de-minimis

16 October 2016

de la soul - 'pain (feat. snoop dogg)'

I've found their new album a huge letdown with very few discernible tunes on it, instead a rambling mess that's neither one thing nor another but this is the one track from it that shines.

stephen steinbrink - 'absent mind'

The levity of the tunes belies an album that deals with a lot of tough subjects - addiction, mental illness and you can't help but warm to this fantastic album.

drive-by truckers - 'filthy and fried'

I think this might be the first time that I've blogged about this particular Southern Rock band. I must confess that I find a lot of their music washes over me without much of a trace but this particular track certainly hits the right spot.

the amazing - 'perfect day for shrimp'

The great music continues. The Amazing's new album 'Ambulance' is a melancholy delight.

fort frances - 'i'm building a wall'

This tune is quite apt given the upcoming US elections.

benjamin francis leftwich - 'summer'

Benjamin Francis Leftwich's album 'After The Rain' is something of a slow-burner. I've had it some time but have only recently come to appreciate just how good it really is.

charles x - 'can you do it?'

So damn funky.

shonen knife - 'tasmanian devil'

Possibly Japan's greatest ever rock band are still playing it loud and proud. Their 2016 album 'Adventure' sees no relenting in their domination of the Japanese music scene.

hunter/game - 'the path'

And now for some minimalist techno, taken from their album 'Adaptation' here's the sublime Hunter/Game.

billie marten - 'emily'

A British talent as prodigious as Laura Marling, Billie Marten's new album 'Writing of Blues and Yellows' is a collection of tunes whose maturity makes an absolute mockery of the teenage Ms Marten. This song is a particular favourite of mine.

hoops - 'gemini'

This was a Bandcamp recommendation and looking at their feedback, are a band that are surely destined for great things. They are an Indiana band that play a lovely synth dream-pop, perfect for lazy Sundays.

omni - 'eyes on the floor'

If you're a fan of Devo, Television and that ilk then I think you'll love Omni, their 2015 album 'Deluxe' is packed with great late 70s riffs and even the production sounds retro.

sarathy korwar - 'indefinite leave to remain'

Sarathy Korwar is a Siddi, originally Bantu tribespeople brought to India as slaves and he combines the musical traditions of his ancestors together with Sufi and Western Jazz to bring a remarkable and unique sound.

woodkid and nils frahm - 'winter morning'

Two of my favourite pianists/composers around are Nils Frahm and Woodkid. Together they make such uplifting music that it's impossible not to be moved.

ttng - 'coconut crab'

Another band whose ill-advised choice of a band name has almost certainly cost them commercial success. It's great to see them revert to the initials (I shan't say what they were called but a quick google will give you the answer) and hope they go from strength to strength. This particular track is a quirky number with lots of little stops, starts and wonderful cameos. Love it.

drowners - 'dreams don't count'

Taken from their 2016 album 'On Desire' this is the New York band at their very finest.

gold panda - 'stolen phone'

Have Gold Panda ever released a dull track? I don't think so; I love the understated but beautiful approach to their music.

beyond the wizard's sleeve - 'black crow'

An album that has paradoxically won a lot of critical acclaim but yet still seems to have slipped under the radar for a lot of people is the Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve 'The Soft Bounce'. If you haven't heard it yet then you really should get around to it.

lewis del mar - 'loud(y)'

A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon is listening to the new Lewis Del Mar album.

