British alternative rock of ‘90s origin has, in the noughties, died a slow death and The Charlatans’ latest release has unfortunately done little to change that. The album is mostly a bland adventure in mid-level rock by a group well past their peak - this is after all their eleventh studio album. The first single [...]
This debut EP regrettably sounds like an undercooked RJD2. From track to track the production intensity is so low that the listener is left adrift in a proverbial waiting room, as each sample, beat and loop seemingly aimlessly precedes the next. However, the layering is clean and well executed, and the skills of track production [...]
Minimal electronic soundscapist, Franz Kirmann has just released his new EP, “Liza.” He’s a French musician, based in London but raised in Senegal with influences that are equally diverse.
Having studied film he cites seminal Chinese filmmaker Wong Kar Wai along with the equally iconic Michelangelo Antonioni and Sergio Leone. Musically he claims to be influenced [...]
Describing their music as “obnoxious ‘90s indie recorded in the ‘60s” this Brighton three-piece are the latest in the current swath of garage-rock groups to be making their way in the local scene. Unlike many of the others though, Kept By Casino seem to have a vision all of their own.
The tracks on their new [...]
Having just signed to Manchester indie label, Red Deer Club, this all-girl trio are gaining popularity in many quarters and, having already been championed by BBC 6’s Lauren Laverne and Tom Robinson, their steady rise looks set to continue. Brandishing delicate with three-part harmonies, quaint instrumentation and a playful charm.
5/10, out now.
Words by Mike Fawcett
myspace.com/stealingsheep
Keep an eye out for Caro Emerald and her debut single “Back It Up,” released on September 20. The single, taken from her number one album “Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor,” presents Caro’s blend of old school jazz and modern beats. Her smouldering vocals update the classic Americana sound with a contemporary sheen.
The [...]
“Hurt Less”, by rock/drum‘n’bass fusion group The Qemists is the second single to be released from their second album, “Spirit in the System”.
Featuring The Shapeshifters vocalist Jenna G, the track is an emotional dance offering with an uplifting, and dramatic melody and bassline. Blending guitars and beats for a Pendulum-style sound, this track could benefit [...]
Sandi Thom returns from her critically acclaimed spring tour with her smooth and sensuous single “Gold Dust.” The single is from Sandi’s third studio album “Merchants & Thieves,” which reached No.1 in the UK iTunes Blues chart. And it’s easy to see why.
Sandi’s vocals could be mistaken for Christina Aguilera, which blend perfectly with the [...]
Mid-way through the biggest American tour of their career, Kele and his three Bloc Party alumni decided to go on a yearlong break from band matters. In the midst of this hiatus Kele started yearning, and before he knew it found himself in a studio, knocking out synths and programming drumbeats he had no idea [...]
She started out as a busker in New York, associating with the city’s bohemian musos and catching the eye of fellow resident Courtney Love. After playing on Jools Holland clad in jeans and a scruffy top, singing alongside Ellie Goulding at The Great Escape, and her covers of Metallica and Lady Gaga becoming YouTube hit [...]
Hailing from our fair seaside town, Brighton’s very own Conrad Vingoe’s output on “Simple Secrets” is more in keeping with stateside artists such as Great Lake Swimmers, Monsters Of Folk and Ryan Adams. He wears his influences on his sleeves, and that is not necessarily a criticism.
Events do however plod along rather sluggishly until around [...]
UNKLE’s moniker as one of trip-hop’s best is truly over, and after listening to this album you will agree that this album has truly put the nail in the coffin. But do not fret, as all is not bad. In fact it’s not bad at all; it’s only darker, more psychedelic and even more sinister.
On [...]
The crazed anticipation surrounding this album was fed by the announcement of its release at Matter in January, which was streamed live to an audience of 200,000 fans. But the release of this record into the wild really couldn’t have come at a better time. Anyone who does not run their iPod to the ground [...]
Following the release of the catchiest song since Hanson’s “MMMbop”, “Nothin’ On You” rapper/producer/MC B.o.B has now released his debut album “The Adventures of Bobby Ray” through Atlantic Records. The rapper produced the majority of the album himself, and played multiple musical instruments including the piano, trumpet and French horn!
The album does hold some tunes [...]
Tinie Tempah’s “Pass Out” is the biggest selling single by any UK artist this year so far and his new single “Frisky” doesn’t disappoint. You have to admit the tunes sound pretty similar but as the song runs on you begin to appreciate the new style of UK hip hop Tinie is creating. The song [...]
Cha-Cha’s mixture of pop hooks and classic rock structures are set for introduction on their debut album “We Are”, released last month. Wanting to stay under the radar until their album was ready for release, one listen to the regurgitated pop structures is testimony to the band’s extended rehearsal time.
The band describes the formation of [...]
The Smoking Rolo Sideshow collective are a strange bunch. A group of more than 20 musicians, hailing mainly from the market town of Alnwick in rural Northumberland - this was never going to be a standard pop record now was it?
Songs seem to float hazily from an idyllic English setting (think Syd Barrett and Caravan), [...]
Beautifully crafted from a whole hybrid of resonators, “Split the Atom” comes into being like the Hadron Collider; spinning and spewing its make-up, in its mission to indeed do the deed.
