Artist: Yacht

Hails from: Portland, OR

Musical Style: Electronic, Pop, Dance

For Fans of: Talking Heads, MGMT, Depeche Mode

Why you should check them out:It’s a sweltering Summer day in YACHT’s hometown of Portland, Oregon, and despite the thick humidity, the duo’s infectious “Summer Song” keeps persuading me to dance. How exactly does one resist beats so catchy they simply cannot be ignored? You simply don’t, you just slowly step away from the computer and let the music make you forget just how miserably hot the weather really is.

Background Check:

A career musician since the early days of high school, Jona Bechtolt has been programing electronic tunes and offering his multi-instrumental skills to a list of highly regarded projects since 2001. And while his contributions to The Blow and Devendra Banhart all make for worthwhile listens, it is his main project YACHT ( Young Americans Challenging High Technology) that serves as a clear culmination of his talents.

In 2003 Bechtolt emerged with his debut solo record, Superwarren MMIV, a minimalistic electronic effort indicative of the experimental pop path that YACHT would continue to follow. After five highly praised solo releases, Bechtolt recruited established noise rocker and science writer Claire L. Evans as a permanent member of YACHT. The resulting 2008 Summer Song EP and the new full length See Mystery Lights have recently become some of YACHT’s most infectious songs to date. In fact, Evans and Bechtolt’s vocals and dance moves complement each other so well that it’s a wonder how YACHT ever felt complete without her. And while you may be skeptical that two people with nothing but microphones and a laptop could be utterly engaging live, I can say with confidence that YACHT will make you want to dance along with them -sweat bands are certainly advised.

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

MySpace

Wikipedia

Teamyacht.com

On Tour:

JamBase 

Artist: El Guincho

Hails From: Barcelona, Spain

Musical Style: Electronic, Pop, Dance

For Fans of: Manu Chao, Animal Collective, Flamming Lips

Why you should check him out:

Pablo Diaz-Reixa, the international man of movement behind El Guincho, samples and salsas his way through drum heavy, oft repetitive flares of exuberance with a natural rhythm and a free association spirit.

Background Check:

Having never mastered the Spanish language has put me at a disadvantage. I ofthen feel I’m missing out on large chuncks of great cinema, literature and even the occasional Telemundo masterpeice theather.  Thankfully, El Guincho, the latest tropical sound sensation from Spain, is music the world, including me, can enjoy.  With truly international flavor and color, full of exhiliration and soul, El Guincho is sung in native tongue, but heard around the globe as one.

Formerly of Coconot, Diaz-Reixa took his drums and his love of Afro-pop, Spanish folk music, Tango and other worldly influences and assembled techo style beats drapped under a canopy of crossed cultures.  El Guincho’s debut album Alegranza is an effortlessly exciting peice of musica at once remininscent of EVERYTHING and completely unique in of itself.

Never set on one locale, El Guincho shifts from Latin sizzlers like “Costa Paraiso” to Caribbean calypsos like “Antillas” all while appealing to independant minded souls the world over.  His tours in Australia, Europe and fevered appearances at SXSW prove that El Guincho can navigate the varried commotion of the world while retaining a youthful, traditional beat all his own.

Where you can find him in cyberspace:

MySpace

Discoteca Oceano website

Wikipedia

On Tour:

Jambase