Once again I've fallen behind in the release updates. No time to summarize April just yet, but at the very beginning of the month - April 1 - Pastel Music released what seems like an interesting soundtrack, going by the name of 천일의 몽상, for a couple of books. The soundtrack has been compiled by the author of the books, Lee Dong Jin, and primarily contains songs from licensed Pastel artists, but a few Korean artists have been featured as well: Han Hee Jung (휴가가 필요해), The Melody (Love Box), Jaejoo Boys (눈 오던 날), Zitten (곁에), Tearliner (Be A God), Sweetpea (침묵), and Lee Jang Hyuk (아우슈비츠 오케스트라).

The books are called 길에서 어렴풋이 꿈을 꾸다 and 필름 속을 걷다, and if I get the info right they're the result of Lee Dong Jin's visits to places all over the world where movies have been shot. To see which song goes with which book and movie I'd suggest a visit to Hyang Music.

A fun bonus when blogging about music is the artists/labels/promotion companies that send you all kinds of songs and information in hopes that it'll encourage you to write about their music. However more often than not (I haven't actually done any calculations on this, but I'd estimate at least 90%) the music has nothing whatsoever to do with Korea. So tonight I was pleasantly surprised not just to get a tweet from half Korean duo My Parasol but to find that their music was good enough for me to want to write something about it.

Not that I have much to say, really, but I'd like to encourage you to visit the official MySpace to have a listen to the sweet Sea Sun before heading over to Bandcamp to not just listen but also download electropop number Spacetalk and numerous remixes of the same (I can't quite make up my mind which one is the better, but I'd recommend at least checking out the JDB and the Mighty Dax remixes). Should you feel like remixing Spacetalk yourself you can download the track stems too. Oh, and in the middle of that Spacetalk playlist is the demo for another charming song - Springtime - with just Susanna singing and playing the guitar.

Another round of assorted links:

Shawn Despres had a talk with post-rock act Glittering Blackness, Fall before last weekend's Lotus Carnival: Something Glittering At The Carnival

Dramabeans reports that electropop act BellaMafia vocalist Juni has been cast in new SBS drama I Am Legend (나는 전설이다): Juni added to I Am Legend


K Bites has found a music video for Going Home from Jaurim vocalist Kim Yuna's 3rd full length album: Kim YoonAh ‘Going Home’ MV revealed. The album is called 315360 and it will be released tomorrow, April 27.


Thanks to a new profile at Luminostiy I learned that Tie has released a new digital single: [Profile] TIe. The single in question is called 타이의 '연애(煙靄)' and has been out digitally since April 23. As usual when it comes to Tie, there's a music video for the main track: 저 달이지면 (로미오와 줄리엣).

Apparently Mardi of Luminosity has also taken a liking to 10cm:
- [Profile] 10cm
- [100425] 10 cm live


Hyang Music released another of it's fine samplers at the beginning of the month. The year's edition is the 7th and to find out more about it I'd suggest a visit to Init_Music: Inbox: Hyangmusic.com Sampler, Vol. 7


Other recent reviews at Init_Music include:
- Replay: Deli Spice - Deli Spice
- Inbox: Plastic People - Songbags of the Plastic People
- Replay: Roller Coaster - Roller Coaster



After a month long hiatus, Chris Park is back with more reviews at wakesidevision:
- 크 림슈 (Creamchou) – Shining Love Review
- Denci Hinji – Day is Far Too Long Review
- Freaky – Pearl Review
- 골 드러쉬 (GoldRush) – Self-titled Review
- In Flower – Rina Review
- 미 스티 블루 (Misty Blue) – 4/4 Sentimental Painkiller Review
- National Pigeon Unity – Empathy Review
- 비둘기 우유 (Vidulgi OoyoO) – Aero Review

Yesterday the number of members in Indieful ROK's last.fm listener group and the number of fans at Indieful ROK's Facebook page were both at 99. Today the last.fm group has lost a member, but I'm still curious to see which one will be the first to reach a 100 - a number I find very remarkable, I might add. Thank you so much for your support!

Below you'll find a list of the artist characteristic of last week's scrobbling by Indieful ROK group members. The songs listed with each artist is the one most listened to among all last.fm users during the past 7 days.

Oh, and perhaps I should take this opportunity to ask what you think about me sharing my own top choices each week or so? Is 10 a good number? Could 5 do or would 3 be enough? What I'd really like to do is get some more of those Anna's obsessions posts written, but although I have been writing a few since December I haven't gotten around to finishing one before a new obsession shows up...

