[News] Daft Punk Announce May 21st Release Date for New Album, 'Random Access Memories'

Daft Punk's fourth album, their first since 2005's Human After All, now has an official release date. May 21st. Mark your calendars, right now.

Titled Random Access Memories, the album is now available to pre-order on iTunes. Apple's music store also reveals that the album will feature thirteen tracks, although the track titles have yet to be revealed. This fits with Columbia's recent licensing of new tracks from the French duo.

Many of you might remember a few weeks ago when Daft Punk sneakily slipped a 15-second commercial during an episode of Saturday Night Live. Well, they've done it again. Once again premiering during SNL, this 15-second clip features a snippet of new music. The duo have also launched a website for the album, which features another snippet of new music. Here's hoping we'll hear a full track soon.

Check out the track lengths for Random Access Memories below, along with its official artwork at the top.

Random Access Memories track lengths:
01. 4:34
02. 5:21
03. 9:04
04. 3:48
05. 5:37
06. 5:53
07. 8:18
08. 6:07
09. 4:50
10. 5:41
11. 4:39
12. 4:11
13. 6:21

[News] Deerhunter Announces New Album, 'Monomania'

Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox spoke to Rolling Stone last month, confirming that the band was working on a new album. The follow-up to 2010's excellent Halcyon Digest now has an official title, Monomania, and a firm release date, May 7th, and is the result of lengthy recording sessions at Rare Book Room Studio in Brooklyn. The band "stockpiled upward of 250 potential songs for the new disc" but have wittled that down to twelve, which Cox describes as "a very avant-garde rock & roll record".

We've yet to hear anything from the new record but the band seems confident, citing The Ramones, Ricky Nelson, Pierre Schaeffer, Steve Reich, and Bo Diddley as major influences. For now, all we can mull over is the tracklist for Monomania, which you can check out below.

Monomania Tracklist:
01. Neon Junkyard
02. Leather Jacket II
03. The Missing
04. Pensacola
05. Dream Captain
06. Blue Agent
07. T.H.M.
08. Sleepwalking
09. Back To The Middle
10. Monomania
11. Nitebike
12. Punk (La Vie Antérieure)

[Watch] Sigur Rós - "Brennisteinn" (Official Video)

I have a seriously hard time believing of all the things you can do in 7 minutes and 40 seconds today that this will not be by far the best use of your time. From their just recently announced forthcoming album, Kveikur, we have the video for their first single from the record, "Brennisteinn". I have to admit, over the past few years my love for Sigur Ros had begun to mellow out quite a bit. I happily bought their albums and put them on from time to time, but if this song is an accurate indication of what's to come for this new album, I believe I just fell madly in love with them all over again. As you can see and hear from the video above, "Brennisteinn" is a much darker, more aggressive approach than what the band has done in the past, and they did it with such balance and poise that you're a little taken back for a second and then immediately so drawn to it that you keep asking yourself throughout the rest of the song why this hadn't already existed before. 

The countdown to June 17th (18th in the US) when Kveikur officially drops has begun. I need more of this and I need more of this NOW. 

[Listen] The Postal Service - "Turn Around"

The Postal Service offered up their first new music in over a decade a few weeks back with the song "A Tattered Line of String", one of two new songs from the upcoming tenth-anniversary reissue of Give Up. Today, Seattle radio station 107.7 The End points us to the second new song, titled "Turn Around". Stream it below and let us know if Ben Gibbard and Dntel fit into the 2013 mould.

The Give Up Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition reissue is set to drop on April 9th on double disc CD or Triple LP. Check here for the full details of the release, and head here to see The Postal Service's full 2013 tour schedule.

[Album Stream] The Strokes - 'Comedown Machine'

One week ahead of its official release, The Strokes fifth album Comedown Machine is streaming in full over at Pitchfork Advance. Unlike the storied troubles of recording Angles, the band's latest LP was a much smoother process. Hell, frontman Julian Casablancas joining the rest of the band in-studio was a big step forward.

Stream Comedown Machine here, and check back on March 26th for it to officially drop. You can pre-order the album here.

[Listen] Vampire Weekend - "Diane Young" and "Step"

Vampire Weekend closed out SXSW by debuting a few new tracks, namely "Diane Young" and "Ya Hey". Now, the first of those gets the single treatment, along with a b-side titled "Step". The studio versions of both songs are pretty excellent, and any fans of the New York outfit will surely be pleased.

"Diane Young" is energetic, driving forward with frantic guitars and percussion, along with a bit of flair and fun from frontman Ezra Koenig and keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij. "Step" on the other hand is a slow, reflective affair, gliding along with heavenly instrumentation. Both are worth the listen. Check 'em out below.

Vampire Weekend's third studio album, Modern Vampires of the City, releases on May 7th.

[Album Stream] Wavves - 'Afraid of Heights'

So summer is a few months away, yeah, I know it doesn't feel like it and the weather pretty much sucks everywhere right now, but how about we listen to some music that makes you want to go driving along the coast with the top down? I'm talking about the new album from Wavves titled Afraid of Heights. It's not set to be released until next week but the good folk at NPR are streaming it a week early and it's a raw and powerful, anxiety filled 45 minute romp through fuzzy guitars and sing along choruses. Perfect to start your week to. 

Afraid of Heights is officially released on March 26th via Mom & Pop.

[Watch] LULS - "Sympathy Or Love"

Check out the video for the B-Side to LULS' track "Never Let It Go" which we introduced you to back in January. The single was released yesterday and to celebrate you can enjoy the video for "Sympathy Or Love", a soaring track with choruses fit for the festival circuit and verses that'll make you question your loves and losses. Seriously into this band right now and if this is the sound of what's to come I really can't wait to hear more. Big sounds!