Ears Wide Open: Looner, Divisadero

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[New sounds from L.A. artists:]

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Genre-mashing L.A. duo Looner is gearing up for the May 26 release of a new single, “I Love My Tamagotchee!” – based on the obsession with the Japanese Tamagotchi toy, the song is streaming on the band’s MySpace page – and, later this year, an EP executive-produced by Ziggy Marley. Angel Roché Jr. and Zoë Roché, who get a lot of mileage out of digital looping and twining vocals, boast long credits writing music for movies (Zoë, the daughter of film composer Basil Poledouris, earned her first writing credit at age 9). The new single is bound to get your hips shaking, but the B-side, Looner’s take on Musical Youth’s 1980s hit “Pass the Dutchie,” may move you in another way.

||| Download: “Dutchie”

||| Live: Watch the band’s MySpace for updates; currently the next scheduled live date is Aug. 8 at the Venice Beach Music Fest.

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Divisadero’s latest album came out during my Blue Period, in between the time my day job ended and when I started this blog. I never caught up to the September release until very recently, and the Silver Lakers who touted it to me were right. “Lefty,” a concept album about a beleaguered boxer, will be released through the major digital outlets on Tuesday via JaxArt Records. Here’s a taste:

||| Download: “The Boxer’s Daughter”

Photo of Divisadero by Kathryna Hancock