14 October 2016

house of wolves - 'bandcamp'

If you listen to just one new album on Bandcamp today then please make it the eponymously titled 'House of Wolves'. Blues-y Americana never sounded so good.

two door cinema club - 'are we ready (wreck)'

If first songs on an album are anything to go by then Two Door Cinema Club's new album 'Gameshow' is bloody fantastic. Talk about up and at 'em, this track demands attention.

douglas dare - 'new york'

The new Douglas Dare album 'Aforger' is a work of pure beauty. Kind of pitching itself somewhere near Crybaby vocals-wise and a bit like Woodkid on the instrumentation it's got a jazzy, lo-fi electronic feel to it that just grabs you by the lapels and insists you listen.

josefin öhrn + the liberation - 'endless ocean'

For all those who are still bemoaning the loss of Fever Ray and PlanningToRock, both of whom seem to be missing in action then the new album by Josefin Öhrn might just tide you over for some time to come. The whole album is extremely dense with psychedelic influences, bits of Suicide, Portishead and so much more.

stina nordenstam - 'so this is goodbye'

I miss Stina Nordenstam so much. I hope she returns to the recording studio one day.

12 October 2016

paul simon - 'wristband'

I gave his 2016 album 'Stranger To Stranger' my first proper listen on the commute home tonight and it's an instant hit. He's still got lots of influences from African music but there's a bit more variety to this very strong album - a bit of funk, a few slowies, some acoustic tracks, instrumentals, Latin, African, a folky blues tune titled 'Duncan' that is very retro Simon and Garfunkel sounding and is quite glorious. I really do like this album a lot. I might ask for it as a Christmas present as I would love to have this on CD - I only have a digital copy presently.

This tune 'Wristband' is probably my fave on the album. I'm expecting a few remixes of this to appear soon.

10 October 2016

sälen - 'iilwmbf'

I think I've found my new favourite thing. I can't get this tune out of my head, it's just bloody brilliant. Apparently they are from East London although they have a huge Scandinavian feel to them with huge nods to bands such as Little Dragon. Seriously...have you heard a better tune today?

05 October 2016

alcest - 'eclosion'

I'm a bit of a sucker for shoegaze albums and so I can heartily recommend the new album 'Kodama' from French band 'Alcest'. This tune in particular rocks like nobody's business. Great stuff.

01 October 2016

regina spektor - 'black and white'

I'm greatly enjoying listening to Ms Spektor's new album on this rainy October morning. It's certainly a bigger sounding album than I was expecting, it sounds like she has a full orchestra in there at times.

25 September 2016

grandaddy - 'clear your history'

I love discovering new Grandaddy tunes and here's one hot off the press, so to speak. It's the B-side to their new single 'Way We Won't'.

23 September 2016

lou rhodes - 'hope and glory'

Her 2016 solo album just oozes quality. I hadn't listened to it in a while but it's been more than a happy return.

22 September 2016

brent cobb - 'shine on rainy day'

Gotta love the blues.

hope sandoval and the warm inventions - on the low'

Hope Sandoval has been collaborating quite prolifically of late. There was the very recent Massive Attack EP and now I've just read that she has a new album out with Colm Ó Cíosóig from My Bloody Valentine soon under their moniker Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions and will feature the likes of Kurt Vie amongst others. Sadly I can't find a stream of that track but this oldie 'On The Low' is a more than adequate replacement.

krusoe - 'rivers run riot'

How's this for a great track? Oxfordshire artist Krusoe with a monstrously catchy new tune.

fort knox five - 'whatcha gonna do (feat. mustafa akbar)'

If disco and funk is your bag then you'll love this track from 2015.

nilüfer yanya - 'small crimes (bullion remix)'

I must confess, I don't know too much about Nilüfer Yanya but from what I can gather she's a singer from London and connected to Owiny Sigoma Band, from whose Twitter page I got this recommendation. No big deal, the music is bloody excellent and that's what matters.

moby and the void pacific choir - 'are you lost in this world like me?'

Moby is returning to his new wave synth roots with this the first track form an upcoming album with the Void Pacific Choir.

jenny hval - 'female vampire'

Norwegian singer/songwriter Jenny Hval's new album is one of those that offers up a different experience with each listen. It's quite captivating. Avant-garde yet very listenable. I think it will probably be in my album of the year list, for sure.

nick cave and the bad seeds - 'cassiel's song'

Happy birthday to the man who has been one of the biggest musical influences in my life.

renegades of jazz - 'afro cookie'

Nice. Very nice.

