Mac DeMarco - Brother 8.0/10

Mac DeMarco is an experimental indie rock performer originally from British Columbia, Canada and now based in New York City. This track is taken from his album Salad Days which was released by Captured Tracks Records in April 2014. The song is the second single off DeMarco's solid new album, and can be counted as one of the better moments on the record. His smooth, so-laid-back-he-must-be-lying-on-the-ground vocals are buttery goodness and suggest he's puffing on a Viceroy between verses where he tells a pal to chill out and just relax. The slinky guitars and retro 60's style get you feeling all nice and mellow when suddenly you're jarred back to harsh reality by the alien cries and dissonant guitar effects which unfold in the final minute of the track. Mac has the reputation for being an indie rock slacker and is now a poster boy for smokers and civil liberties campaigners, but on Brother he sounds world-weary and wise beyond his years. DeMarco claimed the style of the album reflected that "I was on tour for a year and a half and I'm tired", and you can picture him strumming the chords of Brother while slumped in an old armchair. This is an introspective track to put on when you want to take a breather and unwind after a hard day.

Ought - Habit 8.7/10

Ought is an indie art rock band from Montreal, Canada. This track is taken from their forthcoming debut album More Than Any Other Day which will be released April 29, 2014 on Constellation records. The song appears to take the Talking Heads as its main muse, with a vocal style which recalls David Byrne in the era of Remain in Light. That comparison should be taken as purely complimentary, since Ought take this track to spiritual heights which seem remarkable for a debut single. The rising cries of "I feel it, I habit" and "Cause I need to know I'm not alone" as strings and crashing cymbals build towards the song's conclusion come across as powerful and meaningful without any suggestion that the raw emotions feel forced or phony. This is one of the best singles of 2014 so far, and I can't wait to hear the full debut album.

LionLimb - Rot 8.6/10

LionLimb is an indie psychedelic rock band based in Chicago, USA. This track was self-released as a single by the band in 2013 ahead of their debut EP. The track begins with a southern blues-style melody, but this simple categorization is quickly dismissed when the reedy synths and organ effects kick in during the rousing chorus. Clanging guitar dissonance adds some enjoyable clutter to the second half of the track, while guitar chord vibrations are enhanced until they sound more like a muffled trumpet. The relaxed, self-assured vocals are hard to make out, but the repeated refrain of "What are you trying to keep me from?" suggests an assertion of independence in a relationship. This is an accomplished debut from LionLimb and a track I've returned to over and over again to try to figure out just how they made some of these sounds.

Woods - Leaves Like Glass 8.8/10

Woods is an indie psychadelic folk rock band from New York, USA. This track is taken from their album With Light and with Love which was released by their own Woodsist record label in April 2014. Woods have consistently produced a string of likeable, sun-bleached and earthy singles over the past eight years, and Leaves Like Grass easily carries on the trend. Lead singer Jeremy Earl has a highly distinctive voice which is now placed more prominently in the mix than on previous albums. The production is crisp and clear, with the organ part forming the backbone of the swaggering rhythm beneath the careful guitar picking. The ringing guitar melody in the final minute makes this possibly the finest tune that Woods have written to date. This track harks back to a 1960's folk style while still sounding like it belongs on the contemporary radio dial. All this makes it a perfect chillout track for a sunny summer afternoon sitting outdoors.

Cloud Nothings - Psychic Trauma 9.2/10

Cloud Nothings are an indie hard rock band from Cleveland, USA. This track is taken from their album Here and Nowhere Else which was released by Carpark Records in March 2014. The track starts out with a calm, swaying rhythm of ringing guitars with vocals kept low in the mix. Everything shifts abruptly after 44 seconds with the arrival of crashing drums and a doubling of the timing. At 65 seconds the group fall into a new whirling groove with driving, wailing guitars which leads into the raging chorus with singer Dylan Baldi's voice reaching a snarl. I've listened to this track at least 100 times and still get caught up each time in the blinding rush of the guitar slashes as the song barrels into the chorus. This will get your blood pumping no matter the time or place - a strong contender for song of the year for 2014.

Women - Eyesore 8.9/10

Women is an art rock band from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This track is taken from their album Public Strain which was released by the label Jagjaguwar in 2010. As the final track on Public Strain, the last two minutes of Eyesore act as the outro to the album as a whole, and does so to spectacular effect with a guitar riff that will get stuck in your head for weeks. Heavy reverb effects on the vocals and guitars hark back to 1960's psychedelic bands, while the lyrics are almost unintelligibly buried in the mix. Like many songs by Women, Eyesore begins with a familiar rhythm that abruptly shifts halfway through into a new vocal melody and guitar chord pattern that lead to a satisfying conclusion. Guitarist Chris Reimer died in February 2012, and the band has been on hiatus since then although no official breakup has been announced by their label Jagjaguwar.

