Here is a new free single from Mike Schpitz and Slot-A called "Daily News". The track also appears on the compilation Rhymes & Rhythm for Relief released late last month by DJ booth.net. All proceeds go to CARE Foundation to help the relief effort in Haiti. The minimum donation is $5. The compilation also features Chicago emcees Pugz Atomz, Mikkey Halsteed and more.

Young Man is fantastic project by 20-year-old Chicago based songwriter, Colin Caulfield. With a sound reminiscent to Panda Bear or Deerhunter, Colin seems to keep things simple, yet with the addition of some exceptional layers, giving him some major promise for 2010. A debut "concept" album, Boy, is planned for a spring/summer release. Here's a lovely demo called, "Just A Growin'," however head on over to his YouTube page to watch some great clips/covers and to grab some mp3s. – Brendan Losch

February 9th, husband and wife duo Puerto Muerto will release Drumming For Pistols via UK label Fire Records. Yesterday they released the new video for the track “Hurting Now” directed by T. Foley.

The first thing you notice when turning on this EP is the snowy guitar and relaxing drum flow. You can already picture yourself cruising down a sunlit highway going to who knows where. After the intense daydream phase, you notice something peculiar for an indie rock band, the melody and chords actually go to predictable places. Something noticeable with indie bands that actually have big plans.

Once the singers voice kicks in you can only think of the soothing vocal melodies made popular by the one and only Benjamin Gibbart of Death Cab fame. The band manages this without being a total and complete rip off or copy. Even lyrically it is very similar. Singing about concepts of dieing and the fear attached to it.

This band will get you up and dancing all the way through the album. The track "Don't stop it" sounds like it's coming from a Passion Pit jam session. This continues to show that this band knows exactly how to make hook laden, fun hits, while still maintaining enough indie "cred" to keep the hipsters and jaded youth happy.

The only thing that is bad about this album is that it is barely a real "EP". Every track is either a remix or some sort of extended jam track. If you really liked the intro track "Hate To see you smile" then you will have fun listening to the very remixes. But if your looking for more original tracks you'll be very disappointed.

Despite this small complaint, the EP is very fun and catchy. With their danceable hooks and snowy melodies this band is definitely one to watch in the coming years. They will just have to release more originals to keep people interested.

Midstates and The Choir of Ghosts are playing a free show tonight at The Empty Bottle with Camera and House of Normandie. The show starts at 9:30pm. - Nick Coamey

From a duo split between Chicago and Brooklyn comes an ep, PGDM, that is just divided but still quite enjoyable. The first aspect is their ability to recruit talented vocalist to sing over their beat driven sound-sculptures. Second, it is the inventive but danceable instrumentals they provide their vocalists. Featuring contributions from Angelica Lucer, Bjorn Yttling, Heather Christian, Sydny and Wayser, the ep offers depth in texture and sounds that was not as prevalent in the duos first ep. A track like “600 Days” finds the bands pushing into a slower, more mature area of sound, while “Leave Me Alone” is more radio-ready catchy pop. Yes, this is dance music, but it has more soul than most. It’s a mixture that will prove successful when Jimmy Giannapoulos and Aaron Allieta do attempt to venture out and record a full-length album.

Pretty Good Dance Moves will be playing a record release shows at Schubas on March 12th and 13th before they head down to SXSW.