Tuesday 30 April 2013

Pulsating Vein

Tight schedules and lots of international time zone callings later, I can feel a weird pulse near my jugular vein. It can't be healthy. I should probably get some stress management or something. I guess thats why I listen to the music I do.

Jamie Isaac, London based maestro released Softly Draining Seas. And as the name suggests, its a piece of beautiful ambience music. Lazy vocals and a clicking strumming beat. The vocals become more apparent as the song progresses. Looking forward to seeing this guy live!




No Ceremony ///. Gotta say it was the /// that got me interested. But this song, Hurtlove is a beauty. Check out the video too, pretty awesome. The strong repetitive piano is met with a lovely building beat that explodes and resonates. I'm left wanting euphoric vocals at the end, but its controlled magically. More of a 'go' song. But not quite. Put's it in my music category. Its what gets that jugular vein pulsing.


Monday 29 April 2013

Glo-Fi

Two lessons learnt from the weekend.  True happiness and joy can only come when the soul has nothing left to yearn. And a lesson about the ego. A beautiful but destructive thing. Nothing is more attractive than when the ego is sure of itself. And nothing is uglier than when the ego is obsessed with itself, tumultuous and over bearing. Drawing a line under my lessons, lets talk about truly joyous stuff, music.

Lo-fi, as you know is the one for me. But, I still like a good beat. And better than that, music which can take control of my current state and transform it to match the mood of its ambience. That's the power of music as an art. Treasure Seasons. Even the name excites me. Basically, a London/Sweden duo who make music 'inspired by the city'



Firstly, Secrets. Listen to this with a good system, or with a good set of headphones. Whirling swirling sounds are met with a thick beat. And then those synths. Are they the best you've heard in '13? The synths come together with the beat and swirling whirling stuff. Daydreaming. Repetitively. And suddenly I have forgotten everything else on my mind. I kind of fall into a trance and only get woken up once the track comes to an end. Desperately fumbling for replay button. And then. Escape. This is Glo-Fi



Fjords. Little droplets of water. And a brilliant, complex beat. I don't know what Ida sings about on this track. But the drops of water. The woody but polished beat. The synthy bridge. The humming. And those droplets. And that humming. And that beat. And thos droplets. Did I mention the drops and the beat and the humming and the synths? Yeah, that. Sick.


Friday 26 April 2013

The Week-End

Basically after a pretty rough few days at work, I put it to an end today with a few sweeping statements with my bosses. This is my little weekend mix which I fully intend to rinse to get myself back on track.

1. Playing Truant - I don't know what Joshua Idehen goes on about in Playing Truant, but there are moments of magic a plenty on this soft dreamy track. Pale not to be confused with Pale vv is one of the freshest producers around. And he delivers on this. Big time. Kinda like spoken word but with a bass and beat that kinda makes you wanna move. Its ok. You can move.





2. A Little Sumthin - Bipolar Sunshine has been getting a lot of blog love recently for his recent releases Fire and Rivers. For me this is the standout. FTSE has had his say on this too. Smooth vocals, heavy bass, clicking along. I think I found it. You can be the only one.




3. Calling Me - Chillwave. Aquilo. Twinkle. Resonance. Calling. Me. And I wake up, its calling me on. I expect sun out, shades on, breeze. This is like the song you stick on after a big night. And drift.



4. Blue Out - I don't know much about Mohit. But what I do know, is the lazy vocals and the experimental arrangement before the beat kicks in at 55 seconds is a sound i could easily listen to a million times over. The beat gives the whole track a bit of fullness. That's not a bad thing. It's what makes this such a warm listening experience. Slow me down and sweep my feet of the ground. And then that guitar at 1.56 gets the teenage air guitar out in full force.

Thursday 25 April 2013

No Place Like Home

As I said a few days ago, work has been crap. Other things have been too, especially after a special weekend. A family death, stressful deadlines, a wind of change. I think that's what Lo-fi music was made for. Brooding, atmospheric and seriously contemplative.

