10. Lazy Day - With My Mind
"With My Mind" is most fully realised track that Tilly has released thus far under her Lazy Day pseudonym. Earlier tracks shared on her Soundcloud suited the band name (currently just Tilly, with hopefully a live band and dates to follow) perfectly, full of plaintive daydreams and spacious, echoed vocals. "With My Mind" takes that further with a brooding intensity and a hypnotic guitar riff that will embed itself in your brain, couple it with Tilly's magnetic voice, her sumptuous, soothing tones wrap around you and soon you're lost deep within.
9. Rae Morris - Skin
Rae returns to make 2014 her own with a new track "Skin", easily her finest to date and as devastating a moment as the year has offered us to date. "Skin", and please excuse the pun, gets under exactly that as metronomic piano chords chime with elegant simplicity amongst delicate vocals and luscious string instrumentation. It's all beautifully timed and Rae's lyrics possess a dark, haunting edge, the result is sure to bring goose-bumps to listeners all over.
8.Sea Change - Bridges
Sea Change (aka Ellen Sundes) was one of my revelations at The Great Escape (and judging by the reviews I've read, many others too). Even as an act I'd blogged about before the festival I was taken aback by her live show, performing as a trio in a pitch black (and tiny) basement I saw as intense and chilly a set I've ever, extraordinarily dark, her (surprisingly) epic electronic soundscapes and bass guitar rhythms combined perfectly around her undeniably sweet, ethereal vocal. It was simply stunning. The studio version of "Bridges" was released a couple of days before I departed for Brighton and with some distance from that performance the track still mesmerises, it starts relatively calm with ambient glitches, effects and spectral vocals immersing you within its hypnotic, dream-like state before spiraling to a searing finale of electronic noise, guitar and emotion.
7. The Night VI - Sienna
"Sienna" is simply magnificent, built around the crystal clear voice of Sophie-Rose, here filled with more heartache and emotion that you could bottle, the track will connect with anyone whose ever let someone they love slip through their fingers (pretty sure that's most of us) and supported by spacious, blissed-out instrumentation it provides an irresistible listen from its first to last moment.
6. Lykke Li - Love Me Like I'm Not Made Of Stone
...sparse and confessional with languid, haunting acoustic echoes the sole accompaniment for Lykke's devastating delivery, you can tangibly feel her emotion throughout - what a beauty.
5. Sophie Jamieson - Stain / Other
"Stain" leaves exactly that on you, combining Sophie's delectable vocals, heart shattering lyrics and restrained instrumentation, the perfect marriage of space and structure to get under your skin with spine-tingling effect. The track comes backed with "Other", a fully realised beauty which highlights her bands influence more than ever. A stark, haunting drip feed of emotion.
4. Eliza Shaddad - You For Me
Labelled as a radio edit and yet six minutes in length (that's the same length as Bohemian Rhapsody, a story I'm sure we've all heard) the track epitomises the soft and graceful style of Eliza's music. "You For Me" really is as pretty a moment as I've heard all year, a genuine love song with ringing guitar patterns and a delicate, haunting backdrop which slowly introduces Eliza's stunning vocals, gorgeous and defiant, here coupled with lyrics as optimistic and heartfelt as you're ever likely to hear. "You For Me" is the sort of track that will bring you to a stand still whatever you are doing - simply magical.
3. Lisa Alma - Bittersweet
"Bittersweet", comes backed with a beautiful, pure black and white video, the imagery the perfect compliment to the track which leaves you longing, desperate for more. Backed by little more than subtle drum pad beats and minimal, spacious synths it's Lisa's vocal that steals the show and has me hooked. It immediately makes me think of Prince's falsetto, not just any old Prince either, the Purple One at his 80's best, seducing with every note, whispered, extended words that make you fall hopelessly under their spell. I love the extended outro too, with a smouldering guitar that captures the feeling of the track, just bloody gorgeous.
2. Broken Twin - In Dreams
A true highlight of an extraordinay album, as intimate and arresting an experience as music can offer
1. Shura - Touch
effortlessly sexy / cool melody that swoons amongst soft-glittering electronics and Shura's luxurious vocal, its simple and refined and despite its lyrics of "I wanna touch you but it's too late, I wanna touch you but there's history..." is straight-up baby-making music.
