Saturday 28 December 2013

Axel Kacoutié



A relatively new name on the electronic music scene, Axel Kacoutié is a London-based producer who is making waves across the capital with his arresting beats and nuanced mixing. His strength lies in his ability to turn even the most upbeat of club anthems into sublime, atmospheric reflections, as evidenced in his mellow remix of 'White Noise' by the mighty Disclosure that got people talking earlier this year. It's easy to see the influence of UK Garage in his grooving mix of Alex Mills' 'Forever Young', while a throbbing bass line lends a dubstep feel to his production of 'How The Mighty' by Violet Skies.








However, while it is mainly his mixes that have fallen under the public eye, 'Petite Mort' is the composition that interested me the most. Literally translating to 'little death', 'Petite Mort' is a French euphemism for orgasm. The whispering French vocals, dark string samples and sensual bass on the track combine to create a sound that can only described as erotic. Accompanied by the famous seduction scene in Metropolis, the effect is deliciously enticing. If his musical wiles have successfully enchanted you, you should check out his music on his SoundCloud or buy his album New Type.

Friday 27 December 2013

Dnte/TOKiMONSTA


Since releasing his EP Moments earlier this year, Hungarian producer Dnte has been marrying the sweeping bass throb of trap/dubstep with the melodic influence of hip-hop to create a soundscape reminiscent of artists such as Nosaj Thing or XXYYXX. His mellow remix of RJD2's 'Her Majesty's Socialist Request' lends a deeper groove to the Arabian vibes of the original, while the smooth production on 'Stoned' makes for music that licks your ears like smoke.





And if you like this, you might enjoy TOKiMONSTA's new LP Half Shadows, which was released in September this year. Despite harbouring an instinctive suspicion of anyone who mingles upper and lower cases in an unconventional way, I've loved and followed her since I stumbled upon 'Sweet Day' four years ago. Still going strong, she's now being compared to titans such as Flying Lotus and Nujabes. While her 2011 album Creature Dreams remains my personal favourite, it's great to see her working with artists as talented as Andreya Triana and Jesse Boykins III. But don't take my word for it, compare for yourself!






Season's Greetings!



By now you should've tired considerably of Michael Bublé and Frank Sinatra (is it possible?) and heard enough "merry christmas and a happy new year" to prepare you nicely for 2014. Well, here is my contribution to help you shimmy  into the new year with a smile on your face and a beat in your soul. 

1) Cuthead - 'Nautic Walking' and 'Maputo Jam'

These are a couple of my favourite tracks off the BRILLIANT new album from German DJ, Cuthead. Crammed full with uplifting beats and shimmering samples, I fell immediately in love with Cuthead's quirky, hypnotic sound. Listen to the entire album on Uncanny Valley's SoundCloud profile.






2) Angel Haze - 'This Is Me', 'Same Love' and 'Cleaning Out My Closet'

When considering the leaps and bounds we've made this year overcoming prejudices against sexuality, race, gender and many more, it is worth celebrating female rapper Angel Haze. Since following Beyoncé's suit and surprising fans by leaking her upcoming album Dirty Gold herself on the 18th, the album already looks set to be huge. However, while fiery tracks such as 'Echelon (It's My Way)' and 'New York' have got her the most recognition, it's the more hard-hitting confessional singles that reeled me in. Addressing the pain she dealt with during her childhood, sexual abuse from her father and her experience of homophobia, she provides us with a deep insight into what she's had to overcome to get where she is today. If anyone can prove that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, it's her.





3) Death Grips - 'Birds'

While Death Grips' fourth album Government Plates is probably not for the faint-hearted, it's a really interesting listen and surprisingly enjoyable in all its sordid, offensive glory.


4) Borealis - 'Lover' (Liar Rematriculation)

This gorgeous remix was dropped by Liar six days ago on SoundCloud. Like Lapalux, Tycho or Boards of Canada, Liar manages to turn this track into a portal to a fifth element. Press play and plunge into the hazy ether of another musical world... (And you KNOW it must be good if it inspires writing this self-indulgent.)


