The Los Angeles transplants from MAGNET’s hometown of Philadelphia, Hands will be releasing their debut full-lengthh, Synethesia, on April 30 via Kill Rock Stars. The mesmerizing pop/rock four-piece consists of Geoff Halliday at the mic and keys, Ryan Sweeney on the guitar, Alex Staniloff on bass and Sean Hess on the kit. The band has taken the time to piece together an eight-track mix tape for MAGNET readers. The mix will take you on a musical journey from late-’70s punk to modern-day Brooklyn synth-pop. Check it out below.
“Trouble” (download):
Cornelius “Smoke”
I seriously believe this guy was sent back from the future by George Carlin’s character in Bill And Ted because the future music gods weren’t happy with where music was headed. Video
Mice Parade “In Between Times”
This is my “I want to listen to something beautiful and soothing” music. It’s also the music I imagine would be the soundtrack to most of our dreams. The complex chords and rhythms are inspiring to say the least. Video
Animal Collective “Peacebone”
Animal Collective’s ability to turn chaotic and psychedelic sounds into the most catchy of songs is uncanny. It has been an inspiration for me since I first heard their album Feels in ’04 or ’05. This track is one I’d start a mix tape off with, for sure. It would be my way of letting the listener know I intend on rattling their brain with wacky synths, pleasing and haunting them with vocals at the same time and making them tap their foot to infectious drum beats. Video
Chairlift “Sidewalk Safari”
I cannot go more than a few days without listening to this song while engaging in some sort of physical activity (usually just dancing in my kitchen). There is something so intensely driving about this song it just makes you want to move things. The vocal is so gorgeous and crisp even on top of the lush instrumentation, and I really responded to the melody pretty immediately for whatever reason. Then I went and saw them twice in the same day at SXSW 2012 and I was completely floored. Video
TNGHT “Higher Ground”
I absolutely love every cut on this EP, but this one really stands out to me for some reason. The use of wildly pitched drums is almost incessant, but there’s something absurdly unique and beautiful about how they are able to continue to build the songs around these constantly rising and falling beats. Definitely a banger albeit a bit of a trip as well. Video
Nils Frahm “Familiar”
Such a precious piece of music. His piano was recorded from within the actual upright he has in his bedroom, and you can very clearly make out the rumblings of machinery and piano mallets striking the strings. It creates a very claustrophobic atmosphere but one you strangely want to stay buried inside of. I pretty much only listen to this record on headphones. And at night. Video
OutKast “Gasoline Dreams”
This song is dripping with attitude. I still haven’t heard a hip-hop cut that quite touches how blisteringly raw and dirty sounding it is. Lyrically and musically, it’s just a really intense and brave song. Video
The Clash “Spanish Bombs”
I played this song and only this song on repeat for a few months when I was 16, and have since revisited it many many times. I remember having an enormous crush on my Spanish teacher and finding out she liked the Clash, so that didn’t help things at all. To this day I consider their body of work as my true political affiliation. Video