Hands down track of the year so far. Go and give it your love. 550k+ plays, Wow!!
Monday, 30 June 2014
The Best Tracks of 2014 So Far (Part One)...
It's the mid-point of the year so I thought what better time for me to join in with the endless 'best tracks of the year so far' type posts... As you're reading this I'm probably just about getting home from Glastonbury but in no fit state to blog, so this post is a pre-write... I won't waffle too much, just copy my initial comments on tracks and add clips / link so you can listen to my twenty one favourite tracks of 2014 so far (it was twenty but I remember one I missed!). Eleven below in this post with ten more following in part two in precisely one minutes time. As ever with a list, it's ever-changing and I've probably forgot a couple of tracks too!
Before pedantic comments come out, a couple of these could technically be 2013 tracks but they are new to me in 2014, that's all that matters...
21. Tennis - Never Work For Free
...a slice of infectious, 80's leaning pure candy-pop propelled by a repeating drum beat, breezy guitars and shiny synth lines, it gives Alaina Moore's the freedom to soar with her timeless sounding vocal. The result is instant love and smiles.
20. Marissa Nadler - Dead City Emily
...sitting in the same realms of dark melancholy "Dead City Emily" is equally rewarding, with a pretty guitar melody creating a serenely beautiful mood around a soft soothing vocal, it's the sort of thing dreams are made of, comforting you like a warming blanket on a chilly, cold night.
19. Ottilia - Siren
"Siren" is as minimal as they come, much likes last years "and then he said" demo and causes goosebumps with little more than Ottilia's woozy, lovelorn voice, the repeated, haunted vocal of "Don't go home with me, I'm a siren" and the lullaby echoes of an acoustic guitar, it's all that is needed to be carried away by this intoxicating, emotive beauty.
18. Abbey Bowden - Dust
"Dust", recorded live for Basement Sessions, sees Abbey sitting in a dimly lit room with pictures of singers hanging on the walls alone with her guitar. What comes to pass over the next four minutes is as cathartic experience as music can bring, a real send shivers down your spine moment as Abbey's soulful, emotive vocal purrs over delicate finger-plucked acoustic, utterly, utterly transfixing.
17. Layla - Black Mud
"Black Mud" aims to hit at your emotions, that much becomes clear after mere seconds as piano twinkles are joined by a string orchestra and Layla's soulful voice, they ebb and flow in perfect harmony with the instrumentation, one moment delicate, tender and pure, the next strong, passionate flourishes. The result leaves me swooning all over.
16. Ice Cream Cathedral - The Swans
A bizarre yet incredible single "The Swans" Immediately takes the trios self-defined genre of 'space pop' to the next level with a video that sees the band on an intergalactic journey across the universe propelled by subterranean beats and dreamy, Blade Runner esque atmosphere. It's not just Anja T. Lahrmann's breathy, soothing vocals that draws instant comparison with Annie Clark's but the magical sonic palette that "The Swans" follows, deliciously offbeat, eccentric and unpredictable, woozy synths are complemented by soaring guitars and all manner of 'space' effects and then at the four minute mark the bizarre turns into the unfathomable when the video sees the trio arrive on a barren looking planet inhabited by gigantic dogs (really) as the track morphs into an elongated instrumental ending of stark instrumentation and galloping beats. Quite the introduction!
15. Alexandra Stewart - I Grow
The skeletal beauty "I Grow" is led by melancholic piano and understated instrumentation which beguiles around a soft, dreamy atmosphere and Alex's soft, luscious vocal. The sort of voice that carries your mind away and here I'm left with my eyes closed and transported to somewhere as beautiful as the artwork that comes supplied on the soundcloud link. After three and a half minutes the track surprises, morphing from plaintive piano-ballad to something akin to a slow-motion Dirty Projectors at their finest, with ambient guitar shimmers and pared-down drums closing the track with the repeated whispers of the title. Absolutely gorgeous is this and that will do just fine for me today.
14. Eliot Sumner - Information
A surging drum march drives the synth-and-strings track forward with gorgeous shimmering guitars dueling with korg keys, it's Toy-esque both in terms of its dense, extended Motorik rhythms and progressive, glistening melody. "Information" keeps on giving throughout its seven minute duration, Eliot's soaring, impassioned vocal is just the icing on the cake.
