So far 2012 has enlightened me to many new favourites. New up-and-coming musicians and new albums from seasoned musicians alike have made their mark on this year, so here are my picks for what I consider to be the best songs released thus far.

Trust - Candy Walls

Dark synth electronic group Trust released their debut album TRST this year and it had the internet buzzing about. These Toronto natives have made an amazing album that follows in the footsteps of Toronto's dark electronica scene, and "Candy Walls" offers a beautifully slow sulking ballad with Robert Alfons' amazing alien like voice.

Light Asylum -IPC

New York-based industrial darkwave duo have really embraced the dark spirit of 80's new york electronic circuit and have made their self titled album an amazing mix of androgynous vocals and intricately structured analog synth beats. IPC being one that sounds almost as if the anthem to revolutionaries of the future.

Azelia Banks - JUMANJI

Our fav new manic panic rapper Azelia Banks is making pretty much everyone swoon over her upcoming first official release and JUMANJI is one of the first tastes of what's to come.

Toldyall - Lazer Sword

With the new trend of contemporary 90's techno come house revisionists Lazer Sword. Just releasing their first album Memory it is filled with chill nostalgic 90's house with wonderful vocal samples making, Toldyall one of my favourite songs off the album.

Le1f - MIND BODY

Le1f is a part of an emerging rap scene in New York that is a bold new step in hip hop, that being part of the queer rap scene a break from hip hop's more homophobic society.  But Le1f's music does not ooze any kitsch or reliance on gimmik it is just quality hip hop with excellent productions and an insanely smooth flow.

Santigold - Disparate Youth

Santigold made a huge impact with her debut album, and has kept low for a while. When she released information on a new album people went nuts and the result was worth the wait.

Doldrums - Egypt

Montreal-based Doldrums has been getting some deserved attention recently and his newest track Egypt has been on constant repeat for a while now. His uniquely arranged beats along with pop like melody almost sound like the electronic versions of 90' Disney movie scores.

Grimes - Nightmusic feat. Magical Cloudz

Our favourite new pop star's third album Visions has made a huge impact on the "indie" music scene and the mainstream music scene as well. Visions is a remarkable album of pure and genuinely made music.

Unicorn Kid - Pure Space

The upcoming Unicorn Kids LP is one of the most talked about and anticipated albums of the year Pure Space is a magical rave of love and happiness, that's pretty much what Unicorn Kid is.

Korallaven - Sa Sa Samoa (Elite Gymnastics remix)

Break beat and rave revivalists Elite Gymnastics took remixing a song to another level making this fantastic hardstyle techno version of its ethereal original. Elite Gymnastics recently just released a remix album from their 2011 LP Ruin.

Artist: Elite Gymnastics

Album: Ruin

Year: 2011

Genre: electronic, breakbeat, techno

This is an overlooked gem of last years releases of 2011. Minneapolis-based electronic duo Elite Gymnastics have been said to be rave revivalists of the new generation.

This album draws clear inspiration from 90's techno, bringing back the breakbeat/ hardstyle drum pattern. This fast-paced dance music is then paired by soft vocals and a laid back attitude, adding a level of euphoria to the album. This can be seen is songs like "Omari" and "Here In Heaven". There is even a layer of beach rock-inspired indie in this album as well as heard in little things. This is definitely a bold, new, exciting route electronic is taking with the recent revival of the 90's. Ruin has been released in 3 other forms as well one being a more laid-back chill version of the 1st, and the the others being remixes and a box set. Check out their video for Here In Heaven below!

This month's playlist is just for April transitioning from the dreary dark tunes of the cold spring balanced with the warm dancey outlook of summer time. Featuring new songs from some of our favourite artists such as Purity Ring, Unicorn Kid, Santigold, Humans, Gang Signs and more!!!

TRACKLIST:
OBEDEAR - PURITY RING
ON PAGAIE - HUMANS
POISON ON - GANG SIGNS
BREAK YR HEART - oOoOO
LIQUORICE - AZELIA BANKS
HACKERS - DEATH GRIPS
SULK - TRUST
PURE SPACE - UNICORN KID
GREEN ROOM HILL ZONE - FIRE FOR EFFECT
ROMANTIC STREAMS (NGUZUNGUZU REMIX) - SLEEP ∞ OVER
BIG MOUTH - SANTIGOLD

The dimmed blue lights of the Electric Owl suited perfectly for a night of moody, dark pop as Trust took the stage along with opening local electro banshees Myths.

