Sea Cycles – “Quota”: I first heard of Sea Cycles a few years ago when they were booked for a tour with Narrow/Arrow and they played Audiofeed Festival. The experimental dreampop group is rather fittingly from Florida. I say fitting because I can hear bits of both Copeland and Polyenso in their music. On “Quota” they certainly have the whimsy I already knew them for, but they took the formula of their old songs and drenched it in sun rays. Yes, drenched—because I feel like I’m floating when I listen, and yet it’s a very sunny song as well. Warm, dreamy, ethereal… all of the usual descriptors of songs of this genre apply here [Pictured above, photo credit Jesse Brantman].

Shiny Penny – “Promised Land”: Promised Land can mean different things to different people. For the Sunday Schoolers like me, I think of the literal Promised Land from the Bible—that is, Canaan (Israel). Listening to the marching drums and foreboding synth of this single, I think more broadly. That Land could mean redemption. It could mean the achievement of a dream. It could mean the restoration of all things. For Shiny Penny, I venture it means all of the above. Frontman Dean has never sounded more sure of what he’s singing. Brad and Stix will be continuing the band as a trio after the recently announced departure of Eric, this single makes me feel that although his absence will be felt, the future of the band is bright.

Light Wheel – “Answers”: I’ve been on a M83 binge the past few days, and that mood was the perfect segue to my discovery of this band and track. This is the sort of track I could picture being performed during a sunrise set at Burning Man, perhaps alongside Tycho. Although, there’s the right amount of introspection present to blend into a Sigur Ros dominated playlist. The only shows on the Austin, TX band’s calendar right now are a couple of SXSW showcases, and I’m sad I’m going to miss the conference and festival this year—one reason being that I won’t get to experience this.

Jade Bird – “I Get No Joy”: Though my grouping of single reviews is loosely based on the theme of getting lost on a mental vacation—for “I Get No Joy” I’m going for irony and ditching the vibes in favor of attitude, but dousing my eardrums with two minutes and forty seconds of fire! Thanks to CD1025 for introducing me to this artist and her single “Uh Huh,” probably on my way to work one morning. Sometimes all you need to make a song is one line to wiggle its way into your subconscious, and Jade Bird’s is fixing to do just that with this song, and probably many others.