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As you already know, every sunday VICE gives you a free download of a song. This week we have Balancer for you, a band borned in Boston with 2 Colombian members and one Puerto Rican.

We lost track of the drummer Gabriela Jimeno since her band Raton Perez split, that baby teenage band (she was joined by bandmates such as Mateo Lewis) that played hard something that resembled emocore, that band that we all remember. During this time Gabriela was going to music school at Berklee College of Music where she met the other two balancer members, Felipe Piedrahita (guitar) also Colombian and Francisco Valentin (voice and synths) from Puerto Rico. They are now living and playing nonstop in Brooklyn, NY.

After releasing to EPs "House in the Clouds" in 2012 and "Transitions" 2013 (both completely independent) they managed to fund the recording of their debut album with a very successful Kickstarter Campaign. "The plan is to stay independent for now, we are trying to rethink the musician's career and way of working and making a living, and we do it by trial and error, day by day gig by gig" says Gabriela, who also shares her time with recording for other artists both on drums and on synthesizers.

"I think the key to being independent is first of all being independently creative, surrounding yourselves with the right people, trust (in yourself and in the people you work with) and work hard, very hard."

Although the similarities between Francisco's voice and that of Thomas Mars (Phoenix) is impossible to deny, the sound of Balancer influences by electronics, psicodelics, pop and indie, has a unique touch that hooks on the first listen. - VICE

Balancer is a three piece from Boston by way of Columbia and Puerto Rico that has finally settled in our quaint Brooklyn scene (HA... quaint, what a riot!). Avoiding the grandiose, Balancer in their first album 'Tipsoo' focuses on the subtleties, which they magnify within a textured landscape of mellow ambience. Soothing synths and trance-like song structures provide an incredibly relaxing record, grabbing onto sounds and moods tweaked by bands like Givers or Grizzly Bear. Take a listen to the streaming standout track, “The Age is a Gift,” an effective melding of melting psychedelia and pop song structure. We are seeing pictures of lakes, sunsets over oceans, crystalline ice, and children on see-saws. - Jake Saunders

We added this song to The Deli's playlist of Best mellow songs by emerging NYC artists - check it out! - The Deli Magazine

Though at first reluctant to begin a musical venture together, New York psychedelic rock trio Balancer melded influences from Puerto Rico to Columbia, generating a sound that combines "electronic music, psychedelic music, pop, alternative rock, and coffee." Francisco Valentin (keys, synths), Felipe Piedrahita (guitar), and Gabriela Jimeno (drums) met in Boston, MA, in 2012, and released their debut EP, House In the Clouds, later that year. Their full-length debut, Tipsoo, followed in February 2014, after a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the album. We spoke with the band about their recording process and and the inspiration behind Tipsoo.

You started making music together in 2012. How have you grown as a band over these two years?
What a big question. We have grown so much in every imaginable way. We feel like we are unrecognizable from who we were two years ago. Never have we felt so much change in such a short period of time. Even if you look at one of our pictures from a year ago, we look very different from how we look now. We are all very close, and that makes the band very solid in many ways. We don’t feel insecure or scared about the future, and we're not waiting for anything. We are excited and trying to figure it out like everybody else, but we waste less time with little things now, and don't stress about things we can’t control. We spend more time doing what we really want: making music and being there for each other.

When did you start using Sonicbids? What have been some of your favorite gigs you’ve gotten from using the site?
We started using the platform a while ago, just as one of those things you had to have as a band – especially because we wanted to apply to SXSW – and have been using it ever since.

What's your advice for other artists using Sonicbids to get the most out of the platform?
Be patient. Sonicbids is great for independent artists – it gets you playing where you wouldn’t otherwise.