Indieful ROK TOP10 - week 16, 2010
1. W&Whale (re) [월광 (月狂) MV]
2. Humming Urban Stereo (+1) [Banana Shake MV]
3. Casker (+3) [Cross The Roads (no link)]
4. Loveholic (re) [신기루 YT audio + translation]
5. Jaurim (-4) [Carnival Amour MV]
6. Misty Blue (re) [봄의 왈츠를 위한 시계 YT audio]
7. Taru (+3) [세탁기 YT audio]
8. Nell (-6) [기억을 걷는 시간 MV]]
9. Donawhale re) [Running YT audio]
10. Tearliner (re) [바다여행 :Coffee Prince excerpt]

Don't feel like the chart reflects your taste in music well enough? Join Indieful ROK's last.fm group and maybe next week it'll look a little better!

After fairly recently turning into a fan of the outstanding shoegaze act Vidulgi OoyoO, I had really been looking forward to catching them live again during Lotus Carnival this weekend. As it happens the volcanic ash cloud over Europe has kept me from getting over to Korea in time for the event, but thanks to Electric Muse's Kim Mingyu I could at least learn a little more on the band as guitarist Jong answered some questions for Indieful ROK:

What is Vidulgi OoyoO?
Vidulgi OoyoO means pigeon's milk in English. It sounds weird, but I had felt very psychedelic to hear that mama pigeon feeds her baby on her own milk - vomited from her throat-several years ago.

How would you like to describe your music?
The music that is seen by ears??

What can you say about your songs on the new release? How did you end up making a split album with bliss.city.east?
We just wanted to try to apply our own textures to various spectrums like psychedelic blues, electronica, post-rock and so on.

We had recorded and mixed down for 6 months and then Bliss had finished up all the works. And we had mastered all of new songs for the split CD in Korea.

I've heard that the split album will get released in the US and EU - how did that become possible and do you have any plans to go there yourselves as well?
Since Bliss City East suggested a split release at first, Vidulgi undertook a release in Korea and Bliss in U.S and E.U as well.

And Bliss is supposed to come to play in Korea in September and we plan to go play to Chicago as well.

---

Congratulations, Chicago! Anybody living there should not miss the chance to catch this fantastic live band in action. I'm hoping the international distribution of this split album will eventually lead to Vidulgi OoyoO also playing in other parts of the world...

As you may recall the split album has already been mentioned here on the blog a couple of times: downloads available here, and my appreciation for the marvelous Goodnight Shining expressed here. Expect more to show up world wide in a few weeks!

Lots of changes in the top 10 of Bugs' indie music chart this week as only two of the songs from last week remain.

Bugs Indie TOP10 - April 22, 2010
1. Melancholy Studio - Melancholy Studio [live]
2. 초면 - 초면 (band version)
3. The Theatre No.8 - 대항해시대 [@ CGV Pub Project]
4. cheezstereo - 화성 로맨스 [MV]
5. Two Myung - For Kyo
6. Julia Hart - 하얀 마법 속삭임 [Hyang]
7. DJ Ahn Kwa Jang - 체리파이
8. bliss.city.east - Stop Clock [mp3 @ Milk Milk Lemonade]
9. Broccoli, you too? - 앵콜요청금지 [@ MBC nanjang]
10. Vanila City - I'll Be On Your Side [MV]

The new additions to the TOP100 list are the following:
80. The Theatre No.8 - 위로송
82. The Theatre No.8 - 스탈린그라드 락 파티파티 대잔치
97. The Brunettes - If You Were Alien [MV]

See the full top 100 list here.

Humorist indie rock band The Theatre No.8 release a new EP, 대항해시대, on April 17. All three songs from it made it to the chart this week. I find it difficult not to be entertained by this video advertising first EP Welcome To The Show from 2008. For more old music of theirs, check out the MV for 2009 single 지금은 카니발.

Two Myung, as the name implies, is a duo. It's the joint project of Whang Boryung and Hi, Mr. Memory. First album For... was released digitally on April 14 and the CD has been out since April 22. To make it even better, the album has been produced by Rainbow 99 that is also responsible for a remix of the song that entered the top 10 this week.

Even non-Korean bands can enter Bugs' indie chart, as shown by Chicago's bliss.city.east. However they're not alone, as indie/twee pop duo The Brunettes from New Zealand just made it with a song from Structure & Cosmetics, released in Korea early 2009.

Via the official Happy Robot blog we learn that Lozik of apls has remixed a track on Japanese house/electro duo Castaway's new album Step Into The Party!, released April 14. The song in question is called Reach For Your Dreams! - Party Edition- and the aplsound mix of the same can be sampled in full through what appears to be the official Castaway YouTube account.

