Animal Collective return with their first single from the new album, Strawberry Jam. Their first for Domino. Yeah, that's right - Domino. So they're now label mates with Franz Ferdinand, Artic Monkeys et al - mad isn't it. So you'd think they might've changed their tone to sound more... accessible? Well, no not exactly. They're still as lovely as we've known them to be. Which we've got to thank them for. Fireworks, which was released on the 5th November (yes, we've got a theme), is like their previous tunes - a multi-layered kaleidoscope of trippy sounds into what could be considered their most 'dance' like tune yet. 'Dance to Animal Collective???' you say? Definitely. Whilst this is just as wierd as some of their other stuff, with the mad samples plotted over insane melodies and Avey Tares singing - it's also just as beautiful. And the fact that they're more out in the open now than they've ever been brings a big smile to my face...
Saturation Point - Three Point Two (Very Friendly)
It's always nice to have some sort of meat grinding, hard-hitting single which'll come at you like a devilish tornado - ready to whisk you away to wherever it happens to be going. Well, 'Saturation Point' - who are completely new to me, were my biggest suprise out of a pack of singles. Lead track 'Three Point Two' is an adrenaline thrashing guitar metal-rock rush hitting just over 3 minutes. It's like Mogwai when they're dangerous. Insane wah-wah effects over hard hitting riffs with pounding drums to suit - they'll hit you and they'll hit you hard. Top stuff. Reminds me of Mogwai's 'My Father My King', only shorter - obviously.
After that we got the slightly less climatic 'Four Point One', which builds more on the electronics - but still as good as Three Point Two. This is more like an aftermath. Or you could say the real aftermath is 'Three Point Six'. Still high on the post-rock, but a nice finish. A little like 'Explosions In The Sky'. Not bad for a single really...
Athlete - Hurricane
The new single from Athlete is quite a mellow'ish guitar song which doesn't really have any proper hooks to it, but still manages quite well to lead you along without getting too bored. Like a Coldplay b-side. Nothing special, but nice. The instrumental is just what it says - the same track without vocals. So if you got too depressed by the fellas vocal touch, you're sorted.
Robots In Disguise - The Sex Has Made Me Stupid
I've been hearing a lot about these in the press lately... electro-pop sweetness like another Gossip. Quite sure to be a nice indie-pop hit. This single version comes with 6 remixes which nicely compliment the single.
The Holloways - Two Left Feet 07
This is a re-release of their debut single, which is another nice little indie-number. It sounds quite Libertines with a little Smiths reference within. S'alright like...
Milburn - (What Will You Do) When The Money Goes
This new single from Milburn which prepares us for the album, is another typical slab of laddish indie-pop with boys and guitars. It'll appear to the young guns that enjoy this stuff today. Heck, it's alright - I could dance to this! But erm... it doesn't go further than that. Stick it in that pile of CD's with the other indie-bands out there. Yeah, that mahoosive one!
Kontakte - Transmitter/Reciever 7"
The new single here on Enraptured holds heart to the lush electro space-rock type stuff (with a dabble of psych) that they sometimes put out. This is exactly what Transmitter/Reciever is! It's like sounds from the future! Or from space and beyond! YEAH! Whilst 'Sterile World' takes on more of a Spacemen 3 type vibe, with digitised vocals on top. Wooh yes!....
Dan Deacon - The Crystal Cat
This is the first single to the Balitmore based fellas album 'Spiderman Of The Rings'. It's a two song, 6 minute single of synthesised vocals, plenty of pedals and a casio tone all codensed into fantastic, catchy tracks of electropop. Sounding like a mixture of Beck and Aphex Twin. C'mon - join the cool guys - give this a listen...
If I'm gonna be honest here, this is my full introduction of attention to Interpol. And this sounds like Editors, Joy Division and The Killers at the same time. Which isn't a bad thing at all. But to be honest, I'm not hooked. It's slightly epic in sound with those roaring guitars which flirt with the higher tones, but there's not much more than that... Lets see what the album sounds like...
The Gossip - Jealous Girls
For anyone being introduced to the Gossip - this single gives you a great idea of how great they are. And why they've been on TV/Radio/in Magazines etc etc for ages. And why you should like them. Why? Well, immediately I'm forced to headbang to the cranky jagged guitars on here. Beth Ditto is everything cool, and this deserves to be played loud! The hook on these riffs is just unjustifiable until you've witnessed...
Two versions of 'Jealous Girls', the more laid back but still stinging 'Coal To Diamonds', and a supposed video which won't play on my comp.... hmmm... time to rewind back to the start then! Wooh!
Codes In Clouds - Distant Street Lights/Fractures
Codes In The Clouds are a post-rock band from Kent, Signed to Erased Tapes. And here what I'm reviewing is their debut single 'Distant Street Lights/Factures'. Distance is quite promising - deep pounding drums, to shoegazing guitars and xylophone type string pluckery. This covers the majority of the track, until it goes all KABOOM! into a Mogwai style attack.
'Fractures' is a louder affair, but no less seductive.
A promising new band - IF they manage to break some boundaries with the ongoing post-rock signature. With this debut single, they're possibly on their way...
