There’s an obvious tension, like with peers Cold Cave and Factory Floor, between making something dark and finding that darkness comforting. Growing Seeds took shape after Norrvide moved to Malmö, Sweden, and as he mentioned in an interview with FACT “…I felt very isolated, and went to a lot to techno parties in the industrial outskirts. So when writing the songs I was influenced by that.” The first track, “Behind Curtains” is Norrvide’s most straightforward dance tune. It’s got an easy preset four-on-the-floor beat, and the most recognizable chorus on an album that usually buries them. Norrvide repeats, “Even though it’s cold.” When he eventually multi-tracks the vocal, giving it a pained echo, he takes a rallying cry and turns it into a plea.

A solid strain of post-punk is attached to Growing Seeds’ hollowed out shell. Norrvide, in that same FACT interview, “I wanted to make post-punk but I can’t really play any instruments, and all I had was an old Casio keyboard.” He was able to meld the two; Lust for Youth’s sound is as indebted to Throbbing Gristle as Gang of Four, with its mix of mechanic drums and wiry song structures. Closing track “Neon Lights Appear” features Norrvide’s monotone over crawling keyboard taps. As the chorus approaches the notes get brighter and hopeful until a sputtering industrial noise spasm erases the sense of ease he carefully constructed.

Norrvide's ideas can sound sketched out and hollow. “La Rouge” is more half-formed cosmic piano exercise than a fully formed track, while the freshman philosophy ramblings of “Modern Life” are misguided. The best songs on Growing Seeds avoid tried on cleverness.  “Cover Their Faces” is menacing, the closest Norrvide gets to icy anxiety, while follow up “Always Changing” confidently escalates into steely frenzy. “Champagne” is the most accomplished. It’s lushly layered and buoyant, a love song that cuts through the posturing on the rest of the album. 

Growing Seeds was born out of isolation in an unknown city, and its songs reflect the confusion and discomfort that go along with a move away from home. Now that Lust for Youth is a two-piece, the project recently added Sacred Bones label-mate Loke of Copenhagen based Vår, it’ll be interesting to see what direction Norrvide's music will take. It probably won’t be sunny.

Grade: B

This week, the Listener is sifting through a range of new music whose tone is somewhat more low key than usual. As the year winds down, we are seeing more intricate and/or quieter releases from acts like Tim Hecker and Daniel Lopatin. The Weeknd and Lust for Youth takes us into darker territory, suggesting emotional distance and cold grooves. Sally Shapiro may be this week's most chipper track, itself a sweet burst of twee Italian Disco. Here are some of the highlights from this week.

Sally Shapiro - "What Can I Do:" At the more fey and twee end of the Italian Disco resurgence, Sally Shapiro has not released anything since her 2009 sophomore album. Readying a new LP for 2013 (is it already time to begin thinking about 2013?), Shapiro recently debuted this new track. "What Can I Do" is a warm song, with sweet wispy vocals and a pleasant groove. Those familiar with Shapiro's previous work will find themselves in familiar territory, but it is a welcome return.


The Weeknd - "Till Dawn (Here Comes the Sun):" Another bonus track off of the coming physical release of the Canadian artist's album, Trilogy. The title would seem to imply a bright and hopeful song, but this is not the case as this is the Weeknd, who has begun to perfect a somewhat darker sound. This track gradually builds, slowly morphing from melancholy to ominous with the introduction of drums and background feedback.


Lust for Youth - "It's You:" Like Sally Shapiro, Lust for Youth is a Swedish electronic musician, and that is about it for commonality. In fact, Lust for Youth is on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. "It's You" is an icy driving track with short spoken vocals interspersing and coiling throughout. Sacred Bones, one of this year's breakout labels, will be releasing Lust for Youth's forthcoming LP.


Tim Hecker and Daniel Lopatin -"Intrusions:" An avant-garde supergroup (if you are into that sort of thing), this ambient single from Hecker and Lopatin is marked with the periodic intrusions of distortion and noise. The main thrust of the song is one of emergence, a melody gradually crystallizing from abstract sound. The full length from these two will be out later this month.


And, since today's track's were somewhat dark, and I don't want to leave you all too depressed, here is the legendary Prince Nico Mbarga and his biggest hit, "Sweet Mother." Happy Friday!

Hurricane Sandy might have messed with your midweek mojo, albeit via mild wind and rain (better safe than sorry) that we WNY-ers have been callused to, but it wouldn't dare mess with this month's list of new album releases! And while you still have all day to slug down one last Octoberfest or dress up for one more costume party, the inevitable truth is that November is here and its chill is steadily approaching. This time of year tends to fly by, but please find some time to wind down and check out some great new music this November. Do it before the holiday rush overtakes your soul!

Brace yourselves, there is still more experimental music to talk about--that is Brooklyn outfit Oneida. If there's one thing that is certain, it's that Oneida makes consistently great and distinctive music, and that their latest album, based on a sample track, will continue in the trajectory of minimalism and psychedelia. The album, entitled A List of Burning Mountains, is the follow up to last year's Absolute II and will be released on November 13 via Jagjaguwar. Listen to the sample mix off the new LP here.
6. Dirty Projectors - About to Die EP
Whether it's releasing excellent full-length LPs like this year's Swing Lo Magellan or churning out a short film for said record (Hi Custodian) you can be sure that lead singer-songwriter of Dirty Projectors, David Longstreth, is never running short of brilliant ideas. In fact, he is brimming over with them. So much that when he initially constructed Swing Lo he had reportedly devised over 70 songs worth of material, and thus we have the About to Die EP, a four-track gem which is due out November 6. 



5. The Revival Hour -  Clusterchord EP


Dropping the first single off their latest self-titled album, (III), the Toronto blog-house duo Crystal Castles is only boosting the synths, cranking the bass kick and inflating lead singer Alice Glass’ coarse vocals. “Wrath of God” is the continuation in the group’s ability to evoke non-stop dancing, but also seeks to increase their sonic degree of tension that we've come to love about the duo. (III) is sure to be an a step-up for the group, even as they follow-up their excellent sophpomore record of 2010, (II). The album is out Novemeber 12.


1. Sufjan Stevens - Silver & Gold