DEAD SKELETONS, YOUNG MAN plus QUANTIC, ALICE RUSSELL & COMBO
December 23rd, 2011 by admin
DEAD SKELETONS ‘Om Mani Peme Hung’ is both unpronounceable and indescribable, despite this fact I’m going to make a brief attempt unburdened by the futility of the task. I’d say it sounds like the soundtrack to an Indian space programme totally staffed by Americans and Aborigines, yah get me?
YOUNG MAN’s ‘Who Knows’ does that tricky electronic music ‘thing’, it has the vibe of a cross-over track whilst maintaining its soul and yeah, as snobby as it sounds credibility. Totally nailing the sound of a dancefloor at three in the morning in 2011, this is bigggie.
Finally for our last musical indulgence pre Christmas lets end on a huge sonic high. QUANTIC plus ALICE RUSSELL plus COMBO BARNRO = Musical Genius. ‘Look Around The Corner’ is an awesome track.
Happy Baby Jesus Fest.
Vlr
x
HEAR/ BUY THE TRACK:
DEAD SKELETONS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQWTCJkgoKg
YOUNG MAN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUd3-y7BglY
QUANTIC: http://soundcloud.com/tru-thoughts/quantic-alice-russell-feat-the/s-z0YYl
Posted in Blogroll, Midweek Goodies | Comments (0)
IS REVOLUTION CLOSE?
December 22nd, 2011 by admin
There is definitely something in the air at the moment, whether full blown revolution is around the corner I’m not quite sure, but at the very least I feel the curse of apathy is starting to lift. I first sensed it (ironic as it now seems) in the build up to the last general election, the fact that result looked close and therefore your vote mattered, combined with the Liberal Democrats appearing like a genuine alternative (irony x2!) seemed to enthuse us all more than I’d seen before. Of course your enthusiasm for the Liberal’s income tax policy for low earners has been moderated by Cameroon and then annihilated by the tuition fee u-turn, which has in itself trampled on the green shoots of re-engagement with conventional electoral politics.
A May 2010 popping of ‘Voting Virginity’ has evolved into a willingness to hit the streets, and even camp on them. I didn’t see much evidence of political thought in Augusts’ riots, more an opportunistic chance to get a free tv, but it has to be acknowledged as part of the pattern of increased anger, frustration and violence. Ultimately you don’t risk arrest (perhaps the problem was it didn’t seem a risk after seeing how easy it was) if you already have a nice tv and trainers.
I sense the masses are reaching our limits, refusing to accept our lot and becoming emboldened to fight back. Quite possibly the gap between the haves and have not’s is bigger than ever, more than that it’s more IN YOUR FACE than ever.
In 1857, unless you worked for Lord Wat-his-face as his butler or something you didn’t see his wealth that much, it wasn’t flaunted in your face for all to see. We know they are rich and we are poor and in 2011 we can’t get away from it, it’s in our magazines, on our TVs and all over our social media. We also know more about the level of ‘desert’, I don’t hear many people moaning about Richard Branson, he is seen (rightly or wrongly) as having earned his money. But from reality tv stars to the bankers to the expense-scandal-politicians there are significant numbers of people in our face with money which we don’t feel they deserve, indeed in many cases we feel they’ve stolen that money from us. Knowing we’re facing harder times is tough, simultaneously seeing undeserving individuals profit creates an exponential growth in the level of ‘annoyance-o-meter’.
Less well off ourselves
X
Higher levels of awareness of those who have more than us (and we don’t think deserve it)
=
Agro.
And maybe even revolution.
Happy Baby Jesus Fest, may 2012 bring the change you seek and society needs.
Vlr
x
Posted in Blogroll, Rants | Comments (0)
DJANGO DJANGO, THE STAVES and GOTYE
December 20th, 2011 by admin
I like DJANGO DJANGO, I like them a lot. ‘Waveforms’ was doing the business for me, new track ‘Default’ has sealed the deal. Guitar tuneage with a big nod to the dancefloor and lyrics mocking our current financial plight, what’s not to love?
