Have you ever heard music done so well that it transports your mind and soul into some other place you have never been? Sigur Rós specialises in that sort of music. The band returned to the scene with their new album Valtari very recently and the world welcomed their delicate sound back with open arms. The whole album was streamed live on Sigur Rós’s website, transformed into an experience called “Valtari Hour”. If you have missed the stream, NPR has it up as well.

Ekki Múkk was the first single released. The song is very ‘Sigur Rós’, in a way where it has the signature elements of the group’s consistent work like the famous “Fyoo”-ing and heavy ambient background. Jónsi’s smooth falsetto glides over easily, alongside with the violins and piano which are like small little audio ripples across the tune. Ekki Múkk is calming and moody at times but it holds depth and promise of revelation. What I personally adore is the dragging of the beat by the piano chords and Jónsi’s voice near the end. It is the second song off the album but to me, it feels like you are at the end of a year and looking back at the happenings before. Valtari is the album we have been waiting for, I hardly think it disappoints and Ekki Múkk, though not my choice of a single if I can have it, is gorgeous and transcending.

Valtari is out May 28.

Creating music these days has gotten easier, as long as you have the right equipment and access to the internet you can pretty much make it as a musician. Of course, what is most important is also the quality of the tunes you put out. Marcel Everett is someone who shows that you can become name-dropped if you have the talent.

The 16 year-old, who comes from Orlando, Florida, has been featured and mentioned by various popular websites like thefoxisblack and XLR8R for his amazing musical creations. One of which has been on constant replay on my iPod. ‘Love Isn’t Made’ is a well-produced track that at first listen, sounds like something Pogo/Nick Bertke would do. However, as the track goes on, you realise that Everett seems to have the skills and abilities similar to quite a few of the top producers out there on the scene. I personally feel like his work would fit well along with Jamie XX’s or Four Tet’s. ‘Love Isn’t Made’ is light in terms of melody but rather crisp on the percussion side. Sort of ambient but much more immediate than what you would expect.

XXYYXX’s self-titled album is available on his bandcamp profile but I would definitely love to see this guy get the major amount of exposure he deserves.

EVERYONE’S BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FILM FOR THE PAST 2 MONTHS! So I thought I should give it a chance. The Avengers is Marvel’s Justice League, comprising of big favourites: Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor, Captain America, The Black Widow and Hawk-Eye. It is definitely an action-based film, there is hardly a second without some form of fighting. I shall try not to spoil the story for those who have yet to catch this but you can probably guess the vague notion of it. A problem arises, the team is formed but with such a big amount of ego involved, they have to go through their own personal obstacles too.

What I would like to talk about is the good acting in the film. The plot to me, personally, was a bit lacklustre, the characters were not explored to their full potential. The actors and actresses, however, were able to pull the most prominent features in the characters’ personalities and save the show from being another generic blockbuster. I particularly liked Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal of The Hulk/Bruce Banner, especially the antsy part of Banner and his preference to be left alone. Robert Downey Jr. of course does Iron Man as he always has, delivering his arrogant and cheeky lines with a good dose of sarcasm. The villain, Loki, was also an interesting one. Tom Hiddleston’s facial expressions in the movie is not unlike Heath Ledger’s Joker but Loki is more calm-crazy than hysterical.

The effects were great and at certain times, I felt like I did not know where to look because of so much going on. (note: I did not watch the film in 3D but digital instead.) Overall, I think that The Avengers is worth visiting the cinema for because you just will not get the same atmosphere watching it in front of your laptop screen. It is also more fun if you have someone to go with! Its not a film for you to dwell on much after but really just for a good experience.

For the upcoming action fantasy flick, Snow White and The Huntsman, Florence + The Machine has contributed a song for the soundtrack titled ‘Breath of Life’. Its nothing surprising to be honest, Florence has always preferred to use the ‘big’ sounds for her tunes but if you were to compare this song to her other works, it is a tad more theatrical. Florence’s strong vocals seem to blend easily with the instruments and at certain points she sounds regal and prophetic even. With the orchestral touch, its not difficult to feel like you are a part of the song and movie. Unfortunately, too much of a good thing can come off too much, ‘Breath of Life’ can get too grand and the ending was very much anti-climatic. However, for a first-time soundtrack contributor, Florence has done her job well and I feel that with more practice, she could be the Billboard version of Danny Elfman.