Like me a couple of weeks ago, the people over at Milk Milk Lemonade have had a listen to the new Vidulgi OoyoO bliss.city.east split album: Bliss City East / Vidulgi OoyoO: Split Album Release.

Not only do they write about it, but they also offer a download of Mermaid Queen. And today I noticed that the album in question is available for streaming from last.fm with a free download of Mosquito Incognito. Both recommended should you be looking for some nice shoegaze to accompany you this weekend.

Check back for more Vidulgi OoyoO on the blog tomorrow!

I'm not quite sure what happened with Indieful ROK's unique artist chart at last.fm last week as it never updated. Today it did, however, so here's what the members of Indieful ROK's last.fm group were listening to during last week. Or if it's the week before that. For sampling purposes, links to the song from each artist currently most popular among all last.fm users have been provided when possible.

Indieful ROK TOP10 - week 15, 2010
1. Jaurim (+4) [Carnival Amour MV]
2. Nell (+1) [기 억을 걷는 시간 MV]
3. Humming Urban Stereo (-1) [Luv Sauce AUMV]
4. MOT (re) [Electric YT audio]
5. The Black Skirts (re) [Dientes MV]
6. Casker (-5) [Cross The Roads (no link)]
7. My Aunt Mary (+2) [Sweet (no link)]
8. Epik High (re) [Run MV]
9. Rumble Fish (-1) [Smile Again MV]
10. Taru (-3) [세탁기 YT audio]

Don't feel like the chart reflects your taste in music well enough? Join Indieful ROK's last.fm group and maybe next week it'll look a little better!

allkpop is drawing some attention towards pop/rock band Vanila City, that released their second full length album, A boy who embrace the sky, on April 17: Vanila City releases “I’ll Be On Your Side” MV. (Although the careful reader will note that Vanila City released their first single, Jump, already in March last year)

The album includes both songs from digital single Icarus Wings as well as both songs from digital single Go Afro, released as recently as March 26. Go Afro is the theme songs for Fifa Online 2, and the album also includes the main theme for something (a tournament?) called Beautiful Challenge - a theme previously recorded by Vanila City vocalist Hex for digital EP Theme Song (2007) during his R&B days. Flirting with an international audience, the album contains English versions of both new album main track I'll Be On Your Side and first album song Let It Rain.

More Vanila City on YouTube and Twitter.

If you haven't already done so, it's about time to place your votes for AVIMA 2010! You'll find the full list of nominees here - lots of great bands and songs from all over Asia, And just as a reminder, the Korean artists nominated this year are Tearliner, Oh Ji Eun, and Daybreak.

You'll find info on how to vote here. Voting closes April 23!

Folk duo 10cm started selling its first EP, General Edition, today April 18 during a live showcase at DGBD. The tracklist holds four titles: 눈이 오네, 새벽4시, Healing, and Good Night.

In related news, Bobby Kim will release his third full length album, Heart & Soul on April 26. For track 12, Empty, 10cm's Kwon Jung Yeol has been featured.

Assorted links from the past couple of weeks!
(I kinda dislike that this way of rounding up links has become a regular feature rather than me just posting links when I come across them like before - if you have any opinion on which way is the better please feel free to share it!)

Not relating specifically to the types of music usually posted on here, but Ask A Korean! has started a new music related series with an introductory post I found very interesting: 50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists Series: Introduction & Brief History


Shawn Despres has made an interview with this month's MAP artist - ruleless trio National Pigeon Unity - and written a great article for Groove Korea: National Pigeon Unity.

Janet offers a chance to learn more on recent KMA winners Guckkasten over at make-shift cartology: group overview: Guckkasten [국카스텐]

Although linked previously, while on the theme of band introductions I'm stealing this opportunity to once again plug my article with metalcore band Noeazy for London Korean Links: A meeting with Noeazy. If you know Korean you can read the raw material for the article at the GMC site

For further language practice, sarangingayo has a Portugese translation of the recent 10 interview with Lucid Fall: [ENTREVISTA] Músico de indie e rock Lucid Fall. And Chopstick Yeti offers a bit on TV Yellow in French: TV Yellow




refresh_daemon has shared his thoughts on another bunch of albums over at Init_Music. Generously accompanied by music videos (when possible) these reviews are great reads, as always:
- Inbox: 3rd Line Butterfly - Nine Days or a Million
- Replay: Crying Nut - Crying Nut
- Inbox: Crying Nut - 불.편.한.파.티.
- Inbox: Misty Blue - 2/4 Sentimental Story Tell(h)er - 여름, 행운의 지휘
- Replay: Who Are You - Music from the Motion Picture
- Inbox: 우리는 속옷도 생겼고 여자도 늘었다네 - 우리는 속옷도 생겼고 여자도 늘었다네


Janet has shared her thoughts on a couple of Pastel releases at make-shift cartology:
- Donawhale vol.2 - Dive To Blue
- Siamese Flowers
The latter is a great compilation with artists from Pastel Music and UK label Robot! Records that I've reviewed myself some years ago. It was supposed to get a European release too, but chances of that ever happening are pretty slim now, I guess.



