words to describe what’s going on and what’s going to happen instead of… I’m an atheist. I don’t really believe in anything, I’m just here to try to make sense of it as much as anyone else.

MI: Funny, you just answered like five of the questions I was going to ask.

MS: Yeah. So it was really really interesting, it was a big challenge to write. I did enjoy it and I was very satisfied with it. I loved the way that it came out.

MI: Me, too. What do you think has been the biggest trademark of Dark Tranquillity since you’ve started?

MS: The thing that I’m most proud about is that we’ve kept our integrity and that we never really compromised with anyone outside of the band. This is just the six of us. We decide everything. We do everything the way that we want to want to make it, do it. And it works. We’re not about trying to please a certain audience, trying to reach out to someone special. It’s just us making music that we love together. And people get it? Perfect. They don’t? Fine.

MI: What about you guys stayed the same since the beginning, besides that?

MS: Well, the fact that we’ve been around. But that’s also something that the band early on became something bigger than some of its members, so to speak. It became such a huge part of our lives, it’s always there, it’s a security, there’s a comfort to that. I wouldn’t know what to do without it. It’s just something that’s always around. Your friends, your music, the creativity. Without it, I wouldn’t know how to deal with things.

MI: It’s an entity of its own.

MS: Yeah! Sure. It’s something that wasn’t so important in the beginning, we really didn’t know but it became something that’s so important.

MI: I’m getting all fangirl like “Yeah! You’re the best! This is why!” So are there any covert influences of DT that people would be surprised to know about?

MS: Influences to the music?

MI: Yeah, something surprising.

MS: Oy! Anything really. Hm. We do listen to absolutely everything. We’re not really narrow-minded or anything like that. The influences can come from anywhere. Something that fascinates you and gets you going.

MI: Would you ever play some kind of conglomerate American tour like Ozzfest or something? Would you ever be into that?

MS: I guess so. Depending on the offer. it would be interesting, for sure. I’ve heard some really good things about those festivals, a lot of bad things, as well. So I don’t know. I’d definitely be up for it. For sure.

MI: If you could tour with any band, who would it be?

MS: Well, Rush is my all-time favorite band. I wouldn’t want to tour with them, but I would just, you know, want to hang out, run around and drive behind them or something.

MI: (laughs) tailgate… ok. In what way do you think Dark Tranquillity’s sound has changed the most?

MS: I think we’ve developed, refined our sound. You always want to make that perfect album that just has everything. All the aspects of your music, all the aspects of your creativity, whatever. And it’s hard, y’know. And this is as close as we can get to that. I think we can do even better next time, but this is as good as we can get right now. I think we’ve learned through all of the different things we’ve done throughout our career. Projector was very different, for instance. Haven was different. It’s just a matter of re-finding what really triggers us. What makes us want to create music. It has to be something that kind of makes you feel something. Gets you going. And I really think we’ve found it on this new album. It’s just a matter of taking all of those things that really matter to you, that you love and just putting it together and actually making songs out of it.

MI: OK, I don’t want to keep you anymore because I know you have to go, so here’s the last question. When you die, which will G-d willing be in many, far-away years, what would you have wanted to be written on your tombstone?

MS: (laughs) I did it my way?

Listenable, melodic power metal in the vein of Iron Maiden & Aria with Mizrachi (Oriental) doses. A particular influence of Deep Purple is evident and differentiates the band, several of whose members also perform in Netanya’s classic rock cover band, Burn. OK, parts of the album could be a little tighter, and the intro of the second track sounds way too much like Braveheart, but the aptitude by which Afterlife paints Mizrachi layers on the basic metal foundation cannot be ignored. Vocalist Den Rizikov has a classically appropriate metal voice, hard to find in Israel, and all of the band members are quite professionally skilled which also doesn’t hurt. Some of the pieces on here could be movie soundtrack material as well, like the haunting segue of Track 4 into Track 5. This is beautiful stuff. No joke. Actually, speaking of jokes, “Closed Hell” actually made me crack up out loud. I don’t know if the melodrama was meant to be, but it was funny as um, hell. Check it out.

Proven is a hardcore/metal band from Portland, Oregon. But it’s not just that simple in their case. We all hear new bands almost every minute but forget most of the names right after the listening. When you check out “Truth Reign Supreme” it will not happen with Proven, I guarantee that. It is a very original mix of the technique of metal and the heart and energy of hardcore. The songs are diverse and they all have their own world with the flavour of Proven. “The Compromise” (feat. Billy Graziadei) with its melodies, “This War” with its brutality and the technique of “A Memory Darkened” will etch in your brain at first listen.

