Mistletone

Hey everyone!

Hope you’re excited for this summer as we are. It will be the most incredible, all-consuming summer schedule, with so many wondrous bands setting sail for our shores. Hold on tight…

THE FIELD

• “If Willner doesn’t hit at least some of your pleasure centres, your nerve endings might actually be dead.” – PITCHFORK

The time is nigh for the rhythmic repetitive radness of Swedish electronic futurists The Field, who hit our shores next week for their first ever Australian shows.

The Field’s Axel Willner startled the world with the incredible Kompakt debut From Here We Go Sublime and has since been much in demand as a remixer, with celebrated tracks from Thom Yorke to Battles to Maps. He’s now bringing his blissed-out blend of minimal techno, jittery synths and warm electronics to our shores for the first time, with the added rock-band energetics of a live rhythm section.

Check out this clip of The Field performing live at Primavera Sound in May if you want to get a sense of what their live show sounds/feels like. We were lucky to be there at this performance and it was smashing in every way. See you on the ambient dance floor for the immersive, voracious live experience that is The Field!

THE FIELD TOUR DATES:

THU DEC 9 MELBOURNE EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB w/ special guests Qua + Kharkov + DJ Tim Shiel. * SELLING FAST!
Presented by Triple R. Tickets on sale now through the venue.

FRI DEC 10 MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL.

SAT DEC 11 SYDNEY THE GAELIC w/special guests Mark Pritchard – Harmonic 313 + Domeyko/Gonzalez + DJ KALI (Picnic). Presented by FBi Radio. Tickets on sale now through Moshtix.

EL GUINCHO

• “The soundtrack of a thousand house parties this summer” – DRUM MEDIA

Mistletone proudly presents El Guincho, direct from Barcelona and touring Australia for the third time: this time around, as a three piece led by one-man, space-age exotica party machine, Pablo Diaz-Reixa.

El Guincho’s infectious, ecstatic tribal beats and Spanish language chants make it literally impossible to feel sad! The syncopated beats and eternal pop sunshine hits are the aural equivalent of warm beach breezes from Pablo’s native Canary Islands. So rejoice, sun-seekers: here comes El Guincho and here comes summer, just when we need them the most!

ps. If you haven’t checked out El Guincho’s “Bombay” video, a bonkers (and very fun) tribute to Carl Sagan’s Cosmos featuring a bevy of bare-breasted beauties, toe sucking, guns, vacuum sex and various other fetishes, do so here (warning: definitely Not Safe For Work). To quote a recent interview: (Interviewer): “There’s a lot of boobs in the video!” Pablo: “Well, there’s a lot of boobs in the world (laughs).”

EL GUINCHO TOUR DATES:

FRI DEC 10 SYDNEY THE GAELIC w/- Catcall + megastick fanfare + DJ Tyson Koh. Tickets on sale now through Moshtix.

SAT DEC 11  MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL.

MON DEC 13. HAPPY MONDAYS ROOFTOP SHOW w/ Washed Out + DJ Cameron Bird. * SOLD OUT!
Rooftop Bar, Curtin House, Level 7 / 252 Swanston St, City. 

WED DEC 15 MELBOURNE EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB w/- Rat vs Possum, Mark Barrage + DJ Tim Shiel. Presented by Triple R. Tickets on sale now through the venue. * SELLING FAST!

THU DEC 16 BRISBANE WOODLAND Coniston Lane (off Mclachlan Street), Fortitude Valley w/- Toy Balloon + DJ Charlie Why. Co-presented by Happy Endings. Tickets on sale now through Oztix.
* NOTE VENUE CHANGE! Tickets purchased for Clubhouse show will be valid for Woodland show.

FRI DEC 17 PERTH THE BAKERY w/- Carbuncle, Naik vs Kit Pop and DJ Rex Monsoon. Co-presented by Life is Noise and RTRFM. Tickets on sale now from Life is Noise, 78s, Mills and Planet.

THE ORBWEAVERS

• “Introspective, intuitive, narcotic narratives entwined with orchestral, sweeping soundscapes that recall the most alluring parts of Mazzy Star and Isobel Campbell’s musical aesthetic. A pensive Melbourne collective who continue to soak up the ethereal vibes of the the universe and present them to us in the form of mystical song” – INPRESS

New signings to Mistletone The Orbweavers were formed by Marita Dyson & Stuart Flanagan in 2006, humming along to the corrugated iron reverb and sewing machine ghosts of Brunswick’s derelict textile mills. Drawing on a love of history, natural sciences, museums and libraries, the pair began writing songs on scrap catalogue cards by day, and playing in the kitchen by night.

There has been much intense and loving local attention for The Orbweavers’ recently released double A-side single Japanese Mountains/Spotswood, a tribute to Japanese volcanoes and the historic Spotswood Sewerage Pumping Station from their forthcoming second album Loom (set for release on Mistletone in mid 2010). Mournful nostalgia is in the water.

The Orbweavers reveal newly woven songs from Loom amongst older tunes dating from their 2009 debut Graphite & Diamonds in the front bar of Melbourne’s elegantly wood panelled Edinburgh Castle Hotel from 5 – 7 pm, on the first three Saturdays of December (4th, 11th and 18th). Entry is free.

AVEY TARE – DOWN THERE (MIST042)

Mistletone recently released Down There, the first solo album as Avey Tare by Animal Collective’s Dave Portner, and it has been stealthily casting its subterranean spell. Some review ravings below; check out the crocodile-infested video for Lucky 1 (hand drawn and created by Dave’s sister, Abby) here.

• “Down There is shimmering, cerebral pop, all the way from the swamp floor” – MUSIC AUSTRALIA GUIDE
• “Obsessive and engaging, this fucking rules” – TRIPLE J MAG (8 out of 10)
• “A low-key album full of hidden charms and delightful touches” – RAVE MAGAZINE (4 stars)
• “Tare has bared his niggling neuroses to the light, with results that are oppressive, introverted and weird. Highly recommended” – THE BRAG (4 stars)
• “Melds breathy voice with ambient tones and looped, echoey notes, all delayed, all distorted. It’s warm and it’s deliciously cavernous” – BEAT
• “There’s something simultaneously stupid and dementedly genius about the way the tunes are put together, and this is what is so great. There are no precedents. This is the way a solo album from Animal Collective should sound” – INPRESS

BEACH HOUSE

• “Victoria Legrand has one of the voices of our generation” – Oliver Sim, the xx (THE GUARDIAN BEST SOUNDS OF 2010)

Beach House have been described as the most powerful make-out band in existence; which may be why tickets are selling so fast for their Laneway sideshow in Melbourne, with one of their two Sydney Festival shows already sold out. This year has been phenomenal for Beach House; their third album Teen Dream (out now on Mistletone/Inertia) has been a runaway indie success, transforming them from blogosphere darlings to a breakout band who’s sold out shows all over the northern hemisphere and played just about every festival you can name.

You might have noticed that Beach House are the “voice” of Sydney Festival with Norway featured as the music bed for the beautiful hand-drawn animation television ad; watch it here.

