POST CATEGORY : Electro

Astro B – ‘Welcome to the Astro-B’

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Astro-B have been a mainstay on the Tokyo gig circuit since the late ’90s and have been cranking out high-energy electro-punk for quite sometime now.

Astro-B – Judo Man (guitar) Kiyomi Ebisawa (lead vocals), Jesus Horie San (drums), Professor Sam (keyboards), Ninja Hide (SFX) and Lama (percussion and backing vocals) – have unleashed a spectacular new single called ‘Welcome to the Astro-B’. It’s a furious fireball mix of power-pop, powerful vocals, thumping techno beats, screeching guitar riffs, computer game SFX and an insane amount of unrelenting energy – unconventional yes, but that just makes it all the more memorable and downright ace! Now, Astro-B have been doing this sort of thing since ’99 and they’ve even brought their unconventional manga style live sets to the UK in 2001 and 2005 yet this is our first encounter. Better late than never and I for one, am better for it.

Do yourself a favour and behold eccentric brilliance of ‘Welcome to the Astro-B’ below:

Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #13

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A new regular addition to blog, a relatively short weekly Spotify playlist featuring some of the finest new music to prick my ears over the course of past 7 days.

Clocking in at just over an hour, it’s an easily digestible slice of new music, just in time for the weekend. There’s a nice mix of genres and styles too, allowing me to share even more top tunes for your ears. Well, without further ado, here’s #13Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #12. Enjoy the tunes & enjoy the sun!

You can follow me on Spotify here.

Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #12

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A new regular addition to blog, a relatively short weekly Spotify playlist featuring some of the finest new music to prick my ears over the course of past 7 days.

Clocking in at just over an hour, it’s an easily digestible slice of new music, just in time for the weekend. There’s a nice mix of genres and styles too, allowing me to share even more top tunes for your ears. Well, without further ado, here’s #12. Enjoy the tunes & enjoy the sun!

You can follow me on Spotify here.

Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #8

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A new regular addition to blog, a relatively short weekly Spotify playlist featuring some of the finest new music to prick my ears over the course of past 7 days.

Clocking in at just over an hour, it’s an easily digestible slice of new music, just in time for the weekend. There’s a nice mix of genres and styles too, allowing me to share even more top tunes for your ears. Well, without further ado, here’s #8. Enjoy the tunes & enjoy the sun!

You can follow me on Spotify here.

Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #6

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A new feature to blog, a short weekly Spotify playlist series featuring some of the finest new music to prick my ears.

Clocking in or around and hour, it’s an easily digestible slice of new music, just in time for the weekend. There’s a nice mix of genres and styles too, allowing me to share even more top tunes for your ears. Well, without further ado, here’s #6. Enjoy!

Σtella – ‘Way to Go’

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‘Way to Go’ is the latest single from Σtella – aka Stella Chronopoulou – a Greek artist whose output is known for an ability to mix up genres and disciplines, sculpting off kilter pop gems without a hitch.

The Athens native released her latest album, and follow-up to her 2015 self-titled debut LP, Works For You back in February. Lifted from the aforementioned record, ‘Way To Go’ is an enticing, off-kilter alt-pop gem. It, like the new record, finds Σtella achieving a sense of balance between pop and experimental. A bouncy pop song, ‘Way To Go’ is fuelled as much by the buoyant melodies as it is by an under-stated hint of techno and electro-pop nous. This is artistic experimentation and pushing boundaries met by an ear for the irresistible; ‘Way To Go’ will stick in your head for days and days.

‘Way To Go’ reveals but one side of an extremely talented and multi-faceted artist; for full insight check out the new record in its entirety, here.

Check the video for ‘Way To Go’ below:

Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #5

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A new feature to blog, a short weekly Spotify playlist series featuring some of the finest new music to prick my ears.

Clocking in or around and hour, it’s an easily digestible slice of new music, just in time for the weekend. There’s a nice mix of genres and styles too, allowing me to share even more top tunes for your ears. Well, without further ado, here’s #5. Enjoy!

The Deer Tracks – ‘Gossip’

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Revolving around the two main protagonists of David Lehnberg & Elin Lindfors, The Deer Tracks have been brewing up their self described ‘Northern Light Electronica’ since 2008.

With a number of records already under their belt, in recent weeks, the Swedish pair returned with a new album Undersvik. ‘Gossip’ is the latest single to be lifted from the new record and exemplifies The Deer Tracks’ flair for dark, edgy electronica. With ‘Gossip’ they eek out a perfect balance between the dark, almost gothic, droney techno edge and Lindfors’ ethereal vocal. In doing so, it steadily evolves with the aid of a dynamic arsenal of stuttering beats, beautiful strings, soaring synths and mild underbelly of euphoria which blossoms sensationally at the end. A thrilling, irresistible and entrancing four minutes plus, that quickly locks you under its spell.

Undersvik has already been released digitally with a vinyl version scheduled for March of this year – stream it here. Listen to ‘Gossip’ below:

Yelle Return With New Single ‘Ici & Maintenant’ (Here & Now)

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French electro-pop duo Yelle – singer Julie Budet and producer GrandMarnier – have returned with a new single ‘Ici & Maintenant’ (Here & Now).

The song is the French pairing’s first new material since the wonderful 2014 album, Completement Fou. ‘Ici & Maintenant’ is just as catchy, fun and playful as anything from that record but it is a sweet, soothing take on their renowned eccentric, avant-garde electro-pop hi-jinks. Budet’s serenely beautiful vocals mingle with electro beats, synth and a pretty smooth vibe for bright and magnificent slice of electro-pop that is undeniably catchy and fun. The wacky (and lots of fun) video sees Budet joined by comedian Nathan Barnatt and is well worth watching.

There are no details of an album to follow as of yet but even if ‘Ici & Maintenant’ (Here & Now).is a stand alone single, it’s pretty damn fine. Check it and the video below.

CUT_ – ‘Undertow’

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Amsterdam-based electronica duo CUT_ – Sebastiaan Dutilh & Belle Doron – have shared a brand new single, ‘Undertow’.

The pair’s latest release is a three-minute sojourn to synth-pop bliss. It’s infectious electronica built around glacial synths, silky melodies and a frosty elegance. ‘Undertow’ harnesses its powerful and persuasive ways by pitting catchy pop with sharp ideas, making it simultaneously spiky and delicate, lending itself to a mild form of euphoria. Frosty to the touch, ‘Undertow’ reveals itself to be a complex layering of warmth and ideas below the surface.

‘Undertow’ is out now and its release comes as ahead CUT_ appearing at Eurosonic 2017. Listen to it below.