Σ-Fly is our newest downtempo favorite, with a lowkey style to rival that of James Blake. For those of you not familiar with the Greek alphabet, that’s pronounced Sigmafly. Real name: Tom Holmes from Manchester, UK. He’s from the same label, Warminal Records, as the recently featured Essáy.

The Tetrachrome EP is a wondrous collection, contemplative and melancholy. I imagine myself sinking into a leather armchair near a fireplace, glass of scotch in hand, as the faint hi-hats and beats set the stage for a Descartes-inspired inquiry into an existence proof of consciousness.

Download  And We Begin With Colour - Σ-Fly

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Download  Tetrachrome - Σ-Fly

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Download the full EP on Bandcamp.

 

P.S. Please pardon the slowdown in posting so far this week. Exams and family circumstances occupied my waking hours.

- Switch

A Bristol, U.K. based musician, Stumbleine has produced perhaps the most enchantingly numbing EPs that I’ve ever heard. The range of musical expression particularly stands out. Some songs are characterized by a slow, deep beat and distant, almost fuzzy vocals, while others have a more ambient, melodic style that rely heavily on keyboards and synths to set the daydreamy atmosphere.

I especially want to show you this one song titled “Ember,” released a month ago through SoundCloud and Bandcamp as part of the four-track Rose Tinted EP.

Download  Ember – Stumbleine

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But you shouldn’t just stop here. Visit the Bandcamp page and you can get two full EPs and a remix package. They’re all equally as awesome or even better. I promise.

Alternatively, just hit play on Stumbleine’s SoundCloud tracks:

 

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 You may remember Chagall from our review of her debut EP just two weeks ago. And by now you should certainly be familiar with Saturday Night Gym Club.

Just last week, I was tipped off about a collaboration and possible remix that they were working on together, and now we’ve just got the first fruits of that collaboration. Available to stream: Saturday Night Gym Club’s rework of the Chagall single (the one I was raving about) “A Walk In The Dark.”

Retaining the heartfelt expression of the original, but with the chopped vocals and lush electronic soundscape that are now trademarks of the SNGC story-telling sound, the ambient vibe of the rework is like a magical overture to your soul.

 

A Walk In The Dark (Saturday Night Gym Club Rework) – Chagall

Memorable moments: the opening two notes, the introduction of the drum samples at 1:15, the open-ended space after the second chorus (2:23).

 

There’s still more collaborative awesomeness (and purchase links) to come, so follow our Twitter feed to stay up-to-date.

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Taking their name from an optical illusion that seems three-dimensional when viewed from a specific angle, Phantogram have already been touring for a few years now after releasing their debut album in 2009. From their Nightlife EP released in November, “Dont Move” is a trippy melodic journey that follows the band’s self-characterization as “dream pop.” If you’re a fan of Beach House, The xx, Portishead, etc., then Phantogram is perfect for you.

Download  Don’t Move – Phantogram  +

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In addition to “Don’t Move,” here are a few of their older singles from the Eyelid Movies album. My marker for an indie band’s success is if RAC chooses to remix them, and they pass that test with “When I’m Small.”

Download  Mouthful Of Diamonds – Phantogram

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Download  When I’m Small – Phantogram

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Download  When I’m Small (RAC Mix) – Phantogram

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- Switch