The Arcade Fire - No Cars Go
For those who know - this is a song which has been around for some time. It was first broadcast on the BBC when the Arcade Fire did a session for Radio 2 (I think). Since then, they've re-recorded it to include those 'proper' strings which Win Butler originally wanted, into a more powerful song blending indie with the classical (classic-indie?). Whilst it's an amazing song - there's just something about the original recording which feels..... better?
I don't know - but regardless, it's still an amazing song. Lonely but fulfilling. Displaying what the Arcade Fire do best!
The Yellow Moon Band - Entangle
The debut single here from the curators of the Green Man Festival - what a killer! A slice or prog-rock should we say? Well, whatever you'd call it - it's damn fiiiiiiiiiine! Odd guitar riffs colliding together into a mix which is out of control, but yet beautifully in control at the same time. This is summer rock to crave for, and make yourself stand out from the cool bunch as being the coolest. Simply awesome! B-side is just as strong as the A-side, so I'll consider this a killer once more!
Hands up who was expecting this?!... Bjork has returned to a more pop-style route with her new single Earth Intruders, which could push her music into a popular audience. Hey! It might even educate! (checking out her past stuff). Here we have Timbaland beats and a dance floor hooker with Bjorks lovely voice striking once again, full of energy! That Nelly Furtado comparison might not actually be that far off... fookin great stuff! Out now on One Little Indian, and also to buy digitally from most popular digital sellers...
The Laughing Windows - Opel Hair/Growing Pains
This new band signed to the new Battered Ornaments label is just a spot on fantastic! Side A is more folk oriented on Opel Hair and B is more upbeat - yet both are quite haunting. Opel Hair has the slow creepy bassline towards the second half, long in the thread but highly addictive! Whereas b-side 'Growing Pains' hightens the paranoia into a filmesque soundtrack. Killer stuff, even as 'unfinished' tracks! I eagerly await the new stuff when it comes...
Roys Iron DNA - Silent Majority / Soon You'll Know
This hot new single from Roys Iron DNA presents with me something like Unkle fronted by that Editors fella. Electro drums to loud ambient 'scapes - it starts as an electro beat before climaxing with some ace drums, finishing off into mellow ambience. Wonderful.
Record Collector praises them with "This is A VERY interesting band…", and I can only agree!
New single from U R Penetrators starts off with some bongo like drums and follows on with this Fanz Ferdinand 'Do You Want To' type vibe - highly penetrating (excuse the pun!), yet highly effective! Whereas 'I Want You' takes us to the Disco with a smooth riff in the background. Finishing off with 'New York' - this is a DEFINITE hook! It's full of high adrenaline from that marching riffage and their determined vocals "I Wanna Live In New York! Yeah Oh Yeah!".... I'll come with you!
I'm countin' the days till these take people by storm...
Bonde do Role are the new signing to Domino, and their commercial potential is HUGE! They have this retro Nintendo beat mixed with a style reminding me of MIA gone Brazilian. It's like a new take on R'n'B, which I can actually deal with!
On the new single here we have multiple track dancorama, brought to us by the Bonde people, with a little help from Diplo (he discovered them) and Afra (beatbox). On the 2nd track, DJ Chernobyl adds a producing hand... although that doesn't mean much as I've not heard the guy. Still, big it up for these people, as we have some new cool kids in town! WOOT!
VWF - Let It Go
The new single from VWF is a kinda marching, droney track like it's from the 80's with vocals like The Killers. Maybe Death In Vegas fronted by Brandon Flowers. The guitar riff is a bit of an adrenaline pusher, with some nice brass in the background. Are we gonna see these supporting the big boys and girls soon? I definitely hope so!
Oh, and VWF stands for Vibration White Finger. Yeah!
Being hailed as the english Beck, although looking more like Devendra Banhart, Pop Levi is a promising, exciting new figure in current music blending pop with rock 'n roll to create something hugely appealable.
His new single lifted from his album 'Return To Form Black Magick Party' comes forth with four different versions of the Pick-Me-Up track, along with 'Hollywood' version of Skip Ghetto - which is nicely dreamy and atmospheric with pianos. Lush.
Hear and watch Pick-Me-Up Uppercut on youtube -here.
Panda Bear - Bros
New single from Animal Collective founder 'Panda Bear'. Freaky stuff!
The preview single to Slipstreams new album out later this year. Psychedelic disco-pop guaranteed to add some cutting edge to the whole 'Disco DJ' meaning...
New single from Various Production, but the first from them to suprise my ears. They've got labels like the Leaf, Planet Mu and Warp competing to sign them on, and they sound like a cross between Dizzee Rascal and The Prodigy (in their eariier days). This is damn Killer 7" of gorgeous hip hop/drum 'n bass goodness!
Tokyo Police Club
New single from Memphis Industries signings 'Tokyo Police Club' draws this Strokes vibe on 'Cheer It On', whereas 'Citizens Of Tomorrow' (Space Ballad Version) is a light piano ballad cover of their own album track, drawing on the calm vocals. I can see these being a key figure in the Indie scene soon enough!