The night began with one of my favourite local acts gracing the stage in glow in the dark DIY outfits as they played newer material sounding like the electro nightmare version of Snow White. The powerful duo showed off their singing chops belting out blissful melodies followed by shrieks than were only comparable to alien like screams. Although some of the audience did not enjoy the opening act, heckling the amazing duo during their own set. In the end, Myths got the crowd riled up for the dark Torontonian electro pop outfit Trust.

The band arrived on stage all in black with their eyes to the floor, and without any introduction began playing. Singer Robert Alfons then graced the stage and put the crowd in shock and awe with his unique androgynous singing voice. The atmosphere was perfect moving from dancy to moody until it all blended just to make perfect sense. The tension was only heightened by the bands disconnect with the crowd not speaking once, just performing their songs and leaving. It was a concert that didn't need any unnecessary banter, It was a concert that had me completely satisfied afterwards. The next time you see Trust is playing in Vancouver I urge to to see them!

(click here to enlarge poster)

The Bitmore Cabaret will be starting a new weekly dance party every Wednesday night called Tropical Love Connection.

Just in time for summer, expect coastline vibes through electronic music and enter a virtual beach. The night will include visuals, island drink specials and dj sets by WOBANGS (winniecooper), DJ BEE (citr), Peter Ricq & Robbie Slade (Humans), and yours truly. Here is a mix I did with WOBANGS to give you a taste of what to expect!

We here at the blog have been obsessed over the Yin Yang-loving, rave revisionist Unicorn Kid for a while now but now with the weather warming up and the sun poking it’s head out (finally) it seemed like the perfect time to share him with you!

Oliver Sabin, aka Unicorn Kid, is a electronic producer hailing from Leith, Edinburgh. With his bouncy techno and rave styles, Sabin has been thrown into the ever-growing internet phenomena known as #seapunk. If that is a bit too much to ingest in simpler terms, it basically means Unicorn Kid makes incredibly fun and happy dance music. Initially Sabin’s project began as glitch/ 8-bit but has evolved style and become more magical with each record (and new hair colour). Check out one of Unicorn Kid’s songs from his 2011 EP Tidal Rave, Boys of Paradise.

Although the new year is still budding, many artists have released info on their latest works and upcoming albums. Here are a few we are really excited to listen to!

Indie rock duo Beach House had us adoring their 2010 album Teen Dream, well 2012 marks another installment for the dreamy duo. Bloom is set to release officially may 15 on Sub Pop. I am personally excited to see the direction Bloom takes if you want a taste of the album the band has released their first single Myth.

Finally, finally, FINALLY!!!! Genre-fusing artist Santigold is back! It has been a while since her debut album and hopefuls were wondering if Santi would ever return to the music scene. But after being pushed back in what seems forever, her sophomore album Master of My Make Believe is out this month! From what I have heard of the album thus far the wait was worth it! Check out her newest video for the amazing song Disparate Youth!

Pop star MIA had mixed reviews for her last album, although it was my favourite of the current three. After a brief break it seems she is back with a bang this year. For her fourth album I am interested to see the amalgamation of all her influences. So far she released the debut single of the album Bad Girls along with an incredible music video. Let's hope she tours and stops here in Vancouver.

One of the most exciting artists to blow up in 2011, Azealia Banks has impressed everyone with her viral hit 212. But since then she has been slowly releasing new material and it seems this young diva is no one hit wonder. Her untitled album is to be released this fall.

Probably my absolute most anticipated album of the year comes from Canadian born electronic duo Crystal Castles. Their second album broke what most bands endure being the second album curse, impressing with was what I believed to be even better than their first. Not much detail has been released except they intend to remain genuine to their sound and that it is to be released this summer (summer dance party material!). Their work is surrounded by mystery much like how the band keeps their public image.

Spring has started, and although the weather may not seem like its spring these days, let's all just let loose and bring the warm weather in with a fun dance mix! Starting with some slow jams and moving into some faster tracks from some of our new favourite artists like Elite Gymnastics, Trust and Gang Signs.

