52 Weeks of New Released - 2013 - Honorable Mentions Part 2

...And we're back to the Best of 2013 with the Honorable Mentions Part 2.  These are the bands that haven't made the top 52, but were noteworthy nonetheless.  I've enjoyed these albums and I hope you'll enjoy them as well.

Top Less - Top Less - Self-Released

The full name of the band annoyingly is "Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party" (try saying this on-the-air).  The band reminds of Kudu and Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, now known as Brite Futures (whose album "Glistening Pleasures" has a soft spot in my heart).  Oddly enough, Top Less actually toured with Brite Future recently.  They have a fun, but not fully developed sound.  I look forward to their future releases.

Keep Shelly in Athens - At Home - Cascine

Keep Shelly in Athens release of "At Home" trods ground familiar to those who enjoy bands like Austra or Chromatics.  It's in a similar vein, but less goth and more prominent is the influence of bands like the Cocteau Twins and Kate Bush.  I could easily see this release on a label like Italians Do It Better. "Oostende" is a stand out track on this full length.

Heavenly Beat - Prominence - Captured Tracks

 A bit of Spanish guitar in some of the tracks.  Not your typical Show Show fare, however solid album with a different sound.  Breathy vocals and an almost Mediterranean feel are omnipresent on this album.

OMD - English Electric - BMG

I found this album to be a step in the right direction after their "History of Modern" release in 2010.  This is a bit more uplifting album if you're only used to only 80's OMD.  Metroland is a nice dance track which you'll find in the video below.  Be forewarned though 80's bands making music in the 2013s can exude cheese which is abundant on this album (however it should be expected at this point).

 
Run DMT - Self-Entitled - Self-Released

If you're not a fan of dubstep you should just skip over this one.  I, myself, am not a terribly huge fan of the standard set-up, wait for the drop, mechanical dubstep-shit.  This is a bit different sounding however, and quite a bit heavy.  This music is a synthesis of hip hop, and metal to bring you a new EDM experience.  As a bit of warning, this music sounds much better at higher volumes with MOAR bass.

Ishi - Digital Wounds - Internal Records

More of a DFA records feel dance music album without the James Murphy influence.  No rough edges on these tracks, very glossy refined feel to them. A lot of the songs have a very similar sound to them which detracts a bit from the release.