DATE ARCHIVES : March 2011

Free Music: Imploded View – ‘An Exploded Few’

Imploded View is the moniker of Longford based beatmaker Jerome McCormick. It is a new side project from the former Kildare native who takes a breather from his work as Garden Hall to pursue a more ‘experimental’ approach.

An Exploded Few is very much an after hours record which over 6-tracks is an exciting blend of experimental electronic music. It whisks you on a vast expansive journey through effervescent and ambient soundscapes arrived at via a whole manner of retro synths and 1/4 inch Reel-to-Reel tape machine.

It’s super chilled all the way through from the crunchy beats and ambiance of ‘First One Home’ to the synthy and reel-to-reel wobbles of ‘Scuba Diving’, it never fails to set the mood. Meanwhile the spectacular trio of ‘Through Those Oceans’, ‘Dark Is The Light’ and ‘Across The Snow’ wouldn’t be out-of-place in the company of Röyksopp‘s introverted latest album, Senior.

An Exploded View is out now via not-for-profit net label Fwonk*for free here.

Download: Imploded View – Through Those Oceans

Download: Imploded View – Across The Snow

The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

So far in 2011 London 4-piece The Vaccines have been hyped and ridiculed in equal measure. Ignoring the jibes about their apparently privileged backgrounds and being cast as guitar music’s great saviors, how does their debut record fare?

What Did You Expect From The Vaccines‘ is more than a ‘guilty pleasure’. It’s one of those albums that pop up every now and again which manage to blur the lines between the alternative and mass appeal; Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, The View et al.

The record flirts between two nuances; the atmospheric broodiness of Glassvegas and up-tempo bursts of 3-chord-garage-indie-rock. Opener ‘Wreckin Bar’ is an 84-second salvo of raucous fun and short sharp bash-em-out’s ‘Wolfpack’ and ‘Norgaard’ continue this lively trend.

The later epitomizes one of the records weaknesses, lyrics. It lacks a certain substantiveness, preferring issues of youthful insecurities and affairs of the heart a la ‘If You Wanna’ or ‘Post Break Up Sex’, both of which bona fide festival sing-a-longs certs. This flaw can be pushed to one side, after all it is this youthful expression, naivety and energy which is the lynchpin for which the all this albums hangs.

Is it groundbreaking or original? No, not at all but it is fun, endearing and charming single-a-long guitar antics. You know what? Sometimes that is enough.

The Vaccines play Dublin’s Academy this Friday, March 25th. Doors 7:30/€15.

 The Vaccines – Blow It Up

 The Vaccines – Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra) via GregKent

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Connan Mockasin – Forever Dolphin Love (Erol Alkan Rework)

Producer/DJ Erol Alkan has a nack for producing amongst other things, the finest remixes/reworks known to man, as his recent Tame Impala mix showed. Thankfully he is up to his old tricks again, this time dissecting Connan Mockasin‘s ‘Forever Dolphin Love’.

To refer to Mockasin as avant-garde would be an understatement. The original is a mammoth 10-minute off-kilter musical cocktail of spooky, unnerving and unusual psychedelia. Alkan has taken great care not to interfere with the essence of the track, instead softening the edges a little with a wonderfully chilled beats-y vibe from start to finish.

Connan Mockasin’s record is going to take some time to digest but for now you can stream rework/original below.

 Connan Mockasin – Forever Dolphin Love (Erol Alkan Rework)

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GhostPoet – Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam

It has been quite some time since a breakthrough UK artist left such a lasting impression as Ghostpoet‘s debut record has. Given the seal of approval by Mike Skinner in his Guardian Music takeover. Quite fitting that as one of stalwarts of UK hip-hop bows out with the The Streets, he is heralding in a new generation of talent.

Ghostpoet (real name Obaro Ejimiwe) grew up on a merry-go-round between London, Coventry, Nigeria and Dominica which has certainly provided him with a wide range of influences to draw from. This diversity is reflected in his debut album Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam, an off-kilter fusion of dub-step, electronica, hip-hop and blues.

Fitting somewhere between the everyday musings of Mike Skinner and the gruffness of Roots Manuva, he charts a journey through the daily toils of life in modern Britain both personal and philosophical. Each track is graced with his drawl, hazy idiosyncratic slurred delivery with a backdrop of atmospheric beats and screeches creates an almost spectral soundscape.