BEACH HOUSE TOUR DATES:

MELBOURNE: Mistletone, Triple R + Inpress present Beach House @ The Hi Fi, Tuesday Jan 25 * SELLING FAST!
+ special guests The Orbweavers + Wintercoats. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

SYDNEY FESTIVAL: Beach House + Parades @ Becks Festival Bar, Wednesday Jan 26. * SELLING FAST!
Doors 8pm. Tickets on sale from the Sydney Festival website.

SYDNEY FESTIVAL: Beach House @ City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Thursday Jan 27. * SOLD OUT!
Doors 9.30pm. This show has SOLD OUT. Go to the Sydney Festival website to join the waitlist and you will be emailed if tickets become available to this event.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SINGAPORE: Saturday Jan 29

LANEWAY FESTIVAL AUCKLAND: Monday Jan 31

LANEWAY FESTIVAL WELLINGTON: Tuesday Feb 1

LANEWAY FESTIVAL BRISBANE: Friday Feb 4

LANEWAY FESTIVAL MELBOURNE: Saturday Feb 5 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SYDNEY: Sunday Feb 6 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL ADELAIDE: Friday Feb 11

LANEWAY FESTIVAL PERTH: Saturday Feb 12

HOLY FUCK

• “It’s tough not to admire Holy Fuck. From the brash irreverence of their name through their dogged devotion to DIY, to their ad hoc musical philosophy; there’s so much right with this band. A quick listen to 2010’s Latin reveals a unit that has only one priority: uncompromisingly energetic instrumental music. It’s gloriously chaotic, kraut-rock-inspired fuzz-pop. No guitars. Aggressively perfect percussion. Assuredly arpeggiated synths. And just enough lo-fi scuzz to seal the tightly-disciplined structures with a chaos that grips you by both ears and drags you with it.” – THE BRAG

Mistletone proudly presents the return of Toronto’s epic electro-noisemakers Holy Fuck, playing Laneway Festival and Sydney Festival, plus a Melbourne headline show. Holy Fuck is fast building a reputation as one of the world’s most killer live bands, fuelled by their chaotic, euphoric energy on stage. Making gloriously hypnotic experimental rock music, this four-piece has earned praise from the likes of Thom Yorke and Lou Reed.

They’ll be joined by My Disco at Beck’s Festival Bar for an unmissable Sydney Festival highlight. And the Melbourne show features a raft of local talent handpicked by the Holy Fuck bros, led by psych-rock guitar heroines Beaches — whose 2008 Mistletone debut was recently named one of The 100 Best Australian Albums, don’t you know! — and their waves of epic sound. Opening the night will be super synth-punk group Total Control, featuring various Eddy Currents, Dick Divers and UV Racers, and one last drop of Melbourne rock royalty blood will be added by DJ Ash Breadcrumb of Witch Hats fame.

Some very interesting reading here in an interview with Holy Fuck’s Brian Borchedt in Sydney mag, The Brag; and if you haven’t yet discovered the joys of Holy Fuck’s Red Lights video, featuring a deadly, Two-Lane Blacktop-inspired cat-and-dog car chase, soundtracked by the band’s own kitties playing instruments, do so here.

HOLY FUCK TOUR DATES:

SYDNEY FESTIVAL: Holy Fuck + My Disco @ Becks Festival Bar (FBi Night), Thursday Jan 27.
Tickets on sale Nov 15 from the Sydney Festival website.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SINGAPORE: Saturday Jan 29

LANEWAY FESTIVAL AUCKLAND: Monday Jan 31

MELBOURNE: Mistletone + Triple R present Holy Fuck @ The Hi Fi, Thursday Feb 3
+ special guests Beaches + Total Control plus DJ Ash Breadcrumb (Witch Hats). Tickets on sale now from the venue.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL BRISBANE: Friday Feb 4

LANEWAY FESTIVAL MELBOURNE: Saturday Feb 5 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SYDNEY: Sunday Feb 6 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL ADELAIDE: Friday Feb 11

LANEWAY FESTIVAL PERTH: Saturday Feb 12

ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI

• “Every track on this superb album is a winner – and, draped in the quiet glamour, fun and stateliness of bygone radio pop-rock, evidence that Ariel has emerged from his bedroom to exact his revenge on Hollywood’s Hills” – BBC REVIEW

Led by outre-pop prankster Ariel Rosenberg, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti‘s mind bogglingly good album Before Today (out now on 4AD / Remote Control) is destined to top many year-end lists. A cult figure from the LA underground for the past decade, Ariel Pink was “discovered” by Animal Collective and revered for his incredible lo-fi home recordings. He’s now crossed over to much bigger audiences thanks to the hi-fi aesthetics of Before Today and its insanely catchy single Round & Round.

Check out this recent performance in Los Angeles for a glimpse of the unpredictable but always compelling — and fun! — Haunted Graffiti live experience that’s heading our way. While you’re at it, have a look at this very awesome clip Wayne Coyne (one of Ariel’s biggest fans) made for Round & Round on his iPhone (we recommend downloading for full effect).

ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI TOUR DATES:

LANEWAY FESTIVAL AUCKLAND: Monday Jan 31

LANEWAY FESTIVAL WELLINGTON: Tuesday Feb 1

LANEWAY FESTIVAL BRISBANE: Friday Feb 4

LANEWAY FESTIVAL MELBOURNE: Saturday Feb 5 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SYDNEY: Sunday Feb 6 * SOLD OUT!

SYDNEY: Mistletone + 2SER + The Brag present Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti @ Manning Bar, Wednesday Feb 9
+ special guests Djanimals + Holy Balm. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

MELBOURNE: Mistletone, Triple R + Beat present Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti @ The Hi-Fi, Thursday Feb 10
+ special guests Pikelet + Lost Animal. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL ADELAIDE: Friday Feb 11

LANEWAY FESTIVAL PERTH: Saturday Feb 12

TORO Y MOI

• “Demonstrating a joy… in the elastic properties of rhythm and sound that immediately recalls Flying Lotus, J Dilla and Madlib” – WIRE

South Carolina electronic pop dreamers Toro Y Moi are on their way for their first ever Australian tour. Best described as a
kaleidescopic homage to French house, R&B, indie rock and psychedelia, Toro Y Moi will perform as a full band, featuring main man Chaz Bundick on vocals, keyboards, sampling and looping, plus a drummer and a bassist to flesh out his organic sound
palette.

Mistletone is set to release Toro Y Moi’s new album Underneath the Pine on February 23rd, 2011 – just in time for the Australian tour! Check this interview with Pitchfork in which Chaz talks about the influences behind the new album; from horror movie soundtracks to space disco. Stereogum have called it as one of the 50 most important or enticing albums of 2011, together with Panda Bear’s Tomboy which is also due on Mistletone in the year of 2K11.

TORO Y MOI TOUR DATES:

MELBOURNE: Thursday, 17 February @ Shake Some Action, 161 High St, Prahran. Presented by Streetparty.
Tickets on sale from Moshtix.

