de-minimis: July 2016

25 July 2016

general elektriks - 'whisper to me'

I've said it before and I'll say it again, French pop is very polarised. Either it's brilliant or it's just dire. Fortunately there are lots of great French bands out there and I've just discovered another and yes. it's brilliant. General Elektriks combines funky guitars, synths and drum patterns for a very cool sound. What a way to start your week with this track.

23 July 2016

lawrence arabia - 'sweet dissatisfaction'

If you can find a song cooler than this tonight then I'd like to hear it. Beautifully laid-back pop doesn't get much better than this. Taken from the brand new album 'Absolute Truth'.

lou rhodes - 'all the birds'

I've been enjoying her new album a lot, I thought at first it would be an ethereal affair with whispered vocals and tender guitar plucking but there's a bit more muscle to it and it's all the better for it, Her voice was very familiar to me and I couldn't help but think she reminded me of the lead singer of Lamb...and lo and behold, she IS the lead singer from Lamb! The break from electronica suits her, this is a great album.

22 July 2016

regina spektor - 'bleeding heart'

Ahead of her new album the brilliant Regina Spektor has released this track from it and bloody good it is too.

the cult of dom keller - 'broken arm of god'

Nottingham band The Cult of Dom Keller have a brand new album out and it's doom-tastic. There's influences from Suicide, Pink Floyd, Sisters of Mercy aplenty. Just check this monster of a tune.

tusks - 'false'

Emily Underhill aka Tusks is signed to the brilliant One Little Indian label and this is her second EP to date. It starts very mellow and stays there but the position it occupies is quite beautiful too. It has a wonderful 'morning after the night before' feel to it that wraps around you like a comfort blanket. Highly recommended.

17 July 2016

soft hearted scientists - 'golden omens'

This Cardiff band have been around for quite some time but I'm ashamed to say that their new album 'Golden Omens' is the very first I've heard of them. If Syd Barrett-infused psychedelic rock is your thing then you'll probably love them too.

darkstar - 'reformer (feat. emperor of)'

It's great to hear a new Darkstar production. This is taken from their new EP 'Made To Measure'.

depeche mode - 'condemnation'

We all need Depeche Mode in our lives.

ebo taylor & the sweet beans - 'odofo nyi akyiri biara'

Oh man, gotta love a bit of 70s Afro-funk.

12 July 2016

trevor sensor - 'when tammy spoke to martha'

I'm not too sure what the title refers to but there's few songs with such an in-your-face beginning than this. It genuinely shocked me! Great tune though.

metronomy - 'night owl'

Another great track released from their 2016 album 'Summer 08'.

grinderman - 'no pussy blues'

Fuck yeah! What a tune.

11 July 2016

esther phillips - 'home is where the hatred is?'

A quite brilliant uptempo cover of a Gil Scott-Heron classic.

10 July 2016

dj shadow - 'nobody move (feat. run the jewels)'

Definitely one of the highlights from the new album. It's an inspired collaboration.

cassy - 'back'

Not quite minimalist techno but it certainly steers in that direction. And can I add that it's very soulful too.

jamie isaac - 'last drip (remix feat. rejjie snow)

There are worse ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than chilling out and listening to the new Jamie Isaac album.

mull historical society - 'build another brick'

The 2016 album 'Dear Satellite' is firm favourite in this household and with tunes like this on it, it's not too difficult to see why.

ry x - 'shortline'

Just wonderful.

beth orton - 'wave'

Nothing beats Beth Orton.

stephen steinbrink - 'i'm turning inside out (live at little elephant)'

One album that seems to have snuck under the radar is the new Stephen Steinbrink album 'Anagrams'. The tunes are ostensibly portraits of addiction and mental illness but they are framed and executed so beautifully that you can marvel at them without a need to understand the back stories. Definitely one for fans of Avi Buffalo or Sufjan Stevens - and seeing as that includes me, I'm in!

thievery corporation - 'amerimacka (feat. notch)'

Sunday mornings were made for Thievery Corporation.

mirel wagner - 'to the bone'

This is how it's done. You play your part and I'll play mine.

the flaming lips - 'revenge'

Recorded 5 years ago with Danger Mouse producing this posthumous Sparklehorse album with various artists, this is The Flaming Lips at their very best. I just wish they would stop pissing about with mediocre covers of classic albums and their slightly creepy obsession with Miley Cyrus and get back to making great music.