Ghostpoet is a unique and different voice and quite unlike others MC’s, prefering  to concentrate on what he knows about, ‘life’. ‘I Just Don’t Know’ is a declaration of this intent; “Other MCs want to talk about crime, but that ain’t me”. His artful wanderings take us on a journey to the bright and hopeful, ‘Survive It’ and ‘Liiines’ and to the darker ‘Cash and Carry Me Home’, a whisky-fueled encapsulation of hang-over induced self-loathing and fear. Always honest, beautiful and open.

A very unique debut from one of the most exciting and thought-provoking artists to emerge this year. An impressive statement of intent from UK hip-hop’s new standard bearer, watch his stock rise is ’11.

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Ghostpoet – Survive It

Download: Ghostpoet – Longing For The Night

via Brownswood

Alex Turner – ‘Submarine’

Whilst we await the release of the Arctic Monkeys next album, frontman Alex Turner has somehow found time to release a solo EP, ‘Sumarine’. The EP is the soundtrack for Richard Ayoade of IT Crowd fame’s debut movie of the same name.

It is somewhat different from the energetic brand of indie-punk which made his name. Always a supreme storyteller, Turner has found his niche, accompanied by some stripped back acoustic guitar and piano, his tender, touching, sometimes sneering vocals allow the stories to unfold perfectly. This short but sweet record has so much to offer as he picks and gently strums his way through ‘Hiding Tonight’, ‘Glass in the Park’ and ‘It’s Hard To Get Around The Wind’ with breathtaking wistful maturity. The tempo is upped meanwhile with ‘Stuck on the Puzzle’, a ponderous jaunty Lennon-esque tune while closer ‘Piledriver Waltz’ burns brightest of all. A sentimental, if slightly melancholic journey through forgotten youthful dreams and fears, quite similar in many ways to ‘Cornerstone’, an absolute gem from 2009’s Humbug. A brief but worthwhile encounter, five beautifully sung warm and intimate songs. I wonder if he’s infected with the solo side-project bug (fingers crossed).

The EP is out now on Domino.

Mp3: Alex Turner – Stuck on the Puzzle

[audio http://indierocker.net/songs/Alex%20Turner%20-%20Stuck%20on%20the%20puzzle.mp3]

Mp3: Alex Turner – Piledriver Waltz

[audio http://indierocker.net/songs/Alex%20Turner%20-%20Piledriver%20waltz.mp3]

Via Indierocker.net

Free Music: Gorilla Warfare Tactics – Premier

Premier is the debut EP from New York City trio Gorilla Warfare Tactics who have a true old-school essence, wordy and feel-good.

They, like many before, have contempt for the soulless, crass ‘bling’ orientated hip-hop of today. Instead like luminaries such as J5, they are consumed by original beats and classic street level rap.

Kid Dilla’s ability to rap and rhyme is unquestionable, effortlessly throwing down flowing verses over CakeXCrumbs’ old-school soul samples and head-nodding, bouncy beats. When pitted together they meld into smooth, crisp feel good and catchy as hell hip hop tunes. You’re not likely to hear better or fresher cuts in 2011 than the stellar ‘Temptation’, ‘Classics’ and ‘The Tale of Mr Street’.

Premier captures the very essence of what makes hip-hop so great. It’s a timely reminder for me anyway, how I felt when first introduced to Gang Starr, J5 & Mos Def – three life changing artists. No pressure lads, hopefully there is plenty more to come.

You can download Premier for FREE from here.

Mp3: Gorilla Warfare Tactics – Temptations

Mp3: Gorilla Warfare Tactics – Classics

Mp3: Gorilla Warfare Tactics – The Tale of Mr. Street

via Day Dream Station Music

Free Music: Lost Chord – Canada EP

We were introduced to Galwegians Lost Chord almost one year ago when they released There Is No Lost Chord EP.

The have returned with a 3-track free EP Canada to coincide with their departure for Canadian Music Week. It sees them build on their debut There Is No Lost Chord, continuing to mix it up between style and genre with comparative ease.

It does manage to maintain a sense of cohesiveness however, as it flips from a frantic and furious instrumental deluge of ASIWYFA-esque guitars ‘BNP’, some pleasant head-nodding indie, ‘Don’t Let Her In’ and some a flourish of trancey synths with ‘Drunk & Unspoken’ before the finish.

You can stream/download Canada EP via bandcamp below.

