Last year I was lucky enough to catch Björk at Wilderness festival. Now her virtual-reality exhibition is hitting Somerset House in London, the show is a ‘creatively liberating’ experience that combines technology and culture. If you are a Björk fan check it out here.
This year I was lucky enough to go to Reading, the best music festival I have ever been to. For years Reading has showcased the best hardcore/punk/alternative rock outfits; as well as a host of exciting urban and electronic artists. This year really didn’t disappoint.
Triumphant sets from the likes of Foals and BBK smashed day one, insighting an instant moshing riot; BBK in particular proved they should be way above the likes of CHVRCHES on future bills. Foals’ set undoubtedly felt like their biggest milestone yet and retained their status as one of the best live bands in Britain.
Tired and hungover, I stumbled into Saturday wondering whether I’d actually be up for seeing anyone but my urge to watch Beach Baby got me down to the arena for a 12:00 am start. Confused by the lack of support I watched the 4 piece from a distance, but their show seemed frustrating due to the little audience and their set being cut short; so fans couldn’t here their lead single ‘Limousine’. Next up was Rejjie Snow, he was unreal. His hip hop energy woke everyone up, with tracks like ‘Snow (my rap song)’ going down a storm. Other noticeable sets came from those cheeky lads from Kent, Slaves, who even did a secret show on the BBC introducing stage, playing tracks from their ‘Sugar Coated Bitter Truth’ EP and of course their cover of Skepta’s grime classic ‘Shutdown’. Oh yeah and this band called the Red Hot Chilli Peppers played as well, they were half decent.
For fans of Alternative/Indie music Sunday was by far the best. Spring King kicked it off for me, new single ‘Detroit’ and ‘Rectifier’ were the real crowd pleasers and showed their worthiness of a set on the NME/Radio 1 stage. The Magic Gang packed out the Festival Republic tent, even more so than the firmly established Eagulls who played the most underrated set of the whole weekend. As the day passed RAT BOY played a rammed show in the Radio 1/NME tent where Cardy and co entertained the audience by climbing up the scaffolding and sprawling across the floor with their instruments. Up next was Cage the Elephant and I haven’t seen many better live bands than this one, the guys from Kentucky are fan favourites at the festival and with their new material adding diversity to the set, we were truly spoilt. They should have been higher up the bill. Biffy Clyro rounded off the final day but it was DJ EZ that stunned the festival that night, teenagers scrambled up the scaffolding in the dance tent forcing the gig to momentarily stop for health and safety issues – if you needed the carnage of Reading emphasising any more.
If you are contemplating on whether to head to the festival next year, don’t! Just buy a ticket, you won’t regret it whatever the line up. Click here for the first wave of tix and you can watch extended highlights here.
Ben Coyle-Larner’s latest release, if you are going by his real name, is an infectious tribute to classic hip hop and features fellow British MC/Producer Rebel Kleff. Distorted guitar hooks, classic hip hop beats and the London based rapper’s distinctive flow are the elements of the track that make this song so undeniably catchy; you can imagine this tune being laid down at any festival and the crowd going absolutely nuts.
Hip hop is on the rise in the UK again and Carner and Kleff show, on this track, that they are rightfully one of our biggest hopes for a mainstream revival of the genre. Mentioning artists such as Jay Z and Roots Manuva, the lyrics are hugely relatable for any record collector; hiding a CD behind a shelf and preying nobody buys it before you have the money is just one scenario that the artist touches upon.
There is a pretty damn good music video too. Directed by Alessandra Kurr, the video is shot in one take and really suits the creative impulses of Carner and Kleff. This song is an undisputed summer banger and one that needs to be heard by everyone.
Rating: 8.5/10
Loyle Carner plays Leeds festival on the 28th of August and you can catch him on his UK tour this Autumn.
He also recently set up a cooking school/workshop for teenagers with ADHD, for the South London rapper it was music and cooking that helped him to relax and he believes it will work for others in a similar situation to him. Click here for more information.