1 night 2 days fansubs has reposted a live report from a Hot Potato concert: Hot Potato’s Indie Series Concert. No photos from the concert then, but now they offer some from another recent Hot Potato concert: Hot Potato’s guerilla concert photos (100418)



Through K Bites we can learn that Jaurim's vocalist Kim Yuna is preparing to release her third full length album: Jaurim Kim YoonAh reveals preview track ‘Tokyo Blues’ to upcoming 3rd solo album. I'm very fond of her previous solo works (夜想曲 from her second album in particular) and even more excited about this than I would be for another Jaurim album. A digital single showing off new track 도쿄블루스 was released on April 15.



Omona They Didn't has introduced its community members to The Romantic Movement: The Romantic Movement Seoul-A Korean Short Film Web Series

I've tweeted about Part 1 and Part 2 of My Bloody Valentine before, as none other than my favorite Tearliner has made the music for it. The episodes are all lovely though, and the webisodes largely entertaining.



And while on the subject of tweets, if you're already following me on Twitter (or keeping up via Facebook, for that matter) you may have seen my enthusiasm for D-24 of Galaxy Express Wild 30. In case you didn't figure it out already, the video above shows Galaxy Express at the noraebang, singing Galaxy Express song Jungle The Black. Without a doubt the most fantastic noraebang performance I've ever seen, and one of the most entertaining videos I've come across so far this year.

DJ Ahn Kwa Jang, who recently released his first full length album, already has more new music out. The soundtrack for SBS drama Oh! My Lady (오! 마이 레이디) was released on April 15 and includes a song of his called 도시의 천사.

The two top tracks remain the same as last week on Bugs' indie music chart.

Bugs Indie TOP10 - April 15, 2010
1. cheezstereo - 화성 로맨스 [MV]
2. Julia Hart - 하얀 마법 속삭임 [Hyang]
3. Sweet Revenge - Real One [Hyang]
4. Mysterious Curtain - 잠
5. 초면 - 초면 (band version)
6. Burning Heart - 1729
7. In Flower - 리나
8. Misty Blue - 기억은 겨울보다 차갑다
9. Broccoli, you too? - 유자차 [@ Bbang]
10. Melancholy Studio - Melancholy Studio

The new additions to the TOP100 list are the following:
27. Vidulgi OoyoO - Mosquito Incognito [@ Bbang]
55. bliss.city.east - Stop Clock [MySpace]
56. DJ Ahn Kwa Jang - 체리파이
76. Maroo - 첫 키스 하던 날 [MV]

See the full top 100 list here.

Female fronted indie pop band 초면 released a self-titled digital single on April 12. In addition to the self-titled song that made it to the top 10 this week, the single also holds acoustic and pop versions of a track called 마중 - sample it in this High Kick Through The Roof MV.

Another band with a self-titled track on a self-titled digital single is Melancholy Studio. The single has been out since April 14 and it appears the music offered by the quartet could fall under the indie rock category.

DJ Ahn Kwa Jang released his first full length album, 미인은 롸커를 좋아해, on April 13. From what I can tell it's his first official release since 2007 debut single 솔솔랄라솔솔미, from which only 기타를 치고 made it to the album. He's supposed to have some kind of hybrid sound, but of what exactly I can't tell. At least orienkorean described his music as "Korean mash-up alt-pop" when sharing the video to 왜 내여자랑 a couple of years ago.

Rock band Maroo released third full length album Remember on April 7 and it includes all titles from last year's 어려운 Love Song single. This is their first album since the release of Holic in 2000. Check out the official YouTube channel to hear their current sound.

Hi! Hope you are all well.:]
Here are the first batch of videos for this month.
To play the playlist, click the play button and navigate back and forth using the arrows on the sides of the box. Videos older than this month will have a * next to them.





In order of appearance:

Cheez Stereo - Mars Romance [MV]
From their 4 track single album of the same name, Mars Romance.

EZ Hyoung - 메탈포크쥬니어의 여름 [game clip]
This great song appears in the Korean game Fiery Concert and is also on EZ Hyoung's second album, Spectrum.

Vanilla Lucy - 비행소녀 [MV]
This lovely new girl group has debuted with a refreshing new sound in their music. Let's give them a chance! This song is their first single.

