Alaska in Winter

Balkan lowrider anthem off Dance Party in the Balkans

According to Wikipedia, "Alaska in Winter is an American electronic band consisting of front man Brandon Bethancourt, who dropped out of art school in Albuquerque, New Mexico and reportedly, "spent a semester in a tiny cabin out in the middle of nowhere Alaska recording music on a laptop during the winter" and which later came to be known as the project, "Alaska in Winter"."

I love this idea. If it true, which is questionable due to it's source, it is one of the most amazing band creation stories I have ever heard. Everytime I listen to this group, I get this picture of teenage angst and unshaken creativity growing in complete and utter isolation.


Berlin off Holiday (2008)

I have heard this band described as Beirut meets Junior boys. Brandon Bethancourt does enlist many of the Beirut cast in the first release, "Dance Party in the Balkans". He even gets Zach Condon to appear on a few track both in instrumentation and vocals. The second album, Holiday, takes an entirely different turn altogher. While instrumentation played front and center on Dance Party in the Balkans, Holiday's real star is the electronica and beats. Like any kind of evolution, I can appreciate both albums. I am patiently waiting for what is next for Brandon.


The Homeless and the hummingbirds off Dance Party in the Balkans