Music heads in a new direction

by Juhi Gupta, Video & Photo Editor|March 9, 2013

Tommy Au

Summer Camp performing at Backstage Live in Hong Kong.

The rapidly expanding world of music has led to the creation of hundreds of different genres, many of which frequently escape the public eye. Check out the innovative and fresh music of the following artists that are quickly emerging from the underground alternative scene.

Summer Camp

LONDON – Hailing from England and managed by the London-based Moshi Moshi Records, Summer Camp is the retro lo-fi indie project of Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley. The quirky duo was formed in October 2009 and gained popularity quickly via their Myspace page, producing music reminiscent of 60’s bubblegum pop and 80’s New Wave electronica.

Anonymity was Summer Camp’s strong point in the beginning of its career, as the pair created videos to their singles by rearranging footage from old movies, attracting much online attention. Their current discography includes two EPs, Young (2010) and Always (2012), and their full-length debut album Welcome to Condale which was released in late 2011.

The real style of Summer Camp’s music is hard to define, with fans categorizing them as avid participants of shoegaze, chillwave, dream pop, and more; the band’s music videos further prove their associations with these throwback genres, utilizing Warhol-esque split screen methods and intentional color correction. Their first single, “Ghost Train,” complete with stadium echoes and stereo quality fuzz, was paired with a video that could possibly best describe their style: a hazy, nostalgic selection of clips from the 1969 movie Last Summer, featuring a set of three ephemerally carefree teenagers at the beach.

 

Through their music, videos, and their name, even Summer Camp is convinced that they are unparalleled in music for the rapidly-approaching sun spell — with just enough foundation in modern indie pop to make one feel at home while exploring the wonders of previous decades.

Recommended tracks: “Better Off Without You”, “Two Chords”, “Down”

Dot Dash

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Four-piece alternative-pop outfit Dot Dash formed in 2010, emerging from the Washington, D.C. indie rock scene. After the breakup of their former band Julie Ocean, guitarist/vocalist Terry Banks and bassist Hunter Bennett began their hunt for band members – a need that was soon filled by drummer Danny Ingram and guitarist Bill Crandal.

The group took their name from 70s English rock band Wire, and put out their first album Spark>Flame>Ember>Ash in 2011. The record compiled 14 songs that they’d recorded in three afternoons, and was followed by their sophomore album Winter Garden Light in September of 2012. Both albums, released through Canadian label The Beautiful Music, employ distortion-affected yet intricate instrumentals, and tracks hinting at mellow prog-rock and britpop origins, bringing to mind bands like R.E.M. or The Verve.

Banks’ songwriting and vocal prowess shine through every single one of Dot Dash’s tracks, mimicking a higher fidelity Lou Reed or a less angst-ridden Robert Smith. With a nu-gaze and post-punk feel, the albums are easy to get lost in with their praiseworthy execution (possibly due to the fact that they are all established, experienced musicians) and are perhaps the epitome of 21st century feel-good alternative music.

The track “Live To Tell” from their second album is available for free download from their Bandcamp site, along with both of their albums for $7 each.

Recommended tracks: “Shouting in the Rain”, “No Reverie”

Shy Kids

TORONTO – With steadily growing press attention and only three officially released songs, Shy Kids is a Toronto-based band that has recently been on the underground alternative radar. The band’s lyrics, veiled under upbeat percussive anthems and layered chorus singing, resonate with and cover popular topics of adolescent contemplation.

The band’s debut EP Field Trips (2012) has amassed popularity by means of social media website Tumblr: many have expressed their thoughts on the potentially controversial music via their blogs. Shy Kids’ dreamy Animal-Collective-meets-MGMT vibe is produced by members Patrick Cederberg, Matthew Hornick, and Walter Woodman.

Despite their few tracks, many blogs and news sites have done interviews with the good-natured and honest members. Ironically, the band’s music is anything but shy – with intricate instrumental patterns and a spacey psychedelic atmosphere, the tracks have received multiple rave reviews complimenting their self-production expertise and lyrical mastery. The iconic line “Now they’re teens and sayin’, ‘Where’s our Kurt Cobain? Who do we pray to?’” from “Raise ‘em Right,” the first track off their EP, has been a subject of much appreciation from various critics across the web.

Field Trips is available on Shy Kids’ website for free download or for a “name your price.”

Recommended Tracks: “Raise ‘em Right”, “In The Puddin’”