It's been a real long time that I got heavily excited about new music. I mean its nice to stumble across stuff which pleases your ears for a few minutes. It's ridiculously rare that I come across a new band with whom I instantly fall in love with. But I have. I know it sounds like a massive big intro, but seriously, Watercullers aka Kris Lavin have smacked that void right up. So naturally, on their SoundCloud, I went down the track listing and every song I listened to hit the spot. I seriously suggest you listen to all of their music, but here are the three stand outs for me.

Repetitive Tape Jam - ok, no vocals, but puts you in that mood to just stare at the blank wall and think about stuff that doesn't exist.  0.59 to 1.27 magic moments with lovely guitar riffs

Window - 'I wanna lean outta windows with you' - have there been truer lyrics? Just a beautiful composition of supple undertones of pain. Sorrow. Yes, but it still makes me smile. 'Stand in silence with you'. Simply beautiful.

The Best Place to Live - A sample from Wizard of Oz or something, crazy play with that later and an amazing springy electro beat. Layered with hollow echoey vocals. Yes, please. Plenty of it. And that lovely glide into a song that sounds completely different. And that weird rumble thing. I love it. Then stripped back and...


Control

Slick production, smooth vocals and a feel good vibe. And I still wouldn't classify it as RnB. Siloet, a London outfit have put together a banger of a debut release. Control, kinda brings you back to 90's pop, with a little slice of garage beats and then theres those smooth as silk vocals. It shouldn't really work, but together, it sounds brilliant. Have a listen...

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Together

Wasn't expecting to upload one from the mighty. A nice little surprise for a Wednesday evening.

I'm not a fan generally of songs written for movies. And this does veer a little off track with the symphonic minute or so from 4 mins onwards. But before that Romy's vocals are as sultry and atmospheric as ever. For a band that came from nowhere, to be playing a headline set at Coachella and now to get the nod to write from one of Hollywood's most anticipated releases, The Great Gatsby, must be a real thrill for the London trio that is The xx.

3.10 to 3.45 is beautiful. Together.

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Waves

Works been a bit crap lately - silliness overcoming any semblance of sense and reasonability. No cure, but what makes it ok or bearable sometimes is a bit of new music.

Basically three bands have got me salivating this year. Pale, Wolf Alice and Echopark.  And its the latter that have dropped their debut album first.

Waves, my favourite off the album along with Teleportation is something else. To compare to The xx would be disrespectful.  While there is a strong sense of gentle minimalist guitar on here, the rest of the album is a lot more upbeat.  What makes this track the standout for me is the mashing together of quieter reflective hollow sounds with an upbeat more house beat which just crashes and collides all the way to the finale once it seems the two sounds have reached a strong polarity with heads bopping harder. As the two tracks fuse together over a long climax, all that remains is the 'Waves' at the death.


Monday 22 April 2013

Overcoming Fear

Big moments. Like really big moments. Defining moments. Life shaping moments. Special moments. Nervous moments. Exciting moments.

I had one of them over the weekend, hence no post. But in those moments, what you needs is a track like this. Overcoming Fear.



Les Mistons of London are a cross between an indie outfit and a full on electro pop band. There's two lovely pace shifts - the mid shift echoes through with euphoric screams of 'don't let your feet slow down' and then a crazy shift from indie to electro. Beautiful percussions and drumming and the sound of summer 2013 is here. The freedom of being able to drive with your window down wind swept hair all in the way, with this beautiful song blasting loud, breeze running through the cotton of your shirt etc etc. Happy times indeed.

Thursday 18 April 2013

Only Real

Track 1 - Like a throwback to some 70's teenager's bike ride home as he greets the incoming summer holidays. Should he get that overgrown mullet cut? Its so hot and bothersome.  But then again Rosie from across the road had promised to spend an afternoon with him pulling straight his curls.
Track 2 - Rosie and said teenager sit on the porch of her terraced house watching the younger kids play marbles and she straightens out his curls
Track 3 - Said teenager is a bit grown up now. He waits to pick up Rosie in his slightly broken mini from her shift at Dulwich art college. These are rockier times. Boy wishes to reignite curls straightening porch sitting days
Track 4 - Weird dream like trance where teenager now a man imagines life without Rosie. He gets scared and presses rewind and starts on Track 1 again.

