Josh Ostrander and Greg Lyons used to be in a major label band called Laguardia (nah, me neither) but decided to jack it in. In between bouts of landscape gardening the seeds of their new outfit took shape. Together with Vern Zaborowski they became Eastern Conference Champions and released their debut EP in early 2005. Despite being the quintessential indie guitar band they decided to drop said instrument for ‘Hollywood’. Not for cinematic reasons of course, perhaps Maura Davis (guesting from Ambulette, formerly of Denali) may not have glistened quite so brightly had she had to compete with some jangling chords. Better to include jingling bells instead. Ostrander may row perilously close to the achingly annoying James Walsh from Starsailor on occasion but, thankfully, he has a more appealing range. ‘Hollywood’ is memorably low key, a sweet lullaby to watch the stars go by. KD

Eastern Conference Champions - Hollywood

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] The Southhampton Collection [US] The Southhampton Collection
Year: 2005

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To round off this hat-trick of deepest electronica here is Sweden’s latest addition to the digital revolution. The Field (Axel Willner, who has his hand in other ambient projects such as Lars Blek, Cordouan and porte) has created a hypnotic piece of liquid audio with ‘Over The Ice’. It could have turned into something altogether more predictable, a sort of late nineties trance pastiche, but the endless reinvention ensures that this is IDM in the truest sense. And Willner has also avoided using the ubiquitous female vocal, instead splicing a microsecond of noise from what could be anything from an android to a gurgling newborn baby. The effect is mesmerising, life affirming even and at just sub 7 minutes speeds by with the efficiency of injury time when your team is one goal down. Legs were invented for music like this. KD

The Field - Over The Ice

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy The EP: Sun & Ice
Year: 2006

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“We are a small group that enjoys hi-fi and lo-fi sounds be it from a C64 or a Moog. Electronic music is our passion.” And then nothing, those enthralled by this mini electronic masterpiece will be frustrated if they were expecting to explore the background to Unicorn Dream Attack. Custom Music Records who will be releasing Unicorn Dream Attack’s EP sometime this year is similarly vague in its depiction of its artists. Perhaps it was supposed to be this way, voiceless tunes by faceless artists producing music with more heart than a thousand indie bands could muster over a whole career. Because thats what ‘W34k 4nd Sm4ll’ is, a junket to a perfect planet where the winters produce fluffy white snow and the summer’s appear to exist without nose jamming pollen. Jean Michel Jarre is a statue in the main square and Add N to (X) are number one all year round. Plug yourself in and dream of that creation from weird science. KD

Unicorn Dream Attack - W34k 4nd Sm4ll

More Info: Official & Myspace
Download The Album Soon: CMR019
Year: 2007

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It’s all around us, free music is floating around the world wide web like autumnal leaves in a countryside river in late September. A lot of it is disposable, much of it is challenging and some of it is downright life affirming. Falling into the final category is Canadian duo We Will Build whose electronic voyages put latter day Lemon Jelly into the no hopers corner. Purely instrumental but soaked in humanity We Will Build’s creations are careful studies in music as a mood enhancer. Their website practically gives all their songs away for nowt and a random ‘save target as’ action should fill your day with wonder. The tongue twisting ‘Out These Doors Inside’ is a particular highlight, looping and ferreting through deep swelling bleeps. It could almost be Orbital performing at a 4 year olds birthday party such are mini plots and diverse capers on show. Perhaps Monday morning won’t seem like such a slog this week if this and 'Worth A Song' are given free reign during your weetabix chomping session. KD

We Will Build - Out These Doors Inside

We Will Build - Worth A Song

More Info: Official
Year: 2006

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Marit Bergman is a pop star from Sweden but has yet to secure a deal outside of the Nordic countries. Tis’ a shame really cause if ‘Adios Amigos’ is anything to go by she could have major crossover appeal. This is a song that the Spice Girls could have released if only they’d had the balls. The ravaging guitars at the core of the song could also lend charming appeal to the indie set. ‘Adios Amigos’ is taken from her ‘Baby Dry You Eye’ album of 2004, which Bergman followed up with last years ‘I Think It’s A Rainbow’. More recently she has covered Justin Timberlake’s ‘My Love’, which appeared as a b-side to her ‘Eyes Were Blue’ single. The potential is there for all to see and hear. Wonder who’ll be the first to snap her up? KD

Marit Bergman - Adios Amigos

Watch The Video To Eyes Were Blue

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] I Think Its a Rainbow [US] I Think Its a Rainbow
Year: 2006