MELBOURNE: Friday, 18 February @ Workers Club, Fitzroy w/ special guests Magic Silver White + The Townhouses + Two Bright Lakes DJs. Tickets on sale now from Moshtix.

PLAYGROUND WEEKENDER FESTIVAL: Saturday, 19 February. Tickets on sale now from the festival website.

SYDNEY: Wednesday, 23 February @ GoodGod Small Club w/ Bon Chat, Bon Rat + Future Classic DJs. Presented by Future Classic. Tickets on sale now from Moshtix.

BRISBANE: Thursday, 24 February @ Woodland, Fortitude Valley. Presented by Nine Lives. Tickets on sale now from Moshtix.

THE CLEAN

• “One of the most influential New Zealand bands of the post-punk era” – ALL MUSIC

New Zealand indie-pop-punk lynchpins The Clean are coming to our shores for the first time since 1989 for Golden Plains and headline shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. To celebrate this momentous occasion, we’ve assembled a top lineup of supports…

All-time Sydney indie champs Smudge are the main support at The Factory Theatre, with another rather exciting support announcement to follow soon for Sydney.

The Brisbane lineup features the tripped-out grunge poetry of The Deadnotes + The Legend!, plus local heroes Blank Realm, recently described to us as “Can meets The Cars, Chrome meets The Feelies or Velvet Underground fans that opted for the sensible footwear instead of the artist in black / sunglasses at night look”.

Melbourne gets a four-band bill with two international supports: much-loved San Francisco kaleidoscopic pop troubadour Kelley Stoltz, whose new record To Dreamers has just been released on Sub Pop/Inertia, along with New York singer-songwriter Gary Olson of Ladybug Transistor fame with an all-star local backing band featuring members of Mid-State Orange and The Lucksmiths, plus local avant-pop noisemakers Actor Slash Model.

The Clean were the starting point for the New Zealand punk pop scene and the mighty Flying Nun label, and are as vital and iconic as ever. Tickets on sale now from the venues. The Corner show is officially selling fast, with the others sure to follow suit.

THE CLEAN TOUR DATES:

SYDNEY: Wednesday, 9 March @ the Factory Theatre with Smudge + special guests to be announced.
Presented by 2SER and Drum Media. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

BRISBANE: Thursday, 10 March @ The Zoo with special guests The Deadnotes + The Legend! plus Blank Realm.
Presented by Time Off and 4ZZZ. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

MELBOURNE: Friday, 11 March @ The Corner w/ special guests Kelley Stoltz (USA), Gary Olson (USA) and Actor Slash Model. Presented by Triple R and Inpress. Tickets on sale now from the venue. * SELLING FAST!

GOLDEN PLAINS FESTIVAL: Saturday, 12 March.

THE BATS + LAWRENCE ARABIA @ PERTH FESTIVAL

Our westerly friends are in for a treat when Mistletone labelmates The Bats and Lawrence Arabia come together for a Beck’s Music Box Perth Festival performance. The Bats have been producing their own brand of brilliant indie pop-rock since the mid-1980s and 25 years later, they’re still flying. Lawrence Arabia, aka UK-based New Zealander James Milne & his band, deliver the sweet, sweet melody and lush orchestration from last year’s brilliant release Chant Darling.

Just in time for Xmas, The Bats have released a fittingly sunny & festive new jam titled Holiday which you can listen to for free, or download your own copy for a pittance from their Bandcamp page.

PERTH ONLY: Friday, 25 Feb @ Beck’s Music Box. Tickets on sale now from Perth Festival.

Thanks for reading. We love you.

TEAM MISTLETONE

Artwork by Alex Fregon

Mistletone is thrilled to announce the long awaited return of New Zealand legends The Clean, touring Australia for the first time since 1989.

Back in 1978, The Clean were the seeds of New Zealand punk and the reason for the founding of the mighty Flying Nun label. Their influence resonated around the world with followers such as Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth and Pavement, and can be heard loud and clear in the new generation of indie bands who have the Dunedin godfathers deeply etched into their DNA. A truly magical band who are as vital as ever, The Clean are finally bringing their perfect pop and droney psychedelic guitar jams to Australia.

“One of the greatest bands of the last two decades” – PITCHFORK

THE CLEAN AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:

SYDNEY: Wednesday, 9 March @ the Factory Theatre with Smudge + Sonny & the Sunsets (USA). Presented by 2SER and Drum Media. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

BRISBANE: Thursday, 10 March @ The Zoo with special guests The Deadnotes + The Legend! plus Blank Realm. Presented by Time Off and 4ZZZ. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

MELBOURNE: Friday, 11 March @ The Corner w/ special guests Sonny & the Sunsets (USA), Gary Olson (USA) and Actor Slash Model. Presented by Triple R and Inpress.  *** Please note: A small allocation of tickets will be on sale at the door on the night. Be there when doors open at 8.30pm to make sure you don’t miss out!

GOLDEN PLAINS FESTIVAL: Saturday, 12 March. Ticket ballot now open.

MELBOURNE: Sunday, 11 March @ The Corner w/ special guests Sonny & the Sunsets (USA) + Panel of Judges. Tickets on sale now. * EXTRA SHOW BY POPULAR DEMAND!

MORE ABOUT THE CLEAN …

The Clean formed in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1978. Led through a number of rotating line-ups by brothers Hamish and David Kilgour, the band (usually a trio), forged a distinctive and quirky sound that relied heavily on organ melodies and simple chord progressions. They carved out a distinctive, noisy but melodic sound, distinguished by David’s screeching, distorted guitar.

To quote Brian Turner – WFMU Music Director: The music of the brothers Kilgour and Bob Scott is completely theirs, but draws on everything from the psychedelic paste of Barrett/early Floyd to vintage Velvets propulsiveness to almost everything else under the sun.

In the case of the live staple “Point That Thing Somewhere Else,” here is a song that levitates any room in a way that makes you swear the band just stepped out of Conny Plank’s studio in Germany with all the bulldozing power of Hawkwind. Their jubilance at times (the organ-laced “Tally Ho,” “Beatnik,” “Whatever I Do”) makes the Banana Splits sound like Bauhaus while simultaneously exhibiting dark undercurrents, making Bauhaus sound like the Banana Splits. They created both full studio sound and lo-fi recordings before, during, and after the various waves of the 4-track revolution, making both recording modes work with no loss of the band’s identity.

As far as other influences, you can hear Arthur Lee, Shirley Collins, and the Rolling Stones, among others, but it’s never a kind of forced appropriation; while some bands seem to say, “Look at my record collection,” in the case of The Clean, it’s organic, seamless, and inimitable. Though hardly as prolific as The Fall, another maverick group of originality, The Clean have endured for almost as long while maintaining a completely unique, quality stamp that’s often replicated but never quite mastered by anyone but themselves. They’re also one of the best (and sometimes loudest) live bands I’ve had the pleasure of seeing.

The Clean’s modern age has seen them splitting time and hemispheres: David has a reputable solo catalog; Bob has The Bats and his solo career (most recently the acclaimed Robert Scott solo album Ends Run Together); and Hamish has been an endearing and enduring fixture in New York City, playing with assorted combos including his own Mad Scene with wife Lisa.

