MIXING MY EMOTIONS.

We couldn't possibly be more all about Athen's primary guarantors of good vibes, Reptar. Ever since they first premiered "Sebastian" on Neon Gold TV last year (back when it was still spelled "Sebastien"), we've been dying to hear the studio version in all its Ben Allen-produced splendor. Our wish finally came true today, and yeah, it's everything we hoped it would be and more. From the first notes of jangly guitars and house party beats, we couldn't feel more at home. Frontman Graham Ulicny is like a southern fried cross between Ezra Koenig and Isaac Brock, flaunting reverb-coated hooks with a punch-drunk, impassioned cadence and leading an incredible singalong bit that's likely to be the highlight of live shows for years to come. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for their debut record, Body Faucet, out on Vagrant May 1st.

MP3: "Sebastian" - Reptar

CAN YOU FEEL IT.

Headed into SX there were already a few bands destined to be the talk of the town come week's end - Walk The Moon, Foster The People and James Blake all come to mind - but for us the real superstars of SXSW 2011 were Athens, Georgia's own Reptar. Their People Are Cool Y'all EP from late 2010 was already one of our absolute favorite releases of the past 12 months (honestly, it's kind of a masterpiece), but the live show is where they really bring the magic. This is furious pop music, like Isaac Brock fronting Passion Pit under the watchful eye of Animal Collective, and the controlled chaos of the live show is a beautiful sight to behold.

Anyone who didn't make it out west to Austin last week needn't look further than the BRILLIANTLY boisterous "Houseboat Babies" to see what all the fuss is about - it's the kind of track that immediately transports you back to that "one krrrAaaaAaaaAzy summer," even if yours hasn't happened yet. It's just that good. Coincidentally (or maybe not so), the plucky vocal samples that give the song it's backbone takes on a serious Mark Mothersbaugh vibe, not a million miles away from the theme song to Rugrats (from which the band take their amazing name). Those samples, paired with the exuberant call and response of "Can you feel it? / Yes I can feel it!" set the track up to be one of the biggest partystarters of 2011, the kind of invincible anthem that just makes you sigh "ahhh youth" and then dance until dawn. So yeah Reptar, we can feel it.

MP3: "Houseboat Babies" - Reptar

ROUND ROUND ROUND.

Somewhere between the frantic energy of Animal Collective and the shouty brilliance of Isaac Brock lie LA (via Greece and NYC) kids GROUP, who look set to make a considerable name for themselves in the West Coast indie scene as they put the finishing touches on their self-titled debut EP. "Colours" is their debut offering, all big driving guitars, anthemic choruses and frontman Christian Zucconi's triplicate lyrics and mad man delivery coming together to create a truly unique sound that's garnering them serious buzz among A&R's coast to coast. It's been a while since we've heard such a refreshing sound coming from the fairer coast, so get involved and keep your ear to the ground for more from the LA collective in the months to come.

MP3: "Colours" - GROUP [exclusive]

NOTHING I CAN DO.

We've had our mouths wired shut about but this one for a few months now, but now that word seems to be out we might as well join the party. This whole lo-fi renaissance is hardly our favorite thing going on in music right now, but then a rough gem like Oberhofer comes along and all is well in the world again. We saw the rough beginnings of his live show last December, and then again last month playing with Keepaway at Webster Studio, where he blew us away with the leaps and bounds of progress he'd made in barely two months time. Then there's the fact that his handmade 7-track EP hasn't left the office stereo for months and it's safe to say we're pretty way into this. "I Could Go" is our favorite track of the bunch, but "Away Frm U" is the clear-cut single here, combining all the best bits of Modest Mouse and Animal Collective while the 19 year old Tacoma native yelps and strums his way to 4ish minutes of lo-fi pop brilliance. Special stuff, this Oberhofer.

MP3: "Away Frm U" - Oberhofer