Though the soundscape of 2012 has been littered with stars so far, it’s worth bringing attention back to one of the year’s first bright spots: the Those of Us Still Alive EP from Brooklyn two-piece Tiny Victories. The record’s first track and debut single, “Mr. Bones”, recently got a video accompaniment that perfectly matches the group’s expansive sound. As the video opens, waves on the screen mimic the song’s electronic chimes, evoking falling water. Soon quick cuts alternate between huge, sprawling city views and touching, personal early-morning moments. Shots of the pair setting up for a show are interspersed with views of Earth from space, and as the beat kicks in – after a minute of anticipation and buildup – a smooth vocal comes to provide a foundation for the rest of beats to play on.

The video snippets continue to flash intermittently in explosions of light, emphasizing the grandiose synthesized rhythms. But small, intimate moments always return, bringing balance to the huge images as the vocals do with the music. The video, like the EP, is about building up beautiful enormity and then zooming in to see the individual pieces that comprise it.

STREAM: Tiny Victories – “Mr. Bones”

It’s crazy that we live in a world where stressed-out citydwellers will spend $20 to go sit on the hardwood floor of an incense-laden yoga studio while some new age fauxhemian with a banging bod guides them through The Best Meditation Practice Of All Time. Not saying we’re not down with mindful awareness and peaceful reflection and all that–plenty of our respected idols practiced this sort of thing–but because, with the right soundtrack, you can achieve the same serenity in the comfort of your own home.

And good news: the perfect soundtrack has arrived. One listen of our newfound favorite Young Heel’s Falls EP will have you wondering how you ever gazed through frosted windows contemplating your mortality without these Brooklyn boys to lend you their dreamy musical counsel. In “Troubles At The Top,” they lay down harmonies gentle enough to soothe whatever beast rages within you while keeping things dark enough to avoid lobotomizing your angsty heart. If that sounds like a challenge to you, they’ll be happy to hear it—experimentation is at the core of their sound, and we’re already looking forward to the ways they will continue bridging discordant canyons of genre as they continue to gain exposure. Troubles at the top? We’ll see, but trouble reaching the top? Unlikely.

Grab “Troubles at the Top” below, and hop over to Young Heel’s Bandcamp page to snag the whole EP.

MP3: Young Heel – “Troubles at the Top”

Sophia Knapp, of the girl-trio Lights (now Cliffie Swan), is branching out on her own. Her debut LP Into the Waves will be released late this month on the talent-packed label Drag City, and will feature the musical company of Americana’s favorite gravel-voiced bedroom-crooner Bill Callahan on several songs. If “Close to Me” (which does not feature Callahan) is any indication, the album will be delightful. On this light and fluffy sonic-gem Knapp shoves Stevie Nicks, sparkling champagne, pineapples, piña-colada mix, and a fairy dusting of funk into the blender and mixes up a sexy cocktail of girl-pop. Drink this puppy up and you’ll be dancing with diamonds on the soles of your shoes. Guaranteed.

STREAM: Sophia Knapp – “Close to Me”

PAPA‘s EP, A Good Woman Is Hard To Find, can certainly stand on its own; it’s been well-received by critics everywhere and has helped propel the band’s popularity in the chattering blogosphere. But that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with somebody else taking “I Am The Lion King” — a fantastic track off the release — and making it a bit “dance-ier.” In comes St. Lucia. Fresh off announcing they would be releasing an LP with Neon Gold Records, the New Noise and All Things Gold alumnus transforms the indie rock jam into a killer remix. St. Lucia’s take amplifies the high-end guitar of the original and gives it a tropical, synth-pop treatment, adding in airy wind chimes and dreamy background keys. And just wait for the acoustic guitar breakdown. You’ll feel like you’re floating.

MP3: PAPA – “I Am The Lion King (St. Lucia Remix)”

Black Light Dinner Party‘s remarkable brand of  dream-pop stole my heart last year on “Older Together,” and they’ve done it again with their new video for “Gold Chain.”  Armed with a smooth sound as captivating as their name,  ”Gold Chain” transports the viewer to them realm of the disconnected; an ethereal, nostalgic world that’s as carefree as the track.

MP3: Black Light Dinner Party – “Gold Chain”

Did you miss Savoir Adore at our debut New Noise show last week? Well, consider yourself extra lucky that they’re coming back this Friday as support for Danish songstress Oh Land at the Black Cat. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: their latest track “Dreamers” is a serious contender for the best track of 2011. And if you haven’t caught them before then classics like “Sarah’s Secret” and “We Talk Like Machines” are sure to impress. The other, yet-to-be-named new material they play live is absolutely amazing too.

We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to the show, this Friday, December 9th. For a chance to win, tell us the craziest dream you’ve had in the comments below. Appropriate, right? Of course, the crazier the better. We’ll pick a winner by 3PM tomorrow. Get to it!

MP3: Savoir Adore – “Dreamers”

We’ve already shed light on Washed Out’s newest single release, Amor Fati, and it’s stunning b-side “Call It Off.” Also packed into the release are two clever remixes of the a-side; one from hip-hop producer Clams Casino, and the other from our favorite all-female dream pop trio Au Revoir Simone.  The result is a muted, breezy retelling of one of Summer’s most inspiring tracks. Grab it below.

MP3: Washed Out – “Amor Fati (Au Revoir Simone Remix)”

Today, too stressed by midterms to study and too excited about Halloween to care about much of anything else, I put on my fuzziest sweater-and-corduroy combo, bought a pumpkin spice latte, parked myself at my favorite table in the library that looks out on my favorite panoramic view of the Potomac River, and snuggled down for some nostalgic, autumnal tunes. Somewhat of a romantic, I have a whole playlist dedicated to very specific moods like this one, but today I was content to sit back and let the enigmatic hush-pop maker Elsa do all the work. The Toronto based semi-dream-pop trio has just released their debut EP under the NotUnlike label and you can check out their single, “In Two,” and listen to their full EP on their bandcamp site. Good luck finding any other information, pictures, YouTube videos, or descriptions, though, but something about their anonymity makes Elsa all the more appealing. I’ll have to go back to the real world eventually (I’d say probably sometime in November), but until then, you know where to find me.

MP3: Elsa – “In Two”