Most of the songs are about everyday life, like the srtuggles, the brotherhood and beating up the enemies, themes we all can relate to. The whole record is produced, engineered and mixed by the living legend Billy Graziadei of Biohazard and Suicide City. The influence of Biohazard is heavily felt in the music of Proven, and they consider a big inspiration the likes of Pantera, Soilwork, Hatebreed etc. as well.

I’ve followed the path of Proven since the beginning (2005) and I truly believe that they have a really big chance to make their own history. The more and more Proven tattoos of the die-hard fans alone show that. They have the musical potential and the hard work mentality to bring their dreams alive. This is DOWN FOR LIFE music.

Prong is still in effect, which is nice to see. Even though the only real, um, overground hit they ever had was “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck,” they’ve been around since 1986 with a tight trademark sound, a clean blend of straight punk, NYHC and metal. If you listen to this disc, you can see like, where a lot of bands took this sound and ran with it (some of them straight into walls if you knowhutImean).

Tommy Victor did a stint playing guitar for Danzig up until 2005, and that influence sneaks into this disc sometimes. His voice sounds cooler when he doesn’t try to scream loud and deep from his throat though, because he usually has this subtle intent kind of vocal thing going for him.

Think like, NYHC fury and groove with old school Metallica technical fortitude and Monster Magnet vibe. And then go listen to it and you’ll see what I mean.

Listen, I’m not going to wax frikkin’ poetic here. Pro-Pain has been putting out the same quality catchy hardcore since the dawn of time (or at least since I’ve been hearing them): simple, precise and raw with occasional melodic flair. This one’s a little more polished than the usual, but it’s still the same old ballgame. That “Beyond the Pale” song is freaking awesome though and uses some serious Oriental riffage. And finally, a band uses a female vocalist that doesn’t sound like she fell off the Love Boat. They are the Budweiser in a fridge full of green tea wine coolers. However, I could give two shits about their politics and their George Bush bashing but hey, you have the right to hate who you want, yeh?

I personally like President G. Dubya Bush for the simple fact that this video exists.

Now how could you not like a President like that?

This latest effort is mindnumbing darkness music – it doesn’t keep your brain too busy, rather, it’s got that hypnotizing kind of push to it. While trying to absorb it for the first time, the first word that came to my mind was “professional.” The recording is really clean, at times slick. But that doesn’t preclude it from exuding proper rage, mixing it up between straight-up hardcore and regular metal. Sometimes there’s a vibe tinging on classic Biohazard grind and sometimes there’s Slayer thrashability. Vocalist Jacob Bredahl (who incidentally just mixed Whorecore‘s latest effort) usually stays on one tone of throaty screaming but does well when he occasionally ventures into actual singing. His transitions work nicely, especially noted on “The Slain.” “Drinking With the Dead” busts out some of that down-home sludgy feel as an intro (Brand New Sin comes to mind) but generally you know what you’re in for from the first few songs, and it’s good.

You hear a bit of the kinda instruments you would hear in the soundtrack of a kung-fu movie (mentioned is the erhu, or two-string Chinese violin) but it mostly sounds like they take a lot from the Swedish metal scene (like everyone else in the world). It’s enjoyable, atmospheric metal with black tinge and obvious classical (not classical metal, classical classical) influence, despite the fact that some of the female vocals are overdone. (Yeh, I normally don’t promote bands with female vocals anyway due to religious reasons, but I said I would do this review before I knew there was female vocals on it so there’s a loophole for that). The male vocals are a nice range of growling and highpitched screeches. There is nice interplay though.

Interestingly enough, Wikipedia notes that “Lead vocalist Freddy Lin is notably active in the political scene, supports negationism and the current DPP government in Taiwan. This helped the band to be the spokesperson of the products of the government owned company Taiyen Biotech Co.. Freddy Lin claimed to have psychological problems to avoid military service.” They’re against Chinese imperialism and the decimation of the separate Taiwanese culture, which is what a lot of the Scandinavian metal is about – getting back to pagan roots and this and that (feh, they lose me with that idol worship bullcrap). I appreciate the fact that they want to fight for their country and go against the UN – good luck with that, guys.

Lin would make for an interesting interview, to be sure. I wonder how Lin feels about American ‘imperialism,’ or how the regular, usually blue-collar Ozzfest crowd will take ChthoniC. I mean, hell, my whole professional industry is picking up and moving to China/Taiwan cause labor is so much cheaper there. Not that I personally hold anything against the Chinese (hey, take what you can get), but some of these Ozzfest people could be pretty racist about it. It’s really rare someone of the regular Chinese culture jumps into the metal world, let alone a subsect of it that didn’t want to be part of it in the first place. But the music should speak for itself. Good stuff.

Hmf.