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TSR
279

Ekko Astral
pink balloons

 
 
 

Ekko Astral are here to uplift, a mission exemplified by the frenetic and bewitching pre-release singles “baethoven” and “devorah,” cornerstones of pink balloons in both style and theme. The former serves as a reminder to keep your larger than life personality in a world that wants to downsize you, where the latter proclaims urgent solidarity with missing and murdered people. Such crucial messages of upliftment are the foundation of pink balloons, and, by extension Ekko Astral, whose thrashing debut leaves no stone of solidarity unturned. more info→

11 tracks

available on:
vinyl
/ cassette
/ digital
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Parannoul


After the Magic

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/ cassette
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Parannoul - After the Magic Across the album’s ten songs, Parannoul plunges yet deeper into his diverse pool of influences, coming back to the surface with a record that captures and extends the magic of its predecessor. Unexpected flashes of orchestral ambient and glitched-out electronica meld seamlessly with Parannoul’s signature passages of noisy, distortion-laden shoegaze, offering a real time glimpse into the maturation of one of indie rock’s most exciting artists. more info →

On music discovery:

When writing about a song or album, the convention is to use the present tense. A piece of music, although representative of and influenced by the era in which it was created, is ultimately always experienced in ~the present~. We built this website while pondering ways that we could, at every turn, focus on discovery by bringing music we released years ago relevantly back into the present, challenging how we collectively talk and think about “new” music. Discovering new music is exciting, but so is discovering music that’s simply

new to you.

It’s our hope that you'll enjoy digitally crate digging through this online home of ours, finding and connecting with the 250+ albums we’ve released with 140+ artists from all around the world over the last 16 years. Directly below are a few of our favorites to get you started.

However you’ve found yourself here presently, thanks so much for stopping by! We couldn’t do this without your support and enthusiasm.

-All of us at Topshelf

 
i illustration by Dylan England of Del Paxton.
t   toe - For Long Tomorrow

For Long Tomorrow

toe
Knifeplay - Animal Drowning

Animal Drowning

Knifeplay
o Weatherday - Come in

Come in

Weatherday
p   Gulfer - S/T

S/T

Gulfer
A Great Big Pile of Leaves - Pono

Pono

A Great Big Pile of Leaves
s Record Setter - I Owe You Nothing

I Owe You Nothing

Record Setter
h e Sweet Pill - Where the Heart Is

Where the Heart Is

Sweet Pill
l   Ratboys - Happy Birthday, Ratboy

Happy Birthday, Ratboy

Ratboys
Elephant Gym - Dreams

Dreams

Elephant Gym
f   Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling

Crumbling

Mid-Air Thief
Though their sonic palette is vast, Knifeplay craft a cohesive aesthetic to carry frontman Tj Strohmer’s thematically heavy songwriting, which touches on loss of all kinds against the backdrop of a nihilistic world. more info →

Sobs


Air Guitar

  cd
/ vinyl
/ cassette
/ digital
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TSR252

Dedicated to the power of pop music, Sobs are Singapore’s premier indiepop propagandists. A thirty-minute trip for the post-Internet consumer, Air Guitar calibrates inventive pop hooks for the indie rock lover, instantly accessible yet intricately arranged. more info →

 

Ratboys / T.V.NOT JANUARY


Split 7

vinyl
↓ ↓ ↓
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TSR276

This 7" vinyl features an exclusive track from both Ratboys and T.V.NOT JANUARY, released in honor of the bands' 2024 Japan tour.

more info →

 

Gulfer


Third Wind

vinyl
/ cassette
/ digital
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TSR268

While Vincent Ford and Gulfer’s other founding member, bassist David Mitchell, no longer contribute the majority of songwriting they once did, morsels of their original sound remain. Signature wistful vocals and oblique-yet-nimble guitars are still a fixture, as are thematic elements that touch on burnout, climate crisis, and losing touch with a difficult reality. But Third Wind’s stylistic turns are emphasized by deeper texture and simpler songwriting, influenced by the reemergence of 90s alternative and shoegaze.

more info →

 

Ekko Astral emerges from the D.C. punk scene with a new standalone single "baethoven"

Ekko Astral

We're very hype to have Ekko Astral on the roster with their new song "baethoven"! These DC punks bring crashing drums, fuzzed-out guitar riffs, and a bewitching + frantic voice to our roster. Listen and check out their upcoming tour dates with Ted Leo read more →

 

Thanya Iyer // West coast tour dates with Land of Talk

Thanya Iyer

Our resident north-of-the-border multi-instrumentalist Thanya Iyer is headed out to the west coast to play some shows with Land of Talk!! read more →

 

Weatherday // Merch Sale and North American Tour with Panchiko and They Are Gutting a Body of Water

Weatherday

Sputnik is bringing Weatherday's music back on the road this spring, with a full backing band. This time, they'll be supporting Panchiko and They Are Gutting a Body of Water, who we released a split with A Country Western for last year). Frankly, this bill is insane. read more →

 

Elephant Gym // New Music and World Tour

Elephant Gym

Elephant Gym are headed out on tour! Dates, info, and tickets are all available now. The band also has a new music video, a new single, and a new album for you read more →

 

other recent updates:

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