In 2011, William Fitzsimmons released a sleeper, but one with staying power on Nettwerk. Gold in the Shadow is an incandescent recording that should have been on many more year-end lists as a noteworthy entry in the indie folk category.
Noisetrade is offering a free Fitzsimmons sampler (say that three times fast!). Embed is below.

Various Artists

Surreal Estate

Frite Nite

Sepalcure appears on Surreal Estate, a new Frite Nite electronica compilation. They contribute “Deep City Insects,” a track suffused with neo-psych deep bass that creates a hazily distressed ambience.

Grab a free download of the track over at Pitchfork.

Sepalcure’s S/T LP is out now via Hotflush.

Com Truise
Galactic Melt
Ghostly

New Jersey’s own Seth Haley records electronica under the moniker Com Truise. With a name that tropes on an eighties icon, it’s not too surprising that his source material reference dystopian sci-fi soundtracks, early synth pop, and a splash of trippy dark wave for good measure. Now, I know that, at this point, some readers might be warily edging their mitts towards the mouse. After all, this referential material is potent stuff to overuse: weaponized in the hands of the wrong creator. Fear not.

Thankfully, Haley keeps the various reference points in balance on Galactic Melt, his latest full length for the Ghostly imprint. Unlike the film actor whose name just might be morphed into Haley’s audio incarnation, Galactic Melt doesn’t seem overexposed. Haley provides enough thoughtfully mediated distance between the source material and its current day handling that the music (happily) never lapses into nostalgia nor stoops to broad parody. Recommended.

Check out a stream of the new single “Ether Drift” on the File Under ? Tumblr page.

Plus, courtesy of our friends at RCRDLBL, grab a download of album track “Brokendate” below.

Nico Muhly. Photo: Samantha West

It’s hard to believe, but one of the primary forces that fostered the “Indie Classical” phenomenon of the aughts is celebrating its tenth birthday. The Brassland imprint, which curates artists such as the National, Clogs, Doveman, and Nico Muhly, is celebrating their anniversary by sharing music: a different free download of a song from their catalog every weekday throughout November.

Thanks to the kind folks at Brassland, below we share a stream of tomorrow’s pick: Nico Muhly’s “Skip Town,” a bonus cut from his Mothertongue CD.

Be sure to visit the label’s “song a day” giveaway site or their Facebook page to collect all the goodies (schedule below).

INTRODUCTION WEEK

Nico Muhly: “Skip Town” by Brassland

This is a really good cover of Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World.” One little quibble: I miss the vocal harmony in the chorus!


Cassettes Won’t Listen – Ordinary World (Duran Duran Cover) by Cassettes Won’t Listen

And, here, for your morbid curiosity, is a really, really bad “cover” of “Ordinary World!”

Oneida plus Chavez at ATP

One of the many reasons to love NPR: their stellar coverage of this year’s All Tomorrow’s Parties festival. A highlight at ATP 2011 was Oneida’s marathon free improv set. Titled “Ocropolis III” and clocking in at nearly eight hours in duration, the event featured a number of indie luminaries joining the band onstage: members of Yo La Tengo, Chavez, Portishead, Boredoms, and more.

In a generous gesture, NPR is sharing the entire set as a free download on their website.

ATP

Oneida’s Absolute II is out now via Jagjaguwar.

Why wait for a year-end list to enjoy a compilation?

Rapids!-Comets by Old Flame Records

Rapids! will release their Fragments EP on Old Flame Records on 9/27.