Foreign/National – ‘Mombasa’

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Over the past two years of so, Aussie five-piece Foreign/National have made a habit or treating our ears on a pretty regular basis with a sublime selection of singles and self-titled EP.

Now though, the Melbourne warped-pop merchants are about to release their long-awaited debut album. Entitled Dépaysement, it will be with us on February 3rd and is preceded by another fine single ‘Mombasa’. The new track is another similarly sumptuous slice of jolly, warped pop. Breezy as the day is long, ‘Mombasa’ is a supremely infectious modern psych-pop tune. A bright, blissful, and melody-filled slice of sun-kissed psychedelic pop music, that will keep you grooving right along, providing some respite from the January blues.

Foreign/National’s debut LP Dépaysement, will be with us on February 3rd but for now, sample delights of ‘Mombasa’ below. It is fabulous!

Foreign/National – ‘Too Sentimental’

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We’ve been keeping tabs on Foreign/National for a while now and they’ve been wooing us with a succession of sublime singles and self-titled EP.

The Melbourne five piece have returned with new single, ‘Too Sentimental’; another similarly sumptuous slice of warped pop lifted from their upcoming debut LP. A gloriously upbeat, addictive and bleary-eyed, psych-pop gem with melody at its heart. Simultaneously dense and fluffy, ‘Too Sentimental’ is colourful, hazy and lightly coated with fuzz, and sends a shiver down your spine. It is a tantalising reminder of what Foreign/National are all about and obviously, another taste of what is yet to come.

No firm date on when the album is to be expected as yet, but for now, get your ears around ‘Too Sentimental’.

BarryGruff April 2016 Playlist

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Your regular monthly round up all the blog action, in a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured throughout the month.

April was good, as was the weather but even better tunes and whatnot (although I was pretty busy with matters away from the blog). We had tracks courtesy of Amber Arcade, FFUG, SALES, Holy Fuck and Foreign/National from their respective, new and forthcoming albums. We had introductions to Supermoon and OMALOMA, while there were excellent new singles/EPs from Colleen Green, L.A. Witch, Koloto, Peaness, The Orange Kyte, Estrons and Pavel. Oh, and there were two new episodes of ‘Millions Like Us’, Justin Beats & I’s music podcast for 604now (if you missed them, check ’em here). You can also subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find us on Facebook & Twitter.

Well then, that’s that for another month – listen to BarryGruff’s April 2016 playlist below. Enjoy!

Millions Like Us Podcast – Episode #15

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Yip, it’s that again already and we’re thrilled to share yet another Millions Like Us Podcast with you all.

Every two weeks, Justin & I, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now, aim to deliver an eclectic selection of top class music. There’s plenty to chew on for Episode #15, well over an hour in fact, of great tunes and plenty of chat, encompassing everything fro, Bluetooth headset wearers, Siri bashing, Fergie time, NOFX hoodies, the Rocky Mountains and of course, music.

You can read more on it over here and of course, listen below (and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump too). You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic, Mixcloud & SoundCloud, or find us on Facebook & Twitter. Or you can email us at millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

As mentioned in this episode, Justin has been busy compiling tracks featured in the series. If you’re a Spotify user, then you can access this 6 hours plus playlist here.

Thanks for all the support and once again, till next time, thanks for listening! We hope you enjoy Episode #15. And last but not least, thanks to Caroline for the stylish image.

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Foreign/National – ‘Tristesse’

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Having wooed us with a series of sublime singles and self-titled EP, Foreign/National are almost ready to share their debut album with us.

Accompanying this news is new single, ‘Tristesse’, a sneaky peek of the Melbourne band’s debut album, produced by long-time pal Joey Walker of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Unsurprisingly (and thankfully) it is the latest in a long, long line of stellar singles which draws on their love affair with warped, nostalgic­-pop, and it is utterly mesmerizing. Strutting along with an irrepressible groove, sense of coolness and an underlying hint of melancholy, it moves fluently through a swirl of these aforementioned predilections, mixed with a spread of wonderfully colourful, breezy, brightly imaginative and saturated fuzz-pop, fused with 70’s disco, Motown and funk. Foreign/National say themselves that ‘Tristesse’ is a lovesick postcard from the end of an Australian summer but for those of us outside of the Southern Hemisphere, it is a tantalizing reminder of what is yet to come. In terms of summer and, importantly, from Foreign/National.

