Silky Cuts

Lo-fi R’n’B Baltimore duo empress with debut self titled LP on Stones Throw. Silk Rhodes are both original and classic, pulling on old school funk and soul grooves, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Sly and the Family Stone, Delfonics etc. as well as recent influences, D’Angelo, Gonjasufi, Gayngs, Stepkids etc. Some of tracks are very short and fractured but the lo-fi snippets are are part of the fleeting album’s charm and exuberance.

A stunning debut that covers a lot of ground and genres yet retains a signature sound throughout. The outstanding Pains is about as lazy as it gets as the beat plods along to a searing Rhodes organ and raw soulful vocals. Faces 2 Face ramps up the groove in a funk pop number. Realtime goes all hip-hip beats and R’n’B sass. Hold Me Down is just pure beauty, like Shuggie Otis slowed right down to a snails pace, this is stoner soul. Personal use pounds into a french house rhythm reminiscent of Etienne de Crécy’s Super Discout Vol.1, then 2 thirds in the song changes back to soul croons that Sumach Ecks (Gonjasufi) would relate to. Finishing off with the uplifting sound of The System, the perfect end to great LP and very highly recommended.

Essential tracks: Pains, Face 2 Face, Realtime, Hold Me Down

Buy it on iTunes now

Lost in a delirious dream

Amor de Días, the long-term collaboration between Alasdair MacLean (The Clientele) and Lupe Núñez-Fernández (Pipas), released their sophomore album The House at Sea earlier this year. Today the sun is shining (for a change!) and this is the perfect soundtrack to a lazy day in the sun.

While their debut album Street of the Love of Days took three years to make, The House at Sea was recorded and mixed in only nine days. The fast pace of the sessions resulted in a rawer, more urgent album, featuring a rhythm section of James Hornsey and Howard Monk, both formerly of The Clientele.

The House at Sea is a snapshot of a year’s songs written in London and Madrid. There are pop songs, delirious dream accounts, strange lyrical puzzles, and stories from the city and the suburbs. The theme of the sea threads its way throughout the record along with a gentle sense of drifting and departure, of being lost, of saudade—a sadness at lost things.

Official site: amordedias.com Buy on iTunes now

Synth-pop magic

MU.ZZ.LE.

Sumach Valentine's Gonjasufi follows up his 2010 release A Sufi and a Killer, the album he cut in collaboration Gaslamp Killer with a new mini-album MU.ZZ.LE. This time out he's producing by himself. We still have the same ramshackle dubbed-out beats and off kilter noises that was endearing on the last record. All mashed through the blender with plenty of distortion and feedback, Valentine's reverbed vocals sound as cracked and crazed as ever. Psychedelic soul and rock clamber along together as they twist and twine into complex loops and rhythms. Slow and heavy dub beats swagger with an intense mood like Lee stratch Perry jamming with Captain Beefheart and Tom Waits. Sumach's wife April joins for a couple of tracks adding another texture of sweetness against Valentine's wails.

Nikels and Dimes kicks in with a looping bass drum and kid laughing, ethereal organs pierce through the think atmosphere backing up Valentine's heartfelt vocalizations. A short LP at under 25 minutes but none less rewarding for the persistent listener. 

Official Site, Buy it on iTunes

Just discovered La Femme and their excellent EP Le Podium #1

The Paris-based lo-fi surf rockers realised their debut EP at the end of last year, La Femme Ressort (The She Spring) is an eerie tune, reminds me of the Twin Peaks soundtrack. French new wave pop with a sassy edge, the lo-fi production adds to the dark and mysterious sound.

Listen to the rest on their MySpace page., Buy it on iTunes

I'm still playing Gonjasufi's hallucinogenic debut album loads since it's release earlier this year, A Sufi And A Killer is highly recommend if your looking something different to listen to. The Gaslamp Killer produced much of Gonjasufi's LP, so I've been digging the crate for more of the producer and global purveyor of cosmic bass. This is a cracking track from his EP - My Troubled Mind from last year, taking in some mad Bollywood spaghetti western soundtrack vibes. Crazy shit, I love it. The Gaslamp Killer (Born William Benjamin Bensussen) based in Los Angeles released My Troubled Mind on Brainfeeder, the record label of Flying Lotus.

