Head Like A Kite’s debut ‘Random Portraits of the Home Movie’ took its inspiration from Super 8 movie clips from Dave Einmo’s family archive. As he watched the drama he wrote the music that the images inspired. The result is a rich sonic tapestry that melds electronica with a truckload of inventive guitar moves. ‘Words Of A Friend’ is particularly inspired coming across like a Sonic Youth/Fisherspooner mash up. It takes the vital ingredients from two strands of music to create an aural spectacle to immerse oneself in. The beginning is hugely enjoyable, a freeform electronic composition that is supplemented by a deep bass line. Einmo joins the fray in Krautrock fashion wherein the song slightly relinquishes its early advances. Still, this is terrific stuff from a uniquely talented artist. KD

Head Like A Kite - Words of a Friend

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Random Portraits of the Home Movie [US] Random Portraits of the Home Movie
Year: 2006

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Just to reassure us that Sweden doesn’t hold a monopoly in supplying all the cool new Scandinavian indie bands Oslo let Monzano slip out like a jangling rattlesnake (Serena Maneesh & Afraid of Stairs have been announced already). Eivind Bøe's band are to be commended for the undeniable kinetic energy of ‘Poster Boy’, the tuneful chord intro is striking and the piece whisks through several tempo changes over its 3 short minutes. The energy is undeniable and allied to this is a fair quotient of talent, which should see Monzano reach across Europe with the potent effectiveness of a Viking invasion. KD

Monzano - Poster Boy

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: The Window Was Open But The Smoke Wasn't Moving
Year: 2006

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This is more an effort to showcase Sciflyer’s nifty guitar work than a flagrant attempt to latch on to the billions of Christmas music searches currently being figured into the net’s best search engines. The song has little or nothing to do with the season of jollity unless you have a weakness for pulling your crackers to the sound of early nineties guitars being driven backwards over a blanket of freeform vocals. Ride, Swervedriver (see the ‘Raise’ album for inspiration) and Chapterhouse spring to mind as ‘The Same Thing Goes for Christmas’ goes for the jangling juggler with gusto from the getgo. Taken from the bands recent ‘The Age of Lovely, Intimate Things’ EP it is a pleasant throwback to a time when feedback, shoes and haircuts were the trinity of characteristics that could make or break a band. ‘Like An Ion’ features even more distorted vocals but just drips with an epic low slung swagger. Sciflyer are ready to launch ‘They Only Believe In The Moon’ in 2007 so lets hope Kim, Steve and Scott aim towards the sky. KD

Sciflyer - The Same Thing Goes For Christmas

Sciflyer - Like An Ion

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] The Age of Lovely, Intimate Things [US] The Age of Lovely, Intimate Things
Year: 2005

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So how do you follow classic indiepop like ‘Hey, Hey, Girl’? Well how about a tad more, but instead of reaching for Sacramento let’s head for Dallas. Bulging with a treasure chest of melody ‘Sonic Bloom’ is taken from Tripping Daisy’s penultimate and most revered album 'Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb'. Tim Delaugter’s vocals are adept at sweeping along with the illuminating playing, frequently portraying his emotions in a raw display that tethers on the safe side of whimsy. Tripping Daisy split up after the death of guitarist Wes Berggren in 1999. Their demise saw the birth of several other bands, most notably Delaughter’s Polyphonic Spree (listen TD’s ‘Kids Are Calling’ and feel the dawn sun!) and Ben Curtis’ Secret Machines (wow). KD

Tripping Daisy - Sonic Bloom

Watch The Video To Piranah

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb [US] Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb
Year: 1998

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Here is an early Christmas present to conjure a certain knowing smile from lovers of the golden age of indiepop. The all but lost ‘Hey Hey Girl’ (thanks) from the majestic Rocketship originally came out as a 7-inch (not porn or anything that could be placed on a hard disk) and despite appearing on a few indiepop compilations (‘One, Two, Twee’ being the cleverest of them) has had a relatively scarce internet existence. Rocketship are still on the go (they couldn’t Reske on their laurels now could they), funnelling electronic noodles into eager begging bowls over at Rocketship headquarters. In fact ‘Here Comes...Rocketship’, the bands second LP has just been released, a full 10 years after their classic debut. ‘Hey Hey Girl’ is the epitome of the breezy happy song that Rocketship have become synonymous with. Organs are tweaked in a swirling sixties way, lithe strums flit like a skipped heartbeat and Reske’s indie boy vocals were so of its type that they launched a thousand imitators. Priceless. KD

Rocketship - Hey, Hey, Girl

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Buy Album: Here Comes...Rocketship
Year: 2006 (hey, hey, girl from 1994)

