This week we learn that Lauren might possibly wet herself when excited and that Cheryl Cole can't sing - the poor girl isn't even releasing a new single this week and she still gets stick.
*SINGLE OF THE WEEK*
Girl Unit – I.R.L
Night Slugs
Night Slugs deliver the goods once again. Girl Unit provide anything but girl music. It's dark, deep and pounding, but with enough swung groove to keep you moving. The orchestral hits are a little too similar to the music used in the 'Dramatic Chipmunk' YouTube video sensation to be taken all that seriously, but the backing beats sure are a rhythmical sensation unto themselves.
At times reminiscent of Jan Driver's banger, 'Rat Alert', the bass on this one is sure to give any decent sound system a run for its money. 4.5/5
RS
Zoo Zero – Radical Light
Unsigned
'Radical Light', the debut EP from London-based three-piece Zoo Zero, is, I'm pleased to say, really rather brilliant.
Squealing guitars squirm and wriggle like laser noise tentacles, but kept in check – only just in check – by thudding post-punk bass and darkly relentless drums. There's a smidge of Neil's Children-esque melancholic conspiracy, but with both a tenderness and an adventurousness that sets them apart from anything else going on in the capital right now. Excellent. 4/5
TJ
The Hundred in the Hands – This Desert
Warp Records
It's been 1 year, 4 months and 4 days since my last Hundred and Hands review – the belting ‘Dressed in Dresden’ single which was enjoyable for roughly 3 weeks and 2 days until ruined by overkill from Spoonfed’s Thomas Jeffreys.
Their debut EP 'This Desert' is less dance-driven than their first single with ethereal vocals and a slower, dreamier tempo. Middle tracks ‘Ghosts’ and ‘Sleepwalker’ are probably the strongest, encapsulating the darker side of the Brooklyn duo. Lovely stuff. 4/5
EM
Tunng – Sashimi
Full Time Hobby
Tunng have always struck me as a band it would be great to stumble across at a festival knowing very little about and everyone having a great time dancing in the sun. Trouble is, I already know all about them and they always seem to damn clash with someone I really want to see.
The latest track off ‘And Then We Saw Land‘ very much fits this bill. It has a sing-a-long festival spirit (if only we knew the words) and a happy guitar strumming much in the vein of Neutral Milk Hotel. 3.5/5
RM
Lonely Ghosts – Come Down from the Mountain
One Inch Badge Records
One reviewer quoted on this folk/pop outfit's MySpace aptly described their sound as "bedroom indie", which comes through pretty clearly on this track. The layers of gentle guitar and twinkly synths give it a chilled out start, but the thumping drum machine and blasting crescendos at the chorus make it a head-bobbing cut above melancholy.
It all comes together to create an enjoyable slice of lo-fi goodness that's sure to brighten many a morning tube journey, with just the right injection of angst to heighten the significance of staring vacantly out a bus window. 3.5/5
SK
Alexander Burke – All Night Long
Syco
Armando Christian Perez, aka American rapper Pitbull, blatantly has no clue who the hell Alexandra Burke is nor why he's been offered crap loads of money to say her name a few times over her latest unremarkable generic pop dance track. Why would he? She's got such a bubbly (read: annoying, vacant, dipshitty) personality, who cares?
Irritatingly repetitive, bouncy even, it features a flawless line from Pitbull: "let's get loose on the roof something something" and amusingly, she looks like a mad drag queen on heat in the video. 3/5
NK
Wild Palms – Deep Drive
One Little Indian
Wild Palms have only been in the business a year but you can already assert they're in for something serious. Served by an elegant production and a sincere vocal delivery reminiscent of The Walkmen, the song's post-punk melancholy is nevertheless spoiled by a chorus that verges on FM-rock sing-a-long.
The real gem here happens to be on the B-side: a thrilling and witty cover of Bjork's 'Human Behaviour' that proves Wild Palms remain a promising indie band with vision. 3/5
TC
B.o.B – Nothin' On You ft. Bruno Mars
Atlantic
It's a formula that has given many a hip hop/RnB bloke success. Bit of rap, some smooth singing, and lyrics based solely on women. Easy listening and I mean, if beautiful girls all over world have nothin' on me – that's nice isn't it? Ha!
Well... if this vibe is your cup of tea, you'll love it. Zero originality, but I annoyingly don't detest it. Hear it on the radio and you'll sing along. 2.73/5
SC
Ellie Goulding – Guns and Horses
Polydor
This quirky songstress is the latest young singer/songwriter to come out of mainstream pop and she’s not doing badly at it either. With one BRIT award already under her belt this girls certainly on the right tracks.
Her new song will no doubt be polluting the radio stations for a while to come which is no bad thing as it goes. Her voice is fresh and unique which is a lot more than what you can say about other young female ‘singers’ (ahem, Cheryl Cole). 2.5/5
SRC
Don't Wait Animate – 6174
Bar House Records
I'm immediately a bit wary of Don't Wait Animate. Firstly, the name bugs me – it could do with a comma between 'wait' and 'animate' and secondly, DWA claim to have invented a whole new genre of music: strumstep. Apparently strumstep is a mix of dubstep and indie and I'm dubious. With good reason; it's not that great.
The fuzzy bass, breaks and bleeps seem at odds with the shouted vocals. It is danceable but as far as new genres go, I'm hardly going to wet myself with excitement. 2/5
LR
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