We first came across these guys last Autumn.  Their sweet music charmed us enough to keep an eye on them, but sadly nothing has arrived since.  We share them with you mainly because they’re ace, but also because a little online chatter could perhaps spark a bit of interest and some possible development.  Very little is known about them, except they made the rather stunning track that we list below.  Lovers of Miike Snow, with his afro disco, or even The Police at their most enjoyable, will be moved by this.  It’s the kind of music that’s as equally for your feet as it is for your mind, with a slightly spiritualised, but irresistable, well crafted vocal that hovers over the tune, whilst the grooves run deep underneath.  The basslines are made out of disco flavoured marshmallow, kicking the tracks flavour into gear from the outset.  We’ve been reliably informed that this is a new project from Rupert Lydon from Grand National and the vocals are by Justin Taylor, who, allegedly, runs a Californian marijuana dispensary.  That figures.  It felt like several pieces of the puzzle slotted into place when we found that out.  However, there’s been very little output for nearly a year now, so it’s unknown whether this is only a tropical side project, or a fully functioning storm still on the way.  There’s apparently an album being carved out, but it’s said that on their Myspace for months now.  There’s a decent remix, by Leo Zero, which is also enjoyable, but rather than re-writing the track, prefers to twist it into a slightly louder, beach-ready jam.  Whether or not more appears from these guys is almost insignificant as this truly is one of those stuck-on-repeat tracks you will surely fall for.   (MB)

Find them here:         Myspace

Hear them here:        ZARRYLADE – EYES ABOVE YOUR HEAD

Hear them here:        ZARRYLADE – EYES ABOVE YOUR HEAD (LEO ZERO REMIX)

MY AWESOME MIXTAPE

You would be forgiven for thinking this five piece band are from America, so incongruous is their sound to their native Italy.  You get Yank accents, fluent english lyrics, as well as a wide range of styles, covering anything from hip hop, to pop, to rock.  In fact the biggest shame regarding all this is precisely the lack of anything Italian.  It’s perhaps understandable, so dominant is American music around Europe, but there is one redeeming consideration you discover inside My Awesome Mixtape, namely it’s quality.  The more you uncover, the slicker it becomes.  Sure there are some generic pieces, with obvious pop hooks, with sections of songs lacking charm altogether, plus the vocals can become a little grating, but rest assured that when it’s at its most inventive it packs a weighty punch.  This is perhaps best experienced in the song we list below, Hearts To Lend, with it’s many tempting tricks, from the opening fuzzy synths, to the clapped beat, to the vocals that climax in an irresistable running mantra.  They cleverly avoid a common trap that most American acts sadly get snared into with humour-packed, teenage songs such as these.  They do this by bringing in strings or brass, thus lifting the track to a more sophisticated, matured level.  The chops and the changes, the harmonies and the swaggering grooves, often remind us of the sugary pop of Naive New Beaters.  It’s all rather courageous and just as you think it’s going to lose you, it shifts gear and the curls at the edge of your mouth return.  They released their debut, My Lonely And Sad Waterloo, back in 2007, but the real polish was applied in the sophomore effort, released late in 2009, How Could A Village Turn Into A Town.  This is music delicately balanced on the edge between annoying and great, but we think it ends up falling the correct side.   (MB)

Find them here:        Myspace

Hear them here:        MY AWESOME MIXTAPE – HEARTS TO LEND

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iac3sIZR9N4

NOTTEE

Perhaps one of the most overlooked artists to appear on last November’s Kitsune 8, although she’d been around for a couple of years prior to hitting the Parisian tastemaker’s compilation album.  We know that this artist won’t be brand spanking new to a lot of you, but in all honesty, she’s never been listed on The Recommender either, so we can’t take the high ground on her lack of buzz, but having slipped on her music on a lazy Sunday last week we’ve subsequently reconsidered the omission.  It’s actually the gorgeous Nova Drougge, from Gothenburg in Sweden, who is the creative force in action here.  If ever there was a Scandinavian pop sound it would no doubt involve adjectives such as icy and glacial, which are both in evidence here, but there’s also a warmth in the simple piano chords and disco string samples.  The vocals are elusive and delicate, reminiscent of fellow Swedes Lykke Li or Rosanna.  Having started out playing bass guitar in her brother’s band, Lo-Fi FNK, she’s decided to step onto the stage front and centre, something she’s clearly made for.  Creating such enjoyable, sexy and attractive pop, with it’s swirling strings and harmonies, seems a world away from her brother’s harder electronic edge.  With impossibly cute looks, a hyped, trendy label showing some initial support and some genuine signs of life in the pop pipeline, it surely won’t be long before things start to really take shape.  You may have a chance to catch her live when she arrives in London through April for a few dates at the usual stops, Gold Dust and Pure Groove.  The question is, whether there’s enough life in this artist to be overlooked no longer?   (MB)

Find her here:         Myspace

Hear her here:        NOTTEE – CONTROL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi_daqJmwKU

I’ve been busy grabbing new bands/acts/DJ’s and chucking a few questions their way to help enlighten their fans and because…well…I’m a nosey little bastard. Nice.