‘Atomised’ is the project of a Cambridge based band, featuring singer/song writer Andrew Ashworth and fellow song writer/guitarists Paul Ambrose and Greg Reid. Featuring a DIY aesthetic that has been lacking recently in the music industry, ‘Virtual Strangers’ is an LP rich in emotion and blends of guitars from a spectrum of genres.
Melodic, dreamy and uplifting, the tone of the album makes for easy listening with intriguing lyrics subtly emphasising the pain of living in the ‘modern world’. ‘Tinselhead’ stresses this immediately through mixtures of rhythmic minor chords and infectious lead guitar riffs; the lyrics in the chorus are pretty catchy too as Ashworth mourns “this is real life” over his band.
Although it sets up the album well, the first track is not my favourite cut from the LP; the evident mainstream indie influences in ‘Slipping On Tightropes’ really stick with you. The orchestral elements complement the acoustic guitar, making the song flow effortlessly, whilst helping you to remain intrigued by the instrumental elements of the track. A distinctive feature of the album is its reference to space and extraterrestrial themes, the delay on the guitar in the concluding track arouses a psychedelic feeling and with lines like “the stars aline” you cannot help but feel this way.
Not knowing what to expect, I went to Atomised’s most recent gig in the upstairs of a local pub. The six members were crammed at the front of the room, playing to a congested crowd of mixed ages, but this just shows how versatile a record ‘Virtual Strangers’ is. The variation in instrumentation is why the record is so entrancing, but sometimes it seems as if certain layers of the music are thrown into the album to make the LP sound more complex, when really less would seem more in terms of the way many of the tracks pan out. The use of the trumpets in ‘No More Secrets’ doesn’t necessarily add to the song and thus it sounds a little over-produced. However the trumpets work in a different way on ‘Virtual Strangers’, the title track of the album, where the brass instruments create an ironic sense of social triumph that Ashworth often states is lacking in today’s World.
Originally, after my first play of the album, the drum patterns felt all too comparable throughout the record and thus the tempo was initially very similar. Listening to the album again I found that in tracks like ‘Impossible World’ Ashworth and Co proved me wrong. This song is certainly one of the most intriguing, the female vocals set a different tone to the record and harmonise with the piano to amplify a more mystical atmosphere than any of the other songs.
This album deserves more success than it is receiving now, you can listen to my favourite track ‘Slipping On Tightropes’ here:
Whether you are watching Glasto on the TV or you were lucky enough to snatch a ticket within the hour in which they sold out, we’re always spoilt for choice when it comes to the variety of talent on offer. Here are 15 artists that I believe are definitely worth a watch.
1. Skepta
As the pioneer of the UK grime revival, Skepta has certainly been making a name for himself and his craft over the past couple of years and coming off the back of his latest album ‘Kannichiwa’, there will be a great blend of grime classics and new bangers. Expect Skepta to bring out members of his ‘Boy Better Know’ crew and the sheer energy that they will bring to the stage could insight a riot at Worthy Farm. Jammer, JME and Frisco could all feature and create a moshpit that death metal bands like Anthrax would be afraid to see.
Listen to: ‘That’s not me’, ‘Man’ & ‘I Spy’
2. PJ Harvey
Mesmerising would be an understatement for Harvey’s latest headline spot at Field Day Festival. This year the artist is on the ‘Other Stage’ at Glastonbury and after stunning Worthy Farm on so many occasions there’s no doubt that she will do it again. Titled ‘The Hope Six Demolition Project’, hopefully PJ Harvey’s new album will only add to her unmissable live set and with 10 other records, it is hard to believe that her slot will only be just over an hour. Nevertheless it will be incredible and one of the best performances on Sunday.
Listen to: ‘The Wheel’ & ‘Down By The Water’
3. The Last Shadow Puppets
Miles Kane and Alex Turner are coming to Glasto after the release of their second LP ‘Everything You Have Come To Expect’. With blends of orchestral genius and catchy bass lines, as heard in recent single ‘Bad Habits’, the feeling of a stadium filled gig will be brought to Worthy Farm. You never know, Turner and Kane could treat us to some Arctic Monkeys covers too.
