iamamiwhoami #5 - Hunting For Pearls

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Just last week I took to twitter with a tongue in cheek comment about the six month odd delay in receiving my vinyl copy of iamamiwhoami's Bounty EP, her first release re-released last year but delivered in February 2014. The vinyl, sleeve, labels, everything is plain white, plain. I have no idea what could have delayed it for six months. Multiple incorrect pressings I assume.

Anyway, I'm not here for that, Jonna Lee's extraordinary audio/visual experimental project returns with "Hunting For Pearls", a track which I think recalls some of energy and passion of those early Bounty tracks. After an initial 'chase scene' with typically ambient soundscapes the track's themes play out mainly around/under water where fizzing 80's sounding drums and glittering synths sound almost euphoric. As imaginative and alluring as ever, iamamiwhoami keep finding a mysterious, creative spark and long may it continue.

The track is available to download now via iamamiwhoiami's official website.

Tips for 2012 – One Year On (Part Two)

Here is part two of my annual revisit of my tips for the year. Part one has already been posted and can be found here with part three to follow tomorrow...

Embers - Facebook

When you start off a tip for 2012 with "there is every chance when I come to review these tips in 2012 I'll be saying 2013 will be their year" you know deep down that it's highly unlikely that band will have sufficient time to create sufficient material to turn themselves from a band who hadn't released a demo until December 11 to one of 2012's breakthrough acts. Manchester's Embers blew a lot of us away (quite literally) with a trio of demo tracks that led to a last minute entry into my tips of the year, a year which saw the band play a handful of dates mainly in their home-town and release their debut vinyl release in the autumn...

That release fulfilled the promise of the demo tracks with both "Tunnel Visions" and "Sins Unknown" continuing with the bands epic sized ambience, where screeching guitars and a fury of beats caused avalanche after avalanche of rushing distortion and indescribable euphoria, loud and enormous it signalled the bands intent. Yet it's with their latest release, the utterly incredible (live version of) "Hollow Cage" where the band really have set the pulse racing, a truly affecting monster, from humble serene beginnings to the cacophony of noise which follows as instruments and voices merge under the crashing of colossal drums and skyscraper sized guitars, it well and truly announces the arrival of Embers. I'm quite sure labels are lining up to sign them for the new year...

Fear of Men - Facebook

In one way I was right about Fear of Men, their two releases this year (the "Mosaic" and "Green Sea" singles) have followed up on the promise of their early demo tapes. Sparkling melodies and irresistible vocals are the Brighton/London quartet's signatures and they are on display throughout "Mosaic", a track amongst the best singles of the year in my opinion, so while 2012 hasn't seen the band deliver a debut album, the promise is there for 2013 to be the year the band truly deliver.

I don't think I've failed to post about any Fear of Men track to date, such is the affection I feel towards the bands music, bright and pure with a sense of wistful longing, there's not much of a better sound if you ask me, so yeah, expect to see Fear of Men featured here again real soon.

iamamiwhoami - Facebook

2012 was the year iamamiwhoami stopped playing with us all and got on with the serious business of music, after being drip-feed released as a series of audiovisual clips via YouTube the debut full-length Kin came out in the summer with an accompanying DVD which adds much to the albums experience. It also saw Jonna Lee and contributors (primarily Cales Björklund) put on their first London show with an autumn gig on the south bank and in all honesty, the live airing satisfied my desire somewhat more than the album (perhaps I'm underplaying that, the gig was amongst the best of the year).

The mystery and hyperbole that followed iamamiwhoami is one sure to become Internet legend and as much I enjoy listening to Kin, it's a very stimulating and aesthetically sound album, it also perhaps misses a little something that the earlier tracks had, the likes of "O" or "Y" or "John", were enigmatic and euphoric, Kin is slightly less instant and more of a combined experience. The likes of "In Due Order", "Good Worker" and "Sever" are evocative and emotional sure and showcase the boundary pushing creativity of the project but sometimes you want a killer hook too, which is something the live show had, a dramatic contrast of a white, pure opening half of glistening mood before switching to dark, black and sinister in the second.

Hopefully 2013 will bring more live shows and some more development of this extraordinary project.

Let's Buy Happiness - Facebook

Let's Buy Happiness are a band I've been following for a while, I've been smitten with the bands shimmering guitar lines and Sarah Hall's heavenly vocal purr since I first saw the band at The Great Escape in 2010. I originally picked them as one of my 'Tips for 2011', a year which saw them releases a couple singles ("Fast Fast" and "Dirty Lakes") and play a few high billing sets. I expected 2012 to be the year the band released their debut album and fulfilled all the blog praise received from people much more in the know than me. However, it hasn't quite turned out that way, besides a digital only single in June it's been pretty much silence from the North-East quartet.