The Clean’s latest album Mister Pop (released last year on Merge and locally through Remote Control) sees them continue the great pop pastiche. Circus ragas (“Moonjumper”), gorgeously hazy sunset anthems (“In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul”), and the sometimes loose Dada approach to wordsmithery continue right alongside “proper” lyrical forays, and yep, a few Autobahn referential instro moments to boot (“Tensile”). Bob’s love of pastoral UK folk has brought some added weight into the overall Clean equation, as does David’s Eastern and African guitar jones, though all this has always fit in with and still constitutes the total basis of The Clean sound journey.

This year The Clean have toured more than any time in the past 20 years, supporting Pavement’s reunion tour and playing at the Pavement-curated All Tomorrows Parties in the UK, plus a handful of European shows including Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival, followed by a US tour including an appearance at Matador’s 21st anniversary concert celebrations.

Inpress interview:

By Doug Wallen

Completing the wave of classic Flying Nun bands revisiting our shores in recent years, none other than The Clean are headed to Australia. It’s been two decades since the seminal Kiwi trio was here last, and in that time the band has stuck to the incredibly sporadic tours and albums for which it’s become known. Only five albums have come in those two decades, with 2009’s Mister Pop the first since 2001. But brothers David and Hamish Kilgour and their old friend Robert Scott have always kept occupied: David with a solo career, Hamish with The Mad Scene, and Scott with The Bats and a recent solo album. Now is as good a time as any, then, for The Clean to tour Australia.

“We don’t have any plan, really,” says David Kilgour. “It’s usually a coincidence that we get back together and play. We might be in the same country at the same time. We’ve come close to touring Australia in the last few years. It just hasn’t worked out.”

David is on the phone from Dunedin, where he’s brought his mother from the post-earthquake chaos of her home in Christchurch. But while David and Robert Scott still live in New Zealand, Hamish has been based in New York City for about 20 years. He and Scott both have children, and there are always real-life jobs to attend to. That naturally makes it hard for The Clean to come together much more often than it does. “We’re all quite busy with other things,” notes Kilgour. “It’s not easy to line up.”

At the same time, that could be the key to the band’s longevity. Formed in 1979 with a different bassist, guitarist David and bassist Hamish picked up Scott the following year. They recorded a clutch of influential singles and EPs in the early ’80s before abandoning the band, only to pick it up again towards the end of that decade to make a proper first album, 1990’s Vehicle. Like those early recordings – since collected in various forms – Vehicle came out on Flying Nun, as did subsequent albums, save Mister Pop. Influential from the start, The Clean’s songs veered from punkish pop to bleary drone while sifting through post-Velvets jangle and scrappy ’60s garage.

“I think it’s kept it fresh,” decides Kilgour. “It’s kept it interesting for us. When we reformed in the late ’80s, we just kept it going as a creative project. Whenever we do get back together, we’ll always write new material and record and release new stuff.”

Thus, the rough edges of early songs like the quintessential Tally Ho and Oddity gave way to distinct albums: Vehicle’s sunny jangle, Modern Rock’s slippery guitar-pop in 1994, Unknown Country’s ragas and detours in 1996, the extended jams of 2001’s Getaway, and the dreamy, anything-goes freedom of Mister Pop. In fact, the latter contains some of the breeziest Clean songs to date, such as Are You Really on Drugs? and In the Dreamlife You Need A Rubber Soul. There’s a levity to those that’s just as apparent in that album’s searching instrumentals and the vocodered anomaly Tensile.

“That sounds about right,” Kilgour reckons. Asked if that’s part of the appeal of The Clean as opposed to his solo output, he answers, “We certainly keep each other in check. When we’re making a Clean record, we don’t really want to make David Kilgour solo records or Bats albums or Mad Scene records. We just want to go in and make good music, really. Or music we think is good and that we’d like to hear, I suppose.”

As for the enduring tug between long-form drone and fleeting pop songs, he agrees that it’s a permanent fixture for the trio. “The drone’s always been there,” he explains. “We’ve always been attracted to that. And we’ve always liked pop music. Hamish and I have always loved ’60s garage music, especially in the [band’s] early formative days, so I guess that shines through. But primitive droning we’re quite fond of as well.”

Like Yo La Tengo, one of many beloved U.S. indie rock bands influenced by The Clean (see also: Pavement, Superchunk, Guided by Voices, Apples in Stereo), the trio doesn’t eschew those drone-y songs in favour of the poppier ones live. Rather, it’s a sloshing, unpredictable combination of the two, with entries picked evenly from the last three decades. That means no album or era is off limits for this overdue Aussie tour, which includes a pair of robustly selling Corner gigs and a well-picked slot at Golden Plains.

“We usually do a totally mixed bag,” says Kilgour. “We’ll do some new stuff, but we’ll do everything, going right back to the beginning. But only the ones we still enjoy doing. We don’t do stuff we’re sick of or don’t like.” Is there a specific song he’s gotten sick of in the past? “Well, not at the moment, but for a long time I had a great deal of difficulty playing Tally Ho,” he laughs. “We played it very sporadically for years, much to the annoyance of audiences. But in recent times we’re back on it again.”

With its tinny keyboard melody, bratty vocals, and general wobbliness, that song is doubtlessly The Clean’s most famous, so it’s nice to hear it’s been worked back into regular rotation. And although one should know better than to expect a new album so relatively soon after Mister Pop, Kilgour says the band’s going into the studio for six days prior to its Aussie tour, with the idea of making an EP. There was also talk of putting the recordings immediately online, but he’s uncertain whether that will actually happen. Whatever way, a resurgent Flying Nun is planning lots of crucial reissues down the track, presumably including the classic Clean albums. Plus, Kilgour has a new solo record, Left by Soft, coming out in just a few months.

“It’s probably a bit more guitar-based, this one, and band-based,” he offers, comparing it to his previous six records. “It’s a bit more jammy, perhaps.” And as Scott continues his longtime work with The Bats, Hamish is readying a new Mad Scene record as well as playing with New York songwriter Theo Angell & The Tabernacle Hillside Singers.

But there will always be room for The Clean, whose fan base still grows from year to year. While Kilgour credits that partly to last decade’s two-disk Anthology, which came out on Merge in the States, he’s pleased about it. “I’m surprised the interest is still there,” he admits. “I got the feeling in the mid- to late-’90s that maybe it wasn’t going to go away. It looked like the kids were catching on. Y’know, garage music is always out there, but it seems to have these waves of destruction every now and again.”

Laughing, he concludes, “It comes through and the kids jump on it again. Or the kids have been turned on to it by their parents.” That makes for a real cross-generational turnout at Clean gigs these days. “It’s certainly split down the middle when we do shows now,” he says. “It’s young kids and grey tops and everything in between.”

Artwork by Carl Breitkreuz

Mistletone proudly presents the first ever Australian tour by South Carolina daydreamy electronic-pop innovators, Toro Y Moi.

