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

Live Music | 25/5/19

A question I ask a lot on first dates is 'what's the best live performance you've ever seen?' It's accessible, invites funny stories or amazing memories to share, and it's exciting when it turns out to be somebody you've both seen and you can share all the moments that gassed you the most. The thing is, it's definitely a trick question, because I could never answer with just one show myself. Asking it a lot has made me think about how different forms of live performances excel in a variety of ways, and the high points of each style. It's a cliché to say that DJs just press play on a load of songs and aren't 'performing', obviously crap, but it does bring to light the aspects that are impressive in other performers. I wanted to write some words today on some of the best performances I've witnessed in my life and what made them so special.

Let's start with the most mainstream entertainment. The example I want to use for this is pretty relevant at the moment, because she released her documentary 'Homecoming' on Netflix. I saw Beyoncé live twice in 2016 and I still consider it to be one of the best things I've ever seen. Sophistication of music aside, it is unbelievably entertaining to see someone hit every note and move perfectly for two hours solid. It's a live exhibition of talent, focused directly on that single performer, and the excitement and obsession it builds around them in the moment gets you completely carried away. It isn't surprising at all that there's such a culture of 'fandom' around pop stars; there's such a unique kind of exhilaration when you see them live, and I do think Beyoncé is the archetypal example of this. The quality of performance is faultless, not a hair out of place. There's so much flamboyance in the outfits and stagecraft, the whole show is such a spectacle and you just want to be a part of it. I remember she opened up with 'Formation' and hearing 90,000 people belt the words simultaneously was crowd mentality on another level. She also lets the audience sing 'Love On Top' and we just kept going higher and higher until she was laughing, saying we had to stop now. That's such a direct connection between performer and audience that I think is really valuable.

Now, if we talk about the documentary itself, I really think that takes it to the next level. What she's able to artistically express, the movement she's able to make in what she puts on that stage, I think is almost historically important. I was blown away by the documentary, even though I had already seen the Coachella set online at the time it happened. The entire brass band and drum line set up on that stage, the comedy and dance interims, the number of people involved alone, it's two hours of pure entertainment. I'll link a dance break here which is essentially iconic by this point, but it just sums up the elite level she's on. The documentary sums it up well in that what she is doing is creating example of black excellence on a world stage, of what black people are capable of and represent in every way, and that's highlighted in the HBCU theme. Another major highlight, that this type of performance is just unbeatable in, is the moment Destiny's Child rises up on stage. I'm sorry but W I G. She's done it before but it doesn't even matter it is the most GAS this, and then one 'Hit me!' and 'Lose My Breath' drops in. asdfghjkl. I can't even imagine the explosion of emotions going on in my brain if I was there, and then to go on through a montage of some of their classics breaks away from the rest of the show in an extended throwback that breaks up the night even more effectively. 

So that covers one aspect of live music, solo entertainers, but then there's bands. It's similar in a lot of ways, but the differences take the experience in another direction. You lose the hyperfocalisation on that single person, the very direct interaction, but there's a reason bands are the classic festival performers. There's something special in a collective, and the best example of this I have in my own experience is seeing The XX live at Bestival a few years ago. The great thing with this is my expectations weren't really high, I loved their music but imagined their style live wouldn't bang at all. I could not have been more wrong, and it was in ways I least expected. The emotional connection between them and all of us cheering in front of them was so touching. It's the combination of all the elements, their voices, their own relationships within the band, the instruments, Jamie's DJing, it all comes together and there's this incredible sense of unity. The moment 'Intro' soared out of the speakers and across the field as the stage lit up genuinely made my hair stand on end, it was absolutely magical. 

(this is the xx playing loud places in hamburg)

Unity is really what I'm going for here, bands reminds me so much how music brings people together. It also allows for the pace to dip into moments of focus on each member that takes you further on the journey of the narrative. They stop and introduce Romy's solo and she then sings 'Performance' on her own, and it was such a sudden moment of utter intimacy that it really took me by surprise.You felt so brought into her pain and memories, the crowd went silent and everything got forgotten except her and the guitar. Cor blimey!!! The set carries on, and later we see Jamie get a focus instead; we hear one of his own songs, 'Loud Places'. I mean, the song is euphoric on its own anyway, but it was the fact the focus came on him, bright lights shone out from the stage and the whole set was lit up with the album's rainbow colours as the chorus kicked in that left me speechless. I thought that was mad enough, but my friend Rosie told me when he performed at BST it was pouring with rain, but at this moment the clouds literally parted and the sun shone down on them... it's like the universe KNOWS. Anyway, in this context, it's another example of how solos in band performances are such one-off, memorable moments.

The last type I want to cover is... surprise surprise - DJs!! Who would've thought. Now yes, the DJ themselves doesn't show us incredible coordination in their dance moves, physically indicating their understanding of rhythm, there's quite the unity of the group performance in a band, and the music isn't live in the same way. But you're not looking for any of those things at a set, what you get instead are some of my favourite feelings in the world. At the end of the day, DJing is curation. In that, what a electronic musician does with his song choices can create crowd mentality in a totally new way. At Lost Village last year, I can't even remember who it was (oops), but on the first night in the middle of the set they dropped 'Gypsy Woman' after a solid 40 minutes of obscure and interesting house. It was just the right time, and as it built up to the drop the crowd was loving it. You really just get transported into this place of mutual happiness within the crowd, because there's nobody onstage you're supposed to be watching. Let's be honest too, there is absolutely nothing in the world like the feeling you get from a drop hitting just right and dancing like a baby learning how to use its motor skills for the first time. Andy C's 'Get Free' remix was one of these moments for me live, as was Tourist's 'Run', Peggy Gou's 'At Night' remix, I mean I could go on and on. You forget the world in that moment, and I think electronic music does that best.

Sometimes, it's a lot more subtle and long-form than that, though. You're so wrapped up in the music and the crowd around you that you never want that song to end. DJ Koze playing 'Pick Up' and 'Operator' for 10 minutes each at Printworks this year I'm just never going to forget. You looked around the crowd, and everyone had the exact same look on their face. It was almost jokes each time the chorus just came back and we're all just shouting 'oi oiiiii' over and over again. DJs take you on a journey with their set, and I think the best ones are able to go to different places and transition from them in ways you wouldn't expect would work. That's the thing, with other live performances you're distracted by what's going on stage and there's a more literal narrative to the show, but with this it's just the music and the lights, and that's how you've got to tell the story. The majority of the music is prerecorded, but rather than see that as a weakness, it just allows you to take things even further and stretch your skills and musical capabilities as you're not held back by having to recreate the sounds. I just talked about Four Tet a lot last week so we don't have to go into it again, but that show was an example of how much potential there still is for new areas of performance within the genres.

I haven't even scratched the surface of all the forms of live music there are out there, all the things you can feel and how many amazing performers there are, but my point is how exciting I find it that these different forms excel in different ways. People have their preferences but I love when you take someone to something they wouldn't usually like and at first they're apprehensive, but after the show you see this eureka moment and they just get it. And then the doors are opened, and they can explore this whole new area of their taste. I'm on the train to go see Hunee in Brighton at the moment, and the sun in the sky has got me gassed so gonna finish up here. Have a great bank holiday and buy those tickets you're not sure about - live music is the best thing in the world. x