#1 - Louis Culture - Being Me
One of the exciting underground artists from South West London (big up), Louis Culture has been putting out fire for a while now. This new track sets up atmosphere with unnerving undertones pretty quickly, using some detuned chords gliding up and down under Louis' steady, assured flow, as he recites the shit he's put up with over the years. It's a refreshing sound; the production shifts between contrasting sections more intricately than a verse, chorus pattern. In particular, the 'two step' echoing sample into the outro is slick and ominous while still maintaining rhythmic groove that keeps your head bobbing. Milo Blake has provided a sick visual to pair with the track - here - including some clever stop motion collage work that's particularly memorable. Everything great about this city.
#2 - Arlo Parks - Black Dog
Oh Arlo, you can do no wrong. Another massive South London talent at the moment, 'Black Dog' summarises everyone's fears and anxieties right now in an ode to a friend she can't pull out of their dark place. She's emphasised in the past that her lyrics always come first in the process, which is reflected in the poetic simplicity in which she conveys emotions. Simple acts like going 'to the corner store to buy some fruit' are the little gestures we use to communicate with those we love who are closed off from us. The laid back beat shepherds us through the song as the plucked guitar chords plod gently across your sense like ripples on a pond. Molly Burdett directed the video that dropped with the track, capturing human intimacy and interaction in a handful of elegant shots; their collaborations continue to provide stunning results. The melancholic overtones do take the limelight, but the track still sustains the lull of early summer in its sound.
#3 - Tom Jarmey - I Want You Touch
Nothing has made me want to get back out and party more than this tune. Sampling Alicia Keys' 'If I Ain't Got You' and Nile Rogers 'I Want Your Love' and combining them in the best possible way, the Manchester-based producer really captures the essence of Chicago house and sprinkles it into this banger. The chopping of the start of the hook before the drop is a classic technique but feels cheesy in no way whatsoever. The variation of the specific cuts in Keys' vocals keeps the ears entertained and pace is kept consistent throughout the whole five minutes. The track could actually easily finish about a minute and a half earlier, but that last drop is a wonderful surprise. Everything about it feels like sun, skies and drinks in the park. Oh, and beautiful hi-hat.
#4 - Hiroshi Yoshimura - Creek
Hiroshi Yoshimura's 'Green' is a 1986 release of lush, ambient beauty in the footsteps of Brian Eno and others, and itself greatly influential. Spotify uploaded the album onto their service in March, and 'Creek' is my favourite selection to credit the album. The perpetual oscillation of the xylophone instrument fades in and out of focus over fresh, cool and mysterious pads, creating a soundscape befitting of an actual creek, hidden under dense foliage, the water glistening here and there, reflecting the light that sneaks through. It's calming and could certainly suit meditative circumstances, but the continuous movement also gives enough interest to maintain full focus throughout.
#5 - Wilma Archer - Decades
Featuring exciting collaborations with the likes of Sudan Archives and MF DOOM, Wilma Archer provides an instrumental work with 'A Western Circular'. that would have been fantastic to see live in concert. With current circumstances, that isn't yet possible, but that doesn't take away from the quality of the music whatsoever. 'Decades' has a classic quality that sits nicely with the title and features some wonderful interplay between live drums and the vocals of Samuel T. Herring and Laura Groves. I find peace in its solemnity, and the lyrics feel unbelievably potent right now. The message is powerful, 'living in a world so complicated', and ending on 'You'll help me through' before giving us over two minutes of instrumental and riffs to let the gravity of the words sink in.
Five tracks I'm very excited about this week to be honest! Could have left the playlist with just that, but I've chucked a few more cool bits and bobs in there too. I also have made a mix featuring a couple of these which you can find here, I feel like everyone needs lots of fresh listening material at the moment. Stay safe xx
