DOWNLOAD: Junk Culture - West Coast (MP3)

"Junk Culture is a new project by Deepak Mantena, a recent signing to Illegal Art, home of Girl Talk, Steinski, Bran Flakes and more. Junk Culture's debut EP, "West Coast," features sound tapestries created from mixing fractured vocals with pop hooks and samples, all run through a handheld recorder, which gives his constructions a gritty, lo-fi, loop-based sound, and an overall euphoric warmth. Leading up to this release, Deepak would capture field recordings, samples of songs he really liked, and samples of himself playing instruments on a cheap pocket recorder, all of which sounded fresh to his ears. "West Coast" embodies these "fresh" sounds, and employs them for what Deepak describes as "a love letter to outer space -- it gets desperate and schizophrenic as the record plays out, but is a sort of celebration of spirit as a whole." It is essentially Deepak's manifesto of energetic raw sound that transcends rigid genres, and is textural, emotive and compelling."

Some may remember Deepak Mantena from his short stint in 2007 as a Brooklyn Vegan contributor (and a big Animal Collective fan). Check out the self-titled track from his new EP (out October 27, 2009), for free and legal/illegal MP3 download, above. His second still-unnamed EP will follow "in the spring of 2010".

Catch Deepak's label-mate Greg Gillis aka Girl Talk this Sunday, August 23rd, at the Williamsburg Waterfront aka this week's free JellyNYC Pool Party which I (and everyone) predict will be MGMT-packed (unless it rains maybe). Max Tundra and Wiz Khalifa open.

Catch Deepak (Junk Culture) when he opens for Girl Talk at three non-NYC shows in September. Those and other dates are below...

Continue reading "Junk Culture signs to Illegal Art (MP3) +++ Girl Talk Sunday"

by Deepak Mantena

DOWNLOAD: Panda Bear - Bro's (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rusty Santos - Moving Time (MP3)

Panda Bear @ 93 Feet East, London - Mar 8th, 2007 (CRED)

Panda Bear is playing some shows this week - two at NYC's Bowery Ballroom, and one in Baltimore, and one in Philly. Along with him at each of the shows will be a circus of friends of the band. Whether you scored a ticket to one of the sold out shows or not, here is a handy guide to the Panda Bear openers...

Rusty Santos (CRED)

Rusty Santos (June 18 @ Bowery) is a New York singer-songwriter whose most notable Animal Collective connection is helping them record their 2004 album Sung Tongs for Fat Cat Records. As well, he helped with production on several Panda Bear records, including the acclaimed Person Pitch.

Kria Brekken (CRED)

Kria Brekken (Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir - formerly of Múm) (June 18 @ Bowery) and Avey Tare of Animal Collective released this year's Pullhair Rubeye. She is also married to Avey. The duo previously played many live shows together.

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Continue reading "A guide to Panda Bear's openers"