Like This? Try: Gonjasufi, Hudson Mohawke, Flying Lotus

Stereo Total have been turning out kitsch retro-chic pop for some 15 years now, and they never go out of style - here they are again with a new LP Baby Ouh! their 10th album and it's full of the usual retro computer game sound effects and the quirky Franco-German lo-fi kitsch pop we've come to expect. Françoise Von Hove and Friedrich Ziegler sound particularly Dadaist and crazy on this track with added Stephen Hawking vocals. Mad as you like robo-pop!

Like this? Try: Killer Cobra, Pizzicato Five, Stereolab

But it on iTunes, Official Site

Gonjasufi AKA Sumach Ecks, a rapper-singer currently living in Las Vegas. Duet is from his Warp debut LP A Sufi and a Killer (out March 9) featuring Dilla-descended production from L.A.'s the Gaslamp Killer, Mainframe, and Flying Lotus. The first I heard of Gonja Sufi was his croaky, smoked filled, cracked up vocals on the track Testament off Flying Lotus' Los Angeles album. This tune is one of the more sober moments on the album, a nice laid-back psychedelic folk-hop song.

His debut album is a Lo-Fi fuzzy mix of electronica that ranges from folky ramblings to punk rock all soaked in static and distorted samples with a glitch-hop production. And it's a very interesting, eclectic, original and often beautiful collection of tunes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Like This? Try: Flying Lotus, Devendra Banhart, Gable

Gonjasufi's place in MySpace, Buy the album on iTunes

Chill out to this hypnotic little tune of dreamy-pop, unsigned and doing it on his own, Yoseph y la Zilla! from Murfreesboro, Tennessee is making some interesting music. This new tune is raising the bar and taking it into a more accomplished sound. The atmospheric xylophonic tinkering captivates you from the start, hushed vocals harmonises hum through the song like monks in a monastery. Check out his MySpace for more tunes, you can download his last album Machine for free here.

Like This? Try: Memoryhouse, Sigur Rós, Four Tet

His Place in MySpace

Starting off like a dark nursery rhyme with a plinky plonky vibraphone going up and down scales this little Lo-Fi song then jumps into life with a marching drum beat. This is the opening track from Josiah Wolf's debut solo album Jet Lag (Release date 2nd March 2010) Josiah Wolf is the drummer from Cincinnati-born band WHY?. Understandably this track is lead by a savvy percussion, Josiah records everything himself in solitude. On the surface it's a dreamy weightless sensation, but the dark undertow is ever present threatening to flip over to a nightmare at any moment, but it never quite achieves it and the anticipation is captivating.

Anticon will release Jet Lag on 2nd March find out more here. Bands place in MySpace

Bear's Beat is an infectious little groove, sounds like a bear banging away on an old typewriter in the woods! Written and performed by unsigned artist Eric Dana a multi-instrumentalist from Florida.

Like This Try: Rodrigo y Gabriela, Cornelius, Cassettes Won't Listen

Bands place in MySpace

Psychedelic bongo rock with sitars and guitars from Denmark, sounds like Jesus and Mary Chain remixed by Beyond the Wizards Sleeve. But this is all the work of one man, Tobias Winberg an unsigned from Denmark

Like this try: Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Velvet Underground

Bands place in MySpace

This is a real nice lush lazy track, as I watch the snow falling outside turning everything brilliant white this is a fitting soundtrack. Freelance Whales formed in 2008, in Queens NYC. Harmonium, banjo, glockenspiel, synthesizers, guitars, bass, drums and waterphone all feature in the mix of their captivating sound. Freelance Whales can be spotted in the streets and humble venues of New York City, their first full-length record, Weathervanes is due for release March next year, but you can get it on download now.

Like this, try: Fleet Foxes, Noah and the Whale, Arcade Fire

Official site, Buy it on iTunes Now

See you down the roller disco! 

Strangely addictive looped voice samples, odd lyrics about roller-skates, just another mad little tune to hum along to. The whole tune is completely made up of human voice samples and beat-boxing. Chilean-born Matias Aguayo takes a break from his usual funky house sound (he's half of minimal duo Closer Musik with pal Dirk Leyers) with this quirky experimental tune.

buy it at Kompakt, MySpace page

More warped 80's Synth's, hazy vocals, sun baked home-made, lo-fi laid-back psychedelic pop.

Last month Neoloop featured the original and addictive Deadbeat Summer, the first single release from Neon Indian's debut album Psychic Chasms. Now the album is due for a November release (Not sure what the UK release date is?).

This track has all the hallmarks of the first single, as does the whole album. I'm expecting big things from this band.

