Chris Helme – The Rookery [Review]

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Martin

Chris Helme returns with The Rookery, the follow up to the 2008 excellent long player Ashes. Helme is most famous for being the frontman in the post Stone Roses band The Seahorses created by John Squire. Squire had found Helme when one of his longtime guitar technicians discovered him busking outside a shop in York city center. The Seahorses released their album Do It Yourself in 1997 and instantly shot to fame on the back of the then flourishing britpop scene and the prominence granted by John Squire being in the band. After three hit singles and two years of successful touring the band fragmented whilst writing their second album, mainly due to clashes between Helme and Squire over the new material.

Now with the legacy of The Seahorses fading, especially with the reformation of the Stone Roses getting so much attention, it is great to see Helme forging ahead with his solo career.

Returning with a beautiful and more mature tone, the new album follows on from Ashes with a dreamy indie-folk sound, slightly reminiscent of The Coral and early Gomez. The opening track is the instrumental Pickled Ginger, an almost perfect piece of english folk leaving the britpop days of The Seahorses as a distant memory. As the album grows, simple arrangements are bolstered with the gentle use of a string quartet and confident songwriting.

The track Plane demonstrates this beautifully and is a highlight of the first part of the album, showcasing Helme’s soulful vocal talent.

Listen to a clip of Plane below:

This is then followed by the excellent The Spindle And The Cauldron which adds a hint of early Led Zeppelin to the mix, with suitable melancholic vocals about an ethereal mysterious girl at his window.

Listen to a clip of The Spindle And The Cauldron below:

The track Pleased steers the sound in a further bluesy direction with Daddies Farm adding a upbeat edge to proceedings and Set In Stone bringing back the subtle orchestration. The rich layered production of the whole album really compliments Helme’s vocals and it’s amazing to believe that the whole record was produced in just nine days in the Yorkshire dales.

This is a great album, a gentle, laid back journey, expertly crafted with a good mix of soulful ballads and melodic acoustic rock – all held together with some thoughtful lyrics and excellent vocal talent.

The Rookery is out now and is availble to buy direct from Greedbag and iTunes

Helme has also announced a series of gigs around the country and is well worth seeing live. More information at chrishelme.co.uk

Sep 2nd – Alt.Fest, Fulford Arms, York
Sep 6th – Fulford Arms, York (with Mark Morriss of the Bluetones)
Sep 7th – Ku Bar, Stockton (with Mark Morriss of the Bluetones)
Sep 8th – The Acoustic Gathering, Scarborough
Sep 21st – Burns, Irvine
Oct 2nd – Surya, Kingscross, London
Oct 7th – Rock Your Mind Festival, Middlesbrough
Oct 12th – Kings Hall, Herne Bay (with Simon & Oscar of Ocean Colourscene)
Nov 3rd – Venue Cymru, Cardiff
Nov 4th – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
Nov 9th – Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
Nov 10th – Tollbooth, Stirling
Nov 23rd – The Square, Harlow (with Mark Morriss of the Bluetones)
Dec 22nd – Cumbernauld Town Hall, Cumbernauld, Scotland (with Mark Morriss of the Bluetones)

Tame Impala – Elephant [Listen]

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Sam

Aussie psychedelic rockers Tame Impala are back with the quite frankly brilliant Elephant. First single from Lonerism, the follow up to their brilliant 2010 debut Innerspeaker, it’s chugging riffs, driving rhythm, seriously infectious bassline, fuzzy warm production and epic jams (all in the space of three and a half minutes!) evoke some serious early Pink Floyd vibes and even, as Martin pointed out to me across the office, hints of a heavier Beatles in there – If you really imagine, you can hear John Lennon in those vocals. [sorry, couldn't resist.] It doesn’t stray from the sound they forged previously but they’re definitely back with a bang. It’s classic production and ethos meet a modern energy and style that really no one else manages like Tame Impala do. Elephant is a big tune and a great way to bring in the new album, no question about that.