13. Aldous Harding - Hunter
"Hunter" is taken from Aldous' self-titled debut album and now comes backed with a rather fittingly chilly, brooding video. The track is the sumptuous feast of rich musical landscape and fragile, haunting vocals from the get-go, Aldous blends a style not dissimilar from Joanna Newsom with touches of Joni Mitchell, with subtle, weaving melody and intriguing lyrics full of lovely imagery and extraordinary beauty carrying off to places warm and brilliant. It's just a shame you have to get on with your real life after. Here's a talent that can't stay hidden for long.
12. Hunt - Reset My Bones
Entwined around the poem "Jellyfish" by Andrea Gibson the track is heady mix of melody, emotion and beauty. It begins with a slow, longing introduction, built around a fuzzy bass line, metronomic drums and shimmering guitars before climaxing with a luscious crescendo of post rock noise and atmosphere and gorgeous, hazy vocal harmonies, light and dark merge effortlessly and my heart is instantly melted. Those drums at the end too...
11. First Aid Kit - Cedar Lane
Cedar Lane" is a rich, sumptuous beauty with slide guitar melody and heart melting vocals, just the sort of thing we've become accustomed to from the duo.
Before pedantic comments come out, a couple of these could technically be 2013 tracks but they are new to me in 2014, that's all that matters...
21. Tennis - Never Work For Free
...a slice of infectious, 80's leaning pure candy-pop propelled by a repeating drum beat, breezy guitars and shiny synth lines, it gives Alaina Moore's the freedom to soar with her timeless sounding vocal. The result is instant love and smiles.
20. Marissa Nadler - Dead City Emily
...sitting in the same realms of dark melancholy "Dead City Emily" is equally rewarding, with a pretty guitar melody creating a serenely beautiful mood around a soft soothing vocal, it's the sort of thing dreams are made of, comforting you like a warming blanket on a chilly, cold night.
19. Ottilia - Siren
"Siren" is as minimal as they come, much likes last years "and then he said" demo and causes goosebumps with little more than Ottilia's woozy, lovelorn voice, the repeated, haunted vocal of "Don't go home with me, I'm a siren" and the lullaby echoes of an acoustic guitar, it's all that is needed to be carried away by this intoxicating, emotive beauty.
18. Abbey Bowden - Dust
"Dust", recorded live for Basement Sessions, sees Abbey sitting in a dimly lit room with pictures of singers hanging on the walls alone with her guitar. What comes to pass over the next four minutes is as cathartic experience as music can bring, a real send shivers down your spine moment as Abbey's soulful, emotive vocal purrs over delicate finger-plucked acoustic, utterly, utterly transfixing.
17. Layla - Black Mud
"Black Mud" aims to hit at your emotions, that much becomes clear after mere seconds as piano twinkles are joined by a string orchestra and Layla's soulful voice, they ebb and flow in perfect harmony with the instrumentation, one moment delicate, tender and pure, the next strong, passionate flourishes. The result leaves me swooning all over.
16. Ice Cream Cathedral - The Swans
A bizarre yet incredible single "The Swans" Immediately takes the trios self-defined genre of 'space pop' to the next level with a video that sees the band on an intergalactic journey across the universe propelled by subterranean beats and dreamy, Blade Runner esque atmosphere. It's not just Anja T. Lahrmann's breathy, soothing vocals that draws instant comparison with Annie Clark's but the magical sonic palette that "The Swans" follows, deliciously offbeat, eccentric and unpredictable, woozy synths are complemented by soaring guitars and all manner of 'space' effects and then at the four minute mark the bizarre turns into the unfathomable when the video sees the trio arrive on a barren looking planet inhabited by gigantic dogs (really) as the track morphs into an elongated instrumental ending of stark instrumentation and galloping beats. Quite the introduction!
15. Alexandra Stewart - I Grow
The skeletal beauty "I Grow" is led by melancholic piano and understated instrumentation which beguiles around a soft, dreamy atmosphere and Alex's soft, luscious vocal. The sort of voice that carries your mind away and here I'm left with my eyes closed and transported to somewhere as beautiful as the artwork that comes supplied on the soundcloud link. After three and a half minutes the track surprises, morphing from plaintive piano-ballad to something akin to a slow-motion Dirty Projectors at their finest, with ambient guitar shimmers and pared-down drums closing the track with the repeated whispers of the title. Absolutely gorgeous is this and that will do just fine for me today.