Led by 24 year old producer/musician Chaz Bundick, Toro Y Moi come to our shores as a trio to fill the dancefloor with the hazy and timeless beats of this year’s sublime debut, Causers Of This (out now on Mistletone through Inertia).

Wire magazine recently described Toro Y Moi as “demonstrating a joy in the elastic properties of rhythm and sound that immediately recalls Flying Lotus, J Dilla and Madlib”, whilst the Sydney Morning Herald praised Toro Y Moi for “blending patches of R&B, indie rock, electro dance and a good dose of psychedelica to create soundscapes that are as beautiful as they are disorientating”.

Fresh from tours with Foals, Caribou and Phoenix, Toro Y Moi play the picturesque Playground Weekender Festival plus headline shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

TORO Y MOI AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:

MELBOURNE: Thursday, 17 February @ The Toff. Presented by Streetparty. Tickets on sale from Moshtix.

MELBOURNE: Friday, 18 February @ Workers Club, Fitzroy w/ special guests Magic Silver White + The Townhouses + Two Bright Lakes DJs. Tickets on sale now from Moshtix.

PLAYGROUND WEEKENDER FESTIVAL: Saturday, 19 February. Tickets on sale now from the festival website.

SYDNEY: Wednesday, 23 February @ GoodGod Small Club w/ Bon Chat, Bon Rat + Future Classic DJs. Presented by Future Classic. Tickets on sale now from Moshtix.

BRISBANE: Thursday, 24 February @ Woodland, Fortitude Valley w/- Oh Ye Denver Birds. Presented by Nine Lives. Tickets on sale now from Moshtix.

MORE ABOUT TORO Y MOI …

Toro Y Moi is Columbia, South Carolina native and resident Chaz Bundick. After earning a BFA in Graphic Design at The University of South Carolina, Chaz decided to push his music further now that he has more time on his hands.

His mom came from the Phillipines to the United States, where she met her future husband (whos African American) in college. They lived in New York City taking in all the wonderful cultural influences the citys rising underground scene had to offer at the time (late 70s/early 80s). Deciding to slow down and be closer to family, they moved to Columbia, South Carolina where they had their first child Chaz Bundicks methods are constantly changing and evolving. Heavily influenced by his parents vinyl and tape collection, he also possesses great admiration for contemporary influences like Animal Collective, Sonic Youth, J Dilla, and Daft Punk. Like most prepubescent teens, he had his punk band and once that died out, the side project soon became the main focus.

Toro Y Moi started in 2001 as a bedroom project, but quickly grew into the live performance realm. The songs are born from a plethora of different genres, from freak-folk to R&B to French house. Alan McGee recently tipped Toro Y Moi as the new pop sound of 2010″ in his list of 15 acts destined for big things in the Guardian, enthusing: “Causers of This is a combative force between drone, R&B and hip-hop, mapping out a futuristic new pop sound.”

Mistletone is set to release Toro Y Moi’s new album on February 23rd, 2011.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti have created some of this decade’s most intoxicating music, including the year’s most irresistible indie hit single Round and Round from Before Today (one of the most acclaimed albums of 2010). Led by reclusive pop prankster Ariel Rosenberg, the West Coast act’s sound is as sublime as it is surreal; loaded with hazy nostalgia and a fiercely experimental pop palette.

From the Haunted Graffiti series of home recorded albums, to the current incarnation of the touring band featuring characters from the underground LA scene, Ariel Pink has established himself as one of the most prolific songwriters and incredible talents of his generation. A true original who has traversed dizzying territory from cult figure to godfather of American indie in just five years, Arlel Pink’s influence on the new crop of bands and genres has been profound.

Mistletone toured Ariel Pink with an Australian backing band in 2006 and now we’re bringing Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti to Australia & New Zealand for Laneway Festival 2011 plus headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne. Mistletone’s first ever release was House Arrest by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti (MIST001, 2006). Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti have since signed to 4AD and their amazing album Before Today is locally released through Remote Control.

ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI TOUR DATES:

LANEWAY FESTIVAL AUCKLAND: Monday Jan 31

LANEWAY FESTIVAL WELLINGTON: Tuesday Feb 1

LANEWAY FESTIVAL BRISBANE: Friday Feb 4

LANEWAY FESTIVAL MELBOURNE: Saturday Feb 5 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SYDNEY: Sunday Feb 6 * SOLD OUT!

SYDNEY: Mistletone + 2SER + The Brag present Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti @ Manning Bar, Wednesday Feb 9
+ special guests Djanimals + Holy Balm. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

MELBOURNE: Mistletone, Triple R + Beat present Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti @ The Hi-Fi, Thursday Feb 10
+ special guests Pikelet + Lost Animal. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL ADELAIDE: Friday Feb 11

LANEWAY FESTIVAL PERTH: Saturday Feb 12

Mistletone is proud to announce the return of Toronto’s epic electro-noisemakers Holy Fuck, touring Australia & New Zealand with Laneway Festival plus a Sydney Festival performance and a Melbourne headline show to boot.

On their last Australian tour, Holy Fuck thrilled the rain-soaked Meredith Music Festival crowd with the ferocious raw energy of their exuberant, multi-layered, multi-rhythmic dance-rock. They’ve since been touring the world with their opulent new album Latin (out now on Young Turks/Remote Control).

Holy Fuck is fast building a reputation as one of the world’s most killer live bands, fuelled by their chaotic, euphoric energy on stage. Making gloriously hypnotic experimental rock music, this four-piece has earned praise from the likes of Thom Yorke and Lou Reed. To quote Pitchfork: “We often say casually that bands are ‘awesome’ without thinking about the true meaning of the word — Holy Fuck actually inspire awe.”

HOLY FUCK AUSTRALIAN / NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES:

SYDNEY FESTIVAL: Holy Fuck + My Disco @ Becks Festival Bar (FBi Night), Thursday Jan 27.
Tickets on sale Nov 15 from the Sydney Festival website.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SINGAPORE: Saturday Jan 29

LANEWAY FESTIVAL AUCKLAND: Monday Jan 31

MELBOURNE: Mistletone + Triple R present Holy Fuck @ The Hi-Fi, Thursday Feb 3
+ special guests Beaches + Total Control plus DJ Ash Breadcrumb (Witch Hats). Tickets on sale now from the venue.

LANEWAY FESTIVAL BRISBANE: Friday Feb 4

LANEWAY FESTIVAL MELBOURNE: Saturday Feb 5 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SYDNEY: Sunday Feb 6 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL ADELAIDE: Friday Feb 11

LANEWAY FESTIVAL PERTH: Saturday Feb 12

Mistletone is thrilled to present Beach House, touring Australia and New Zealand this summer with the wonderful Laneway Festival plus two special Sydney Festival performances, and a soon to sell out Melbourne headline show.

BEACH HOUSE AUSTRALIAN / NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES:

MULLUMBIMBY, NSW: Spunk + Mistletone present Beach House & The Middle East & Tiny Ruins (NZ) @ Mullumbimby Civic Hall, Saturday Jan 22. Tickets $41 plus BF on sale now from Oztix.