Broccoli, You Too? - 유자차 [live perf.]*
As Anna posted earlier, 유자차 (yoo-ja cha) made it onto the Bugs Indie Music Chart this month. The title of the song is 'Citron Tea', which is very delicious and has the magical ability to cheer you up when you are sad (for me anyway), it can be served hot or iced depending on your preference. The song is on their first album.

Deafening Street - Hard To Break [live perf.]
Consistently great. This song is on their first album, In The Deafening Street.

DJ Soulscape - Jasmine [MV]*
Searching for artists under the Master Plan label, I stumbled over DJ Soulscape. This song is from his first album, Lovers.

Galaxy Express - Bye Bye Planet [live perf.]
It's a great performance, don't miss it!

Amateur Amp - 참한남자, 전태일 [living room clip]
A song about 'Nice Guy, Cheon Tae Il'.

The Sagitta - Ukulele Song [beach clip]*
With a couple small NGs near the end, a cute little song on the beautiful beach. Ah, feel the breeze!

Miji- K.New [MV]
In a kind of 12 Girls Band fashion, this group plays traditionally-influenced music with a new age feel. Very pretty! This song is on their first album, The Challenge.

Outsider feat. Ilac - 바람이 불면 너가 떠올라 [MV]
Although Outsider has achieved idol level of success (like Epik High) he is still signed with an independent label, so I continue to post his videos. This song is on his new mini-album 2.5 The Outsider.

Siberian Husky 2nd album trailer/showcase promo [clip]

Eva53 - Kiss [MV]
A sweet debut from a new female indie singer. From her 3 track first single album, The First - Kiss. The dreamy sounds are so nice...

BeGanWho - [backstage footage MV]*
This is a new band that came to my attention in the 'recommended for you' section. This rock group makes music in the classic rock style, I would liken to Boohwal.

This month many live shows were uploaded. Since I could not include them all the in general playlist (it would be too cluttered) I decided to organize them into their own playlists.

-Acoustic to Jazzy show: Broccoli, You Too?, Clazziquai Project, Winterplay, jazz singer Woong San
-Melancholic Flowers show: Loro's, Swallow, MOT, Lune, 3rd Line Butterfly, and Huckleberry Finn
-Black Wallpaper show: National Pigeon Unity, Galaxy Express

MAP isn't all the international music downloads Indieful ROK has to offer you today. Remember Amnesty International/Buffetlibre project PEACE? Somewhat delayed it has finally been launched which means that starting from €5 you can get 180 new songs (and bios) from artists worldwide while supporting a good cause. Preview the songs and give your donation here!

So far I've only had a listen to the songs on the list with mp3s I could pick to post and a few favorite names, but for that price I do not hesitate to recommend it anyway. As mentioned earlier Korea's fantastic electropop act EE is there, with a quirky number called Talk To Them. There's also an unusual Asobi Seksu song (Celeste), some lovely harmonies from Spain's Boat Beam (Shadow Pool), sweetness from Indonesia's Mocca (Bundle of Joy), delicious twee from Hong Kong's The Marshmallow Kisses (Mercy mercy, to my melancholic life journey), and much much more.

Courtesy of Buffetlibre, here's a couple of songs from names new to me that I've already come to like plenty:
- Peter von Poehl - To The Golden Rose (folky singer/songwriter goodness from Sweden)
- Plushgun - Mixtapes (dreamy electroacoustic material out of the US)
And if you're in the mood for another video, Swedish indie pop collective I'm From Barcelona has covered Au Revoir Simone for PEACE: Anywhere You Looked.

The Music Alliance Pact is back with more awesome music from all over the world! No entries from Spain or India this month, but we have been joined by Switzerland.

Representing Korea are none other than National Piegon Unity - the band I've listened to more than any other over the past month and a half. Although my current favorite song of theirs would be 먹이사슬, the one I picked for MAP is 환 - after listening through Empathy the first few times (already long after I should've gone to sleep) I ended up playing that song two hours straight. It's that good. And of course, don't forget to check out Indieful ROK's NPU interview, if you haven't already.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Ivana Berenstein - Ahora
The songs of young singer-songwriter Ivana Berenstein follow certain traditions from Argentine folk music, bossa nova and bolero, but add modern textures and harmonies to it. Ahora is the first single from her debut album No Te Duermas and has Coiffeur (check out MAP December 2009) as a guest vocalist.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Flight Facilities featuring Giselle Roselli - Crave You (Bxentric remix)
I don't know much about Flight Facilities, and I don't know much about 19-year-old Giselle Roselli either, except now that I've heard this song, I definitely want to know more. According to her MySpace, she has contributed vocals to Flight Facilities and Seekae and recorded her own material, some of which you can listen to on the site. As if that's not cool enough, she has had a song featured on British TV series Skins. How she does it and remains unchampioned by the blogging world, I don't know. But I hope you keep your ears out because we are going to hear more about this girl very soon no doubt.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Maquinado - SP
Maquinado is the side-project of Lucio Maia, guitarist of Nacao Zumbi (probably the most relevant band in Brazil in the '90s that is still active). In this project he works with some artists from the country's new music scene, especially the ones from Sao Paulo, the city where he lives and pays homage to in this song, SP. It is taken from his second album Mundialmente Anonimo - O Magnetico Sangramento Da Existencia, released last month, and features a heavy guitar sound that recalls the time when Lucio was a member of Soulfly (the band created by heavy metal singer Max Cavalera when he left Sepultura).

CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Old Crowns - Keep Calm
Old Crowns describe their sound as "stoner country", and on this song - like the rest of their recently released debut - it's easy to see why. Twangy vocals and folkie strumming sit comfortably alongside squalls of feedback and fuzzy guitars, with the end result being something that sounds familiar and comfortable and fresh and exciting all at once.

CHILE: Super 45
Los Mil Jinetes - Un Lugar Desconocido
Los Mil Jinetes ("A Thousand Horsemen") is the band of Cristobal Briceno y Andres Zanetta, two guys plus some live assistance. They have released two records from which we can see a clear evolution in their talent when it comes to mixing several influences (folk, indie-rock, bolero and romantic ballads). Fortunately, they do this avoiding soulless pastiche, creating a unique style of colorful melodies and friendly lyrics. Un Lugar Desconocido is taken from their latest downloadable album, Reconoceronte.

CHINA: Wooozy
Kamutang - Whirlpool
At the beginning of 2007, a group of young kids came together through their passion for rock music and formed Kamutang. It is their idea and emotion. Their songs have been compiled into Lighting Of Tomorrow, released by Pilot Records.

COLOMBIA: Colombia Urbana
Lil' Poeta - Nina Estupida
A rude girl from the hood is probably the best way to describe Lil' Poeta, a songwriter from Medellin. With no fear to speak the truth in her songs, Lil' Poeta tries to offer an alternative lyrical sound in a saturated musical world.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Let Me Play Your Guitar - Beauty
At the turn of the last decade, Let Me Play Your Guitar self-released their debut EP Doing Rainbows (get it on Bandcamp) with five 1960s-tinged folk-pop songs. Fronted by brothers Emil and Jeppe Davidsen, LMPYG excites with sweeping yet mellow and intimate pop arrangements from an enchanted land bordering Fleet Foxes and Simon & Garfunkel - one excellent example being the MAP exclusive Beauty.

ENGLAND: The Daily Growl
David Thomas Broughton - Walking Over You
This month's entry is a song that's five years old because recorded material from David Thomas Broughton is fairly hard to come by. Not that he's lazy, it's just that live performance is more his thing and that's where he's best experienced. Those of us who live in London are lucky because we get most chances to catch his unique shows, which have to be seen to be fully appreciated. My words here are not adequate. That said, he can write great songs too, as this one ably demonstrates.

ESTONIA: Popop
QueeNNaive - My Soul
QueeNNaive are a lo-fi disco duo formed in 2007 by lead vocalist Sandra Z originally as an anti-pop movement. Now, ironically, with lo-fi becoming more mainstream, QueeNNaive have ended up wrapped in the world of pop music, still remaining somewhere between stand-up comedy and Italo disco. Their ear-cracking mono '80s sound, easygoing lyrics, glam image and crazy performances have become their unique signature.

FINLAND: Glue
Kärtsy - Round The Roundabout
For more than two decades, Kärtsy Hatakka has been the leader of the experimental metal band Waltari, exploring anything from death to symphonic metal. But now it is time to fly solo and Kartsy has put together a new band to record a bunch of pop metal songs for his first solo album which will be released on May 26. Heavy guitar riffs with catchy melodies and sparkling piano in a cross between Foo Fighters and HIM.

FRANCE: ZikNation
Smooth - Friendly Yours
When listening to Smooth's music you get the strange impression of meeting an old friend or a road companion. Their music draws on our own imagination where it moulds itself, each day, each rainy season, with pleasure or ecstasy. The trio borrow and mix sounds and rhythms from their forefathers, which they put back together with inventiveness, jubilation and sensuality. Friendly Yours starts off Smooth's new album The Parade at a wild pace.

