Sunday, July 31, 2011

new: Niteflights, Ghost Estates, Hello Moon, Just The Architect and Ghosts You Echo

Niteflights. I could listen to this all day. Darn good pop music from London.

Put It On - Niteflights. by niteflightsmusic

Ghost Estates. Indie rock n' roll. Former members of 8 Ball and Sickboy, standards on the Irish scene a few years back.

Paris by GHOST ESTATES

Hello Moon. Twee C86 era sensibilities, a pleasure to listen to. Another "formerly" Irish band, they had a few singles out as The Tender Trap, an unfortunate name for a band releasing music just as Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap blew up. I like Hello Moon better as a name anyway.

Vanity by Hello Moon

Just The Architect is a one man band with a cracking album, based around the violin but featuring all manner of tasty electronics, beats and all that stuff that makes up songs these days. Just a lovely all round atmosphere to it.

Latest tracks by justthearchitect

Jonathan Chan, the guy behind Just The Architect also plays with this band, Ghosts You Echo. Check out their most recent E.P, it's full of shuddering clicks and bleeps, organs, sinister sounds and a beautiful voice.

Ghosts You Echo - "Lifeline" 2ND EP by Ghosts You Echo

Thursday, July 28, 2011

new: Ghostfunk (Max Tannone)

Separating the wheat from the chaff in the world of mashups is tough work but when you unearth a gem, it's worth it. Max Tannone has what many don't, taste and skill. It's a simple formula: take a genre/style and a rapper. Mash them together with love, care and attention. Release it for free online. For anyone fascinated by The Grey Album, 2ManyDJ's, Girl Talk etc.

His latest sees Wu Tang Clansman Ghostface Killah mashed into some old African funk grooves.

Check out his Mos Dub (dub reggae, Mos Def), Dub Kweli (same again with Talib Kweli) and Jaydiohead (Jay Z with In Rainbows ...not my favourite but worth a listen). On top of all this it's a world of African music that's completely new to me. Exciting!

Ghostfunk by Max Tannone

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest

Here's one for the Book & Movie Club. Can't wait to see it.



new: Tenaka, Binary, The Drums, M83

Irish act Tenaka has put together an exclusive mix of new tracks, remixes and reworkings for State.ie (I write for State, check out my scribblings). Erethral, subdued electronics, tasty reworkings, an all round stellar collection and a worthwhile listen. Get your ears around this bad boy. (also worth checking out are collaborators and remixee Daithi and Elaine Mai. Big up the Galway massiiiiive)

Tenaka - State Mix by Tenaka

Tenaka - Open Out by Tenaka

For a proper introduction to Binary read the comprehensive summation of their work and sound in The Recommender. For an introduction to that here's a video and Soundcloud links (cos you may have missed it elsewhere ...not cos I'm a lazy thieving bastard). Come along to their debut live show on August 11th in the Shacklewell Arms in Dalston ...which by the way is simply the best new music spot in all of London (that I've discovered so far). Since seeing Civil Civic there a few weeks back I've been more than impressed with their listings. That and it's a lovely little bar with a great live room out slightly off the beaten track.



Turquoise by BINARY

Dynamo (Demo) by BINARY

Twas on State.ie that I first heard the new single from The Drums (chosen for State's weekly Office Stereo by Elizabeth Rushe). Apart from the E.P and the singles from the album I gave up on The Drums. The album didn't live up to my expectations, it was a little flat from what I remember. I like this though, sticking to the formula but with an dancing energy similar to Vampire Weekend and Darwin Deez ...and I loves me a bit of indie pop I do.

The Drums - Money by WorkItMedia

I love M83. They fill my heart with 80's electronic love and pump my veins full of melancholic euphoria. It's music like this that sums up entire parts of my late teens and early 20's. Delighted they're back with more great new music. G'wan M83! New album, Hurry Up We're Dreaming is out October 18th.

Midnight City by M83

new: White Denim (remix), Hourglass Sea, Fanzine

New stuff, some of it getting 'round all the blogs. Some of it odd new stuff that I've stumbled across online or have had sent to me.

Bjorn (Yttling of Peter, Bjorn and John) has remixed one of my favourite songs of the year, Drug by White Denim. He turned a rock n' roll powerhouse to a trippy bakefest and premiered it on RCRDLBL this week. I'm not even sure which version I prefer. (Get White Denim's D, it's a beaut)



I picked this song up from The Pigeon Post. The band are called Hourglass Sea. Listening to them is perfectly apt following an afternoon spent watching The Karate Kid (old one) or any 80's movie for that matter. "They" are in fact one guy from Bradford. Check out a song and video. Can't wait to see and hear more.

