WHINNIE WILLIAMS - MIXTAPE VOL I

'If you've ever woken up with kebab in your hair say HELL YEEEEEEAH!

If you've ever smuggled vodka in your handbag say HELL YEEEEEEAH!'

Love this girl. And not just because she owns the two cutest dogs in the world. Whinnie Williams (aka Jade Williams aka ex-Sunday Girl) has made a 10 track mixtape with standout tracks being Chav At Heart  (the HTML coding here was going beserk at the way the title is actually written, soz) and a cover of the Arctic Monkeys' I Wanna Be Yours. Plus it's a free download - what a Christmas treat!

All pooch pics taken from Whinnie's Instagram. You can also see more pics of her cute doggies here. 

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD - SILVER

This song excites me so much. Ever since Zane Lowe first played it a few weeks ago I've been champing at the bit for the guys to put it up on Soundcloud and not only did they do that but they made it a free download!

It won't let me embed for some reason and I've got better things to do than try and hack it so you're just gonna have to click here to listen (and download). It's worth it - it's an absolute dreamy, dark beaut.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

JAMIE CAMPBELL WOW-ER

Be still my beating heart. I never used to be bothered by this little scamp but something about his face has changed and he's exuding an aura of loveliness. Especially in the sneak peek shots of the new Burberry campaign. Shining bright like an angel amongst all the other homegrown talent that the fashion label have offered up to us for SS14.

Look at that face. Meltier than a Lindor.

The full Burberry campaign and collection will be flying in your face from 3rd January.

WHITE BLUSH - WISH

I now work from home three days a week, which means working from my messy bedroom. Whilst I know I'll never have a pristine living space (I've got too many sentimental knick knacks for that) I do like to keep my desk tidy. Tidy desk, tidy mind and all that. On one of my desk tidies this evening, I discovered a scrap of paper buried beneath tax return paraphernalia and teen mags that simply said, 'White Blush - Wish'. And this is what Lisa from the past wanted me to listen to:



Lovely, isn't it? The dreamy song is by LA-based Carol Rhyu who moved there from Chicago to attend film school, which she later dropped out of to join a synth band. I'm really glad she did.

Check out her Soundcloud and follow her on Twitter.

NEON JUNGLE - BRAVEHEART

Wasn't sure what to expect after their debut single Trouble, but I sure as hell wasn't expecting this. I LOVE IT. Wanna hear it at a massive warehouse party. I'd settle for making up a dance routine to the chorus in someone's front room at an after party.

Photo by Bella Howard

Currently listening to this loud on repeat as I get ready for the inaugural #pubthursdays. The Newington Green massive got so excited about it that we gave it its own hashtag. #losers

Braveheart is out 19th January 2014. 

LORDE - EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

Having grown up in the 80s/90s with music-obsessed parents, Tears For Fears are firmly in the soundtrack of my youth. Probably more so in my older brothers' as my mum used to sing Shout at him when he was a baby to stop him crying. (Her trick for me was the Neighbours theme tune which I'm assuming is where my obsession with Australia began.)

Speaking of that part of the world, Kiwi du jour Lorde has done a dark and dramatic cover of a Tears for Fears favourite for the Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack. Which I am champing at the bit (and also nervous) to see.

As a cover of a classic pop song, maybe this version's not so great. As a song in its own right, in the context of the Hunger Games soundtrack? It's perfect.

The Hunger Games OST is out 18th November.

(HINT: We have one three copies to give away over on the BLISS Twitter, comp ends Monday.)

METRONOMY - I'M AQUARIUS

Aw yeeeeeeeeah, they're back! The band released this with some stargazing app tonight but eff that, I waited for the Soundcloud. Nothing to do with my phone being too full to take even one measly photo. (Should have got more than 8mb shouldn't I? #povvo) Anyway,on first listen this track feels like it never really gets off the ground, but after a few listens it becomes clear that it will probably be a grower, much like their previous offerings. Which I adore. 2011's The English Riviera was the soundtrack to my er, 2011 French Riviera holiday which was a dream and a half. (It was also the holiday on which we discovered you could pan fry a pizza.) 