Your debut album, Tipsoo, was recorded over the span of two months. What was this experience like for you as a group?
We had faith that the audience really does know what it wants, contrary to what everybody in the music industry tells you.
It was incredible – being in a studio in a beautiful place surrounded by nature, with nothing else on our minds but creating the most honest music we could. I mean, what else could we ask for? It has definitely been one of the best times of our lives, but also one of the most intense. We wanted to make the best [music] that we could, and it was very personal for all of us. It was a learning experience. We got to know ourselves and each other, and that is all in the music. You can hear the work, struggle, joy, nature, and the spirit of freedom that was awarded to us by the circumstances. That was exactly what we where looking for and what we wanted our music to sound like. Freedom.

How does Tipsoo differ from your previous work?
It's really our first work as a band. We weren’t thinking about anything with the EPs we did before. We liked playing with each other, and we recorded some songs just because. With Tipsoo, it was different. We realized that we had something special that we wanted to pursue. For us, it is the first glimpse into our search for a sound that is truly ours. We are far from finding it, and the music we are making now already sounds far away from Tipsoo, but Tipsoo is the starting point.

How did you manage to record your album for free?
We have a fourth member in our band – our producer and engineer, GG Reynolds. He has been with us since our start in Boston. He moved back to his hometown of Seattle, WA, when he finished school, and really wanted us to record an album over the summer with him. He spent a couple of summers putting together a tracking room in a very old abandoned barn in his friend's backyard. He had the idea of us coming there and spending two months with him, writing and recording the album.

Your recent Kickstarter campaign was very successful. Where did the majority of the funding go?
It was incredibly humbling and exciting. All the funds were spent on the making of the album, the mixing (which we did with tape), time spent in another studio in Seattle (Electrokitty), recording guitars, mastering, pressing vinyl, and the band’s living expenses for the two months we were there.

Why did you decide to start a Kickstarter campaign in the first place?
We were very honest about the reasons we wanted to raise money via crowdfunding, as opposed to looking for a record label or an independent investor. We believed people would relate to honesty, and they did. We had faith that the audience really does know what it wants, contrary to what everybody in the music industry tells you. In this day and age, we have to have faith in each other and build communities around the arts. We can all support each other and completely erase the middle man from the equation – artists and audiences creating together, just the way it was intended.

When’s your next show?
We're playing a couple of shows in Bogotá, Colombia, and when we get back to NYC, we play Rockwood Music Hall on October 3. We're good at keeping our website updated with dates, so feel free to check it regularly. You can also find us on Facebook. - Sonicbids

Balancer, the band of the two colombians Gabriela Jimeno and Felipe Piedrahita and the puertorican Francisco Valentín is preparing to record their debut album.

After an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign, which will cover all the expenses of the album, the band will start recording this summer after months of composing, they will retire for two months to a studio located in Washington State.

During the campaign they published a new short EP called "Transitions" as well as a live video of a track "Looking into rabbit holes" that will be part of the album. Please enjoy.

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SPANISH (original)

Balancer, la agrupación conformada por los músicos colombianos Felipe Piedrahita y Gabriela Jimeno y por el puertorriqueño Francisco Valentín, se prepara para la grabación de su primer larga duración.
Tras una exitosa campaña en Kicktarster, medio por el cual recaudaron el dinero necesario para la grabación, producción y mezcla, la banda empieza el proceso de registro tras meses de composición que le dieron forma a la placa que será grabada en un estudio retirado en el estado de Washington.
Así mismo, y aprovechando la campaña, compartieron un EP bajo el nombre Transitions que incluye las canciones “Going Away” y “Plastic Temple”, así como el video en vivo de “Looking Into Rabbit Holes”, corte que será parte del disco.
Todo se puede disfrutar a continuación. - Revista metrónomo

Link that shows that "Stay Ouside (Wouldn't it be nice if we could)" was song of the week on "Radiónica" (Colombian radio station). - Radiónica

Hailing from Puerto Rico and Colombia, the trio called, Balancer, originally met while attending music school in Boston. Though all shared a love for music, they were initially reluctant to form a band. However, their musical chemistry could not be denied and today, now based out of Brooklyn, the band melds genres such as rock, pop and psychedelic rock to form their own beautifully entrancing sound.

