The Sifting Pan

Helping you find those Indie Gems!

Category Archives: 2013


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The Sifting Pan’s Top 10 albums of 2013!

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My Top 10 Albums of 2013:
1. Kanye West – Yeezus
2. Superhumanoids – Exhibitionist
3. CHVRCHES – The Bones of What You Believe
4. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
5. Disclosure – Settle
6. The Neighbourhood – I Love You.
7. Bastille – Bad Blood
8. Kid Cudi – Indicud
9. AlunaGeorge – Body Music
10. Capital Cities – In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery

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Honorable Mentions:
Foals – Holy Fire
Rhye – Woman
Cold War Kids – Dear Miss Lonely Hearts
Childish Gambino – Because The Internet
Lorde – Pure Heroine
HAIM – Days Are Gone
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Empire of the Sun – Ice On The Dune
GROUPLOVE – Spreading Rumors
Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires In The City

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What were some of your favorite albums of 2013?


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FEVERS – [Dance Cry Dance] + [Autumn’s Dead]

FEVERS - Dance Cry Dance + Look Alive

Canadian synth rockers FEVERS want us to Dance Cry Dance

FEVERS – Dance Cry Dance:

If you like catchy motion inducing dance rock, topped off with a talented female vocalist, then look no further! Ottawa based band FEVERS have released, in what is just my opinion, one of this year’s most solid debut albums.

No Room For Light is a beautifully diverse mix of indie rock and electropop that fuses the best of both worlds. From the wonderful synth stylings of Dance Cry Dance to the momentum building indie rock track Autumn’s Dead, the debut album is plump full of songs that actually engage the listener in a melodious experience. I must say that lead vocalist Sarah Bradley really shines through as a focal point for the wide range of sounds. Her serene voice is a perfect balance for the fast electronic rhythms and riffs found throughout No Room For Light. I highly recommend giving the album a chance, as I am sure you will not regret it.

While FEVERS is a wonderfully unique band, I can’t help but to say that they sound a lot like a hybrid of CHVRCHES and Company of Thieves. If you’re familiar with those two bands I’m sure you’d agree. Unfamiliar with the pair? I just found two more bands for you to check out!

FEVERS – Autumn’s Dead

Let FEVERS know if you like them by doing so on their Facebook Page.

Or listen to FEVERS on Spotify!

No Room For Light (2013):


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FMLYBND – [Forever] + [Electricity]

FMLYBND - Forever + Electricity

FMLYBND bring us wholesome synthpop laden with indie rock

FMLYBND – Forever:

Something sweet sounding is filling the air with carefree vibes and poppy tones. These deliciously fresh sounds are the product of six piece California natives FMLYBND. Based out of Isla Vista, the band already has a solid foundation of support for their music – all of their family and friends. It truly is nice to see a band hold such regard for family values intrinsically, and to still be able to make such damn good music.

Their latest single Forever is an anthem of youthful vigor. Completely jam packed full of energy at times, yet never seems to be overwhelming or chaotic. Perhaps the song is best fit for a sunny day adventure where the only restrictions are the shoes on your feet and the friends you bring along to share the moment. Being more than just a run-of-the-mill track, Forever is the pure bliss of happy days passed and all the amazing memories that are still to come.

WARNING! Listening to Electricity will cause rapid spasms of rhythmic movement in your legs. Not only that but your brain will be fried by the overwhelming catchiness of that synth hook. So good luck accomplishing anything productive when all you want to do is whistle that damn synth! I’m serious when I say Electricity is criminally good and we should hold FMLYBND accountable for their actions. When they make music this good you are left with simply no choice but to buy their debut Gold EP, which will see a release next week on the 27th of September. I cannot wait to abuse my brain by exposing it to such infectious tunes.

FMLYBND – Electricity: 

Of course FMLYBND has a Facebook Page where you can show your support for them.

Or listen to FMLYBND on Spotify!


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Big Data – [Dangerous] + [The Stroke of Return]

Big Data - Dangerous + The Stroke of Return

Big Data are the paranoid pair who bring us music for the coming era of big data analytics

Big Data – Dangerous:

Big Data is as much a public service announcement as it is an indie band. They’re here to inform us that we are being watched and monitored like never before.
Daniel Armbruster (of Joywave) and Alan Wilkis, who comprise the New York based electronic indie outfit, take a nonsensical approach to informing the masses of the breach in their privacy. Enlightening us to the glorious digital future already in our midst and all the new age voyeurism we subject ourselves willingly to when surfing the internet. What better way to prep us for the coming singularity then indie pop music? Ruggedly awesome and catchy indie pop music at that.

Dangerous has a bassline that’s about as dirty as the NSA’s secrets. So dirty that you can’t help but to delve deeper in again and again. Addicting and informative, this track is what happens when great potential meets proper execution. Everything about this song is so much larger than just a two man project. The level of production and thought put into Dangerous sometimes isn’t even seen on tracks by the bigger names in music. So kudos to you gents.

The music video for Dangerous is a great deal more then just your average music video. Rightly dubbed The Facehawk, the interactive music video is an experience in and of itself. Just let Big Data borrow the keys to your Facebook castle for 5 minutes and watch your timeline come to life in the form of a bird of prey. It’s alright to be nervous about sharing your personal information, in fact I think that is kind of the point of it anyways. If you do manage to muster up the courage to experience the video you might be left with an unsettlingly feeling afterwords from being faced with all the information about you that is in the public domain.

Big Data’s only two songs, Dangerous and The Stroke of Return, are going to see a proper release on the band’s up coming EP 1.0, which I’m sure will be released before 2014. I’m tremendously excited for more music from these guys and can’t wait to see what ingenious method they come up with this time for sharing it with the world.

Big Data – The Stroke of Return:

You’ve already let Big Data onto your Facebook so why not get onto theirs.

Or listen to Big Data on Spotify!


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Sleigh Bells – [Bitter Rivals]

Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals

Brooklyn based Sleigh Bells are back with their signature noise pop style

Sleigh Bells – Bitter Rivals:

In one hell of a revival the rambunctious noise pop duo Sleigh Bells released their newest single Bitter Rivals. I am glad to see the band has not lost their traditional childish sense of humor. Light noodling, firm gasps and ‘Ahs’, a barking dog, and finger snaps all build up to the familiar thrashing guitars of Derek Miller and the somewhat distorted vocals of Alexis Krauss we might expect by now.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
- from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens(1859)

Something is seemingly different this time around. But is it subtle or is it craftily not so obvious? Could it be those super electro “pew-pew” sounds flying all over the track? Or is it the fact that we actually get a chance, for once, to stop and breath at well placed points? Then again, that is a super heavy outro they’re dishing out onto one’s speakers, which is very much the norm for them.

It is nice to be able to see that the band has progressed as we approach album number three, which not so shockingly will be titled Bitter Rivals. Sleigh Bells is headed off into the trendy direction of more heavy production and leaving their “lo-fi”ness behind. This transition is in no way a bad thing. I believe we should all be excited to hear what a cleaner sounding Sleigh Bells is like. If the band’s sound becomes more palatable then it’s only a matter of time until mom & pop are jamming out to some damn good music too. But who knows what kinds of delicious treats await us on LP3 and if the band has truly ‘cleaned’ up their act. Not that I’ve ever been one to complain about the loud and gritty sound of Sleigh Bells in the past.

If you enjoyed Bitter Rivals then you should let Sleigh Bells know by giving them a ‘Like’ on their Facebok Page.

Or listen to Sleigh Bells on Spotify!