I'm assuming the rest of the band have drowned in the pink gloop?

My housemate has just come into my room and done the most horrific dance to this (there was thrusting) which I think means it's catchy if it was enough to lure him up the stairs.

I'm Aquarius is out now. 

New album Love Letters is out 10th March 2014.

ROSIE LOWE - RIGHT THING

Give this a couple of listens and you'll be slowly sucked into a world of warped Sade-esque vocals and a heart-wrenching tale of regret. All shot in simple black and white, minus the over-caked make-up in most music videos. I bloody love it when artists are allowed to look like actual people. Speaking of, in the below shot, how much does she look like Daria Werbowy?

In love with that ornate back thing (fashion speak) she's wearing. Internet stalkery reveals it's from Culietta. 

The Right Thing EP is out 2nd December.

Listen to Rosie's Soundcloud here and stalk her every move here.

AIDEN - SATISY ME

Aiden (Grimshaw)'s back! Sans surname, avec snake. He's been quiet on Twitter of late and scared all his followers last night by tweeting 'Goodbye' then deleting his account. Whilst teens all over the land were frantically trying to find out if he'd killed himself, he was busy setting up a new Twitter account and whizzing his latest track over to Wonderland ready for them to premiere it today.

Aiden proved he was no pop puppet with his debut Misty Eye (Nothing At All is a personal standout track) and this new song distances him even further from the X Factor stage we first saw him on. Let's be honest, he never belonged there. And pretentious music snobs would be all over this if they didn't know who'd made it. Don't deny it, beardy.

Satisfy Me is out 26th November.
Aiden now lives here on Twitter and here on the web.

JOSEF SALVAT - EVERY NIGHT

This is lovely. Except it's the sort of song that needs to be listened to in a candelit, perfectly tidied, calmly zen room. Being the messy sort, I can only do the candelit bit but I know once I sort my room out on the 5th Never that this little ditty will sound even better when I curl up on my bed to listen to it. It's perfect 'chilled out slinky'. (That's a new genre by the way.)

Every Night is out 9th December.
Find out more here.

LOLAWOLF - DRIVE

'I want you in the worst way / But I don't have a car.'

Zoe Kravitz and the rest of Lolawolf clearly don't live in London as our rather brilliant transport connections would ensure she could quite easily go and get nasty with the subject of her affections. But then again, if she had TFL behind her this wee little nugget of sensual synth pop would never have come about.

Lolawolf and Reputante (the band who make up the rest of Lolawolf) are playing Shacklewell Arms, London on 13th November. Keep an eye on their Soundcloud for more music. Hell, maybe they'll get a website or something soon. 

SAY LOU LOU - BETTER IN THE DARK

Say Lou Lou aka Swedish/Australian 21 year old prize babe twins Miranda and Elektra Kilbey have released their third single Better In The Dark and it's just as beautifully melancholic as its predecessors. These girls specialise in haunting sorrowful sounds and as much as I want to see them live, I feel like it needs to be after dark somewhere like the Where The Wild Things Are stage at Secret Garden Party and not at er, Concrete where they're playing on the 13th November.

Oh, and I really want the satin shirt and dress in their press shot. Ultimate dreamy luxe. Gaaaaaaaaaaah.

p.s. D'ya know what else is better in the dark? Bikram yoga. And festivals.

Better in the Dark is out 16th December or available as part of a bundle on 25th November. Gonna level with you - no idea what this means.

ROO PANES - HOME FROM HOME (VIDEO)

Sorry to be a girl about this but JESUS CHRIST, THIS GUY IS HANDSOME. Turns out he was in a Burberry campaign with that cute girl from The Three Musketeers. Okay, shallow session over. No wait, did I mention his real name is Andrew and that his nickname 'Roo' comes from one of the cutest inhabitants of Hundred Acre Wood? God, sorry.

