I can't say I was ever a real fan but I know Stephen Gately was talented in the field of music he worked in, so for him to die at the age of 33 when I'm sure he had so much more to give is a pretty sad thing.
Sunday, 11 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: Postcards From Italy
Florence + The Machine / Postcards From Italy
Florence takes on Beirut in this truly beautiful cover. The original's jubilant bounce is transformed by Florence into a poignant sway as she strips back the original's tropical stylings so we are left with just her voice and a lone ukulele. This is an astounding mix, with Florence's powerful vocals soaring above the warm strings of the ukulele as she switches from sweet croons to commanding wails in a matter of moments. It has to be said Florence's vocals really do carry the track as she even replicates the horn section of the original through some dazzling vocal acrobatics. This is an exquisite cover which yet again justifies Florence as one of the most compelling artists of our time.
Saturday, 10 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: Did It Again
Shakira / Did It Again
Definitely one of the finest imports straight from Colombia Shakira truly is a bonafide popstar. If you thought She Wolf was good you ain't heard nothing yet. Did It Again is a distinct style change for Shakira as she embraces the hip hop come R&B beats of Pharrell yet still manages to spread her definite Shakira stamp all over it. The track is one of those pop songs which is catchy as hell, will make you want to move yet at the same time has an underlying sense of melancholy, with the premise of the song itself showing some sombre self-analysis: "I did it again now, I got it all wrong / But it felt so right, I can't believe it." In terms of danceability Did It Again is up there with Shakira's greats with it's rattling drumbeat, lush synth sequences and some seriously hook-laden vocal takes from the woman herself. The track even has one of those classic breakdowns where we're left with just Shakira and the beautiful synth riff as you begin to contemplate that this really is just more than your bog-standard pop fodder. Once again, Shakira has proved to be one of the most interesting female pop artists around as she effortlessly moves into new musical territories while still retaining her unique pop flair and superiority.
BIG TIP FOR 2010: Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding should have a lot to look forward to in 2010, not only does she already have an array of top class pop songs which are begging to invade radio stations across the country, but she is also a refreshingly new kind of pop star. In an industry currently swarmed with ladies and their synths Ellie Goulding is leading a crusade for a more organic form of electronic pop. Many of her songs are encompassed in truly beautiful electroacoustic soundscapes while her potent lyrics cite love in both its good and bad forms...all this comes together to produce the sound of a singer-songwriter veering away from the middle of the road and heading straight for the dizzy heights of unique pop stardom. Though this all sounds very dreamy and unreal Ellie's songs somehow manage to represent true human emotion in a truly magical and intriguing context whilst still maintaining a sense of realism for the listener. This is most definitely the sound of pop in 2010.
Now, I can't really mention Ellie without mentioning Starsmith - her musical partner in crime. Starsmith is responsible for many of the beautiful backdrops behind Ellie's songs and he also looks likely to shine in 2010. With a host of wonderful mixes under his belt and a really exciting ability to create spellbinding pop tunes which I haven't been seen from a producer in a long time, Starsmith looks prepared to set the musical world alight.
You can listen to Ellie's new Starsmith-produced single Under The Sheets here:
You can also check out Ellie's collaboration with FrankMusik entitled Wish I Stayed here:
MySpace links:
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: Strange Enough (Designer Drugs Remix)
N.A.S.A. / Strange Enough (Feat. Karen O, Ol' Dirty Bastard & Fatlip) (Designer Drugs Remix)
N.A.S.A. are a DJ duo who've worked with over 36 different artists on their album, dabbled in an incredible array of different genres and cultures and out of all this ended up sounding ridiculously recent thanks to sheer vision and artistic determination. Strange Enough is a prime example of how the duo are able to take a bunch of completely different artists, throw them into a track and make it work. Strange Enough in its original form has it's roots firmly placed in hip hop yet Designer Drugs take it to a whole new level by pushing the track head first into a throbbing whirlpool of dark synths, grinding basslines and generally sinister forms of electronica. Even Karen O ends up sounding demonic as her vocals are twisted into a deliciously evil chant due to the heavy use of a vocoder. This really is a stellar remix from Designer Drugs which not only changes the whole atmosphere of the track yet also rivals the original for greatness.
