Looking Back Through 2020 | 27/12/20

Feels like this year is really trying to go out with a bang at the moment, everything in the UK is just sinking deeper into chaos and it's hard to see things getting better anytime soon. I still think there's benefit in the sentiment of 2021 brining a bright new dawn, even if it's just something to keep us going. Reading through lots of 'Best of' lists makes me realise the sheer magnitude of talent and art that's come through in the last 12 months, and I feel saddened I've not experienced it to its full potential - so that's what I hope I can do more of next year more than anything. I'd like to share some of my favourite sonic moments myself - as ever just a personal list and am in no way qualified to be making statements about what is best. That said, I'll back that it's all great music, so listen along if you can (here's playlist link).

Can't Fight (TSHA Remix) - Lianne Le Havas

Melding the sun-soaked sweetness of Le Havas' mellow tones with the eager optimism painted in TSHA's sound design makes for one feel-good chill out. This came out at the start of summer, when we were just starting to be allowed outside a bit, and brings me back to whole days spent in Burgess Park. The suspended chords in the chorus using a loop of her voice is the most technically eye-catching, but all the details are splendid; little bursts of synth melodies here and there, the various tinkling percussion. A heavy sidechain and modest increase in tempo allow for a change of mood from the original track whilst maintaining the basis of its beauty. The whole album from Lianne Le Havas is thoroughly enjoyable, and while this is my favourite thing from TSHA this year, I'd also mention the Griff garage mix which I had on repeat for ages.

Alone, Omen 3 - King Krule

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this track and Anquetil's accompanying video numerous times this year, but here it is again. It's short and sweet, and the instrumentation feels natural, bringing you into an idle haze with the playful swing of the hihat pattern. Guitar holds steady, as bulges of synth chords are interspersed throughout. Archy stays on the softer side of his vocals other then a few delay echoes as you're taken from A to B on this through-composed journey.

Heartbreak - Bonobo, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Right back to the 80's and 90's instantly with this one. 'Heartbreak' marked the first release to appear on Bonobo's new OUTLIER records, a signpost for more club-focused sound to come (exciting!!). As such, the strength is in the drums, which feel utterly UK, despite both producers being based in LA. Looping melodies focus on capturing that classic rave euphoria, and a huge buildup from 2:08 gives space for focus on the Class Action sample. Drops are simple but effective, and I love the little breakdown outro - think that will sound huge in a mix.

Lifetime - Romy

From one throwback vibe to another. This time we see a full-on embrace of cheesy Eurodance 90's vibe in an anthem that feels hyperpop and indie simultaneously. It's endlessly fun, a love song that's charmingly naive during every moment the bass bounces through. The cluster of synths are all catchy, but the high-octave motif, ever so slightly off beat that you can hear best from 2:30 is my favourite. It's a bittersweet one; as exciting and wonderful this solo debut from Romy is, it's just screaming to be heard on a dancefloor with your closest friends. In this way, 'Lifetime' is the most representative of how music has felt during 2020.

Everything U Need - Overmono

Definitely wins best artwork 2020. Something dark and gritty to ground this list so far, 'Everything U Need' coats a core detuned motif with a plethora of sharp and snappy percussive lines, like darts shooting in all directions. This is then enveloped again by sustained bass and pad notes, encapsulating the mix with a wall of sound. Setting the bar high for what is a strong EP overall, this title track's spiky exterior would allow it to bring its emotive and introspective interior to an industrial basement setting.

We Once Knew - Jagā

I weirdly had the most profound response to this track while queueing for the gym a few months ago. The emotions in the track and compelling and inspiration, yet at the same time forlorn; as if with nostalgia for something long gone and never coming back. A real tear jerker, the steady march of the break punctuates the soundscape of cloudy pads. We set the scene in order to drop the drums at 1:28. The vocal sample is pitched up and heavily processed, but still feels desperately human in it's tone. As the drums drop back in, we glide through to the end of the track in a state of inward reflection. Potentially my favourite thing I've heard this year, shout out to my friend Rich Rose for showing me this one!

My Gemini - Kllo

One of the standout tracks from a stellar album, 'Maybe We Could'. Combining dance music sonics with emotive pop songwriting, Kllo produce a distinctive and memorable sound with each track that comes out. This one feels steeped in Burial influence; at surface level in the vinyl crackle form start to finish, and looking deeper in how the bassline will enter to transform the tonality of the chords over top. A blending of full lyric line vocals with looping cuts and the voice again sampled for the chords creates unified euphonics with a signature sound.