4) Axel Boman - 'Hello'

A whimsical deep house release from Swedish beatsmith Axel Boman.


5) Gesaffelstein - 'Aleph'

This is the stunning title track of Mike Lévy's new album. A huge name in techno and the music scene in general (having collaborated on Yeezus, none other), Gesaffelstein revels in producing the sort of dark intensity that we hear in tracks such as Kanye's 'Black Skinhead'. Executing the signature pounding rhythm of techno with measured veracity, the album is able to produce the sort of slow-releasing energy that can leave a lasting impression on the listener. It's the sort of music that wouldn't sound out of place in a film like Drive.



6) Close - 'Wallflower' (Huxley Dub)

A new dub by one of me faves, you can always trust Huxley to give you resonant bass and a hefty drop.





Wookie



Nowadays, Wookie (a.k.a. Jason Chue... Chue. Wookie. Geddit?) is best known for the chart success that he's achieved with 'The Hype', a collaboration with singer Eliza Doolittle. Now this is all well and good and yeah, it's a catchy song, but it comes nowhere near the OLD Wookie we used to know. 



Whenever I'm craving some good, homegrown UK garage, my first point of reference will always be the 90's/early noughties (the golden era of the genre) and for me, Wookie's 'Battle ft. Lain' comes out on top every time. A bouncy 2-step composition released on the turn of the millennium, it marked a final triumph before the genre began to fall out of popularity and give way to darker strains of jungle and DnB. Wookie's shift from garage to house (genre of choice for many nowadays) is completely understandable, but let's not forget about this banger:




While we don't hear as much of it anymore, there are still many great DJs and producers out there keeping Garage alive. One such artist is Brighton-based Moony. Here's a brilliant rework of a Fugee's classic, 'Fu-Gee-La'. Enjoy!

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Exmag - Proportions


Merry Christmas, from Slovenian beat-maestro Gramatik a.k.a. Denis Jasarevic!
At least I assume that was his message when he released Exmag's new album, Proportions, three days ago. The group, as well as Gramatik himself, includes Eric Mendelson, Tyler Dondero, Mike Iannatto, ILLUMINTR a.k.a. Bryn Bellomy. A seamless fusion of jazz, blues, funk, soul and electronic (and probably more), it's the ultimate feel-good formula to inject rhythm into even the cloudiest of days. The interlude 'Glasper The Friendly Ghost' makes it clear that the project's influences lie where there is only brilliance to be found, and '#SuperNicer' takes synth bending to a new level of jazzy. 'NuFunk Odyssey' is a personal favourite so far, with an infectious beat textured by syncopated funk licks on the bass and sassy electric guitar riffs. In fact, the whole album is downright SASSY. 


Take a listen to the whole album on SoundCloud and I guarantee your Christmas will be at least 50% more merry that it would have been before:


Monday 23 December 2013

This Week's Soundtrack

These are the sounds of this week... This week has been a GOOD week.




1) Beyoncé - 'Yoncé/Partition'

Many people have been saying that Beyoncé's visual album is her worst to date, going so far as to say that it's 'terrible'. Well........ they're wrong.


Sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker
Yoncé all on this mouth like liquor



2) Matthew Herbert - 'You Saw It All'

'You Saw It All' is just a mere rainbow refraction of light on the multi-faceted diamond of an album that is Bodily Functions. A master of both electronic and jazz, you can't go very far wrong with Matthew Herbert. I HEARTILY recommend that you listen to more of his stuff.


3) Yuna - 'Coffee'

Her voice is simply the SWEETEST.


4) Volor Flex - 'Spellbound'

Another great new album, released at the end of the last month, is Volor Flex's Sabo. This is not one to miss if you enjoy the dark, ambient dubstep that comes out of artists such as Burial or Nocow.


5) Kove - 'Love For You'

It's impossible to escape from this song if you're a regular at house club nights, or watch Misfits, or spend any time at all in Leeds. Expect a catchy, upbeat disco vibe and some next-level 'wobs' during the chorus.



6) Drake x Jhené Aiko - 'From Time' (Full Crate Remix)

Full Crate demonstrates yet again that he has the Midas touch.



