I Can't Wait To Hear You Out | 22/04/2020

Hey guys, I hope everyone is keeping as well as they can at the moment. I've never felt my own needs fluctuate so constantly before, as this situation has caused. Some days I am completely reliant on structure, routine, and being constantly busy with productivity to try and feel like this time means something and it isn't just all bleak. Others, the thought of trying to force myself into filling the time is just painful, I need to just dissociate from reality for a while and pretend it isn't happening. 

A crap note to start on, but it's pointless not being honest about things right now. We all already have to do act like it's all fine every day on our zoom calls, on the same repetitive text messages we send as we continue through this limbo state. I've actually found it difficult to write, but not from an emotional perspective. I think that while I'm still consuming lots of music, I'm just not experiencing it the same way I would normally. I'm not hearing it out, identifying it with moments and realisations, chewing my friends' ears off about why it's so peng, sharing and repeating on commutes to work and back from parties. Without that inspiration, the words don't come as freely, and so, for now, I thought I'd talk about a few tracks I can't wait to experience in the flesh, when we finally can.


#1 idontknow - Jamie XX

Last week, Jamie dropped a new track after several years hiatus from his own music. I've been waiting for this to be released officially for a while, and needless to say it's faultless. Everything about it screams 'losing it on the dancefloor', whether its the tempo change 1:20 in, or the turret gun effect of the drums. That being said, the harmonic and melodic plot has the same emotive warmth to it that is signature of his style, it's entirely his sound. With it definitely being a progression from his earlier work, I really think it stands a signpost for music that will change the experience of his live shows. To imagine how he'll move from moments like 'Obvs', 'SeeSaw' and 'Loud Places' into this area is already exciting me, and it's a new era I can't wait to be part of.

#2 - Can't Do Without You - Caribou

One of the many concerts I had cancelled/postponed was Caribou at O2 Academy Brixton; I've seen Daphni sets a few times but this was my first for the big C. I had already envisioned how this song might feel; it's a really important one for me and the close ones in my life, and it's all summed up in those four word; 'Can't Do Without You'. As the synth textures build up and up, further and further, that sense of euphoria you feel when you dance with others who feel exactly the same as you in that moment surrounds you. The sound gets grittier, the harmonics swell and envelope you in the gravity of that statement, and for just a second, everything around you disappears. That's what music should do.

#3 - Belfast - Orbital

Another failed gig... this time I actually decided myself not to go to Printworks just before the lockdown rather than have the gig cancelled. There's a lot of music from this entire era that I still want to see in action, but now that I missed Orbital once, it's my mission to see them as soon as I possibly can. 'Belfast' has a certain grace to it that captures the beauty, the light and brilliance of rave that is less discussed. If I'm going to really go for it, I'm imagining us all at Glastonbury next summer, that vocal sample soaring over our heads as the bass shakes the ground under our feet, forgetting any of this ever happened, the sun setting (or rising!) behind us. Maybe it's too picture perfect, but I'm speaking it into existence.

#4 - One More Time

Right, this one is definitely a stretch. But not being able to get tickets to anything for such a long time has really made me think about who is particularly important for me to see before I die. Daft Punk probably comes in at number one, with this song in particular. For me, this dropping, and the unanimity of what it is with all those people across the globe, has the same elation of the new year countdown, or a surprise birthday cheer. The fact that it's been so long since they've toured and the mystery of if they'll ever return only adds to that. This live album they released I only came across when one of my friends copped it on vinyl, but I really think it captures just how magical their entire performance would be, let alone the arrival of this seminal moment in pop music.

Anyway, that does it for now. I think it's pretty clear I really miss the dancefloor lol. Stay safe and stay at home, massive props to everyone working in healthcare no matter what you're doing. The government has let you down but you're still not letting us all down in turn, and nothing will ever be able to express our gratitude. Be kind to yourself everyone. Oh, and here's a playlist update with these songs and more I want to hear live, plus some new stuff xx

Songs of the Decade | 2010s

Below are some of the best the 2010s have had to offer for me. I've tried to incorporate a variety of what music can mean and not stick too heavily to certain areas of sound, but of course my taste is fundamental to this list, with electronic music taking focus. Have a listen along here if it suits, otherwise you can check out the top 10 I selected from the last year here. Enjoy!