This is my little review for Only Real's mini EP. Yes, I know its weird. But this is what I think of when I hear this brilliant little EP. 

Wednesday 17 April 2013

You: Give it some time

I didnt want to share it. But couldnt help it. I didnt think it would work. But it did. 9 million songs and samples all at the same time shouldn't ever work. But it does. I thought it was finished. But then theres the beautiful twist at the end. I wanted to press stop. But I didn't. Neither should you.


Tuesday 16 April 2013

Hustle

I might have kinda did pull a sicky from work this morning. I wanted to kind of did laze around in bed till 12.30pm. I feel better for it.

Dreamy, floaty, whispers of the word Hustle repeatedly until at 52 seconds, the clappy beat kicks in and the lazy infectious vocals of Law take over to transform this into an amazingly experimental, electro/pop song that'll have you humming along till the end.

I was introduced to Law, by Young Father's manager. I'm hooked. I love this sound. You will too.


Monday 15 April 2013

Two Wrongs

I didn't manage to write a post yesterday.  And normally I would feel a little guilty about that.  But today I don't, because easily the most exciting band of 2013, Pale, have literally just released their latest track, Two Wrongs.

Heavy retro synths open up the track to such eargasmic delight elevating you back to some retro electro dream from like 'Scarface' or something. And then those vocals. I can't describe them. But I will try. Its paradoxical in nature. Painful, soulful, hopeful. All in one. Sumptuous. Pale are going to be huge and they deserve every last drop of success. There is not one wrong with this track. It is brilliant. I think I may be in love. A lot.





Saturday 13 April 2013

Keep Me, Never Leave Me

Work at 8am on a Saturday is never a good way to start the day. Then a long drive to London is not the one. Normally that would be enough to get me keeling over. But not today.

Rain sometimes dampens the mood, but sometimes, like today its a blessing. So after some memorable antics which won't be forgotten in a lifetime, and a couple of political debates later, I'm sitting in my hotel room thinking, time for some music.  Lyrically this sounds like a heartbreak style anguish song which doesn't quite fit my mood.  But the perfect mix of synthy, bassy, housey beat does. And that moment at 1.46 is a killer that needs to boost Thief, hailing from London into the limelight. The lazy infectious sound of Charlotte's voice adds a touch of retro. What I most like about the Thief sound is that its not quite the finished article in that there are still some kinks and quirks rather than the lathery overly slick synths from the other side of the pond. And Thief's other standout track Friend/Lover is going to be the first music I listen to in the morning. And that definitely fits the mood. 

Expecting big things from Thief in 2013. Watch this space!


Friday 12 April 2013

Youth



When you think about to your youth what do you think of? I'm not really sure what I think of. Of course like everyone, its all a bit of a mash of a load of experiences. This past week for me has been a little about re-living some glory blazing days, some tantrums, and lots of looking forward to some pretty major new things.

And having stumbled on Parks, Squares and Alleys' new song Youth, I have a little cocktail of emotions:
  • Riding on a horse or something across some great moor or lush field in Ireland. 
  • Feeling myself looking back and thinking that was good. 
  • And looking forward and thinking this is going to be great. 
But mostly I see myself stretching out as I lie on a bamboo mat on a warm beach, thinking of a time I rode on a horse across a lush field in Ireland, looking back thinking that was great and looking forward thinking what's to come is going to be great.


Thursday 11 April 2013

Bros

One of my most favourite bands of recent times is upcoming Wolf Alice.  A couple of months ago they released a belter called Wednesday and now they're back with their upcoming single Bros, due for release in May followed by a UK tour. Definitely gonna have to check them out live.