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Clap Your Hands Say Yeah preceded the Arctic Monkeys in using the power of the internet to get their wares inside peoples earlobes. As the band furiously sent out their debut album from their apartment the order count started to go through the roof. The band were subsequently signed and can now direct their efforts to making the best music possible. A new album called ‘Some Loud Thunder’ is on the way and it will be available for download from their official site in mid January (end of month elsewhere). As a taster there are 2 free mp3’s to be devoured from their website. Initial impressions reveal a cranking down of the scatty energy that so illuminated their debut. Of course the manic side of Alec Ounsworth could be bursting to escape elsewhere but for now we’ll just bask in the seasonal tinged glory of ‘Underwater (You and Me)’. It’ll take a bit to fall for its charms but we wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘Lovesong No. 7’ is the other free track but it’s altogether less pleasing, hopefully it’ll perch more imperiously when slotted within the confines of the new album. KD

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Underwater (You and Me)

Watch The Video Over and Over Again (Lost & Found)

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Some Loud Thunder [US] Some Loud Thunder
Year: 2007

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For an incalculably long time I couldn’t for the life of me see what all the fuss was about this track. While it virtually tore its own trail through most of the blogosphere I sat impassively wondering when the chorus would kick in. But, in a Herculean effort to match my attempts to render Guinness a good friend the spark finally began to emerge. And the good news doesn’t end there as the Atlanta natives have a debut album on release that is about to shake indie rock to its very crevices. ‘Anti Anti’ is so lavishly grooved it could easily pass you by, like a warm breeze you hardly notice its velvet touch until its gone. Repetition reveals a subtle danceability that could cause problems for the less well oiled in the limb department but as everyone knows toe tapping is something to be enjoyed by all ages. A sweet affair indeed, drink it up but make sure to mop up your upper lip. KD

Snowden - Anti Anti

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Anti-Anti [US] Anti-Anti
Year: 2006

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Columbus go in search of the discovered land of California where the pop nugget once grew with wholesome regularity. This Columbus, however, is a band from Canada and thanks to their ‘Debut’ EP and some 7-inch singles have displayed a strong grasp of how to write the perfect sub 3-minute melodic gem. Chris Webster who plays guitars, sings and writes the music leads the band with impressive verve. Here are 2 songs from their EP, a double dose of infectious frolics in the sun to brighten up even the dreariest of January days. Columbus have been quiet of late, no doubt penning their next exhibition of sunshine noise that will surely reference girls somewhere in their composition. KD

Columbus - Christian Girls

Columbus - Free Girl

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy EP: Debut
Year: 2005

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Back in 2001 when Connor Oberst wasn’t releasing albums every other week he sat down with Joe Knapp and shared an albums worth of material with him. Knapp recorded under the Son, Ambulance moniker and his contribution on ‘Oh Holy Fools’ more than matched Mr Bright Eyes. ‘Brown Park’ was the opening track and recalled Belle Sebastian at their most effervescent, it may have been slightly twee but this was fey with the gloves off. Beneath the plinking piano keys was a powerful tune that exposed a heartfelt Knapp vocal. Back then Knapp operated on his own but with the addition of new bandmates his sound has since morphed into something less penetrable but just as enjoyable. KD

Son, Ambulance - Brown Park

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Oh Holy Fools: the Music of Son Ambulance and Bright Eyes [US] Oh Holy Fools: The Music of Son, Ambulance and Bright Eyes
Year: 2001

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Gonna wrap up this day of nostalgia with a band I never truly embraced but who had an unmistakable sound. That and the fact that it was easy to lose oneself in the dark recesses of any indie dive while vixen Toni Halliday bleeted her ethereal dispatches against a backdrop of raging white noise. Curve was essentially a collaboration between Halliday and Dean Garcia and the union lasted for almost 15 years as Curve only officially called it a day in early 2005. Although they released a handful of albums it will be their early EP’s that Curve will be remembered for. ‘Coast Is Clear’ is taken from 1991 release ‘Frozen’. Sounding like a drunken Cocteau Twin ‘Coast Is Clear’ is characterised by an electro flute and a charging army of guitars. Halliday’s vocals are near indistinguishable but the harmonies are precise and hugely rewarding. KD

Curve - Coast Is Clear

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Doppleganger [US] Doppelgänger
Year: 1992