In this Winehouse spotlight, Balancer talks music, balance and being free! Chaka V.


“We did not…have any expectations other than to create the most honest and beautiful music we can.”
Q: Who is Balancer?

A: Balancer is Francisco, Felipe and Gabriela — making music together. Haha, as simple as that.

Q: How did the band become a band?

A: We met while going to school in Boston, MA. We started playing together for a recording session and fell in love with each other’s musical voice. The three of us have played with many other people–we’ve all played instruments for most of our lives–but the first time we played together it felt like music ought to make you feel, free.

So after that we kept playing for the sake of playing, just the three of us [in] a basement rehearsal space for many hours and many days. We did not have any plans of [forming] a band, or anything close to it, especially in a place (music school) where everybody is forming bands, recording albums, making tour plans, etc. It really makes you feel more special if you are not pursuing the same thing as everyone else around you. Making a band was really the last thing we wanted to do, we just wanted to enjoy the music. Luckily for us we had a very close friend who is an amazing producer and engineer, Garrett Reynolds, who pushed us to record and always keep recording, so we didn’t have to look far for an engineer who understood our sound (another thing that is always a pain when starting a band). And, also, it freed us from worrying so much about the technical parts of the sound, so we could focus on our part, while he focused on his. We consider him a part of the band, he actually even named the band [Balancer].

Q: And why did you go with the band name Balancer?

A: Balancer was the most honest way to name what we were trying to do and transmit, we did not (and still don’t) have any other expectations other than to create the most honest and beautiful music we can. We are musicians, our nature is to create, to play, and everything else is secondary. The music we were playing was balancing us, it was the “place” we could go to, to forget who we are and just be free by playing together, and that balanced our lives. Our only hope is that it brings balance to whoever listens.

Q: Who writes the band’s music?

A: We write the music together and the lyrics are [written] by Francisco.

Q: What are the major influences behind the band’s sound and lyrics?

A: Sound wise well…alternative rock, like Radiohead and Grizzly Bear. Also, of course, the Beatles are very influential to all of us. We also have an academic background, which has influenced us a lot by exposing us to many, many different types of music, some of them [stuck] very deeply in our creativity, and the way we see music–like jazz.

Also, the places we grew up in, our native cultures, have deep roots in our music–Caribbean music, andean, salsa, etc. They are not literal references, but they are a huge part of our identities and surely somehow are heard in the mix.

Q: What fun hidden talents do each of you – Francisco, Gabriela and Felipe – have?

A: Gabriela does graphic stuff as well. She does digital illustrations and graphic design under the name of Ela Minus. She is responsible for all of Balancer’s graphic work. She also works on synths, like, making them. Felipe also illustrates and is becoming involved on the graphics of the band since “Tipsoo” — for the cover they actually both sat down and worked together until it was completely done. Francisco is a great, great cook. And has a talent to wear Hawaiian shirts.

Q: What is the band’s current dream gig?

A: We would love to open for Radiohead, or Flaming Lips or Grizzly Bear, or, oh… so many great ones.

Q: What kind of party vibe will you be bringing to NXNE 2014?

A: We like to see people dancing and smiling and just having a good time. There are many reasons to celebrate, like the fact that we are all alive! And when we are together, like we will be at NXNE, we have to celebrate the ritual of getting together with other people to listen to music and lose ourselves to it! - The Winehouse Mag

With their recent performance as one of the guest artists in the third edition of the Yavería Festival, Balancer took a moment to record a live acoustic session for "Amplificado Tv.

The trio, Francisco Valentín, Felipe Piedrahita and Gabriela Jimeno, who are permanently situated in Boston, MA, recorded their song "Stay Outside" out of their EP "House in the Clouds" on a very different and interesting format.

The result, which shoes the band playing the acoustic version over a children's playground can be seen in the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jD806-J0uiw - Revista Metrónomo (Colombia)

Translated:
(the article is a review about the Yavería Festival, which Balancer was a part of in November 2012, in Bogotá Colombia. Below is the translated paragraph which concerns specifically Balancer, if you wish to read the full article in spanish please go to the link provided)

"(…) After Midhnight Balancer appears on stage, proposing a new direction for the night.(…) the night is welcomed, with a different musical approach, outside of our usual expectations, very in tune with the context of the audience."