Listen to: ‘The Age Of The Understatement’ & ‘Bad Habits’
4. White Denim
The cult following of White Denim seems forever growing and with 6 albums now under their belt, there’s something for any rock fan to enjoy. As one of the heavier bands on the bill, if you’re looking for an antidote to tamer artists such as ‘James’, then this outfit are definitely what you need.
Listen to: ‘Mess Your Hair Up’ & ‘Pretty Green’
5. Vince Staples
Since the release of ‘Summer ’06’, Staples’ debut album, the Californian rapper has become huge among the alternative hip hop scene. Collaborations with the likes of Earl Sweatshirt and more recently Flume shows just how versatile of a rapper he is and with bass heavy tracks like ‘Blue Suede’, it is no wonder he is fast becoming one of the hottest American urban artists.
Listen to: ‘Norf Norf’ & ‘Blue Suede’
6. Grimes
It is hard to categorise this singer/producer’s music under one genre but her innovative take on art pop is definitely worth catching. If Grimes’ KEXP set is not enough to intrigue you then I don’t know what is, at Glastonbury she will be performing with more of a stage presence of course but her show on KEXP just emphasises how far she has come in the space of 4 years.
Listen to: ‘Flesh Without Blood’ & ‘Oblivion’
7. Hinds
Hailing from Madrid, Hinds are an indie/garage rock band that have burst onto the alternative scene over the past year. The 4 ladies played the John Peel stage last year and it’s no wonder they have been booked again, they are certainly ones to watch this year following the release of their debut album ‘Leave Me Alone’.
Listen to: ‘Bamboo’ & ‘Chili Town’
8. Mac Demarco
Signed to ‘Captured Tracks’, Demarco has released 4 records and hasn’t looked back. His meteoric rise continues with fans across the globe worshiping his twangy, dreamy indie rock. Forget Drake, Mac Demarco is the best artist to come out of Canada in recent years, his quirkiness and natural humour make his songs like no others, he is one of the only guys that you can safely say has a unique sound to his art at the moment, if you’re going to Glastonbury you really would be stupid to miss him. He may even lay down an ‘Enter Sandman’ or ‘It’s Gonna Be Lonely’ cover.
Listen to: ‘Ode To Viceroy’ & ‘Passing Out Pieces’
9. Bat For Lashes
Natasha Khan is a multi-instrumentalist and song writer. With Mercury nominations and 3 studio albums, she now has a catalogue of songs to dive into and on stage, she has a real presence. If you want a more chilled out approach to Glasto then nothing could be better than Khan and her shrilling vocals – her talent is undeniable.
Listen to: ‘Laura’ and ‘Daniel’
10. Rat Boy
There’s a lot of hype around Jordan Cardy and his bandmates, with influences from hip hop collectives like Wu Tang Clan and rock stars like Beck, it is always intriguing to see what his set has to offer. An album is expected later this year so new material could be on the horizon, his gigs are unbelievably rowdy and if he can bring that atmosphere to Worthy Farm then literally anything could happen.
Listen to: ‘Left 4 Dead’ & ‘Sportswear’
11. Mura Masa
Listed for the BBC ‘Sound Of 2016’ award, it is only a matter of time before the producer from Guernsey will be touring like mad. His set could be dark and devilish or mesmerising, Alex Crossan’s music goes all kinds of places, ‘ Soundtrack To A Death’ is an unbelievable mix tape and switches from beautiful beats to sinister hooks constantly. He is one of the best English electronic artists out there at the moment.
Listen to: ‘Bae’ & ‘Lotus Eater’
12. Stormzy
The Croydon born grime mc had the biggest UK rap song of the year in 2015, ‘Shut Up’ was originally a freestyle in a park but it blew up so much that Stormzy released it as a single where it peaked at number 8 in the singles charts. At the age of 22, it is hard to believe that the rapper has already won 2 MOBO Awards and come 3rd in BBC’s sound of 2015. The energy and passion that ‘Wicked Skengman’, one of his many nicknames, will bring to Worthy Farm will be incredible and definitely worth a watch.