21 September 2016

wesen - 'beach boys'

More new Icelandic pop for you. Love this track.

sin fang - 'never let me go'

This is a live performance for KEXP together with the Seattle Rock Orchestra Quintet but sadly doesn't include Soley, the guest performer on the album version. Never mind, as lovely as Soley is (and she is one of my favourite Icelandic singers) this is a superb version nonetheless.

daniel steinberg - 'peace (official)'

To coincide with International Day of Peace let's play this beautiful little anthem by my favourite DJ producer.

leonard cohen - 'you want it darker'

There's a new Leonard Cohen album out on 21st October called 'You Want It Darker' and he's released the title track from it. Any pretence at singing has finally been given up but he's not lost any of his songwriting abilities and there are some killer lines in there - You want it darker, we kill the flame.

20 September 2016

air - 'all i need'

I forget just how good Air's 'Moon Safari' album is. Do yourself a favour and have a listen.

africaine 808 - 'crawfish got soul'

West African electro-funk with a fresh new twist. It's from their new album 'Basar' and is a big party favourite.

smerz - 'blessed'

I owe a lot of thanks to the website Ja Ja Ja Music - a site devoted to Nordic music and a lot of the bands that I blog about are because I've read and heard about them thanks to Ja Ja Ja. SO, it's a big thank you to them once again for bringing Smerz into my life. Norwegian music is in very safe hands with upcoming acts like Smerz around.

villa nah - 'spy'

A big must for all retro-80s fans. The new track by Villa Nah is based on the soundtrack on the old 80s computer game Spy V Spy. The overall sound is early Depeche Mode or even Frazier Chorus in their more electro moments.

prince buster in the mix

I've been looking for a great way to celebrate the music of Prince Buster who passed away a few weeks back and I think I've found it. It's a great hour long mix by a fellow Brighton fan on his Ska-Beat-Soul radio show so it's doubly guaranteed to be quality. Seriously, give it a listen and just enjoy the music of one of music's true pioneers.

the white stripes - 'city lights'

Sometimes less is more and this music video is proof of that. The music is excellent too and sees Jack White exploring his Americana roots once again.

07 September 2016

c.w. stoneking - 'zombie'

Watch out for them zombies.

04 September 2016

ltj bukem - 'atmospherical jubilancy'

Perfect Sunday morning chilled out vibes from this classic from LTJ Bukem.

03 September 2016

zomby - 'thaw'

I wish I could understand artists like Zomby better than I do. I've got the new album and I'm finding it a bit impenetrable but quite mesmerising nonetheless.

sxsxsx - 'up down (feat. milkywhale)'

Icelandic music continues to produce innovators, boundary-pushers and musicians of extraordinary talent. This is a superb side project from rap act Úlfur Úlfur.

blondage - 'flf'

Danish act Blondage have a sure-fire hit with this very radio and club-friendly tune.

iamx - 'oh cruel darkness embrace me'

I've just blagged a copy of their new album and I'm quite impressed. It sounds a bit like Muse with a heavy keyboard makeover. Lots of anthems and dance heavy ballads. Sadly, I can't find anywhere on the internet that has their new tracks so let's go with an older one from last year.

warhaus - 'the good lie'

I've found a new favourite band. Belgian duo Warhaus mix Nick Cave, Alabama 3 and a whole host of other dark flavours for a great sound.

shilpa ray - 'burning bride'

There's worse ways than spending the wee small hours of a Saturday morning than listening to Shilpa Ray. She's one hell of a talent.

wilco - 'if i ever was a child'

The mellowness continues with a brand new tune from Wilco.

02 September 2016

king creosote - 'you just want'

Could there be anything more pleasing than listening to a King Creosote track on a quiet night in?

