Listening to the Dolphins EP from San Francisco’s Mi Ami feels like a thirty minute trip into deep space. Pulsing, deep, rhythmic beats and shrill desolate vocals, plunge you further into the journey. It’s electronic pop for when its 4:30am and you’re positive you’ll never need sleep again.

With one 4 song EP, Mi Ami have gone from high energy, noisy avant garde rock trio to a slightly mellower, hypnotically intense electronic duo. No review of Dolphins can ignore the fact that in the past year and a half, Mi Ami has created something many fans might not expect. There is not a trace of guitar or any of the acoustic percussion styling that is very much apart of what was their signature indie rock sound. However, Daniel Martin-McCormick’s shrill often unintelligible lyrics carry the Mi Ami torch.

What’s left in this stripped down electronic version of Mi Ami is a dark, synth laden landscape of sound where the electronic pulsing kick drum pushes you through dense air. There’s a lot of isolation coming through on Dolphins. It’s haunting. A nighttime beach party in a cave where you realize you don’t recognize a single face around.

Dolphins is not a hard pill to swallow, just an unexpected curveball. Imagine Blond Redhead putting out an album that sounded like Crystal Castles and you’ll get the gist. With that said, Crystal Castles fans should definitely check this release out.

–Nicole Leigh

Tonight SMiLE! will be presenting a benefit show for the Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival at the Knockout. The line up will feature Kill Moi, Spiro Agnew, The Rabbles, and Upstairs Downstairs with DJ Neil Martinson spinning Psych, Soul, Glam, Bubblegum, Laserboogie and such. Head out tonight and put your money toward helping a great institution for the local music scene. Doors at 9pm.

Sometimes, you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. But if you’re a broke college student like me, it may not be within your financial means to jet off to a tropical destination at the drop of a hat.

Now listening to this album wont get you a suntan, but you might feel like you’re sitting in the warm sun – Painted Palms’ EP Canopy is an aural vacation that takes you far away from the gritty city livin’.

If you’re an Animal Collective lover, this album definitely takes some influence from them. The opening track entitled “All of Us” (and my favorite from the EP) opens with a thumping drum that pulls you right into the song and the album and uses vocal elements similar to them. Although these elements are shared, “All of Us” is still unlike anything else out there – Painted Palms has successfully made something truly beautiful and catchy, but not kitschy.

The rest of the album is definitely more disco than the first track. Somehow, disco plus soundscapes equals awesome. Another notable track is the glittery and sensual “Great White.” While it seems to a little out of place with the rest of the album, its still a good track, regardless.

I’m not sure if this is supposed to be a concept album, but it certainly feels like it. This EP takes you to the beach, under water and to the rainforest and that’s why they’re one of the most exciting electro-pop groups out right now. Painted Palms has been one of the few acts lately to get me really excited – its pop-y, beautiful, visual, catchy but somehow also really relaxing. Its just good old-fashioned happy music. – Lauren Manary

While this April 20th may provide a ridiculous excuse to celebrate lethargy, that really is no reason you shouldn’t head out to see some live music this week. Here are a few selections from the calender.

Tonight head over to the Hemlock where Thralls will be headlining a show presented by See the Leaves alongside Bad Bibles and Portland’s Night Surgeon, 9pm.

Tomorrow at the New Parish in Oakland (((folkYEAH!))) will be presenting a show with Sonny & The Sunsets, The Sandwitches, and Beaches, 9pm.

Also on Thursday, down at Bottom of the Hill, Ty Segall will be playing with Royal Baths, TRMRS, and Nick Waterhouse & The Tarots, 8:30pm.

Finally on Sunday, back out at the New Parish, (((folkYEAH!))) will be presenting another show with Sleepy Sun and Spectrum, 9pm.

-Ada Lann

FpodBpod’s debut album is a refreshing balance of fun pop with psychedelic garage rock songs, and as well as slower melodic tracks. Lead singer-songwriter Sean Olmstead is a superb multi-instrumentalist, and Beatles fans will get a kick out of his quirky sensibility (á la Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club) and melodic voice. A California native, Olmstead is also known for his contributions to Indianna Hale the beloved Bay Area band The Blank Tapes.