Monday, 5 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: TiK ToK
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Ke$ha / TiK ToK
Despite a little voice in my head telling me I shouldn't like this (probably because of the modern day pressures of having to look all "indie") I honestly can't get this song out of my head.You may recognise Ke$ha from her appearance on Flo Rida's track Right Round in which she features, however, to be honest that song doesn't really do her a lot of justice. TiK ToK on the other hand pretty much secures her status as the new pop it girl...to put it bluntly, it's a great big fuck off pop song. I honestly think it's going to be HUGE. The track itself has this great electropop vibe going on with a nice touch of auto-tune (but not too much) as Ke$ha sings about "feeling like P Diddy" and "brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack" - it's all about getting smashed at parties basically, which may be pretty generic but constitutes for a great pop song. So there we have it, it's all pretty simple really, Ke$ha has created an ass-kicking pop song with an absolutely GINORMOUS chorus that is pretty damn likely to blow up the charts. Ace.
Sunday, 4 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: Blue Skies (The Twelves Remix)
Noah And The Whale / Blue Skies (The Twelves Remix)
Noah And The Whale have really come into their own this year with the release of their sophomore masterpiece The First Days Of Spring, in which they show off a much more mature sound which reaches great new heights of indie folk epicness compared to the less expansive sounds of their debut. Blue Skies is a definite highlight with its poignant lyrics, lush arrangement and beautifully hopeful message it really has a fantastically positive vibe. In the hands of The Twelves the feel good factor is rammed up to 100 as the track is transformed into a hip-shaking indie delight. The original's lush acoustic guitar pieces are now replaced with a truly funky guitar jam which rides the track along at a fantastic pace as a refreshing mixture of cow bells, the occasional synth and some lovely flourishes of piano ensue. A subtle yet highly infectious remix for whenever you feel like smiling.
Saturday, 3 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: Hideaway
Karen O And The Kids / Hideaway
It really seems like good, well thought out movie soundtracks are finally on the increase. Where The Wild Things Are is no exception as Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame takes control, creating a truly magical soundtrack for a truly magical film. Hideaway is a beautifully laid back track full of gentle emotion and introspection. Karen O is on sterling form, proving yet again that she can not only scream but she can also purr as her vocals gently float across the track's delicate backdrop of acoustic guitars, plodding drums and a twinkling xylophone. Hideaway as a whole sounds very reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac's classic Albatross and seems like the perfect summation of Karen O's talents as a heartfelt storyteller. Poignantly wonderful.
Friday, 2 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: Wanna Be Black
Hockey / Wanna Be Black
Hockey's debut album Mind Chaos isn't the greatest debut in the world yet somehow some things are just destined to be below par. However, the mighty Wanna Be Black is a bit of a stand out track, telling the tale of a guy who, in his younger days, desperately wants to be black but sadly will never reach this goal and will ultimately fail in life. The track is a pretty gritty affair compared to some of Hockey's other more smiley happy arrangements with a heady mix of dirty guitars, an intriguing whiff of disco in the bassline, a slapping beat and the soulful vocals of lead singer Benjamin. The lyrics are particularly excellent: "What kind of accomplishment is throwback? I was the first one to prefer that. Everyone's making dance music true, but we started in 2002." Nice. Wanna Be Black really is a track of the moment as Hockey lay no claims to the past and simply ask:
"So what the future don't appeal to you?"
Thursday, 1 October 2009
TRACK OF THE NIGHT: Get Down (VIP)
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Jack Beats / Get Down (VIP)
Jack Beats are dropping a bomb through your speakers which is literally INCREDIBLE. Get Down is an absolute BANGER of a tune, featuring some of the dirtiest, grimiest, heaviest and more importantly the most thrilling beats, basslines and synths I've heard all year. They really are ones to watch...not only have they created some amazing remixes this year for the likes of Florence + The Machine (check out further down), La Roux and Hockey but their own creations are literally MINDBLOWING. There's little more to say really as this seems like a time when I think it's best to let the music do the talking. Oh, and in case you don't believe that this isn't going to be any good this was my initial reaction to the track: BLOODY HELL...INSANE!
"And then it happened..."
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