01 September 2016

nick cave and the bad seeds - 'jesus alone'

The first release from 'Skeleton Tree' sees Nick and Co. in intense, reflective mood. The song is a kind of hybrid of Tupelo and Jubilee Street. I like it. Fingers crossed the rest of the album is as good.

thalia sedek - 'by the hand'

So many critics are raving about her new album 'Eve' and with very good reason; it's an absolute belter. The entire album is available on Bandcamp and I can't recommend it highly enough.

l.a. salami - 'no hallelujahs now'

His new album is quite extraordinary in its breadth. It manages to encompass blues, folk, hip-hop and all manner of things in between. Every track tells its own story and the music is pretty damned good too. This is a quite brilliant album from the young Hackney lad.

vinyl williams - 'feedback delicates'

The new album 'Brunei' is a very dancey affair but there's also lots of little nuggets hidden within each tune that does make me want to go back for more. And talking of little nuggets, this interactive video to accompany one of the songs from the album reminds me a lot of the hidden Easter egg in Excel 97, Ah, those were the days.

cool ghouls - 'sundial'

You could easily think that the new Cool Ghouls album is an entirely authentic late 60s psych-rock band, heavily influenced by the Sgt Pepper album and decamped somewhere in North California on a spiritual journey to find themselves. Seriously, this album absolutely rocks. It's great when a band have a really great sound and this is it.

31 August 2016

wax tailor feat. ghostface killah - 'worldwide'

Let's mix 2 of my favourite things: French hip-hop/breaks producer Wax Tailor and Wu-Tang's finest and create somethinjg special. Here you go.

the radio dept. - 'swedish guns'

There's a new album out soon and this is, I think, the first release from it. It's a bass and synth heavy affair that has echoes of Depeche Mode too. It's all good, baby.

molly nilsson - 'ugly girl'

She's not ugly. Quite the opposite in fact.

29 August 2016

banks and steelz - 'giant'

They've been friends for some time and chess buddies too but Paul Banks from Interpol and RZA from Wu-Tang Clan have finally added album partners to that list of things that they share. On first listen, it does sound like RZA collaborating on an Interpol album rather than vice versa. This is an excellent albeit very noisy track.

bon iver - '33 god'

Here's the latest release from a man very keen to reinvent himself with his much-anticipated new album.

the upsetters - 'vampire'

How about some old school reggae seeing as it's the Notting Hill Carnival weekend?

28 August 2016

jenny hval - 'conceptual romance'

I do like the musical avenues that Jenny Hval explores. Hers is definitely the path less trod but she's extremely good value for that. This is from her new album 'Blood Bitch'.

the rifles - 'groundhog day'

This is a cracking first track from the new Rifles album 'Big Life'.

blond:ish - 'endless games (patrice bäumel mix)'

Taken from the latest Kompakt Total 16 compilation album, this is a beautiful piece of electronica.

a certain ratio - 'flight'

We all need more A Certain Ratio in our lives.

badbadnot good - 'in your eyes (feat. charlotte day wilson)'

The soulful music continues.

juniore - 'je fait la mort'

This is my big discovery of the weekend - a female-fronted French psychedelic surf band with a lovely 60s retro feel and some brilliant tunes. If you want to know more then check out their Bandcamp page here.

https://heyjuniore.bandcamp.com/album/marabout-ep

the afterglows - 'angels in the sunshine'

This is a very lovely, hazy track for a Sunday morning.

23 August 2016

the primitives 'carry me home'

I must have played their 'Lovely' album to death on my cassette player. This was a particular favourite.

pivot - 'o soundtrack my heart'

I haven't heard this in years and it's ridiculously good.

22 August 2016

plantman - 'frost fayre'

So great to see British indie-pop/folk music in such rude health. Here's a new artist to me - Plantman - from Southend with his new album 'To The Lighthouse'. I'm not sure if the album title is a nod to the Virginia Woolf novel but it's pretty damn good nonetheless.

frank ocean - 'nikes'

I have just one complaint with this tune and that is the use of autotune. If only it had not been used then I'd consider this song perfect.

