Buttress O’Kneel

Well, I gotta start this off with admitting that I pretty much know nothing about mashups or dubstep. I’m a fan of the classic dub sounds from Jamaica like King Tubby or The Scientist, but I am aware that they really don’t have that much in common and am completely clueless when it comes to the modern stuff. So apologies up front if I make no sense on this. That said, there’s something brilliant about what Australian Buttress O’Keefe creates that makes me laugh out loud from sheer surprise. Her remixes and cross-pollination of modern as well as forgotten hits are just jawdropping and truly creative pieces of insane art.

Listening to her latest album Avant Retro: Post-Tardcore I find myself being thrilled and gleefully anticipating what’s coming next. Mix Eurythmics with Joy Division? Consider it done. Add some DEVO, MC Hammer, Nirvana and the damn kitchen sink to the mix too while you’re at it. This is definitely not for everyone but I found it a true masterpiece creatively speaking and you should definitely give this a try. Brilliant!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://buttressokneel.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://interwebmegalink.net/

Opposite Sex

New Zealand trio (and sometimes just duo) The Opposite Sex offers up a real odd sort of dadaist pop with a hint of darkness to it on their self-titled debut album. With a sound that can only be the result of isolation, the band was formed when female bassplayer Lucy Hunter met future drummer/used bookstore owner Tim Player, with guitarist Fergus Taylor occasionally filling out the line-up. Impossible to describe I’d say it’s minimalist pop music with tons of waltz thrown in, some early art-punk and a slight French ye-ye influence.

Truly a unique, alternative pop band with a sound of their own, their debut is an oddity but charming as hell and really grows on you the more you listen to it. To top it off, Lucy’s sugary, “cutesy” vocal gives it a sort of demented quality that I really fell for. Is “insanely cute” a good description? Anyway, some free downloads and it’s available on CD and vinyl as well!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://oppositesex.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://fishriderrecords.wordpress.com/opposite_sex/

Julie Christmas

I love juxtapositions and if you ever toyed with the idea of what Bjork fronting Queens of the Stone Age would sound like you should definitely listen to Julie Christmas debut album The Bad Wife! Released in November on Rising Pulse Records, the album is her first solo effort (she handles vocals in Made Out Of Babies) and offers up nine tracks co-written with members from Candiria, Victory at Sea and Tony Maimone.

Basically a very original take on stoner rock, the music is at times lush and other just pure brutality with a nice experimental edge to it. There’s a great contrast between Julie’s sometimes pixie-like vocal sweetness and the sheer heaviness of the music itself that’s just awesome! Bringing to mind Josh Homme‘s more quirky musical endeavors – if you’re into the Desert Sessions series you’ll love this – I was pretty blown away by this album and highly recommend it. Available on iTunes, CD and vinyl too!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://juliechristmas.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://www.myspace.com/juliechristmas

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan

For a true slice of unique music I can highly recommend pan-Asian project Yamantaka // Sonic Titan‘s debut album YT//ST. Downright impossible to label, the band is a collective formed by performance artists alaska B and Ruby Kato Attwood mixing up tons of influences in order to create what they themselves call Noh-Wave operas.

A blend of stoner, electronica, industrial noise and Chinese folk music, I was blown away by this outfit’s sheer creativity and even though it certainly won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, just give ’em a listen and discover something truly out there!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://yamantakasonictitan.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://www.ytstlabs.com/

Megachurch

Well, I’ve already given these guys a plug by interviewing them in the latest issue of CRKO Magazine, but thought I’d give them some exposure here as well. Cleveland trio Megachurch is one odd outfit that offers up a brand of technical instrumental stoner rock that truly is one of a kind! I got hooked when I stumbled across a live clip on YouTube and a week later was an owner of their first self-titled EP. Two bassplayers, one drummer and tons of samples from crazed television preachers is their forte – and they’re damn good at it!

If you’re a fan of stoner rock, or just eclectic music in general, these guys sure offer up a different take on the genre with some nice, unspected twists and turns reminding me of those quirky hardcore outfits from late 80’s early 90’s. One EP, one full length and this past summer they released the EP MEGACHIP, covering their own first EP – Nintendo Entertainment System-style! Check ’em out!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://megachurch.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://facebook.com/megachurch

High Pop

Well, here’s a charming oddity for you! US outfit High Pop‘s second EP Hippie Speed Ball offers up something he/they (?) call “Charlie Sheen Lo-Fi Garage Pop” (that’s a first huh?). We’re talking a somewhat noisy lo-fi hybrid of garage and pop with some weirdness thrown in every now and then for good measure. If you can imagine Beck meets the early tapes of Jay Reatard you’re halfway there.

Definitely not everybodys cup of tea, but I found it at least funny and interesting. Not too much information available about the band or release I’m afraid, but you can contact Shaun directly on Facebook. The release is available on cassette as well!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://highpopforever.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://highpopforever.tumblr.com/