Sounds of the way out...
Swimming – Sun in the Island
EVR Records
Swimming would probably hate me for saying this - but their new single sounds a bit like how Incubus might sound if they had grown up in Nottingham.
It begins with a disjointed trip, psychadelic almost, then John Sampson's vocals soar over, tipping into falsetto, before the guitar kicks in: distorted, satisfying, classic chord changes in a massive Incubus way. In my opinion this is a good thing. Uplifting, rocking. Love it. 4/5
LC
Anna Calvi – Blackout
Domino Records
Let’s just start with the most important fact: Calvi’s half Italian and incredibly beautiful, which, let’s be honest, never hurt anyone, did it?
‘Blackout’ is a work of gothicy pop brilliance, teaming Calvi’s melancholy voice with a dark, brooding and intense melody. Her voice is as stunning as it is powerful and showcased perfectly throughout the song’s chorus. It’s rare that an artist deserves the hype surrounding them but here, it may just about be justified. 4/5
VS
Hyper – The End
Distinctive Records
An eerie entrance gives way to an angry yet elevating medley of sounds. Zoning in and out the electro beats, sick drum loops and extended screams is interesting, even exciting at first… yet the repetition quickly becomes old. I spend the song waiting for something new to happen, and as the sounds drift away I blink, dazed… Nothing. 3/5
AM
The Vaccines – If You Wanna
Sony Music
There’s nothing to be said about The Vaccines that hasn’t already been said. Love ‘em or loathe them they’re here to stay, for the next twelve months anyway.
New single, ‘If You Wanna’, ricochets of the inevitable overload of static guitars like a broken pinball machine, and while potential looms as the chorus conjures up the balls to erupt, the limp bark of ‘if you wanna come it’s alright, it’s alright’ reveals lifeless conviction buried under bogus claims of innovation. 2.5 / 5
DJ
White Lies - Strangers
Fiction
White Lies seem to have steered away from the Joy Divison/Depeche Mode sound of their last album and I think it sucks. While their 2008 album could hardly have been called uplifting it still had some thrilling basslines and catchy choruses to hook you in. There's something acutely depressing about many of the emo-tastic anthems in Ritual. I get the same shiver down my spine whenever I inadvertently hear a Glasvegas tune on the radio. Time to go back to Joy Divison. 2/5
EM
Cabbie – DarkDark / Astroids
Pollution Records
I'm a strong believer in respecting people's musical tastes, but I'll be honest – drum n bass scares the shit out of me. This release from Londoner 'Cabbie' is no exception.
It's a double A-Side, but to my untrained ear there's very little difference between the two. 'DarkDark'' and 'Astroids' both feel like a 350mph journey through your worst childhood nightmare with a criminally insane cab driver. I'm left wanting a hot chocolate and a cuddle from my nan. 2/5
TA
Bag Raiders – Sunlight
Modular
A forgettable and cynical attempt to grab a slice of the Summer "anthems" market. The very best thing about it is the video that features a lady, who looks uncannily like a splicing of Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson, getting it on with a monkey.
I suggest watching the video on mute whilst listening to something better than this tune...which would be pretty much anything: white noise, the sound of genocide, opera performed solely with the anal sphincter - you get the idea. 2/5
TO
Crystal Fighters – At Home
Zirkulo
“Oh yah Gilbert, let's like totally make a massive summer festival anthem. If we can get Laure and Mimi to do a blandly meaningful chanty thing, our careers will go like really, really big.”
“Yah, great idea, Sebastian. And let's add that weird instrument you found on your gap year – it'll totally make us seem really, like, kooky and not knowingly cynical in the slightest. Oh, what about our long hair – that's still alternative, yah?”
Catchy, but dead inside. 1/5
TJ
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