The Presets - Ghosts

"Ghosts" is the second single from The Presets' upcoming LP Pacifica. The song opens with lush synths over a stuttering, frenetic beat. They are joined shortly by Julian Hamiltons' strong, clear vocals. His lyrics here deal primarily with the pains of aging and memory ("Oh, we've had a merry old time, but merry old times don't count for nothing"). A dreamy background chorus reappears throughout the song, giving the proceedings a kind of maritime vibe (some people have described the song as a modern sea shanty). Set sail and listen below.

Rapids - Cut Fast

Thundering drums, brash vocals and a general anarchic spirit are usually a recipe for success in rock music, and “Cut Copy” from Australia's Rapids is no exception. The song's greatest asset is its bassline, which is as catchy as anything you'll hear today and provides a strong foundation for the rest of the band to play around on. With their loose and blustery approach, Rapids will probably draw many comparisons to another garage rock four piece from Down Under, The Vines, but their sound is dynamic enough to resist easy labeling. The video – an artful, black-and-white depiction of a very unpleasant dinner date -- is well worth a look as well.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Dear Believer (Timmy the Terror Remix)

Timmy the Terror's remix of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' track "Dear Believer" takes a breezy folk tune and transports it to a decidedly new environment. Gone is the light acoustic guitar of the original, replaced instead with drum machines and a thumping bass. Jude Castrino's background vocals -- cut up and looped to incredibly beautiful and trippy effect -- are given more of an emphasis. The song sounds sundrenched and triumphant, like it has discovered new levels of confidence and ambition in TtT's hands. The narrator claims in the chorus of both versions that "reaching for heaven is what [he's] on Earth to do." In this remix, he seems a little closer to that goal.

Visitor - Coming Home

French producer Visitor is putting out a new EP, Coming Home, on September 10th, and to help promote the release, he has made a preview of the record's material available for your enjoyment. The songs have a desperate and romantic 1980s quality to it, with lyrics dwelling on the themes of lost love and regret. The album cover features Visitor's jagged, extra-terrestrial logo descending on a sleepy mountain suburb, which is appropriate: The music here feels like a collision between innocence and something more dangerous. 

Chris Malinkchak - These Dreams

French Express is back with another summer-friendly release, "These Dreams" by New York' Chris Malinchak. Former subway musician Damon C Scott (with whom Malinchak also collaborated on his 2011 track "No Secrets") provides soulful vocals over a sleek and hypnotic digital loop, reminding the listener repeatedly that they have "no excuses." Listen below -- this is the perfect cool refreshment for a hot summer afternoon.

Grace Jones – Williams Blood (Aeroplane Remix)

In advance of her headlining performance at the Lovebox festival in London this Sunday, the legendary Grace Jones has made the Aeroplane remix of her 2008 single "William's Blood" available as a free download. Though four years old, the track sounds every bit as vibrant and seductive as it did when it was mixed. Aeroplane's version is heavier and more urgent than the original, with more echo applied to Jones' rich and powerful voice. Give a listen below if you missed it the first time around.

The Knocks and Fred Falke - Geronimo

"Geronimo" is a collaboration between New York-based artist The Knocks and French producer Fred Falke. Bright, funky, pulsing, with an infectious hook -- trust me, you'll be singing the chorus in your head the rest of the day -- the track should feel right at home on any summer dancefloor. The EP also features remixes of the song by Lenno, Louis La Roche, and Aylen. All are well worth your time.

The Yes Way - Barcelona

The Yes Way are five piece indie rock outfit from Brooklyn. In a region so saturated with groups it can hard to distinguish yourself, but these guys have spent the past two years quietly collecting a band of supporters in the press. "Barcelona," the first single from their upcoming full-length, will show you why. With a jazzy, shuffling beat, a tinkling piano, distorted riffs, and eerie vocals all blended together seamlessly into a (highly listenable) whole, the song is an impressive demonstration of the group's unique aesthetic. The Yes Way are performing at the Mercury Lounge this Saturday with Shake the Baron. Listen below, then hop on over to their website to pick up tickets.

Keenhouse - Where I Belong

"Where I Belong" is the first single from Four Dreams, the long-awaited second album from L.A. musician Ken Rangkuty, AKA Keenhouse. The track opens with Rangkuty's light, breathy vocals over an endlessly winding bass melody. The lyrics set a suitably trippy mood: he at one point describes looking "where the skyline meets some noisy minds, a place that always stays the same," and that's about as lucid as it gets. The song invites you from its first second to sit back and let its music take you on a journey. Accept the offer. I promise you'll like where you end up.

Boerd - Velocity EP (Teasure)

Scandinavian producer Bard Ericson (alias Boerd) is releasing his third EP, Velocity, on August 14th, and has offered the world its first preview of the forthcoming material. The teaser below feature snippets from the record's four songs, spliced such that they fade into one another almost imperceptibly. Beginning with a cool liquidy groove, the EP's mood is placid to start, with the energy generally increasing with each new clip. The title track announces its presence around the three minute mark with some lively electronic sax flourishes, then quickly and cruelly fades out. You'll be tempted to circle that date two weeks from now on your calendar. This is a fast four minutes.