Album Review: Gaggle - From The Mouth Of The Cave

This album is the kind of album that'll get an immediate pass from me because it's an album with an experimental edge but has it's roots firmly rooted in pop music & for anyone that knows me that's pretty much a winning formula in my ears. Often this album actually reminds me of bands such as 'The Go! Team' just in terms of the energy and chanty vocal delivery often shown on 'Army Of Birds' & 'Power Of Money' in particular show this side to them with their 2 most concise and catchy songs taking center stage early. Songs such as 'Gaslight' focus on the noiser element of the band with lots of really interesting sounds and experimentation thrown in amongst the forumlar established in the early goings. Personal highlight for me is the beautiful and majestic swooping 'Hello Spider'  & the hypnotic album closer, 'Leave The City', which truly shows 'Gaggle' as a band with an incredibly fresh, dynamic and unique sound & that 'From The Mouth Of The Cave' is an album that should hopefully put the notions, that this 23 piece all girl band are nothing more then a novelty act, to bed.

Album Review: Miaoux Miaoux - Light Of The North

It's summer & that means I need my indie electro pop album to pull me through the inevitable lack of sunshine & 'Light Of The North' is stepping up to the challenge & doing an admiral if unspectacular job of doing so. Now this may sound a lot harsher then I intended it to, for what it's worth I really do enjoy this album, but it's nothing remarkable. This album is a collection of very bright electronic songs paired with delightfully catchy piano loops which reminds me of the likes of 'The Postal Service' coming through particularly strong on tracks such as album opener 'Sweep Clean'. The isn't much in the way of originality on this album and I do find my attention span waning a little bit towards the rear of the album but I find 'Light Of The North' by Miaoux Miaoux to be a collection of some very strong electro pop songs & one that should at the very least be considered for your summers listening. Especially if you're just looking for some delightful, melodic and upbeat electro pop songs.

Album Review: Doseone - G Is For Deep

Doseone has been a central figure in my music taste for as long as I can remember. Being a member of cLOUDDEAD, Subtle, 13&God as well as Themselves and being a co-founder of the always incredible Anticon label he has been in, some way shape or form, my gateway drug into alternative hip hop and electronic music for quite some time. This album sort of carries on from Subtles excellent 'exitingARM' in that each song feels like a combination of many whilst carrying a coherent arc & it works very well. The production is quite alienating at first but on repeated listens it reveals its self to be a very catchy and strangely beautiful set of compositions with some truly brilliant/odd sampling. On top of Doseones ever weird, wonderful & creative vocals I find it very hard not to recommend this album, it's brilliant.

Album Review: Infadels - The Future Of Gravity Boy

Infadels are in a genre of music which I find very easy to dismiss, the kind of electro rock pop that is so very often very generic and disposable and at first I felt it would easily fall into this category. But after a while I found something strange happening, I was nodding along, I was enjoy the simple in you face romper stomper uplifting electro pop on offer here with it climaxing perhaps at the anthmatic 'Mercury Rising' which just sounds massive. Under no circumstances will I ever trick you into thinking this band where anything more then just a straight electro pop band playing very straight forward electro pop songs but that's why I think I enjoyed this album; they aren't trying to be anything else, but having said that they do take some risks at the end of the album. It's not reinventing the wheel or anything but for what it is I really enjoyed this album and for those looking for that next electro pop hit to dance along to when the sun finally comes back out then 'The Future Of The Gravity Boy' is a very safe bet.

Album Review: DNTEL - Aimlessness

I love 'Life Is Full Of Possibilities' and the 'Give Up' so much that I think it's a bit odd that everything else DNTEL has produced has left me so very cold. 'Dumb Luck' the collaborative album with various indie musicians was by no means bad it just lost a lot of the electronic charm that drew me to Jimmy Tamborellas production in the first place. After several bits and bob compilations being released I sort of lost track on the guy until 'Aimlessness' came up on my feed of recommended releases. Now I wouldn't call this the level of either 'Life Is Full Of Possibilities' or 'Give Up' it does come appealingly close. It's got more of the DNTEL feel that I love, it's both sparse and totally rammed up the arse with pop quirks & with vocals being used more sparingly it allows DNTEL to experiment a bit more like he did in 'Life Is Full Of Possibilities' as opposed to the rather monotonous approach of 'Dumb Luck'. Aimlessness is a good album with some glorious moments but while not quite up to his best, it is a defiant step in the right direction.