Starting with a dreamy opening, the track comes to life in spectacular colour at 21 seconds when everything in life becomes ok. The soft vocals and that indie beat keep you skipping along in teenage joy with a flutter when she sings 'There's no-one quite like you'. Coming to a shuddering bridge at 2.20 with sultry vocals, Wolf Alice make some reference to something about 43 which I might not fully understands, but its ok, cos its just me and you. A beautiful song.


Science Is Eerie

Science is eerie when your still around.

Sometimes, musical talent, lyrical genius and a spark combine together to create a genuinely new and exciting sound. Let me introduce you to Young Fathers of Edinburgh. Not really hip hop, not really experimental, not really any genre, just three guys who clearly love their art.

I heard this late last night and was hooked from the first play. The organ like synths and the haunting vocals on the first chorus got me salivating. I don't even know how to explain how I felt when the cries of 'I'm there, I'm there, I'm there' start ringing. And then they hit the nail on the head. The Young Fathers. Not in a weird way. But actually what the word means. Unclean. Inside I'm feeling dirty. Only cos I'm hurting.

This song is genius.

Wednesday 10 April 2013

The Sea

The sea has this unbelievable ability to humble me - and that's saying a lot for someone who is so sure about their insecurities. I've always found that the sea on a warm day brings with it feelings of hope and  motivation, whilst the sea at its choppiest always humbles me with its great waves crashing over my battered soul/soles.

Local West Midland's boys, Swim Deep are doing it. And doing it well. This track The Sea from their forthcoming album 'Where The Heaven Are We' transports me to the days when The OC used to play such a pivotal role in asphyxiating my mood. It makes me feel like a teenager, all over again.

Tuesday 9 April 2013

Sleep Hop

Sometimes I have days where the word busy is redefined - seriously, sometimes I honestly can't believe that I cram so much into a day. And on those kinda days, and today was one of them, you need something to take the edge off of things. Much talked about, with a major hype following, is Bristol producer Sorrow whose debut album, Dreamstone, is due to drop on May 13. He is the exact scientist to be able to take the edge off. Some of his art and it really is an art, can get you in a jumpy vibe, but this couplet from the forthcoming album will definitely be the last things I listen to as I drift off. With a strong beat and soothing vocals, I give you, sleep-hop. Hip hop with the ability to make you dream.

Monday 8 April 2013

'Post-DJ' DJ

No melodrama whininess today - straight to the music. FTSE, put simply, is quite possibly, the most exciting 'post-DJ' DJ/producer around. From SURVIVYIN to this latest release. The reggae vibes mixed with the dreamy pop in the second half of the song to the heavy beats in the first half and the electro synths running through make this such a pleasurable listening experience. Aside from this, FTSE has also been involved with quite possibly the best remix this year when he mashed up Pale's Too Much. Expecting huge things from FTSE!

Sunday 7 April 2013

SUNday

Sometimes in life, it takes very simple things to make people feel hints of happiness. Dinner with friends, heart to hearts, moments of peace. For me, its stumbling across something which makes my knee jump with the beat. And Valentina, London based singer songwriter does this really well on Ladders which is part of her EP Wolves due out at the end of April. The vocals during the verse are emotional and loaded and the chorus reaches for Kate Bush like highs - but don't get me wrong, it definitely works. There is a strong guitar riff with the occasional hint of an electro riff which is just sumptuous for a long car journey on A-roads, with the window down, sun out, bit of wind. After hearing this, that EP due out at the end of April is too far away. 

Saturday 6 April 2013

Deep Cave Rave

Sometimes, I like to be transported to a plane I don't really understand.  Like, for example, laymedown's latest song, Me & U, I feel like I am in some deep cave with a slow buzzing beat pushing me further and further into a trance, where the limbs kinda just move. And then when the alien like vocals kick in, they are so monotonous in nature that they just add more to the vibe. I feel like I have now experienced deep cave raves. It was fun.

On a serious note, every single track that laymedown have put up on SoundCloud - serious worth listening to!