Original:
El pasado sábado 24 de noviembre se cumplió la segunda jornada musical en el Festival Yavería. Para esta se construyó un cartel de artistas emergentes y nuevas propuestas que van más allá de las fronteras.
Andrés Correa, Nicolás Peña y Juan Pablo Vega dieron una muestra de las nuevas tendencias en la escena musical bogotana, íntimos y muy sentidos se compaginaron en emociones y sentimientos.
Más internacionales como Mateo Lewis, el artista por excelencia en los últimos meses, dejó claro por qué se está posicionando entre los más importantes del año; Kanaku y El Tigre desde Perú y Balancer de Estados Unidos nivelaron la noche a un escalón más alto, tanto para el escenario de artistas como para el festival en general.
Al final, la singularidad de Andrés Gualdrón y Los Animales Blancos cerró el día de música fresca y constante, cada vez más agradecida con el público que la sigue, que se va masificando por espacios como este: diseñados para proponer alternativas y para exhibir lo que se construye de forma natural.
La oportunidad para experimentar y para muchos conocer y ser los nuevos seguidores de proyectos que paso a paso están marcando tendencias, muchas a la vez, que enriquecen el gusto, la música y el arte.
Así, a partir de las 7 de la noche, Andrés Correa abrío la tarima junto a su guitarra, eventualmente con la colaboración en la batería de Andrés Gualdrón, contagió al público que de a poco aumentaba, con letras cotidianas, simples y sinceras. Un buen comienzo para una noche exactamente así: honesta y espontanea.
Nicolás Peña y Juan Pablo Vega, repitiendo este año en el Festival, demostraron su crecimiento como músicos y como banda, cada vez más exactos y precisos.
A partir de ahí y con todo dispuesto para una velada de experimentación y exploración de sonidos, llegaron los más esperados: Mateo Lewis, acompañado de su banda amplia, profesional y coherente, fue el más aplaudido, el ganador en convocatoria y en atenciones. No por demérito el resto de agrupaciones no consiguieron esto, es quizás porque este músico se ha ganado el privilegio por su sonido tan particular, su trayectoria y además, porque está debutando como solista, reinventándose y logrando una identidad acertada y confiada.
Después del despliegue musical de Lewis, el nivel no podía bajar y KanaKu y El Tigre, la agrupación peruana que llegó a Bogotá cargada de expectativas, se sorprendió al ver la acogida que tenía por parte del público colombiano, coreando sus canciones, atentos a sus versátiles interpretaciones y queriendo más, la banda nos dejó una imagen impecable de su trabajo. De igual forma, Bogotá los fascinó con su calor humano y cariño.
Pasada la media noche Balancer apareció en escena subiendo un cambio y proponiendo un nuevo comienzo en la jornada. Entre esta banda y la de Andrés Gualdrón le dieron la bienvenida al domingo, con una exposición musical diferente, fuera de contextos y muy acorde al lugar y a los asistentes.
La oportunidad para experimentar y para muchos conocer y ser los nuevos seguidores de proyectos que paso a paso están marcando tendencias, muchas a la vez, que enriquecen el gusto, la música y el arte.M - Revista Metrónomo (Colombia)

Translated:
Born in early 2012, Balancer makes its first appearance as one of the most promising bands in the always productive (musically speaking) city of Boston, where year after year thousands of students from all around the world arrive to gather experiences, cultures and influences which become innovative projects that make their participants grow, find their own identity and carve their own paths.

This is how this band, which presents us with Francisco Valentín (voice and keyboards), Felipe Piedrahita (guitar) and Gabriela Jimeno (drums) has been making its own path with a sonic proposal that unites elements from 90's alternative rock scene mixed with modern art rock. In their songs you can listen to influences from radio head's early years, as well as independent american bands like Nada Surf or Destroyer.