TRACKLIST

O F F LOVE - CLOSE TO U
GANG SIGNS - PREQUEL
HUMANS - AVEC MES MECS
NO EYES - PICTUREPLANE
HERE IN HEAVEN - ELITE GYMNASTICS
SA SA SAMOA - KORALLREVEN (ELITE GYMNASTICS REMIX)
GRACE MA BREAKS - GORESH*T
ANDIKA - BASKETBALL
IPC - LIGHT ASYLUM
BUBBLEFORM - TRUST

To start the week off, how about we explore some fresh new music videos from some amazing emerging acts? The videos are great, from dream sequence raves, to football games, to horses in the woods.

Sa Sa Samoa - Koralleven (Elite Gymnastics Remix)

1990's rave footage compiled with some fantastic trippy visuals, a testament to the popular late 90's revival trend. This great remix is a gives references to breakcore and hardcore as well as Final Fantasy 7.

Spellwork - Austra

This video perfectly complements the moodiness that Austra's music has us loving more and more. Gothic woods and creepy children, who could ask for more in this beautifully shot video.

Oblivion - Grimes

Seriously, what more can we at the Plenty blog say about Grimes? If this girl was any more endearing and lovable, I think the universe would implode.

The Empire Will Drain U - Fostercare

The internet just seems to be overwhelmed with 90's nostalgia these days. This Fostercare video takes inspiration from old house music vids.

Vatican Vibes - Fatima Al Qadiri

Fatima Al Qadiri's 2010 EP was an experiment in infusing many different genres of music together, just like how this video is a journey through many different genre of videogames.

The state of the music world is quite strange these days, everything is digital and cd's have pretty much become obsolete. But from this digital obsession came the rebirth of interest in vinyl.

Vinyl not only adds an awesome vintage feeling to any space but also feeds humans need to collect things. Vinyl lasts far longer than a cd or cassette and also depending on the album vinyl can add an amazing sound creating a whole different experience when listening to an album! I recently have begun my collection after receiving a great record player for christmas and it seems to be growing more and more every month.

Some recent buys: Bestial Mouths - Hissing Veil EP, Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow, Chrome - Red Exposure, and Braids - Native Speaker

My newest addition comes from LA based synth rock band Bestial Mouths one of the best albums of 2011 and packed full of artwork, lyrics and the vinyl is clear!

One of the things I love the most about collecting Vinyl records is the fact that bands and artists usually go the extra step with the artwork included in the album or when it is printed on things like clear vinyl or red or marble, the possibilities are nearly endless and watching something like that spin while playing is just entertainment in itself.

One of my favourite records comes from local group Animal Bodies, which their EP Kiss Of The Fang is printed on white and blue marble vinyl.

But where is the best place to find records? Well there are a few stores in Vancouver that I tend to visit often Redcat Records and Dandelion Records on Main, Zulu down on 4th ave and then there is always the bargain bins at thrift stores you really never know what you can find there. But My favourite go to place has got to be Zoo Zhop on Main and Powell.

A great place to get local releases, step into Zoo Zhop and allow eccentric owner David to take you on a journey through his incredible musical knowledge. Although small, Zoo Zhop offers a different variety of music from the other stores in Vancouver (I am currently lusting over a Xeno & Oaklander and Soft Moon record there) and the customer service is out of this world.

Rising Toronto Electro-Goth pop duo Trust has 2012 looking like it is going to be a great year for music.

Thinning the line between techno and 80's goth-pop, Trust is the perfect combination of electronica, dancyness, catchyness, and weirdness. Consisting of Maya Potepski (Austra) and Robert Alfons, Trust was born right in Toronto proving the lineage of darker electronic bands is still going strong. Dark might be a bit much due the extreme poppy nature of this album - I would best describe it as a goth prom from the 80's. TRST is an album where almost every song seems like a single. The majority of power tracks like Dressed For Space, Bubbleform, Chrissy E, Sulk with each song also running about 4mins, this is a task that's not so easily accomplished. One thing that really stood out on TRST was the androgynous vocals of  Alfons, the touch of dark weirdness was the perfect addition to their sound to avoid sounding completely cheesey. The year has just begun and already I am finding albums I whole-heartedly love to listen to. Trust comes to Vancouver this April at Electric Owl.

