Our friends over at Kitsilano’s Zulu Records once again present their weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, staff from the West 4th music store provide The Track, the song that is on heavy rotation that week; The Playlist, which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig, the must see show of the week; and The Glance, a view ahead to music on the horizon. From their ears to yours, enjoy…

The Track

Sleigh Bells performing “Crown On The Ground” live, from their banging-new debut, Treats (Mom+Pop).

Sleigh Bells –where did they come from? Who are these two mysterious wunderkinds that’ve entranced the blogosphere and music press? We live in an age when bands can quickly rise on an e-sea of hype, only to be beached-up and dried out a short time later (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, anyone?)  I’d say that Sleigh Bells stand a chance of sticking around for a while, and I say this because their debut Treats manages to stand out as something all its own. It’s a high energy, balls out record that begs to be played loud, like any good party record. To exist beyond the boundaries of any specific genre is a feat in itself, something these two make look easy. Watch this video and tell me you don’t to bang your head to these block-rocking riffed out beats!

The Playlist

FLYING LOTUS Cosmogramma (Warp)
Here he is, the astral child, the insterstellar naïf, the producer to beat operating at the peak of his game.  Cosmogramma is the retro-future spliff-trip that I never want to end.

EMERALDS Does It Look Like I’m Here? (Editions Mego)
Ohio’s finest synth/guitar duo have an outstanding new album of spacious yet focused Frippy-Eno jams. Emeralds are operating in a crowded genre, but these guys are the jewel in the crown.

LAND OF KUSH Monogamy (Constellation)
Land of Kush sound like some lost tribe of desert raga wizards but are in fact a Montreal based 20 person strong arkestra commanded by the mighty Sam Shalabi.  Monogamy is an exotic and intoxicating journey through the back alleys of some Morrocan village.

SLEEPY SUN Fever (ATP)
Fever is just that – an album of sun scorched album, high noon haze.  Like a west coast Black Sabbath, Sleepy Sun forcefeed you mighty riffs and strangulated guitar-wail.

COCONUTS s/t (No Quarter)
Coconuts’ debut is full of heady, deep cuts from this mysterious, magical trio.  Like Sabbath abstracted through Eno’s all-knowing mind-gaze.

LINDSTROM & CHRISTABELLE Real Life Is No Cool (Smalltown Super Sound)
Phew, Lindstrom’s latest is a summer banger! Parts electro-pop, part dance floor whimsy, all together guaranteed to keep you going at it till you get enough.

NICE FACE Immer Etwas (Sacred Bones)
From the masterful, taste-making Sacred Bones label comes a fine debut by this hazy, goth-pop bangers Nice Face.   Immer Etwas sounds like some warped and warbly Buzzcocks banger that time forgot.

HARLEM Hippies (Matador)
Scrappy n snotty his how we like our garage rock around Zulu and Harlem as got it in spades.  Probably if these delinquents weren’t taken under Matador’s arm they’d be in juvie.  Or dead.

ARIEL PINK Before Today (4AD)
The grandmaster of chillwave, warble pop, whatever you want to call it, finally makes good on his promise to make a killer album start to finish.  No wasted time, no dead tracks, all catchy goodness all the time.  Thank Ariel.

CRYSTAL CASTLES II (Last Gang)
T-dots bad ass elecro punks burn the house down on II.  It’s a take no prisoners 8-bit attack that leaves the imposters dead in its wake.

The Gig

TY SEGALL + CHAIN AND THE GANG July 2nd at the Media Club

Like an infestation of sexed up bunnies, the number of killer must see shows coming to Vancouver is getting out of hand. No one has the cash, stamina or strong enough liver to go out and take in all of the great shows that grace our fine city. Having said that I can easily and wholeheartedly recommend going to see Ty Segall and Chain And The Gang as they burn down the Media club on July 2nd. Making it out to this show is a total no brainer: Segall’s going to slash and slay through the tracks from his new face-melter of an album, Melted. Then the mighty legend Ian Svenonious and his Gang are going to sermonize the crowd with their Marx-indebted stomper of an album. This is a stunner double bill, don’t be left behind!