Nothing too deep, just an overview and an opinion, with a teeny bit of insight is all I ask from them. Hope it adds to your RECOMMENDER experience. More to come when I get a chance to post them.

First up is a band I’ve written about below in THE RECOMMENDER – NUMBER 2, so for more info and splendid tuneage on THE HAIR go hunt it out down below. They hail from Yorkshire and brim with excellent riff-tastic, casio-cool Indie pop. I love it!

Their songsmith and lively frontman, SAM ROBSON, was the fella I managed to grab for a spare minute and throw some Q’s his way. Find his A’s below. Enjoy…

1.) For those new to The Hair, what’s your history and how did you meet?

Neil and Lee are brothers who were my next door neighbours..and vijay stepping in to drum earlier this year. We’ve basically been hammering away at gigs for a while, mainly up north but with the odd daliance in a festival or tour support.

2.) How is the Yorkshire music scene these days – any hot tips?

It’s as fabulous as usual. Lots of cool bands around…I’d look out for a guy called Jonjo Feather and also a band called Dinosaur Pile-up. Both are frikkin sweet.

3.) Who are your main influences?

I wasn’t like every other kid, you know, who dreams about being an astronaut, I was always more interested in what bark was made out of on a tree. Richard Gere’s a real hero of mine. Sting. Sting would be another person who’s a hero. The music he’s created over the years, I don’t really listen to it, but the fact that he’s making it, I respect that. I care desperately about what I do. Do I know what product I’m selling? No. Do I know what I’m doing today? No. But I’m here, and I’m gonna give it my best shot.

I can’t do these questions really, it’s tough, but I love all the music I listen to like ryan adams, bright eyes, the faint, the rapture, justin timberlake (!) etc etc but I’m not sure what actually has direct influence on The Hair!

4.) What’s it like having two brothers in the band?

Brilliant, they’ve done all their arguing at an early age so they never consciously disagree…

5.) When is your debut album, ‘Indecisions’, due for a release?

In the UK? We’ll probo not release that particular album but a mix of that and some new tracks…hopefully in the next 9 months…

6.) What has happened with the recent change of drummer and how does this affect you?

It’s made us a better sounding live band…a more commanding bass drum. Plus the band internally has a much better relationship. Things had broken down completely with the last guy (though we wish him well for the future) and now we enjoy it again!

8.) What is the best way for your fans to access your music?

itunes is most direct, but I would say if you want to get hold of the album before it’s remixed/remastered and released with different songs on a date yet to be decided then there are ways and means…and google is your friend…either that or buy it on import!

9.) Have you any tours planned for 2008 (particularly around the launch of the album)?

we’ve just done 10 uk gigs, one video shoot, and 8 days of work in 14 days, so I’m not quite thinking about other touring just yet! but I reckon we’ll do some extensive touring from the autumn onwards if things work out for us.

10.) Can you give us one random fact that no single fan would yet know about you?

I share my birthday with cliff richard!

11.) What is next for The Hair?

Free download (see above!)!!!
So that’s this Q & A’s first installment. More will follow once I get around to it. I list below, as a little taster, their recently recorded new music video for ‘HALF CUT’. It makes me feel drunk just watching it. It’s yet another bloody brilliant song that gets stronger as it develops. There’s plenty more floating about out there from these guys too.

Find their Myspace page here: www.myspace.com/thehair

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsgU2NdFvQE

That’s it for this first Q & A. More to come when I get around to them.

Look out for The Recommender  -  Number 5 real soon…
Mike

It’s been a few weeks, so sorry for the delay, but it’s…well…tough shit, and quite frankly I got a whole load of sweet and magical posts to swing by your ears so you are soon going to luuurve me for forever, so sit back, read away and click, upload and prepare to watch me fly…

With this Gig List I’m gonna focus solely on the upcoming LOOP FESTIVAL based in Brighton’s busy centre on 16th August. What a totally super-sweet line up it’s forged for this year. After last years success this is now an annual event and the set up is going from strength to strength. In a city known for its new music scenester festivals and particularly for breaking acts, Loop stands tall.

Amongst others, this year holds up; New Young Pony Club, The Bays, Caged Baby, , Primary One, Transformers and the fantastically named Holy Fuck. Nice!

