Brolin is another one of those elusive up-and-coming artists who prefer to play it close to the vest when it comes to divulging one’s identity. As tends to be the case though, talent speaks for itself when you have affective alt-pop tracks like “Swim Deep” to showcase. The mysterious British singer and producer will be releasing the single as part of an EP of the same name on October 27.
Brolin’s debut album is also expected to drop sometime early in the new year.
Osca, the London heartbreakers are back with another gorgeous ballad. Their second official single, “Illume” is a flawlessly executed, heartrending follow-up to their premiere track “Blood.”
In a press release, vocalist Jack Kenworthy explains that the track is about “simplicity and how that always means the most.” He adds, “I remember going to Glastonbury that year when I wrote it, and coming back remembering Rolling Stones set ender, ‘Satisfaction’, and the way everyone sang along to all the words. I came home and was messing around on the piano, and the chorus came quickly. I started singing ‘Illume” for no reason. It’s not a word you hear often but it fit the melody, feeling bright and colourful.”
Feel free to press play on this one over and over and over.
Dust off your Roland cuz Richard’s back! With the release of Syro quickly approaching after 13 cold years on hiatus, there’s no better time to explore the hallmark Aphex Twin record Richard D. James Album than now. Released in 1996 from everyone’s favorite grimacing Cornwallite, RDJA serves as a clear middle ground between Aphex’s softer early-90s releases such as “On,” and his later propensity for the macabre, famously shown on “Come to Daddy.”
To this point, the album’s opener “4” has RDJ gorgeously building shimmering drum blasts, string harmonies, and warm melody lines—all of which are quickly abandoned in the following two tracks to explore more angular abrasive styles. The album is rife with this kind of interplay between facile, pretty electronics, and on-your-ass discord, making it initially accessible but ultimately challenging to fully appreciate. For its stylistic breadth, Richard D. James Album serves as a great entry point for newcomers to the genre.
Thankfully, easy points of ingress like “4” are interspersed throughout the album, be it in the playground ebullience of “Fingerbib,” the winding layers of “Carn Marth”’s labyrinthine outro, or the simmering warmth of the synths in “Yellow Calx.” RDJ’s knack for sharp drum trills remains ubiquitous throughout these songs and yet he cleverly finds a way to have them only further enhance the tracks’ lush melodies. That’s the thrust of this album’s charm; for every pretty hook, for every layer of strings he uses to brighten up a track, Aphex Twin gets you to swallow a bit more of his medicine. The parts of the album you immediately latch on to find a way to sell you on the rest — the sharp tempo changes, the frenetic bursts of synths and samples. Eventually, tracks like “Cornish Acid,” “Peek.824545201,” and “To Cure a Weakling Child,” while packed with Aphex Twin BrandTM strangeness, bloom into their own particular kind of loveliness, if for no other reason than the tight-as-hell programming and inventive sampling.
I find this record to be mostly sterile despite its ability to convey warmth and frigidity in equal measure. Whereas most of my favorite albums hold some sentimental value, Richard D. James Album makes the cut because it’s just really interesting and engrossing to listen to. The way its melodic simplicity belies a deeper complexity makes it rewarding to repeatedly absorb on a level rarely accomplished by electronic music.
The expected release date of Syro is September 22 (via Warp).
Jai Paul is the elusive British artist who signed to XL Recordings (Jungle, Radiohead, Vampire Weekend) in 2010. Since then, only two singles have been officially released — his debut being “BTSTU.” In 2013, the London producer was the victim of a BandCamp leak, and a collection of unfinished recordings were published (and later retracted), confounding the blogosphere amidst varying reports regarding the source of the leak.
Nonetheless, the false-alarm LP made it to number 20 on Pitchfork’s Top 50 Albums of 2013 list, and was sampled by both Drake and Beyonce, to give you a better idea of this guy’s potential. The brilliance of “BTSTU” is the abrasively bold lyrics, contrasted with the ghostly falsetto and masterfully inventive production. Stream the song below – available for purchase on iTunes here .
According to XL manager Rodaidh McDonald, Jai Paul has been tinkering around in the studio working on his new album, and has been for years. Although not one to adhere to any timetable, let’s hope the withholding artist decides to share it with the masses soon.