The Glance

JUNE

Thu JUN 24
COCO ROSIE – VENUE
BORGORE – SHINE

Fri JUN 25
ROONEY – THE VENUE -VENUE CHANGED! EARLY SHOW

Sat JUN 26
MINUS THE BEAR – VENUE
MARK FARINA (Nordic Trax Party) – GINGER

Sun JUN 27
PLANET ASIA – FORTUNE SOUND CLUB

Mon JUN 28
LILY FROST – BILTMORE

JULY

Thu JULY 01
NOMEANSNO w/ Slim Cessna & Hermetic – BILTMORE

Fri JULY 02
TY SEGAL + CHAIN AND THE GANG – MEDIA CLUB

Sat JUL 03
HARLEM – COBALT
SLEEPY SUN – BILTMORE
VAN BUREN/ BENASSI – VCC

Mon JUL 05
MELVINS – RICKSHAW – WE ARE SOLD OUT
TURBO FRUITS – BILTMORE

Tue JUL 06
CHARLIE WINSTON – VENUE
SIGNALS – MEDIA CLUB
MINI MANSIONS – BILTMORE

Wed JUL 07
KATCHAFIRE – VENUE

Thu JUL 08
KATCHFIRE – VICTORIA
AGGROLITES – VENUE
SHWAYZE + Dirt Nasty – FORTUNE SOUND CLUB
HIGH ON FIRE – RICKSHAW

Fri JUL 09
NARCOTANGO – WISE HALL
YUCA / COLUMBIA / SONS OF KAIN – SHARK CLUB
AGGROLITES – VICTORIA
THE COUP – BILTMORE
VICTORIA SKA FEST – AGGROLITES – SHIP POINT (Victoria)

Sat JUL 10
VICTORIA SKA FEST – FISHBONE w/ Black Seeds, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies – SHIP POINT(Victoria)
NEIL HAMBURGER – BILTMORE
FISHBONE – VICTORIA

Sun JUL 11
VICTORIA SKA FEST – KATCHAFIRE – SHIP POINT(Victoria)
SOULS OF MISCHIEF – FORTUNE SOUND CLUB
FOL CHEN – MEDIA CLUB

Mon JUL 12
QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT – BILTMORE

Wed JUL 14
POINTED STICKS + DISHRAGS – UKRANIAN HALL
ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI – BILTMORE
MAPS & ATLASES – MEDIA CLUB
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS – VOGUE

Thur JUL 15
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS – VOGUE
PLUMP DJS – CELEBRITIES

Fri JUL 16
18 VANCOUVER FOLK FESTIVAL – JERICHO BEACH
CAT EMPIRE – COMMODORE

Sun JUL 18
CAT EMPIRE – COMMODORE
SWINGIN’ UTTERS – VENUE

Mon JUL 19
THAO AND THE GET DOWN – BILTMORE

Tue JUL 20
ADMIRAL RADLEY – MEDIA CLUB

Thu JUL 22
MAHJONNG – MEDIA CLUB
16 BIT – FORTUNE

Fri JUL 23 – Sun 25
BONFIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2010 – THE MOON FARM

Sat JUL 24
MGMT – COMMODORE – SOLD OUT
BEAR IN HEAVEN – BILTMORE

Sun JUL 25
THE OBITS + NIGHT MARCHERS – RICKSHAW
HERE WE GO MAGIC – MEDIA CLUB – CANCELED REFUNDS AT P.O.P.

Mon JUL 26
KINKY FRIEDMAN – BILTMORE
MARK FARINA – GINGER

Thu JUL 29
ALEX CHILTON TRIBUTE SHOW: Magnetic West, Wilderness Years, Vancouver Nights – WISE HALL
GANGA GIRL – BILTMORE

Fri JUL 30
100 MONKEYS – VENUE

JUL 30-AUG 2
ARTS WELL FESTIVAL – WELLS + BAKERVILLE