The Sifting Pan

Helping you find those Indie Gems!

Tag Archives: 2011


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Song of the Day! Kaiser Chiefs – Little Shocks

Kaiser Chiefs give us Little Shocks from their hometown of Leeds

EDIT: Seems the Kaiser Chiefs have pulled down Little Shocks from Soundcloud. You can still scroll down and check out the video though.

You know what’s more then a little shock? The fact that this band just released the new song and video overnight. Without warning to pretty much the general public + everyone else. I love this sudden drop from a band that has always delivered in the past and the Kaiser Chiefs have a long history of delivering. In fact this band is really far from a rare indie gem because everyone else will soon hear this one throughout the land. The song Little Shocks is just too damn good not to share!

You got to love the sense that somethings off but in an edgy and danceable way all the same. Those intro bells and on going pino riff add the right amount of classiness needed for these Brit Rockers to stay in line with their inde genre and fans. I’m not saying this song is too different from songs past, but its just simply showing the band has come a long way from their debut album Employment released a good 6 years ago. If you follow the way the band has changed over the years it does seem only right for them to reach this sound. You have to stand out somehow to get some attention these days, or at least be signed with a good record company. I wish I knew more about when the next Kaiser Chief LP is set to come out but no such news yet. I feel that they will be releasing some info soon, but only after the storm of people swarming to listen and catch up with the band due to their 2 and a half year absence since the release of their third and latest LP Off With Their Heads in 2008.

I just had to bite on this one. So I also decided to post the new music video for Little Shocks as well for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!


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Song of the Day! This Year’s Model – We Walk Like Ghost

This Year's Model walk like ghost in Sweden

I have no choice but to be straight forward about the wonderfully haunting indie pop that is We Walk Like Ghost. Between those throw back guitar riffs and leader singer Niklas Gustafsson’s unique vocals, I can’t decide which appeals to me more. Perhaps it is the combination of everything that makes Swedish pop act This Year’s Model stand out from the normal bubbly and sunshine indie pop crowd we see far too often coming out of Sweden’s music scene these days. I can accept edgy and somewhat gloomy guitar based pop, because we don’t always need smiles and kisses to make us want to dance and sing along.

This Year’s Model are by no means a new band, having released an EP and two LPs since their formation in 2005. Their latest release We Walk Like Ghost, which came out February of 2011, not only contains the obviously awesome title track We Walk Like Ghost but also plethora of elegant and well crafted pop tunes that echos back to the more somber side of the genre. I suggest you head over to This Year’s Model website to check out more on these criminally underrated Swedes, they have loads of info about themselves and are even offering the song No Miracles off their latest album for free.


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Song of the Day! Moving Units – Until She Says

Moving units are part of the dance-punk revival in LA, California

Why does the name David Bowie come to my mind within the first 5 seconds of listening to Until She Says? I don’t even think that question needs a response because the answer lies somewhere in Moving Units dance-punk and electronic infused indie rock. I would’ve hoped a band that spans nearly a decade of formation would have their own unique sound but taking a few pointers from the dance-rock man himself is never a bad thing. Maybe I haven’t exposed myself  to enough Moving Units for this to be a fair statement and might need to go back a few years to an earlier album to truly get a feel for what this LA outfit has to fully offer.

You can catch Until She Says on Moving Units latest EP Tension War which was self-released back in February of this year.


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Song of the Day! Clubfeet – Edge of Extremes

Clubfeet is the holy union of five sons of Melbourne, Australia and Cape Town, South Africa.

That intro bass line could not work any better for the song Edge of Extremes, and compliments the song’s steady pacing and simple and steady dance beat so well. Only one word truly can describe the overall feel of this laid back ambient track, mellow. Very, very, mellow. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with a track that can make you want to dance while at the same time keeping your heart rate so low. The song was originally  released on the band’s debut LP Gold on Gold way back in July of 2010, but is just now getting a Single release of its own. I’m glad the band is still releasing singles from Gold on Gold which is an amazing album from a highly underrated band. According to their description: ”Clubfeet create music for the night time that can also be enjoyed in the day time. ” I’ll keep this in mind for tomorrow during the day but for now I’ll just embrace the night on the Edge of Extremes.


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Song of the Day! Tim & Jean – Like What

Tim & Jean keep up their synth appeal from Mandurah, Australia

Within seconds Like What comes alive with an immediate synth hook that just holds your attention. I rather enjoy the pleasant feeling evoked by this Australian electro-pop and It just reminds me so much of the synth infused pop style that has swept Australia’s indie music scene. It’s hard to forget that Empire of the Sun paved this movement in Australian electronic music and Tim & Jean have that immediate simliar sound. The reality of it is that Tim & Jean are more alike the American electro-pop band Passion Pit then anything else. The song I Can Show You would immediately start to remind you of PP and that seems to be the trend as well with their other single Come Around. So what? I’m perfectly fine with a PP sound alike since they are pretty high up on my list of favorite bands. I need to get my hands on their debut album that also goes by Like What, which saw a release early last month, so I can throughly enjoy Tim & Jean.