New Releases – 9th March

New Releases – 9th March

04 March, 2009
by: Music Team

*Single of the Week*
Kap Bambino – Red Sign
Because Music

What do you get if you take that Sex Pistols song about abortions and stuff and get a pair of electro Frenchy hipster types to cover it? Well, given that this is a review of Kap Bambino's new track 'Red Sign', then you should probably be able to guess that the answer to that is, um, 'Red Sign' by Kap Bambino?

And it's awesome! There's shed loads of electro noise, a slightly unhinged sounding French lady with smudged make-up, handclaps, impenetrable lyrics, and a cool video. What's not to like? 4.5/5
TJ


CFCF – You Hear Colours/Invitation to Love
Acephale Records

Montreal-based disco wunderkind Mike Silver has made a name for himself remixing the likes of Sally Shapiro, and this double A-side offers further evidence that the current Italo revival could be more than just a fad.

This is the sort of vintage escapist pop that makes you want to squeeze into some tight white jeans, cultivate a moustache and pretend you're on a yacht in Sardinia. Then the music stops and you're back in that Dalston crackhouse. Still, it was nice while it lasted. 4/5
MH


Hatcham Social – Murder In The Dark
Fierce Panda

'A clearing in the forest' is what 'hatcham' means. It's easy to imagine listening to this song in a forest at twilight. Hatcham is also a liberal club in Peckham but that notion sounds slightly less romantic.

Murder in the Dark is a melancholic and simultaneously upbeat song. It's a grower in a minor key – vaguely threatening what with it being about murder – but also chirpy. They describe a person about to die as a 'marionette in waiting' which I also like. 4/5
LC

Three Trapped Tigers – Blood and Biscuits
Pure Groove Records

Not only do Three Trapped Tigers win the award for best animal-themed name narrowly beating Pull Tiger Tail to the title, they have also pulled off one of the best EPs I've heard in ages.

Taking the listener in all directions, each of the 5 tracks manages to sound like a cacophony of noise yet at the same time beautifully melodic. Picking up where 65 Days of Static left off, Three Trapped Tigers are certainly ones to watch out for. 4/5
GS


T.I. and Justin Timberlake – Dead and Gone
Jive Records

T.I. takes up the Tupac mantle, gangsta rapping about fear and weakness, biting off more than you can chew, and the persistent desire to turn one's back on gangsterism in favour of, say, chilling out at a beauty spa with Justin Timberlake.

Like Tupac, T.I. has a very fluent, witty style and he's not above celebrity guest spots. Predictable beats and daft, plangent piano melodies also recall the amateurish, forgettable album fodder which fans of Tupac file under 'fast forward'. 3/5
JH


The Hot Melts – Edith
Epitaph/Wonderland Records

If inoffensive, poptastic, generic indie rock is your bag then you'll love this one from Liverpudlian indie rockers The Hot Melts.
 
This song has it all – an irritatingly catchy guitar riff, an equally irritating and repetitive chorus, impressively flexible vocals that suddenly change pitch when you least expect it and curious food-related lyrics about overcooking a chicken, which seems quite fitting as their name kind of makes me want to eat a cheese toasty. 3/5
GT


Black Lips – Short Fuse
Vice Records

Psychedelic garage rock kids The Black Lips describe themselves as a 'flower punk band'. This description seems right on the money. It is laid to bare on this track as a soft, dream-like haze floats atop the rather nice, dirgy surf riff, and chokes it to death.

This track has both that shouty kid quality, and a toothy DIY shine. But it also feels kind of dull. It doesn't go far enough in any direction, but listlessly plugs away at common denominator punk, rock and noise references. 2.5/5
LS


Alix Perez and Sabre – Everglade
Metalheadz Records

This is what I'd call clinical drum 'n' bass and what real aficionados would probably call 'techstep'. I actually like dnb of the liquid variety but this is distinctly lacking in any kind of warm melody you'd get with, say, a London Elektricity track or floor-stomping energy that prevails in Chase and Status tunes.

In my mind drum 'n' bass should make you want to dance or feel uplifted but this just makes me feel a bit cold and depressed. 2/5
EM

Dan Black – Alone
Polydor

Maybe it's because I absolutely hate this guy's face and his smug video (which is based entirely around said visage) but I just cannot like this tune, despite the fact that it's perfectly alright.

The beats are good, and the melodies a cleverly constructed collage of electro/pop styles, crowned with a head-invading vocal. The lyrics, which appear to cobble together concepts from other songs at random, cement the impression that you are listening to an entirely derivative 'artist'. 1/5
JH


September – Can't Get Over It
Hard2Beat Records

Last week we all wished to be Stockholm hipsters. This week the same nation serves up this piece of soulless eurocrap, which will probably soundtrack every 18-30's holiday from now 'til Doomsday. What's going on Sweden?

It's not that I hate euro-pop; I used to quite like it in 1992. I was 10 though, and also liked Transformers, tracksuit bottoms and football stickers. If I grew out of it, why can't every record producer on the continent do the same? 0.5/5
DH


No Spotify playlist this week - we're too far ahead of the game for them, darlings. But you can still watch everything in glorious YouTube, and while you're about it, why not join our Facebook Group? Or slag us off anonymously in the comments section below?

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Music Team