Elephant is out now; available in all the usual places, and full-length Lonerism follows on October 5th (Australia) / October 8th (United Kingdom) / October 9th (United States). Preorder links can be found over on their website. Track listing is as follows.

Lonerism

1. Be Above It
2. Endors Toi
3. Apocalypse Dreams
4. Mind Mischief
5. Music To Walk Home By
6. Why Won’t They Talk To Me?
7. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
8. Keep On Lying
9. Elephant
10. She Just Won’t Believe Me
11. Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control
12. Sun’s Coming Up

Four Tet – Pink [News/Listen]

Posted on August 20, 2012 by John

Over the past year or so Kieran Hebden AKA Four Tet has been releasing a number of 12” singles via his own Text record label. For the benefit of those without a turntable he has decided to bring these tracks together in album form. This new collection of tracks is called Pink (artwork above). It has been released digitally via Hebden’s Text label today, and is available from all the usual places. There will be a CD release of the album too, although this is restricted to Japan only. You can listen to two of the tracks from the album below.

Four Tet – Pink

1. Locked
2. Lion
3. Jupiters
4. Ocoras
5. 128 Harps
6. Pyramid
7. Peace For Earth
8. Pinnacles

Four Tet – 128 Harps

Four Tet – Jupiters

The Revival Hour – Pyre / Clusterchord EP [Listen/News]

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Sam

After the superb debut tracks from The Revival Hour released late last year (see my writeup from back in April), the band finally have some news to share with the announcement of the duos debut EP Clusterchord which will be releasing 5th of November on Antiphon; a prelude to the bands debut album which will follow early 2013.

In the meantime however we’ve been treated to Pyre, a sample if you will from the Clusterchord EP. It’s nice to hear The Revival Hour’s sound back and with all the grandeur of the previous two tasters, although dialled back from the simply epic Hold Back, it’s still a big sound. This time maybe slightly mellower, more reflective and a little less overdramatic in its entirety, but definitely The Revival Hours sound through and through. Pyre is a great teaser for what’s to come. November seems too far away…

On another note, The Revival Hour are embarking on their first tour of the UK, dates are below.

Tuesday 20 November – MANCHESTER – Band On The Wall (£9)

Wednesday 21 November – LEEDS – Brudenell (£10)

Thursday 22 November – LIVERPOOL – Parr St Studio 2 (£9)

Friday 23 November – NORWICH – Arts Centre (£9 adv/ £11 door)

Monday 26 November – BRIGHTON – Komedia (£10)

Tuesday 27 November – BRISTOL – Louisiana (£10)

Wednesday 28 November – EXETER – Phoenix (£9)

Thursday 29 November – LONDON – Village Underground (£10)

Friday 30 November – OXFORD – Jericho (£9)

Ultraista [Listen]

Posted on August 17, 2012 by John

Radiohead super producer Nigel Godrich has started a new music project and it’s awesome. His new musical venture is called Ultraista and it consists of himself, Mauro Refosco (Smashing Pumpkins/Beck/Atoms For Peace) and Laura Bettinson (formerly of Dimbleby and Capper, she now records as Femme). Not much else is known about the band, as information on the group’s website is scarce, however they appear to take their name from early-20th century Spanish literary movement ultraísmo. They do have Soundcloud, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Their debut album will be released on 2nd October via Temporary Residence, and you can hear two of the tracks from the album below.

Ultraista – Static Light

Ultraista – Small Talk

TiredEyes – Constellations [Review]

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Sam

I Used To Be, Chris Stolz’s second album under the TiredEyes monicker, was one of my favourite and most played records of last year. Its jazzy beats and laid back feel made for fantastic summer listening with some infectious melodies that really stuck. Dusty analogue vibes, warm production and an unhurried pace set a bar that any musician would be hardpressed to top. And so, just over one year on, Constellations arrives in time for the last month or two of warm weather (here in the UK anyway).

