Astrid Engberg - Ouaga Noma

Astrid Engberg found Joe Sparrow over at A New Band A Day via Fluence. Read the full story from the link below.
Anyhoo, I'm pleased to pass on this little gem. This track gently bobs along like a nursery rhyme, as Astrid coos over the patchwork Afro-jazz and wound-down hip-hop groove. It puts a smile on my face. Lovely.

Link: http://www.anewbandaday.com/2014/02/astrid-engberg-odd-chops.html

Mutineers - Love It's A Killer

Suede, Smiths and Stuff (of the Wonder variety) thread throughout this Manchester-based five-piece. The chiming guitar, plaintive vox and chorus hooks sound right in the recent resurgence of 90's guitar pop. There's an edge missing somewhere though, perhaps this single feels a tad safe. All said though, we're left wanting to plunder their back catalogue and reach for their tour schedule. Single out 17 March 2014 and touring during the same month.

Link: http://mutineersofficial.tumblr.com/

Mixtape: February 2014

Here's some of the tracks and artists covered during February 2014. What a lovely bunch.

Damon Albarn - Lonely Press Play

After receiving recognition for innovation from NME last night (26 Feb), Mr Albarn releases the video for Lonely Press Play. Solitude expressed through a French-pop flavour, slightly Bacharach, the shots for the video were filmed by Damon himself while bobbing around the world.


Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/damonalbarnmusic?feature=watch

CATHEDRALS - Harlem

Second single from nouveau electro-indie pop pairing from San Fran. Brodie Jenkins resembles a smokier version of London Grammar's Hannah Reid copy/pasted into the same song (quite a lot) and transposed into layers. It's definitely a sunglasses-on/top-down kind of song that will sound good via FM during the balmier months and got #1 on hypem in February. Does the whole thing seem a little too slick? Maybe. Anyhoo, the real question is, are CATHEDRALS bigger than CHVRCHES? Sorry.

Link: http://hypem.com/track/22q98/C+A+T+H+E+D+R+A+L+S+-+Harlem

Dead Heart Bloom - Broken Babylon

Little surprise that Anthony Molina was at the wheel as this NY trio knowingly and fiercely assert the stomp and the swirl of psych shoegaze. Senses rise.


Link: http://hypem.com/track/22db9/Dead+Heart+Bloom+-+Broken+Babylon

Ted Zed - Alien Monday

Swoops of bass+blips and screaming guitar tightly sewn together with ambition and expertise lead this debut EP. You can hear Matt Muse sitting on the shoulder of this 19 year-old from Somerset as he dexterously manufactures something-for-everyone x-tronica that ad-agencies and many DJs will be all over.

Link:

Catfish and the Bottlemen - Kathleen

Punchy and polished, these Men Of Bottle are crossing the line into the spotlight. Their slightly-fuzzed, ultra-tight style backs Van McCann's suave delivery perfectly. With a new national tour booked for May 2014, passionate fanbase and increasing amounts of positive exposure, we're looking forward to see what happens next. Oh and err... hello Ewan.


Link: https://twitter.com/thebottlemen

XING - Fate

Indie-folk the LA way, cleanly swaying and swinging along with harmonies and slide expertly inducing the side-to-side head bob. Expect to hear more of this duo. Beautiful video too.


Link: http://indie-music-choice.tumblr.com/post/77716275124/xing-fate-track-n-43-from-playlist

Trampolene - I Don't Know

Gale-force guitar pushed through a keyhole. Filthy, filthy bass. A jittering, dangerous vitality as if they play balanced atop an unstable stack of chairs. "So give the spotlight to me," sneers Jack Jones on last year's 'You Do Nothing For Me'. Ok. Let's do that.


Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/TrampoleneOfficial

Hockeysmith - But Blood

Bipolar vox swings between airy innocence and smoky petulance, then the screaming, swirling guitars spar the acid 303 for outro supremacy. Delish.



Link: http://www.iamnewmusic.com/2014/02/12/hockeysmith-new-vide/

Thief - Broken Boy

Aussie solo-tist PJ Wolf steals from across the electric genres in a one-for-you, two-for-me kind of way. Delivering tight, bright arpeggio bleeps over that indie-fuzz bassline, Wolf finally lays over his Brandon Flowers-like pleading vocal. Will sit pretty in that alt-mainstream space with remix producers queuing up around the neon-lit corner.

Link: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/17/thief

Corbu - We Are Sound

The vocals are close and immediate while the accompaniment fills the sound with Spring sunshine and bounding freedom. Definitely something special here.

Pulco - For My Tea I'd Like Some...

This isn't new and I just want to post it for the put-a-smile-on-my-face craziness. Enjoy.

Link: http://www.mixcloud.com/folkradiouk/fruk-friday-mix-pt-3/

Låpsley - Painter (Valentine)

It is stripped-back ambient with layers of reverb-heavy vocals that we've heard a lot of recently but this Liverpudlian teenager pulls major key warmth and positivity into the genre. Lovely.

Link: http://www.iamnewmusic.com/2014/02/10/lapsley-new-track-painter-valentine/

Holy Moly And The Crackers - Devil and the Danube

"They call it circus-folk", they quote on their website and this high-energy, swing-around, flagrant folk suitably excites and worries like good burlesque should. The song posted here is from their first album but they have just released a new four-track EP that chronicles a tale of "Cocaine Lilly". Very promising.

Link: http://www.tunearmy.co.uk/holy-moly-and-the-crackers-lilly/

Lovestarrs - Get Your Sexy On

The Gods of Pop have appeared unto these mortals (recently discarded by their record label) and bestowed upon them a gift. A gift that will unleash this Eighties-tinged lasciviousness with a gigantic hook that will put a smile on a million faces. I can see van drivers at traffic lights now "oo-oo-ooo".