Low pulsating electro bass-lines and scratchy melodies form the back bone to this tune; it toys for the first minute, flirting with its participating audio, [...]
Crystal Castles self-titled new album is released on Fiction on June 7. Produced by Ethan Kath, tracks were written and recorded in contrasting environments around the world including a church in Iceland - in fact Alice Glass’ vocals recall the ethereal world of Sigur Ros and Bjork. “Year of Silence” is a beautiful mixture of [...]
Ok, so it is pretty obvious that Lady Gaga often takes inspiration from Madonna’s ‘80s wardrobe but this is taking things a little too far.
It seemed Lady Gaga couldn’t put a foot wrong since the release of her seven times platinum album The Fame Monster. Everyone’s guilty pleasure after a few too many, the singing [...]
Much like Band Of Horses, The National are one of those bands on an independent label that don’t seem to receive an awful lot of exposure in the mainstream music press yet still manage to sell out venues the size of houses in minutes. Having played the Royal Albert Hall in the days leading up [...]
It is somewhat ironic for a band that fancies themselves as multi-instrumentalists that the beauty of this single comes from its simplicity; the stripped back approach leaving plenty of space for beautifully entwined vocal harmonies. Imagine The Postal Service throwing away their electronics, replacing them with instruments that belong in a museum and your not [...]
Much hyped reputations on the cyber-vine sometimes foster cynicism, but Foxes are here to prove us all wrong with their new EP out this month. “Get Me” with its happy, jumpy pop structures and Nigel’s accent, lends itself to an inspired The Shins-esque play. The guitar builds momentum for “Follow Your Heart, Don’t Worry About [...]
The seemingly soft-hearted romantic from North London, Alan Pownall, writes songs that must be born of genuine heartache. Only in this emotional state could he produce such a pure collection of acoustic based, up beat, love themed pop songs comparable to the first Beatles records. Pownall is no John Lennon, however his debut for Mercury [...]
Austin Texas based indie rockers rub shoulders with The Libertines, at least in terms of their label. Having recently signed to Rough Trade this six piece group headed by brothers Ryan and Philip Sambol blend an odd mixture of upbeat pop rock (which in places sounds a little Beach Boys) with a vicious indie crunch [...]
The band were apparently heavily involved in what they feel to be the selection of their personal favourites as well as their best received tracks to put together this compilation. There is not really a dud track on here, but that’s what a best of CD is supposed to be right? Good for a Christmas [...]
For the past 18 months Peggy Sue have successfully managed themselves, and it seems to be doing them good. Booking sell-out shows, writing, recording, and releasing this fantastic album ‘Fossils And Other Phantoms’ on April 5.
Having toured with musical heavyweights from Joan As Policewoman last year, Laura Marling and recently, Mumford and Sons, the sound [...]
With the endorsement of American greats from Bonnie Raitt to Art Garfunkel, Maia Sharp’s flag is set to fly with the release of album Echo on May 3.
Give it a few spins, and some of the songs begin to charm. The guitar on ‘Angel On My shoulder’ has a beautiful tone, and the harmonies are [...]
Florida’s We The Kings have apparently secured themselves as one of the most exciting bands in the pop-rock circuit. Admittedly, their songs are catchy and their lyrics carry a slightly heavier conviction compared to similar bands. But the problem with We the Kings is they’re just so horribly crass. The choruses are so sickly sweet [...]
Recorded over a fortnight and made up of live takes, Lou Rhodes’ soul is out for all to see on new album One Good Thing, released March 15.
After heartbreakingly beautiful second album, Beloved One, was nominated for a Mercury Prize back in 2006, Rhodes instills a hope for the future with an honest tone and [...]
In previous releases, and most notable on their last album Parades, Efterklang were an orchestral, searching leftfield wonder. The instrumentation and arrangements straddled something between chamber music, electro and ambient putting them often out of reach of many people. With Magic Chairs they have taken a decided step into more poppy territory. They still utilise [...]
2010 is the year that You Me At Six will take the UK by storm; if not further. Returning with their follow up to 2008’s Take Off Your Colours, YMAS have formed their own solid sound on one album, Hold Me Down. The first single is ‘Underdog’, a fusion of beautiful guitar tones, powerful drumbeats [...]
Like a David Bowie vision, twisted by experiences from the future and spatial dreams. It is almost like what the drum machine is to modern music, futuristic, emanating paranoia of artificial intelligence. But alas, it is not all doom and gloom, on the contrary. Sounding like MGMT and Empire of The Sun in places, it [...]
Poetic and visual… a girly daydream. These are some of the thoughts that spring to mind when listening to Charlotte Gainsbourg’s new single ‘Heaven Can Wait.’ Taken from her third album ‘IRM’ she shells catchy guitar with a piano soaked rhythm. Like a distorted memory, she hums at the back of the ears, almost transparent.
Having [...]
Following up the huge summer anthem ‘Sweet Disposition’, which sold a staggering 250,000 copies, is a challenge Temper Trap seem ready for, as they released their new single ‘Fader’.