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Divorce the woman from the music and you are left with a fine musical prospect. For all her spotlight hugging naivety there is no doubting that Sinead O’Connor is a unique talent. She first came to prominence with the haunting vocals she supplied to the Edge’s fretplay on ‘Heroine’ for the movie Captive. Her second album ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got’ was her break through when her cover of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ became a worldwide hit. The album also contained some neat guitar workouts that had been earlier signalled on her debut ‘The Lion And The Cobra’. ‘Jump In The River’ is a straight-ahead piece of ear candy for the indie obsessed. The guitar lines are obvious but O’Connor’s understated rage lifts the mood to affect the feeling of a mosh pit between the left and right headphone ventricles. KD

Sinead O'Connor - Jump In The River

Watch The Video To Mandinka

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got [US] I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Year: 1990

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Tony Ogden who was the lead singer of World of Twist tragically died in July of 2006. His band who were once courted by Creation Records were critical darlings but failed to turn their ecstatic live performances into large volume sales. Their influence was far and wide and Oasis occasionally use ‘Sons of the Stage’ as the introduction music at their live shows. Take a look at the cover of the bands debut album ‘Quality Street’ for an indication of their theatrical tendencies (Arcade Firesque before the smoke). They existed within the domain of baggy culture; their danceable sequences were more than complemented through their lavish use of melody. My favourite from the time was ‘She’s A Rainbow’ (a cover of the Rolling Stones tune), a psychedelic edged lullaby that consisted of a tinkling piano with masterful strings/vocal cameos. KD

World Of Twist - She's A Rainbow

Watch The Video To Storm

More Info: Official
Buy Album: [UK] Quality Street [US] Quality Street
Year: 1991

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The Blue Aeroplanes were formed in 1981 in Bristol and despite numerous line-up changes (29 at last count!) included the ever present Gerard Langley as lead singer. They briefly tasted fame when their 1990 album (produced by Gil Norton) ‘Swagger’ bore 2 singles ‘Jacket Hangs’ and ‘…And Stones’ that grazed the lower reaches of the UK charts. The former is included here and remains a low-slung classic with Langley’s near spoken word vocals superbly complementing the memorable descending chord advances. The Blue Aeroplanes recorded and released an album called ‘Altitude’ in 2005 and promoted the album throughout 2006 ('Swagger' was also reissued). Included in the current touring line-up is one Gerard Starkie of Witness fame so perhaps the Aeroplanes may have just stumbled upon a winning combination. KD

The Blue Aeroplanes - Jacket Hangs

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Swagger [US] Swagger
Year: 1990

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Oh, ok it’s the new year and what better way to enjoy it than reminisce about the glorious past. Fighting hangover, expanded waistline, upcoming return to nine-2-five this day will bring a musical version of those rose tinted glasses when the alternative sounded so joyful and triumphant to these once sag free ears.

Shed Seven finally called it a day in 2003 after 10 years of slugging it within the toughest of industries. They never attained the level of kudos they deserved and were often derided as the poor man’s indie rock band. Included here are 2 songs from their fine debut album ‘Change Giver’. ‘Speakeasy’ is a spiky guitar assault that was a signature of the bands swaggering early days. ‘Speakeasy’ touches on the corridors of power of acts such as the Happy Mondays, Oasis and the Stone Roses yet retains a breezy attitude with Rick Witter, in particular, sounding like a brash teenager full of his own self importance. ‘Ocean Pie’ is another beast altogether that coolly hung about like a cigarette dangling from the most beautiful lips in the world. For once the band offered restraint and their instincts pointed to a path they could have plundered with a more pleasing outcome for all concerned. Sadly, for all their chasing of rainbows there was never to be a fabled pot of gold at the end of their adventure. Rick Witter is about to release his debut album with his promising new band the Dukes. KD

Shed Seven - Speakeasy

Shed Seven - Ocean Pie

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Change Giver [US] Change Giver
Year: 1994

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How about this for confusion. Belfast artist Duke Special presents ‘Freewheel’ as his contribution to the SXSW 2006 torrent, it’s a blast. Later that year ‘Freewheel’ is renamed ‘Last Night I Nearly Died’ and becomes a moderately successful single in Ireland. Now ‘Freewheel’ is set to be released but is a completely different tune altogether. Ah well, just as well then that Peter Wilson looks like a dreadlocked Robert Smith and sounds like Damien Gough to complement the already fuzzy logic. ‘Last Night I Nearly Died’ is a nice piece of whimsy, full of orchestral noises in the dark and a chorus that’ll keep the kids happy until school reopens in a week’s time. Could Duke Special perhaps be the answer to the curse of the singer songwriter? KD

Duke Special - Last Night I Nearly Died

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Songs from the Deep Forest [US] Songs From the Deep Forest
Year: 2006

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