Now with the release of their masterful third album, In Time To Voices, 2012′s follow-up to 2010′s Fire Like This, they are back on the road (did they ever leave it? This is one hard-working rock band!) and hitting my little home town of Zurich – yay! Don’t miss ‘em as they rock the lovely environs of the Plaza (one of my fave Zurich venues) in the best, brightest and loudest way.

Here’s a taste of things to come – ‘Lost Kids’, from In Time To Voices:

Blood Red Shoes play @ Plaza, ZH, 30.05.12. Tix here.

In Time To Voices, Blood Red Shoes’ third album is out now on V2/Cooperative.

Neon Indian (Texan Alan Polomo) released 2009′s Psychic Chasms just as chillwave took hold, mixing the party anthem fun of MGMT and Passion Pit with the experimental art pop of Yeasayer. His current album, 2011′s Era Extraña, sees him with a slightly darker, more polished sound, with pitch-perfect synth-pop and a distinct 80s nostalgia.

‘Polish Girl’, from Era Extraña:

Now if you’ll excuse me a minute, I’m going to lie down in a dark room and rest my eyes from ALL THE FLUORESCENTS before the gig on Wednesday night…

Neon Indian plays @ Mascotte, ZH, Wednesday 23.05.12. Tix here. 

Era Extraña is out now on Mom + Pop Records.

Related articles

• Neon Indian at The Fillmore [Photo Review] (thrillcall.com)
• Neon Indian returns to the UK this Summer (hangout.altsounds.com)

While you are counting down the minutes to the so-called ‘global listening party’, you can watch the video for ‘Ekki Múkk’ here:

Valtari is released on 28.05.12.

Sigur Rós + Get Well Soon play at Winterthurer Musikfestwochen on Saturday 25.08.12 – sold out!

Erland and the Carnival‘s latest album Nightingale mixes folk rock with some hearty Americana, psychedelic rock, pop and garage, which sounds pretty damn good to me. Check out their live action here:

Mail, tweet, or Facebook me, or just leave a plain ol’ fashioned comment below, and, fingers crossed, the tix are yours!

Erland and the Carnival play @ Gare de Lion, Wil, Saturday 19.05 12. Tix here.

Nightingale is out now on Full Time Hobby.

Related articles

• Susanne Sundfør – 2×2 free tix (highrotation.ch)
• Young Magic + Milagres – 2×2 tix FREE (highrotation.ch)
• Ben Howard – 1×2 free tix (highrotation.ch)

Now she has released The Silicon Veil, a further exploration of, as she says, ‘Apocalypse, death, love, and snow’. Sounds intriguing (and possibly, very cold). The video for ‘White Foxes’, from The Silicon Veil, certainly seems to explore these themes, juxtaposed with a more modern technological landscape:

I’ve got 2×2 tix to give away for the Susanne Sundfør gig at Papiersaal, ZH, Saturday 19.05.12. Just answer me this:

What is the title of Susanne’s current album?

Mail, tweet, or Facebook me with the answer, or just leave a plain ol’ fashioned comment below, and, fingers crossed, the tix are yours!

Susanne Sundfør‘s latest album, The Silicon Veil, is out now on Grönland Records.

Susanne Sundfør plays @ Papiersaal, ZH, Saturday 19.05.12. Tix here.

Related articles

• Scarily hip – n*grandjean + Swimming (highrotation.ch)
• Bernhoft – free tix! (highrotation.ch)
• A ghostly presence – Choir of Young Believers (highrotation.ch)

Back in 1992, The Lemonheads had released four albums of punky pop rock before the release of Ray broke them well and truly into the collective pop culture psyche. Nirvana had released Nevermind in 1991, and alt-rock and grunge had taken a melodic turn. The Lemonheads’ move into more accessible alt rock pop secured their place in the 90s Pantheon of Alt-Rock/Grunge Gods, helped along by the fact that Evan Dando was superbly photogenic (at one time being voted as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People).

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ray, The Lemonheads have headed out on tour and will be playing the album in its entirety. Now go and relive some of the past glories of Ray by watching Evan Dando in all his long-haired 90s prettiness, plus bonus floppy-haired Johnny Depp:

‘It’s A Shame About Ray’:

The Lemonheads play It’s A Shame About Ray in its entirety at Abart, ZH, Wednesday 16.05.12. Tix here.

All The Way To The Cleaners, a career retrospective, is available now on Music Club Deluxe.

Ex-Lake Placid member Jannis Noya Makrigiannis formed Choir of Young Believers with six friends, releasing their debut album This Is For The White In Your Eyes 2008 (on which ‘Hollow Talk’ is the first track), and their second album, Rhine Gold, earlier this year. And hey, guess what? In a happy coincidence, it turns out that Choir of Young Believers is gracing us with their presence in support of their current album, Rhine Gold, at Papiersaal, ZH, this week.

The title intro to Bron/Broen is worth seeing just for the gorgeously cinematic and atmospheric time lapse shots of the bridge that links Sweden and Denmark and surrounding areas:

Here’s a live version of the same:

Choir of Young Believers + Junes play @ Papiersaal, ZH, Wednesday 16.05.12. Tix here.

Rhine Gold is out now on Ghostly International.

Milagres by Cameron Witig

Miracles do happen, you know. In fact, one will be taking place next Tuesday 15.05.12 @ Exil, ZH, when Young Magic (US) + Milagres (US) (what a beautiful name, Portuguese for miracle, I believe) conjure up a night of long, lingeringly lovely indie rock/pop with a touch of ethereal, psychedelic soul.

Young Magic (Aussies Isaac Emmanuel and Michael Italia & Indonesian Melati Melay) formed as a result of three young vagabonds travelling the world and soaking up musical influences, eventually ending up in NYC to put together the band. Milagres was the product of serious injury – perhaps the miracle after which the band is named? – when main man Kyle Wilson severely injured his back in 2009 while rock climbing. While flat on his back convalescing, Wilson found a renewed passion for music. Upon recovery, he and the remaining members of Milagres put together their current album Glowing Mouth in NYC.

Young Magic, ‘Sparkly’:

Milagres, ‘Halfway’:

Ok peeps, I’ve got 2×2 tix to give away to some lucky punters in need of a miracle. Just answer me this:

What does the name Milagres mean in Portuguese?

Send me your answers pronto! Mail me, tweet me or leave an answer in the comments or on Facebook.

Young Magic + Milagres play @ Exil, ZH, Tuesday. Tix here.

Young Magic’s debut album Melt is out now on Carpark.

Milagres’ second album Glowing Mouth is out now on Kill Rock Stars/Memphis Industries.

I have to admit I haven’t had a chance to listen to Rooms Filled With Light yet (so much music, so little time!), but Reservoir was a pretty constant presence on my 2010 playlists. I guess my first introduction to the new album will be hearing it at Rote Fabrik on Wednesday night when the band hit town again. Needless to say, I’m quite looking forward to it. Here’s a taste of what the album has to offer:

‘(Everything Turns)’ from Rooms Filled With Light:

Fanfarlo play @ Clubraum, Rote Fabrik, ZH,Thursday 10.05.12. Tix here. 

Fanfarlo’s second album, Rooms Filled With Light, is out now on Canvasback.