discoverband

Lightyear is the solo electro-pop project of Brooklyn based songwriter Lauren Zettlerbrand. She decided to adopt the name during a period of transition, when she realized that “things just didn’t feel right.”

Zettler was raised in Indiana by scientist parents. Although she tried to make her parents proud by taking chemistry, classical piano was what really stuck, and what led her to Berklee College of Music in Boston. She took a break from the piano after graduating and started working for a large music company, operating under the belief system that she needed to act safe, make guaranteed money and work hard.

But Lightyear finds Zettler returning to writing on her native ivories. The resulting songs rely on piano-built melodies draped in starry keyboard accents and pounding electronic drums.

It Beats is off her debut EP All of the Miles, released in November.

Lightyear @ Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter
Source: Lightyear

Au Palais are brother-sister twosome Elise and David Commathe, originally from Toronto and now located in London. Their dark and ambient beats bring Gothic and Pop to a new level, soliciting comparisons with M83, Austra and Zola Jesus.

Tender Mercy is the title track to Au Palais’ Tender Mercy EP, released on 28 November 2011. On Facebook they announced to shoot an official video in the next few days, until then here’s an unofficial version.

Au Palais @ Facebook, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Twitter
Source: iamnosuperman