Video: Mystery Jets ‘Serotonin’

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Mystery Jets have unveiled a video of their latest single and title track from their most recent album, ‘Serotonin’. It along with ‘Flash A Hungry Smile’, ‘Lady Grey’ and ‘Dreaming of Another World’ were the highlights from what was on the whole, a rather underwhelming record.

A lovely slice of sparkling dreamy radio friendly indie-pop from the Eel Pie Island crew.

BG Recommends: Yuck, The Go! Team & The Joy Formidable

I’ve been listening to about a few albums religiously over the past few months. I have kind of neglected writing about them so now I’m going to try get through as many as possible. So, here goes, the first three.

The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts

Rolling Blackouts is the third album from Brighton’s genre-hopping The Go! Team. They set their stall out with 2004’s Thunder, Lightning, Strike while 2007’s Proof of Youth failed to replicate their earlier success, something this record rectifies. As one of the most distinctive and unique sounding acts there isn’t much they can do without hampering what makes such an attractive listen. Constrained by this the new record offers nothing really new or daring. This is something they could be criticized for but why change a recipe that works well?

The now renowned bright, blend of indie, brass and funky hip-hop beats, is epitomized by openers ‘T.O.R.N.A.D.O’ and ‘Secretary Song’. Amongst the party tunes are some exceptional instrumental forays, spearheaded by the spritely brass explosion ‘Bust-out Brigade’ and the sprawling ‘Yosemite Theme’. Aided by Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino on guest vocals, lead single ‘Buy Nothing Day’ sees them venture into genuinely new garage rock territory.

It is an incredibly enjoyable listen, guaranteed to paste smiles on faces. Regardless of its shortcomings it creates a serious feel good buzz, it’s hard not to be infected with the sheer cheeriness of this record.

The Go! Team – Bust-out Brigade

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The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar

Welsh rock trio, The Joy Formidable, were highlighted as ones to watch for 2011 and they haven’t disappointed (phew!).

The Big Roar isn’t offering anything overly ambitious, yet it is one of the most enjoyable records of the year so far. This is a masterclass of how indie-rock is supposed to sound. The album centres around a number of huge epic stadium anthems like ‘Whirring’ and ‘The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade’. Far from being one-dimensional, they are accompanied by equally great short sharp shots of rock ‘Austere’ and ‘The Magnifying Glass’, think a cross between The Manics and Blood Red Shoes.

A thrilling and enthralling listen which aims to please, executed with style and exuberance, the soaring guitar lines and immense vocals from Ritzy Bryan hit the nail firmly on the head.

They support The Manics in The Olympia on May 16th – excited!

The Joy Formidable – The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade via The Drift Record Shop

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Yuck – Yuck

London 4-piece Yuck were also given ones to watch status last year, something their self-titled debut has delivers on.

They hanker back to when ‘indie music’ was much rougher around the edges and less polished than much of radio fodder clogging up the airwaves today. There’s an overriding sense of nostalgia for ‘80s and ‘90s indie rock  these guys. Far from being ‘hacks’ they’ve produced a dapper reinvention of this well honed style.

On the whole it’s more controlled and polished than luminaries who have gone before them. Yuck basically falls between two categories. The straight up rock-out tracks like ‘The Wall’ and ‘Holing Out’, which see distorted vocals and grungey guitars and the gloriously catchy ‘Suicide Policeman’ and ‘Shook Down’ echoing bands like Lemonheads.

It’s certainly easy on the hear, infectious one could say. Definitely one to keep an eye on this year.

Yuck – The Wall

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About Group – You’re No Good

The un-google-able About Group is composed of Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip), Charles Hayward (This Heat), John Coxon (Spring Heel Jack, Spiritualized) and Pat Thomas.

Ahead of the collective releasing their forthcoming second album comes the single ‘You’re No Good’. It is a re-worked version of a 1967 track recorded by Harvey Averne, then deconstructed and remade by avant-garde composer Terry Riley. Riley’s efforts are apparently widely recognized as one of earliest examples of remixing, none of which I’d been aware of.

Back to the here and now. The 2011 interpretation of ‘You’re No Good’ is an epic free-flowing 11 minute prog style jam filled with soulful funk. It sounds amazingly elegant, like aural silk, if that makes sense? Taylor’s delicate vocals reign supreme as ever over what is a masterclass of instrumental improvisation.

It may be 11 minutes long but it certainly doesn’t feel that way, an addictive listen that will draw you in from the start and completely steal you away.

‘You’re No Good’ is released on March 14th via Domino.

About Group – You’re No Good