Hourglass Sea 'L.A Lights' [Music Video] from Jack King on Vimeo.


Purple Diamond by Hourglass Sea

Fanzine have been likened to Yuck, The History of Apple Pie and other slacker/alt/sludge rock influence bands around London at the moment. Not quite a movement but some great bands making whopping good music. Have a listen.

Low by Fanzine

Running Around by Fanzine

Rough Trade documentary

Essential part of the history of modern music.

Rough from Django's Ghost on Vimeo.


Saturday, July 16, 2011

new: Cheerleader

Busy weekend. DJing the Amplify Destroy summer boat party this evening with Matt Tanner and Dave Seaman (no, sadly not to legendary Arsenal goalkeeper) on the Thames. Tomorrow, Lovebox (Blondie, Scissor Sisters, 2Many DJ's, Kelis, MEN, Robyn, Shit Robot Live and loads more). Then off to Brighton for a few days. I've never been, please pass on suggestions. Here's a good band.

Lovely dreamgaze melodies from Cheerleader. Loving these tunes at the moment.

New Daze by CHEERLEADER

Dreamer by CHEERLEADER

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

new: Ifan Dafydd

I missed this a few months back. This track is lovely. The folks over at Horrorshow Tunez have it sussed.

Ifan Dafydd - No good (Original) by Svimp



Thursday, July 7, 2011

The 1-2-3-4 Festival London, recommendations part. 3

Quick one this evening ahead of Saturday's 1234 Festival in Shoreditch Park in London. It's been a long time since I've seen Black Lips. I can't wait to hear their new stuff. This is the song that got me into them. I heard it years ago in my Gran's house on MTV. Not completely useless then, is MTV.



 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The 1-2-3-4 Festival London, recommendations part. 2

The 1234 Festival lineup is turning into a feast of new music for me. I took a break from listening to anything new for the past two weeks, just nice to detox on giving a shit what's going on. But checking this lineup out makes me feel like a tarantula, starving myself so I can ingest more when I finally gorge ...this Saturday in Shoreditch Park. See the lineup here and get tickets here.

The History of Apple Pie is the sound o college-rock guitars and classic pop beats under sundown vocal melodies. London based, and the new discovery for me I'm most looking forward to seeing!

The History Of Apple Pie : Science For The Young by Beatcast

You're So Cool by The History Of Apple Pie

While some touting of the "return of grunge" in some quarters turned out to be bunkum of the highest order (save for the inexplicable popularity of Tribes), I'm hearing a lot more of the LA punk inspired psychadelic rock n' roll sounds of the early 90's. Quiet general I know but it's a start when trying to describe Pet Scenes, a terrific London band. These guys would have made my teenage years ...had I been not listening to nothing but Slayer. Lovely noise, lovely noise.

Habit by Pet Scenes

Living The Dog by Pet Scenes

Echo Lake, yet again from London, are an act whose sound you can get lost in. I can wait for this Saturday!

Young Silence by Echo Lake

Another Day by Echo Lake

New Window

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The 1-2-3-4 Festival London, recommendations part. 1

Very much looking forward to The 1234 Festival this Saturday in Shoreditch Park, London. It's my first festival of the season, (Lovebox and Bestival yet to come too!). There are still some tickets available. As value for money goes they're an absolute steal at £22.50. Black Lips, The Raveonettes and more amazing new music than you could possible fit into your ears in one day. I've been continually impressed as I make it through the lineup.

For my review of the days shenanigans check back to State.ie next week. For now here are three of my picks of the weekend. I'll be posting a few more tomorrow.

Fair Ohs, London three piece. Debut album Everything is Dancing came out on June 6th on Honey High Records.

Fair Ohs - Eden Rock by Sleep All Day Records





Rainbow Arabia are an LA based act who make beautiful electronic pop sounds. Here are a few tracks from their album, Boys and Diamonds.



RAINBOW ARABIA - WITHOUT YOU by rainbowarabia

Christian AIDS may be the highlight of my weekend. Dark dance beats, mysterious and instantly loveable. Manchester act well well well worth checking out.





Christian AIDS, "Young Luv" by The FADER