Album Review:Liars - WIXIW

After 2 releases which toned down the experimentation a few notches we see Liars return with WIXIW (pronounced Wish You) an album which see's the band embrace all things electronic. Fans of the bands later 2 albums 'Sisterworld' and 'Liars' may be slightly disappointed with the direction taken on the more experimental 'WIXIW', which see's the bands more contemporary influences in the last 2 records all but disappear, in favour for sombre atmospheric electronic sounds. It's all a lot more chilled, with the exception of the frantic, noisy & pounding sounds found on 'Brats', this album is all about the atmosphere which is incredibly easy to get lost in. This album is one probably best listened to in solidarity & threw headphones, when listening to a few of the tracks released prior to the album I found they bit left me feeling a bit cold, but as a collection of song's it's pretty great & see's the band feeling reinvigorated. *Note: I do actually really enjoy Sisterworld but am glad they didn't get stuck in a contemporary sound, that's not what Liars are about* 

Album Review: EL-P - Cancer For Cure

Having produced the excellent Killer Mike album 'R.A.P. Music' would it be too much to ask for 2 gems in one month from EL-P? Well the answer to that would be of course not as 'Cancer For Cure' not only knocks it out of the park it may be, in my opinion at least, EL-P's most enjoyable release to date. As expected the album is very electronic influenced, distorted and frantic in rhythm and pace & much like the Killer Mike album 'R.A.P. Music' it doesn't allow the slightly off kilter production get in the way off a good hook. This album is, as one would probably expect, an absolutely required addition to any hip hop fans library as well as fans of alternative music in general. EL-P is still the thinking mans emcee and he still pushes the envelope as far as beats and lyrics are concerned, however I think I prefer 'R.A.P. Music' just that tiny bit more, I think I prefer Killer Mikes delivery.

Album Review: Karin Park - Highway Poetry

I appear to have a real thing about Scandinavian female pop this year, I am finding myself just naturally drawn to their music & here is the latest one in for my collection 'Karin Park'. Karin Park is an incredibly strong vocalist, I'm going to get it out there right away, she sounds like a blend of Bjork & Karin Dreijer Andersson, but not in a way that sounds like pure imitation as she carries her vocal patterns with real confidence and swagger. These vocals are put to good use against some really quite textual backing tracks mostly made up of   synth and drums, these compositions are both incredibly catchy & complex with some really interesting ideas going on amongst the dancey flair. The more outright experimental track on the album stands out for me  '6000 years' sounds like Bjork if she were to front The Residents... a prospect that always excites me. On a whole this is straight up Scandinavian pop goodness with dancing shoes but with some real depth ,complexity and a sinister feel to it & as a result I love it. 

                                                                                 

Album Review: Lone - Galaxy Garden

Summer is the ideal time to listen to this euphoric dance music, the sort of music that you can dance to as well as sit back and listen to with a nice cold drink lounging in the sun. Both energizing and calming 'Galaxy Garden' is yet another release from Manchester producer 'Lone' & if you're familiar with his past work you pretty much know what you're going to get. When I first heard this album it didn't do that much for me but the was something about laying down by the sea with my headphones firmly lodged into my ear canals basking in glorious sunshine which allowed this album to show its true colours. This is the perfect soundtrack for the incredible weather we've been experiencing recently & will go nicely alongside the likes of Yppah, John Talabot and Actress in your CD collection for what has been a very good year for dance & electronic music in general.