MELBOURNE: Happy Mondays Rooftop show w/ Zsa Zsa + Mistletone DJs, Monday Jan 24. Doors open 7pm. Tickets on sale now from Moshtix. * SOLD OUT!

MELBOURNE: Mistletone, Triple R + Inpress present Beach House @ The Hi-Fi, Tuesday Jan 25 + special guests The Orbweavers + Wintercoats. * SOLD OUT!

SYDNEY FESTIVAL: Beach House + Parades @ Becks Festival Bar, Wednesday Jan 26.  Doors 8pm. Tickets on sale from the Sydney Festival website. * SELLING FAST!

SYDNEY FESTIVAL: Beach House @ City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Thursday Jan 27. Doors 9.30pm. * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SINGAPORE: Saturday Jan 29

LANEWAY FESTIVAL AUCKLAND: Monday Jan 31

LANEWAY FESTIVAL WELLINGTON: Tuesday Feb 1

LANEWAY FESTIVAL BRISBANE: Friday Feb 4

LANEWAY FESTIVAL MELBOURNE: Saturday Feb 5 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL SYDNEY: Sunday Feb 6 * SOLD OUT!

LANEWAY FESTIVAL ADELAIDE: Friday Feb 11

LANEWAY FESTIVAL PERTH: Saturday Feb 12

Since their breakthrough album Teen Dream was released on Sub Pop early this year (out locally on Mistletone), Baltimore dream pop darlings Beach House have become one of the most adored indie-to-mainstream crossovers of recent times. To quote a recent review from Beach House’s US tour with Vampire Weekend: “Victoria Legrand is arguably one of the most compelling, and most important, voices in rock. Along with her almost singular ability to sing grand orchestras all by herself, she has reached a point in her career where her command of the pathos of performance is almost unmatched by her peers. ​Legrand’s confidence in her own mastery of the Brian Eno-like feel of her songs was evident… Beach House is the perfect amalgamation of what indie rock is supposed to be: meaningful and beautiful, without forcing meaning and beauty on the listener.”

Beach House are the “voice” of Sydney Festival with Norway featured as the music bed for the beautiful hand-drawn animation television ad; watch it here.

Artwork by Rick Milovanovic

Artwork by Carl Breitkreuz

Mistletone presents The Field for the first time in Australia, featuring Stockholm native and blissed-out futurist Axel Willner with his live rhythm section.

Launched unto the world by renowned German label Kompakt in 2005, The Field expounded a new fusion of ambient and techno which was informed as much by the shoegazer rock of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine as by the aesthetics of Kompakt and 1990s techno (post-pop ambient, anyone?).

Following a cherished 12″ debut and a remix of Annie’s My Heartbeat that leapt onto the web, The Field became a blogosphere cult favourite and remains so to this day. The Field’s debut album From Here We Go Sublime was one of 2007’s most talked about and universally praised releases; the BBC called it “one of those rare albums that makes you wonder how you ever got by without it”, and Pitchfork bestowed a mighty 9.0 rating, declaring: “If Willner doesn’t hit at least some of your pleasure centres, your nerve endings might actually be dead.”

Non-stop touring around the world ensued with !!!, LCD Soundsystem, The Juan MacLean and others. In 2008, Willner grew weary of performing alone, and The Field has now evolved into a three piece band, bringing a completely new depth and voracity to their live performances.

Last year saw the release of the acclaimed Yesterday & Today which continued The Field’s oblique sampling strategy while building up the rhythmic architecture; the title track featured a collaboration with Battles drummer John Stanier.

Ever since he startled the world with From Here We Go Sublime, Willner has been much in demand as a remixer, with tracks from Thom Yorke to Battles to Maps raising his profile, so that now legions are gathered, in the spit-shined airport terminal of their dreams, waiting for their blissed-out departure.

THE FIELD AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:

THU DEC 9 MELBOURNE EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB w/ special guests Qua + Kharkov + DJ Tim Shiel. * SELLING FAST!
Presented by Triple R. Tickets on sale now through the venue.

FRI DEC 10 MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL.

SAT DEC 11 SYDNEY THE GAELIC w/special guests Mark Pritchard – Harmonic 313 + Domeyko/Gonzalez + DJ KALI (Picnic).
Presented by FBi Radio. Tickets on sale now through Moshtix.

Artwork by Alex Fregon

Mistletone proudly presents El Guincho, direct from Barcelona and touring Australia for the third time: this time around, as a three piece led by one-man, space-age exotica party machine, Pablo Diaz-Reixa.

El Guincho’s infectious, ecstatic tribal beats and Spanish language chants make it literally impossible to feel sad! The syncopated beats and eternal pop sunshine hits are the aural equivalent of warm beach breezes from Pablo’s native Canary Islands.

Having charmed the socks off Australian audiences on previous touring jaunts here (with Laneway Festival and Architecture in Helsinki), El Guincho returns hot on the heels of Pop Negro, the new album out now on Remote Control.

Packed with upbeat, nostalgic pop jams for the beach, summer drives with friends and twilight BBQs, Pop Negro is another blissful world-beat pop excursion by El Guincho, joyously blending Afrobeat percussion and psych tropicalia.

To quote Prefix magazine: “Steel drums, soaring Spanish vocals, guitars that clang like bells: the whole thing reads like a manual on how to make music to shake your arse to”. So rejoice, sun-seekers: here comes El Guincho and here comes summer, just when we need them the most!

EL GUINCHO AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:

FRI DEC 10 SYDNEY THE GAELIC w/- Catcall + megastick fanfare + DJ Tyson Koh.
Tickets on sale now through Moshtix.

SAT DEC 11  MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL.

MON DEC 13. HAPPY MONDAYS ROOFTOP SHOW w/ Washed Out + DJ Cameron Bird. * SOLD OUT!
Rooftop Bar, Curtin House, Level 7 / 252 Swanston St, City.

WED DEC 15 MELBOURNE EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB w/- Rat vs Possum, Mark Barrage + DJ Tim Shiel. * SELLING FAST!
Presented by Triple R. Tickets on sale now through the venue.

THU DEC 16 BRISBANE WOODLAND Coniston Lane (off Mclachlan Street), Fortitude Valley w/- Toy Balloon + DJ Charlie Why. * NOTE VENUE CHANGE!
Co-presented by Happy Endings. Tickets on sale now through Oztix.

FRI DEC 17 PERTH THE BAKERY w/- Carbuncle, Naik vs Kit Pop and DJ Rex Monsoon.
Co-presented by Life is Noise and RTRFM. Tickets on sale now from Life is Noise, 78s, Mills and Planet.

MP3: Lucky 1

“If you’re a fan of earlier, sparer and more mysterious Animal Collective you should be way into Down There’s understated, complex collection of just-in-time-for-Halloween pop music” – STEREOGUM PREMATURE EVALUATION

“Using elements from past ventures, like vocals steeped in reverb and abstract song structures, Portner has homed in on a specific ambiance with which his band has only flirted… The crocodile has emerged from the collective as an animal that stands on its own” – NPR FIRST LISTEN

“Down There is shimmering, cerebral pop, all the way from the swamp floor” – MUSIC AUSTRALIA GUIDE

Down There is the incredible new solo album from Animal Collective member Dave Portner a/k/a Avey Tare, out now on Mistletone Records through Inertia.

