Our friends over at Kitsilano’s Zulu Records present a new, weekly Scout feature called 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.

The Track

The XX – Crystalised taken from XX xx out now on XL Records.

When you attend a London art college sporting alumni like Hot Chip, Burial, and Four Tet, starting a band seems like a smashing plan. Such was the case for this crafty quartet, who cut class to study the ways of their childhood idols – The Pixies, The Cure, and Chromatics – while respecting the production and electronics associated with contemporary high-end sheen American R&B. The end result is easily one of the most captivating debut records of recent history, as well as an instantly absorbing sound that reworks dream pop, dubstep, moody atmospherics and detached deadpan vocals. Furtive interplay between bass and guitar lines drives the track “Crystalised” (witness the video above), as dual lead vocals Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim trade silky coos like lost lovers. Join their cry.

The Playlist

A SUNNY DAY IN GLASGOW – Ashes Grammar CD/LP (Mis Ojos Discos)
Beautiful music for days of drifting in and out of My Bloody Valentine nostalgia. Shoegaze is coming back!

KAREN O AND THE KIDS – Where The Wild Things Are OST (DGC)
YYY’s vocalist joins an all-star cast for some quiet acoustic musical magic – perfect for Spike Jonze’s treatment!

TIMES NEW VIKING – Born Again Revisited CD/LP (Matador)
Noisy guitars, fuzzy synths and a screwed up art-punk aesthetic make this a lo-fi classic even venerable deconstructors Sonic Youth could be proud of.

GIRLS – Album CD/LP (True Panther)
Coming in somewhere between The Beach Boys, The Smiths and the sewer… this album chronicles the strange morning after serenity associated with a sun kissed San Fran dawn.

VARIOUS – CONGO 70 RUMBA ROCK CD/LP (Syllart)
Killer hypnotic rock! Part of the African Pearls series (we have them all) that is guaranteed to shake it.

YIM YAMES – Tribute To CD (Universal)
From one Dark Horse to another, My Morning Jacket frontman Jimmy James offers acoustic covers of George Harrison! Majestic indeed.

CRANFIELD AND SLADE – 12 Sun Songs LP (JPR)
Local Art Stars step out of the gallery world for twelve sunshiny covers with lots of local guest players. Yes, this is already a collector’s item.

YOKO ONO – Between My Head and The Sky CD/LP (Chimera)
At 76 years young Yoko is still turning heads and burning ears on this fiercely evocative listen.

ISLANDS – Vapours CD (Anti)
Finally something that lives up to the perfect pop immediacy of The Unicorns – Vapours has more bounce than a can of neon tennis balls.

ROSE MELBERG – Homemade Ship CD (K Records)
Hometown hero Rose proves why her delicate acoustic odes have made her the toast of European folk circles.

The Gig

THE HORRORS Wednesday October 7th at VENUE

Blowing into town on a haze of fuzzball guitars and droning organs, UK’s The Horrors are your classic loud rock spectacle. This will be a hedonistic celebration of skinny jeans, fashionista hair cuts, and well… the best songs since Jesus and Mary Chain’s Psychocandy. Guaranteed to sell out at the door. Have a listen.

The Glance

Tue OCT 06

LONELY DEAR / ASOBI SEKSU at the Biltmore

Wed OCT 07

BOUNCING SOULS – At Rickshaw

Thu OCT 08 |

AIMEE MANN – At the Commodore
JUNIOR BOYS – At Venue
MONO – At the Biltmore
NEW MODEL ARMY – At the Rickshaw

Fri OCT 09

BROTHER ALI – At Venue
GOGOL BORDELLO – At Vogue

Sat OCT 10

PASSION PIT – At Venue
GOGOL BORDELLO – At Vogue

Sun OCT 11

LOTUS LONG WEEKEND – At Lotus
JULIETTE LEWIS – At Commodore
RUSKO – At Shine
TOMMIE SUNSHINE – At Venue

Mon OCT 12

BUTTHOLE SURFERS – At Commodore
FEDERICO AUBELE – At Venue

Tue OCT 13

METRONOMY + FOOLS GOLD – At Red Room
AND…TRAIL OF DEAD – At Venue

Grab tickets at Zulu Records.