TRST album cover

Saturday Feb 18th marked local pop princess and electro diva Claire Boucher aka Grimes kick off show of her world tour. Paired with eccentric electronic act Born Gold the night was sure to be one for the books.

The night began with an amazing performance by Born Gold. The electro act clearly takes live performance seriously as there was a plethora of entertaining stage antics such as a complicated light show, walking on stilts, and a leather jacket connected with the music and lighting cues that looked as if Iron Man went punk.

As Born Gold continued to play, Fortune became more and more packed as people were itching to see the mousey songstress Grimes grace the stage. Finally when she came on stage the crowd went nuts as the timid singer awkwardly introduced herself and with a quirky yet adorable laugh began an amazing performance of songs from her latest release Visions one of the best pop records to come out in a while. Showing off her incredible vocal range, Boucher played favourites like Vanessa, Oblivion, Genesis and Nightmusic. The talented trio of Born Gold also came out to act as Boucher’s band creating a synchronicity that would heighten the level of energy felt by the crowd. I would have to say this was one of the best shows of the year so far and Fortune’s incredible sound system was the perfect setting for this electro pop dance party.

Photos by Fortune Sound Club

Grimes has become a familiar face on this blog and a front running contender for our fav new artist. So with the release of her 4th album, Visions was as anticipated as how much we enjoyed it.

This album was a clear landmark in the Montreal-based artist’s career. The inspirations on the album seem to stem from all avenues of the musical spectrum combining elements of 90’s r&b like TLC and Mariah Carrey but also experimenting with electronic influences from the likes of IDM genius Aphex Twin. The result is an album that crosses all boarders of musical sub-cultures, not leaving out any listener based on personal aesthetic or taste. It is a testament to the internet era, close knit yet physically separated sharing ideas and mixing new forms together. Vowels = Space and Time is an Enya filled, TLC melodic masterpiece. Genesis, Oblivion, Nightmusic are examples of songs enjoyable both alone listening to headphones or with friends dancing in a club. This electro pop masterpiece is all carried by Boucher’s interesting vocal range, operatic yet follows typical mega pop star-like vocals, all while almost hiding the lyrics through heavy reverb and delay, this is an album where the best part about the lyrics are not knowing what she is saying, allowing for a more personable listen, sing them out loud make them up as you go on and don’t worry if it is right or not, that is why this album is so beautiful. This marks a major step in the musicians career for 2012 and I would be extremely surprised to see Visions not nominated for the coveted Polaris Award.

Yourstru.ly presents: Grimes “Genesis” from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Local electronic powerhouse MYTHS has been a favourite of mine since I first saw them back in May, so when I heard they were transforming their amazing debut self titled LP into an opera I froze mid air in excitement.

The stage was decorated with the elaborate paper art of member Lief Hall, white antler like branches and an array of shredded fabrics oh so a la MYTHS. The feeling was already set as it was clear this production much like in MYTHS fashion was complete DIY, from the projections to the costuming everything carefully thought out and organized.

The performance opened as two talented contemporary dancers graced the stage, as kaliedoscopic nebulae were projected behind. Then, like two goddesses adorned in light, Lief Hall and Quinne Rogers stepped out and chanted the most beautiful and harmonious version of The Horizon , which led the projections to lead into fantastic mirrored landscapes as if these spacial goddesses were creating a universe of their own through ancient spells. Two very young girls also graced the stage for the performance, who did an amazing job embodying the dark electronica through spastic dance moves, and ritual performance.

As the opera progressed the visuals and dancing became more intense and elaborate, also prompting a live noise improvisation with the aid of hand held radios, one of the highlights of this magnificent show. As the visuals became more intense and moved from landscapes to cityscapes so did the electro cacophony, Goldbase had hall techno-krumping while flanked by spastic children and ballet-esque dancing all while being engulfed by strobe light. It was clear it took a lot of effort from the audience not to jump up and start dancing as well. In the end I dub the night a booming success, a break from a normal show and offering a creative and thrilling way of playing their music. MYTHS proved once again how meticulously creative with every aspect of performance they have been known for, and I hope The Golden Dawn has a comeback show!

more pics from the show!

www.mythsmusic.com