Musical Projects I'm Fairly Confident YOU Have Never Heard Of.

by B Condon 5:39 PM

Now, I know that that phrase is one of the most disliked and presumptuous sentences ever: "you have never heard before" but to me, this phrase excites me, gives me a voguegasm (yeah, I just went there, ha!) and makes me happy to the point I just want to share the word of the next musical projects because as far as I know from all the music blogs I creep around (Stereogum, Aurgasm, We Are Hunted, Tuneglue) these people are barely noticed. So this is the musical word according to B.

Mr. Little Jeans


Mr. Little Jeans is an enigma... a wonderful electronic-licked enigma that will be broken out of her unknownness thanks to the Honda CR-V Superbowl commercial with her RAC remixed version of "Rescue Me." Otherwise known as Monica Bierkenes with a stage name as an homage to "that Indian guy from Rushmore," Monica has a gift with hooks, happy cheery melodies and even seems to emulate Emily Haines (Metric) AND Allison Goldfrapp in a singular song (Faking Gold). And, anyone who does a note-worthy ironic cover of Beyonce (Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) is always a plus in my book.





Mr. Little Jeans's Twitter
Mr. Little Jean's Facebook




Mixtapes and Meltdowns

To one blogspotter to another, I must give a shout out to Ms. Laurie Stark, who through my love of Muchuu I was introduced to on my lastfm. And thank God I found her, her voice is perfect for a mellow rainy day. Best thing ever, she just put a new song on her blogger today! And a good majority of her music is free to download on lastfm... squeak!

Mixtapes and Meltdowns Blogspot

Mixtapes and Meltdowns Lastfm

iamamiwhoami


Continuing the enigmatic conundrumatic (just go with it) music projects of weird and wonderful ladies, iamamiwhoami for awhile there no one even knew who the woman was but speculations were finally concluded from Swedish songstress, Jonna Lee with a theatrical media fetish. This project may have been out for only a year but Jonna Lee has my eyes and ears in a choke-hold ever since I first watched the "T" video in its graceful artistic manner of paganism. Don't let that scare you off, it's the good kind of nature-centered paganism. Some of the songs in her youtube channel are merely teasers of a future album that has yet to come out. I do love a tease.



iamamiwhoami facebook page

Austra

For a few months I really thought Katie Stelmanis fell off the face of the earth, with her great videos of "Natural Woman," "Believe Me" and even the animated "Join Us" as a back up for my fix of her chocolaty voice, until I got my newest edition of Bust. Lo and behold there she was in an album review for a new musical project called "Austra" with a new EP, The Beat and the Pulse, fresh out of Stelmanis's native Canada. Katie's voice is still as strong yet smooth complimenting the dark-wave electro so much so you can smell and taste the moshing sweatiness on your tongue. I foresee "Young and Gay" being a new song on DJ's playlists in every gay club by August if not sooner. Make this happen!





Austra's Twitter

Muchuu


Brother and Sister pairing Muchuu (Moo-chew) is like one-half equivalent of a musical mixed drink and the other half happy-danceable electro. We are starting to see a pattern here. George and Milky effortlessly make a cocktail out of the score of Amelie with Bat for Lashes's "Daniel" as well as other mixings, but, I have to say, that is the best cover I've ever heard of Natasha's beautiful lyrics. But that is besides the point, all of their songs are wonderful with George's musical skills and Milky's lyrics, as she writes in "Somebody Tell Me," "Sweet escapism, digital day/Shut the curtains, it’s time to drift/Red balloon into the sky we lift" creating truly an anthem for Generation Y. Thank you.





George and Milky's site

ALL CAPS

Kristina Horner and Luke Conrad are GEEKS, I tell you GEEKS. And damned proud of it. Luke writes lyrics of being immersed in World of Warcraft, robot love, and love odes to his girlfriend, Horner, who graciously accepts. But she's not passive on her geekery, taking helm of the acting in their indieful famous videos such as the gleetastic "Slushie in the Face" as Quinn Fabray. Luke, more known for his odes to Harry Potter in his band, Ministry of Magic, always takes time for all three projects including solo pursuits, so I heavily encourage to not only check out the ALL CAPS youtube page, but also their own individual channels. You won't regret it.



ALL CAPS BAND twitter

Soda Fountain Rag

I. Love. Twee. Seriously. But I thought after the 90s twee was dead, until Norge twee-tress Ragnhild Hogstad Jordahl proved me wrong. It was love at first "go play in the traffic," which I would willingly do to see Jordahl live. Short but sweet full of bubblegum snarky depth (are philosophers really lonely? let us ponder this) the Bergren native knows good candy-coated melodies and lyrics when she hears it. You have my undying love.





Ragnhild's Twitter

Soap&Skin


Full of Bjork experimental angst and beauty, Austrian beauty Anja Plaschg at only 20 years old, composes instrumentals and lyrics like an old soul from another world, giving honor to both the Icelandic Bjork but as well Nico and Cat Powers among others. Her lyrics are soft and fragile as her voice yet the context is much deeper. "Bury me under ice/Smother me under the ice/And snow" she sings gently against an even gentler piano accompaniment. This is what heaven sounds like.





Soap&Skin's Website