Anyway, this folk song is really quite lovely, and would be quite comforting for many people I imagine; Roo's idea is that home is not a location but a 'contentment with life' and cherishing the people around you. In his words - “I guess I don’t care about what, when or where, cos I’m starting to realize the question worth asking is who?” A lovely sentiment. And an excuse to go travelling for long periods of time with one of your favourites. SEE YA! 

Home From Home is taken from Roo's EP Land of the Living which is out 2nd December. 
Find out more on his Facebook.

COASTAL CITIES - SUMMER REIGN (VIDEO)

Many years ago, my Friday nights were spent at the Antelope in High Wycombe, downing vodka and Monster in the hope of mustering up the courage to speak to the hawt-diggedy-dawg local boys who we'd Facebook stalked to oblivion, but more often than not we just got sweaty dancing to pop-punk on the glass-strewn dancefloor then ate cheesy chips after. (As pathetic as we sounded, it all worked out for the best as my friend ended up marrying one of said boys this summer.) Anyway, my High Wycombe reminiscing comes from the fact that these fresh-faced kiddos hail from that very town.

Ironically calling themselves Coastal Cities as good ole HW is the furthest point from the sea, these guys have made a cracking single that conjures up wistful memories of summers gone by, yet sounds just as good under a raincloud as it does a blue sky. Guitar pop perfection for your blustery evenings. Big up the Bucks massive etc etc

Summer Reign is out 18th November. 

Listen to their Soundcloud here.

SUMMER CAMP - TWO CHORDS (VIDEO)

I love a music video with a good narrative. And one that reminds me to do my tax return within the first 15 seconds. Maybe that cat can sort out my shoebox of receipts. I'm not feline too good about the prospect. Poor old Penny though, eh?

Two Chords is out 18th November

BIPOLAR SUNSHINE - LOVE MORE WORRY LESS (VIDEO)

Wise words. We all need to worry a little less and love a little more. Wish I'd caught this guy at Reading but he was on too damn early. Needed my recovery time. Coffeeeeeee.

Love More Worry Less is taken from Bipolar Sunshine's Drowning Butterflies EP which is out 11th November.

BASTILLE - OF THE NIGHT (VIDEO)

Not a fan of this polished, re-done version of their mixtape favourite but I bloody love the video. Watching dead people sing is my favourite thing.

This is going to be overplayed and ruined by radio stations, isnt it? DAMN YOU.

Of The Night is out 25th November. Bastille's repackaged album All This Bad Blood is out the same day.

LILY & MADELEINE - THINGS I'LL LATER LOSE

This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Made even more impressive by the fact that the melancholy vocals come from two sisters under the age of 18. Lily (16) and Madeleine (18) from Indianapolis only started putting their music onto YouTube last year, but were soon snapped up by Sufjan Stevens' label Asthmatic Kitty to make a full-length release of their forlorn folk pop. With a sorrowful outlook way beyond their years, it really is the stuff of dreams. Increeeeeeedibly sad dreams.

With Madeleine just starting college and Lily still in high school, these are two talented sisters with their feet firmly on the ground. For now.

Lily & Madeleine's self-titled debut album is released on 29th October. 

FOXES - YOUTH (VIDEO)

Was really sold on Foxes after seeing her perform with Fall Out Boy on their track Just One Yesterday at Reading. Fell a little bit in love with her jumping around the stage in her killer white outfit. So this re-release of Youth has really grown on me. Even though that 'orrible scary looking male model's in the video. You know, the one who looks like he'd just punch you for no reason then crumble your packed lunch in your face. PLEASE GOD NO, NOT MY BABYBEL.

Youth is out 6th October.

I LIKED IT WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE TO WEAR TROUSERS

Fraser Island, 2009

Came across this whilst going through old photos and drinking Coco Cafe to avoid getting dressed for the day. Despite the lack of showers, limited food supplies and being trapped in a 4x4 with a few questionable people, including one guy who may or may not have drugged our chilli, living on a sand island for a few days was the bomb diggy. Those who know me well know I'd happily live without trousers so to be able to do this was a dream. If a very sweaty, sandy dream. 

p.s. to the uptight girls who wouldn't let us drive the jeep through the McDonalds drive-thru on the way back to the garage. I STILL HAVEN'T FORGIVEN YOU, WITCHES. 