Reflecting Light - The Avalanches

After a campaign that steadily made its way through the entirety of 2020, accompanied by visuals from Johnathan Zawada, December brought us the release of The Avalanches' 'We Will Always Love You', a stunning sonic journey with a handful of creative collabs. The production aspect of the album is strengthened by the patchwork-style weaving of samples, here seen with Vashti Bunyan's 'Glow Worms' in the mix. It's hard to separate the track from the rest fo the album, but something in the strings and Maitreya's captivating vocals feels incredibly cinematic. This melting-pot of different sounds forms a product that feels futuristic, innovative and yet firmly familiar.

It's Gonna Be Perfect - Kev Sheridan

Kev Sheridan's classical music background is evident in subtle refinements of 'It's Gonna Be Perfect', notably in the 8-bar long melody that loops across the track. Its relationship with the tonality and harmony of the track makes it addictive, and with gradual shifting in its processing remains fresh to the ears after countless replays. Beat-wise, the Berlin-based Irish producer works this break to its limit. The pair of loops, drum and synth, you would imagine to quickly get boring, and yet the space and depth explored so stylishly in the track's mix and arrangement creates a powerful sense of narrative. The rhythm and melody are like two wheels of a bike, in the same constant motion, while taking you on a journey of transforming landscapes.

Black Dog - Arlo Parks

It's been an exciting year for the poetic singer-songwriter from South London, and I've been pleased to see her music stay consistently interesting despite expanding pop success. 2020's highlight for me is this touching plea with a loved one in pain. The lyrics are tender and vulnerable, matching perfectly with Arlo's soft, hushedly rasping voice. There's an ASMR quality in the guitar recording, with focus on the organic sounds of the instrument outside of the musical tones - the friction of the stringers against the fingers, the occasional tapping against the body. The ascending piano notes give a moment of ascension out of the grey melancholy, before letting us glide gently back in.

Alien Mode - Pearson Sound

Here's a fresh serving of intergalactic energy. Pearson Sound's first EP with Hessle Audio since 2015 is consistently effervescent, but this track evokes the call to the dancefloor strongest. Percussive elements, both synthetic and sounds from across the globe, merge into a rapid rhythmic underbelly underneath the variety of synth motifs, all mutating and other-worldly, befitting the track's title. The main sample of 'you're not losing your mind' is stretched and stretched, bringing out the metallic artefacts and is reminiscent of classic UK garage (think 'Ripgroove'). 

Both of Us - Jayda G

I'll admit that I didn't expect this one to impact me as much when I first heard it, but across the months the looping piano chords have cemented themselves in my brain and now any time someone puts this on it gets instant reaction. Jayda G captures the genuine essence of house without attempting imitation. Vocals are dreamy and give a real sense of atmosphere. The huge slowdown from 3:24 right up to 4:30 is quite frankly iconic and I can imagine being a lasting festival memory with ease if dropped at the right moment. Very deserving of its Grammy nomination.

That just about does it, but I feel like I've left out loads still. In terms of albums, there's a few not included within the realms of the above that I think need a mention too. The open of the year saw great stuff from Against All Logic and Grimes. I think Dua Lipa released a pop classic with 'Future Nostalgia', and both SAULT Untitled albums (1 & 2 here) feel incredibly important and stunning listens at the same time. Other highlights for me included Shinichi Atobe's 'Yes' and K-Lone's 'Yelli'. Not to mention, Four Tet's double drop on Christmas Day. I haven't included in the above as they only just came out, but 'Parallel' feels like a refined masterpiece and '871' gives us the full array of his creative experimentation. Anyway, here's to 2021! I hope I'm on a dance floor with you before we know it. xx

Max Cooper Live Show | 25/2/20

Happy Pancake day! The best celebration for creeping up on you and still being just as satisfying as you get older. Lemon and sugar is obviously the one and only top tier combination; I've been seeing lots of chat on social media about 'ham and cheese'... flop. No comment. For everyone else except people who spend their pancake day eating that, I have some music bits to talk about. I had my first Printworks of the year on Friday, featuring a live show from the one and only Max Cooper, something I hadn't yet had the opportunity of seeing and was by far the highlight of the night.

I have to admit I missed the first five minutes (bad queues) but the press halls were the busiest I'd seen them for the time we'd gotten in there for. As I got in, the opening from 'Seething' was reverberating across the masses of people. The thing to note about Max Cooper is that many of his tracks are accompanied by innovative, authentic and fascinating visuals, working with a myriad of directors to achieve visual representation of his art. The parity between sound and image was apparent from the beginning, and as the ambience settled the crowd, these brain-like images pulsated and contorted on the screen, shifting in hue, size, angle. It was eerie, and as the song descended into more aggressive waters, we then shifted into a section of industrial techno. The visuals switched to black and white and stayed that way, starting off with polygons and vectors and then depicting some sort of machine, with cogs and pipes and displays.