GERMANY: Blogpartei
Like A Stuntman - MC Sensation
This four-piece from Hamburg is loaded with creativity. Like A Stuntman merges elements of playful ambient, psychedelia and sincere indie to a quite distinctive sound unmatched in Germany. Discreet but nethertheless catchy, MC Sensation is an outstanding song from their album Original Bedouin Culture.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Playground Noise - The Divers
Infusing melancholy with a tense, literate sense of foreboding, Playground Noise strikes the perfect balance between moody, underground noise and melody. Drama and dark dollops of synths, brass and strings swarm beautifully around the vocals, guitars soar into the stratosphere, and intense crescendos linger over delicate, breathy passages. They create a shadowy veil of sadness, shot through with hopeful transcendence. Playground Noise has crafted a statement of intent, one that hopefully suggests a continuingly bold future.

ICELAND: I Love Icelandic Music
Eliza - Hopeless Case
London-based Eliza Newman Geirsdottir was the lead singer of the all-girl band Bellatrix (Kolrassa Krókríðandi) and the rock band Skandinavia. She's a trained opera singer and also plays violin, guitar, ukulele and piano. In 2007, she released her first solo album Empire Fall on Lavaland Records. Hopeless Case is from her second solo album Pie In The Sky, released on the Smekkleysa label last year.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Bottlesmoker - Free Hugs
Bottlesmoker are an electronica-pop duo with a passion for glockenspiel, keyboard toys and other funny instruments to create humble compositions of simple orchestration. And even if they have not yet released any physical release, they have a fanbase that is growing steadily while the duo keep spreading free music.

IRELAND: Nialler9
Yes Cadets - Rufio
This Belfast quartet make sweet nuggets of danceable indie-pop that worms in your ears and stays there. Rufio is taken from their self-titled debut EP and has hooks galore. By the time the cascading female vocals come in, you'll be sold.

ISRAEL: Metal Israel
Babylon Awaits - Primal
Industrial cyber-metal from the Holy Land introduces biotechnological talons into your nervous system with infectious beats and catchy melodies reminiscent of acts from Information Society to Nine Inch Nails and everything in between.

ITALY: Polaroid
The Record's - Rodolfo
If you agree that a perfect mixtape for the spring should include Vampire Weekend, some Britpop anthems and The Beatles then De Fauna Et Flora, the second album by The Record's, is going to be the bright soundtrack you've been looking for.

JAPAN: JPOP Lover
NJ - La Sakura
Cherry blossom season is almost over here in Japan. Its beauty is too short for us. But we have one good J-pop song about it called La Sakura by Tokyo duo NJ, who consist of female singer Jun and guitarist Nori. It has an oriental melody and sound texture with a traditional Japanese flavor.

MEXICO: Red Bull PanameriKa
Liber Teran - Lola
Even if Mexican ska gang Los de Abajo were heralded by BBC Radio 3 as the best artist of the Americas, back in 2003, frontman Liber Teran knew it was time to start his own path. With a fistful of pesos, the self-proclaimed gypsy-cowboy recorded his first solo album, Gitano Western, in 2008, clearly following Joe Strummer, David Byrne and Manu Chao's steps with songs that evoked a rootsy and dusty atmosphere. This year, he decided to look for the origins of his own genealogical tree, hiring the horn section of a Sinaloa schoolband trained in polka and teaching them to play Mediterranean, Turkish and Slavic rhythms. Tambora Sound System is a dark collection of nine unza-unza vignettes.

NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam Event Guide
Tree House - Water And Pyramid
Delightfully experimental and blissfully tuneful at the same time, this Amsterdam-based act is just one of numerous Dutch groups that have drawn inspiration from the world around them, added electronic beats and tropical rhythms, rolled them about together, included a freaky live element to the performance and truly made musical art. If Holland needs a new musical direction, let it be this. Watch out for similar music on Cottage Industry Records.

NEW ZEALAND: Counting The Beat
The Renderers - Deep Deep Sea
For two decades the husband and wife duo of Brian and Maryrose Crook have been creating music that brings together a country fragility like that of Bonnie Prince Billy (who they have played backing band for) with an alternative guitar feedback maelstrom. From their latest album Monsters And Miasmas, the song Deep Deep Sea showcases both elements and is a return to the ocean theme the harbourside-residing band have visited throughout their career.

NORWAY: Eardrums
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson - To Sit Down Or To Follow, So I Follow
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson released their self-titled second album earlier this year on How Is Annie Records. It's probably easiest to place them in the post-rock or dream-pop category - long, beautiful and atmospheric tracks with a strong focus on the melodies. On the new album, YPoFH have been working with producer Sjur Lyseid (Little Hands of Asphalt, Monzano), and if you know his own work, it's easy to hear his influence. YPoFH is one of those rare bands who have been around for a long time but still manage to develop their sound.