#25 - Marka - Dub Phizix ft. Strategy

Starting it off with something dark and murky. 'Marka' is a half-speed classic for fans of 170bpm and over sets, and the drop in tempo makes it all the more noteworthy of a moment. Everything about it is low, gravelly and ominous. Strategy's Mancunian-Jamaican accent gives a very distinctive flow, and is matched with a heavily angular, almost threatening motif after the drop. Even the way the song opens, with only a hi-hat and the vocals processed to sound distant, before we plunge into the full force of it, makes you feel like you've fallen down into the pits of hell. The booky music video to pair with it adds to the unnerving atmosphere this track gives, but there's no denying how hard it slaps on the dance floor. 

#24 - Genesis - Grimes

There's certainly a few tracks from 'Visions' that could have taken this place, particularly 'Oblivion', but for some reason 'Genesis' really has always stuck in my mind and maintained its capability to be left on repeat. The hypnotic effect of the synth pattern, just three notes with heavy delay, places you in a dream world as soon as it starts, and gels with Boucher's silky vocals to flood your system with one gorgeous sound. The sharp clarity of the beat and piano runs underneath counteract this, and provide the rhythmic excitement needed to keep things moving. Grimes is putting out some great stuff right now, but nothing has topped the work from this album yet for me.

#23 - Work - Rihanna

To be honest, this was more of a moment in history than a song. When Rihanna's 'Work' dropped, you would hear it about three times a night in any RnB club, on the radio any time of day and in half the memes on the internet. The world was obsessed, and it managed to push through the winter months and remain totally relevant through the summer. Spearheading what I think to be her most musically complex album, it really did have all the elements a hit needs and more. The simple, understated bassline worked perfectly to drop in as a tease before the song itself, and there's always that inexplicably sick twist that Rihanna's voice brings to everything.

#22 - Cranes in the Sky - Solange

First of all, visuals. The music video that came with 'Cranes in the Sky' was one of the most aesthetically pleasing few minutes of my life. Solange has a poetic ability that delivers incredibly distinct and powerful messages in her music illustrated with matching melodies and arrangement. The drum beat could go on forever, particularly with the double hit to the kick, with the second sharing the space with an open hi-hat. The sound is ever so delicate, as Knowles' vocals rise higher into whistling wisps above the beat. Her recent album, 'When I Get Home', was one of the big ones of this year, but for a single track, 'Cranes in the Sky' takes it home.

#21 - Vyzee - SOPHIE

This choice could be 'Lemonade', 'Bipp' or 'MSMSMSM' and the point would still stand; this is just my personal favourite. The sickly sweet, maniacal and genius material SOPHIE creates entirely through electronically produced sounds are extremely impressive, using industrial beats and pop-on-speed melodies, vocals, and so on, as is standard with the PC music sound. The full album that came later in the decade was brilliantly executed, however these earlier tracks catch the essence of the madness best. They're like the tiny, cute characters in video games that are actually the most powerful that you don't wanna fuck with.


#20 - Daughter - Four Tet

My theory, in no way proven, is that the not-quite-comprehensible singing in this track comes from Kieran's own daughter, hence the title. Through this, one can perceive it as the soul of 'New Energy', its most intimate moment, and its representation of home, family and so on. This reflects well in the music, as the kick and snare rock back and forth like a hobby-horse, mirrored by the two vocal lines doing the same, as soft, warm chords soak into the gaps in between. Just as it reaches a point where your dogs might poke their heads up at the volume, we drop to nothing, followed by a carefully curated selection of final chords, and an extended section of silence. 'Daughter' leaves room for you to contemplate its beauty, like a striking piece of art.