It was certainly commanding, but it crossed my mind at that point that it certainly wasn't anything groundbreaking for what I'd seen on that screen. As that thought came to me, there was a sudden silence and blackout. The great thing with live sets is these moments are more standard, and can be used to punctuate the statements being made in the music. Your anticipation builds with every second of nothingness that passes, until it began to break with the scuttling percussion that opens 'Order From Chaos'. It being one of my favourites, I started to get overexcited and cheer, but was immediately struck into silence as without warning an explosion of bright, garish colour beamed out from the screen. A gasp in unison indicated the thousands around me felt the same, and as the dense texture drops back to solo percussion again (as at 3:20 on the track) it really began to get interesting. What starts as a collection of misshapen circles collects together into a cell, fusing together with others and forming larger clusters, ever-expanding and transforming endlessly until a dense wall of neon light stands tall in front of us, and then the process begins again. Tiny jellyfish float across the screen, plant-like structures, all centring on a clear theme of life as the track frantically chatters along, symbolising the title in the pandemonium that forms life. 

Another silence, and then the message is relayed again. 'Perpetual Motion' marks acknowledgment of 'Yearning for the Infinite', his new album from last year which I'd really, really recommend listening to. I nearly made a blog post solely inspired by 'Repetition' but never got round to it. The music video from Nick Cobby plays in its entirety, giving us a bird's eye view of human life around various circular structures. It's continuous; life goes on and one, just as the cycles of cells we've just witnessed, and the repeating loops of his music. Even the teeming press halls we stood in, bursting on all sides with people, is so very symbolic of the constant movement of people, of society, of life. The moment was uplifting, dazzling, and of course was seen off by the heavier beats for the rest of the set, keeping the roots of dance entertainment strong. 

Floating Points provided a stellar set afterwards, surpassing Koze's headline quite substantially. He was leaping around behind the decks like a nutter, bringing out real disco and house anthems one after another, and slipping inbetween these and a more synthesised sound fluidly. It was loud more than anything, the drops were fat and the lights were swinging around in all directions, almost making it feel like an afterparty to Max Cooper's show. On that note, I also wanted to mention the event I went to after Printworks, providing polar opposite vibes. Studio 9294 is like the hidden away backyard of Hackney Wick in comparison and DJ Bus Replacement Service played to no more than sixty of us. Wearing her Kim Jong-Un stage costume, the intimacy was fused with utter weirdness. Simple, sometimes disturbing, visuals were projects from a single source onto the back wall, and it may not have had a single percent of the production value of Printworks, but as you'd expect the creativity filled the gaps. Seamless and clever transitions would make you forget you just moved from minimal to smooth jazz after a few seconds, and there was a huge emphasis on hard dance. It was unusual, but considering the basic resources available, the skill and out-of-the-box thinking was captivatingly impressive.

Albums have begun to drop left right and centre, so I just want to mention a couple. Grimes dropped 'Miss Anthropocene', which honestly doesn't feature that much new music as the majority of it had been released as singles, but it's still been nice to listen to it altogether. The album has sombre undertones seeded within her 'ethereal' sound, as she calls it, and the out-of-world extravagance contains some very human emotions. 'Delete, Forever' is the pinnacle of this; a heartfelt lament accompanied by acoustic guitar no less. She's said it was a tribute to 'losing friends to the opioid crisis and the self-hatred that arises when the grieving process mimics the behaviours that cost your friends their lives', really bringing out the pathos in the lyrics. King Krule's album 'Man Alive!' has made up the majority of my listening in the last week, holding in perfect parity the uncontrollable grit of rage and the feeling of reclining in your favourite chair. I've been seeing 'Stoned Again' getting the majority of praise, but while the emotion is at its rawest there, 'Energy Fleets' and 'Comet Face' are the most musically interesting for me (shoutout Peckham Rye in the latter!). The album art is peng, and the visual animations are fittingly unsettling.