The track was actually a re-working of an old Let's Buy Happiness too, "Works Better on Paper" was originally released on the debut LBH EP in 2010, this version was pared back from the original version with a gentle, languid tempo and delicate instrumentation making Sarah Hall's soft, celestial vocal the main instrument. It worked to perfection, magically complimenting sleepy drums and guitar effects, "Works Better on Better" was just overwhelmingly beautiful.

More good news is that the album looks to certainly be on the cards for next year, a series of in the studio shots on facebook confirm as much, one (more) for the 2013 list then!

Lucy Rose - Facebook

In short, Lucy Rose fulfilled the promise she'd shown during the previous couple of years in 2012. A heap of gigs (included selling out the rather massive Brixton Electric a couple of weeks back) throughout the year highlighted her soft, sensual vocals with a full touring band increasing her live dynamic from that on her (predominately) delicate record. Possessed with the type of voice that could soften even the hardest of souls, Lucy effortlessly melts hearts with her intimate songs that are often heartfelt, tender and soothing.

Her album Like I Used To came out in September and contains many of the tracks that propelled Lucy to UK blog darling status, "Middle of the Bed", "Red Face" and "Lines" all line-up alongside the likes of "Night Bus" and "First" which had both previously been fan favourites via some heavenly YouTube live videos, of the new tracks the beautiful "Shiver" impresses with fragile guitar lines and haunting emotion.

In 2012 Lucy has taken one step along her path to being a UK treasure.

iamamiwhoami #4 - Sever (video)

If like me you've been waiting and waiting (I'm not the most patient of person and six months is a long time!) for new iamamiwhoami, you can go to sleep a happy individual tonight, for today has given us just that.

We last saw Jonna Lee suggestively 'bopping' up and down on a bed of toilet rolls and walking naked through a overgrown field on "Clump" (if you've not seen the video, I promise I'm not making this shit up), today's track and accompanying video is a much 'simpler' affair, most of the artistic affects and pulsating synth ambience is gone, instead "Sever" is a clean, cold and haunting affair, downcast beats and mystical synth loops provide the soundtrack for a beautiful vocal performance for Jonna, like nothing released before it's an instant favourite with me.

As always with iamamiwhoami the video is equally interesting, I've absolutely no idea what is going on (I never do) but at least we now know what the honey monster gets up to in his spare time! A visual and aural treat, "Sever" will compel and hypnotise fans all over the world. Now about those UK shows....

Twenty Five of the Best Songs of 2011 - Part One

I almost didn't post this (there is an obvious element of repetition between this and my favourite albums of the year) but as it was half finished decided to see it through, posting the first half now and the second half a little later today... the following are twenty five of (let's face it there were a lot more than 25 great songs this year) my favourite tracks of the year, not specifically displayed in order, impossible task!

25. Wild Flag - Future Crimes
Posted 7th September: "A guitar heavy, spunky track with infectious riffs, dancing drums, playful organ and catchy lyrics"


24. Dark Dark Dark - Daydreaming
Posted 20th January: "...the lead track "Daydreaming" is a really treat, vivid landscapes created by the beautifuly complex yet delicate and well-crafted instrumentation, soulful vocals and soaring melodies."


23. Battlekat - All The Useless Things
Posted 18th October: "All The Useless Things" continues along a similar vein to the earlier tracks we've heard, combining radio-friendly electronica and experimental mysticism, its relentless, thumping beat might just be the best thing I've heard from them so far"


22. The National - Think You Can Wait
Posted 16th March: "A slow-burning ballad with some achingly beautiful orchestration and an intoxicating backing vocal from Sharon Van Etten. You may guess I'm a bit of a sucker for female vocals but Matt Berninger's is arguable one of the most striking and impressive of his generation, especially with such heart-wrenching emotional songs as this."


21. Fever Ray - The Wolf
Posted 8th March: "Karin has contributed a track to Catherine Hardwicke’s (Twilight) new film Red Riding Hood, as much as it pains me to say it with the Fever Ray / Gary Oldman presence the film looks horrendous... "The Wolf" however is anything but horrendous, it's a sinister and frankly insane track. I'm sure it fit's in well on the dark adaptation of the classic Grimm fairy tale, if this doesn't make you want to run naked through a wood then nothing will, be a bit chilly though..."