#19 - Therapy - Moderat

The collaboration of Modeselektor and Apparat has continued to bring the world great things after the eponymous album of 2009 featuring 'A New Error'. 'Therapy' employs much of the same technique, with a stoic beat and deep, sustained and emotive chords. This time, there's a strong sense of hope, and rays of light shoot down into the shadowy, electronic depths. A late attack on the chords creates a beautiful bulging sound, and just before the three minute mark a lapse in the texture makes room for low-pitched melody before the industrial drums return again. Tiny vocal samples flit about at the top of the wall of sound as the song strides steadily on, never looking back.

#18 - 212 - Azealia Banks ft. Lazy Jay

Perhaps controversial to include Azealia Banks at all considering the rampant online rages she's been on and generally negative influence she's had on society in recent years, but '212' has to be included on my list as it stands as a fundamental turning point in the merging of dance and rap music. At the time of release, the uncompromising characters of both the house beat and her style of flow weren't heard together in the mainstream, and taking influence from 80's NYC queer and Vogue sounds, the track led to two genres blending culturally in the future. The sample of Lazy Jay's 'Float My Boat' made it an enormous success and a fundamental turning point in this decade.

#17 - Glue - Bicep

There's loads of great memes about this track, and to be honest it really is the baitest seshy white boy tune of our time, but for good reason. It's something about how all the elements are just right to make it come together so successfully, and it creates this air of mystery, ironically with it being their most well known track. Seeing it live, they've done wonders to implant it permanently in everyone's minds as the iridescent lights shoot out from the stage, beaming out as the first 'when I'm in love' is released from the speakers. The harmonisation of the hook towards the end of the track is a subtle development of the idea in a way that sends it off without too much repetition. If anyone hasn't heard this yet, you need to.

#16 - Bad Girls - M.I.A. 

The kind of track you want playing when you're in 1st place in Mario Kart on some desert terrain popping green shells out real casual. It's got the air that you're just killing it in life; the Middle Eastern and Indian melodic and harmonic composition sits well to have repetitive chanting over the top - classic of M.I.A's style and 'Live fast, die young, bad girls do it well' is a strong, effective main line. It's the catchiest track she'd dropped since 'Paper Planes', garnering mainstream attention which she then shifts towards political messages addressed in other tracks such as 'Borders'. M.I.A. is one of the most important artists of this decade, and 'Bad Girls' is an absolute banger.

#15 - Maajo - Maajo

From Tempere, Finland comes a relaxing synthesis of sounds from around the world. The song was originally released as a 12'' under a one-off label 'Seagull' and uses a variety of percussion, simple guitar and bass motifs and of course, those unforgettable African vocals. I've spoken about this song before, and how effective the simple slicing of the sample is to repeat the end of the phrase and bring out the rhythm of the chant. It embodies the sun, the sky, the natural world around us basking in its own glory; it's that moment in the universe where, just for now, everything is well. 'Maajo' is important to me for being a reflection of the peace I've felt within the last ten years, and despite all the unrest there's been, calm still exists.

#14 - Nights - Frank Ocean

Both 'Channel Orange' and 'Blonde' landed in the same decade; looking back, what a blessing. Frank Ocean's discography is so consistently fantastic, from 'Pyramids' to 'Pink + White', 'Lost' to 'Chanel', and 'Nights' is him at his best. His falsetto is so smooth you could spread it on toast, and he explores word and language in a way no one else does. Reinventing RnB again and again, the use of distorted vocals at the end of this track as if it's a totally different voice is representative of the progression in the second album. The guitar riff that just precedes it, the single bar before he starts singing, the variation in drums, so many factors contribute towards this being brilliant.

#13 - Gosh - Jamie XX

As soon as that crescendoing vibration hits your ears, you're in for the ride. 'Gosh' utilises many of Jamie's classic tactics; the beat isn't too invasive and references are made to UK rave, but there's something that makes it special to this day. From about halfway through, it features one of the longest single melody lines I know of in electronic music that maintains interest throughout. It is pure euphoria, as it rises higher and higher, taking you into the vaults of heaven. Any track that can sustain one idea for so long is worthy of praise, and the rest of the production compliments it to take part in one of the sounds of the decade.