7) Kraak & Smaak - 'Don't Let People' (Moods Remix)

Moods' Souncloud profile has been a goldmine recently, this remix of the (already brilliant) Kraak & Smaak followed today by a dreamy rework of Jordan Rakei's 'Imagine'. 



8) Dean Martin - 'Let It Snow!'

Oh come on, IT'S CHRISTMAS! And this is the best festive song of them all. Scrooges begone.

Monday 16 December 2013

Beyonce's Visual Album

If you haven't already heard about Beyonce's new visual album then LISTEN TO IT, FOR GOD'S SAKE! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? DO YOU LIVE UNDER A ROCK?


Nah, not really. Actually, it's been pretty difficult to get a hold of it. Incredibly, she managed to release the entire album, 14 tracks and 17 videos long, with no warning or leaking whatsoever. Instead of flicking distractedly from track to track, she wanted listeners to experience the album as an exciting visual whole. By choosing to do this instead of releasing individual singles to create anticipation, she stirred the music world into a crazed buying frenzy, selling over 430,000 copies in just one day. Not only does this prove how business savvy her art is, but could it also inspire other artists to fight for the survival of the album instead of compromising their vision to the increasingly single-driven market?


This album seems to be one of her most hyper-sexualised yet. However, she makes several messages very clear - SHE is the owner of her sexuality and no one should ever put image over health and happiness. While she wants to cater to her husband, she is not 'just his little wife'. And finally, she loves her daughter but she will not let the fact that she is a mother get in the way of her right to have a career or be a sexual being. It is an unapologetic, fierce declaration of independence, balanced with a willingness to fulfil the needs of others out of love and respect (as long as it is mutual.) This is EXACTLY what feminism needs. 

Thursday 12 December 2013

Rival Dealer - Review


Since the (then anonymous) William Bevan released his debut self-titled album in 2006, he has acquired a hugely devoted, yet specifically 'underground' following. This is not to label them as insufferable hipsters; Burial's music could hardly be enjoyed in any other way.

There was always a specific, fairly limited archetype of what the 'Burial sound' was; the trademark vinyl crackling, the distorted, wailing vocal samples and the scratching garage beats all defining features of his music. In the context of a dark, minor key, all these work to create the atmospheric music that quickly became a soundtrack to the bleak landscape of a deprived, street level London. The characteristic style of Burial's music necessitated its place in underground music - dubstep for the neglected, the alienated.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this distinctive, personal style is a bad thing. He did it beautifully and it worked, but there comes a time when a sound so specific becomes limiting if it doesn't evolve. Burial needed to push it further, and that's exactly what he's done with his new EP, Rival Dealer. In my review of Truant/Rough Sleeper I was excited by Burial's move into the realm of the major key. Hopeful? Uplifting? It's a breakthrough!

After having listened to Rival Dealer, that suddenly doesn't seem quite so radical. Almost the entirety of the album seems to adopt a similarly optimistic tone. At the beginning of 'Hiders', the piano chords make it sound like Will Young's backing track for his Pop Idol finale. Likewise, the sparse, 90's beat, joyful string chords and what sounds suspiciously like Christmas bells at the end of 'Come Down To Us' make it sound like something that could have been written by Band Aid. The whole thing is sway-clap cheesy... DEFINITELY not something we'd expect from Burial. Perhaps this shows not just a change of heart but a parody of the commercial, Christmas anthems churned out at this time of year, or a reflection of how distant the reality of life is from the merry, festive atmosphere sold by a society that has redefined the season for the gain of financial profit. 

Then again, this interpretation could be far too cynical. Another novel feature of the music is the untampered vocal samples that Burial has brought to the forefront of the texture. He seems to be piecing together a message that might reveal the thinking behind the tone of the EP. He echoes an experience of 'trying to find yourself', stepping 'into the unknown', the struggle to be unafraid. Perhaps the implication is spiritual, a short monologue at the end of 'Rival Dealers' speaking about looking up at the breath-taking stars and constellations and voicing the first of many appeals of 'come down to us'. 