No firm date on when the album is to be expected as yet, but for now, get your ears around ‘Tristesse’.

 

BarryGruff Playlist August 2015

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A now regular monthly feature, whereby we round up all the blog action with a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured during the month.

August was pretty damn good! We had new tunes from Anderson, The Foetals, The Annulments and DRINKS ahead of their respective, forthcoming new albums. There were excellent new singles from SALES, Cornershop, Imploded View, Foreign/National and Silverbacks, and EPs from Mr Huw & Dog Legs. Oh, and Johnny Feeney shared his albums of the year so far too.

Also featured on this month’s playlist are great tracks from Martha Ffion, Sh-Shakes, SQRD, BUCK, and Ghost Culture’s, Ghostpoet remix . So, August, pretty good alright.

Listen to BarryGruff’s August 2015 playlist below.

Foreign/National – ‘Pacific Cruise’

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Having released their self-titled EP and a number of sublime singles in under 12 months, Foreign/National never keep us waiting any great length of time for new jams.

Each release too, has offered a differing dimension to their casually cool sound and in keeping with this trend, the Melbourne five piece are back with a third single for the year, ‘Pacific Cruise’. Slinking and grooving with a stuttering, funky drumbeat, ‘Pacific Cruise’ takes their usual spread of wonderfully colourful, breezy, brightly imaginative and saturated fuzz-pop, fusing it with a splendid nod to Motown classics of old. The slinking bassline, those whispered vocals, the chorus and harmonies – which recall finer moments of freakbeat and British psych – make it neigh on impossible to resist its allure. Simultaneously laid-back and full of raw energy, ‘Pacific Cruise’ finds a balance that works perfectly, to form a blissful, harmonic and irresistible slice of psych-tinged nostalgia-pop. Foreign/National continue a fine run of form and deliver on their early promise, hopefully as in the past, we aren’t waiting around too long for the next installment.

Listen to ‘Pacific Cruise’ below and if it is to your liking, why not pop over here and try out some of their sublime previous releases?

BarryGruff’s May 2015 Playlist

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A regular monthly feature to the blog; a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured during the month.

May was another fine month for new music. We had an exclusive premier of The Expert’s new tune, ‘Da Wha?’, the lead single from his forthcoming LP. There were new tunes from Sleaford Mods, Girlpool, Applescal & Tame Impala, ahead of their respective, forthcoming albums. There were excellent new singles from Tomorrows, Telegram, SertOne, Roots Manuva, Foreign/National, The Adventures of Bert & Henry and PANKHABILLI.

Also featuring on the playlist are: GEM_DOS, The North Sea, Disconcerting P, Sweet Baboo, Heaters & Faith Healer. Yeah, so, May was pretty damn good.

Listen to BarryGruff’s May 2015 playlist below.

Foreign/National – ‘The Hedonist’

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Melbourne five piece Foreign/National are back with a super new single, entitled ‘The Hedonist’.

Created in collaboration with Joey Walker (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard), it is grounded in the wonderfully colourful, sun-soaked and irresistibly warped aesthetic which marked their earlier work. Echo-y vocals, mildly distorted guitars, nifty percussive work and splotches of superb organ playing spill over for a fun, supremely engaging modern psych-pop tune, that will keep you grooving right along. A blissful, melody-filled and transportive slice of sun-tinged psychedelic pop music, somewhere between Jagwar Ma, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s and The Bees circa 2007 – things are more than alright.

You can pick up ‘The Hedonist’ here and there are rumours that a debut album and shows worldwide on the horizon. For now, check their latest single below.

BarryGruff’s Playlist February 2015

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A new monthly feature to the blog, a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured during the month.

It was a pretty good month to be fair. There was the return of Joanna Gruesome, Novella, Coves and Akala, with new tracks ahead of their respective albums, and new singles from Du Blonde, Foreign/National, Freedom Fry & Rozi Plain. Not to forget the huge news of a new album from Blur and last but not least, the return of Super Furry Animals. Also featuring on the playlist are: Public Service Broadcasting, TRWBADOR, The Courtneys, SALES, The Earth & Benihana.

Listen to BarryGruff’s February 2015 playlist below. The full track listing is after the jump.

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