Skrillex – Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites (Noisia remix): Song of the Day

Nice current slice of dubstep from Skrillex and the filthy Noisia masters.
Play here

Song of the day: Fink – “This Is The Thing”

Underrated and under-discovered artist Fink  shows a track that’s one of the more standout on his earlier LP ‘Distance & Time”. If you like beautiful melodic singing accompanied with thoughtful indie/folk/pop acoustics then check this song out.

Fink – This Is The Thing - Spotify Link (Listen here)

Song of the day: Nitin Sawhney – ‘Homelands’

Beautifully composed and recorded string melodies intertwined with ethnic and Asian cultural musical foundations. A track worthy of appreciation for the vocals alone, even if this genre of music isn’t usually listened to by you.

Nitin Sawhney – Homelands - Spotify Link (listen here)

Record #73: Alessi’s Ark – “Notes From The Treehouse”

2009
EMI
Spotify Link

Chris:

This is a delightful record is a collection of magically dainty pop oriented folk. There are a few artists and groups around that produce a similar sound but most fail in the too-folk like area, or too-cheesy in the pop area. I think that the London born Alessi has hit the nail quite firmly on the head. The singer song-writer sounds enchanting with her voice and has a very Scandinavian tinge to it, almost like Bjork.

The first track “Magic Weather” opens up the record with a winding path of melodies produced by nicely recorded plucking strings, flutes, and acoustic guitars, eventually building up to a nice moving piece after the electric guitar and drums kick in. A short 2 min fairytale track follows which has a nice flow with the duel vocals. “Over The Hill” is one of more catchy upbeat numbers on the track and it’s sweetness infectiously gets in your mind, just like most of the album (“Memory Box” being another). There are some quirkier moments on the album, mostly from the last track “Cotton And The Thread” and “Constellations“. The latter mentioned beautifully merges sweeping strings and harps, and it really does make you feel like occasionally diving through the midnight skies.

This album is an understated quiet and peaceful affair, but persevere and you can easily wind up getting sucked into the precious world that’s created by Alessi’s Ark.

Record #72: Silversun Pickups – “Swoon”

2009
Dangerbird Records
Spotify Link

Chris:

Second full album from this American alternative indie rock band. It’s a quite interesting vibrant collective of songs, with a slight dark but shiny feel occasionally. This is partially due to the sometimes solemn/melancholy sound of the lead vocalist, and the down-tuned electric guitars (“Catch & Release“). Most of the time the songs pick up with upbeat drums and semi power choruses.

Silversun Pickups manage to create a nice blend of variety and interest that fits various scenarios for enjoying it. Parties, driving, working, it would fit most. The beginning of the album starts off with a bit of post-grunge feel with a distinct 90′s rock sound comprising of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Hole influences. The opener “There’s No Secrets This Year” is a good track which builds well into a catchy chorus. There are some nice strings on the aptly titled “The Royal We“. The mix and production on the album aren’t too bad, sometimes I think the electric guitar can be either overpowered or underpowered, but most of the time the balance is there. My personal highlights are the long “Growing Old Is Getting Old“, single “Panic Switch” (mostly towards the end of the song), and “Substitution”. Overall an on album which features enough heavy guitars and solos, mixed with some catchy bits to make it fairly enjoyable.

Record #71: Psapp – “The Camels Back”

2008
Domino
Spotify Link

Mark:

Psapp are pioneers of “Toytronica”; essentially making records with the help of a variety of musical toys……right……..

But to be perfectly honest, if you didn’t know this fact you probably wouldn’t notice, I certainly wouldn’t anyway. In fact it’s extremely impressive how decent a sound they manage to get out of the Fisher Price catalogue…

Although opener “I Want That” has a very Basement Jaxx thing going on, the remainder of the album actually takes on a standard indie affair in style. But the presence of the electronic instruments (toy or not) adds something different to the mix and so the album feels fresh whilst at the same time not pushing any boundaries. Good vocal work by Galia Durant is a big help to this.

The album is pretty short at a snip under 40 minutes, but I think this actually helps the record as long, overdrawn tracks wouldn’t suit the style of the band.

All in, although there is nothing overly groundbreaking going on in this record (apart from the great sounds you can get out of a load of brightly coloured plastic), it all works very well together to make a fun and enjoyable to listen to record. Now where’s the nearest Early Learning Centre….

Record #70: The Horrors – “Primary Colours”

2009
XL Recordings
Spotify Link

Mark:

The Horrors are essentially five stereotypical, tight-jeaned, indie-boys masquerading as goths with big hair. Their debut album “Strange House” is an alright record, but hardly set the world on fire. I have to admit I wouldn’t have given this album a second thought if it weren’t for the fact that it won NME’s album of the year title for 2009. However much you rate the reviewing of that particular member of the music press and the fact they originally hyped the band extremely out of proportion to their talent, an album of the year title shouldn’t be left uninvestigated.

If you have listened to “Strange House”, then within about 2 seconds you will realised that “Primary Colours” marks quite a turn for the band. Lush pads start off “Mirror’s Image” and although the song soon transitions to the garage-punk style that the Horrors championed on “Strange House”, everything has been coated with a big ‘melody brush’. The same goes for second track “Three Decades” which features some great pitch-shifting keys.

“Who Can Say” could very easily be a Strokes track, with even frontmans Faris Badwan/Rotter’s (not sure if they are still using the ridiculous nicknames…) vocals even sounding similar to Julian Casablancas….except with an Essex accent. I also never thought I’d hear vibratoed synths on a Horrors song. It makes a great track though and even has Joy Division hints to it. Top marks here.

“Do You Remember” continues along similar lines, while “New Ice Age” drops back a bit more into their ‘classic’ sound.

More Joy Division/Interpol sounding-ness from “Scarlet Fields” and “I Only Think of You” prop up the middle of the album and it is closed with “Sea Within a Sea”, which if you blind played back to back with a track of their debut, I can imagine that no-one would guess that they were listening to the same band.

With “Primary Colours”, The Horrors have discovered there is more to writing a song than three chords and a fuzz pedal. I’m sure that having Portishead’s Geoff Barrow producing had a big effect, but credit definitely has to go to the band for turning their sound around so violently for the better. Album of the Year? No, I personally wouldn’t put it in the top 20, but good album? Most definitely yes.