Friday 5 April 2013

Epic

In every sense of the word, today has been an epic day - I've spent more money than I can count upto, and details of a major event in my year was released (more to come about that in a few days). And then I came across Carnivals from Sheffield. And their track Kindness. The twinkle of the opening notes feels a bit dark, then a bit eerie and from the play of the first ten seconds you feel like something epic is about to happen, and boy do they deliver, but they tease you for such a long time before that dirrrrty beat drops. Some gentle vocals and then it drops. Through the middle minutes, that beat keeps you on a real hype, and then I'm not really sure how, it mellows, makes you feel like you've done the something epic and then leaves you with the feeling of that Maximus dude from The Gladiator at the end of the film, floating away in total content...

Thursday 4 April 2013

Something Different, Something Familiar

Today was a 'go' day - a few scheduled appointments, some unscheduled ones too, a short notice piece of work flying in at 11am with a 2 hour turnaround and all whilst battling my unforgiving manflu which has seen some pretty funky coloured liquid exits. I needed a 'go' song. And whilst something a little different from my first few posts, a little drum and bass always has a little space in my closet. Resotone takes music production, adds a little dream synth and induces all sorts of thoughts flying through my head whilst mashing it all together with a phat drum and bass beat. Have a listen, tell me what you think...




And after the excursions of the day, all I really wanted to do was kick-back. I'm telling you, there's something about Brighton.  Whenever I want a little slice of peace and to feel like I am floating away to lyrics that I don't really understand, Brighton seems to deliver. This time its Cave Painting with their guitar riffs and snares which carry me into a plane where I forget what I was thinking about before hitting the play button. Right now, the something different was good, but the something similar is where the heart is at. Cut to 2.13 where Cave Painting tell us "I won't go" and in retaliation, "I keep saying Rio" - I don't know what they're on about, but I agree. I so agree.


Wednesday 3 April 2013

Desire Dems

Every now and then, as much as we try to supress them, a deep need, a calling, a love reaches out to you. A call you cannot deny. A desire.


This beat tempts you along all the way to a bridge at 3 minutes which is well worth waiting for, at which point, you know the drill, put your feet up, close your eyes and be lifted to the last chorus at which point, when the melodies are taken away and all you are left with is a vocal and an abrupt end, you are left begging to hit that repeat button.

Purple

When I get ill (a cold or something) I coerce myself into a false realm of depression, of loneliness and isolation. Its pathetic. I feel sorry for myself sometimes too. I forget this is a music blog not an outlet channel. Where I was going with the depression stuff, is that when I feel ill, I feel a bit blue. Like this blue.

Anyhow, in this blue state, I came across a Brighton based band called Phoria. A lazy, but well structured song, that makes me wanna hide my head in my pillow and reminisce about stuff that never happened. This sounds like a fairytale, mixed with some poetry and a hint of a crescendo which threatens but doesnt materialise. Thankfully. So in my blue state, and a few plays of Red later... Purple. Perfect.


Tuesday 2 April 2013

It Doesn't Matter

The sun finally came out, lunch al fresco, some quality family time, big purchase, a day with lots of progress. I have a cold also, but it doesn't matter and having come across Nottingham producer Kirk Spencer and listening to his EP Wonderful and some of the delights of it, the song that stuck out was featuring Louis Scott. The words that keep resonating in my head after just one play...nowhere to go, but it doesn't matter.

There is a glorious bass and an electro synth that threatens to overpower but is pitched at the right tone to compliment the dreaminess mid play which is preceded with ecstatic whispers of 'it's all for you' at 1.48.

Enjoy. I did.


Monday 1 April 2013

Resurfacing Old Loves

Jak and Sophie. Sophie and Jak. Before I Explode. Having discovered the mysterious duo's ethereality about 5 years ago, today, whilst recovering from a big weekend and a mammoth 14 hour sleep, feeling sluggish, slightly monged and lets be honest a bit vulnerable, this, this is what was needed. We can dream of electricity, we can live so unpredictably.  It's Beautiful Up Here.