Listen to: ‘Know Me From’ & ‘Not That Deep’
13. Foals
The rock outfit from Oxford are probably the most exciting English band you could come across at the moment, and their live set is no exception. Many would tip Foals as future Glasto headliners and if they carry on with music as good as their last album then no one will be able to stop them from topping the bill in years to come. ‘What Went Down’ was easily one of the best albums of 2015, the mix of raging guitar riffs and the occasional blissful synth is a real insight to just how far Foals have come since debut LP ‘Antidotes’ and how far they could potentially go. Expect a lot of moshing, screaming and crowd surfing, from lead singer Yannis Philippakis.
Listen to: ‘What Went Down’ & ‘Inhaler’
14. 2 Door Cinema Club
This will be the Irish band’s first major UK festival appearance for sometime now. They last played Glastonbury 3 years ago but they’re back and should be well up for this one. A new album is in the midst and a new single was released last week so fresh material will surely be debuted at Worth Farm. Singles like ‘What You Know’ should summon madness at Glasto and warm everyone up for the rest of Friday.
Listen to: ‘Something Good Can Work’ & ‘Undercover Martyn’
15. ZZ Top
Incredible beards, blacked out sunglasses, cowboy hats and leather jackets; the Texas rock band have it all. Playing what is now known as the Motorhead slot, Dusty Hill and co will be sure to put on a set like no other this year at Glastonbury. They are probably past it but so what? To hear hits like ‘La Grange’ live is a prospect like no other, the Texan trio’s music is just as impressive as their facial hair, expect ZZ Top to be the set that everyone talks about after Friday.
Listen to: ‘Tush’ & ‘Gimme All Your Lovin”
The Wytches have been lurking around the British grunge scene for sometime now and ‘Home Recordings’ is their second EP release since their debut album ‘Annabel Dream Reader’. Preferring to record all their music in analogue, their is no band that sounds quite like the Wytches at the moment, their raw energy and unique mix of guitar enthused melodies and thumping bass is enough for any musical hipster to puff out their cheeks.
The record starts off with the leading track ‘Who Rides’, an undeniably dark and distasteful tune but one that is unbelievably infectious, Kristian Bell’s versatile vocals merge brilliantly with the slightly psychedelic guitar rhythms that seem so recognisable now from the band. This is definitely my favourite song on the EP and will surely go down well at the Wytches’ upcoming shows, including a gig in Manchester with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, an Australian psychedelic outfit; it’s worth going to see them for their name, let alone how amazing their music is.
‘Cough/Cool’ maintains the ferocity of the record but ‘Canât Show How’ converts the mood to one of a more sinister nature. The subtle lead breaks in the song distinguishes it from many of the others and separates the track in a way that many of the singles on ‘Annabel Dream Reader’ did, like ‘Fragile Male’ and ‘Wide at Midnight’.
The tone at the end of the EP seems different to previous releases from The Wytches, especially in the track ‘The Gaging Eye’. With a piano being favoured to the usual guitar rhythms, you feel as if you’ve just come out of a scene from the Mighty Boosh but, as stupid as that sounds, it is in fact a compliment; it’s a change from the Brighton/Peterborough based band and one to be admired rather than dismissed.
If you have a spare 20 minutes to mourn over the horrible English weather, which i’m sure you do, on what is meant to be the official ‘first day of summer’ then go and check out this record, it’s one of the best released so far this year.
Rating: 8.5/10
This week has been another great week for music with highly anticipated releases from rock revivalists Royal Blood and even an album from the the Last Shadow Puppets, a project curated by the bromance of Miles Kane and Alex Turner.
1. Inevitable Daydream: ‘Gunblade’
I only found out about this psychedelic/grunge band the other day when I stumbled across their Soundcloud. After a bit of researching I found out that they had released a new single this week, promoted by DIY magazine, and ‘Gunblade’ is a ghastly, sinister follow up to their previous release ‘Brown Acid’.
Starting with twangy guitars and developing into fuzzy carnage, the band could be compared to a hardcore King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizzard or an even dirtier version of the Wytches. This song is 3 minutes of sheer brilliance and one that has to be checked out this week, you need this in your life.
click here to listen to the track
2. Royal Blood: ‘Where Are You Now?’
Luckily this is not a cover of the depressingly popular Justin Bieber track, but yet some new material from one of rock’s biggest hopes. Contaminated with filthy, infectious bass riffs that could be likened to Black Sabbath, ‘Where Are You Now?’ is infested with slamming drums and more obnoxious lyrics than past material.
