JOSEF SALVAT - IN YOUR PRIME (EP)

Now, this man can normally do no wrong in my eyes ears. And for the most part, his debut EP In Your Prime continues along this theme. Open Season, This Life and Shoot and Run have their usual effect (let's call it Salvat Syndrome) of making me feel happy and sad in equal parts, with a sprinkling of hope.

It's the type of music that you need to play when you're at a turning point in your life. It's travelling music. Ever woken up alone on an aeroplane to find everyone else is asleep? A plane that you're not convinced you should have stepped on? It's the loneliest feeling in the world. And the perfect time to whack on something like opening track, Open Season. Salvat's voice is perma-gloomy enough for a catharsis of misery, yet the chorus kicks in with enough bounce to give a glimmer of euphoria and lift you into the realms of hopefulness. (Hopeful that you made the right decision getting on the plane, which it always is - nothing good came from sticking to your comfort zones, or so an inspirational quote on Instagram once told me).




However, after three such tracks, the EP takes a sinister turn. A Rihanna cover. Yup. Rihanna. Diamonds. Nothing wrong with Rihanna but to go from three soulfully euphoric pop nuggets to something that would be more at home on a Radio 1 Live Lounge album is a little deflating. Then you're left with that burst balloon feeling as this is the last track on the EP. And the only one I don't sing along to. (My housemates will be able to verify this. They'll probably also tell you that Shoot and Run gets the best performance but that I need to work on my vibrato.)

I'm not saying it's a bad cover - he makes it his own with a stripped back piano-led performance - it's just not my bag. Explaining the choice, he said, "The song itself is such a beautiful moment, finding refuge in another person and submitting together. It's something I've experienced a lot in my life and I try to write about it often." Which makes me understand the track more, but still doesn't give me stirrings in my heart for it. I guess he should just take that as more of a compliment for his original work. If a cover of a Sia-penned pop song is a letdown to your own material, you're doing pretty good.

In Your Prime is out now. A full album is expected early 2015.

SIR SLY - YOU HAUNT ME

Scrolling through Twitter last night and I see Sir Sly are finally back in action, having been squirrelling away working on an album. GOT SO EXCITED I WET THE BED.*

Photo by Nick Walker

Granted, this track doesn't have the intense magic of their older stuff like Ghost, but it's the perfect pop song for freewheeling in the sun on your bike, and offers a nice precursor for what I can only imagine is an incredible album. 

I don't know what it is about these guys but they make music that makes me feel like everything's going to be okay even when all signs point to the fact that it isn't. On this note, I just found this quote from singer Landon Jacobs who says of the song, "Growing up, there were a few songs that made me feel okay about all the anxiety and self-doubt I had...There were a few songs that taught me that moving on is possible even though forgetting the past isn't. I hope this can be that kind of song for people."

That, my friends, is very powerful. Keep on keeping on. 

Album You Haunt Me is out 16th Sep. (Pre-order and get the title track plus four others. WICK.)

*Definitely didn't

LUVBUG FEAT TALAY RILEY - RESONANCE (VIDEO)

An e-mail dropped into my inbox the other day declaring that ex-JLSter Marvin Humes was releasing on his new project Luvbug, also featuring producer The White N3rd and producer/songwriter JKay but I'm not cool enough to know who these people are. Apparently they've been working together for the past 18 months and have been DJing all over the show.

As an ex-teen mag journo (BIG UP BLISS MAG!), I spent much time listening/dramatically lip synching at my computer to JLS' music but let's just say it wasn't the stuff I'd choose to play at home. Bar that one time I was 'DJing' at a club and decided I wanted a slow song at the end so played Love You More. That didn't go down well.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting much from this. BUT OH HELLO, HOW I LOVE TO BE PROVED WRONG. Talay Riley's voice is uh-mazing as per, and he sounds all mellow and Bipolar Sunshiney at the beginning. Subliiiiiiime. Got a feeling this will be one of my songs of the summer.

Just one (of many) question(s) about the video though - where has tattooed bum girl walked from? They're in the middle of nowhere. IS SHE JESUS?

Resonance is out 28th September

BROODS - MOTHER AND FATHER (VIDEO)

This song gave me so many feels that watching the video's kind of ruined it for me with its awkward dancing and general vanilla vibe. One New Zealand publication described it as 'hypnotising' which is just proof that they've never been hypnotised.

Who am I kidding? I still love the song, but I was expecting more from the brother/sister Kiwi duo in terms of visuals. Though I guess that opens the whole debate on music videos - why should artists be judged on what is essentially a promo tool and not their area of expertise? GOD MAN, LEAVE ME ALONE, I'M TIRED.

Mother and Father is out now.

CRYSTAL FIGHTERS - LOVE ALIGHT (VIDEO)

These guys. THESE GUUUUUUUUUYS. Never has a band upped the serotonin in my brain at the rate they do. Anyone who knows me will have heard me gush about how amazing they were at Reading last year - I spent the entire set dancing on my own in a bubble of pure joy.

p.s. I've noticed that the band have 5th September free in their diary so if Bestival feel like booking them, that would be a (desert island disco) dream...

Love Alight is out now.

LOLAWOLF - WHAT LOVE IS

'I wanna know what love is/I really hope that it's not you'

Chin up Zo, we've all been there. Absolutely love the simplicity of this video, with wee Miss Kravitz (yes, Lenny's daughter) musing life and love over cigarettes and peanut butter. 

So, so excited about Lolawolf. Here's the tracklisting for their upcoming EP:

1. Drive (Los Angeles)

2. What Love Is

3. Too Lovely

4. Chainz

5. Wanna Have Fun

Lolawolf's EP is out 3rd February.

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB - LUNA

This needs a few listens. Also, I was a bit 'meh' at first about the video (as much as I am fascinated by and have heaps of admiration for synchronized swimmers) but then the amazing underwater photography and super slow motion blended with the melody and I was transfixed, like a child entering a theme park for the first time.

I know I say this on every new music post but...IMAGINE HEARING THIS AT A FESTIVAL. The sun is setting, you're surrounded by your favourite people, you have a drink in hand and you have no cares in the world...oh bliss, utter, utter bliss.

p.s. Can someone do a remix of Carry Me with Union J's Carry You?

Bombay Bicycle Club's latest album So Long, See You Tomorrow is out 4th February.

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!

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.