Colourmusic: f, monday, orange, february, venus, lunatic, 1 or 13 (Great Society)

Colourmusic: f, monday, orange, february, venus, lunatic, 1 or 13 (Great Society) - Basing their work on Newton’s colour theory, whereby a prism decomposes white light into a visible spectrum, the Oklahoma based indie-rock quintet Colourmusic take the white light of the sun and fragment it into shimmering pools of psychedelic pop.  Playful guitars, keyboards, ebullient rhythms and loads of human expressionism in the form of harmonies and handclaps coalesce into energizing summer sounds where catchy melodies abound.  Recommended. 

The UglySuit: The UglySuit (Quarterstick)

The UglySuit: The UglySuit (Quarterstick) - Oklahoma six-piece The UlgySuit engage some Chicago post-rock aesthetic in crafting their atmospheric dream-pop.  Themes of hope and love resonate in the reverb soaked harmonies as a balanced deployment of swirling guitar intensity, grounded piano and spiritual organ raise ones spirits.  Overall, the sound is bright, breezy and Recommended. 

Kristoffer Ragnstam: Wrong Size of the Room (Bluhammock)

Kristoffer Ragnstam: Wrong Size of the Room (Bluhammock) - The sophomore LP from Swedish singer-songwriter Kristoffer Ragnstam packs quite a punch. While lyrical tales of tortured characters struggle to cope, exceptionally seductive pop entwines the unsuspecting listener. Fuzzy guitars, effervescent rhythms, layered voices and restrained keys have a familiar yet refreshing sound. A recommended shot of quality indie pop.

Laura Marling: Alas I Cannot Swim (Astralwerks)

Laura Marling: Alas I Cannot Swim (Astralwerks) – British coffeehouse folk artist 18 year old singer/songwriter Laura Marling has an alluringly husky voice and expressive phrasing style. She considers her primary influence to be Bonnie "Prince" Billy. With the aid of producer Charlie Fink (Noah And The Whale), the music ranges from sparse statements of her graceful acoustic guitar and subtle background textures to tasteful swells of full ensemble, horns, and strings. Overall, it’s an enjoyable folk-tinged AAA pop record that reveals its beauty on repeated listens. Recommended.

Ra Ra Riot: The Rhumn Line (Barsuk)

Ra Ra Riot: The Rhumb Line (Barsuk) - Shortly after releasing their inaugural EP, Ra Ra Riot’s drummer drowned in the ocean after a Massachusetts show. This incident weighs heavily on their LP debut. While there’s lots of death and water imagery throughout, there is also a triumphant, life-affirming, moving on resolve in the music. The Rhumb Line is catchy indie pop with rich cello and violin backing. Recommended.

Pop Levi: Never Never Love (Counter Records)

Pop Levi: Never Never Love (Counter Records) - British glam-pop artist Pop Levi likes to keep you confused. Though the focus in on glossy vocals and synthesizer / beat box based instrumentation, the curve-balls of folky acoustic guitar strums and organic rhythmic loops keep things from melting down. Fire on your feet, indeed. Recommended.

Rafter: Sweaty Magic [ep] (Asthmatic Kitty)

Rafter: Sweaty Magic [ep] (Asthmatic Kitty) - San Diego's Rafter presents his version of a late summer dance party. Fueled on pop radio and passion, Sweaty Magic slices and dices sultry sounds of summer into his own kaleidoscopic electro dance pop. Recommended.