Below are the tracks that just barely missed the cut for Comp 62 but still fully deserve some recognition. Click the to stream the track on tumblr.

Hammocks and Honey Toolz (Faux Pas remix) Remixes (self-released)
North Pollard Lost In Kyoto single (self-released)
Indian Wells Deuce Night Drops (Bad Panda)
MONO Dream Odyssey For My Parents (Temporary Residence Ltd.)
Bugge Wesseltoft Existence single (Jazzland)
Pogo Digery single (self-released)

Through the what seemed like bombardment of incredible good music yesterday (or maybe it was just the fact that I was listening to it in this great weather we’re having) one album announcement stood out above everything else. The Drift will be releasing their new album, Blue Hours, on October 4 via Temporary Residence, Ltd. and it sounds like this is gonna be a whopper. This album embodies the grieving process after the loss of the band’s trumpet player, Jeff Jacobs. From what I’ve heard so far, there seems to be a bit of anger but also a bit of light-heartedness, maybe honoring what Jeff would wish upon all of us. All-in-all though, it sounds like this could be heart-wrenching. The now trio have transformed their sound on this album to be slightly more loopy, and no doubt, meditative. The absence of Jeff’s trumpet is like an instrument in itself.

Friend of the band and film maker, Paul Clipson, created a music video for the album’s opening track, “Dark Passage.” Here’s that along with the mp3 of another track from Blue Hours entitled “Horizon” courtesy of TRL, where you can preorder the album now.

⇓   Download mp3:

The Drift – Horizon Blue Hours (Temporary Residence Ltd. 2011) (Buy)

Destroyer has been around since Vancouver-native, Dan Bejar (singer/songwriter) formed the band in 1995. Members have come and gone since then but Dan has always remained. The band’s latest LP, Kaputt, will be releasing January 25 on the Merge record label. On Kaputt, Dan’s voice, though slightly on the nerdy side, exudes the confidence of a middle-aged gentleman in a velvet robe with cognac in hand. His vocals are complimented by the sweet and smooth singing of a female’s; the middle-aged gentleman’s mistress, no doubt. The entire album has a sultry, sexy, jazzy swagger that lures you in and pours you a drink. Every song has character to it; not a one is flat or filler. Horns, saxophone and flute are sprinkled throughout; but not in the foreground, they are in the background – mood lighting. Dan’s lyrics are mysterious and poetic as ever and I especially like the recurring mention of his “song for America.” A few Destroyer tracks are available below and you can stream Kaputt in it’s entirety here.

⇓   Download mp3s:

Destroyer - Downtown Kaputt (Merge 2011) (Buy)

Destroyer - Poor in Love Kaputt (Merge 2011) (Buy)

Destroyer - Foam Hands Trouble In Dreams (Merge 2008) (Buy)

I do not think that it’s possible to properly do Austrailia’s own Nick Bertke (aka Pogo) enough justice in a single post. The man, the legend, is most known for taking snippets of audio (and often the video that goes with it) from pre-existing audio/video recordings and piecing them together to form an entirely new work of art. He’s sampled from several popular films, most of which belonging to Disney and Pixar, and created this new electronic music as well as the spliced music videos. On YouTube, he has received upwards of 5 million views for one piece of work alone, notably the song Alice. Upon request he has done work professionally for Disney/Pixar and he’s also had the job of creating a new piece of music from the popular “Walking on a Dream” by Empire of the Sun for a Honda commercial. Nick has become well versed in copyright laws and has had his share of legal battles which he handled with much grace. Pogo’s even been the inspiration for a few derivative works and fan-made tributes. Before he got into this form of music, Nick was an accomplished musician not only electronically, but also classically as heard in a piano piece he wrote for those hard times we all must go through entitled “Joob.” And the guy could have just as easily gone into 3D visual effects and/or graphic design as is clearly evident on his personal blog/website. Pogo’s latest and current endeavour is Remixing the World, for which he travels the globe recording sights and sounds that he then uses to compose a track and video reflecting the cultures that he encounters. The project is funded by the money he earns for each track that he produces. The song that launched Nick’s recording and mixing of live-action sound and footage was Gardyn, a Mother’s Day gift to his mom – featuring his mom – and is embedded below.

You can easily spend hours viewing and listening to all of Pogo’s work on his website and youtube channel. And Nick does not stop working! So return visits to check up on him are an absolute must. I would not be surprised if this isn’t the last tracks4jenna to feature Pogo.