#12 - Marilyn - Mount Kimbie ft. Micachu

The opening instrumentation to this track is like ripples on the surface of a lake. The sun gazes down as you lie back on an old picnic blanket. Your friend chucks you another beer, and as you crisply snap open the can, the ash crackles in its tray and the fish dart around at the scraps of food you've scattered above them. This is the picture painted to me through the music, oddly specific, but it comes to me every time. 'Marilyn' represents a shift in sound seen in 'Love What Survives' and continued greatness from Mount Kimbie, but will always be everything that's great about relaxing in summer with friends to me. Their lazy, drifting vocals float over leisurely guitar melodies, letting you slip in and out of a happy haze.

#11 - Nuits Sonores - Floating Points

While 'Crush' has certainly been a landmark of this year, many of Floating Points' releases of the past rival its magic. In particular, 'Nuits Sonores' is a twelve-minute masterpiece that still sounds fresh today. I can't quite believe that Sam Shepherd claims to have produced it during a single plane journey to the Lyon festival itself, and dropped it in his set that same night. The antithesis of this seemingly slapdash approach against the length of the song and the level of refinement makes it all the more remarkable. Several different synth melodies interplay as tension builds up gradually to climactic points such as around 3:40, with note lengths varying from staccatos punctuating the texture to heavily delayed, sustained notes creating sonic clouds. One worth its length in gold.

#10 - Let Me Go - Branko (feat. Nonku Phiri & Mr. Carmack)

Featuring potentially my favourite vocals of the decade from Nonku Phiri, this track combines the Portuguese vibes of Branko with Mr. Carmack's to make something particularly unique. Its slow beat is like a deep flame, and the little, high-pitched synth motifs are like raindrops landing one by one on a smooth, stone surface. It's wonderfully seductive, and while very much human, some of the sounds used give it an outer space edge. At 0:43, the guitar is surrounded by silence for a moment, breaking up the pace and sliding smoothly into the next section. Passing back and forth between English and other languages can often seem tacky or cheesy, and often results in a decrease of quality in the lyrics of both languages, however here it's been done seamlessly, making the two tongues seem as one, as it should.

#9 - Can't Do Without You (Extended Mix) - Caribou

A recent return from Caribou reminds me of the importance of this anthem from the middle of the decade. This is how to make a song about love with just one line, expressing everything in how your loved ones make life worth living; your friends, your family, your partners. This extended version refines the build up to perfection, four continuous chords leading to a mini-drop at 2:45, progressing steadily through the alternation of two vocal lines. The icing on the cake is the three note melody centered around the tonic note, carrying so much emotion in its simplicity. The track doesn't have one huge drop, but builds momentum with each one, like waves, growing larger each time, collapsing onto the shores.

#8 - BTSTU (Edit) - Jai Paul

First appearing on MySpace before being officially released by XL, this is everything that is great about Jai Paul. Countless genres are in the cauldron here, and the track constantly tricks your expectations. With celestial solo vocals opening, a well-paced kick enters, followed by a sharp snare, before we are wrenched elsewhere by the gravelly vibrations of a bassy synth. Paul uses a counterpoint of his falsetto and a lower, slightly distorted voice for further contrast. The track has been massively influential on both the underground and the mainstream, on electronic producers to RnB vocalists, and is a prime example of what can be achieved in musical exploration.

#7 - SeeSaw (Club Version) - Jamie XX + Four Tet ft. Romy

'In Colour' was a colossal moment in music, which I've held off mentioning on 'Gosh' as I couldn't help adding in another track.  It was particularly seminal for me, being probably the first work that piqued my curiosity specifically for being electronic, and changed the course of everything I listen to now. Each song has an argument to be featured here one way or another, but for me, 'SeeSaw' is timelessly perfect. Particularly in this version, with Four Tet finalising the details to make it ready for the floor, both production and vocals are mesmerising. Romy's voice echoes around like a whisper in the dark, and on the word 'SeeSaw', the note length is extended, reflecting the movement of the object, and it's these intricacies that make it so magical for me. The breakdown in the middle of the track makes space to hear each part, before building back up the composition impeccably. Every time the drums come back in, I get goosebumps. God-tier music.