Expressing no huge change of direction from their self titled debut album, Royal Blood have chosen to stick with their previous sound but it doesn’t really matter as the band’s prominent rock licks are already so perfect that they do not need to be tweaked. With an album sure to come out this year, who can’t be excited for new material from one of the best bands in modern British music?
3. Black Honey: ‘All My Pride’
If ever there was a song that sounded like a scene from a film, this would be it. In fact it’s fair to say all of Black Honey’s releases have been slowly creating what seems like their ideal cinematic experience. More developed than previous tracks, ‘All My Pride’ sounds like the most musically complex song from the band, with subtle lead guitar breaks that Dick Dale would be proud of and an all round heavier sound.
The band from Brighton are on the up that’s for sure, songs such as ‘Madonna’ and ‘Sleep Forever’ cemented some early success for the outfit and they don’t seem done yet. An album is surely in the midst and with so many festival dates they’re only going to get better and better.
4. Beach Baby: ‘Lost Soul’
If Mac Demarco and Only Real’s music had a baby, this is probably what the outcome would be. Loaded with dreamy synth and instantly recognisable guitar hooks, Beach Baby are really making a statement in 2016 with yet again another brilliant single.
Beach Baby have quite a few festival and gig dates coming up in April and May, including a set for the Great Escape in Brighton and some shows as part of their first ever headline tour. Songs like ‘Lost Soul’ will go down a treat at these gigs and they are a band that simply cannot be missed in 2016.
This week has seen a variety of bands debuting music from new projects and albums that are set to drop later this year. I thought I’d share a couple of my favourites from 5 artists that really grabbed my attention.
Bloody Knees are a grunge/punk band from Cambridge that have released a couple of EPs over the years; ‘Stitches’ is my favourite and expresses 20 minutes of gritty guitar licks and shrilling vocals from frontman Bradley Griffiths. They’re an outfit that could be compared to Birdskulls and Demob Happy – two more alternative punk/grunge bands that are slowly making a name for themselves in the world of music.
This song however sounds more sophisticated than their other releases, with the length of the track being nearer to 5 minutes than their normal short and sharp 3 minute songs. The start of the song has a similar guitar tone to previous releases but the catchy chorus is louder and more in your face than before. Griffiths’ vocals are slightly more tamed too but this doesn’t take away the naturally thrashing sound of the guys.
2. Parquet Courts- Outside
Toning down from previous releases and using more instrumentation rather than focusing on lyrics, Parquet Courts’ short length track ‘Outside’ is extremely infectious and will leave you wanting more. The track uses pianos to back up the rhythmic guitar riffs and, unsurprisingly, it works really well. The album is shaping up nicely with Courts also having released songs ‘Dust’ and ‘Berlin got Blurry’; ‘Dust’ is definitely my favourite but I’m loving all of the new material from the band.
3. SBTRKT- Let Them In
I have been a fan of this electronic artist for a while now and I think SBTRKT is only getting better and better. His music is constantly evolving, becoming more complex and using various synthesisers to open up new soundscapes and different musical parallels.
This song comes from SBTRKT’s new project ‘Save Yourself’ which is Aaron Jerome’s feelings on modern society, whether that is racism or politics. ‘Let Them In’ is one of the darker tracks on the project but its pulsating patterns and contrasting electronic synths merge to create the best track for late night headphone raving ever. It is completely different to earlier track ‘Ready Or Not’ but no song is ever the same with SBTRKT and I guess this shows how broad his thoughts on society are.
4. Kendrick Lamar- Untitled 07 levitate
This song does not feature on Kendrick’s ‘Untitled Unmastered’ album but it is certainly good enough to. I’m new to liking Lamar’s music and this song is certainly the reason why I came around to his musical innovation. Touching on many social issues in his lyrics about his home roots and his rise to success, Kendrick proves to be one of Hip Hop’s biggest lyrical hopes.