Album Review: Jimmy Edgar - Majenta

Off the bat, this album is really enjoyable at what it does & what that is is a sleazy minimal dance music. Yes this album is clearly not short of any libido as implied sexual acts and the general groove and feel of the thing just screams 'This is sexy and it's having a sexy time come and join us by being sexy' and by doing so it gives it's self just about enough identity from the rest of the minimal dance crowd. This album is really low-key as you'd expect a minimal dance album to be, it's the sort of thing you can throw on in the background, at a club, during a comedown, obviously during sex or in the car and it wouldn't feel out-of-place. It's full of bleeps bloops, shuffling drum patterns, melodic chimes, repeated vocals, Prince and high-pitched female squeals & if you like that sort of thing I'm sure you'll really enjoy this album.

Electronic Fridays Episode 1

From now on Fridays shall be known as Electronic Fridays around these parts, below you'll find a playlist of electronic/hip hop from different eras and backgrounds. Hooray!

Album Review: Polica - Give You The Ghost

This is glossy alternative pop slathered in auto tune, but whereas often autotune often guarantees an emotional disconnect between the listener and the artist, this is an example where this isn't the case thus making it really effective. Like a crying pocket calculator you feel the raw emotion coming from the artist & it creates for a sprawling and atmospheric album full of swagger and sex appeal. Oh yeah this album is damned sexy, despite it being a very lonely, personal and atmospheric experience, it carries it's self with thick bass lines that love to groove & this makes it somewhat of a unique album. It's far from perfect but it is still an excellent debut & I highly recommend a listen of this, ideally on headphones.

Album Review: Death Grips - The Money Store

Ever wondered what a concussion in a night club would feel like? I'm pretty sure Death Grips have put out a definitive answer & I now introduuce you to the album that'll top many best of 2012 lists as well as many worst of 2012 lists. Polarising is a polite way to put this album, you'll either absolutely love it or simply be put off the moment the noise comes out of the speakers. This abrasive effort of Hardcore meets Hip Hop is loud, dirty and ugly and doesn't try to be anything else. Having said that 'The Money Store' is a hell of a lot more approachable then the first album 'Ex Military' with songs such as 'The Fever (Aye Aye)', 'The Cage' & 'I've Seen Footage' perhaps easing people in but even if it's a major label release calling anything on here mainstream or truly approachable would be foolish. As it is the dirty & loud controlled chaos  on show here really appeals to me & I think this album is nothing short of incredible. But as I said you'll either love it or hate it, so don't take this review as a definitive recommendation
                                                                                

Thoughts on: Yppah - Eighty One

Genres: Electronica/IDM/Trip Hop

Mood: Summery/Euphoric/Chilled

Label: Ninja Tune

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Here we are in the UK just off the back of some glorious weather where this album would have worked wonders and in the pit of windy, damp & grey familiarity which is when this album decided to get released. Okay I am being a bit hasty as the Great British summer is now but a few months away this is one album I expect to be listening to heavily when Sun finally decides to come back to us. In essence this album is very 90s in it's sound, it's all very upbeat and shimmers with big sounds, light dance beats, reverb & the all important shimmery guitars which are so often the back bone of euphoric electronica.

The music is mostly instrumental with the use of vocal samples but the album also makes use of a frequent guest vocalist 'Anomie Belle' to add a bit of variety in the rhythm and structure of the music on display here & she does a very good job with her vocals, whilst not remarkably different or original, suit the sombre euphoric tones to a tee. Highlights include lead single 'Film Burn' which has an almost shoegazey feel to it, 'R.Mullen' one of the albums more up-tempo songs just sounds massive and slaps a smile onto your face.

On the whole then this album plays out a soundtrack to one of the greatest summers of your life, it's incredibly positive in outlook and very bright, it's got catchy melodies and the atmosphere to back it up, this isn't some shallow attempt to capture the innocence of unadulterated joy it fully embodies it & does it show.

Listen On Spotify: Yppah – Eighty One

Stand Out Songs: 'R.Mullen', 'Film Burn', 'Never Mess With Sunday' & 'Three Portraits'

No Dates In The UK Scheduled