‘Fader’ sounds like an advert track already, and with it’s Blur-esque ‘woo-ooh’ chorus it is easy to envisage muddy festival faces happily singing along. The band have [...]
Slow, sweeping, dramatic single and live favourite, ‘Graze’ by Animal Collective is part of their five track studio EP ‘Fall Be Kind’. With an epic build up, followed by clapping, white noise and what sounds like panpipes, this experimental but lighthearted style showcases the band’s skill as songwriters as well as musicians.
Second track ‘What Would [...]
After six months of schedule conflicts, missing track stems and inescapable deadline delays, the highly anticipated digital release of ‘Far Away & Distant: Two Remixes’ has finally been settled. Two highly regarded, exciting, genre-blending artists - A Dancing Beggar and Tallon - have crossed wires to remix each other’s work, in a manner which has [...]
Brighton has actually done pretty damn well when it comes to homegrown/Brighton-based talent. Bat For Lashes, Fatboy Slim and Mr Scruff to name but a few. Dare I say it, we also boast a huge array of indie acts which is more of a debatable thing when it comes to Brightonian Pride. The Kooks, actually, [...]
You could be forgiven for thinking that Mr Hudson, the boy from North London with one underachieving album under his belt, is just another challenge for the ever growing ego of Kayne West. Having conquered the hip-hop world, the pop world and the celebrity world there appears little left in the music world for Mr [...]
Disco Discharge - a fantastic selection of records for all you disco fans out there, and there must be a few of you here in Brighton…
Disco Discharge is a brand new series from Harmless records consisting of four double cds namely ‘Classic Disco’, ‘Disco Ladies’, ‘Euro Disco’ and ‘Gay Disco and Hi NRG’. Compiled by [...]
A hit is a hit, whether your Scatman John, Warren G or Bob Dylan, you know when you strike gold. So when New York funksters The Phenomenal Handclap Band pulled this out their locker, they must have had a 50 mile smile and poured themselves a big drink. An instant pop classic and sure to be [...]
Look out! Album of the year/Mercury 2010 contender in the house. Noah and the Whale main man Charlie Fink has gone dark on album number two and the result is a deeply melancholic but strangely regenerative work, as the title suggests. Those with a squeamish disposition when it comes to other people baring their souls [...]
The Temper Trap “Conditions”
This Australian four-piece were one of the bands to see at this year’s Great Escape and with all that promise they have delivered what should be one of the most engaging debut albums of 2009. Recorded with Jim Abbiss it has a big sound, epic drums and killer hooks. Sounding like the [...]
Hockey “Mind Chaos”
Portland’s funk-poppers couldn’t give a puck about anything other than writing unabashed hits and deliver the goods on this, their formerly self-released debut. The LCD dance groove of “Too Fake”, the good times sing-a-long of “Song Away” and the sunshine slink of “Learn to Lose” are mirrored and equalled across eight other crackers [...]
CHEW LiPS – “Salt Air”
Release Date: 27 July 2009
Combining pop vocals with Casiotone beats, CHEW LiPS are continuously increasing their chances of success within the electro-indie scene. Fronted by female vocalist Tig, this London-based band have created an incredibly catchy new single, “Salt Air”. We may be halfway through 2009, but there is still plenty [...]
Burial & Four Tet – Moth/Wolf Club
‘Moth’ is a downbeat house throbber driven by Burial’s familiar garage drums while the twinkling Eastern flavours of ‘Wolf Club’ could be a reworked leftover from Four Tet’. Not much of a departure but at 9 minutes each you certainly get your moneys worth.
7/10
Moth/Wolf Club is out now
Speech deBelle – Speech Therapy
Rhyming with an innocent voice about subject matters that prove she’s anything but, from opener ‘Searching’ though to ‘Finish This Album’, the record charts a dark yet relatable world. A very fresh and very welcome injection to UK hip-hop.
9/10
Speech Therapy is out now
Single review – Appi ‘Eiffel Tower Apocalypse’ – Words
Brighton’s own instru-mentalists have set the bar high with their debut single. These soundscape specialists have barely been together 9 months and they’ve already carved themselves a intense sonic identity.
The ambient minimalism of the crystalline guitars, cavernous reverb and dubby rhythms give no warning as to the [...]
ALBUM REVIEW: ‘Original Visions’ - SKILF
As an established and prolific MC, SKILF has held down residencies at some of Brighton’s most prominent nights, which span several genres, including ‘Devotion’ (drum & bass), ‘Dubpressure’ (dubstep) and ‘Blaze’ (hip hop). The influences from these genres and the individual styling of nine different producers are all evident on [...]
Release date 16/9/8
I don’t know about you but when I hear a new tune from any artist/band I always imagine where the song takes me, where I would picture myself listening to it.
Dance music puts me in a club, or muffled low bass before a passing car, the same with R’n’B and a drum’n’ bass [...]
Just Music /August
Review: What have you been putting in those
Fondant Fancies, Mr Kipling? A sepia tinted ramble down the dusty country lanes
of a past that perhaps never was accompanied by birdsong and the distant peel
of church bells. OK it could have been lifted straight from Lemon Jelly’s ‘Lost
Horizons’ but after another benighted English summer this [...]
