Colleagues: Tears

Hot Chip's take on William Onyeabor, Swedish dance-pop, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch's vampire soundtrack and more in our look at the music we tweeted this week

Take synth-driven electro-pop charm, bolster it with a riotous bass line and a healthy dose of danceability and the result is Swedish quintet Colleagues’ “Tears.” With synths fit for a stadium, hypnotic vocals and a radio-ready chorus, the track is accessible without losing soul or individuality. Following up the band’s breakout track on London’s latest In Stereo Records—where they were one of the first to …

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Tinariwen stateside, Phantogram's Bill Murray, a tribute to J Dilla and more in the music we tweeted this week

Tinariwen: Emmaar Malian band Tinariwen are famous in their own Saharan country as much for their rocking desert blues as for their role in the ’80s as Tuareg rebel fighters for Gadaffi. Despite their critically acclaimed musical talent, it would be hard to separate the band from politics and, as NPR points out, the new album Emmaar is a reflection of their native region’s turmoil. …

Tinariwen: Emmaar

Tinariwen stateside, Phantogram's Bill Murray, a tribute to J Dilla and more in the music we tweeted this week

Malian band Tinariwen are famous in their own Saharan country as much for their rocking desert blues as for their role in the ’80s as Tuareg rebel fighters for Gadaffi. Despite their critically acclaimed musical talent, it would be hard to separate the band from politics and, as NPR points out, the new album Emmaar is a reflection of their native region’s turmoil. The band …