Thursday, 20 October 2005 |
The French artist, Wax Tailor delivers his awaited magnificent first album "Tales of the Forgotten Melodies", a 52 minutes tour in the depth of his cinematic hip hop. 18 tracks that will for sure raise memories. Wax Tailor uses
samples in his music, the same way film directors use actors. His record is conceived as an orchestral movie, between hip-hop and down-tempo, where WT hijacks the forgotten melodies and tells a story of his own, where each track is a sequence. In this large patchwork of numerous influences and multiple references to the seventh art, major names of the twentieth century music (Doris Day, Nina Simone...) could get a chance to meet Stanly Kubrick, Woody Allen or Alfred Hitchcock. And as for today’s artists, the US Hip-Hop band of The Others appears on the record to offer a tribute to the hip-hop culture in which WT has been involved for 20 years. We also get a chance to rediscover Charlotte Savary, from the French Band Clover. Already there on the EP - Lost the way, she is the singer on the title "Our Dance". Finally, Marina Quaisse's violoncello, runs through the whole album and delicately colors it with darker shades of melancholy which intensify the overall coherence of the project. In France, Wax Tailor is well known since the 90's for his activism in the bosom of La Formule Band, as a rapper, a composer, a producer and a manager. But now, with this new album, there’s no doubt, WT is going to become famous worldwide. by Yvan Rodic
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Wednesday, 19 October 2005 |
Never one to rest on their laurels, Basement Jaxx return with another track from their UK Number One and double-platinum selling release, The Singles. This time around the Jaxx give the red carpet treatment to ‘Do Your Thing’, one of three brand new singles tracks featured among 15 of their biggest hits on The Singles package. Watch the funny music video for DO YOUR THING, all the lyrics of the track are written on the clothes of people, which is directed by Kim Gehrig." by Yvan Rodic
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Sunday, 09 October 2005 |
Staying true to eclectic ambience through dramatic electronic music, Hooverphonic are known as the "best-kept secret of Belgian Pop".. to quote Frank Duchêne (Keyboards) : "We wanted to get the chance to grow and build up a reputation. Being the hype of the month doesn't interest us". One cannot deny that next to making fascinating and intriguing music, the mystical aura around "Hooverphonic" contributed to the success they are having now and not just in Belgium, not just in Europe, but also in the States. Known simply as Hoover across Europe, the group made their initial
splash contributing the song "2Wicky" to the soundtrack of the 1996 Bernardo Bertolucci film Stealing Beauty. Lead singer Liesje Sadonius is sultry while defining Hooverphonic's
signature shoegazer-like vocalics, with almost impressive electronic
support from guitarists Alex Callier and Raymond Geerts and keyboardist
Frank Duchêne. If your into Portishead, Lamb or Moloko, you’ll love Hooverphonic. Buy their previous albums from Amazon - Listen to new Track here
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Friday, 07 October 2005 |
In an era when scores of guitar-driven rock bands are formed across the globe with each passing hour, New York's Valley Lodge is definitely one of them. The track All of my Loving
"combines raw guitars and gyration-worthy grooves with sharp lyrics and
the kind of pop hooks that get lodged in your head in that kind of way
where you'll just be brushing your teeth or something and you'll notice
a song playing over and over again in your head until finally your
brush grinds to halt" so says their bio. But its true, we have been playing this over & over again in our Soho office, even the lunch time crowd at Gourmet Garage got into it, unfortunately, we can't say the same for the rest of the album, so MTV, if your reading this, Valley Lodge has potential, and hopefully you can steer them in the right direction.
LISTEN TO "ALL OF MY LOVING" HERE
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Wednesday, 05 October 2005 |
D.J culture is a rich genre where the visuals are fast becoming as relevant as the tunes which are spun. With more clubs featuring D.J booths and decks in prominent places in clubs, the appearance of the decks are vital to the overall look the D.J needs to project. Designers at Germany's Metrofarm have created a deck which stands alone in the style stakes. Using concrete as the key material, the deck radiates a raw visual style that is as solid as the concrete itself. by Billy T
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Monday, 03 October 2005 |
It’s difficult to tell whether soulstress Leela James wishes for
cultural or political change. Her album ironically hints at the former,
the irony being that she’s suggesting we revert to the sounds of
yesteryear to reclaim the essence of the genre, but its title derives
from Sam Cooke’s didactic release of the same name. There’s a thin
layer of vinyl crackle to be heard under the very Al Green/Willie
Mitchell sounding Music, one of many tricks employed to give
the album an authenticity to match James washboard voice. The songs are
essentially grooves. Soul Food is a good example where a simple
handclap rhythm, swaggering basslines and vocal harmony (rooted in
Gospel) is made all that more powerful by a swelling of violins. On
Rain, a similarly sloppy rhythm keeps hidden for James to shine over
some breathy adlibs. This woman has more soul than most singers can
muster up to go to the bathroom, and as cynical as it is to say,
singers are a dime a dozen. Leela James shows enormous maturity for a
debut artist and she has enlisted all of the right collaborators
(Duplaix, Pete Rock, Commissioner Gordon, Wyclef, Kanye West and
Raphael Saadiq) to place her in the right direction. by Huwston
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Wednesday, 31 August 2005 |