From the soothing, dream-like title track “Girls”, to the catchy chorus based “If I Forget To”—this album captures a versatile and fascinating artist at the start of a sure to be promising career. Some songs may put you in a hypnotized daze, but others snap you right back out of it and get you tapping your feet and considering the lyrics. On the downbeat “A Friend”, Olmstead sings of accepting the death of a close friend, and on the rollicking “If I Forget To”, he explains to a former love that he only neglects them because: “it’s just that I can’t stand to think about the love we knew”. He has some fun on songs such as “Mama Fell Asleep” and “Hey, Nate” which show his jam band and garage rock singing style, respectively. Add on two instrumental songs and a fast-paced cover of the Kraftwerk song “Neon Lights” and you are in for a view of an inspired creative mind.

These songs are certainly dance-ready, and it is always a joy to see which Bay Area musicians come together to lend a hand when a musician played most of the instruments themselves during recording. Be sure to head to Amnesia on April 29th to see FpodBpod play with The Beehavers and Montra.

-Shauna C. Keddy

Don’t stop believing in free downloads: Help yourself to fresh electro created in the old San Francisco music studio that birthed before-your-time rockers Journey. Featuring the synth, bounce, and bass that only three 24-year-olds can muster, Pance Party is giving away (donations welcome) its new EP "Rainbow Road" here. Dance your pance off live at Vessel on April 29 and Rickshaw Stop on May 20. –Whitney Phaneuf

Latest tracks by Pance Party

Shedding much of the drone-y Joy Division-esque gloom of Skeletal System, Andy Peterson (of the aforementioned band) recently debuted a Solo EP under the name Ander. Embracing a minimal electronic approach Ander’s three song EP is a pensive ambient set of songs that beckons comparisons to Plaid or Boards of Canada. Download a free copy here or have a listen below.

-Ada Lann

beko_77 by anderland

Another week unfolds before us which brings with it a new round of selections from the calendar.

Thursday up at Kimo’s on Polk St Religious Girls will be putting on a show with Organ Trail, Saything, and The Shrine, 8:30pm.

Friday head down to Bottom of the Hill to see Nodzzz, The Art Museums, and Gun Outfit, 10pm.

Finally on Saturday, back out at Bottom of the Hill, catch Super Adventure Club with OONA and Dogcatcher.

–Ada Lann

Bay Area transplants, by way of Asheville NC, and current Artist of the Month winners Fist Fam have announced the release of their new record Posted. It wil be available digitally through Bandcamp and on vinyl through their own record label, Fist Family/Reflective Flesh Records. The crew will also be celebrating the release of this album tonight at the Rasselas Jass Club. Check out a video of one of the tracks below.

Well the government may shut down this week but it looks like the Bay Area’s shows won’t. Here are a few selections from the calender.

Tonight out in Oakland Bay Area Bourgeois will be presenting a free show at Era Art Bar with Safe, Summer Glaciers, and stevedood, 8pm.

Friday, out at Bottom of the Hill, Battlehooch will be playing with Danielson and Half-handed Cloud, 10pm.

Back in Oakland on Saturday the Uptown will be hosting Somehow at Sea, James and Evander, and Parentz, 9pm.

-Ada Lann

Another week another set of shows picked from the calender for your consideration.

Tomorrow night the Knockout will be presenting Weapons of the Future alongside Tokyo Raid and Knives, 8pm.

Thursday out in Oakland, The Soft White Sixties will be laying down some sweet rock and roll at The New Parish with Poor Bailey and Manatee, 8pm.

Saturday at Bottom of the Hill, Hunx and his Punx will be celebrating their album release with Shannon and the Clams and Grass Widow, 9pm.

-Ada Lann

Melted Toys’ debut EP Washed & Dried presents itself as a double-edged sword. Every track on the album, without fail, delivers to it’s full potential of psychedelic hazy-bliss. By creating such a well-rounded debut that may give any listener the false notion that these guys have been around forever, Melted Toys sets the bar high for subsequent releases.

The young bay area trio delivers the ideal amount of laid-back yet catching guitar and bass lines coupled with synths and drum machines to create delicately crafted misty pop songs. Tracks like “Come on” and “Washed & Dried” are perfectly complemented by guitarist Steven Harkins quiet vocals, reminiscent of Anthony Gonzalez on M83’s Saturdays=Youth. But, what makes Melted Toys stand out from a slew of other young bands placed in similar genres, is that these guys possess the ability to create a sound and style that is entirely their own. Though this notion rings true in their EP, it can most easily be seen in their live shows.

Pacific Northwest music media project Into the Woods recently filmed the band performing “Portals” at their house in San Francisco. The fog machines and grey sky outside their window perfectly emulates the bands subtle yet haunting performance-one that would be hard to forget.

–Anna Oseran