Te Kore They call themselves “artcore”. You can call them Indianapolis’ best-kept secret. Guitarist/pianist/vocalist Molly Angst and drummer Chris Emmons, recently joined by guitarist Hunter Gaines, are Te Kore, a band that doesn’t cease to thrill an expectant ear with their malleable approach to alternative pop. Their songs craft various genres, among them folk, alternative and pop, tweaking them into unique, inimitable works of art. Although not loyal to any one genre, their music brings to mind artists like PJ Harvey, the Dresden Dolls and Tori Amos. “The wind whispers fever, naked and bare,” sings Molly on “Boys in Abstract,” and this coincidentally is an excellent description of the softer side of Te Kore. Delicate piano melodies and guitars adorn the tracks like a Sunday dress, sometimes appearing separately and sometimes merging. The stripped-down nature of quite a few of the songs creates an intimate atmosphere- drums take a backseat to Molly’s pure vocals, offering a peppering of support as Molly’s voice smoothes over the lyrics like milk, at times warm and smoky and at other times bubbling and screeching as if held at a boiling point. Percussion isn’t ignored, however, and creates a perfect envelope of suspense around the songs where it is most prevalent. At their most rambunctious, Te Kore give art rock a sentimental turn on its head, arming it with a lyrical scowl the likes of Patti Smith. Lyrics are witty, thought-provoking, confessional, and quotable (like their staccato buildup and whisper/scream jewel, “Oh So Cynical,” which features the line, “You can have the whole world but I want the freeway.”) Balancing light and darkness, beauty and ugliness, lyrics shed light on various portraits of humanity, from the aged beauty queen in her torn skirt and messy lipstick to the child who sits alone in her room, talking to her dolls. “Sit and cross your legs just like those good little girls do/ speak when spoken to don’t ever contemplate free will...” Molly sings on “Girl,” before asking, “Am I the same girl I was last night?” You really have to marvel at a band that can dabble with different mediums, structure beauty out of the darkest emotions, and satisfy your sweet, saccharine and intellectual impulses at the same time, all without sounding pretentious or full of hollow meaning. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world hops aboard the Te Kore train. Te Kore’s debut album, Heartbreak Ending, is slated for release this June but you can satisfy your Te Kore appetite for free- a large amount of their tracks (and they are quite prolific) are available on their official site. Check out their official site or myspace. Krylls “This is not your cool older cousin’s indie rock,” Brooklyn-based Krylls’ once proclaimed on their official site, and there is absolutely no doubt about that. Their intense, driving riffs and their tendency to sway just past what you’d normally expect to hear in a song bear no similarity to the bland diddleys that the trend-rock scene has been churning out recently. The song that is currently available to the masses, titled “Pom Pom,” gleams with raw sexuality coated over a hard punk shell. Vocalist Ali Norod tears into the lyrics, her voice an attack on your chastity as she goes from offerings (“I wanna please“) to declarations (“I’ll make you scream”). Guitars curdle as Ali screams, almost as if in response to the screaming, while the rhythm section keeps the beat as if it would keep on playing even if the apocalypse came (which is practically what happens when one hears “Pom Pom”). Although Ali has recently left the band, it is by no means the end of Krylls. The band, with Sean and Josh sharing vocal duties, promise to deliver the same blood-boilingly good music as they continue to conquer audiences with their fierce, blistering punk, one show at a time. Check out Krylls' music on their myspace, or check out their official site.

False Step It's no surprise that "hallucinations" and "dissonance" are listed among False Step’s influences. The Holtsville, NY five-piece specializes in confusing the ear with their brand of experimental thrash. Just when you think you may have grasped the melody and rhythm, it changes, and then changes again. Places where you expect vocals to go remain silent.... until a scream takes you by surprise and leads you into another melody. It should be mentioned that all of this is packed into two minutes or so. “St. Frances Le Gris” begins with a slow bassline, but you’re being misled- after a thirty-second buildup, the song becomes intricately discordant, before slowing down once more. "Dreams Nothing to Desire” starts off with a high spirally riff and staccato screaming, but soon descends into a noise that berates your ears with a low, dingy, pounding persistence. Yet there is a slight order to this chaos (particularly in songs like "In My Sychophantic Rage" and “Pessimism”) that, once noticed, takes you as much by surprise as the anything-goes musical mentality you dip into when you first hear their music. With False Step, you're never quite sure where the music is going to take you next, and as a result it leaves you wanting to plunge further into their chaotic whirlpool of noise. You can hear more False Step awesomeness on their myspace. Starlit Industrial angst-peddling frontmen have met their match in sultry Starlit vocalist Simara Rose. The sassy songstress and lyricist, guitarist/bassist/occasional drummer Max and producer/engineer Kieron take industrial and alternative back to the old school, infusing their songs with sounds from an unlikely source- lounge music. But instead of making their music sound dated, this gives it a fresh twist. Their song "Muther", which is available for download on the band's myspace, blends eerie sounds with a danceable, lullaby chant that is beyond catchy. But "Modern Love" is Simara Rose’s crowning glory. Its piano and pocket trumpet intro could have easily been kidnapped from a time when legs were referred to as "gams,” with Simara Rose strutting through the fuzzy chorus of electronic beats with her seductive purr. Besides providing the soundtrack to your next night out, Starlit are also very socially conscious, openly advocating animal and gay rights and against all forms of discrimination. If you dig their vibe, you can find out more about them and purchase their album She Was A Spicy She-Wolf at the links below. Check out Starlit's myspace.