After multiple live performances Balancer goes into the studio to record "House in the Clouds", a debut EP produced by Garret Reynolds, which has served them as a presentation card in musical specialized media which have already praised and applauded the work of this trio. Their first single "Stay Outside (Wouldn't it be nice if we could)" has been on constant radio play on national radio station "Radiónica", making it to the song of the month on october, 2012.

Right now the band is preparing itself to record their first full-length album which is scheduled to arrive in our ears somewhere on 2013, they will continue with the attention-calling process of a project that is worth keeping track of, because of their style, their execution and their class.

The band is part of the lineup for the upcoming Yavería festival. Which has already published its full schedule.

Original:
Nacida a principio del 2012, Balancer hace su aparición como una de las promesas que emergen de la siempre productiva –musicalmente hablando– ciudad de Boston, a donde año tras año llegan miles de estudiantes del mundo para juntar experiencias, vivencias e influencias que convergen en llamativos proyectos que sirven como experimentos en crecimiento, consiguiendo identidad y buscando un camino propio.
Así es como la agrupación, que en sus filas presenta a Francisco Valentín (voz y teclados), Felipe Piedrahita (guitarra) y a Gabriela Jimeno (batería), se ha ido abriendo paso con una propuesta sonora en la que diversos elementos del rock alternativo de los 90 se mezclan con las corrientes del art rock tan presentes en las nuevas tendencias del género actual. En sus canciones se perciben influencias de los primeros años de Radiohead, así como de artistas norte americanos del circuito independiente como Nada Surf o Destroyer.
Tras múltiples presentaciones en el circuito local, Balancer entra en estudio para registrar House In The Clouds, un EP debut producido por Garrett Reynolds que les ha servido como carta de presentación en medios especializados que ya han resaltado el trabajo del proyecto. Su primer sencillo, “Stay Outside (Wouldnt it be nice if we could)”, ha sido rotado en la emisora nacional Radiónica, consiguiendo gran aceptación por parte del público en general.
Actualmente el proyecto se alista para entrar en estudio para grabar su primer larga duración, el cual está programado para llegar al mercado en el transcurso del 2013, continuando con el llamativo proceso de una propuesta a la que vale la pena seguirle los pasos por su estilo, su clase y su ejecución.
La banda es una de las invitadas a la tercera edición del Festival Yavería, del que ya se conoce todo su cronograma de actividades.M - Revista Metrónomo (Colombia)

Now, this is something refreshing. After a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund their debut full-length, Balancer recently released Tipsoo, a 10-track album filled with feel-good indie pop songs informed by psychedelia. The band, formed in Boston with members from Colombia and Puerto Rico, and based in Brooklyn, have a very good ear for pop melodies and giving song exactly what they need. The instrumentation on the album is kept to a minimum, but the production work is good enough to highlight their presence and make them sound full. Singer Francisco Valentin sings in English, with the grandeur of Phoenix’s Thomas Mars, most notably in songs like “The Age is a Gift.” The album mix is bright and detailed, and everything just sounds in its right place. Don’t sleep on this one. - ReMezcla

The Brooklyn-based psychedelic dream pop trio Balancer has come a long way since their initial formation back in 2012. The band met while they were all studying in Boston and knew from the start that the three of them were going to make music together. In late 2012 they debuted their EP House in the Clouds without any real expectations; they just wanted to share their music with the rest of the world and in February of this year they independently released their LP Tipsoo.

Balancer’s members Francisco Valentin (voice & synth), Felipe Piedrahita (guitar & synth), and Gabriela Jimeno (drums & samples) are all originally from Puerto Rico and Colombia. When they first began creating music as a group they would hide away in their dingy Boston basement practice studio on a daily basis for hours on end and just play without saying a single word to each other. With each session they brought together their visions and energy to create a sound that was highly influenced by electronic, psychedelic, pop, and alternative rock music.