PERU: SoTB
Theremyn_4 - Milnueve84
Theremyn_4 are considered by the public and the critics as one of the most important electronic live acts from Peru in recent times, even with their 10-year career. Based in Lima, their style combines experimental textures, urban life, science fiction and the spectacular visual effects that accompany their concerts. Last year they released their sixth album, Inflamable, which recycles beats of previous works, making something completely new. It is made for the dancefloor so grab your partner and move.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Youthless - Golden Age
Youthless are Sebastiano Ferranti (vocals, bass) and Alex Klimovitsky (vocals, synths and drums), an American and a Brit who made Lisbon their homes. They have played in another band but it is with Youthless and its electro-garage rock sound that they have gathered more media attention and a faithful legion of fans. Telemachy is their debut EP and can be downloaded for free here.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Mono Jacks - Maria
Mono Jacks are an alternative rock band based in Bucharest. The vocals and the lyrics remind me of Snow Patrol or Placebo, and the strong bass lines have something of Interpol's angst. Their roots are clearly in the last decade of indie-rock. Their frontman is a former member of AB4, a great Romanian alternative act in the 90s.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Washington Irving - The Magician
Named after the American author who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle, the music of this Glasgow-based group isn't as bookish as their moniker might suggest. Instead, they deliver irrepressibly wild, rambunctious folk-rock that taps into the raw energy of The Pogues, which explains why Washington Irving's live shows never fail to win them new fans. The band have just finished recording a new EP which will be released this summer.

SINGAPORE: I'm Waking Up To...
B-Quartet - A Dull Taste On My Tongue
B-Quartet's music is a graceful concoction of progressive rock and whimsical poetry. Homaging rock greats Radiohead with the odd influence or two, the sextet hold their own in a sea of soundalikes. Fresh out of the oven, A Dull Taste On My Tongue is a cascading spiral of polyrhythms laced with beautiful guitar work and Bani Haykal's ever fleeting vocals until it comes crashing into a momentous clash of instruments before switching back effortlessly into a state of zen. With B-Quartet, there are no compartments, no defined roles of what should or shouldn't be done in music, only what they choose to say, and what we choose to make as simple truth.

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Wrestlerish - Bad News
Wrestlerish are a four-piece that blend rock, country and folk as if these genres should have always been one. Bad News, taken from their first full-length album The Rude Mechanical, is a sincere serenade that shows off their creativity. They have the ability to capture the listener after just one listen and are a band that is going to go far. Mark my words.

SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
National Pigeon Unity - Whan
National Pigeon Unity don't just have a fantastic name, they have a fantastic sound to go with it. Mixing post-rock with emo, modern rock with hardcore, pop-punk with grunge - usually all at the same time - their first full-length album Empathy, released in March, has proven strong enough to withstand weeks of repeated listening. Whan is a wonderfully moving, primarily instrumental song on the post-rock side.

SWEDEN: Swedesplease
The Eyeshades - In The Basement
I don't know how I stumbled upon The Eyeshades from but I'm glad I did. The band is an odd combination of pop and rock with a little electronica added to the mix. They play a wide assortment of instruments and it's this diversity of sound as well as the (at times) unusual compositional structure that make the band interesting.

SWITZERLAND: 78s
My Heart Belongs To Cecilia Winter - Eighteen
In the past two years, this Zurich-based trio gained the reputation of an irresistible live band and stepped up from being a local phenomenon to an international insider tip. The band's catchy yet erratic indie-folk songwriting with a rock 'n' roll heart, combined with their intuition for atmosphere and glamour, soon led to comparisons with Arcade Fire and earned them an ever-growing fanbase. Scott Matthew and Rufus Wainwright like them, concert-goers sway in euphoria and their debut record Our Love Will Cut Through Everything is a masterpiece.

UNITED STATES: I Guess I'm Floating
Avi Buffalo - What's In It For?
Having recently watched Avi Buffalo perform for the first time at SXSW, I've since been unable to avoid spinning their material. The young group from the coastlines of California have an eclectic sound and a self-titled debut LP coming out at the end of April. All indications point toward it being quite the treat.

VENEZUELA: Barquisimento
Karma Coma - Si Te Digo
Karma Coma is a musical concept that fuses electronic trends with instruments such as acoustic and electric guitars, bass, keyboards, cello and violin. The musical genres explored by the band go from downtempo and electro, passing through breakbeat and big beat, to jungle and drum and bass. And it is all spiced with a big dose of rock 'n' roll, some bossa, Venezuelan folklore and Far and Middle-Eastern sounds.

To download all 35 songs in one file click here