⇓   Download mp3s:

Pogo – Whisperlude single (self-released 2010) (Buy)

Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Pogo edit) single (self-released 2010)

Pogo - Joob single (self-released 2010)

Two days ago, after a long hard fought battle with cancer, Jeff Jacobs (trumpet, flugelhorn, electronics) of The Drift passed away. He spent the majority of his final days with friends and family in his home state of Michigan. His fight was aided by a benefit concert and cancer fund in his name which just goes to show you that he will be missed dearly by many. To me, personally, The Drift has been one of the greatest gifts to us all and Jeff’s music will live on long, long after his departure from this life. Very sad he is gone but forever grateful for the music he left behind.

⇓   Download mp3:

The Drift - Nozomi Streets/Nozomi (Temporary Residence Ltd. 2005) (Buy)

I have been an on-and-off appreciator of Portland’s Grails for some time now and it really is a shame that I am ever off on my listening of them, because I nearly missed out on one of the best releases in 2010. That release is Grails’ EP, Black Tar Prophecies Vol 4 on Important Records. All 5 songs on this EP are major hits in their own right. It’s very nice to see this band continuing to explore new sounds in the extremely competitive instrumental post-rock category (if we must categorize). Impeccable drumming, the incorporation of sitar and piano, it’s all gold. Chalk up their forthcoming LP on Temporary Residence Ltd. to one of my most anticipated albums of 2011.

⇓   Download mp3s:

Grails - A Mansion Has Many Rooms Black Tar Prophecies Vol. 4 (Important 2010) (Buy)

Grails - I Want a New Drug Black Tar Prophecies Vol. 4 (Important 2010) (Buy)

Grails - Up All Night Black Tar Prophecies Vol. 4 (Important 2010) (Buy)

Grails - Silk Road Burning Off Impurities (Temporary Residence Ltd. 2007) (Buy)

Photograph by JT – All Rights Reserved

Los Campesinos – Kindle A Flame In Her Heart by Le CD est mort

Le Cantique de Noël by Röyksopp

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – Ryuichi Sakamoto by ppacheco

Baby, It’s Cold Outside- Glee Cast Version by mamabrit

Christmas in Dixie – Alabama by hannahd

Explosions in the Sky are currently at work on a new album slated to release sometime in 2011. At various events this year, the band has performed two songs written for said album. Both tracks are yet to be named and can be heard on Comps 50 and 51. A recording of the very same song on Comp 51 was obtained by OPB at the ATP Festival in New York. The quality is impeccable and the entire set can be heard here. The photograph above was taken by JT as her and I had the privilege of witnessing the event in person.

⇓   Download mp3:
      Explosions in the Sky – New Song II (live at ATP Festival NY 2010)

Twin Sister (Comp 43 and 45) is that little band that can. Dreamscape instrumentals along with whispering singing in your ear just as you’re drifting off, you’ll be wondering where this band’s been hiding all your indie-listening life. The perfect blend of pop and psychedelic, not letting either direction define them. Rather, Twin Sister is redefining easy-listening with their cool guitar, warm keyboards, even warmer bass, dulled drumming and that sweet, playful singing. The band is coming soon to a town near you in the U.S. and for those overseas, you’ll have to visit them at their website and myspace until they branch out internationally. For local comps4jenna listeners in Chicago, Twin Sister will be opening tomorrow night at Lincoln Hall during Bear in Heaven‘s Pitchfork Festival aftershow.

⇓   Download mp3s:
      Twin Sister – All Around and Away We Go (Buy)
      Twin Sister – I Want a House (Buy)
      Twin Sister – The Other Side of Your Face (Buy)
      How to Dress Well – Ready for the World (Twin Sister remix)

I’ve decided to start a new segment here on comsp4jenna that will feature a specific artist of interest and offer up some individual tracks by that artist for download. The first featured artist in this installment, entitled tracks4jenna, is Prince of Tennis out of the Czech Republic. Prince of Tennis is breaking ground with a Hot Chip meets the 80′s with a hint of The Notwist sound but… more original-sounding than that description. Combining indie pop and electronic and keeping it lo-fi and low key, the ingenuitive but flowing song structures along with humbly-overlaid lyrics will keep your ears intrigued but also blissful. The group’s EP, Camping in North Ikea, was self-released this past Monday, June 14, and can be purchased on 12″ vinyl at their website.

⇓   Download mp3s:
      Prince of Tennis – Failure Is Art if You’re a Robot
      Prince of Tennis – Bones
      Prince of Tennis – MILF Island