#6 - Just - Bicep

Okay, I've definitely broken the artist repeat rule by this point, but I don't really care. 'Just' is the title track of what I consider to be their greatest release, despite the brilliance of the full-length album. As the punchy synth melody pans from ear to ear and passes through a variety of automation, the listener rides along it like a wave. Underneath, the chords grow louder, denser, and the melody is slowly filtered until the drop comes. Everything bursts out into pure clarity, which gives an enormous sense of satisfaction. Using just one short sample of speech, the rest of the track is completely electronic, and in its cyclical nature you feel as if you are orbiting a planet. Oh, and that strict little snare roll never gets old.

#5 - On My Mind - Jorja Smith X Preditah

Oi oiiiiiiiiii let's av itttttt. This was my most listened to track of last year, and fourth this year lol. Preditah brought garage back into the mainstream at just the right moment to bring somethign nostalgic and fresh feeling all in one. The broken up sample that opens it up is so catchy despite making no sense whatever, and the belter of the chorus bangs for singalongs. In fact, when I saw Preditah at XOYO and Jorja Smith at Bestival, I was overwhelmed by the crowd response both times. The latter was particularly special, as she starts with the slower, acoustic version before dropping the beat after the first chorus. Everyone goes mental, and honestly I don't think I've ever been part of a crowd singing louder. It was such a fantastic collaboration and a nice, real UK sound.

#4 - Get Free - Major Lazer ft. Amber Koffman

Gonna take this moment to say I miss real Major Lazer. It's easy to forget how authentic and exciting of a sound they once brought to the table given the continued churning out of pure commerciality at this point. The first two albums, even the third, are filled with a diverse range of brilliant tracks that really tell stories, set moods, get the party going. 'Get Free' was the most unexpected - no drops or cliches, just emotion. The lyrics are powerful, speaking to your soul as the kick vibrates through your body. Countermelodies rise in between the breaks of Amber Coffman's singing in a delicate call and response. Andy C even released a DnB remix to prep this for raves, but nothing beats the original. Iconic, and one of my favourite pieces of music of all time.

#3 - Morning Side - Four Tet

Twenty minutes, twenty four seconds. Lata Mangeshkar's voice. Kieran Hebden's genius. 'Morning Side' takes its time to set the mood wherever it might be played, gradually building up the beat underneath the sample's cycle. The further in we get, the more electronic patterns are added to the mix, infusing the classical Indian tone with fresh hybridity. At 8:20, the vocals fade and we enter a section of sonic experimentation; sounds become more industrial, tensions rise, and chaos begins to unfold. Within a minute or so, the panic subsides and the serenity returns, like the morning sun dawning across the world. An extended outro winds us down and prepares for 'Evening Side' to enter, an equally enchanting twenty minutes. On top of this, Oneohtrix Point Never made a great remix in just three minutes, which you can hear here. 

#2 - Orissa - Wayward

Similar in sampling to the above, this time it's been taken from a traditional wedding song that the bride and groom sing to one another, very romantic and that. This track has taken that love and wrapped it in tender melancholy, with heavy reverb letting it call out into the night. The line cries out again and again, until eventually it is extended just a few bars longer. As this happens, we build up to my favourite drop of all time. It's so banging, yet feels totally sincere within the sombre tone, and as the heavy bass kicks in, the vocals echo away into the fog, as if all hope has vanished. I'd do anything to have it on vinyl, and highly recommend you take the time to really listen to it.

#1 - Pick Up - DJ Koze

And we're at number one. Choosing a definitive top of this list felt impossible, so I went with what I think I will look back on this period of my life as the perfect representation, and this is it. Through the hundreds of nights out and parties I've had with different friends, 'Pick Up' has the ability to remind me of every single one of them. It's my youth, and it felt nostalgic straight away. A fine example of DJ Koze's disco edit abilities, he's taken the often sampled 'Neither One of Us' by Gladys Knight & The Pips, blended in 'Pick Me Up, I'll Dance' by Melba Moore and constructed something brand new as a thumbnail on the front page of the last ten years. Some of my greatest memories are set to this tune, to the iconic guitar ostinato, to Gladys Knight's wistful notes, to DJ Koze. 