09 July 2016

alex calder - 'sasaki'

I'm enjoying listening on Bandcamp to Alex Calder's new album 'Bend'. There's something of Syd Barrett about him and his leftfield style is a refreshing change from a lot of identikit musicians. This track is a quirky little instrumental that has a bit of a surf sound to it too.

sarathy korwar - 'bhajan'

I think this is an album that can partly be credited to Gilles Peterson for his championing of the Indian Sidi/Jazz/Electronica crossover band. It's quite remarkable in its breadth and depth and will have you going back to it time and again.

niki and the dove - 'you want the sun'

If you are looking for a fresh new album to soundtrack your summer then look no further than Niki and the Dove's 'Everybody's Heart Is Broken'. The Swedish duo are big and making a big statement with this long player.

omni - 'wire'

This sounds so good! Love it. Taken from their new album 'Deluxe'.

07 July 2016

gonjasufi - 'maniac depressant'

At last, Gonjasufi is back and there's a promise of a new album too. I really can't get enough of this man.

ryley walker - 'the roundabout'

He's released another tune from his upcoming album. Love it.

agnes obel - 'familiar'

Denmark's Agnes Obel has been somewhat elusive of late, she's been quiet for 3 years now but she's now back with this great new tune and video. I hope there's an album too in the offing.

quays - 'your side ft. nancy anderson'

Every once in a while a stop-start dubby dance tune grabs your attention and makes you think "fuck, yeah!" - this is one of those times.

syd barrett - 'wouldn't you miss me?'

He died 10 years ago today. Shine on you crazy diamond.

xylaroo - 'on my way'

Here's a band for all you Monsters and Men, First Aid Kit fans. They are from East London via Papua New Guinea. Lovely sunny indie-pop.

the abyssinians - 'declaration of rights'

Got to love a bit of roots reggae.

nick drake - 'black-eyed dog'

Taken from one of his final recording sessions and inspired from the infamous Churchill quote, this is a lovely and timeless tune from the late great Nick Drake.

ela orleans - 'ghosts and whispers'

Polish-born, Glasgow-resident Ela Orleans has vome up with an absolute peach of a concept album. Presumably set around Dante's Inferno the album 'Circles of Upper and Lower Hell' is a work of outstanding beauty. It's so compelling, it's not a soundtrack but it so could easily be.

stay - 'last time'

One for the fans of early 90s baggy Manchester bands. This is a Minneapolis band called Stay and the album is 'The Mean Solar Times' and from what I can gather have been around a little while but looks like they are picking up a lot of pace now. The album is produced by Owen Morris who also produced Definitely Maybe and The Verve's Northern Soul and the first track guest stars Andy Bell (presumably the one from Ride rather than Erasure) so there's a huge British influence and no doubt deliberately. The overall sound is Stone Roses, Charlatans, early Oasis in all their pomp. It's a glorious riot of jangly guitar riffs and long play-outs.

Yes, it's definitely retro but the important thing is the music is very good. The whole album is well worth checking out.

katie von schleicher - 'move through'

Her 2015 album 'Bleaksploitation' was released on cassette and has become such a big hit that thankfully she's been persuaded to release it in more conventional formats and it's also available through her Bandcamp page. Best described as dark, reverb-heavy break-up songs, there is definitely something quite magical about her music.

xeno and oaklander - 'marble'

It's great to see that New York minimalists Xeno and Oaklander are back and with a great new album. I've got one of their earlier albums but must confess they had slipped off my radar for quite some time now so it's a welcome return. This is the first track from their new album 'Topiary'.

06 July 2016

ladytron - 'ritual'

Haven't heard this in a while. Great tune from a seriously under-rated band.

the explorers' club - 'don't waste their time'

I must have played this 10 times already over the last few days. It's just right for the sunny summer we've belatedly been getting. Think Beach Boys tracks: 'In My Room' or 'Breakaway' and you have this album in a nutshell. There's catchy surf riffs, beautiful harmonies and killer lead vocals with 12 songs all coming in at the 3 minute mark. It's just perfect pop music and you'd think they were a Beach Boys tribute band, they're that good.