Their music drew inspiration from many things, specifically their native countries, dualism and foreign dimensions. They released their second EP Transitions in the summer of 2013 and decided to do things a little differently for their LP. That same summer they launched a highly success kickstarter campaign that helped fund the production of their latest album. They spent most of July thru September recording their LP Tipsoo at the Amati Sounds tracking room, which is a studio located in what used to be a hundred year old abandoned barn that was transformed into a studio by their engineer and producer Garrett Reynolds in Maple Valley, Washington.

The band’s full LP was titled after Tipsoo Lake where the band went to see a meteor shower while they were recording in Washington. - Hellhound Music

Balancer's debut EP "House of Clouds" was released in September of 2012 containing six original songs. The band draws their inspiration from a lot of things including their native countries, dualism, foreign dimensions, an awakened social consciousness, and among other things.

We had a chance to catch up with the band before they take off to New York for their performance at this years CBGB Festival. Read below to learn more about their music and upcoming projects!
3G: Where/When did you form your band Balancer?

Balancer: We formed the band about a year ago while we where all studying music in Boston.

3G: Who or what is your greatest inspiration?

Balancer: Music itself is our greatest inspiration, and life.

3G: You will be playing at this years CBGB festival in October. First of all congratulations, thats exciting! 700 performers in over 150 venues, how are you preparing for this showcase? Was it always a goal for your band?

Balancer: Thank you! We are very excited, we have just moved to New York and this will be our first performance in the city, so we couldn't be more excited about it. We are preparing surprises and since our debut album is coming out at the end of the year we will be mostly playing new songs which we can't wait to play live, also we will have many live performance surprises that hopefully will make people have a new perspective of live music. We will be playing on Saturday October 12th at 8pm in Matchless Bar, Brooklyn. We hope to see you all there.

3G: What type of music are you listening to lately? Any current favorites?

Balancer: Dirty Projectors is our current favorite, no questions about that. But we listen to a great variety of music, always changing.

3G: Do you have any upcoming projects that we can look forward to?

Balancer: YES! We just spend two months in Washington state recording our debut album. Which we made thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, the album will be released in December and we can't wait to have it out and have people listen to it. Also, with the release will come a tour next spring/summer, so stay tuned! - 3 Girls and a Map

On Tuesday night Balancer shared the stage with Miss Garrison at Baby’s All Right, for the release party of the Issue 17th of Tom Tom Magazine. The Brooklyn-based trio is promoting their album Tipsoo which features a variety of textures, ingenious sounds, and pleasant emotions. On stage they don’t lose that concept, the guitar player brings a great variety of pedals and sound processors, along with a synthesizer Pocket Piano made by Critter & Guitari, a company based in BK. The drums are quite distinctive, comprised of original drum patterns and subtle samples triggered by a drum pad. The lead singer is also the keyboardist of the band, he uses a synthesizer which brings energy to their songs. Balancer has a tranquil feel with strong vocals and captivating melodies-genuine music with great concept.

If you haven’t heard Balancer. Check them out! - Diffuse Brooklyn

Balancer is a three-piece band currently based in Brooklyn. Though all met in Boston, the members hail originally from Puerto Rico and Colombia. Their sound is a blend of psychedelic and indie rock with influences from their home turf. This past winter, they released their full-length debut album, Tipsoo.

Gabriela Jimeno, drummer from Balancer, wrote out the drum transcription for their song “re-minder,” which can be heard on their debut. Listen to the song and play along! Thanks so much Gabriela for writing this out exclusively for Tom Tom Mag! - Tom Tom Magazine

We're just a few days away from Record Store Day 2014 (April 19) and quite a few of NYC's record stores have special events planned in addition to carrying all the RSD exclusive titles (check out our picks of the top releases). Here's a rundown.

The biggest in-store, probably no surprise, is at Rough Trade which will open at 9 AM and has a full day of musical performances. Hospitality and Perfect Pussy have now been added to the already announced line-up of Amen Dunes, Betty Who, Fear of Men, Mark Mulcahy, Milagres, Nothing, Palehound, and The Rails. There will be DJs too, and they've already announced which RSD exclusive releases they'll have for sale. Band schedule below.

