by Nic Bragg | From Kitsilano’s Zulu Records, we once again present our weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, we provide The Track – the song that is on heavy rotation in the shop this week; The Playlist – which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig – the ‘must see’ show of the week; and The Glance – which details the best live acts that are on the immediate horizon. From our ears to yours, enjoy…

THE TRACK

BANKS Brain

Los Angeles is the place to be if you want to cut a smooth operator-style modern R&B record. LA-based electronic soul singer Banks teams up with fellow Hollywood producer Shlohmo to create a broodingly spooky new track that somehow defines the new genre of ethereal mood music currently blowing up. Jessie Ware, Finister, Kid A, SZA, and more tread the same dark late night chill diva vibe as Banks, but the push coming behind her self-titled debut release indicates that she might be a name to watch in 2014. This highly cinematic clip makes the most out of a dark colour palette and a series of hypnotic shots of Banks shrouded by a veil. Obviously there’s more below the surface!

THE PLAYLIST

THE BLACK LIPS Justice After All

As the intro notes, The Black Lips are the pride of Atlanta’s Five Points hood. Together with their pals Deerhunter they have established the strip by the Variety Playhouse as more than just a place to find cheap booze and good times. The Black Lips seem to embody the fucked up spirit of American rock music at present. Underneath The Rainbow now out on Vice Records is pretty great!

S. CAREY Crown The Pines

As a member of Bon Iver, S. Carey’s new release ‘Range of Light’ is going to get a lot of airplay. He’s kind of been in the shadow of Justin Vernon for a long time, so it will be nice to see his more orchestral oeuvre get the attention it deserves.

THE WAR ON DRUGS Under Pressure

Everyone knows how much we dig Philly’s War on Drugs – they played a smoking in-store show at Zulu last year! Here’s some live footage of the first track off ‘Lost in The Dream’ – it shows just how much they have upped their game! If you saw their sold out show at The Biltmore the other day, you know just how lucky you are!

EX HEX Hot and Cold

Merge Records is like a family record label. Having previously released supergroup Wild Flag featuring Mary Timony, they also put out her latest effort as Ex Hex. With its crunchy riffage and tons of bouncy beats, this track is a who’s who of Washington D.C. punk legacy – and yes, that’s The Make Up’s Ian S. going out on a dinner date with Mary!

CHROMEO Jealous

Chromeo are back! The electro vibe is alive and well. This new track seems to channel the Daft Punk thumbing bass pretty well. Time to lease a sweet ride and hit the open road.

THEE OH SEES The Lens

If you’re a fan of lo-fi animation you will certainly want to sit through this mellow new cut from John Dwyer and Thee Oh Sees. Dreamy spaceman imagery galore!

THE GIG

GOAT w/ HOLY WAVE – RICKSHAW THEATRE Tue Apr 15

Psychedelic freak rockers Goat hail from the musical hotbed of Gothenburg, Sweden. Well, in actual fact they claim to trace their roots to a tiny town in northern Sweden that has a history steeped in voodoo worship and a common ancestor who was a famous witch doctor. With this in mind they will put a spell on you, and seduce your minds with their deep and trippy interpretations of ‘world music’ – a universal musical language that combines all forms of music into a fusion of art-rock, tribal rhythms, afrobeat, kraut groove, and lush hedonistic freak folk. Imagine Eddie Hazel as leader of Sun Ra’s Arkestra working through the ecstatic moments of a Damo Suzuki jam while the burnt daydreams of Vashti Bunyan breeze by… Sounds like a dream, right? Or maybe more like a nightmare? Hmm. Regardless, the element of spectacle will be on display on the Ides of April as Goat are known to perform in elaborate wardrobe (think exotic beaded garb). Openers Holy Wave from Texas should get the night off to a good start. Their music is pressed by the people who put on the legendary Austin Psyche Fest.