I will always remember Yuck as “the band with the loudest noise and a singer who loves denim”. Had the chance to catch their set during Laneway earlier this year and I was really impressed by how well their live performance was. Their sound is pretty much following the shoe-gaze trend in the music scene this few years but I think Yuck will stand out because they seemed to be combined of all the great parts of bands like MBV, Sonic Youth and The Jesus and Mary Chain. And way catchier too. (I love all the older shoe-gaze bands but sometimes I just cannot GET it.)

“Chew” is the latest single to be released (not physically yet though) by the band this year. The song is dirty and rough and the phrase “chew it together” gets stuck in your head for hours. Also, they have a really good guitar solo in the bridge which could have come off as cheesy but in “Chew”, it seems fitting. Overall, Yuck has not changed much in terms of their music but that’s okay because if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

• Spiritualized: Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
• Jack White: Blunderbuss
• Toro Y Moi: June 2009
• Ariel Pink & R. Stevie Moore: Ku Klux Glam
• My Bloody Valentine: Loveless/Is Anything reissues
• Beach House: Bloom
• Craft Spells: Gallery
• Gossip: A Joyful Noise
• Sigur Rós: Valtari
• Crocodiles: Endless Flowers
• Liars: WIXIW
• Patti Smith: Banga
• Flying Lotus: Until The Quiet Comes
• Crystal Castles
• M.I.A.
• The XX
• Tame Impala

Jai Paul returns! And he returns with a bang, might I say. The British songwriter-producer released his demo for a new song named “Jasmine” on his Soundcloud profile just yesterday. 

The demo starts off with a deep, pulsating bassline, with funky riffs slowly fading in and then what is presumably Jai Paul’s voice following in. His style is still consistent from the previous song he released “BTSU”, heavy with influences from R&B but with enough skills not to go into the ‘Usher’ zone. More of a ‘Justin Timberlake’ I would say. However, Jai Paul is in his own league with “Jasmine” and the track will prove it. Soft crooning and fluid synthlines, he may take extremely long to put his work out but I have a feeling Jai Paul will never disappoint whenever he does. The song has already made its way into Pitchfork’s Best New Track category and with various artists like Four Tet, Mount Kimbie and Edwin Congreave (of Foals) backing him up, it is sure that ‘Jasmine’ will be on the playlists of many people for months to come.

GRIMES = OBLIVION

Claire Boucher is the pop artist you have never really expected. When the 24-year-old released her video for her new single, Oblivion, there was an immediate response with the internet crowd. To be honest, I have never heard of her works before but after hearing her alias name ‘Grimes’ floating around blogs and some pictures of her in Dazed and Confused, I decided to ‘Youtube’ her (as you do) and I was pleasantly surprised.

Grimes is essentially, an electro-pop artist in my opinion but you can put Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into that category as well. Grimes, however, has a certain twist to her work. Oblivion is a great example to show why she might just become the next cult icon. The song has a bouncy keyboard bassline, paired with Claire’s almost whispering, high-pitched vocals. Her lisp is noticeable but it pushes the whimsical aspect of her image and sound. A very catchy number, I personally think it is great as a ‘walking’ song.

In the video, Claire is seen dancing and moving around in the middle of two sports arena and she stands out among the huge crowds full of roaring fans, like a pixie with candy-coloured hair. She mingles with a few of the fans and the video ends off with a mosh pit. Absolutely unrelated to the song itself but it works, it sells Grimes as a musician to me.

Visions is Grimes’s third album and was released in stores on January 31st, 2012. 

Finally they return to the scene! After a long wait of two years (okay so I am impatient, sue me), the duo from Baltimore, Maryland are back with a single release from their upcoming new album, Bloom.

The song is called Myth and was put up on the internet via the band’s official twitter (@BeacccheHoussse). Just barely ten seconds in and you would recognise the signature looping of riffs but what makes this different this time, is the addition of heavy tribal drumbeats in the background. Then of course, Victoria Legrand’s sultry voice is layered over like the voice that speaks to you in your mind (at least for me it does), light and ethereal. Alex Scally’s guitar swoops in and adds to the escapism of the song, something the band’s style has always been very good at. 

Myth is one step up the musical ladder for Beach House, it is not a big move from their previous album (Teen Dream) but there is indication that the band is moving forwards gradually and we can always appreciate that. 

Beach House’s new album, Bloom, is out in stores on May 15 2012.