Burial – Kindred EP

Burial - Kindred EP

By Greg Salter

The first 50 seconds of Burial’s ‘Kindred’ feel familiar, mournful and comforting – there’s the synth washes rising steadily on minor chords, the flicker of a distorted, androgynous vocal somewhere in the mix and the ambient patter of heavy rain, broken by thunder. Suddenly, the beats kick in – they’re the familiar hollow, metallic beats that Burial gave us on his 2006 self-titled debut and much-loved 2007 breakthrough Untrue, but far more aggressive. While Untrue was widely embraced (and widely imitated) for its emotive approach to the then-still-underground genre of dubstep, then ‘Kindred’, briefly, does something Burial’s music has never done before – it unsettles. Further to that: if Untrue cast the faded glamour of UK garage in monotones and memories, the‘Kindred’ brings in elements of jungle and even drum and bass to create something altogether more intense and threatening. … Continue Reading

Hear new music from Kendrick Lamar, ‘Cartoon And Cereal’

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is one of several rappers to have emerged in a post-Drake hiphop landscape – last year’s Section.80 mixtape/sort-of-debut was introspective, thoughtful and largely very good – standouts like ‘ADHD’ and ‘HiiiPower’ ranked among the best hiphop of 2011.

Lamar is currently working on his debut album proper and it’s one of our most anticipated releases of the year. A couple of days ago, the first new material from Kendrick in 2012 emerged – ‘Cartoon and Cereal’ builds on his lyrical themes from Section.80 while also including an almost-song-stealing guestspot from Gunplay and warped, stretched-out production from THC. Listen below. … Continue Reading

Video: Jessie Ware – Running

Jessie Ware

We’ve had our eye on Jessie Ware for a while now – she made a number of guest appearances in interesting places last year, featuring on a number of tracks by SBTRKT, while also putting in a stunning vocal on the standout track on Joker’s debut album, ‘The Vision (Let Me Breathe)’ – her appearance during Joker’s Boiler Room set will testify that she has an impressive voice.

‘Running’, her second solo single after last year’s ‘Strangest Feeling’, is an altogether more subtle affair, a bit like a downtempo Madonna number with hints of R&B and soul. The other Jessie wishes she was this classy. Ware is currently working on their debut album with Dave Okumu of The Invisible (hooray!) – it’s due in the summer. Till then, watch the video for ‘Running’ below. … Continue Reading

Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It

Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It

By Greg Salter

Back in 2010, Learning – Mike Hadreas’ first record as Perfume Genius – was disarming in its honesty, simplicity and emotional content. The ten short songs were often distant and quiet, though the brutal, frank imagery of Hadreas’ lyrics spoke volumes – about self-destruction and destruction at the hands of others, and about survival. Learning emerged after Hadreas had given up drink and drugs and stood as something as a testament to survival – you felt like you were hearing a life story after the event, and the album was often as absorbing and as uncomfortable a listen as you might expect. Watching Hadreas perform those songs live was akin to watching someone relive that past, while also becoming aware of the possibilities of a future, born out of this music. … Continue Reading

Hear a new track by Kyle Bobby Dunn, ‘An Evening With Dusty’

Kyle Bobby Dunn

Last year, Kyle Bobby Dunn released his latest album, Ways Of Meaning – following on from the career-spanning A Young Persons Guide To Kyle Bobby Dunn, it was a meditative, introspective album that drew equally on ambient, drone and modern classical reference points. Ahead of the release of some further new material this year – Bring Me The Head Of Kyle Bobby Dunn, to be released on Low Point – he’s made ‘An Evening With Dusty’ available for download. According to the soundcloud page, it was “composed & Arranged on Christmas Eve in 2004 for an electric guitar, piano during coffee with Dusty and her mum. Recorded more recently at Bunce Cake for your tear jerking enjoyment”. Listen below. … Continue Reading

John Talabot – Fin

John Talabot - Fin

By Greg Salter

‘Debak Ine’, the opening track on John Talabot’s debut album Fin, builds slowly. It opens with samples of a jungle – birds and other creatures squawk as crickets hum and chirp, transporting you to the oppressive heat and dank greenery of a rainforest while also creating the vaguely unsettling ambience upon which the rest of the track is built. It’s a seven and a half minute opener, and it’s not until after the 4.30 mark that ‘Debak Ine’ really settles into a groove – before then, beats and melodies have come and gone and it’s only with the arrival of a (muted) 4/4 house beat that things really start to get going. Still, it’s a phenomenal opener and sets out what Talabot’s music is all about – euphoric elements from house, techno and disco are set down alongside a more introspective, and occasionally dark atmosphere across the whole of Fin. And there’s patience too – Talabot never goes for the quick, easy pay-off and the tracks on Fin follow the template on ‘Debak Ine’, building slowly, thrillingly and exquisitely as you listen. … Continue Reading

Saint Etienne return with new single ‘Tonight’

Saint Etienne

It’s been seven years since their last album, and Saint Etienne have announced their return – the band have made a new single, ‘Tonight’, available to download. You can stream the song below.

The new album is as yet untitled, but the single definitely sounds promising – built on a bed of strings and electronica with an, as usual, irresistible pop hook, it sounds like the melancholic/euphoric pop we’re currently missing from the likes of Robyn and Girls Aloud (it’s produced by Xenomania’s Tim Powell and mixed by Richard X). Welcome back Saint Etienne. … Continue Reading

Wiley – Evolve Or Be Extinct

Wiley - Evolve Or Be Extinct

By Greg Salter

Halfway through Evolve Or Be Extinct’s title track, we get Wiley, sounding as relaxed and as confident as ever, pretty much setting out his what’s driving his new material: “You say you don’t like me. So what?/I’m not a show off but when I’m about it’s a roadblock/Stop thinking of old songs/Move on – go change your old top”. Evolve Or Be Extinct is his statement for his longevity – arguably one of grime’s most influential figures, he’s 32 now and knows that while he can stay true to his grime roots, he also needs to justify his continued existence in a UK scene where the kids are continually coming up from behind. … Continue Reading

Video: Perfume Genius – ‘Hood’

Perfume Genius

We’ve been listening to the new Perfume Genius album, Put Your Back N 2 It, for the last few days and it is stunning, even better than 2010′s heavily praised Learning. ‘Hood’ has already become something of a standout for us, so it’s great to see that Mike Hadreas has released a video for the song – and the first proper Perfume Genius video at that.

The video undercuts the lyrics of the song with a bit of humour – there’s Hadreas in a string vest and some make up alongside gay porn star Arpad Miklos. It’s short, sweet and you can watch it below. … Continue Reading

BRIT awards 2012 nominations are in…

BRIT awards 2012

The nominations for the 2012 BRIT awards were announced today at a fancy do at the Savoy in that London. It was already announced that Ed Sheeran and Jessie J were going to dominate – he’s picked up 4 nominations, she’s got 3, while Emeli Sande has already claimed the Critics Choice Award. Blur will perform on the night and receive the outstanding contribution to music award, so well done them. Bon Iver gets a couple of nods, James Blake and Anna Calvi get one each, and the best international female category is all sorts of amazing.

We’ve got the full list of nominations for you below. Voila: … Continue Reading