Where I Used To Be arrived with a shot of energy on title track I Used To Be, Constellations takes a subtler route and opts to build slowly with the smokey Cosmic Echoes. It’s lazy, considered, and thoroughly cinematic. And this is what sets Constellations apart from debut There in the Shade and last years I Used To Be. It’s that experience from three albums under one project. A confidence and swagger that can only become apparent after the foundations have been laid and then tested.

Tracks build, vocal samples tease, beats reverberate; crackles, hissing and pops layer onto a wide selection of instruments. It’s a pleasure to listen to and if stuck with, will reveal a surprising level of detail that a quick listen might mask. The latter half of the album really shines with tracks like Nylon Trees and Stay Inside being stunning examples of what Stolz can do, the latter containing a great sample from Peggy Lees Johnny Guitar. It’s moody, sweeping and cinematic.

So how does Constellations stack up to I Used To Be? It effectively continues right where its predecessor left off, in fact it wouldn’t sound out of place if it were a side two – just a slower and more confident side two. That’s not to it’s detriment though, Constellations is still a superb record through and through and familiarity is as much as a good thing as a bad thing. Change for changes sake is not always a good thing and this is a perfect example when you’ve hit a great formula not to mess with it too much. As above, what is there however is a far more polished experience; further refined, cinematic and confident. Stolz’s beats sound just as organic, his sampling tighter and the details finer. This is what makes TiredEyes stand out from a large number of the other beatmakers at the moment, fine detailing. It’s exciting to put a pair of headphones and come out so rewarded and Constellations does not disappoint.

Constellations is available for download from TiredEyes bandcamp page for $10 (USD)

Tracklisting is as follows,

Blast Off (00:51)
Cosmic Echoes (03:26)
Orbital (03:10)
Golden (02:09)
Pain (03:01)
Imagery (01:48)
Maydrum (01:53)
Move Like This (02:41)
Run Free (02:32)
Such A Sky (01:36)
Lean Back (02:27)
Sit By The Door (02:56)
Empty Chamber (01:15)
We’re Not Home (01:49)
Mellow Breeze (02:08)
Space Bass (03:53)
Nylon Trees (02:51)
Stay Inside (03:31)
Obedient Workers (01:54)

Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams [News & Listen]

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Tom

“No time to rest. I’m gonna find me a life, baby, way out west”

After the success of his previous two EP’s, Ben Schneider a.k.a Lord Huron is now set to release his first album. Since the announcement of Lonesome Dreams (2012), a handfull of videos, images and songs and have been released on his website, giving us a glimpse of what is to come.

His previous EP’s have all been complimented with distinct and tasteful artwork, and this seems evident in his new release too. Currently on his website are grainy teaser videos of deserts and dense forests accompanied by excerpts of music from the album. There’s no doubt Lord Huron has adopted a Western theme, with grubby cowboys in bandanas and Mexicans tied up with knives to their throats. Red Dead inspired perhaps?

What’s most exciting is the full track he’s released called Time To Run, which is also free to download. Lord Huron has a knack for creating atmospheric, well paced songs that keep your finger hovering over the repeat button, and this track does exactly that. Lonesome Dreams is set to be released on October 9th but until then here’s Time To Run, and also one of his hit tracks from his previous EPs Mighty called, The Stranger.

Atoms For Peace [Listen]

Posted on August 6, 2012 by John

If you haven’t heard of Atoms For Peace you must have been living under a rock or in space for the last few years. Just in-case this applies to you then I will explain. They are the supergroup originally created by Thom Yorke of Radiohead, to tour his 2006 solo album The Eraser. The band played a small US tour in 2010 where they played the Coachella Festival, the only date outside of America played being the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. The band itself consists of Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Mauro Refosco, Joey Waronker and long-time Radiohead collaborator and producer Nigel Godrich.

Since playing their final live date in Japan, all has been quiet with the band. That was until September 2011 when Thom Yorke confirmed that he was preparing an album by the band for release. Flea then also confirmed soon after in a separate interview that the band had recorded together and an album would be out soon. The album is expected to be released this year.