Generation Records in the Village also has a full day of in-stores. The store opens at 10 AM, and performers include Pour The Pirate Sherry, The Golden Grass, and Daddy Long Legs, plus DJ sets from Aaron Cometbus, Doug Gillard, Mr. Fine Wine of Downtown Soulville on WFMU, Zachary Lipez and more.

Other Music, which will turn 20 next year, will open at 10 AM for RSD. It doesn't quite have the room for in-store performances and shopping at the same time (like at Rough Trade), so they have up to this point just booked musicians as DJs. This year's line-up, though, they are doing one actual live performance, with outsider artist Lonnie Holley at 1 PM. The rest of the day is DJs and the lineup includes Pop. 1280, Com Truise, Xeno & Oaklander, Matana Roberts, Pete Swanson and more. Full schedule is listed below.

Over at Kim's Video, the store is opening early at 8 AM with "refreshments" and their own slate of DJs, including Mick Collins of the Dirtbombs, plus members of Psychic Ills, Prince Rupert's Drops, and more. Full Kim's RSD schedule below.

Around the block, In Living Stereo will open at 10 AM and have in-store performances from Chaos Chaos, Call of the Wild, and Balancer. Plus, there will be free PBR all day (ID required) and if you spend more than $100 you get a free In Living Stereo beer mug.

East Village store Turntable Lab will be open from 10 AM - 8 PM with a healthy stock of RSD14 titles and guest DJs including Aaron DRM, Alex from Tokyo, Sable, Blue Jemz, Dopeshoes, and more. Full DJ lineup is in a flyer below.

Good Records in the East Village will cary a few RSD exclusives and will be putting out a special batch of vintage vinyl just for the day. They'll be posting a list of what's in that batch on their Facebook at some point.

Greenpoint's Permanent Records will be open at 10 AM with lots of RSD exclusives, plus "plenty of fun gifts and other swag to give away to our first batch of shoppers."

At the new Academy Annex location at 85 Oak St. in Greenpoint, in addition to RSD titles they'll be putting out "a great collection of used rare '90s and '00s indie rock, punk, and a ton of classic titles."

Nearby at the Captured Tracks Shop, they'll have "a bulk of RSD-exclusive titles, including RSD-exclusive titles from Captured Tracks!" Those C/T RSD titles include a live Medicine album, and a cool Flying Nun double-pack 7" with The Chills, The Verlaines and more. Not a RSD thing, but the store will be debuting monthly artist-curated record booths, the first two of which will be from Jeremy and Jarvis from Woods and Mac DeMarco. The store opens at a 11 AM for Record Store Day and will be open until 9 PM.

Bushwick's The Crate -- the storefront for Wrecords By Monkey which makes jewelry, accessories and home products out of old vinyl records -- will have it's Grand Opening on RSD, with $1 used records and new titles from local artists, plus free beer, and DJ sets from APSPDR+ and Silent Rider. - Brooklyn Vegan

Balancer is a three-piece band currently based in Brooklyn. Though all met in Boston, the members hail originally from Puerto Rico and Colombia. Their sound is a blend of psychedelic and indie rock with influences from their home turf. This past winter, they released their full-length debut album, Tipsoo.

Gabriela Jimeno, drummer from Balancer, wrote out the drum transcription for their song “re-minder,” which can be heard on their debut. Listen to the song and play along! Thanks so much Gabriela for writing this out exclusively for Tom Tom Mag! - Tom Tom Magazine

Looking for your new favorite summer band? Don’t worry, we found it. Three-piece psychedelic rock act Balancer makes chilled out jams to carry you through the humidity. Originally from Columbia and Puerto Rico, these talented musicians bring new flavor that sounds reminiscent of MGMT. Their debut album, Tipsoo, is a perfect listen, and you can check out their single “The Age is a Gift” above! - The Wild Honey Pie