New Releases - 24 Aug

New Releases - 24 Aug

19 August, 2009
by: Music Team

*Single of the Week*
Makossa and Megablast – Marrakesh
Gigolo Records

This eight-minute monster starts off with a frivolous cosmic beat to make you smile, which soon gives way to some twisted tortured synth, before breaking out into a progressive techno march.

The disco production, afro drums and rise-and-fall dynamic of the track mean it's hard, but listenable.

'Marrakesh' is both tropical and funky, modern and progressive, building in layers from dubbed out crispiness to full blown disco and back again. From one bar to the next your face will be puppeteered from a daft grin to sneering pout. Sexy. 4.5/5
RC

Lily Allen – 22
Parlophone

Off the tube from work (at last got that toss-pot from Vogue to feature your client in their Best Brollies round-up) stuff Grazia into your bag with the lipgloss and Marlboro Lights. Get to the bar. You all order rosé, move onto vodka cranberry. Bitch about Sienna Miller, reminisce, snap a heel.

Is this it? There's hope, but it's a gin-soaked lust for Sinha-Stanic. 'Autumn/Winter '11 already?' The Ab Drab life teeters along. Mascara and misery – once more Lily nails it. 4.5/5
TJ

KRS-One and Buckshot – Robot 
Duckdown Records

The lead single from 'Survival Skills' is a comment on the current state of hip hop and its numerous 'fakers'.

'Everything we're doing is past work' says KRS-One of the music industry that tends to reproduce copies of existing greats. It's good to see The Teacha back in the ring on his high horse – and this track is a decent contribution to his catalogue.

There's even room for a quick dig: Buckshot criticises the use of Autotune, dissing T-Pain with 'the best to do it was Roger Troutman'. Clever and cutting. 4/5
LC

Black Lips – Drugs
Vice

I don't know why Black Lips have this hold on me, but every time I hear them I want to cause trouble. They're like those kids at school that your mum told you to stay away from because they were grotty, but you hung out causing mischief with them anyway so you could blame it all on them when you got caught.

Their new single 'Drugs' is a garage rock song about partying and taking drugs. It's as fun as it sounds. 4/5
DH

Biffy Clyro – That Golden Rule
14th Floor Records

Having been pipped to the post on all the electronic goodies this week, I was somewhat dreading a Biffy Clyro instalment this morning. So imagine my undilluted surprise as I listen to a song that is not only bearable but actually rather good.

A medley of metal guitar riffs and poppy vocals meet in the middle for a sound not unlike a subdued Death From Above 1979. A little too soft for my liking, but all in all it is rather enjoyable in a teenage nostalgia kind of way. 4/5
GM

Jet – She's a Genius
Eleven Seven Music

I usually hate it when bands shamelessly rip off legendary tunes, but despite all reasonable logic dictating otherwise, I actually love this song a little bit.
 
Yes, it sounds exactly like 'My Sharona' and no, Jet isn't exactly my favourite band, but for some inexplicable reason that goes against my better judgement, I can't get enough of this song. In the immortal words of Arctic Monkeys, here's the proof that love's not only blind but deaf. 4/5 (sorry)
GT

Team Waterpolo – Letting Go
Moshi Moshi Records

Euro-pop has always been well-liked, and I've learnt to accept this. On occasion I have been known to sing along to those catchy tunes, maybe even dance a little. Team Waterpolo seem to have cashed in on this, blending some unnecessary stuttering and keyboard synth so that they sound like a '80s version of the All-American Rejects.

Whilst 'Letting Go' is quite catchy, it gets bloody irritating after a while.2.5/5
GB

King Creosote – No One Had It Better
Domino
 
Ever wondered what it would sound like if Mogwai tried to carve out a niche playing obscure, barely listenable Kylie B-sides? Nope, me neither - but it surely wouldn't be far from this, the opener to Kenny Anderson's three-millionth album.

Maybe he realised that drunken Celtic folk doesn't get played on Hollyoaks? Maybe Domino hadn't filled their drum machine quota for the month? I dunno. I preferred it when this Creosote did exactly what it said on the tin. 2/5
MF
 
Eiffel 65 – Blue (Da Ba Dee) Remix 2009
ZYX

What's more embarrassing? That Eiffel 65 have felt the need to recapture the glory days with a remix of their '99 hit 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)' or the fact I used to own it on a 'Summer Holiday Hits' compilation?

I don't really know what to make of this. It's obviously terrible but it reminds me of the freedom of school holidays, illicit snogs with Spanish boys and a tramp giving me my first taste of whisky from a brown paper bag. Ah halcyon formative years...where didst thou go?! 2/5
EM

Elektralux – Missing Out
Naim Edge

Money, cash, cards, and cars is what I'm missing, reflects the lead singer of this Bath-based five-piece in a banal ditty about how girls don't dig you when you're skint.

The ska guitar, cheap keyboard effects and unmelodic vocals come across like a bad fusion of Lily Allen and The Streets (and yes, Elektralux do have an MC), which means some will inevitably find it 'catchy' and 'gritty'. Personally, if the audio file I listened to magically materialised, I'd wipe my ass with it. 1/5
NF


Two things - one, nice to see Marcus Foley back, New Releases have been missing his dry wit, and two, what's with all the 4/5s? Have we all been inhaling next door's cannibis joss sticks? Who knows. Anyway, please join the Facebook Group, leave a comment and tell your friends. We're off to smash stuff to Manowar.

P.S It's our fearless head editor Joe's birthday today. Feel free to leave him some good wishes below!

Music Team