As the low temperatures continue to slowly whittle away your collective will to live, the Listener, himself long dead inside, sticks to his motto, "the world is a cold dead place." Now usually the world is usually more alive than it has been but this tundra seems to continually prove his longstanding theory, that the world is indeed a "cold dead place," each day. Meanwhile, while you all stay inside probing the darkest most regions of your soul, slowing giving way to your darkest impulses, like getting the popcorn with the extra butter, the Listener has been busy finding new music. Enjoy!

Iceage - "Ecstasy:" What better soundtrack to this week's cold spell then a bunch of noisy Danish kids. Iceage's latest is a clanking, messy, heavy blast of icy angst. The clattering movement of the verses is momentarily halted for the repeated yelling of "pressure, pressure, pressure" before starting back up again. This new track is immediate and unrelenting, much like the frozen tundra outside.

Benoit Pioulard - "Margin:" Because, personally, I am dedicated to digging up every example of new hazy indie pop on a weekly basis (kidding, sort of), I give you the latest from Benoit Pioulard. A spooky bit of psych pop, the song is anchored by Thomas Meluch's distant and unaffected vocals and a high pitched organ winding through the song's melody.



Leif - "Coins:" Leif recently released a new mix-tape, Fly Zone, with "Coins" as its first single. Like his previous work, "Coins" is a grimey beat propelled by Leif's very fluid delivery. Fluid is a key word for this song as the beat and vocals all sound drenched and half under water. Even the producers are named Drippin and Souldrop, so again, liquids and how liquids move. Leif's work continues to be engaging.



Disclosure and AlunaGeorge - "White Noise:" AlunaGeorge and Disclosure are quickly rising stars and for good reason, both pairs have consistently turned out great music in the last year or so. Thus, given the talent here, "White Noise," a collaboration between the two, was pretty much a guaranteed hit. Disclosure provides a playful beat and melody, pulsing and uptempo, which compliments Aluna Francis' vocals nicely. Definitely an exciting song and a great choice for any party you find yourself at this weekend.



Veronica Falls - "Buried Alive:" Slumberland flag bearers Veronica Falls released another single off of their forthcoming second album this week. An anthem for the over earnest living dead, "Buried Alive" is poppy and maudlin with a melody and rhythm section heavily channeling The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. If you are trying to date someone both twee and goth, you should probably put this on the mixtape.


One last thing, that new Strokes song is really weird, isn't it?