20. Cold Cave - The Great Pan Is Dead
Posted 8th February: " The song, “The Great Pan Is Dead” is fucking great, generating an almost indistinguishable explosive wall of noise, a pummelling beat accompanies fuzzy guitars all washed around with mind blowing synths. A massive statement for the new album, can't wait." Shame, for me at least the album turned to be slightly disappointing.


19. Help Stamp Out Loneliness - Record Shop
Posted 30th August: "The themes are not in your ordinary indie-pop territory, playful melodies often hiding bitter-sweet lyrics such as rock star stalking on "Record Shop" and the romances of Nico on opener "Cottonopolis And Promises" but it's just as accessible and alluring all the same. Vocalist D. Lucille's cool, nonchalant vocals sound in contrast to the instrumentation but it works perfectly, HSOL are simply glorious."


18. Softspot - Holy Father
Posted September 7th: ""Holy Father" is an absolute monster. It starts peaceful enough, Sarah's hauntingly beautiful voice hits you straight away, it's unique, stunning. Accompanied by the rat-a-tat of drum sticks, slowly increasing in intensity as Brian's textured guitars glisten on the edge simmering until finally it explodes, cumulating in a euphoric cataclysm of aural pleasure, heavy-hitting drums, guitar buzz and hard bass-line riffs"


17. Veronica Falls - Come on Over
Posted 11th July: "The outstanding and hopeful closure "Come on Over" is certainly one of the highlights of the album and contains just about everything I love about Veronica Falls, urgent pacing where cleverly constructed male/female vocal harmonies deliciously combine whilst infectious, head-nodding melodies which embed themselves around your brain"


16. Clytem Scanning - Massue
Posted 26th January: "it's propulsive industrial beat is intense, addictive, brilliant. Marianne's vocal pierces through and then there are the crunching, dirty, sludge-like guitar riffs. It's one of the best electro tracks I've heard this year"


15. iamamwhoiam - John
Posted 19th May: "iamamiwhoami is certainly no gimmick, her Knife-esque electro soundscapes push every known boundary with their overall presentation and artistic creativity. It's definitely ambitious and it's unbelievably stunning, take her come back track "; John" with a long sprawling and frankly creepily weird video (that's one hell of a lot of toilet roll!) it's just outstanding, perhaps surpassing her own highs heard on "O" and "Y" the additively melodic electro dance track is simply one of the best tracks you'll hear this year, iamamiwhoami have raised the bar again, I hope it's the start of a new series of clips from her."


14. Lykke Li - Sadness is a Blessing
Posted 1st March: "Wrapped around her intimate, vulnerable lyrics are amongst the most beautiful songs I've hard this year combining sumptuous melodies, Lykke's gorgeous voice and pounding, tribal percussion, lots of percussion... On the starkly arranged "Sadness is a Blessing" we hear a heartbroken Lykke sing with sincere emotional tenderness of a victim of unrequited love."


13. Planningtorock - Living It Out
Posted 17th September : "this invigorating single version features some frenetic strings and convoluting beats to improve an already stunning track. The video sees Janine mystical and menacing, prancing around the streets of Berlin in a hazy, funky stomp - sensational."

Tips For 2012 - Part Three

Just Music That I Like's Tips for 2012 - Part Three.

Previous parts can be found here: One // Two // Three // Four // Five


Fear of Men

Facebook

I recently called Esben and the Witch my favourite Brighton band so I'll call Fear of Men my favourite south-coast new band (although I think half the band are London based), either way I'm not one for geographical based disputes, I say I'm from London when I live 25 miles outside for a start and lived in the Midlands for over 2/3 of my life (currently), the UK based (there, debate over) four piece have caused quite the stir from the birth of their early demo tape featuring the endearing indie-pop beauty "Phantom Limb", full of fuzzed up energy, jangly guitars and gorgeous ethereal vocals. It took the blogging scene by storm early this year and has had the band on my 'ones to watch' lists ever since.

The followed it up with the stunning "Ritual Confession" 7" and more recently 'Alice Munro Demos', the lead track "Doldrums" is the polar-opposite of its title; shimmery, swirling guitar lines lead the way with Jess's voice possible the most beautiful we've heard it yet back by gentle rat-a-tat drums. I've still only seen them once (well and the last 30 seconds of another gig after travelling across London from elsewhere hoping to catch them - I didn't), so that is something to be corrected next year. Hopefully they'll be plenty of chances to do just that, as well as some new releases to drool over too.

