Ex Libras have dropped a video for their haunting new single, ‘Teenage Eyes’. It’s a chillingly ominous track of minimalist drums, throbbing bass guitar and erie vocals to boot.
‘Teenage Eyes’ is taken from Cut(s) EP, out now. Download the track via soundcloud below.
Almost a decade after the release of Original Pirate Material Mike Skinner has decided to call time on The Streets with Computers and Blues. Skinner’s debut was something of a revelation, an exciting blend of hip-hip, garage and dance music with poetic social commentary on faceless urban British life.
The intervening years were less productive. A string of lackluster releases rising in part from an inability to adapt to his new lifestyle which fame brought him and removed his inspiration, the ordinary everyday comings-and-goings of life from ‘the streets’ themselves.
Computers and Blues sounds as though he took a step back, turned his back on this unfamiliar world which was on the brink of making the music almost a parody of itself. Instead choosing to surround himself with mates and more familiar and inspirational environs to record an album he wanted to.
Skinner seems much more relaxed and assured particularly in his lyrical delivery, something missing from the last two records in particular. The subject matter is at times a bit lightweight, devoid of substantive commentary but a blend of garage and hip-hop beats and some old school ravey undertones like ‘Trust Me’ mixed with rockier moments like ‘Going Through Hell’, do well to pave over such cracks.
It’s not Original Pirate Material but ‘Going Through Hell’, ‘Puzzled by People’, ‘Trust Me’ and ‘Those That Don’t Know’ is some of the best material he’s produced. Computers and Blues is the most enjoyable listen since OPM, a great way to sign off.
You’ve been listening to The Streets.
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The Streets – Those That Don’t Know
I spend a lot of time concentrating on music from around the world. One place in particular never ceases to amaze me musically, my hometown of Newbridge, Co. Kildare.
Yes I may be biased but what of it? For such a small place it certainly punches above its weight. I have been trying to cobble together a post on that very subject for sometime but it will have to wait, but, until then here is the artist who inspired the thought, Moths.
MOTHS is the moniker of 17-year-old Newbridge musician Jack Colleran. This guy crafts super chilled, fresh electronic soundscapes filled with crisp filtered beats. He has already cooked up some luscious electro jams so probably best to allow the music speak for itself.
It’s still early days but Jeez, this guy’s got potential.
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French house duo Cassius dropped their 6-track Rawkers EP before Christmas and they are back with ‘I <3 U So’.
To celebrate this release we have been treated to ‘Les Enfants (Gesaffestein Remix)’, A 7 minute journey through the realms of rave anthems, kicking drums and scaling spacey synths.
Duo Philippe Cerboneschi and Hubert Blanc-Francard are expected to have an album released before the end of the year.
I <3 U So is out on Ed Banger Records / Because on February 28th.
Shameless plug time with Lookleft issue 5 in shops now.
This time around my inclusions are an interview with The Mighty Stef, some short pieces on Girl Talk, Maverick Sabre, Visionair and Nouveanoise as well as a piece on a historic game between Ireland and Wales in 1906.
This issue also includes:
and much more for €2 over 32 pages.
It’s in the usual outlets including all Easons in the North and Easons in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway and Top Twenty, Roseberry Stores & Centra in Newbridge. For a full list check the website.
‘I Am Revolution’ is the first single to be released by Detroit Social Club after establishing their new indie label ‘Fuck Pop’.
The Newcastle 5-piece have been highly recommend in the past, particularly their live show. While I’ve never had the pleasure as yet I’m quite taken by the booming wall of sound approach and psychedelic rock vibe to this one.
If you are across the water in the UK, the band have announced a raft of live dates on their website.
Captain Moonlight has returned to deliver a timely and up-to-date election reminder.
Moonlight’s has never been one shirk saying what’s on his mind. Always eloquently dealing with very serious and controversial political issues most wouldn’t ever dream of tackling. ‘Banana Republican’ is fantastic slice of his renowned hard-hitting-hip-hop with intelligent, succinct and sardonic lyrics.
A suitable ode to the Fianna Fáil politician, or perhaps the whole bloody lot of them.
Watch the video/download the track below via soundcloud.
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Download: Captain Moonlight – Banana Republican
Zoo Kid is the moniker of London-based 16-year-old Archy Marshall.
This young man crafts rather alluring dark, wistful and melancholic disjointed uneasy electric guitar ballads with incredibly poetic and insightful lyrics.
He and his music have been doing the rounds on a number of blogs of late, including two of my favorites Pop Goes The Radio and Nialler9. The later coining a perfect description for his music; as being “reverb “hall”-heavy electric guitar ballads which channel the drawl of Billy Bragg and the energy of Jamie T”.
Absolutely brilliant, watch this space!
You forgot a username for the Vimeo shortcodeZoo Kid – Has This Hit via Pithecanthropus
There’s is a lot more anticipation surrounding Elbow’s forthcoming album Build A Rocket Boys!, the follow-up to the award winning Seldom Seen Kid.
We already had ‘Libby Kids’ and now we have ‘Neat Little Rows’, the first single to be taken from the record. Guy Harvey and company sound in fine form but we will just have to wait till March to hear the band in full flight.
The Dirty Lungs are a pysch-rock 4-piece hailing from Birmingham, Alabama.
Their rather brash, explosive garage-psych rock has already taken them to the heady heights of sharing the bill with Harlem, Bonnie Prince Billy, Monotonix, Ladyhawk, and Tapes n Tapes. The Dirty Lungs stock is certainly rising, a claim which Deregulate Your Heart is testament too. Seriously exciting vibe to this EP with plenty of scuzzy riffs and rhythms, this is so much more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
They are also preparing to release a 7″ in March so keep those eyes peeled. Download Deregulate Your Heart for FREE via bandcamp below.