Very different to the above but just as loveable in its own poignant way is the stunning ‘Mexico’ by THE STAVES. Apparently they have been supporting James Vincent McMorrow and you can certainly hear why he choose them, beautiful music.
As always I am ahead of the curve, my next pick not being out till February 2012, let’s just not mention the twenty million odd hits ‘Somebody I Used To Know’ has had on YouTube, the artist is called GOTYE. This is the male ‘Video Games’ of 2011.
Vlr
x
HEAR/ BUY THE TRACK:
DJANGO DJANGO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtsPfrQKuQg
THE STAVES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYV0Wp0MdZ4
GOTYE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY
Posted in Blogroll, Weekend Discoveries | Comments (0)
BRAND NU TOP THREE 10 12 11
December 11th, 2011 by admin
BRAND NU TOP THREE 10 12 11
1) HOOK AND THE TWIN – ‘We’re So Light’
2) THE SHINING – ‘Hey You’
3) HAIGHT ASHBURY – ‘Sophomore’
With an Honorary mention to
This week’s “great but not quite”:
EUGENE MCGUINESS – ‘Lion’
ZED BIAS – ‘Music Deep Inside’
MIGUEL MIGGS – ‘Tonight’
Posted in Blogroll, Weekly Top 3 | Comments (0)
THE SHINING, HAIGHT ASHBURY plus MIGUEL MIGGS
December 9th, 2011 by admin
MIGUEL MIGGS is a man who knows how to turn the one’s and two’s of computer code into a seductive groove. ‘Tonight’ featuring MESHELL NDegeocello vocals is a gorgeous slab of laidback House that’s likely to leave give the Lynx Effect a run for it’s money. Play this and the one you love is likely to be self-stripping and jumping on you quicker than you can say ‘Miggs Effect’.
I’m a big fan of HAIGHT ASHBURY (as ya may have picked up over the year) so no surprise to hear I’m hyped about their new track ‘Sophomore’, if new to you think a female, celtic sounding Breah Boys, and you’d be 50% of the way there.
You know that ‘groove’ thing I mentioned earlier? Well there’s plenty of it in ‘Hey You’ by THE SHINING. This time around emanating from a bass guitar and fine set of vocal chords (as opposed to laptop computer program) this tune is totally infectious, I like, I like a lot.
Vlr
x
HEAR/ BUY THE TRACK:
MIGUEL MIGGS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJin7bAdiY
HAIGHT-ASHBURY: http://soundcloud.com/lime-records/haight-ashbury-sophomore
THE SHINING: http://www.spinetv.net/mag/2011/Nov/9/shining-hey-you/
Posted in Blogroll, Midweek Goodies | Comments (0)
ZED BIAS, EUGENE MCGUINESS plus HOOK AND THE TWIN
December 6th, 2011 by admin
Since we first blogged about EUGENE MCGUINESS back in 2007 he’s been getting up to all sorts including a stint in Miles Kane’s band. Back focusing on his own career I’m really feeling the high-tempo, almost 60s pop-esque vibe of ‘Lion’. This has the potential to cross-over and make sure Eugene never has to session for anyone again, not that he’ll make much dollar out of this actual track, it’s available for free download off his website.
Finally due for official release after playing hard to get with the blogosphere for time is ZED BIAS’s ‘Music Deep Inside’, as authentic recreation of the spirit of ’99 as you could dream of whilst lounging on a white Ibizan beach. If you’re into this kinda of electronic music you’ll love this, if you aren’t your ears will probably be a bit confused, get them to talk to your tapping toes, they’ll translate.
HOOK AND THE TWIN’s ‘We’re So Light’ does that thing that makes me go week at the knees, seductively combining ‘band’ and ‘electronica’. A real subtle minimalist groove, some great synths and engaging vocals, I’m feeling this as much in the mosh pit as on the dancefloor. Nice work Mr Hook, and your twin.