For those who already know, its not what is next, but what is. They make modern synthed out rock, yet hail from a town in Nerbraska. This does not limit or imply they don't wield their guitars like axes. The Faint have explored their synthesizers with finesse and honesty to gather their own sound, but clearly they also have created some brutal dance floor slayers. I can't remember, and not always for just lack of sobriety, how many times the whole house has imploded towards the dance floor for their album Dance Macabre's, classics like Agenda Suicide, and Glass Danse World. These songs have sex appeal. This album even went on to get remixed by some notables, but I won't hold this against The Faint. Their newest album “Wet From Birth” saw The Faint honourably evolve. They incorporate violins, bells, and the unidentifiable. The flux of bands tailored towards the dance floor recently is a mere coincidence because while The Faint may be eligible for the dance floor, it retains an independent enjoyable cool. By Alex Fry
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Monday, 15 August 2005 |
Mint Royale originally started in 1997 -- now 2005 sees them returning with their third album 'See You In The Morning'. Championed by the likes of Fatboy Slim, Pete Tong, Judge Jules and Seb Fontaine, Mint Royale from the UK are no strangers to the big league. See You In The Morning earns Neil Claxton (aka Mint Royale) and his band even more stripes. Every track hints at something you’ve known before – there’s a splash of Pnau there, a nod to Fatboy Slim here, a bit of Chemical Brothers over this way and something that sounds like some early Infusion halfway through. Make no mistake though – this isn’t a copycat record. It’s rather more like listening to all your favourite songs that you haven’t heard yet. There’s a great mix of slow and lovely, sad ballad-type songs, straight-up pop, instrumental vs vocalized tracks and some written for the dancefloor. One track everyone is destined to hear (and by no means is it the best on the album) is the reworking of Singin’ In the Rain. It’s what a reworking should be – very far from the original with a dancebeat. Singin’ In the Rain sounds slightly familiar but you’re not really sure why. See You in The Morning is a wicked record, and a favourite of mine for the year for sure. ring tone
By Shannon
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Sunday, 07 August 2005 |
Following the stellar success of Royksopp's debut record, Melody A.M, the world could have been forgiven for holding a sense of trepidation about the follow-up record. Breathe a collective sigh of relief; The Understanding is neither a remake of the debut, nor is it a dissapointing foray into something new. Far from it. the understanding will shelve Royksopp permanently on the crest of innovative electronic producers. One significan change is the move towards tracks with lyrical narratives, featuring an array of vocalists. According to the duo, their objective has always been to do their own thing, and their attention to their own path has paid off.
The Understanding is a sophisticated album, with beautiful depths, soaring peaks and a sublime atmosphere that's constanstly evolving. There are plenty of tracks destined for the dancefloor (Alpha Male, Beautiful Day Without You) and plenty that will no doubt become hits - Only this Moment being the first. The Understanding will be one of the most remorable albums this year, and will most likely win Royksopp a swathe of awards to match their already impressive collection. By Shannon
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Tuesday, 02 August 2005 |
What ever happened to a time where size really did matter in music, when the word 12-inch meant more than a Subway Sandwich? We are, of course, referring to the 12 inch record remix. When rock and indie were happy with a mere 7 inches of pleasure, funk and pop demanded the whole 12. Radio D.J's play list were dominated by 12 inch remixes as they offered a different version and extended play of an already hit song. From Grace Jones to Simple Minds and The Pet Shop Boys, the 12 inch remix had the 'funk Spunk' factor that the radio edits lacked. 80 /12" is an awesome compilation that pays homage to the 12 inch era worth it's exquisitely selected and wonderfully varied track listing, many of which are appearing for the very first time on CD. The three Cd box set comes in both Volume one and two and covers a vast genre of 12 inch mega hits that will get you dancing faster than you can say ' Samantha Fox rocks '. US readers purchase here UK here Aus/NZ here
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Sunday, 24 July 2005 |
Long acclaimed as among the most innovative and spellbinding bands
on the contemporary British pop scene, the Verve finally broke through
to a mass international audience in 1997 with the instant classic
"Bittersweet Symphony." Originally
known simply as Verve, the group was formed in the small Northern
English city of Wigan in 1989. Led by the magnetic Richard Ashcroft --
a swaggering, shamanic figure in the classic rock star mold -- the
original lineup also included guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon
Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Sharing a collective fondness for
the Beatles, Funkadelic, and Krautrock -- as well as a legendary
appetite for psychedelics -- the quartet signed to the Hut label within
months, debuting in March 1992 with the single "All in the Mind," the
first in a series of indie chart-topping efforts featuring the
eye-catching artwork of designer Brian Cannon. Subsequent efforts like
the brilliant "She's a Superstar" and "Gravity Grave" captured an
original musical identity growing by leaps and bounds, distinguished
chiefly by Ashcroft's elemental vocals and McCabe's echoing guitar
leads. The Singles: 92 - 98 represents a landmark collection of releases from one of the most celebrated British bands of the last decade download music - listen to them here
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Sunday, 10 July 2005 |
| Could Lizz Wright be the next big vocal thing? I discovered Lizz Wright on the hip music blog Aurgasm.
The 25 yr old, Atlanta-born stretches beyond the jazz confines of her
impressive debut, Salt. Her new album, "Dreaming Wide Awake," is like
a new breed of Americana: a gentle crossover pop music neither black
nor white, neither urban nor rural, neither modern nor old fashioned.
This more mature new sound is a nifty, dreamy invention. "Each element
is recorded with killer clarity: her voice, the guitar plucks and
strums, the deep double bass string rattle". This CD is a musical
investment. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to the musical elegance
of Lizz Wright. |
MP3 - LIZ WRIGHT - OLD MAN
Buy the CD here
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