Everything By Electricity #3 - Novocaine

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Everything By Electricity return with new / old song "Novocaine" which is actually one of three tracks which took my fancy way back when (March 2012), now re-birthed with a more synthetic sound the London based trio have given the track a similar make-over, the result is equally spectacular...

Whilst not completely gone, the anthemic, ringing power pop guitar chords have been transformed with layers of glistening electronic beauty, slower and infinitely more beautiful than ever before "Novocaine" now drips with icy cool synths and soft, silky vocals throughout and to put it simply, is adjective defying gorgeous.

Now all we're missing is live shows and a release date...

Dott #2 - Day That I Found You

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Dott produced one of the songs of last summer with the super sweet should-have-been pop hit brilliance of "Let's Do It", now twelve months later the Galway based quartet return with news of a debut album Swoon, due November 5th via Graveface Records and not one but two tracks that will be included on it to stream...

Those familiar with last years Button EP will be instantly familiar with the sounds of "Day That I Found You", where beautiful pop harmonies and crunching guitar riffs echo around precise drum beats that immediately create nice, shiny thoughts in your mind. Similarly "Start All Over" is filled with a sense of youthful energy and combines 60's inflected garage rock and Spector group vocals with effortless ease.

Dott create nostalgic and infectious tunes that are easy to connect with whilst their pure and warming pop melodies wash over you with a dreamlike blanket - what's not to like...

Pascal Pinon - Twosomeness

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Musical discoveries can happen at any time, you don't have to find an artist when they've two dozen fans on Facebook or discover them on a buzz-blog to become a new fan of an artist, you can create the same bond with acts news or old (although this blog does tend to focus on acts still producing music today) whenever you happen to stumble across them, which leads me to Pascal Pinon, my latest 'overdue' discovery...

The twin pairing of Jófríður and Ásthildur from Reykjavík, Iceland Pascal Pinon released their second album Twosomeness back in January and played in London back in March. Since my discovery last weekend I've ordered the record (available via Norman Records in the UK) and whilst I'm waiting for it to arrive I have been enjoying the two tracks I'm going to focus on here.

"Bloom" is all beautiful, spine-tingling atmosphere, equal parts haunting emotion and other-worldy fogginess, like a hazy dawn on a dazzling summer day, the sparse, disarming instrumentation creates an intimate backdrop for the sisters' beguiling harmonies, their soft, gentle whispers and poetic songcraft captivates from beginning to end.

A similar feast for your senses can be heard on "When I Can't Sleep", like-wise minimalist and perfectly constructed, where a charming melody of twinkling keys and glockenspiel creates widescreen dreamscapes to completely immerse yourself in - I'm completely hooked and 2013 has another album to add to the potential end of year lists.

Oh Land #2 - Renaissance Girls

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Pop music isn't generally my "thing" but I have always been prone to the odd stray towards the mainstream - not manufactured I'll add - Lana Del Rey was my album of the year last year after-all (a few of you may raise an eyebrow after the comment I just made!). Other occasions in memory include Alphabeat, whose debut album and shows (yes, I saw them twice) at The Great Escape in 2010(?) were nothing short of mood-enhancing wonders and then Oh Land, who flutters multiple genres within her dance-floor friendly Scandipop anthems.

I first fell for her music back at Glastonbury 2011 whereI saw her perform two intimate shows, at The Crows Nest and The Rabbit Hole, one half-acoustic which highlighted a truly breathtaking ethereal voice and one 'proper' set full of dynamic, kinetic energy and propulsive pop hits. Do also check out her version of "Bloodbuzz Ohio" - it's a totally different take on the track and I think it's rather great.

Anyway, the reason I'm here is for Oh Land's come-back single, taken from the follow up to 2011's self-titled second album (Wish Bone due September 24 via Federal Prism), "Renaissance Girls" could almost be a sister track to earlier songs "Sun of a Gun" and "White Nights", full of clattering beats and ultra-infectious rhythms topped by Nanna's soaring vocals - it's about the best power pop song I've heard all year.

Haim #5 - The Wire

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I'd been thinking that it was about time for a new Haim track, we heard their last single "Falling" way back in February and sure enough on Monday night we saw the Internet go crazy for the sister's new track "The Wire", well when I say the Internet I mean that relatively of course but I doubt my little blog is the first time you've heard from the Los Angeles trio this week...

"The Wire" isn't a brand new track, it made its debut at live shows last year soon becoming a mainstay of the set and also features on a much shared Daytrotter session. The studio version is a typically polished affair which plays to all the Haim trademarks so far, a timeless 80's chart atmosphere, an abundance of hooks and wonderful vocal interplay which comes as close to the countless Fleetwood Mac comparisons we've all seen written about.

There is perhaps some loss of exuberance and raw appeal in the transfer from the live version but I could say that about all Haim tracks so far - I'm not alone in thinking this band come into their own in the live arena - overall "The Wire" is as confident as anything we've heard so far, even if perhaps not as commercial as "Forever" or as slick as "Send Me Down", it's still a sure-fire radio hit in the making from 2013's blog darlings (with exceptions before you start!).

"The Wire" is released 23rd September with Haim's debut album apparently nearing completion -that's sure to be an absolute stormer. 

Chelsea Burgin - New Music "Introducing"

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Crack in the Road turned me on to this track by Chelsea Burgin and I love it so much here I am posting about it with the song playing on repeat soon afterwards, her Soundcloud is the only online presence I found and this track "Pocketful of Dreams" is the only track to be found on it at present but with a post on The Recommender as long ago as December 2011 stating 'dozens of demos' it's clear that this is not the start of a new act, I'll concentrate on this track though as it's my own only reference point thus far....

"Pocketful of Dreams" intoxicates immediately and makes me ache all over, the perfect late-at-night soundtrack to those intimate, wistful moments, with a hazy, broken-hearted romanticism filling the air as Chelsea's beautiful, soothing vocals beguile at every word. The melody is simple, just basic guitar strums and echoes - it's all that's needed to bring goosebumps. How I wish I was there to hear those demos nearly two years ago. More soon I hope.