His final sample of transgender film-maker Lana Wachowski leaves no doubt that although the EP marks a change of direction for Burial, he still continues to give a voice to (and use the voices of) those undervalued and abused by society. The difference is, this time there's hope. Whatever the reason for this transformation of the 'Burial sound', the result is an exciting, interesting and overall magnificent half an hour of gorgeousness. I'm already thirsty for more.


Wednesday 11 December 2013

Burial


REJOICE, THE TIME HAS COME! Burial has just dropped his new three track EP, Rival Dealer. A quick listen tells me that he continues to reign supreme over the world of underground dubstep, producing new and different sounds while still remaining extremely distinctive.




Sylvia Striplin


You may have heard Sylvia Striplin's popular hit 'You Can't Turn Me Away' on Another Late Night, Zero 7's contribution to an amazing series of compilation albums revealing the inspiration behind many great artists, including Bonobo, Four Tet and Röyksopp. 



Now none of us will question Zero 7 that this is a great song, because they are Zero 7 and they must never be faulted. Their genius music has probably been more formative than any other artist's to my life personally, as I've been grooving to them since I first heard Simple Things as a wee nine year old. However, this isn't all Sylvia has to offer. 'All Alone' is another cool and understated disco number off Give Me Your Love (which was co-produced by none other than Roy Ayers!)  

Tuesday 10 December 2013

More Recent Picks



1) Archie Pelago - 'Hall of Human Origins'

This incredible track feels both primitive and futuristic at the same time, using pounding drum rhythms and exotic samples alongside synth flourishes and exquisite production. And just when you think you can't love it anymore, you hit 2:48. I CANNOT get enough of this.


2) Submotion Orchestra - 'All Yours'

 This sounds like a gorgeous fusion of Radiohead's 'Pyramid Song' and Laura Mvula's 'She'. It proves that one simple chord progression can ensure the success of an entire song. Topped off with Ruby Woods' soulful vocals and a couple of improvisational trumpet melodies, 'All Yours' is ready to be lapped up like a fine wine.


3) Brandt Brauer Frick - 'Caffeine'

Seeing that the German ensemble Brandt Brauer Frick had recently released their new single 'Bommel', I decided to have a nose through their earlier compositions. I don't even know how to describe the genre of this music (tech/minimalist/classical/jazz are a bunch that may be relevant) but I was immediately intrigued. And the video for 'Caffeine' is squeal-0ut-loud cool. Have a watch:




4) SZA - 'Ice Moon'

There's also a revisited version of this song featuring a couple of verses by Ab-Soul that you should check out, but this one had a prettier video... 



6) Bombay Bicycle Club - 'Carry Me'

 Bombay Bicycle Club are still producing music that's immediately likeable and instantly addictive.




7) KRTS - 'Your Eyes'

I meant to blog about this AGES ago, I love it so much. I even wrote down a lot of poetic gushing about how, instead of depending on any particularly heavy drops, this music breeds a sort of euphoria that builds up in your stomach then seeps out through your pores and makes you want to dance... Then I realised it was only another one of my nonsensical tangents. That's the KRTS effect!

Danny Brown


Danny Brown's new album 'Old' defies quick, vague reviews with its sheer length and variety. It's almost an hour long and spans a huge spectrum of tone and style, ranging from slower, reflective tracks such as 'Float On' to the heavier 'Dip' (a record that both resembles and quotes Kanye West's hugely popular 'Niggas In Paris'.) Soooo I'm just going to cop out and post a few of my favourite tracks. Enjoy!







Sunday 8 December 2013

This Week's Playlist



Here are a few of the tracks I've been listening to this week, including a gorgeous video to 'Papi Pacify' by Londoner FKA Twigs, my most recent girl crush. 