However, I’m blowing my top over the following two awesome bands…CUT COPY and THE SHOES. Both are right up there with the best in both cracking tunes and blinding live sets.  Brightons going to swing until it goes boom!

CUT COPY – As tasty as Indie-Dance gets quite frankly. If you wanna know more then I’ve already posted about them below in The Recommender Number 3, so go have a look-see. Inspiring acts such as The Presets and Midnight Juggernauts they can do no wrong in my books - woo, and indeed, hoo!!

ACT: CUT COPY
VENUE: LOOP FESTIVAL, HUB STAGE, VICTORIA GARDENS
COST: £25  (£32 for after-party club access)
DATE: 16th August 2008
WEBSITE: http://loopbrighton.com/

THE SHOES - Woah Nelly!!!! These guys are freeeeekin awesomeness personified. Totally on the button if you ask me. Another French Duo punching you with rocked-out electro beats, but before you go ranting about Justice and Daft Punk, you really need to consider this crew. I’ve been so impressed by them I simply cannot resist giving them a slot on The Recommender Number 5 (Due up real soon…), so learn more about them then.

ACT: THE SHOES
VENUE: LOOP FESTIVAL, FUTURES STAGE, VICTORIA GARDENS
COST: £25  (£32 for after-party club access)
DATE: 16th August 2008
WEBSITE: http://loopbrighton.com

OK I got soooo much to post I’m bursting at the seam so I’m going to leave it there, except to say that The Presets were amazing at Digital the other day, so I hope you were there to enjoy it too. If not, then what ya doing!!!? Shoulda listened to your old faithful ‘Gig List’ eh!!!?

I sincerely hope you do this time as LOOP FESTIVAL is going to be totally buzzing.

Until the next time ladies and fellas…

Mike

Back to new music, which is what this site is all about. I still hope you enjoyed the last few posts, but shouting about any new gems of tuneage that float past my ears is essentially the purpose of me doing this, so it’s great to have some new little beauties ready for you. Enjoy.

First up, OK TOKYO. A band hailing from Ricky Gervais’ home town, Reading. I don’t want to be too harsh, but its not the first stop on the map for cool Brittania, but it’s been throwing out interesting shapes in recent years. This 3-piece indie-punk band are loud, bright, jerky and gaining interest fast. I attach a remix of their single ‘You better believe it”, recently released, mixed up by none other than the group ‘Does It Offend You Yeah?’. They describe it as follows : “pyrotechnic-enhanced powerpop for the new generation”. What do you think ?

Find them here: www.myspace.com/oktokyouk

Hear them here: http://www.zshare.net/download/13215768634c8ef5/

Next up in a nice-and-neat-tied-in-sort-of-way, DOES IT OFFEND YOU YEAH?. Obviously this lot have been all over the blogosphere for some time, but I make no apologies. Time to give their excellence The Recommender listing they well deserve. Cool as fuck, they chop excellent indie-guitaring with a dancing-pace. Somehow they often go all Electro on a tune and it works really well, like a schizophrenic with two fantastically agreeable personalities. I list ‘Epic Last Song’ below because it’s Bloc Party-influenced sound is…well…epic! Off they go to tour America with the afformentioned, so I wish them all good luck. Can’t wait for their return to our shores.

Find them here: www.myspace.com/doesitoffendyou

Hear them here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/13216526e1237f11/

And finally for this edition, DANGER. As much a comic hero designer as he is DJ, this French electro mystery man is throwing it around clubs worldwide. Appearing in a mask onstage (what is it with this genre and masks!) he also increases the anonimity by naming his tracks after the 24hr clock. Whether this is the time of day he recorded each track is not known. Banging straight out of the Justice rulebook, his pounding tunes make for a peak to any club set. He has also completed awesome mixes for Estelle, We Are Scientists, as well as having his own track 11h30 remixed by DJ DatA. I list a couple of tasters for you below.

Find him here: www.myspace.com/2emedanger

Hear 9h20 here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/1322085546c14862/
Hear 11h30 here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/13221273026cd601/

So that’s your ear-food for this edition. Hope you’ve enjoyed them. Subscribe, comment, just remember to keep coming back as I’m always searching out stuff.

Byeeeee,
Mike

PUNKS JUMP UP

These London scenesters are all about magical remixes.

Find them here: www.myspace.com/punksjumpup

Hear them here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/1212436442f2dbd9/

SOUTH CENTRAL

This Brighton duo are ripping up clubs across town like no other. Superb electro sounds. Check em out.

Find them here: www.myspace.com/southcentralmusic

Hear them here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/9734653dbc139a/

PONEY PONEY

Hailing from Paris, in what seems like the coolest city scene in the world right now, alongside Brooklyn and LA. A breezy indie-punk outfit that have something interesting to show us. Enjoy.

