Week #4: Niki & the Dove / Balún / Trophy Wife / Zombie Computer

Being a Swedish woman, Niki & the Dove's Malin Dahlström is inevitably going to reap in the comparisons to fellow Scandinavians Karen Dreijer Andersson and Lykke Li. Her voice sounds like theirs' too, which doesn't exactly detract from the similarity.
However, you will also find that N&tD's music is thoroughly spooky and extremely catchy (oh wait, the other two do the same too, nevermind). But just try listening to this song without its subtly invasive tune implant itself in your brain. 'Mother Protect''s effects-infused backdrop of panpipes and complex bongo'ed rhythms is rather perplexing and rather cool, you'll have to admit.

Balún are from Puerto Rico and create spaced out dream-pop; a fusion of chilled Passion Pit-esque synths, nonsensical (to us) ramblings reminiscent of Sigur Ros and bells and clicks like those employed many a time by Icelanders Amiina. It's lovely, lovely downtempo music. New single, 'Camila', is a free download at their myspace. Enjoy.

  

Cork's Zombie Computer conjure up mysterious, dark landscapes painted over with a sinister sheen of distortion, combining the two to create brilliant, hook-laden anthems, with their accents brought to the fore. Having only formed in June last year, the band are set to release debut full-length, 'Indian Summer', on June 21st on Psychonavigation records. Check out a free download of 'Honest Lies', a tune from the forthcoming LP, courtesy of their bandcamp:

The last time I banged on about Trophy Wife was back in September with my premature bands for 2011 feature. Since then they have become rather more prominent, but not as much as I would have hoped. New single, 'The Quiet Earth', is yet another danceable slice of songsmithery from the Oxford clan, and is released on double A-side alongside 'White Horses' on February 28th, on Moshi Moshi. If my maths is right, that gives them a month to get lots of publicity before they can get their number one.