For so long we've seen decline, dissolution, and departure. From our vantage here in the middle of winter we've seen Nature itself stripped of life and leaf, but memory serves to remind that these are merely cycles within a greater cycle. The days' arcing sunlight is gradually getting longer, warmer. January's nearly past. Suddenly the new year's first marks are set. At last, we have new things to look forward to.

In this spirit we present Telekinesis, a new band recently signed to Chapel Hill's Merge Records, a label well-known for signing some of the best bands working today. Their first single, "Coast of Carolina," evokes the same refreshing sense of renewal. The count-off is always the same, the familiarity tugs at something elemental, buried deep down, but it's still a new take, another chance to do it right. And don't let the meek lead-in fool you. This one's a rocker. Telekinesis will be touring the West coast this spring, with their last performance of this introductory tour at SXSW in Austin. Welcome them.