Find them here: www.myspace.com/poneyponey

Hear them here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/12124091b9482109/

I will also be adding a couple of smaller highlights and mentioning others worthy of note…

Heads up for DJ/Promoter HENRON. He’s doing ace things at The Ocean Rooms in Brighton right now. Electro-tastic. Good man!

Also worth pointing out THE ANSWERING MACHINE and also the band with THE best name I’ve heard in ages, PARTS & LABOUR. Go search them out on Myspace – they are both worth your investagative time.

Hope you enjoyed. Until the next one then….

Mike

p.s. More info found at www.myspace.com/miguelos if you’re really keen…

Hi Everyone

OK here is the first ever edition of ‘THE GIG LIST’ on my blog. The aim of this is to simply point out a couple of upcoming gigs, local to Brighton, that I believe will be well worth your investigation.

The rest is over to you – Check out the bands, locate the tickets, get to the venue, etc. My aim is only to make you better informed. Nice.

This week I’m pointing out two gigs that should prove to be outstanding.

The first is a pair of giants in the dance industry and kings of the remix -SOULWAX, or as some of you may also know them – 2 MANY DJs. The Belgium duo have been experimenting and chopping up dance floors like nobody else across the world for years now. Thank your lucky stars you have a new opportunity to see them once again in Brighton…

ACT: SOULWAX / 2 MANY DJs
VENUE: Concorde 2
COST: £ 17.00
DATE: Wednesday 23rd April 2008
WEBSITE LINK: www.myspace.com/soulwax

The second gig is an NME promotion coming to our town. It is part of their ‘New Noise Tour’. This Brighton leg involves four upcoming bands, one of which is the Toronto two-piece, CRYSTAL CASTLES, a fantastically brilliant electro-punk outfit. Another on the bill I am particularly fond of is new indie band, FRIENDLY FIRES. Well worth a few pounds of your money.

ACT: CRYSTAL CASTLES, FRIENDLY FIRES, TEAM WATERPOLO, WHITE LIES
EVENT: NME New Noise Tour
VENUE: Concorde 2
COST: £ 9.00
DATE: Monday 5th May 2008
WEBSITE LINK: www.nme.com

I hope this helps fill at least one night out for you, (if not two!). Remember, I’m always interested to hear if you are joining us.

If you’re really keen on finding out more about my musical tastes and recommendations, then please go to : www.myspace.com/miguelos

Until the next time,
Mike

Congratulations on finding this new, fresh and hopefully darn helpful blog. It’s a music blog, mainly covering new indie, pop and electronic music, but before you start thinking it’s just another, please think again, as we are very, very picky.

This blog will mainly comprise of 4 things:

1) THE RECOMMENDER - I’ve been doing this on Myspace’s blog section for some time, but figured it’s worth its own page. Basically, I work in the music industry and am the world’s busiest networker, so I’ll be grabbing all manor of snippets from the world of music, washing them down, and sorting them into top-notch recommendations for your ears delight. Each artist or band can only be recommended once and we only select from the contemporary emerging music that’s bubbling in the undeground, readying itself for you pleasure. This is a real voice, from a real insider, so you will no longer have to wade through the ether of endless spamming promoters and industry fluff. Just pop here every now and again and check out what I highlight. Your ears will be thankful.

2) THE GIG LIST - OK, this is similar, but this time I’ll be searching out and recommending the highlights of upcoming gigs listed in my local city of Brighton. Again, only the very best will get on here and again it will be mainly new acts/bands/DJ’s. I will be abusing my local connections in the music industry that’s here and keeping in touch with every outlet for all the best venues. I promise to work hard so you don’t have to.

3) ALT.REC. – This section will be like a mini-post. A showcase of more random highlights I’ve found. These things won’t deserve their own ‘Recommender ‘or ‘Gig List’ posting and therefore won’t have quite as much detail. It could be simple music news, tour dates, a random new tune, a top 10 list, a new site, basically anything to do with music. More just a pointer, rather than an in depth piece of information, but yummy and wholesome all the same.

4) Q & A – This will be far less frequent. It will be posted up only when I’ve had a chance to interview new bands and DJs about what and why they do what they do. Its a chance for you to get a little closer to the new acts breaking into your scene. Usually just a dozen or so questions. It’s not overly intrusive, just the good old basics, but much fun all the same. I’ll also try and add a video or something to allow you to check them out for yourselves.

Our plan is simply to enlighten and provide selections that are of top quality, so I promise nothing on here will be a waste of your investigative time. My only hope is to make you a tiny bit better informed than you were before…

Feel free to comment, subscribe, share the love, or totally leave it - it is your choice. I just hope you enjoy…

All the best,
Mike