Hope There’s Someone - Antony And The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now (2005, Secretly Canadian)
Swing Star Pt.1 - Todd Terje - It’s The Arps (2012, Smalltown Supersound)
Swing Star Pt.1 is the bubbly, utterly engrossing single from Todd Terje’s latest EP It’s The Arps, the inaugural release on Terje’s new label, Smalltown Supersound. The EP features four tracks made solely using the ARP2600 analog synthesiser, and the resulting record is a glittering trip through some of the best modern disco to come out in a long time.
Evil Twin (Feat. Otto Von Schirach) - Modeselektor - Monkeytown (2011, Monkeytown)
Video directed by Dent.De.Cuir (2012)
Modeselektor have just released a typically left-field video for Evil Twin, one of the best tracks and the latest single off their top-notch third LP Monkeytown. The video is just as good as the track, I can’t stop watching it.
F’ Off - Wiley, Flowdan, Riko & Manga - F’ Off (self released, 2012)
Wiley offers arguably the best, and definitely the most grimey track he’s released in years, and is joined by three other members from his Roll Deep crew, Flowdan, Riko & Manga. The quartet provide an air-tight succession of heavy-duty rap verses over an equally relentless bed of african drums, and it’s awesome. Listen above, or you can download the track for free over on Mediafire.
Fact mix 313: Azari & III
Fact Mag have to be one of the best music websites around at the moment, and their Fact mixes are some of the most consistently fantastic podcasts you’ll find; just check out ones from Air France and Jamie xx for a couple of examples.
They continue this trend of quality into 2012 with an excellent mix from the Canadian quartet Azari & III. Comprised of two producers and two vocalists, Azari & III released their debut self-titled LP last year to great acclaim, presenting a perfect blend of acid-tinged house and futuristic disco. This mix sees them bring to the fore the darker shades already apparent on their album, resulting in an engrossing journey through dark, club-ready house and acid.
Tenderly - Disclosure - Tenderly / Flow (Make Mine, 2012)
The two brothers collectively known as Disclosure have been quite busy as of late. They’ve been releasing podcasts and mixes left, right and centre, with some of the finest being their Yes List podcast, and a half-hour mix during Mary Anne Hobbs’ regular slot on Xfm the other day.
But although their mixes highlight a range of great music, and see the duo establishing a cohesive, individual sound as DJs, it’s their own productions that really shine through every time, and Make Mine are preparing what will be only the band’s second physical release, Tenderly / Flow, which is due out early this February. Have a listen to the A-side above, it’s a top-notch track from a duo who a clearly going places quickly. And while you’re at it, head on over to their SoundCloud page, where you can find the single’s B-side Flow, as well as a number of free downloads, such as their superb edit of Q-Tip’s Work It Out.
NEEDSUMLUV - Azealia Banks - NEEDSUMLUV (self released, 2012)
Harlem based rapper and singer Azealia Banks just keeps kicking up more hype. She originally came into fame a few months ago with her undeniably infectious track 212, which features her laying down a heavy-duty rap over Lazy Jay’s Float My Boat. But Banks quickly dispelled any ideas that she was a one hit wonder, going on to work with upcoming Canadian producer Lunice on Runnin’, and more recently collaborating with Lone, resulting in the fantastic track Liquorice.
As such, her latest coupling with boundary-pushing bass producer and fellow New Yorker Machinedrum is hardly erratic. In fact, one of her very first tracks, L8R, was produced by him. However, NEEDSUMLUV sees her turn down the fiery rapping of her previous hits, and instead demonstrate just how capable she is as a singer; which when combined with Machinedrum’s twitchy percussion and bubbling synth lines results in some “hella progressive R&B”.
But if you’re missing the fervent, eminently danceable sounds of 212, you need not despair— she premiered her raviest track yet, Bambi, at a Mugler fashion show in Paris a few days ago (yes, rave is now an adjective). Mugler’s creative director Nicola Formichetti is reportedly set to direct the video for Liquorice, so one assumes Azealia gave the premiere of Bambi to her in return. You can check out a rip the official Mugler release of the track on SoundCloud here.
On ‘N’ On - Justice - Audio Video Disco (Ed Banger, 2011)
Video directed by Alexandre Courtes and produced by Division, 2012
I have a feeling that Justice’s lukewarmly received Audio Video Disco may well end up being a bit of a grower, along the lines of MGMT’s immediately lambasted sophomore Congratulations, which of course became an underground hit once people got over the fact that it didn’t sound much like their first album, and realised it was actually pretty decent.
Whether or not the same thing happens with Justice’s sophomore, there is no denying the video for the album’s third single On ‘N’ On is a fantastic bit of cinematography (with more than a couple of Kubrick references). And the track really is growing on me.
Oh man, so much has gone down in the last two weeks while I’ve been at AYO
- SOPA and PIPA are ruining everything
- Azealia Banks has been a very busy lady, and amongst other things announced that the major label she recently signed to is Universal.
- Araabmuzik announced a new mixtape due out later this month, and according to his Twitter he is also teaming up with A$AP Rocky to create what will doubtless be some awesome music
- The trailer for LCD Soundsystem’s Shut Up And Play The Hits landed on the YouTubes
- And a whole bunch of awesome music and videos came out. Get ready for a steady feed of awesomeness over the next few days.
I’m off for the next couple of weeks at the Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camp, in Australia’s most exciting city, Canberra. But it should be good fun (as well as a lot of hard work).
Our concerts will be broadcast live on ABC Classic FM this and next Saturday at 8pm AEST. For the first concert our orchestra will be performing Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony, as you can hear here.
See you all again in two weeks, when I’ll return to my normal (semi-)regular posting.