‘Untitled 07 levitate’ is undoubtedly depressing and has drill-esque instrumentals but also funky synthesisers whirring around Lamar’s soothing, childlike vocals. I actually prefer this song to any of the tracks on ‘Untitled Unmastered’ so this is a track definitely worth checking out.
5. Abattoir Blues- Tell Me
This track only came to my attention yesterday night but it was way too good to leave off my songs of the week. The psychedelic guitar riffs and screeching vocals make this such a massive, stadium filling song; how this only has around 500 plays on Soundcloud is beyond me. Abattoir Blues are from Brighton and therefore face competition from the likes of Black Honey and The Wytches when trying to claim alternative status in the area but if they keep producing tracks like ‘Tell Me’ then they’ll be up there with the rest of them.
Iggy Pop has finally released his highly anticipated album ‘Post Pop Depression’ that sees him collaborate with the likes of Josh Homme and Matt Helders. The front man of The Stooges has been a rock idol for decades now with musicians in the calibre of Dave Grohl aspiring to his front man capabilities and musical prowess.
The album is 9 tracks long and starts off with a very Queens of the Stone age-esque ,’Songs for the death’ era, tune entitled ‘Break into your heart’. As catchy as it is, with Iggy’s chatty vocals, it is a slightly underwhelming entrance to a project that seems so exciting on paper. However the mysterious piano progressions are very strong throughout the song and sets a seriously sinister mood for the rest of the album. At the age of 68 it is always going to be hard for any of Pop’s music to reach the ferocity of the days of ‘Raw Power’ and in fact the instrumentation favours his more monotone vocals, which even fits his more summery, open roof cadillac tunes like ‘Gardenia’ (the second track on the album).
The album, as a whole, sounds like a trip to the bare-bone of 70’s rock and is a good addition to the other 22 records Pop has released since 1969, there are a few stand out songs on here, my current favourite being ‘Vulture’, which reminds me of a dusty saloon bar brawl on a hazy afternoon in the desert. Iggy’s vocals thrive on the slightly muted acoustic guitar and subtly intense drumming patterns of Helders.
The permanently bare chested punk king was interviewed by beats radio and quoted “I feel like I’m closing up after this. That’s what I feel. It’s my gut instinct.” which is depressing for any music fan to hear and I really think Iggy has more to offer than this album. It’s fairly lack lustre, as much as I hate to say it, and yes he’s getting on a bit but the album is very similar throughout and doesn’t excite me greatly at any point. If this record is Iggy Pop’s last it would be a fairly abrupt way to finish such a spectacular and celebrated career from one of the greatest garage-rock pioneers.
Rating: 6.5 (still worth checking out as it is an album with Iggy Pop, Josh Homme, Dean Fertita and Matt Helders all featuring).
Iggy will be going on tour too! To check out where click here.
Ho99o9 are one of punk’s biggest hopes, whether the genre needed a revival or not we have one in this duo and I’m loving every second of their music. Their fusion of hardcore punk and hip hop is monstrous and shows there’s still an alternative, underground scene in L.A and New Jersey. TheOGM and Eaddy have been praised since their formation in 2012 and they have toured with the likes of Slaves in recent times. Their live show is meant to be incredible and one of the deadliest around at the moment, with Eaddy often moshing with their fans who have become a cult following of the band since their early releases like ‘Casey Jones’ and ‘Cum Rag’.
This song is one of Ho99o9’s best yet, a blood-curdling, 3 minute, social sucker punch involving unnerving, distorted guitars and slashing drum patterns. The music video is equally as horrifying, but in a good way. Working with Converse, the outfit created a creepy luminous paint infestation in some sort of warehouse. The video is said to be interactive too with it changing due to the lighting of your room. At 2 minutes you think ‘Blood Waves’ is all over, ending with a piercing screech but after this minor interlude you are pushed straight back into the mix of thumping guitars and typical punk vocals from Eaddy.
This is the best punk song to land in 2016 so far, I’ve got a head ache from the amount of head banging it has caused me.
Rating: 9/10
Ho99o9’s Dead Bodies in the Lake mixtape…
Feeda Music 