Doldrums by FEAROFMEN


Fear of Men - Ritual Confession from Josh Cowdry on Vimeo.

iamamiwhoami

Facebook

iamamiwhoami, arguably the largest act on my tips list by some distance has created a plethora of fanboy attention and blogging hypebole thanks to a mysterious viral Internet launch that took quite some time to discover as the work of Jonna Lee, she / they've (still no conclusive evidence to know if it's an act lead by Jonna or the work of Jonna) have still only played one gig, in Stockholm in August and spent 2011 relatively quiet, though managing to release one of the best tracks of the year in "John", which along with the exquisite 2010 EP 'B-O-U-N-T-Y' leads iamamiwhoami, in my view, to be one of the most compelling acts of today.

Her combination of innovative, boundary pushing ambitions, creative (and frankly creepily weird) artistry through imaginative use of natural landscapes and sexually suggestive metaphors in her videos and some of the best synth-based atmospheric / Knife-esque electro soundscapes I've ever heard is equally spectacular and captivating. Everything so far has been so polished, so perfect, there's clearly someone with deep purse strings behind the project. Yet one big question remains... Will 2012 see iamamiwhoami finally break all the Houdini antics and play some real shows, release something physical and justify all the hype? I think so and I cannot wait.

Iamamiwhoami: y



Let's Buy Happiness

Facebook

One of the (two) carry forwards from my tips for 2011, Let's Buy Happiness had a fine 2011 as I reported a couple of weeks back, their two released singles "Fast Fast" and "Dirty Lakes" were equally shimmering, joyous and celestial, there have been numerous well received gigs and a growing army of fans yet we've been made been made to wait for the debut album, which gives me every reason to firmly believe that 2012 promises to be the year.

There have been a few previews, "Clean Mistake", "Skinny Moon" and "Crooks" have all be staples in the live set for a few months and promise big, big things. If you want a cheeky look in at their live set, head here for an eight song set at London's XOYO a little while back - delicious.

I don't need to add much more, LBH are in the top ten of my most featured acts on this blog, if you're late to the party, listen below and fall in love.

Fast Fast by letsbuyhappiness

iamamiwhoami #2 - Clump

Jonna Lee is back with new track "Clump", the video picks off where "John" ended with Jonna on a bed a loo rolls, yes indeed. It's incredibly well put together (you wouldn't expect anything else from this project either) and is pretty intense, sexually suggestive as Jonna 'bops' suggestively whilst starring directly at the camera. iamamiwhoami is definitely one of the most creative artist producing today. The track is great too, a dirty rhythmic synth dance beat. I'm sure I said this last time I posted about her, but I'd absolutely love a well put together vinyl release of all her tracks thus far.

iamamiwhoami make their live debut next week 12 August at Way Out West festival, I'll certainly be reading the reviews and awaiting the London dates. Soon surely?



iamamiwhoami - Clump

iamamiwhoami - ; john

It's rare for me to post about a 'mainstream' artist (and by mainstream I mean someone capable of 62k's worth of views in four days) because there are so many sites telling you about them that if you first read about them here then it's likely that you are my Mum.

However, I'm going to make a brief exception and post about iamamiwhoami (still not confirmed but reported to be Swedish artist Jonna Lee) who has perhaps created the best viral musical campaign to hit internet to date (and spawned hundreds of other mysterious, anonymous project to boot). She's successfully managed to create the an army of devote followers with a dozen or so YouTube and iTunes tracks that it does make you wonder if the days of physical projects are numbered (though I doubt it and think not - I'm sure I'm one of many who'd love a physical copy of her releases to date with beautiful artwork, a supporting DVD etc, yeah it would be amazing).

Now I'm not going to go into the in's and out's of her visual themes etc - if you want that check out this wiki page - but iamamiwhoami is certainly no gimmick, her Knife-esque electro soundscapes push every known boundary with their overall presentation and artistic creativity. It's definitely ambitious and it's unbelievably stunning, take her come back track (her BOUNTY series was almost a year ago now) "; John" with a long sprawling and frankly creepily weird video (that's one hell of a lot of toilet roll!) it's just outstanding, perhaps surpassing her own highs heard on "O" and "Y" the addictively melodic electro dance track is simply one of the best tracks you'll hear this year, iamamiwhoami have raised the bar again, I hope it's the start of a new series of clips from her.

As well as her earlier tracks, I highly recommend you track down her live video performance too, it defies the word sublime.



iamamiwhoami - ; john