Dave Portner AKA Avey Tare was born in Baltimore County, Maryland on April 24th in the year of 1979.  He moved to New York City in 1997 where he resides to this day (in south Brooklyn).

Though he spends most of his time writing songs and producing sounds (usually in the group Animal Collective) he also is an intense record collector, film fanatic, book head, friend, and traveler.   It’s from these things primarily that Mr. Portner gets his inspiration, still striving to blend sounds and discover musical territory that seems unfamiliar.

His favorite animals are the otter and crocodile. The later has played a big role in his newest record.

Down There is a world of nine new songs from Animal Collective’s Avey Tare. His first official solo full length carries you through a murky world of sound, an alien death world of soul grooves that is both honest and otherworldly.

Wait for sundown and turn it up loud. Take a ride on this haunted boat and let yourself be guided through deep sloshy rhythms, waterlogged bass, and moonlit breaks in the canopy that reveal a crisp crystalline pop buzz.

Down There was recorded in the month of June by old friend Josh Dibb (Deakin) at the Good House, an old church in upstate New York, surrounded by The Great Swamp and visited regularly by monks, white widows, and groan toads.

Tracklisting: 1. Laughing Hieroglyphic  2. 3 Umbrellas  3. Oliver Twist  4. Glass Bottom Boat  5. Ghost Of Books  6. Cemeteries  7. Heads Hammock  8.  Heather In The Hospital  9. Lucky 1

From the Inertia blog:

Animal Collective are proving to be indie music’s own Wu-Tang Clan. Universally worshipped as a collective, the members still manage to carry unique artistic identities reflected in mindblowing solo outings.

While, until now, it’s been Panda Bear’s game-changing solo work that has soaked up majority of the attention, it seems Avey Tare (aka. Dave Portner)  is about to give his bandmate a run for his money with forthcoming solo record, ‘Down There’.

Out 29th October via our buds at Mistletone, the album is a strange, haunted odyssey. Not surprising really, from a guy who appears in his press shots dressed as a crocodile (his favourite animal, apparently).

The first track to emerge from the album, “Lucky 1″, is available as a free mp3 below and should give you an idea of what we’re all in for. The instrumentation splits and mutates like alien bacteria. The vocals prance across the dusty landscapes of distant moons.

It’s bizarre. It’s beautiful. It’s soulful.
Wait. Do crocodiles have souls?

Spring has sprung (well, kinda) and to celebrate, here’s all the album release and touring news from the wonderful world of Mistletone.

First up albums, albums and more albums!

KES TRIO: BLACK BROWN GREEN GREY WHITE (MIST041)

Another year, another awesome Kes record! Black Brown Green Grey White is the stunning new album by Kes Band’s latest incarnation as a trio featuring Kes (Karl Scullin), Lehmann B Smith and Julian Patterson. Recorded by Nao Anzai, Black Brown Green Grey White is a yin-yang dichotomy, juxtaposing contemplative, melodic beauty and inward-gazing ballads with jerky dischord, banshee yells and whirlwind anti-rock riffs. Available now on mail order and in all good record stores.

• “One of the most exciting, progressive pop-rock acts going around in this big brown dust bowl” – TWO THOUSAND
• “A chameleon whose every transformation somehow feels as perfect and true as the last” – CITYSEARCH

Melbourne people take note: Kes Trio will launch Black Brown Green Grey White this Saturday night, September 25 at East Brunswick Club. Special guests will be The Dirty Three’s Mick Turner and his band featuring Jeffrey Wegener and Ian Wadley plus Slow Hog featuring Liam Andrews and Rohan Rebeiro from My Disco. Tickets $10 + BF on sale now from the box office or $14 at the door if still available. Doors open 8.30pm.

PRINCE RAMA: SHADOW TEMPLE (MIST040)

Prince Rama are an exciting new addition to the Mistletone roster. When we saw them perform live in NYC this May, we were completely and utterly blown away! Fireworks! The trio were raised on a Hare Krishna commune in Florida, educated at art school in Boston, and now making noise and living in Brooklyn. Shadow Temple is an epic shrine of swirling synths, pulsing guitars, and thunder drums. Recorded in Kurt Vonnegut’s grandson’s cabin and a 135-year-old haunted church with the help of Rusty Santos and Animal Collective members Avey Tare and Deakin, Shadow Temple offers itself as a sincere porthole into a mysterious realm that defies material understanding. Available now on mail order and in stores soon; download some free MP3s here.

• “Prince Rama make psych music. Deep psych music. This isn’t folk with a few tribal drums, or plain old rock with some flanged triangle thrown in for no reason. There’s sanskrit chants. Zonked synths. And, yes, more than a few tribal drums.”
  – PITCHFORK RISING ARTIST FEATURE
• “These eight dense, swirling, droning songs — two of which are adaptations of traditional Indian chants — sound like they were recorded in a windy, unlit, holy place” – STEREOGUM BEST NEW BANDS OF 2010

ROBERT SCOTT: ENDS RUN TOGETHER (MIST039)

Mistletone is proud as punch to have released Ends Run Together, the brilliant new solo album from Bob Scott, who over the last three decades has written some of our favourite tunes as a member of kiwi indie heroes The Bats and The Clean. Ends Run Together (out now and available on mail order) is a top-shelf collection of 13 engaging songs, just as likely to appeal to any fan of great alternative pop as much as to those already familiar with The Bats and The Clean. Bob is the real deal. Check him out!

• “Surprisingly diverse, lush pop… Anyone who’s heard Scott’s contributions to another famed Flying Nun band, the Clean, knows he’s a versatile player and songwriter both, but Ends Run Together is proof positive.” – CITYSEARCH
• Scott does one thing and he does it well: writes beautifully crafted, folk-influenced pop songs.” – THREE THOUSAND
• “Introspection and nostalgia rendered through lush arrangements and glistening melodies” – MESS AND NOISE

BEACH HOUSE: iTUNES SESSION (AVAILABLE NOW FROM iTUNES)

Yes it’s true… Beach House will be touring Australia this summer! While you’re waiting for the super exciting announcement (believe us, we’re having trouble waiting too), please enjoy the new Beach House iTunes session featuring six new recordings, including a slow-core reworking of Norway plus epic live versions of faves Walk In The Park, Silver Soul, Gila and Take Care and a sweet new jam, White Moon.

