Get me an ice cream
The Naked and Famous – Girls Like You
Polydor Ltd.
Naked and Famous — Girls Like You by Senya's Playlist
Passive Me, Aggressive You is the debut album from New Zealand natives, The Naked and Famous. Already pinned down as one of 2011’s best debut's, ‘Girls Like You’ appears at the concluding moments of a record that’s managed to coalesce mawkish electro sincerity with mercurial indie-rave inflictions.
This album extract, in particular, highlights the hidden composure of an electrically wayward group. Its controlled crescendo is obviously looming into a digital fireworks display but it predictability fails to numb the glorious splattering of sandwiched new-wave indie-dance that finally spews into the abyss. 4/5
DJ
Patrick Wolf - House
Mercury Records
Patrick Wolf - House by alienhits
I like playing that game where you hear a song and imagine it being played in the soundtrack of a film somewhere. 'House' is as good a gift to someone playing this pretend, made-up game as is getting the first turn when playing Noughts and Crosses.
Jubilantly soaring pop synths, tinkling melody and the sweetness of Wolf's vocals are screaming 'boy and girl realise they were meant to be together and run teary-eyed into one another's arms before beginning a happy-new-life montage in a RomCom' at me. It's a tender pop moment from the audaciously flamboyant singer. 3.5/5
LS
Junior Boys - Banana Ripple
Domino
Junior Boys - Banana Ripple by Arunas
Part Chromeo, part Hot Chip, Banana Ripple is a soppy poppy housey ode to smiles and sunshine that would doubtlessly provide a winning accompaniment to an aerobics class decked out in fluorescent lycra. There’s not much to object to here, but it is very middle of the road faire, and as political scoffentators used to remark of the Liberal Democrats: if you stay in the middle of the road too long you’re bound to get run over. Lovely keys at 2mins though. 3/5
AM
Deerhoof – Behold a Marvel in the Darkness
ATP/Recordings
Deerhoof - Behold a Marvel in the Darkness by All Tomorrows Parties
This track's got a twinkly, bejewelled sound to it, like some Bjork-like nymph is cycling about in the sun, sprinkling cheap glitter over people with a freakishly incessant smile plastered on her face. And the diagnosis? Bi-polar I'd imagine, considering the sharp transition from sickly sweet child-like vocals questioning 'What is this thing called love?' to the hammering schizophrenic response from the drums. It's a tad on the repetitive side but inoffensive nonetheless. Mind you, no one expected that innocent, elfin-faced Bjork to go psycho on that reporter and this track's got similar 'slightly off the rail' undertones too. 2.5/5
JJB
DJ Shadow – I Gotta Rokk
Universal Island Records
Dj Shadow-I Gotta Rokk (LP Version) by oli02
As a keen Shadow fan, I'm finding this tune pretty disappointing. While it's a good thing for any artist to branch out and try different things, in this instance the veteran hip/trip hoppist may have struck out blindly and come back empty handed.
The extreme left to right panning of the main hook is a nice idea, but not strong enough to carry the rest of the track. In fact, it makes the whole thing kind of jaunty. The 80's hair-metal guitar samples are not retro-cool, they're pretty irritating, as are the shrieking vocals for that matter.
It's worth pointing out that this one probably wasn't designed for solo headphone-listening. Given the advantages of a big club sound system and perhaps an intelligent mix with something complimentary, it may take on a whole new identity. But as single release this one totally misses the mark. 2/5
JoJ
Airship - Kids
Play It Again Sam
Airship - Kids by airshipband
This is one of the noisiest tracks I've ever heard.
It's like someone took seven really loud songs and smashed them together. There's a trace of the morose Morrisey methodology, typical before Airship went all emo-rock, but it's fleeting. It's hard to judge the vocals since they're mostly drowned out by the sound of a fourteen-piece orchestra falling down a spiral staircase in a tornado.
This is the kind of song you shouldn't listen to if you've got a headache, or if you don't want to have a headache. 2/5
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