NEON GOLD SXSW 2012.

It's that time of year again, and after packed out showcases at SXSW 2010 and 2011, we're back with another barnburner for you with our 2012 official showcase. Wrapping up our inaugural Neon Gold Tour at SXSW will be St. Lucia, Savoir Adore and our showcase headliners The Knocks, joined by fellow Neon Gold alums Polarsets and ANR, and the next big things of tomorrow in Brooklyn's Fort Lean and Los Angeles' HAIM. The whole thing's going down at Karma Lounge, just steps from the 6th Street and the epicenter of SXSW at 105 East 5th Street between Congress and Brazos. As per usual, it's 21+ with free entry to those with official SX badges on a first come, first serve basis, so come out early as space is limited and this is going to be a night to remember. Set times and MP3's below - see you in Texas, friends.

07:00pm: ANR // STREAM: "It's Around You"


08:00pm: HAIM // STREAM: "Better Off"


09:00pm: Fort Lean // STREAM: "Sunsick"


10:00pm: Savoir Adore // DOWNLOAD: "Dreamers"


11:00pm: St. Lucia // STREAM: "Before The Dive"


12:00am: The Knocks // STREAM: "R.O.Y.L."


01:00am: Polarsets // DOWNLOAD: "Leave Argentina"

WRITE MY STORY DOWN.

Our Fort Lean 7" drops tomorrow, and we're stoked to be unleashing their first physical release into the world together with our dudes at Black Bell Records. We already shared our thoughts on the escapist pleasures of A-side "Sunsick", but flipside stunner "Precinct" is a slow-burning lament that lights the way and then ashes on your expectations. Keenan Mitchell's arresting vocals bay at the rising moon and drift towards classic rock guitars that curl up like a shadowy come-hither. Once the drums crash and the four corners cave in, you know this is the triumphant jailbreak scene. Without a shred of doubt in our mind, Fort Lean are the best new rock outfit in NYC by miles, so get your order of the single from the Neon Gold Shop in HERE. Oh yeah, and if you're in New York tomorrow, we're properly celebrating with a single release blowout at our new haven of rage, Santos Party House. Tickets are HERE, doors are at 8pm, see y'all there?

MP3: "The Precinct" - Fort Lean [exclusive]

GOLD032: FORT LEAN

The last few months have seen Fort Lean rise from relative obscurity to quickly become our favorite new band in Brooklyn, and it's with great pleasure that we welcome them to the NG family with the co-release of their new single "Sunsick" on Neon Gold and Black Bell Records this month. The five piece have an uncanny knack for escapist summer anthems, a point underscored on the A-side as a waterfall of cascading drums and sweeping guitars draw you in and an armed-to-the-teeth bassline pumps seratonin through your veins. Then it's Keenan Mitchell's impassioned vocals entering the mix and leaving you strung out on pure empathy as he howls through the chorus behind a shield of reverb-coated guitars.

On the flip, "Precinct" begins as a slow-burning lament and grows into a staggering climax, filled to the brim with emotional fortitude and rousing harmonies. Together the tracks pack one hell of a one-two punch and make you pine for a getaway, the destination: irrelevant. If The Walkmen were fronted by the long lost son of Iggy Pop and raised on a sundrenched beach, you'd have a blurry outline of Fort Lean. The Sunsick 7" drops February 28th and is available for preorder from the Neon Gold Shop HERE, or come down to the single release party at Santos on the 28th to pick it up for yourself and catch Fort Lean bringing down the house alongside Stepdad and Black Bell kingpin Ayad Al-Adhamy (who also produced the single) from Passion Pit's new band Team Spirit. BIG ONE.

MP3: "Sunsick" - Fort Lean