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When you find out they come from Sweden it starts to make sense because there is plenty of the Knife’s edgy dance sensibilities on show. Then again, ‘Portion Control’ could also have easily slipped out as an appreciative cousin of ‘Voodoo Ray’ back in the late eighties. Glancing at their website is hardly a revelatory experience (gothic image of ravenous crow atop a skull) but that said these kids are just fresh arty types from the Swedish capital who would like to let the music do the talking for them. And anyway their influences are not that difficult to spot. New wave is certainly an enduring theme with New Order/Joy Division the likely recipients of the most bedroom wall poster space. Is this industrial, is this a disease, is this dire straits? Who cares when there are ample portions for all the cunning foxes that happen upon this quartet. KD

The Kid - Portion Control

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Buy Album: La Societe Nouvelle
Year: 2006

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Making Campbell’s condensed a seriously hot prospect is one thing but to do so while unsigned is another matter altogether. Despite their HWCH appearance the Rags remain a relative unknown entity outside of Northside Dublin. Hard to believe when you hear the cascading melodies of ‘Monster & I’, a song that literally trips itself up with a bulging repertoire of cunning ideas. It’s easy to fall for each of its constituent parts with guitars running in distinctly tunesome directions while the vocal sweeps gently to the shimmering sea. Finglas has done it before of course, the electronic induced guitar assailants Blink and jangle pop heroes the Brilliant Trees both deserved better but perhaps the Rags could make it third time lucky. They once wrote about ‘Me and the Moon’ but surely if there is justice they will be making it big on a planet much closer to home. KD

The Rags - Monster & I

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Buy Album: Razors & Rope
Year: 2005

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With a dedication for recording their music through the night the Twilight Sad certainly live up to their name. Coming from the outskirts of Glasgow they have already released a self-titled EP (which has strangely only received a US release) and are signed to the legendary Fat Cat label (Pavement). James Graham is the bands vocalist and comes refreshingly suited in his native tongue. Comparisons with those other Glaswegians Mogwai are bound to be thrown about as the bands sound is underpinned by the great post-rock pioneers. ‘And She Would Darken The Memory’ delivers an enigmatic title and wholesome guitar bursts not witnessed since Swervedriver were making their ‘Raise’ LP. The white noise that pours forth provides a glorious montage of creativity that only becomes apparent after several listens. A true stereogram then. KD

The Twilight Sad - And She Would Darken the Memory of Youth

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] The Twilight Sad Ep [US] The Twilight Sad
Year: 2006

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If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

And you thought that only Sufjan could reinvigorate the stale holiday music market. Well think again, because Bright Eyes has his own Christmas Album that deserves plenty of glossy eyed attention each December. Back in 2002 Conor Oberst recorded a charity record for the Nebraska Aids Project containing 11 seasonal favourites. Pity there was no originals but Oberst added enough of his own bright ideas to make the whole thing worthwhile. ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ was one of the heroes of the hour as it was given the kick up the pants it deserved. Gone were the sluggish overtures and in its place was a nifty percussive sway. The song retains its old world atmosphere but it has enough oomph to have granny making use of the bottle of fine port she’s just quaffed. KD

Bright Eyes - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

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Buy Album: A Christmas Album
Year: 2002

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It should be easy to hate this, it is so damn funky. But before you know what’s happening Beth Ditto’s strangled tones have found an undeletable piece of cranium to call home. With a voice like that the music is mostly going to come off second fiddle but on this occasion the bass tugs are just as memorable. ‘Standing In The Way of Control’ is taken from the Gossip’s third album and makes a good argument for the bands expressed intention of turning garage punk into a more danceable proposition. They are certainly out on their own and Ditto’s new found fame (making it to the top of NME’s coolest people in rock no less) should see them reach a wider audience. Their abrasive textures may be an acquired taste but differentiation in an homogenised market is at the very least something to be applauded. KD

The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control

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Buy Album: [UK] Standing in the Way of Control [US] Standing in the Way of Control
Year: 2005

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Imagine Nina Hynes covering a delicate Stina Nordenstam piece with intriguing Love Babies undertones, all backed with a scattering of seasonal electronica. Of course Sophie Michalitsianos (Sol Seppy) debut album ain’t no Christmas album, it was released last spring. Sol Seppy is classically trained and has toured with Sparklehorse but the ‘The Bells of 1 2’ is her all her own creation. Spacious and atmospheric it blends Michalitsianos ethereal singing with all manner of exotic instrument eclectically juxtaposed. It won’t hit you straight away because there is hidden depth throughout the album. ‘1 2’ is a nice starting point because its fragility is immediately soothing. The digital ramblings more than match Michalitsianos’ hushed delivery to leave a luxurious carpet of sound that will resonate throughout your frame. KD