14. Eliot Sumner - Information
A surging drum march drives the synth-and-strings track forward with gorgeous shimmering guitars dueling with korg keys, it's Toy-esque both in terms of its dense, extended Motorik rhythms and progressive, glistening melody. "Information" keeps on giving throughout its seven minute duration, Eliot's soaring, impassioned vocal is just the icing on the cake.
13. Aldous Harding - Hunter
"Hunter" is taken from Aldous' self-titled debut album and now comes backed with a rather fittingly chilly, brooding video. The track is the sumptuous feast of rich musical landscape and fragile, haunting vocals from the get-go, Aldous blends a style not dissimilar from Joanna Newsom with touches of Joni Mitchell, with subtle, weaving melody and intriguing lyrics full of lovely imagery and extraordinary beauty carrying off to places warm and brilliant. It's just a shame you have to get on with your real life after. Here's a talent that can't stay hidden for long.
12. Hunt - Reset My Bones
Entwined around the poem "Jellyfish" by Andrea Gibson the track is heady mix of melody, emotion and beauty. It begins with a slow, longing introduction, built around a fuzzy bass line, metronomic drums and shimmering guitars before climaxing with a luscious crescendo of post rock noise and atmosphere and gorgeous, hazy vocal harmonies, light and dark merge effortlessly and my heart is instantly melted. Those drums at the end too...
11. First Aid Kit - Cedar Lane
Cedar Lane" is a rich, sumptuous beauty with slide guitar melody and heart melting vocals, just the sort of thing we've become accustomed to from the duo.
Friday, 27 June 2014
Dream Lake #2 - Let Us Stay In the Light
A welcome return now to Dream Lake whom are here to confuse us with light based songs... Following their track "In the Light" with new one "Let Us Stay In The Light", arguably the duo's slickest and most realised track to date.
A heavenly, dreamlike experience from beginning to end built around an uplifting piano melody and airy synthetic beats with the intoxicating, wistful/angelic vocals of Isabella Svärdstam sounding more serene than ever. It's a delicate, beautiful and fresh listen and marks the Swedish pair as an essential band for fans of nostalgic dream-pop to follow.
The track is available on iTunes now.
Thursday, 26 June 2014
Zola Jesus #17 - Dangerous Days
It takes precisely three seconds for you to know "Dangerous Days" is a Zola Jesus track, so distinguishable is Nika's vocal. The song is the first track taken from her forthcoming album Taiga and her first for new label Mute.
Fans of old, (and by that I mean post Stridulum, perhaps now regarded as her debut, certainly the first of her pop albums) will be happy, there's much akin to Conatus here, an expansive combination of pulsating beats and propeller like effects in which Nika's incredible vocal soars even higher. The name of the album is apparently a homage to her homelands, she's certainly gone big. I've blogged about her seventeen times now, I think that's indication alone that I'm happy with that.
The track is available to download free via ZolaJesus.com. Taiga follows in October.
Black Honey - New Music "Introducing"
Black Honey released their debut track "Sleep Forever" yesterday with no press release or details of their members, so for now we'll simply let the music do the talking (which I what I do all the time to be honest, liking a band for reasons other than music is a little bit perplexing to me). The track instantly ticks most of my boxes...
Think Widowspeak meets Lana with languid, dusty guitar twangs shimmering around hollow drum beats and a luxurious, alluring vocal pulling you deep within its absorbing atmosphere around the repeated cries of "I wish I could sleep forever with you".
I'd call that a great start.
Wednesday, 25 June 2014
Ibeyi - New Music "Introducing"
I don't know much about this band, Ibeyi have recently signed to XL Recordings and are French/Cuban twin sisters, that's about it. Oh, and this, their stunning debut track "Oya"...
Throughout the production is polished and rich but it takes nothing away from the spiritual mood that dominates. Building amongst layers of ghostly harmonies, what begins as a haunting, sombre and mysterious march morphs half way to something bigger and bolder with the introduction of strong percussion and soaring harmonies that combine English with a language I cannot place - from reading a couple of other pieces on the band it is perhaps Yoruba. In any case, a dark, chilly beauty awaits...
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