Rewards (brainchild of multi instrumentalists Aaron Pfenning, Co-Founder of Chairlift) has announced the release of his forthcoming single, "Equal Dreams", featuring Solange Knowles and Blood Orange, aka Lightspeed Champion. Quite interestingly we were just saying the other day how Blood Orange "sounds like an alt-soul version of Chairlift playing late Roxy Music songs". Set for a July 25th release on DFA Records the single will be available in 12" vinyl and digitally. Less opaque and murky than its predecessors, "Equal Dreams" starts with upbeat percussion, great big handclaps and a creeping bassline that sounds anything but melancholic. Rewards will be playing live at Cameo on August 18 with Suckers.

Milagres (ex The Secret Life of Sofia) writes catchy, melodic songs garnished with airy synths that are elevated by Kyle Wilson’s mesmeric falsetto. The slow builds drum up a voracious anticipation that is graciously rewarded by satisfying releases that warrant repeat listens. The band – signed to Kill Rock Stars Records, will be releasing their second album Glowing Mouth on September 13. Milagres have just announced a fall tour with Peter Wolf Crier. The band (voted #20 best emerging NYC artist in our latest Year End Poll) has released a free track from the upcoming album, which you can stream below.

Brooklyn-based Cinema,Cinema, an amalgamation of Ev Gold (vocals/guitar) and Paul Claro (drums), explodes into aggressive, grungy garage punk on their grumbling and demonic EP, “Shoot the Freak.” Frantic screamer, “Lady Abortion” surges with distortion and high speed drums. The EP continues the medical motif with “Pleased to Meet You, Anesthesia,” which features parallel melodies in vocals and instrumentation, losing control in sirens of guitar feedback. Banging drums and guitar riffs set Day-Leash” off in a progressive rock frenzy, eventually returning to the opening measures which fade into silence to close “Shoot the Freak.” Cinema Cinema’s music sounds explosive on record also because of the sound engineering help of Don Zientara, producer of crucial punk/hardcore records by Minor Threat, Fugazi, Bad Brains, and Bikini Kill, to name just a few. The band will be playing a series of dates in the NYC area, the first one at The Charleston (174 Bedford, Williamsburg) on July 15. – Meijin Bruttomesso

If you were listening to KEXP’s Audioasis last Saturday, you already know about Sports, and you can kindly consider this post a refresher on something that rocks.  Sports has a solid, 80’s-style electro sound. The tempo is relaxed, and the synths are backed up with reverberating guitars and melancholic vocals. Comparisons to bands like Depeche Mode are unfortunate, but inevitable. Sports played a great set on KEXP’s Audioasis last Saturday, which you can listen to at http://www.kexp.org/streamarchive/streamarchive.asp, though it won’t be up forever.