Seapony - Outside 8.1/10

Seapony is an indie twee pop band from Seattle, Washington. This track is taken from their album Falling which was released by Hardly Art Records in 2012. The wistful, dreamy vocals and reverb-heavy guitars featured here put Seapony firmly in the traditional twee pop mold, though at times the jangly edge of the guitars suggest the influence of The Smiths, while some elements of the west coast Surf Pop scene creep in as well. Singer Jenny Weidl's lyrics suggest a yearning for a simpler, less complicated time in the past, though it's more about the atmosphere of quiet longing she creates than the words themselves. This is introverted music for a late-night session while an autumn chill develops outside the windowpane.

Ty Segall - The Drag 8.3/10

Ty Segall is a lo-fi garage rock performer based in San Francisco, California. This track is taken from his self-titled album which was released by Castle Face Records in 2008. The track takes a 1960's surfer vibe and then smothers it in heavy distortion and layers of feedback. Segall's from-the-bottom-of-a-well vocals coax listeners to get up and hit the dance floor to do 'The Drag'; you could almost dance to it but you would probably hurt yourself trying. The song has undeniable drive and energy, suggesting Segall is enjoying performing it in the studio as much as he does during his stellar live performances. For those who love heavy guitar distortion (I count myself as a member) this comes highly recommended, and is best played loud once the party is really getting underway.

Reading Rainbow - White Noise 7.9/10

Reading Rainbow is a psychedelic pop band from Philadelphia, USA. They have recently changed their name to Bleeding Rainbow. This track is taken from their album Prism Eyes which was released by Hozac Records in 2010. Crunchy guitars and pounding drums are the order of the day from this boy/girl duo, who both share vocal duties as well. The main riff is fuzzed-out bliss, but the real draw card is the vocal harmony they produce singing the verses together in unison. This is sugary goodness reminiscent of twee bands from the 1990's like Rocketship and Tiger Trap, but for most listeners the main comparison will be to late 1980's Scottish band The Vaselines who utilized similar boy/girl harmonies with clever lyrics. This excellent track from Reading Rainbow matches up well in such illustrious company.

Alvin Band - Temple Pressure 8.9/10

Alvin Band is an experimental indie pop project by Rick Schaier who is originally from California, USA. He is also the drummer for the band Miniature Tigers. This track is taken from his album Mantis Preying which was released by Intelligent Noise Records in 2009. You've never heard anything quite like Alvin Band, take my word for it. The entire album Mantis Preying is constructed out of samples of Rick Schaier's voice and hand claps, and half the fun is trying to figure out how he made all these astonishingly diverse sounds using just his vocal cords. Temple Pressure is a good introduction to his style since it throws in a little bit of everything, but the most memorable feature is the 60's harmony style of the 'chorus' (if such a song can be said to have a chorus). Schaier sings of parental pressure pushing him to take more of an interest in his family's Jewish faith (this is what the lyrics and the title suggest at least, but knowing Schaier it could be an off-beat metaphor for anything up to and including the meaning of life). He's 'trying to read Hebrew' but he's 'too confused' and this song seems to be his way of cheekily poking fun at his own inability to take an interest in the faith. In the end though, the lyrics on the album Mantis Preying aren't what really matters, it's the amazingly creative rhythms, harmonies and percussion that he's managed to create without a single musical instrument. I'm a huge fan of the album Mantis Preying (though less fond of the follow-up album Rainbow Road), this is an album that I can play from start to finish and relish every minute of it. It's probably a little too 'weird' for the average listener (it reminds me a little of the Beta Band's self-titled album), but the sunny, upbeat atmosphere of Temple Pressure and the album are sure to put a smile on anyone's face if they're willing to give it a chance.

Sic Alps - Cement Surfboard 8.4/10

Sic Alps is a lo-fi psychedelic indie band from San Francisco, USA. This track is taken from their album Napa Asylum which was released by Drag City Records in 2011. This is a chilled out, kick back on the porch with a beer and watch the sunset on a summer evening kind of song. Clean, clear guitar lines with a deceptively simple hook are merged with lead singer Mike Donovan's drawlingly endearing vocals. He sings of 'going back in time', which isn't much of a stretch for the 60's throwback style he's aiming for. Name-checking the Jackson 5 sounds just out of place enough to feel slightly quirky, but you'll hardly notice as his delivery of the line is so laid back its almost horizontal. The drumming and percussion is understated and low-key, yet perfectly executed to complement the crisp slashes of guitar between the verses. If you like the style of this track, the whole album Napa Asylum offers the same kind of blissed-out sunny retro feeling.