Sol Seppy - 1 2

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Buy Album: [UK] The Bells of 1 2 [US] The Bells of 1 2
Year: 2006

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If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Back in 1993 the Charlatans and St. Etienne were reaching their creative peaks so pairing the good looking leads from each band for a Christmas single must have seemed like a good idea. As it turned out it was both sonically and commercially successful. ‘I Was Born On Christmas Day’ is a happy go lucky festive piece of cheer with much of the creative impetus coming from the St. Etienne side of the house with electronic bleeps and whizzes forming the tunes decorative appearance. Cracknell and Burgess combine well vocally sounding like lovestruck teenagers about to paint the town Santa red. The thumping percussion is perhaps not best consumed with a hungover on Christmas morn but for the rest of the time it’ll have you rockin around the fake plastic tree. KD

St. Etienne & Tim Burgess - I Was Born On Christmas Day

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Buy Album: [UK] Tiger Bay [US] Tiger Bay
Year: 1993

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You could imagine this quirky little number appearing on a Tarantino movie as the crack addict plunges another sharpened stray into the eye of his drunken victim. Maybe not, but Cass McCombs certainly shook his earnest reputation with a healthy dose of what sounded like the Specials and the Only Ones on the rampage with a crate of JD on ‘Bury Mary’. The song was taken from McComb’s sophomore album 'PREfection', which raised the decibel level without (if you were to believe the critical assessment anyway) ever incurring better grades for song craft. Who cares what the scribes think anyway when the Baltimore artist rings our internal tills with the unrestrained glee of a crowded Christmas Eve. Cass is currently putting the finishing touches to his third album 'A Whole New Leaf' which will be released in April 2007. KD

Cass McCombs - Bury Mary

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Prefection [US] PREfection
Year: 2005

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The Housemartins, Salako and now the Paddingtons. Looks like Hull is building a nice little musical heritage for itself. Bit more than that if you were to go by Poptones supremo Alan McGee’s wide eyed assessment of the latter band. He’s off the mark of course (and who can blame him for backing one of his own bands), like he was when he labelled Mogwai’s ‘Mr. Beast’ as good as MBV’s ‘Loveless’. But, to his credit there are certainly nuggets to be panned on ‘First Comes First’, the Paddingtons debut album. ‘Sorry’ (produced by Stephen Street) has all the attendant punk trappings, Tom Atkin has the attitude and the music is infested with a sack full of blistering riffs. Nothing particularly new but its hard to be critical when a band can expend energy and make it burst forth from a speaker like a herd of Wilderbeast. KD

The Paddingtons - Sorry

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More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] First Comes First [US] First Comes First
Year: 2005

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Since it seems Kevin Shields is unlikely to record anything with MBV any time soon we’ll have to make do with the slipstream. And they don’t come much better than She, Sir (ok, they have some competition from the Fleeting Joys). ‘The Clandestine’ could so easily have sidled alongside the luxurious confines of ‘Loveless’, with unfocused guitars so elaborately layered, percussion that could puncture a baby’s skin and a vocal like a cool winters breeze through an amusement park. If Mr Shields hadn’t been there first you could quite literally be knocked for six such is the dynamism of the Austin bands output. But, M. Grusha and Russell Karloff are not monsters for trying to soundtrack a generation’s happy memories. Perhaps there is room for a loveless genre, perhaps it could be the new hip-hop and She, Sir will at the top giving it their 50 cent. She, Sir’s debut EP ‘Who Can’t Say Yes’ is out now, only the shallow could resist. KD

She, Sir - The Clandestine

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy EP: Who Can't Say Yes
Year: 2006

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If you like Christmas music then you'll love the mp3hugger curated Christmas compilation 'An Indiecater Christmas', you can buy it here!

Ellinor Blixt is from Sweden, lives in Berlin and is obviously in love with music. So much so that almost everything she makes is freely available from her website. It’s early days and I tend to get overly dramatic when I hear something special but this girl truly has the potential to be a world-beater. How can you tell, well just take a listen to the 2 tracks here. One is an original Blixt composition, the second an original cover of a seasonal favourite. Both are easy on the ear, lulling you into a false sense of familiarity until you realise that something big and clever is underway. Ellinor coos and fidgets nice noises from her acoustic guitar while a shard of electronica backs the ethereal utterances. Now if she could only dream up a better moniker. KD

Bobby Baby - Lucky Moments

Bobby Baby - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Watch The Video To Goodbye Love

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy: Bobby Baby Loves To Dance EP
Year: 2006

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