That just about does it, then. If you want to see the top ten songs I chose from this year, click here. If you want to listen to all of the above, the appropriate playlist can be found here. Otherwise, have a wonderful Christmas and a mad, mad new year. Here's to 2020! Love you all xxx

NiNE8 Collective Live | 6/12/19

I've talked about the differences in performance style between DJs, solo performers, bands and so on before, and have always admired the abundance of variety available to us through live music every day, particularly in a city like London. Another thing you see a lot in cultural hubs like this is talented folks bringing together their sounds in a mish-mash combination of all sorts of interpretations of music. Last night I went to see NiNE8 Collective play in Oxford Circus and it really brought out how these kind of groups stand in their own category, and how they treat their time onstage. 

First and foremost, it's a family vibe. While their popularity is definitely expanding rapidly, the NiNE8 Collective are still able to maintain an intimate atmosphere with their audience, using the same smoking area and discarding the use of a greenroom. The core consists of Lava La Rue, NIGE, Biig Piig, Mac Wetha, KXRN, Bone Slim, L!BAAN, Nayana IZ and LorenzoRSV, and as they move between places on the stage, the image they portray as a tight-knit friend group, all with independent characteristics, is symbolised in music form as they jam together as sonic partners, filling out the texture of their sound. Take 'Take Off' for example; Biig Piig's dulcet tones lift ups up and down in a haze of beauty over the smoky production, Lava La Rue's verse then drops us lower into gritty waters, and it rounds off with maximum attitude on Bone Slim's verse. 

'Pusha' takes us into heartier vocals and a singalong chorus from Nayana, whoever isn't under the spotlight in the group will continue to hype up the crowd or one another to keep the energy up. Throughout the night, it's the continual interchangeability of the focus that stands out. After an extended section of the boys rapping, the opening of Mac Wetha's 'Smokers'' punches you in the face with what the girls are bringing to the table too. On the opposite end again, the chorus of 'You Know Better' features the soft, soothing vocals of Biig Piig at their most mesmerising, needing no upfront impact to captivate you. Also, big shout out for dropping 'Twenny Four', was great to hear some of La Rue's most recent album in the flesh.

On another note, it's impossible not to mention the fashion and aesthetic they bring with it essentially being a part of the performance. I have a lot of time for Bone Slim's classic white mask, and it fits Biig Piigs' voice and personality so well as she holds the mic in one hand and has the other in the pocket of her wide-cut, baggy and patterned trousers, leaning back slightly and taking in the vibes. Lava La Rue's outfit banged regardless, string vest crop top in particular, but I really enjoyed that she donned one of the boy's smart jackets for a while and offset the ensemble with a simple clash. Fred Perry were presenting the event, so there was a lot of that onstage, but you wouldn't even need this uniting feature for it all to make sense; they've definitely got an established sense of style as a collective, and so the abundance of details within this is a further reflection of this same assortment of personalities. 

Anyway, so that's that on that. For the last post of the year I want to do a review of my favourite music from this year, so I won't go too much into it but want to mention a couple things Spotify's Wrapped moments. First of all, I was quite gassed to see the seasons was the first thing it featured to take note of differences in listening, as I've just talked about that on here. Second thing is just that I doubled my listening time from last year - not much else to say, just have no idea how I managed that!

In terms of new releases, I'd say the most exciting things I've heard are Caribou's new single 'You and I' which combines their more classic sounds with some interesting new sampling styles, and inflections of some Indian music vocals within this. Gassed to see the live show in April! Arlo Parks also dropped her EP 'Sophie' which I've been listening to a lot, I still can't get over her candy-sweet voice and clever, hard-hitting lyrics. Playlist update is here, but I've also been adding to some new ones all titled with old school emoticons, namely ;), o:), ^_^, :(, <3 :s and B). I thought it would be a cool way to explore different moods, and quite happy with how they've come out so far. Have a good one guys, and make sure to read the next one for a year-in review with me. xxx

Photo Credits - Izzy Skelley @_machiaskelli_