Flash/Lights - Scarves 8.6/10

Flash/Lights are an indie electronic group from Denver, Colorado, USA. They are often confused with another band from Florida called Flashlights. This track is taken from a two-track single called Scarves released by Hug Records in 2012. Stuttering synths are the icing that make this sugary synth-pop track extra sweet, and the echoing, breathy vocals sound straight out of 1983. This could be played on 80's retro night at your local club and nobody would bat an eye when this track followed New Order and Talk Talk, putting it in impressive company. Emulating a specific era's style like this can often lead to mixed results, but Flash/Lights nail this one to the wall, creating a song worthy of their Yamaha DX7-weilding forebears.

Miniature Tigers - Tell it to the Volcano 8.6/10

Miniature Tigers is an indie pop group based in New York City, USA. This track is taken from their debut album which is also called Tell it to the Volcano, released by Modern Art Records in 2008. Flute and organ sounds open the track before it adds acoustic guitars and Rick Schaier's signature drumming. Charlie Brand's shy, mournful voice carries the track as he describes a tale of love gone wrong in lyrics heavily laced with irony and sly humour. The band have gone on to embrace synth-pop and electro-pop on later albums, but the predominantly guitar-driven sound of Tell it to the Volcano remains their most complete album and the best example of Brand's talent for writing wry, absurdist revenge-fantasy lyrics.

Peter Wolf Crier - Beach 7.9/10

Peter Wolf Crier are Peter Pisano and Brian Moen, a lo-fi indie rock band from Minneapolis, USA. This track is taken from their second album Garden of Arms released by Jagjaguwar in 2011. The percussion used on this track is memorable since the constant background rhythm sounds like rain pelting against a windowpane. The song really kicks into high gear at 1:53 when a squall of electric guitar noise moves in and takes over, leading to a satisfyingly noisy conclusion. Pisano's thin voice is high and wavers at times, while his cryptic lyrics suggest he is asking to reconnect with someone. The sound of Garden of Arms is considerably more developed and polished compared to the simple folk rock tunes on their debut Inter-Be. The bigger and fuller sound doesn't always lead to improved results on Garden of Arms, however Beach is by far the standout track from both the album and from the band.

Waxahatchee - Coast to Coast 8.2/10

Waxahatchee is the stage name of Katie Crutchfield from the US state of Alabama. This track is taken from the album Cerulean Salt released by Don Giovanni Records in March 2013. The unusual name she has chosen for this project is taken from the nearby Waxahatchee Creek in central Alabama (which is the body of water she jumps into in the video). The sound of Cerulean Salt is a big step up from the acoustic bedroom production of 2012's American Weekend, and Coast to Coast showcases this more fully-formed electric sound. The track has a guitar hook that seems destined to be heard on rock radio, yet it peters out after just a minute and forty seconds of playing time. The song isn't all sweetness and light, the title Coast to Coast references a US radio call-in show which discusses conspiracy theories, while the lyrics contain a line about 'blood on the back seat'. The overall feeling is of a cross-country road trip with the windows down, making this a great summertime track.

Bibio - À tout à l'heure 9.0/10

Bibio is the stage name of Stephen Wilkinson from Wolverhampton, UK. This track is taken from the album Silver Wilkinson released in May 2013 on Warp Records. The theme of dreamy nostalgia runs through this warm and relaxing track, it's the sonic equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate on a winter's day or sunlight melting frost. Apparently most of this song was recorded outdoors in his garden, and the earthy, vibrant tones it emits are a reflection of this. The cryptic lyrics conjure up a nursery rhyme of childhood nostalgia, but Wilkinson's soothing voice becomes merely another instrument used to craft the buoyantly atmospheric mood he's aiming for. This is another track that will likely make my list of the Best of 2013.

Youth Lagoon - Mute 9.4/10

Youth Lagoon is Trevor Powers from Boise, Idaho. This track is taken from the album Wondrous Bughouse released by Fat Possum records in March 2013. This is the standout track from a standout album, a firm contender for song of the year for 2013. Powers is still in his early 20's but lyrically he tackles the big-picture subjects like mortality with wisdom beyond his years. His echoing vocals cascade through rainbows of glittering sounds, cutting loose in the brief chorus section with a melody which reminds me of early Radiohead, perhaps the song Stop Whispering. This is both challenging and non-formulaic in a way which doesn't sound like anything else being made at the moment, and it makes me wonder just where Powers will take his sound for the next album.