Premiering as Radio 1’s Hottest Record In The World, HONNE have unveiled their hot new single “Gone Are The Days.” These guys continue to impress us with their brand of electro-soul, and we’re looking forward to the release of their upcoming EP Gone Are The Days (Shimokita Import)January 22 via their own label Tatemae Recordings. The latest effort from the London duo “Gone Are The Days” is an upbeat, shuffling track built around piano and of course those swooning vocals. Get hip to HONNE (if you’re not already) by streaming below.
Chris Ward of Tropics knows how to use a repetitive snare. The London artist’s new single “Rapture” will capture your ears through a reverberated piano, accompanied by double-layered vocals. Innovative Leisure label strikes lyrical gold again with this talented multi-instrumentalist, who will be releasing his sophomore effort February 16. “Rapture,” the title track off the forthcoming album, is a seductive song about the struggles of experiencing a deep connection in an urban city. Stream below.
XO, the UK producer/songwriter otherwise known as Sunil Heera has received a good amount of acclaim this past year from tastemakers such as Pitchfork, Noisey, and Mixmag. Premiered by Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1 last weekend, his new single “Pulling Me Under” is a haunting piano-driven house groove with featured vocals from fellow UK newcomer Leo Kalyan. The soulful track, which was co-written by MNEK, is sure to pull you under with its seductive chords and undulating melodies.
Listen below and look out for XO’s debut EP, Through The Night to drop December 1 via new UK label He Loves You Not Recordings.
Today’s installment of Remix Roundup starts off with a retake on a classic, with future house producers Autograf‘s re-imagining of Stevie Wonder‘s “Superstition.” Opting for a downtempo approach, Autograf infuses his signature ambient styling, melodic swells and sophisticated drums into the effort, making for a compelling contrast from the original. Pick up the mesmerizing track FREE via Autograf’s facebook page here. Next up we have Belgian maestro Aeroplane giving the dreamy disco treatment to Parisian electropop outfit We Were Evergreen, on their recently released track “Daughters.” The original song can be found on the band’s upcoming debut album Towards, due out May 5. And finally, the producer known as Kingdom brings it home with his rendition of Mapei‘s “Dont Wait,” which dropped on iTunes this week. Kingdom adds a minimalist touch to the exuberant soulpop original that results in an instant feel-good smash of a remix.
British producer and songwriter Kwes is used to being behind the scenes, having done production for a myriad of artists including The xx, Damon Albarn and Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard. However, he’s also broken out as a solo artist in recent years, having released his first LP ilp in 2013. As demonstrated on the gorgeous track (“36”) from the LP, Kwes’s art form is a masterful convergence of subtlety and sonic complexity achieved through the use of repetition, layering, and divergent textures. Interestingly enough, Kwes — along with Pharrell, Dev Hynes, Billy Joel and even Stevie Wonder — all experience a phenomenon known as Chromesthesia (sound-to-color synesthesia), a neurological condition effectively allowing them to hear color, or see sound depending on how you look at it. Perhaps it is no coincidence then that these artists’ creative genius manifest themselves in stunning visual pathways as well. Stream “36” and “Bashful” (from the 2012 EP Meantime) below.
Jungle video: Icky and Silence in The Heat. Photograph: PR company handout
Formed at the start of 2013, Jungle is the enigmatic new London duo consisting of best friends “J” and “T”. The loneliest place is in your own head, so you have to share it with other people to make it real, says J. They’ve already built up quite the fan base in the blogosphere over the past year, so much so that their first show in London this past December sold out in less than 24 hours. They will be supporting HAIM in March around Europe as well as a handful of places in the U.S., so check out their tour schedule below and catch this promising group live if you can.
Stream their song “Lucky I Got What I Want” from their debut EP The Heat, and watch their groovy video for the title track below. Co-directed by J and T, the vid featuring the dance moves of Icky and Silence from the High Rollaz UK skate crew.
2014 Tour Dates:
3/1 – Le Trianon Hall, Paris *
3/3 – Paradiso, Amsdterdam *
3/4 – Village Undergound, London
3/6 – Brixton Academy, London *
3/7 – Brighton Dome, Brighton*
3/8 – Rough Trade, New York
3/9 – Mercury Lounge, New York
3/10-14 – SXSW, Austin
3/17 – The Echom, LA
3/20 – Hare+Hounds, Birmingham
3/21 – Exchange, Bristol
3/22 – Deaf Institute, Manchester
* with HAIM
poetry in an empty coke can 