BEBE BLACK - DEATHWISH

Discovered Bebe Black by accident and it was the best accident I ever had. Ended up at her showcase at the Lock Tavern last week and whilst appreciating her leopard print slip I found out what an uh-mazing voice she has. I almost want to stop you from listening to her via the internet until you've heard her live as it just doesn't compare. Her voice is incredible. This was my favourite. And the one I've been singing along to all week. The builders on the roof outside must be LOVING it.

Check out her Soundcloud but most of all check her out live. (Don't Leave Me is beautifully sad.)

JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT X KITTENS

Today my friend alerted me to the existence of these pictures. And despite the rain and the fact I spent most of it writing a cover feature on a slow (let's say vintage) laptop, it turned into the best day ever. LOOK AT HIS FACE SHOVED INTO THE KITTEN'S SKULL! I die.

Photos nicked from Buzzfeed.

WOLF ALICE - BLUSH

This is so beautiful. Bet it sounds uh-mazing live. Sad we didn't get to catch them at SGP, weep.

EP Blush is out 7th October.

TWENTY ONE PILOTS - GUNS FOR HANDS (DZEKO AND TORRES REMIX)

Recently discovered Twenty One Pilots (aka Columbus duo Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun), then became obsessed with their song Guns For Hands (I'm talking Nike+ power song obsessed) and soon worried that I was overplaying the song. Then lo, the clouds parted and down came a remix sent from on high. Or er, Dzeko and Torres. Whoever they are.

Had to give it a few listens as my brain initially couldn't handle the song being turned into some sort of dancefloor classic. Which obviously on paper sounds TERRIBLE, but weirdly works in real-life. The lyrics are clearer despite the thumping 'chew your face off' beats and I've gotta say, I'm pretty sure the increased tempo helped me hang my wet washing faster. Always a bonus. (I used Persil if you were wondering...Oh you weren't?)

Hoping to catch Twenty One Pilots at Reading at the weekend, plus they're playing their record label's summer party next week so that's two shows in the space of five days. JESUS, I'M KEEN.

Their album Vessel hits the UK on 2nd September.

COCO CAFE - COCONUT WATER COFFEE. FO REALZ.

My hometown has just acquired a Waitrose (we're getting a Topshop and Wagamama soon too - oh modern life!) and on my weekend visit back to the motherland, I insisted we take a family trip to the new food mecca. On entering, Mum optimistically grabbed a large trolley, which only ended up transporting three quiches, a bottle of fabric conditioner, a box of cherries and...one of these bad boys.

Ever had to make the tough decision between buying coconut water or an iced coffee? No, me either, but just in case that ever happens, here's your answer. A fusion of coconut water, espresso and milk. And cocoa if, like me, you're not yet grown-up enough to enjoy the putrid taste of coffee sans some form of sweetener. 

According to my most knowledgeable friend Google (he usurped Encarta many moons ago) Coco Cafe was started up on the beaches of Santa Monica, CA in 2011 by BFFS Brian McCaslin and Elan Eifer. Then Vita Coco (aka what I can be found buying hungover whilst wearing sunglasses and a haggard complexion) invested in 2012 and shazam - the rest is history. Sweet, hydrating, caffeinated history.

Nutrition fans can check the below. All everyone else needs to know is that this is my new favourite ready-to-drink. In fact, I never had a favourite ready-to-drink coffee product before as I think they all taste of vile UHT-ness. Starbucks coffee is pretty offensive in the first place, let alone when it's in a tiny glass bottle parading around next to limp supermarket sandwiches. 