21 August 2016

kiki hitomi - 'yume no hana'

I don't pretend to know too much about Ms Hitomi but she does have a new album 'Karma No Kusari' out and I want it. Just check out how good this is.

jah wobble's invaders of the heart - 'soledad'

What a tune.

nu:tone - 'the boy who lost his smile'

Who's up for some soulful drum and bass?

pional - 'casualty'

This is taken from the upcoming EP 'When Love Hurts' from Spanish producer Pional. It's quite uplifting despite the minor chords and is very catchy too. Fair play for a cracking tune.

adna - 'smoke (full live ep)'

Now this is very special indeed. Berlin-based Swedish singer-songwriter Adna has recorded her full Smoke EP (Beautiful Hell / The Prettiest / Run Lucifer) live and the result is now up on Youtube in all its glory.

serpentwithfeet - 'blisters'

I randomly spotted this on Maryanne Hobbs' Twitter feed this morning and I've got to agree with her, it is a quite remarkable tune. Very chilled too, perfect for a Sunday morning.

20 August 2016

silver mt. zion - 'sisters! brothers! small boats of fire are falling from the sky'

gonjasufi - 'the kill/prints of sin'

The new album is as intense as you'd expect with some very heavy bass and all sorts of sampling, beeps. bleeps and whistles and it all adds to create quite a sonic backdrop.

and the golden choir - 'the transformation'

I don't know an awful lot about this act but from what I can gather they are a German act, have been around for some time as this video will attest - it's 4 years old and previously called 'My Transformation' but the debut album was released only this year - but the music is top notch for sure and the album a real grower. Love it.

crystal castles - 'fleece'

The new album is out and it's a very bold statement after all the acrimony over the last year or so. I love this track.

ezra furman - 'teddy i'm ready'

I'm such a big fan of Ezra Furman and his new EP 'Big Fugitive Life' is a great return for the Chicago singer/songwriter.

16 August 2016

kirsty maccoll - 'don't come the cowboy with me sonny jim'

My all-time favourite Kirsty MacColl song.

15 August 2016

primal scream - 'sometimes i feel so lonely'

Haven't heard this in what must be years.

black marble - 'it's immaterial'

You know you're going to love a track that has a bass guitar that sounds like it's straight from the Peter Hook school of guitar playing. The new album is available to pre-order and you can stream this track from it now.

14 August 2016

cubic nomad & emma susanne - 'no angel (uk mix)'

I'll leave the marathon Sunday music session I've had on this blog with this track by Dutch trip-hop outfit Cubic Nomad. This particular mix gives it a huge drum and bass flavour and although it changes the original beyond recognition, it's still got all the soul and funkiness.

sarah jarosz - 'house of mercy'

A little bit of brand new Americana before I go to bed.

faun fables - 'ydun'

Dawn McCarthy is one half of Faun Fables, an Oakland folk band that channels the late 60s sounds of Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin but also nods to classic British folk music. Her voice is so powerful that it's easy to just to get lost in that but if you can resist those charms then there's some great musicianship too and killer tunes. The new album 'Born of the Sun' is quite something.

maya isacowitz - 'wild sea'

I hope I've got this right - she's an Israeli singer born to South African parents and she now lives in New York! I think we can safely say Ms Isacowitz is well-travelled and her music reflects this. It's a mix of folk, blues, pop and a hint of rock too. She is equally adept playing upbeat major chords and the downtempo minor notes. There's an energy to the album that really makes me want to see her perform live, so here's hoping she comes to the UK soon.

the winstons - 'play with the rebels'

Not to be confused with the 60s soul outfit, these Winstons are from Milan and are sort of prog-rock, sort of heavy rock, sort of experimental and the whole is most definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Their eponymously-titled new album is mind-blowingly good. Get yourself over to their Bandcamp site and check it out.