1) FKA Twigs - 'Papi Pacify'




2) Chvrches - 'Lies' (Lxury Remix)



3) Helios - 'The Evening Walk'

\


4) Jessy Lanza - 'Against The Wall'



5) Gregory Porter - 'Brown Grass'



6) Two tracks on this one: Cropper - 'Drift' and 'Deeper'




7) Reginald Omas Mamode IV - 'You've Got'



8) Gorgon City ft. MNEK - 'Ready For Your Love'



9) Hiatus Kaiyote - 'The World It Softly Lulls'



10) Mac DeMarco - 'I'm A Man'

Saturday 7 December 2013

Kelela



Watch this space! So far one of my favourite albums of 2013, Cut 4 Me is the debut mixtape from Kelela, a gorgeous second generation Ethiopian immigrant hailing from the USA. Featuring songs produced by the likes of electronic magicians Nguzunguzu and Kingdom, it's an interesting while accessible fusion of genres such as techno, D&B, dubstep and grime, with a clear R&B influence. Imagine Little Dragon, but darker and more bass-driven. 'A Lie' in particular reminds me of Little Dragon's 'Stormy Weather', both with wistful melodies sung over atmospheric, boomy synth chords. 



'Cherry Coffee', another slower track, is one of my favourites. I get some definite Frank Ocean vibes off this one:




That's not to say she can't also produce something to dance to, Bank Head and the album's title track 'Cut 4 Me' both bouncy and incredibly catchy.

Thursday 5 December 2013

Collider



This is the new video for Jon Hopkins' 'Collider', off his incredible recent album Immunity. It's uncomfortable to watch at times, but absolutely the most gripping video I've seen in a while. Matching the song in intensity, it shows a girl (presumably on many, many drugs) driven wild with violent energy, to the point where the whole experience seems to resemble a seizure. The rape-like scenes add to the feeling of raw, uninhibited adrenaline. Did I mention drugs?


Tuesday 3 December 2013

Fat Freddy's Drop


A brilliant track off the 2009 album, 'Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW' by New Zealand reggae outfit Fat Freddy's Drop. I've saturated this blog with their compositions since its birth and I don't intend to stop any time soon.

Heroes of Electronica

Thanks be to sampling, synths and the enhanced bass line.

1) Taku - 'Terms & Nujabes'


2) Little Dragon - 'Sunshine' (Shlohmo Remix)



3) Lapalux - 'Forgetting And Learning Again' 



4) Nicolas Jaar - 'Variations' 



5) Lone - 'Airglow Fires' 

Joanna Newsom


I shaped up overnight, you know,
The day after she died,

When I saw my heart, and I tell you, darling
It was open wide.


Monday 2 December 2013

Bobby Womack x Julio Bashmore


Julio Bashmore quickly made a name for himself with a string of hugely successful house tracks, including 'The Battle For Middle You' back in 2011 and the glorious 'Au Seve' in 2012. Unfortunately, I lost a bit of interest in him after the release of his greatly anticipated single 'Peppermint', which was disappointingly average. 

Fortunately, I found this redeeming remix of 'Love Is Gonna Lift You Up' while enjoying Bobby Womack's recent album 'Bravest Man In The Universe'. Not only has Bashmore chosen the GREATEST song to mix (Bobby has definitely still got it) but also supplied a very apt bass line, which will do its bit to lift you up all the way through this eight minute groove.


Monday Soul



This evening, you should go take a bath - candles lit, incense burning, these songs playing... I guarantee you, it's a recipe for perfection.

1) D'Angelo - 'Brown Sugar'

No playlist of soul music is complete without this one.




2) Goapele - 'Butterflykisses'

Melt into indulgent floods of vocal harmony...


3) Amel Larrieux - 'Sweet Misery'

I could pass a million hours of bliss with ONLY Amel Larrieux.



4) Lalah Hathaway - 'I'm Coming Back'

11/10 to Lalah Hathaway for depth, sensuality and raw, unadulterated talent (disagree with me and you've obviously never heard her singing harmonics.)



5) Ledisi - 'Alright'

Rumour has it, it's impossible to worry about ANYTHING when you're listening to this song...



6) Robert Glasper ft. Dwele - 'No Worries'

You can't go wrong when you combine Dwele's soul and Robert Glasper's flawless production.



7) Raphael Saadiq ft. Common & Ledisi - 'They Don't Know'

I'm sorry about the useless quality of this video, but it had to get on the list somehow.


8) Sweetback - 'You Will Rise'

No harm in a little more Amel Larrieux...


