Stephen Malkmus wants to make you dance, Panda Bear wants you to bliss out, and Wild Nothing wants you to do both simultaneously. Now that’s what I call a weekend…
Stephen Malkmus – “Viktor Borgia”
Coming off of one of 2018’s most solid (and solidly titled) albums, Sparkle Hard, with his band The Jicks – Stephen Malkmus would have been absolutely justified in taking a bit of time off. Thankfully for all of us, he took the opposite path and is set to release his first solo album since 2001 in March. Groove Denied will also be his first ever entirely electronic album. “Viktor Borgia” is the first single from that album and it is quite frankly a groove undenied. It’s slinky, clever, and just the right amount of off-kilter. In other words, it’s the Stephen Malkmus produced dance music of your dreams.
Panda Bear – “Token”
I’ve been in a somewhat intense mood, aka an Animal Collective place lately, thanks the abundance of think pieces devoted to the 10th anniversary of their landmark album Merriweather Post Pavilion. I highly recommend this one. It works out well for my current mood that one of the members of said Collective has a new solo album due out in a couple of weeks. “Token” is the second single from Panda Bear’s forthcoming full length Buoys and it contains all of the expansive and experimental hallmarks that you’ve come to expect and love from a Panda Bear song. The video directed by and starring the artist Dean Blunt as he traverses a nighttime carnival heightens the overall experience perfectly.
Wild Nothing – “Blue Wings”
My love of Wild Nothing is deep and epic in scope so naturally I was thrilled to receive this gem from the cutting room floor of one of my Top Ten albums of last year, Indigo. If you were a fan of that album, and/or Wild Nothing in general you’ll find a lot to love in this new single. It falls within the realm of the band’s dreamiest material, which makes it the ultimate mid-winter treat.
Wild Nothing feature image: Cara Robbins, Stephen Malkmus carousel image: Robbie Augspurger