TELL YOUR SHADOW WHAT TO DO.

Storybook escapism is pretty much the name of the game with Australia's Jinja Safari, and nowhere is this more evident than on debut single "Peter Pan". Nursery rhyme glockenspiels set the scene in the prelude, and when you open your eyes to take it all in, you're flying high above chimneys and treetops, as the mundanity of everyday life melts away below. All afropop rhythms and starry-eyed guitars, it's a bit like if Jonsi, Local Natives and The Dodos all met up in Neverland to give it all up and form their very own Animal Collective. It's inspired unironic folk pop, and a shot of fresh air that feels like basking in early teenhood bliss. They were a bristling force of nature at the Great Escape, so choose your adventure wisely and indulge in Jinja Safari. The band make their NYC debut this week at Mercury Lounge tomorrow night and Pianos on Wednesday, so get involved and experience the magic for yourself.

MP3: "Peter Pan" - Jinja Safari

THICK AS THIEVES.

Attention industry heads: there's a new next big thing in town. Ambassadors rolled quietly onto the scene earlier this year and wasted no time shaking Brooklyn's sleepy indie rock scene up with their visceral soul-powered vocals, primal percussive beats and arena-sized live show, quickly establishing themselves as the kind of immense hybrid of Kings of Leon and Local Natives that could take mainstream rock radio in the US (and the UK for that matter) by storm. With one of the bigger live shows we've seen from a new band this year and their debut album Litost already in hand, Ambassadors strike us as the kind of thing major label bidding wars are made of, as the four piece look to establish themselves as a formidable presence in the rock landscape of 2011.

For proof, look no further than triumphant lead single and live highlight "Unconsolable", all militaristic drums and ominous brass surges, as glass-half-empty lyrics are consoled by a blanket of industrial guitar swipes and brooding synth-noir washes. Coming on strong as Ambassadors' unflinching statement of intent, it's an ambitiously well-layered song with a stomping Dodos-esque percussive heartbeat that picks up immediately where your last heartbreak left off.

MP3: "Unconsolable" - Ambassadors [exclusive]

TINY LITTLE WAVES OF THE FOREST.

We're pretty much all about the burgeoning Miami music scene - I mean, who hasn't been inspired by the sounds of the Miami since Will Smith first preached the city's gospel way back when? Born of the hot hot heat, palm trees and neon pastels of the Magic City are up and comers like Lil Daggers, Millionyoung and of course the amazing ANR, and if you haven't gotten lost in the very special jams of the latter to this point you need to make haste and do so immediately. ANR's debut album Stay Kids is chock full of psychedelic pop gems but none more epic than their STRAIGHT UP power ballad, "The Endless Field of Mercury." The track starts out sweet: choral arrangements and soft keys as far as the eye can see. Then come crashing waves of percussion and urgent vocals that put them somewhere between Yeasayer and Local Natives, and suddenly you've got a severe case of contagious elation on your hands. And though we posted the mp3 yesterday it gets better still - the music video is JUST as epic as the song and strikes the same angelic yet powerful chord - who knew that 1970's beauty pageants could be so affecting?

Then there's the live show, which takes things to another level entirely. Not since The Dodos have we witnessed a two piece unleash so much raw power and intensity on stage, as drummer/vocalist Michael-John Hancock and virtuoso keyboard/synth man Brian Robertson Not planning on heading to Miami any time soon? Worry not - we got you covered. Check them out at the next Popshop (tickets here) along side Walk The Moon and Savoir Adore next Thursday April 7th.

MP3: "The Endless Field of Mercury" - ANR

KEEP FROM THE BEGGARS OF BONES.

Boy & Bear formed barely two years ago but have wasted no time making waves in their native Australia and abroad, releasing their debut With The Emperor Antarctica EP with our friends at Chess Club last year. From the same school of larger-than-life folk as Chess Club alumni Mumford & Sons and Local Natives, B&B impress with a massively developed sound drawing from the pastoral harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Appalachian folk of Fleet Foxes. “Mexican Mavis” was the immense highlight of Emperor Antarctica and swiftly championed by iTunes as its Single of the Week last December, acting as the spell-binding focal point of its parent EP. Unsurprisingly, 2010 was an insane whirlwind of success for the group leading them to sell out their debut headlining tour of Australia before supporting the likes of Angus & Julia Stone as well as Laura Marling on both her Australian and UK tour, and since our beloved Mumford lads made ‘banjo’ a by-word for ‘platinum’, the industry heat around Boy & Bear has reached volcanic temperatures.

So we're pretty thrilled to have them booked to play our little (huge) New Shapes day party next Saturday before they fly off to record their debut album with Joe Chiccorelli (The Shins, My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes). Trust me when we say that you do not want to miss them live because those rich, textured harmonies and rustic, indelible melodies are just that much sweeter in the flesh. They take to the Acoustic Stage at 3:45pm, in between sure-to-be immense sets from Brother (3:20pm) and Grouplove (4:00pm) inside on the Electric Stage.

MP3: "Mexican Mavis" - Boy & Bear

And so with that reveal the picture of the full lineup becomes a bit clearer... here's the score thus far:

ELECTRIC STAGE
5:00pm: _______
4:00: Grouplove
3:20: Brother
2:40: Wolf Gang
2:00: _______
1:20: _______
12:40: _______
12:00: The Naked & Famous
11:20: _______

ACOUSTIC STAGE
4:40 Penguin Prison
3:45 Boy & Bear
3:05: _______
2:25: _______
1:45: _______
1:05: _______
12:25: _______
11:45: _______

Together with our New Shapes partners in crime Communion, Chess Club, Plugged In PR and MCT Management, we'll be bringing you more line up announcements throughout the rest of the weekend before the full lineup is revealed and RSVP opens on Monday. Stay close.

THIS HOUSE IS FALLING APART.

We hit Vegas for the bank holiday last weekend, and while listening to The Killers as we cruised into the Sin City was a little too cliche even for us, we found the next best thing in Walk The Moon via our friends at All Things Go. Formed in 2009 in Cincinnati over a mutual love of Local Natives and Animal Collective, they combine the nowhere town ambition and anthemic hooks of their aforementioned Sam's Town forefathers with an endearing Midwestern charm and a knack for addictive pop melodies. "Anna Sun" is the triumphant lead single off of their 2010 self-released full length debut i want! i want!, and with its stadium-sized chorus and brilliant accompanying music video it's one of the biggest songs we've heard from an unsigned band in an age, the kind of stuff British A&R dreams and major label bidding wars are made of. The band play NYC tonight at 9pm at Pianos, any A&R's who aspire to be good at their jobs might want to be in attendance.

MP3: "Anna Sun" - Walk The Moon