9) Maxwell - 'Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)'

I've made sure to show you this video so you can not only enjoy Maxwell's rapturous melodies but also his faultless rocking of silver satin: 


10) Erykah Badu - 'Back In The Day'

She may be last, but Erykah Badu will NEVER be least.

Bernard Wright



My man 'Nard smashing it on Soul Train with the help of a knockout sequin blazer and a very infectious groove!

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Home

A little poem I wrote.



The yielding sofa cradles me while
Canned laughter crackles,
Flush light flickers.
You hand me a blanket
And the soft material warms between my toes.
A shadow strokes the wall as a car passes
Somewhere disregarded,
Casting the wind a pliant chord and
Leaving silent as before,
Cadence forgotten in passing. 
Our tiny home, protective and breathing
Against a backdrop of infinity, and
We in refuge of painless accord;
To be around you is enough.



Thursday 14 November 2013

Lily Allen's Weak Feminist Stand


Lily Allen attempts to exploit some kind of outdated 'feminism' by defying irrelevant female stereotypes that a woman's place is in the kitchen, while undermining her own claim that "I don't need to shake my ass for you because I've got a brain" by getting her dancers to do it for her. Don't get me wrong, I think some of her points are spot on and I like that she tries to bring the patriarchal white, male voice behind the music industry to the foreground. Unfortunately, in her desperation to appeal to some sort of 'mainstream', Robin Thicke-hating feminism, she commercialises her argument and renders it half-hearted and flawed, not to mention more than a little racist. Why try to satirise the media when you're going to simultaneously bend over backwards to reach its standards?



Unfortunately, since this video has been intended as 'controversial', criticism of it will no doubt flood the media and drown out the voices of those who make the same point but in a more intelligent, convincing and simply better way. Three guesses to who I'm on about?





Friday 8 November 2013

Power To The Vagina

Who knew that such a simple question could produce such profound answers?



Wednesday 6 November 2013

Another Childish Gambino Freestyle


I've posted one of Childish Gambino's (aka Donald Glover's) freestyles before but this one can top it. Drake's beat is incredibly beautiful and the wandering verses he delivers over it flow almost liquid-like, perfectly complimenting the improvisatory feel of the sampled vocals. 



'People say money's not everything, but you need money to do what you want to do. Money is power, honesty is power, truth is power.'

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Björk


If you've never been able to get into Björk, then TRY AGAIN. And again! And again and again. And at some point, you will have an epiphany and realise how AMAZING she is.


The Electric Lady

Gosh, I've been meaning to write about this album for FAR too long. But since I have an essay due in tomorrow, I guess I'll do it now. I'll start by shouting from the rooftops that I think Janelle Monae is AMAZING. Not only her music and her voice, but her whole image and how she sells herself. She's proud, she's confident, she works to redefine this rigid and gendered form of sexuality that overwhelms popular culture and the media. And this isn't an attention grabbing stance that she's adopted post-fame in order to sell her singles (though she definitely knows how to use it), she's radiated strength since the beginning.


Observe delicious power posing skillz

However, while it is feminism that attracts me to her as a reflection of my personal interests, her branding and self-presentation aims to overcome an entire spectrum of various prejudices concerning race, class, sex... And the reason why she can address this many issues is because of her treatment of discrimination as an idea, abstracting it in a fictional context of a dystopian future and a civil war between 'androids' and 'humans'. Like Philip K. Dick, Margaret Atwood and many others before her have done, Janelle Monae addresses today's prejudices by displacing them via science fiction. 

However, my mild idolisation of her as an artist did not make me more inclined to fall quickly for The Electric Lady, which was unveiled in September. I posted a while ago about the single 'Q.U.E.E.N.', which was the first from the album to be released and while I initially raved about the lyrics and the video (I was definitely over-excited about the presence of Erykah Badu), I have to admit the actual song never really grew on me as much as I expected. Luckily, the rest of the album was much more surprising, varied and musically exciting. 