Okay, gonna have to stop there because I'm going on a bit. I'm thinking to do an in-depth album review properly instead soon for a change, got something in mind. Here's a playlist update for you, featuring some of the work highlighted above. Have a great rest of the week! xx

5 Tracks Real Quick | 11/2/20

I must apologise as there’s been a bit of a delay since the last blog post - what felt like Coronavirus has had me bed-bound and pretty incapable of doing anything productive. It’s been boring and unenjoyable, but we’re back and (almost) better. With such a return comes the time for revolution, and I’m bringing an end to my posts based on Spotify’s Discover Weekly. As much as I loved the playlist at one time, the quality has been depleting further and further as time has gone on, not only providing me with repeats and songs I listen to all the time, but generally losing its eclectic excitement as well. So, in its place, I still want to have a regular post series, but from now on it’s going to be a variety of songs I’m currently playing on repeat. It'll be five tracks; a female vocal, a male one, an ambient instrumental and something club ready. The last one is just a surprise bonus, out of the box kind of thing, and I might change up the format in the future but hopefully this will give a nice balance of variety. Without further ado…

#1 - January - TSHA Remix -  Millie Turner

TSHA’s delightful and playful tones have been somewhat of an addiction recently, and ‘January’ has been the most recent variation. The mellow sine wave that repeats three notes up, then three notes down alongside the vocals gives the track its bounce, like a cartoon frog, garish-coloured and hopping up and down its pond. This animated allusion is quite representative of the remix altogether, with Millie Turner’s singing sped up just to the edge of surreal, and the metallic tappings of the hi hat marking out the top of the mix. The voice is still stunning and the falsetto soars angelically over the electronic textures. All of the separate motifs are modest, and there aren’t too many, maintaining a sense of minimal beauty. TSHA has just started throwing her own parties in London and is on a variety of line ups for festivals and so on across the next few months, so it’ll be exciting to see her develop her artistic style through live performance.

#2 - Alone, Omen 3 - King Krule

Archy Marshall builds more anticipation towards his upcoming album with ‘Alone, Omen 3’. Everything he creates seems to be effortlessly individual, and this is no different. His vocals are kept soft and soothing, with rasp still subtly in the undertones and overlays, and as we progress towards the end both his voice and the instrumental echo around into a cloud of emotion. The drum beat has a sense of melancholy in its rocking back and forth, almost blues-like, and dissonant blares add an ominous flavour. The track comes with brilliant visuals, with a video from director Jocelyn Anquetil, highlighting the cool ease of King Krule’s artistry with great styling, referencing and cinematography. As he continues to mature, Archy’s innovative flame has in no way dimmed.

#3 - Turn Fast - Glows

There’s an ache of yearning in the alternating chords as ‘Turn Fast’ begins, before an ecstatic outburst erupts into your ears. What felt sombre before is replaced with undying hope, eager striving from something of higher meaning. It spreads throughout your being, like lights spreading across a city scape until the glow hovers over its entirety. Long, sustained notes are underplayed by rapid countermelodies and successions of drums, giving you the same warmth there is in the smile you share with a friend you haven't seen for a while. Glows released this single as part of Slow Dance’s compilation to round out 2019 with their ‘UK’s best artists’, which features a loads of other great music. As part of this effort, perhaps ‘Turn Fast’ could be seen as a letting go of the past to let in the bright, ardent excitement of the next decade.

#4 - Dizzy New Heights - Shanti Celeste Remix - MJ Cole

What a combination - MJ Cole’s classic garage production is a personal favourite of mine, and having just seen Shanti Celeste at Phonox last week, I'm all over anything processed through her lens. There are elements of the grounded, classic and acoustic sounds you'd expect from Cole, such as strings being brought in from a low pass filter, but it has very much been launched into outer space by the bleeping motifs and thumping kick familiar to much of Shanti's work. Within this setting, the vibrato of the strings shimmers like a light cast out across a planet from a UFO, seeking something in the gloom. Longer melodies are maintained, giving a sense of narrative. It's mysterious and fun, and the progression would create a great six minutes on a dancefloor.

#5 - Fantasy - Against All Logic

Nicholas Jaar has returned to his Against All Logic alias with another album titled by years of production. It's incredible; incredibly difficult to understand, and equally satisfying to enjoy. This is the first track on the record, and my personal favourite. The senses are forced to focus instantly with the rush of notes from some sort of plucked instrument and a blunt pan from the left to the right ear, before the beat drops for the fast time. There's something about the timbre of the drums that make them almost sound like they're bleeding through a crack in reality. Samples from Beyoncé's 'Baby Boy' make up the vocals throughout, and are crafted into completely original melodic and rhythmic lines while still being very much recognisable. Sounds are industrial and harsh, but it still grooves enough to mark a balance between experimentalism and danceability. Check out the whole album!

And that's all five for this week, hopefully the new layout will be a nice change. Here's the playlist link with these tracks and a handful of other new/nice bits. I think next post will likely be something more live review focused, after that lots of albums are coming out soon, so let's see. Anyway, have a lovely rest of the week everyone. xxx