a tribe called quest - 'i left my wallet in el segundo'

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Got to get it, I got to get it...

a guy called gerald - 'voodoo ray'

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I met A Guy Called Gerald once at a squat in Whalley Range. Really nice chap. And he did make this monster tune.

ólafur arnalds - 'words of amber'

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I haven't blogged any of his music in a long time so let's rectify it with this from his latest album 'For Now I Am Winter' and as ever it's as sublime as it is beautiful.

shinehead - 'gimme no crack'

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From one of my favourite reggae albums of all time, this one's a real crowd pleaser too.

friday in the mix through the decades

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For my lunchtime mix I've gone for something from the 70s, 80s, 90s and finally the noughties. The Osmonds, KRS-1, Pressure Drop and Vampire Weekend. Not your usual gang of four, by any measure.

The Osmonds - 'Crazy Horses'

Boogie Down Productions - 'My Philosophy'

Pressure Drop - 'Freak Show'

Vampire Weekend - 'Walcott'

unkle - 'worship'

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The brand new release from Unkle with visuals by Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones. Very Sigur Ros, I'd say. It's more of a soundscape than his music of old but it's got that Unkle moodiness that lifts it above the competition into something ethereal and beautiful and foreboding.

burning hearts - 'modern times'

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Last one from me tonight and this is a band were a big tip from my brother. He's got good taste in music for sure. 

jamie xx - 'all under one roof raving'

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This has a load of great samples from one of my favourite art-house movies 'Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore' and just to prove the point, I blogged about it a fair few years ago here. I love the arrangements on this. Jamie XX has done really well with this.

strands of oak - 'jm'

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Ah! Proper old school heavy guitar riffs from Strands of Oak aka Timothy Showalter. Hailing from Philadelphia, he's been bubbling under for a few years but with a new album out 'HEAL', this could all change. Just check out the Floyd-like guitars on this baby. Great stuff.

we the wild - 'trampoline'

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Lots of pops and whistles in this one and it certainly appeals to the inner glitch hop geek within me. It's almost an R&B vibe but then the chorus is a very radio-friendly contemporary pop. Something for everyone, I guess. I think this is going to be a very big tune and rightly so. 

the juan maclean - 'a place called space'

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The new album's out on 19th September but ahead of that they've released the first track from that and it's a disco-tastic odyssey. It sounds extremely retro reminding me of all those space-themed Moroder or Sheila B late 70s/early 80s anthems. This particular track comes in at a whopping 8 minutes 20 seconds too so plenty of time to perfect those dancefloor shapes. In all seriousness, it's a simply brilliant tune.

fka twigs - 'two weeks'

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One word to describe this brand new masterpiece - 'epic'. Full credit to the production for keeping the tension high throughout on this quite brilliant track. Let me remind you that this so-talented lady is British too. I feel very proud saying that. What a talent.

razika - 'syndere i sommersol’

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Are you still looking for the perfect sound for the summer? If so, then look no further because I think I've found the tune for you. It's got everything you need and so much more - energy, a great tune, an instantly catchy chorus and a band that looks like they are having fun with the song. 

Razika are from Bergen, Norway. Where else but Scandinavia would you get such good pop music like this?

björk - 'mutual core (these new puritans remix)'

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There's nobody out there pushing as many musical boundaries as Björk. She should be declared a world heritage site all by herself.

elvis presley - 'love me'

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And backed by the incomparable Jordanaires. I bloody love Elvis.

eels - 'a swallow in the sun'

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Has Mark E ever made a bad record? I think not. This is an exquisitely beautiful tune from his latest album.

god damn right it's a beautiful day

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Uh-huh.

The Eels - 'Mr E's Beautiful Blues'

Air France - 'Collapsing At Your Doorstep'

Super Furry Animals - '(Drawing)  Rings Around The World'

mo-dettes - 'paint it black'

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I hadn't heard this in years and years until it popped up quite randomly on my iPod this morning. Hope you enjoy it.

tove stryke - 'even if i'm loud it doesn't mean i'm talking to you'

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After a three year hiatus, Swedish singer Tove Stryke is back with a kick-arse pop tune. It's sort of Annie meets Robyn. Loads of attitude, tons of fun and it's got an irresistibly catchy bass-line. Check it out if you need a little wake-up call before the big match tonight.

jimmy scott 1925 - 2014

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The legendary contralto jazz singer Jimmy Scott passed away on Thursday. his voice was unusually high for a man, a side effect of a rare genetic disorder. If you've never heard the man's voice then perhaps this cover of the Prince classic might give you an idea of the talent the man had. If you're still unsure then, well...he was Frank Sinatra's favourite singer. That will settle any doubts.