Bands Place in MySpace

Spooky being lost in space all on your own! Sounding like an early AIR tune, but it was recorded in the early Seventies. In 1975 before the release of the first Black Devil Disco Club album, Bernard Fevre released an album called ‘The Strange World Of Bernard Fevre’ and like the first Black Devil album it was so far ahead of it’s time that even now people struggle to believe it was really recorded over 30 years ago. Love to new cover by Non-Format too!

Buy it from Lo Recordings

Folktronica acoustic melodies from the excellent Norwegian duo of Erlend Øye and Eirik Bøe.

It's been five years since their last album, we've had the brilliant side project of Erlend Øye's The Whitest Boy Alive and his numerous guest appearances to keep us happy. But I'm very excited about their new (3rd) album, Declaration of Dependence, due October 20th. This single sets us up in anticipation of what's to follow. I've been a big fan of their intricate and subtle guitar melodies since their debut album back in 2001. This song doesn't disappoint, an instant foot tapper with sing-a-long chorus which has become the trademark sound of Kings of Convenience.

Kings of Convenience is an indie folk-pop duo from Bergen, Norway.

Official Site

Bands place in MySpace

You are going to relax

This tune is as mad as a box of frogs, haunted synths, snake charmers, wind chimes and hypnosis, eclectic in nature, powered by analog synths and toy keyboards, rhythms driven by home-maker organs and casios, Sukia's music tends to drift towards the erotic. Released back in 1996 I still come back to this tune time and time again. Taken from the album Contacto Espacial Con El Tercer Sexo, produced by the Dust Brothers, worth checking out with more of the same wacky instruments and odd sounds.

Sukia were a Camarillo, California-based electronic band. Formed in the early 90's amidst the burgeoning Los Angeles indie music scene, Sukia took their name from the Italian vampire comic book of the same name. Following their dissolution, Sukia have gained a cult following from the release of the above titled album.

Bands place in MySpace

Return From The Planet DUB!

The Dub master that is Lee Scratch Perry returns with a new album collaborating with Vienna dub pioneers Dubblestandart. This a cover of the old Max Romeo track Chase the Devil, as covered and sampled by many artists over the years. Everything Lee Scratch Perry touches turns to gold, the master old the golden age of Reggae. Stick your headphones on, spark up a fat one and lose yourself in dub.

Buy more Lee Scratch Perry on iTunes

Bands place in MySpace - myspace.com/dubblestandart

Lee's place in MySpace - myspace.com/leescratchperry

Dream with me, dream machine...

More Summer tunes, twanging banjo's trotting along to a trippy beat in the searing heat. Bob your head to this one around the pool, take it easy there's no rush.

Official site - markfarina.net

Buy it - iTunes

She's My Lover, it's all about the percussion on this one, tambourines and maracas sprinkle all over a baggy beat, It's a great tune the Stone Roses never made.

The original version of this tune is on the amazing debut album A Grand Love Story - released in 1997. A classic. This is a later version that came with a CD repackage Special Edition. Jean-Yves Prieur, aka Kid Loco is a French electronic musician, DJ, remixer and producer. He was born on June 16, 1964 in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, France.

A new Kid Loco remix album is due this year.

Official website - kidloco.com

His place in myspace - myspace.com/kidbravo

Buy the Album - Amazon.co.uk

My Man! My Man! My Man!

Baseline from groove central, spooky stings and a simple sample... My Man, good scenes!

But it - iTunes

Hot, humid and rain with bursts of sunshine... a typical London summer?

Or a Dark night of the soul? 

A new album from Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse, kinda reminds me an old Turtles tune from the sixties this one.

Featuring vocals from The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, it's a perfect tune for dodging rain clouds. Chilled out lazy beats with a dark undertone.

Lose yourself!

Official site: www.dnots.com

Pure celestial bliss to take you far away, lost in ethereal beauty.

This is like church music without the religion, a beautiful piece of music that sweeps through your head picks you up and takes you to a state of pure bliss.

Riceboy Sleeps is the upcoming ambient album from Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi Birgisson and his boyfriend, Alex Somers. The record isn't out until July 20

Official site - jonsiandalex.com

Erotico!

I'm off to France this week so I'l compiling a few playlists to accompany my road trip, hence the last few blog entries have a very French influence. If you like Serge Gainsbourg and want hear more, try this excessively kitsch concept album about, well, sex! Orchestral funk, moody whispering over breezy bossa, smokey organ porn. Furiously pop and totally cult for perverse record collectors everywhere. This is a cracking track from a classic album.