Listening to the debut track, “Sheets” from Shannon Saunders, you would never guess that the rising young artist from Oxford got her start from YouTube. She joins the likes of other British stars such as Ed Sheeran, who climbed the ranks using the social wizardry of the internet.
With “Sheets,” Saunders achieves an accessible and yet sophisticated torch-esque pop track, backed by a house production. The song also hit number 1 on the HypeM charts this week, so it’s probably safe to say she won’t be relying on self-promo much longer. Stream below.
Twin brothers and two thirds of Manchester rock band Doves have started a new venture called Black Rivers. Jez and Andy Williams began recording music late last year and have released their first single, “The Ship.” As you might expect, essences of Doves can be perceived on the track. The brotherly duo’s debut album will be unveiled in 2015.
Do you have a nostalgia for early 2000s pop? Me too. That’s what makes this new Years & Years cover of Blu Cantrell and Sean Paul’s song “Breathe” so amazingly awesome. The UK trio put their own spin on the R&B tinged pop song, which works perfectly given their reggae-influenced sound. Listen to an updated take on this decade-old classic below.
Years & Years will be supporting Sam Smith on his forthcoming UK tour this fall!
Today’s installment of Remix Roundup begins with a fantastic new re-work from Flume, the wunderkind electronic producer from Australia. Taking the track “Test & Recognise” from the Sydney trio Seekae (of Future Classic), label-mate Flume transforms the original into a progressive and wonderfully discordant electro-affair. Stream below and download for free via SoundCloud.
Next is XYconstant‘s deep house remix of Disclosure‘s “White Noise” released this past year. Making use of a subdued bassline and distorted vocals, XYconstant achieves a mesmeric, groove-laden remix ready for any dance floor. Get a free DL by liking his facebook page.
And lastly, in keeping the Disclosure train flowing — as well as the fact that I pretty much enjoy this song in all of its incarnations — is the redux version of “Help Me Lose My Mind” by German producer Mazde. Flume-esque in its production and Cyril Hahn-like in pitch, this slowed down edit is a different take on the original that is a must listen for Disclosure/London Grammar fans. This one is also available for free download, so energize yourself for your Saturday night and go snag all three.
Listen up — your favorite quirky UK quartet The Kooks are coming to 9:30 Club this Sunday, July 27, and we’ve got two tickets to give away! To enter, leave a comment below or send us a tweet letting us know why you should be the lucky winner to the sold-out show. Hint: enthusiasm counts, so try not to curb it.
In anticipation of their forthcoming LP, Listen, scheduled to release September 1, The Kooks have released a couple of new tracks, including the single “Bad Habit” below. Featuring their signature style — electric guitar, choppy percussion, and the unique vocal stylings of lead singer Luke Pritchard — the new track shows promise for the new album.
For those not in the DC area, check out additional upcoming tour dates below.
The Kooks Upcoming Tour Dates:
Jul 26 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Jul 27 – Washington, DC @ 930 Club
July 28 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Jul 29 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Aug 1 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
Aug 3 – Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival
Aug 4 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Aug 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
Aug 9 – San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
Sept 24 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
Sept 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
Sept 26 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Cult indie trio alt-J will release their second full-length album, This Is All Yours, September 22 via Canvasback. The English band’s first single, “Hunger Of The Pine,” retains their trademark atmospheric sound, but adds the unexpected with a sample from Miley Cyrus’ song “4×4” that works surprisingly well. Discussing the song’s creation in an interview with NPR, keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton said: “It was written very quickly using some guitar chords and sounds being layered on Ableton, and seemed to signal a bit of a new sound for us. The lyrics mainly suggest the idea that missing someone — pining — can be a physical pain much like hunger.”
Also hot off the press is their second release, “Left Hand Free,” which is a markedly different sound from the former. Safe to say that true to their sobriquet, their sophomore effort will be a fresh new triumph for the group. Stream both songs below as you hunger for the new album.
alt-J will tour the UK and US this fall, making a final stop in the district November 19.
Sleeplessly embracing
Yawn yearns into me
Plenty more tears in the sea
poetry in an empty coke can 