AVEY TARE: DOWN THERE (MIST042)

We’re beyond excited to be releasing the new solo album from Animal Collective member Dave Portner a/k/a Avey Tare. This album is truly amazing and we can’t wait to share it with y’all. Down There is a world of nine new songs which will carry you through a murky world of sound, an alien death world of soul grooves that is both honest and otherworldly. Down There was recorded in the month of June by old friend Josh Dibb (Deakin) at the Good House, an old church in upstate New York, surrounded by The Great Swamp and visited regularly by monks, white widows, and groan toads. Wait for sundown and turn it up loud. Take a ride on this haunted boat and let yourself be guided through deep sloshy rhythms, waterlogged bass, and moonlit breaks in the canopy that reveal a crisp crystalline pop buzz. Release date: October 23.

LOOKING AHEAD: PANDA BEAR

Tomboy, the fourth full-length album by Panda Bear (a/k/a Noah Lennox of Animal Collective) is on its way and to say the disc is highly-anticipated would be a slight understatement. After the crowning glory of his previous solo album, 2007’s Person Pitch (which not only topped Pitchfork’s Album of the Year charts but also ranked in the top ten of their Albums of the Decade), Panda Bear reconvened his Animal Collective brethren and followed it up with 2009’s Merriwether Post Pavilion, which also found its rightful place atop innumerable magazine and blog polls come year’s end. Through it all, Noah has remained resilient in following his singular vision and voice. Underground and experimental in his approach to sound, he also strives to craft gorgeous pop for the widest audience possible. With Tomboy, he’s attained his greatest balance between the two extremes yet.

LOOKING AHEAD: TORO Y MOI

Currently out on tour with Phoenix, Toro Y Moi a/k/a South Carolina’s Chaz Bundick and his band are set to tour Australia this summer. Details real soon! Meantime, check out the awesome new video for Toro Y Moi’s Low Shoulder from Causers Of This and download the recent Daytrotter session featuring some minty fresh full band instrumentation. Look out for a new full length Toro Y Moi album on Mistletone early next year.

MISTLETONE TONES…

Before we turn our attention to upcoming Mistletone tours, we just want to make mention of our seasonal parties (or lack thereof). We get asked all the time when we are going to do our next “Tones” show? Honestly, we don’t quite know. We do want to do them again in the future, although not every three months; only when we can do something super special. So in short, there will be another Tones party someday — don’t know where, don’t know when — sometime when everything feels right. And we hope that time is soon.

… and MISTLETONE TOURS

Okay, back to tours! This summer is going to be by faaaaaaaar our busiest yet with a bunch of tours to be announced in the next few months. We’re thrilled about them all and can’t wait to let you all know about them.

These are the tasty treats we’ve already announced and are on sale right now:

MIRAH (& band)

We’re extremely psyched to present Mirah on her first ever Australian tour. Having waited to see Mirah live for such a long time, this tour is a dream for us. A dearly treasured artist of indie folk devotees, Mirah will tour Australia as a trio, accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Dave Depper (Norfolk & Western, Jolie Holland) and acclaimed Portland artist Rachel Blumberg, who has drummed for The Decemberists, Bright Eyes and M. Ward. Don’t miss the long awaited chance to hear this prodigiously talented and endlessly creative lady breathe life into her resonant songs of love, loss and magic.

• “One of my favourite songwriters, Mirah hails from that goldmine of good music, the Pacific North-west of the United States. A lot of creative types come from these shores… there must be something in the water. For years Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn has been making intensely personal, sweet, and musically adventurous songs. Sometimes folk, sometimes gypsy, sometimes electronic, sometimes noise. She rarely repeats herself and always hits that place in your chest where it just kills you to listen to her stories” – ZAN ROWE, TRIPLE J

MIRAH TOUR DATES + special guests The Smallgoods

SYDNEY: THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER @ RED RATTLER w/- The Smallgoods + Shiver Like Timber. Tickets on sale from Moshtix.
BRISBANE: FRIDAY 22 OCTOBER @ LOFLY HANGAR w/- The Smallgoods + Joel Edmondson + Epithets. Tickets on sale from Mistletone.
MELBOURNE: SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER @ NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB w/- The Smallgoods + Wintercoats. Tickets on sale from the venue.
SUNDAY 24 OCTOBER @ NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB w/ The Ancients + MSG (Mia Schoen Group). Tickets on sale from the venue.

THE FIELD

Ever since The Field released their debut album in 2007 (the stellar From Here We Go Sublime), they have been front and centre on our stereo. Then we saw them live overseas and we decided we needed to tour them asap! The Field’s live show brings to life the music of Stockholm native and blissed-out futurist Axel Willner with a live rhythm section. Launched unto the world by renowned German label Kompakt in 2005, The Field expounded a new fusion of ambient and techno which was informed as much by the shoegazer rock of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine as by the aesthetics of Kompakt and 1990s techno (post-pop ambient, anyone?). As Pitchfork declared whilst bestowing The Field with a mighty 9.0 rating: “If Willner doesn’t hit at least some of your pleasure centres, your nerve endings might actually be dead.”

THE FIELD TOUR DATES

MELBOURNE: THURSDAY 9 DECEMBER @ EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB w/ Qua, Kharkov and DJ Tim Shiel. Presented by Triple R. Tickets on sale now from the box office.
MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL: FRIDAY 10 DECEMBER. Sold out!
SYDNEY: SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER @ THE GAELIC w/ Mark Pritchard – Harmonic 313 + Domeyko/Gonzalez. Presented by FBi Radio. Tickets on sale now through Moshtix.

EL GUINCHO

Mistletone is happy as Larry to tour our long time friends El Guincho! Hailing from Barcelona, this will be El Guincho’s third visit to our shores: this time around as a three piece, led as always by one-man, space-age exotica party machine, Pablo Diaz-Reixa. El Guincho’s  infectious, ecstatic tribal beats and Spanish language chants make it literally impossible to feel sad! The syncopated beats and eternal pop sunshine hits are the aural equivalent of warm beach breezes from Pablo’s native Canary Islands. Having charmed the socks off Australian audiences on previous touring jaunts here (with Laneway Festival and Architecture in Helsinki), El Guincho returns hot on the heels of Pop Negro, the new album out now through Remote Control, currently Album of the Week on 3RRR and last week on FBi Radio. You can download the super spicey new El Guincho track, FM Tan Sexy, from Stereogum right now too. Rejoice, sun-seekers: here comes El Guincho and here comes summer, just when we need them the most!

EL GUINCHO TOUR DATES

SYDNEY: FRIDAY 10 DECEMBER @  THE GAELIC w/ Catcall + Megastick Fanfare. Tickets on sale now through Moshtix.
MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL: SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER. Sold out!
MELBOURNE: WEDNESDAY 15 DECEMBER @ EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB w/ Rat vs Possum + Mark Barrage. Presented by Triple R. Tickets on sale now from the box office.
BRISBANE: THURSDAY 16 DECEMBER @ THE CLUBHOUSE (downstairs at Tempo Hotel). Co-presented by Fans Club Night. Tickets on sale now through Oztix.
PERTH: FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER @ THE BAKERY w/- smRts, Naik vs Kit Pop and DJ Rex Monsoon. Co-presented by Life is Noise and RTRFM. Tickets on sale next Monday, 27 September from Life is Noise, 78s, Mills and Planet.

Yours,

TEAM MISTLETONE x