The incredible Philippe Nicaud. A rising young talent of 50s French cinema, filming with Jeanne Moreau (Dos au mur), Dalida (L’Inconnue de Hong Kong) and Brigitte Bardot (Voulez-vous danser avec moi). With Erotico… Nicaud he plunges hungrily into the era’s melting pot of pop with the help of Gérard Gustin and his pulsingly crafted orchestrations. Great album cover too!

Philippe Nicaud left us April 18th of this year in the age of 82 years... R.I.P

Buy it from Vadim Music

Psychedelic French Pop from the Master

Serge Gainsbourg's varied musical style and individuality made him difficult to categorize. His legacy has been firmly established, and he is often regarded as one of the world's most influential musicians. I've admired much of his music over the years, just when you think you've heard it all I can't help re-discovering another track everytime I trawl through his extensive back catalogue. Pure class!

Histoire de Melody Nelson (from which this track was taken from) is a 1971 concept album. The Lolita-esque pseudo-autobiographical plot involves the middle-aged Gainsbourg unintentionally colliding his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost into teenage nymphet Melody Nelson's bicycle (Jane Birkin), and the subsequent seduction and romance that ensues. Histoire de Melody Nelson is considered by many critics and fans to be Gainsbourg's most influential and accomplished album.

At just under twenty-eight minutes, the short running time and the stylistic consistency and similarity throughout the album gives it qualities more in line with an EP or an extended musical piece with a number of movements. Histoire de Melody Nelsons is a mix of freewheeling guitar, funk style bass guitar, near spoken word vocal delivery, and lush, deep orchestrated string and choral arrangements by Jean-Claude Vannier who composed almost the entire music for the album.

Buy it on iTunes

Sunshine and Psychedelic pop

Every summer I always dig out some old Serge Gainsbourg to drop in to mix compilations. This is from a soundtrack to a movie called La Horse.

Composed by Gainsbourg and Vannier in 1970, a true pearl of Psychedelic pop stunningly modern and powerful.

When the sun is shining you need some happy tunes for the summer vibe, so for the soundtrack to your next BBQ look to further than this album Veckatimest from NYC, Brooklyn band Grizzly Bear. Everyones raving about this band all over the internet, lazy grooves with some beach boys harmonies going on. The first single from the album 'two weeks' has been getting quite a lot of airplay of late. 

Official site - www.grizzly-bear.net

Buy it - Itunes

The sun is shining in little old London town, everybody's got a bit of the feel good factor! Now all you need is a soundtrack to document the summer of 2009.

I've been filling my head with this lush soundscape from Kleerup for some time now. Pure beauty on a summers day, lying under a clear blue sky with the warmth of the sun caressing your face.

The rest of the album, out this week... is an eclectic array of polished grooves, from club to beach and back again via lip smacking Scandinavian disco pop!

Kleerup is Swedish producer Andreas Kleerup. He went to number one in the UK co-writing and producing Robyn’s 'With Every Heartbeat'.

Fellow Swede Lykke Li lends her babydoll vocal to 'Until we bleed' with dreamy results, spellbinding!

More info on kleerup.net

More Lykke Li - lykkeli.com

Brigitte Bardot was born in Paris to Anne-Marie 'Toty' Mucel (1912-1978) and Louis 'Pilou' Bardot (1896-1975). Her father had an engineering degree and worked with her grandfather in the family business. Toty was sixteen years younger and they married in 1933. Brigitte's mother enrolled her and her younger sister Marie-Jeanne ('Mijanou', born 5 May 1938) in dance. Mijanou eventually gave up on dancing lessons to complete her education, whereas Brigitte decided to concentrate on a ballet career. In 1947, Bardot was accepted to The National Superior Conservatory of Paris for Music and Dance and for three years attended the ballet classes of Russian choreographer Boris Knyazev. (One of her classmates was Leslie Caron). By the invitation of her mother's acquaintance, she modeled in a fashion show in 1949. In the same year she modeled for a fashion magazine "Jardin des Modes" managed by another friend of her mother, journalist Hélène Lazareff. She appeared on a 8 March 1950 cover of ELLE and was noticed by a young film director Roger Vadim. He showed an issue of the magazine to director and screenwriter Marc Allégret, who offered Bardot the opportunity to audition for "Les lauriers sont coupés" thereafter. Although Bardot got the role, the shooting of the film was canceled, but it made her consider becoming an actress. Moreover, her acquaintance with Vadim, who attended the audition, influenced her further life and career.