Take a deeper look at Vancouver’s gigscape for the rest of January after the jump…

THE GLANCE

Thu Apr 03 EVE – FORTUNE
Thu Apr 03 BLOCKHEAD & YPPAH – VENUE
Fri Apr 04 NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL w/ Elf Power – VOGUE – WE’RE SOLD OUT
Fri Apr 04 HARRY MANX – RIO THEATREWE’RE SOLD OUT
Fri Apr 04 DUM DUM GIRLS – BILTMORE
Fri Apr 04 VICETONE – CELEBRITIES
Fri Apr 04 DOPE SODA – ANZA CLUB
Fri Apr 04 FUTURE ISLANDS – RICKSHAW THEATRE – WE’RE SOLD OUT
Sat Apr 05 THE DARCYS, REUBEN and THE DARK & NO – BILTMORE
Sat Apr 05 SLAUGHTERHOUSE – FORTUNE
Sat Apr 05 GREEN JELLO – FUNKY WINKERBEANS
Sat Apr 05 DEAD MEADOW – ELECTRIC OWL
Sun Apr 06 BOY & BEAR – COMMODORE – SHOW MOVED / OLD TIX WILL BE HONORED & WE’RE SOLD OUT
Sun Apr 06 BETTY WHO – MEDIA CLUB
Mon Apr 07 FACTORY FLOOR – FORTUNE
Tue Apr 08 LA FEMME – MEDIA
Tue Apr 08 BEENIE MAN – FORTUNE
Thu Apr 10 T. NILE TINGLE & SPARK CD RELEASE w/ FRANKIE & DAVID WARD – BILTMORE
Thu Apr 10 STEPHEN MALKMUS & THE JICKS – RICKSHAWWE’RE SOLD OUT
Thu Apr 10 ODESZA – VENUE
Thu Apr 10 THE CREEPSHOW – FORTUNE
Fri Apr 11 SAY HI & BIG SCARY – MEDIA – EARLY SHOW
Fri Apr 11 BICEP – ELECTRIC OWL
Sat Apr 12 SKYE WALLACE RECORD RELEASE – BILTMORE
Sat Apr 12 OFF! – FORTUNE – EARLY SHOW
Sun Apr 13 KATAKLYSM – RICKSHAW
Mon Apr 14 CARAVAN PALACE – COMMODORE
Mon Apr 14 100’S – KILLJOY
Tue Apr 15 GOAT w/ HOLY WAVE – RICKSHAW
Tue Apr 15 CHROMEO – COMMODORE
Wed Apr 16 KIM CHURCHILL – BILTMORE
Wed Apr 16 SEVEN LIONS – CELEBRITIES
Thu Apr 17 UZ – QUEEN REPUBLIC
Thu Apr 17 FLIGHT FACILITIES – FORTUNE
Thu Apr 17 UZ – QUEENS REPUBLIC
Thu Apr 17 BEEN TRILL – SHINE
Thu Apr 17 THE PLANET SMASHERS w/ Los Kung Fu Monkeys, Jah Cutta & Rude City Riot – RICKSHAW
Fri Apr 18 HOOD INTERNET – FORTUNE
Fri Apr 18 TOMMY TRASH – CELEBRITIES
Fri Apr 18 TIGA & GREEN VELVET – SHINE
Fri Apr 18 THE MEN – ELECTRIC OWL
Fri Apr 18 DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN w/ TRASH TALK, RETOX + SHINING – RICKSHAW
Fri Apr 18 THE UNDERACHIEVERS – FORTUNE – EARLY SHOW
Sat Apr 19 THUGFUCKER + DJ TENNIS – ELECTRIC OWL
Sun Apr 20 ACTION BRONSON – VENUE
Sun Apr 20 TCHAM – SHINE- EARLY SHOW
Sun Apr 20 PROJECT 46 – CELEBRITIES- EARLY SHOW
Tue Apr 22 DRIVE BY TRUCKERS w/ SHOVELS & ROPE – VOGUE THEATRE
Tue Apr 22 WELCOME TO DILLAVILLE – FORTUNE
Thu Apr 24 WHITE LIES – VENUE
Thu Apr 24 HOWLER – COBALT
Thu Apr 24 STYLUS BEATS- FORTUNE
Fri Apr 25 HIGGINS WATERPROOF BLACK MAGIC BAND – MEDIA
Fri Apr 25 C.R. AVERY – IMPERIAL
Tue Apr 29 TRUST – ELECTRIC OWL
Tue Apr 29 AN EVENING WITH MELLISSA FUNG EARLYBIRD & STUDENT TICKETS – H.R. MACMILLAN SPACE CENTRE
Wed Apr 30 MOON DUO (SF) – ELECTRIC OWL