In April of this year Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich also performed a DJ set in LA using the name Atoms For Peace. At this DJ set they played several new songs, but it is still unclear whether these tracks were actual songs or remixes of Atoms for Peace songs. They also now have another DJ set lined up at MoMa PS1 in September. You can watch a video of the band performing Cymbal Rush from Fuji Rock Festival 2010 below.

Finally, earlier this month it was announced that the band would release its first music in the form of a 12” on Monkeytown Records, the label run by Modeselektor. This vinyl consists of a remix of the track Tamer Animals by Other Lives and on the B-side they have remixed their own song Other Side.

Tracklisting
A1. Other Lives – Tamer Animals (Atoms For Peace Remix)
B1. Atoms For Peace – Other Side (Stuck Together Remix)

You can listen to samples of both the tracks below, and keep an eye out for the album which will hopefully be out soon, it’s sure to be an amazing piece of music.

Other Lives – Tamer Animals (Atoms For Peace Remix)

Atoms For Peace – Other Side (Stuck Together Remix)

Kishi Bashi – 151a [Listen]

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Tom

“Grand and transcendent… the layers of beautiful sound, homage to Japanese culture, and use of violin make 151a a dreamy, pocket-sized symphony, perfect for anyone needing a lift.”
BUST

This artist has jumped to the top of my ‘most played’ this summer. Kishi Bashi, aka K Ishibashi is a solo artist who has toured with the likes of Of Montreal, and is also a founder of the NY indie rock band, Jupiter One. Now going solo, K Ishibashi has produced something fresh, new and wonderfully weird. From listening to the first intro track on his debt album, 151a, you wouldn’t expect what would follow.

It’s electronic, folky, classical – a tornado of musical goodness that’s entertaining from the beginning to end. Drawing from his classical routes as a violinist, K Ishibashi conjures a melody of genres, which I can only compare to an artist such as Animal Collective. He mixes up English and Japanese in his lyrics, which add to the sometimes manic feel to the songs. The transition from each track to the next leaves you wanting more of his feel-good musical world he creates.

The birth of this album was conceived through a Kickstarter campaign - a site where entrepreneurs, filmmakers, musicians etc pitch their project and rely on the support of the public to donate money to fund it. Ishibashi’s target was $12,000, and within three weeks he raised $20,000, an impressive achievement, and one that paid off. Since the album’s release in April, Ishibashi has been impressing critics and the public with his live loop-based performances.

“The way I create my loops, I just kind of — they’re not exact. So a lot of it has to do with a feeling and it might be faster, I also like changing things up, so I’ll change things and kind of make it different, and I also like the audience to have a different experience.”
KISHI BASHI – RIVERFRONT TIMES

The album is diverse and unexpected. It paints a picture of both joy and melancholy, and it leaves you feeling great. Ishibashi is currently on tour around the US, and is yet to pencil in anything for Europe. You can get your hands on his album here.

Koreless – Lost In Tokyo [Listen]

Posted on August 1, 2012 by John

Fans of minimalist dubstep will no doubt be very exited that Glasgow based producer Koreless has finally released another track. If you have never heard of Lewis Roberts AKA Koreless before, then you would file him next to James Blake, Mount Kimbie and Four Tet in your record collections. His debut 12” was released last year on Pictures Music and is now considered quite a collectable as both tracks on that record have been very highly rated ever since their release, and many people, myself included, have been eagerly awaiting new tracks from him.

Finally late last year, Jamie xx featured a new track in his BBC Essential Mix. That track has now finally had a digital and vinyl release. It is aptly called “Lost In Tokyo”, as I imagine it’s the perfect music to listen to while cruising round Tokyo on a night bus. The vinyl is being released on Jacques Greene’s Vase label and his remix of Lost In Tokyo is on the B-side. You can stream the original track below along with the mix that Koreless did for The Boiler Room, which is one of my favourite Boiler Room mixes and contains both the tracks of his debut 12”.

Koreless – Lost In Tokyo