The absolute best thing about it is how eclectic its different sounds are, while always seeming to stem out of that grooving Janelle Monae 'style' that characterised her debut album, ArchAndroid. We've got 'Dance Apocalyptic, with its rock 'n' rolling 60's vibe (all the 'smash smash' and 'chalangalangalang' did remind me of 'Grease Lightning', but that's probably more a reflection of me). We've got 'Givin 'Em What They Love' featuring PRINCE, none other! I woz not disappoint. Janelle Monae steps up to match the legend himself in rocky attitude, belting along to rousing Hendrix-esque guitar riffs (remember his album Electric Ladyland? See where I'm going here?) It reminded me of when Beyoncé covered 'The Beautiful Ones' at Glastonbury 2011. JANELLE MONAE TO HEADLINE GLASTO! Anyway, having proved that she can do rock, she then proceeds to nail the spanish-sounding 'Look Into My Eyes', the jazzy 'Dorothy Dandridge Eyes' (and anyone who knows me even slightly will know I girl crush HARD on Esperanza Spalding) and the smooth, R'n'B 'PrimeTime', which is probably one of my favourite songs on the album.

Having ranted about her image and style for far longer than necessary, I'll leave you with a brief demonstration of her songwriting excellence in the form of a few quotes from the album. Immortalise them in whichever way you please, and RESPECT to whoever gets 'the booty don't lie' tattoo-ed on their arse.

'To be victorious, you must find glory in the little things'
- 'Victory'

'Say will your God accept me in my black and white?'
- 'Q.U.E.E.N.'

'They want me locked up in the system
Cause I'm on a mission, blame it on my youth'
- 'Givin' Em What They Love'

'Don't throw no rock, don't break no glass, just shake your ass'
- 'Good Morning Midnight'


Wednesday 18 September 2013

Four Tet/Ultraísta


An amazing remix from Kieran Hebden, aka Four Tet, one of the most respected artists on the electronic music scene. Instead of cutting, switching and looping vocal samples like he has done on many of his most popular songs (Angel Echoes, Love Cry, etc), he instead lets Ultraísta's original vocals play mostly undisturbed. This works beautifully, providing a ringing clarity alongside a deep, rich bassline and a typically percussive, minimal beat.

Monday 16 September 2013

Jon Hopkins Jon Hopkins Jon Hopkins





Current thoughts: Mmmmm, Jon Hopkins
Current state: Jon Hopkins trance
Currently listening to: Immunity
Other comments: Four Tet does Jon Hopkins!


Tuesday 10 September 2013

'Tell Him' - Esperanza Spalding

Any performance that can make me smile at strangers on the way home from a 9 hour shift is a winner to me...


Sunday 8 September 2013

Jazzanova/DJ Ghe

Shimmying neatly into the spaces provided by an industry increasingly thirsty for jazz/swing/house fusions, Jazzanova are a new personal favourite alongside acts such as Parov Stelar and Tosca.



Tuesday 3 September 2013

Justin Vernon

There has never been an artist more expressive about heartbreak... This is just one of Justin Vernon's heart-wrenching creations.



I have buried you
Every place I've been
You keep ending up 
In my shaking hands

Monday 8 July 2013

My Summer Playlist

Making the perfect summer playlist is not, my friends, an easy task. You want fuzzy, breezy tracks that make you feel like these are the best days of your life as they shimmer through the air... These are the ones that do it for me.


1) 'Aaliyah's Boat' by Satin Jackets


2) 'All The Flowers' (Lone Remix) by Bibio


3) 'Love Will Keep Us Together' by Captain & Tennille


4) 'So Good To Me' by Chris Malinchak


5) 'Butterfly' by Corinne Bailey-Rae


6) 'Santa Maria Da Feira' by Devendra Banhart


7) 'Waterloo Sunset' by The Kinks


8) 'Waltz For Koop' by Koop


9) 'In July Focus' by Letherette


10) 'The Sound' by Mary Mary


11) 'A Day By Atmosphere Supreme' by Nujabes


12) 'Expectation' by Tame Impala



13) 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' by Roy Ayers



14) 'On A Clear Day' by Was A Bee



15) 'Me And Jon Hanging On' by Mac Demarco