This Machine Kills Monsters have a sound all unto themselves. Metal and surf rub up against each other plenty, but TMKR seem to grab the speed and intensity of metal (and perhaps the drumming) and otherwise stick with modern surf tones and structures. Like The Madeira cranked up to unsafe speeds. On a quick listen, this might be my favorite work of theirs so far: more emotive, more ambitious, and more interesting instrumentation choices, with a big satisfying finish.

Genki Genki Panic is a twosome comprised of guitarist Chancho and drummer El Fatsquatch. A little while ago they had a six-song demo EP up, and it's nice to hear how those songs have progressed into a much more polished product, and of course it's nice hear the new tracks that came along the way. If you like horror surf it's well worth a listen.

Ferni's first EP was released back in November of last year. He's a one-mand band, though you wouldn't know it by listening. This one's got a narrative to it (roughly Google translated)

Wow! The\Les Vice Barons released two great LPs back in the 90's and since then I would have presumed they were done. But here we are with a brand new EP. Four songs, including a great version of The Model. I wonder of Kraftwerk knows that their tune has somehow become a surf standard. Anyway, this one's great: it sounds gigantic, and there's some great organ playing all over it.

Here's the bandcamp stream

The latest from Green Cookie! The Surfin Barmaids started recording their first LP wayyy back in 1998 and they're still kickin out solid surf tunes today. This one's got a good mix of originals and covers. It's also got a limited run 10" vinyl release accompanying it.

The Reverb Syndicate have done spy, space, western... all themes well known to the instro realm. However, the sort of TRON take on this one isn't something that you see much. Love the nerd jokes in song titles like "Hello World" and "Kernel Panic in E Minor"

After 65 million years of nothing productive, then a few years of a promising demo on bandcamp, these Dinosaur Ghosts have put out an album. And I'd reckon it was worth the wait. It's savage! It's got bite! And there's a fun cover of Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It" too.

While Wild Al isn't normally intstrumental, he's dropped off a nice little 4-song release for us. This is definitely pretty heavily psychedelic, slow, and desolate, sort of leaning towards Thee Oh Sees or Ty Segall, but he lists Ventures in Space as one of the primary influences on this EP. If you've heard anything from The Space Agency, you oughta feel this one.

He's got it at a pay-watchu-want level, including free. Give it a lissen

Last time we heard from the The Okay-Men I did some sleuthwork into figuring out just who these mystery men were. Looks like this isn't a one-off side project though, we've got a full LP and in the quick sample listen I did this morning I'd say it's the best Okay/Boo-Men material yet. It's faster, harder, but it's still got plenty of that pogo pseudo-polka beat.

The Phantom Operators just released two songs in support of V2 Tuesday (V2uesday?), which is raising money for Bob Spalding and Leon Taylor, current members of the Ventures, to release a new record through Indiegogo. All purchases of this single or their other works will go to V2 today.