The cynics among us may question the hydrating properties of a drink containing coffee but pipe down and let us unhealthy-healthies have our caffeinated fun, yeah? I don't have many vices but I now have a mild coffee dependency (thanks long commute, you little turd) so this could be the (potentially expensive) answer to my prayers. Now will someone make a crisp that's mega healthy yet tastes exactly like a Kettle Chip?

RRP £1.99. Available from Waitrose, Amazon, Whole Foods, Planet Organic and independents.

PHOENIX - TRYING TO BE COOL (R KELLY REMIX)

It's taken me a good few day to get my head round this. One of the most unlikely collaborations in music history, non? For the Coachella goers who saw R (can I call you R, R?) perform onstage with Phoenix, this remix with R Kelly's additional vocals may seem natural. But for the rest of us - WTF. (I love it.)

PANIC! AT THE DISCO - THIS IS GOSPEL (VIDEO)

Say what you like about Panic! At The Disco (praise the Lord they brought that exclamation mark back eh?) but this is such a good video. Real great choreography. In my humble opinion you know. Plus whoever suggested the wind machine during the surgical manhandling deserves a pay rise.

Was a bit concerned after hearing Miss Jackson, their first offering from their fourth studio album - it was a bit new-age Fall Out Boy, non? But this second release has lifted my weary spirits. Dunno about you, but the vocoder heavy verses take me right back to that fraught Imogen Heap soundtracked OC season finale where Marissa, ya know, accidentally chucks a bullet around a motel room. Normal.

The intensity of this song is timed well with the band's recent admission that drummer Spencer has left the current tour to enter rehab for prescription drug and alcohol addiction. From the sounds of it, this may be the most heartfelt, honest album yet. Hopefully the record company pleasing show tunes of the first couple of albums will all have gone, and in their place will lay gems like this.

Either way, take from this what you will but never give up yeah?

The band's album Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! is out 8th October

SWIM DEEP - KING CITY (II FIGURES REMIX)

Oh holy night, this is the best King City remix I ever did hear.

Definitely, definitely recommend checking out the rest of II Figures' SoundCloud.

OH LAND - RENAISSANCE GIRLS (VIDEO)

Now THIS is the sort of feminism in the Western world that I'm down with.

Renaissance Girls is out 24th September.
Oh Land's album WISH BONE is out 3rd November.

IF YOU CUT IT THEN YOU SHOULD'VE PUT A HARE ON IT

Myself and my colleagues make regular trips into H&M Kids as it's the only form of H&M we have near our work and we've discovered many a wonder inside. Not only did I once find the perfect £2.99 iPhone case but my more petite colleagues have been known to purchase the odd items of clothing...Anyway, on this occasion, I fell in love with these, erm, plasters. 

Now usually I'm more of a 'let it breathe' kind of girl but on taking a rather nasty iron burn to a festival aka germ city recently I indulged in some neon plasters I had left over from a hen do and rather enjoyed the colourful addition to my wrist. So I was rather excited to find these beautiful little woodland and animal themed dressings.

Being prone to accidents (my legs look like I regularly walk through barbed wire) I'm sure it won't be long before I get showcase my new totally age-appropriate additions to my first aid kit.

£1.99 for 10 plasters, H&M

MGMT - YOUR LIFE IS A LIE (VIDEO)

MGMT are b-b-back! I normally listen to new songs without watching the video first but I couldn't take my eyes off this. So I watched it again. And again. Safe to say I was mesmerised. Probably because I'm exhausted and the sight of a singing dolphin and euphoric embryo in the space of a 2:06 video was utterly magical. I think I'd like to watch this in a dark room on a late night. Over. And over. Until I get sectioned.

Without the video this song is a little over-too-quick blah although to be fair to them, it's just a wee taster. Though I fear they may never get back the sparkle of their heady Time To Pretend/Kids days (the Soulwax remix of Kids makes me high just thinking about it) but hey, at least they're doing better than the Klaxons. (Except for that one that married Keira Knightley. He landed on his nu-rave feet.)

MGMT's self-titled third album is out 17th September.