Vlr
x
BUY/ HEAR THE TRACK:
EUGENE MCGUINESS: http://www.eugenemcguinness.net/
ZED BIAS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ih-bFkGz1Q
HOOK AND THE TWIN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p64EWx6gJUs
Posted in Blogroll | Comments (0)
EMANATIVE & AHMED ABDULLAH, SHUGA plus ITAL – BRAND NU TOP THREE 03 12 11
December 4th, 2011 by admin
BRAND NU TOP THREE 03 12 11
1) EMANATIVE & AHMED ABDULLAH – ‘Lions Of Judah’
2) SHUGA – ‘Hey Baby’
3) ITAL – ‘Doesn’t Matter (If You Love Him)’
With an Honorary mention to
This week’s “great but not quite”:
Posted in Blogroll | Comments (0)
THE MEGAPHONIC THRIFT, FLUX PAVILION and LLOYD
November 26th, 2011 by admin
BRAND NU TOP THREE 25 11 11
1) THE MEGAPHONIC THRIFT – ‘Dragon vs Dust’ (You have to experience this song live!) / Candy Sin
2) FLUX PAVILION & DOCTOR P – ‘Superbad’
3) LLOYD – ‘Dedication To My Ex’
With an Honorary mention to
This week’s “great but not quite”:
Posted in Blogroll, Weekly Top 3 | Comments (0)
THE BAMBOOS, ZULU WINTER plus WISE BLOOD – BRAND NU TOP THREE 11 11 11
November 12th, 2011 by admin
BRAND NU TOP THREE 11 11 11
1) THE BAMBOOS ft MEGAN WASHINGTON – ‘Wilhelm Scream’
2) ZULU WINTER – ‘Never Leave’
3) WISE BLOOD’s ‘Loud Mouths’
With an Honorary mention to THE MILK – ‘B-Roads’
This week’s “great but not quite”:
Posted in Blogroll, Weekly Top 3 | Comments (0)
Have We Learnt From The Death Of Millions?
November 11th, 2011 by admin
Today is an emotive day as we rightly remember those who have sacrificed their lives in the past so we can be free in the present and the future. I know some feel uneasy about it, but for me there is a clear divide between appreciating and acknowledging the sacrifice of the fallen AND having a strong contrasting opinion about whether our government should have sent them on that battlefield in the first place. This is particularly pertinent now when we reflect not just on the World Wars (on which most of us agree we had no choice but to fight back, well certainly WWII) and the wars of the last ten years which are much more controversial
The thing that strikes me at this time of year is how little reflecting there appears to be on how we got ourselves into these situations of the past where so many have had to die, what were the reasons? Have we learnt from those experiences? Are we now wise enough to make sure we never repeat the scenarios of the last 100 years? Can’t we just go back to the Middle Ages and leave to our leaders to slug it out, I’d back the Queen to nail Sarkozy any day.
Lessons learnt doesn’t just mean questioning political strategies such as is it wise to further punish a defeated foe (for many our treatment of Germany post WWI laid the foundations for the social discord that Hitler was able to tap into and rise to power off the back of) or to appease a dictator ( a question as valid in the Arab Spring of 2011 as the murky world of late 1930s Europe) but also lessons of battlefield strategy.
I’ll never forget my GCSE History class learning about the pompous generals so well parodied by BlackAdder who sent thousands of their own men to unnecessary deaths in the WWI trenches, one of whom Douglas Haig has a statue in Whitehall. You can make an argument for these individuals’ arrogance and strategic incompetence costing as many lives as the opposition. The sort of the individuals who thought a tank would never replace a horse, doh..
So as we remember those who have gone before, to me it’s as important to remember the mistakes individuals & societies made that led to those deaths.
And then work very hard to make sure we never repeat them.
Vlr
x
Posted in Rants | Comments (0)