My goodness, this is a beautiful rendition. 

karen carpenter acapella

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I came across this fascinating article on dangerousminds.net about the beauty and clarity of Karen Carpenter's voice. It turns out there's a fair few acapella or near acapella versions of her hits where you can judge for yourself. The article is here but I've chosen one of my favourite Carpenters tunes - 'Top of the World'. Cheesy as you like and the beginning sounds like the theme tune to Postman Pat but at the same time so infectiously happy.

ltj bukem ' feel what you feel'

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He's always been associated with the more cerebral side of drum and bass, a reputation that's more than well deserved. I regard his 'Journey Inwards' album as one of my all-time favourites. Check this out.

sébastien tellier -'aller vers le soleil'

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If you're after a lazy summer pop tune then look no further than Sébastien Tellier's latest song. The video's something else too. 

leonard cohen - 'to love somebody'

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This is a bit of a find. It's a live cover of the Bee Gees classic by none other than Canada's Poet Laureate.

hundred waters - 'murmurs'

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It's not often that Florida and 'indie band' are said in the same sentence. Hundred Waters are here to help all of us struggling to think of a decent example. Actually 'decent' doesn't do them justice at all. They're frigging brilliant and this video directed by Allie Avinal Tsypin plays out like a modern suburban horror film. What's not to like?

shamir - 'sometimes a man'

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From the very acclaimed Northtown EP, Las Vegan Shamir takes us on a tour of the lesser known places of his hometown. Great tune, it's nigh on impossible to pigeon-hole in one or two words.

solar wolf - 'strawberries and cream'

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More than just a slight nod to Air's classic "How Does It Make You Feel?". I can hear copyright lawyers sharpening their pencils. It's a great track by Solar Wolf nonetheless.

tuesday morning in the mix

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What a beautiful day. Here's a few tracks that popped up randomly on my iPod this morning. In their own ways, each is a perfect gem.

Gonjasufi - 'Holidays' 

Sinead O'Connor - 'Ode To Billy Joe'

Wasaru - 'Our Memories'

architecture in helsinki - 'do the whirlwind'

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They're definitely not from Northern Europe despite the name-dropping in their title but the link's close enough for me because I love this band and in particular this tune. The video rocks too.

blood orange - 'you're not good enough'

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Prince and Michael Jackson fans will like the guitar hooks in this new tune from Blood Orange. Wonderfully retro and smooth as a Milk Tray advert. Nice.

kaja gunnufsen - 'au'

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Staying with the Nordic theme, here's the brand new track from Norwegian singer/songwriter Kaja Gunnufsen and a rather cool video to accompany it. She reminds me of Swedish Stina Nordenstam in parts which is obviously a very good thing! I'm going to keep an eye out for Kaja in the future. I hope she gets a lot of success. 

husky rescue - 'sound of love'

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Brighton and Hove Albion have announced their new manager last week and he's a Finn. That'll interest my brother who now lives in Finland! So...I was thinking of Finnish bands that I like and Husky Rescue are pretty near the top of the list for me. Their unique brand of electronic pop resonates with me every time I listen to them. This tune from their 'Ship of Light' album is a case in point.

marvin gaye - 'i heard it through the grapevine'

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The original and still the best.

interpol announce new album

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It's called 'El Pintor' and will be released on 8th September everywhere except the US who get it a day later. It was recorded in New York and mixed in London. Here's a short behind the scenes look at the making of the album.

nadus - 'sharpe james'

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How's this for mellow and cool?

caribou ' can't do without you'

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You've probably heard about this new Caribou tune from all the big online music sites. It's a superb track, no wonder everyone is raving about it.

pure x - 'sweet janine'

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I don't know a lot about this band so I've done a little bit of digging and discovered they're from Austin and play some lovely Southern swamp blues. This track's actually a cover from another artist completely new to me, late 70s singer/songwriter Eddie Rabbitt. It's a lovely way to sign off for the evening.

jj - 'all white everything'

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Just gorgeous. Regular readers of this blog will know full well, my love affair with this Copenhagen band. They can do no wrong in my eyes, they make just the most beautiful pop music and this new release just makes me love them a little bit more.

parquet courts - 'black and white'

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It's been out a little while but this is the video to accompany the song. Very retro it is too with various scenes from their Brooklyn manor. It suits the retro song which sounds very early new wave. They're going from strength to strength, they really are.

poliça - 'you don't own me'

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This is a superb cover of a lesser known Lesley Gore track. Better known for her 'It's My Party', this is a darker, more moody, less poppy number and this cover is given the full theatrical treatment and it works so well. I notice that Poliça are playing in Brighton at the end of the month. I must try to get to it.

You can listen to the track here.

honey smugglers - 'listen'

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A blast from the past.