LONDON GRAMMAR - STRONG (HIGH CONTRAST REMIX)

Now I'm not usually one for dwelling too long on the remixes on Soundcloud as some of them can be a bit...questionable. But since coming back to the real world with a huge wet slap following a truly magical time at Secret Garden Party, I've been clawing onto the memories of London Grammar's Sunday night set by rinsing their Soundcloud. And I came across this recently uploaded gem of a remix of their latest single Strong. I'm not a big dupstep girl (despite playing a lot of dubstep remixes to please the drunk Essex crowd at my old Whoreditch clubnight) but this is a nice way of making London Grammar playable during a DJ set without the crowd getting confused and crumbling into leaky-eyed drunken messes. I LIKE.

p.s. I definitely fell in love with singer Hannah at SGP. As did the whole audience. She's definitely that girl that girls want to be and guys want to be with. I was so happy that they played at night as her voice in darkness surrounded by the creaky branches of the Where The Wild Things Are stage all swirled into something really, really special.

Strong is out 1st September.
Debut album If You Wait is out 9th September. *insert hilarious joke about not being able to wait here*

THE NAKED AND FAMOUS - HEARTS LIKE OURS (VIDEO)

The Naked and Famous are back! Whey! Hearts Like Ours, the first single off their second studio album doesn't have the immediacy of Young Blood but still packs a punch in the euphoria department and will sound amazing at festivals. Their music works well enough alone in your bedroom but the real magic happens when you're stood outside in a crowd of thousands of people singing along desperately as night sets in and smoke swirls the stage. Haters gonna hate but The Naked and Famous specialise in crowd music - if you go to a festival refusing to enjoy anything that more than 300 people are at then you're denying yourself something special. 

I was so overwhelmed when I saw these guys at Melt in 2011 that I thought I was going to burst. I was the highest/lowest/emptiest I'd ever felt all at once and didn't know how to deal with it. So I bit my friend. Repeatedly. On the shoulder. (Don't stand near me at gigs.)

Hearts Like Ours is out 9th Sep.

Album In Rolling Waves is out 16th September.

DAN CROLL = BEST FIND OF SECRET GARDEN PARTY

Best find of Secret Garden Party (apart from discovering one of 2manydjs was husband hot) was Dan Croll. Worst find was realising my friend was a psycho about getting to stages early (LOVE YOU JERRY) but I'm glad she was militant about getting to the crazy beautiful Where The Wild Things Are stage to catch this electro-ey folky mix of loveliness. I felt too broken to stand up so I sat alone on a fence with some rum and let myself be soothed while my friends danced. (Always find it a bit suffocating that the only time you get to yourself at a festival is usually whilst avoiding other people's shit smears in the portaloos.)

Dan's Soundcloud has been stopping me from listening to London Grammar all day whilst weeping into my pillow (ain't post-festival apathy just divine?) and this is my favourite - The Very Best remix is also uh-mazing.



Find out more here. Oh and Londoners, he's playing The Lexington on 13th August. I'm off to hook myself up to an IV of Vita Coco and hope for the best.

FOR LOVE AND...WEDDINGS?

Despite looking pretty bedraggled most days (every time I go to the hairdresser, he asks whilst scalping me, 'Have you started brushing your hair yet?') I am a big lover of dressy dresses. Dressy dresses that I can dress the fuck down. Case in point is the white knitted deep-v (front and back) spaghetti strap maxi that I purchased from a blogger purely to ogle on a hanger. 'cos there ain't no place for that in the dive bars I frequent. 

It took all I had to wear my recently purchased multi-coloured Nasty Gal maxi to a wedding as I felt over-dressed (as over-dressed as you can feel in a backless, deep-v). But I did it and the results can be seen below. It was 100% silk yet on sale and I wore flats and everyday hair and I ended up climbing trees and breaking out guard dogs and sneaking mini quiches up to my room, so...

My point is that I love a dress that I'll only wear once (if at all). And this For Love and Lemons creation ticks all the right boxes. Such a dream. Come to mama.

 

Photos stolen from Purse n Boots.