Sometimes I’m truly amazed by the quality of a band’s debut single. Never Fade Away is the first release from London quintet Spector but nonetheless is, quite frankly, epic. Fans of White Lies will appreciate the drama running through both the lyrics and the, at times, ominous music, while fans of Hurts are likely to be attracted to the 80s styling and electro-tinged sound the band have adopted. This introduction comes complete with a surprisingly firm identity that I hope bodes well for the future.
Spector – Never Fade Away by Luv Luv Luv
Never Fade Away is released on June 20th.
Eclectically ChallengedRandom Musical Musings |
Never Fade Away – Spector
Away – Get People (Free Download)
There seems to be a phenomonal amount of indie-electro going around at the moment, all of varying degrees of quality. This metaphorical iceberg is topped at this precise moment in time by The Horrors, but if, like me, you rather love Still Life than it’s highly likely you will also find yourself hooked by Away by Get People and, even better, it’s free. Taken from upcoming EP Rain Tears and infused with a tropical ambience this is exactly what summer should sound like. It is, ultimately, a gorgeous track which helps set them apart from the vast majority of electro-inspired bands at the moment and, if this is your first time hearing them, will be a fantastic introduction.
Away by GET PEOPLE
Your So Cool – The History Of Apple Pie
To be honest I was predisposed to feature this band even before listening to the song simply due to their name. Personally, I think The History Of Apple Pie wins the award for one of the best band names I’ve heard simply because it’s probably the most random. Luckily, Your So Cool is a wonderful track full of gorgeous harmonies & dreamy melodies. If you’re not swayed by the name then the music is certainly good enough to persuade you to their way of thinking.
You’re So Cool by The History Of Apple Pie
Kids – Airship
When music gets sent over to me it can often take a few listens to establish how I feel about a particular song, so it is refreshing (and a tad less time consuming) when I hear something with an instant appeal – as is the case with Airship‘s first proper single Kids. It’s engaging right from the upbeat, bordering on frantic, beginning and from there, it just gets better and better. It also has the kind of nostalgic lyrics that tend to give songs an epic feel, reminiscing, as it does, about lost dreams & friendships in way that will have you hooked after one listen.
Airship – Kids by airshipband
Kids will be released 13th June with the band’s long-awaited debut album Stuck In This Ocean available in the Autumn.
Bed Of Nails – Wild Beasts
Wild Beasts have announced the second single to be taken from their critically acclaimed album Smother will be Bed Of Nails. The single, due to be released 11th July, is a slice of ambient pop typical of the sound which has garnered so much praise for the band, punctuated with the dreamy, fluctuating falsetto of Hayden Thorpe. Bed Of Nails will be available in the unique format of a limited edition postcard featuring artwork from photographer Jason Evans and all 500 will be signed by the band with a code to download the track. The postcards will be available exclusively from Domino Mart & Wild Beasts’ online store or pre-order it Here.
Wild Beasts – Bed Of Nails by DominoRecordCo
Gone So Long – Wet Paint
Following a tumultuous few months London quartet Wet Paint release their second album, Woe, today. If you’ve never heard of them don’t worry I hadn’t either until this morning, but they’re certainly worthy of your time if the track below is anything to go by. Gone So Long has the pained, gritty vocals reminiscent of many a great indie band and a sound which brings back memories of the heady days of Britpop, especially when they start singing about the ‘fading cover on the VHS’. It’s this nostalgia, even complete with the melancholy that defined so much 90s music, that makes this so appealing; they may not have appreciated the burglary that robbed them of the royalties from their first album but, creatively, it appears to have served them well.
Gone So Long – Wet Paint by eclecticallychallenged
Introducing…Brother & Bones
Admittedly, I’ve already written about Brother & Bones a couple of times during my Great Escape coverage but I think it’s about time they had their own post.
It’s difficult to know how to introduce their music other than telling you how fantastic it is, simply because categorizing it, in fact, leaves me wondering if it’s possible to have such a genre as punk-folk! Even that wouldn’t be quite right though failing, as it does, to capture the subtler moments; those when the vocals soften. Their latest EP, Skin, recorded live across two days at Goodmerry Farm (love the name!) in Cornwall, evidences the grand nature of their music which, somehow, wouldn’t feel out of place in a dark & dingy club or on an overwhelming arena stage. The fact that they have recorded live, something which I get the feeling is becoming ever more popular among young bands, makes it even more appealing, creating a fantastically organic sound where the importance of production, in the sense of layering the separate parts together correctly, is reduced. To be honest when a band are as tight live as Brother & Bones are, you can understand why they would want to capture that in the music they are selling.
Lead single from Skin, Back To Shore (below) is, quite frankly, toe-tappingly brilliant, with a guitar driven beat easily recognised as having an overwhelmingly folk sound complimented by gravely, rock-sounding vocals & a haunting violin. In fact the whole EP manages to be energetic & epic, while being intelligently written and, at times, stunningly eloquent. All in all I have a feeling this is a band, with their amazingly original sound, that you’ll be hearing a lot more about the very near future.
The Skin EP is released next month.
ODi – One In A Million
I do love twitter! Most of the time if I receive music via twitter it’s interesting to say the least, but occasionally someone presents you with a gem; as is the case with One In A Million by Irish Singer/Songwriter ODi. There’s a huskiness mixed in with the otherwise gentle tones of Claire Odlum’s voice that is, quite simply, delectable set against the gorgeous strokes of Con Mac Conlomaire’s violin. Even the video compliments the dreamy nature of the song, with its black and white shots of a simply stunning Irish landscape. After the day I’ve had this has certainly helped me wind down!
Tyson – Love’s On The Line (Free Download)
In all honesty, Tyson‘s Love’s On The Line isn’t the the sort of music I often feature , but the 70s sound coursing its way through the track has, quite simply, made it irresistible. The song, which is being given away as a free download in anticipation of his upcoming summer album, is fabulously retro creating a charm lacking from so many dance ‘anthems’. Despite Tyson’s declaration that this is a song about the death of love, there’s an element of fun mixed in with the drama, making it perfect listening for a long summer’s evening.
James Blake Releases Lindisfarne Video
James Blake has once again teamed up with Martin De Thurah, the man behind the video for Limit To Your Love, for the video accompanying his latest single Lindisfarne. The track itself is as atmospheric as we’ve come to expect from this master of production, while the video is at once engrossing and disturbing, with it’s dreamy camera shots perfectly complimenting Blake’s creation. Perfect for anyone who has, this year, found themselves enthralled by James Blake’s inventive use of sound.
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