sigur rós - 'brennisteinn'

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The new album has been released and no doubt will be a big Summer smash. I'm not surprised with tracks like this frankly epic composition. 

phosphorescent - 'ride on/right on'

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Possibly my favourite song of their 2013 album. Fans of Damien Jurado/Felice Brothers and others of that ilk will love this album.

red snapper - 'crease'

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Here's a blast from the past. 

eddie cochran - 'something else'

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It all comes true man. Wow, that's something else.

for malin and erik

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Two of the loveliest people I know secretly got hitched today and just like June Carter and Johnny Cash in this video they are each other's best friends. A lot of people mention Cash's version of Hurt as their favourite but I'm sticking with Jackson. Just look at the way that the pair of them look at each other as they sing this, still totally in love with each other and making each other laugh after all those years. That's how I see Erik and Malin.

echo and the bunnymen - 'nothing lasts forever'

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A truly great track, probably their best in my opinion.

video of last night ever at paradise garage august 1987

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I have no idea how long it will stay up on Youtube but this is incredible - proper dance music history and a full 2 hours worth. I'm not sure what else to say - so I won't. 

dee dee warwick - 'you're no good'

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Sister to Dionne, cousin to Whitney, Dee Dee Warwick often gets overlooked and that's a real shame.Thankfully she's well loved and admired by Northern Soul fans to this day and with songs like this,  her version - and the original - you can see why.

dj shadow - 'def surrounds us (rockwell remix)'

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This has popped up a few times on my iPod recently and was a track that I overlooked to a large extent when I first heard this on the 'I Gotta Rokk' EP. Mainly because of the excellent title track and my favourite 'I've Been Trying' tended to see me rewinding back to the beginning at the end of these tunes rather than doing the whole EP justice. I've rectified this now but the oversight just goes to show how fickle I can be sometimes to my own detriment.

The song samples Edgar Varèse's 'Poème Électronique' and I'm very surprised to see that it's got a bit of a 'sample' pedigree with other bands who have also borrowed from the album including Meat Beat Manifesto, Herbie Hancock and Amon Tobin.

quincy jones - 'soul bossa nova'

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Proper Summer tune. 

my all time favourite disco tune

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I'm not usually the type to be able to say what my favourite tune is in any genre but for disco it has to be the Three Degrees with 'When Will I See You Again' and especially this Tom Moulton remix. 

gladys knight and the pips - 'on and on'

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I've said before how much I wanted to be one of the Pips. My goodness I love their style and you get to be backing singer with one of the greatest ever soul singers, male or female. Just look at them go...

seasick steve - 'back in the doghouse'

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I should like Seasick Steve more than I do. He's authentic, great musician and lots of charisma but unfortunately his brand of electric blues leaves me a bit cold at times.  I can't quite put my finger on it but after listening to his latest album there's about 60-70% of the tracks that I'd skip over. This track recorded for the excellent All Saints Sessions series is different. No idea why, it just speaks to me in a way a lot of his others don't. Strange world, eh?

12 year old larry collins invented heavy metal in 1958

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Remember the Michael J Fox guitar solo in Back To The Future where he says he's too ahead of the time? Utter tummy rot. Here's a performance that knocks it clean out the water and with a double necked acoustic guitar. I haven't seen that before in a video from the 50s let alone from a 12 year old. 

And let's talk about how heavy the song is. They've taken the old blues standard that I've loved since I was a child (Lloyd Price's version is my favourite) and torn it apart. This is an incredible piece of music history. He has to be just about the coolest 12 year old I've ever seen. I'm jealous as hell.

carl perkins and jerry lee lewis - ' mean woman blues/blue suede shoes'

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That's one half of the Million Dollar Quartet back in 1971 rocking and rolling as they were born to do. 

ian dury - 'reasons to be cheerful part 3'

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I couldn't resist sticking this classic on. Been dancing round the living room to it. Damn what a tune.

vampire weekend - 'diane young'

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Last new release of the day from me, I promise. I'll leave you with the new Vampire Weekend video to their single 'Diane Young' and featuring as many of their famous chums as they could fit in. The alumni includes Sky Ferreira, Santigold, Dirty Projectors, P-Thugg et al. 

The song sees a departure from their previous African influences and a move towards honest to God, American rock. I think it suits them.

hot chip - 'dark and stormy'

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Talk about finger on the pulse. Yet another brand new release and only a few hours old. It was played for the first time this evening on the radio and is the first track from their upcoming new album. I think this one needs a few listens but first thoughts are that it's okay but not a super-smash. It's got a good feel to it but at no point does it grab you with both hands and demand you pay attention. When they come to put together their greatest hits this will sit somewhere near the middle but nearer the end than the beginning. 

lykke li and david lynch - 'i'm waiting here'

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This is soooo cool. I wouldn't have teamed these two up as a natural pairing but when you come to think of it they do seem rather suited. This is a quiet ballad number with nods to the trademark Lynch sound (echo, twang-y guitar) but it also has a 60s girl group feel to it too and Lykke Li does the mournful, haunting (I had to get that adjective in. It's a review of a David Lynch song after all) so well. I hope there's an album to back this up.

the xx - 'fiction (maya jane cole remix)'

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Just about the hottest young remix specialist in London meets just about the hottest young band in London. Brand new today.

bingo players feat. tony scott - 'devotion'

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Funnily enough, I've been listening a fair bit to the Nomad original, these last few weeks. I found that I'd added it to my iPod tunes and was pleasantly surprised to stumble across this on one of my commutes. This particular version appears to be a few years old but is brand new to me having only just come across it on the new Stanton Warriors Sessions Vol 4 album at the weekend. 

tricky - 'valentine'

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The new album is a quiet little masterpiece. There's no floorkillers but each adds to something so much greater than its parts. I've still not forgotten that appalling Maxinquaye gig last year and I'll probably skip any opportunities to see him live ever again but his studio albums remain as solid and as reliable as ever. The 'False Idols' album (how apt) has a very impressive supporting cast too: Chet Baker, Nneka, Antlers. It's an instant hit if you like the brooding, moody Tricky stufff.