The Hot Five – My favourite new tracks of the week, usually rounded off with a classic, obscure or alternate track from my music collection.

Track of the week: Saint Agnes – ‘Old Bone Rattle’

It is widely acknowledged that guitar music is having a bit of a tough time of it at present. Saint Agnes’ rock n roll style trippy Western inspired psychedelic-rock certainly reminds us of what we’re missing. ‘Old Bone Rattle’ is raw, it’s bold, and it’s seriously fucking cool. Saint Agnes, aka Jon Tufnell and Kitty Austen, initially bonded over a mutual love of Nick Cave and Jack White, and those influences are as strong as the dual vocal line that erupts from the tracks first hook. This is an instant classic.

Black Rivers – ‘The Ship’

Just the other day I was listening to a couple of tracks from Doves’ 2009 album Kingdom Of Rust, and I wondered what had happened to them. It turns out that Doves announced a hiatus in 2010, but recently twin brothers Jez and Andy Williams have announced the formation of a new band, Black Rivers. The two-piece’s first single starts with a sparse intro, before developing the track with electronic synth sound that build ‘The Ship’ into an atmospheric piece typical of Doves at their best. The song is available as a free download from this link.

Bruno Merz – ‘Into The Air’

Sit back, relax, and take in ‘Into The Air’, the first track to be shared from New Zealand folk artist Bruno Merz’s new album Highways. As a track, ‘Into The Air’ is tranquil, and if you take the time to listen to this song in the right settings you will definitely be rewarded. The quality of the fragile vocal gives such character to the song, and the minimal arrangement works perfectly to create a relaxing atmosphere. If this track isn’t fitting for a Muso, I don’t know what is.

You can download this track for free via Bruno Merz’s official website

William Fitzsimmons – ‘Fortune (Acoustic)’

Liked the last track, yeah? Definitely press play on this one then. William Fitzsimmons is known for his cleverly emotive songwriting, and his raw talent really shines through when you strip the arrangement down to its bare essentials. In this acoustic arrangement the focus is on the delicate vocal line, which is simply mesmerizing. New EP The Acoustic Sessions is available now, with four new stripped down arrangements of previous recordings.

Hidden track of the week: Radiohead – ‘Staircase’

Radiohead were voted the most influential band on the planet this week…. Like I really need an excuse to share a Radiohead song. ‘Staircase’ was recorded in the TKOL From The Basement session alongside ‘The Daily Mail’, and was released in 2011. Radiohead are set to regroup in the near future to begin work on a potential ninth studio album.

You can follow Tom on twitter @tom_fake

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the week: ‘TNR’ by Kasper Bjorke feat. Jaakko Eino Kalevi

Kasper Bjorke is readying a new album, and for this song he has enlisted Jaakko Eino Kalevi, who recently released an album of his own. I happened to catch him not too long ago live as well, which was well fun. Here he lends his dreamy, airy vocals to Bjorke’s equally dreamy, yet darker arrangements. Especially the part after the vocals, like the one just after the minute mark, has a sense of deeper trouble. And not only the synth tapestries cause that, but also the way the drums are used. When Kalevi sings there’s a deeper bass sound that keeps the balance in those moments, and the synth and Kalevi seemingly reverse roles in the verse thereafter where he drops his voice and where Bjorke ups the synth. I really like Bjorke, his singles are always pure ace and as always I’m curious to see what the album is going to be like. Here you just see his ear for sounds, the way he alternates the deep sounds with the higher pitched ones, how he switches things up, and how he manages to create a mood through all of that. He’s doing some London DJ dates in September, around the release date of his album, which will also feature, amongst others, Nomi Ruiz on vocals.

‘Tiny Stars’ by Leo Zero ft. Candi Godbold

Leo Zero is coming with a new album, and this is a new cut off of that. It starts with a nice bassline and, what seems to me, plates that are being shattered. The rhythm builds, the synth comes in, and all of this is happening as the backdrop for the vocals of Candi Godbold, which have this minor Bjork quality to them, very atmospheric and whispery. When the vocals get a rest you really notice the bass that effortlessly gets this track to the next vocal bit. During the vocals you get loads of synth sounds to assist her, and for the parts without the vocals Leo Zero lets the rhythm do the talking, with the bass as his main priority. So if you like your bass sounds, this one is there for the dancing. I also like the deeper vocals going ooooohhh-hooooo-ahhh-haaa for the atmosphere, though the bass takes the cake in this seven minute affair, with Godbold’s voice giving it extra uniqueness points.

‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ by MJ (Young Pulse Rework)

Never not a good time to bust out an MJ (as in, Michael Jackson) track, as it is something that gets everyone dancing. Young Pulse takes an oooooldie, with MJ’s voice still oozing innocence over a plethora of strings. Young Pulse knows when to take back some sounds and just make it some conga’s as rhythm, because at times you just want to make sure that MJ gets the room to shine. At about 2:40 there’s a break in the action in terms of the vocals, and there’s a jazzy interlude that Young Pulse has decided to throw in there with some solos and stuff. It’s a pretty smooth ride, no huge drops or anything like that, which is probably the way to go. All the transitions seem natural, and with the percussion and extra keys in the interlude parts it gives it something festive and holiday like. So happy vibes all over, which I guess is the right kind of feel for an early MJ track, even if the King of Pop sounds a bit shout-y at times. Young fellas need to get heard though, right?

{soundcloud}https://soundcloud.com/youngpulse/mj-what-goes-around-comes-around-young-pulse-rework{/soundcloud}

‘Party Lights’ by Jam Master

Jam Master immediately gets the funk and the handclaps out on this one, with the old school build-up arriving at about forty seconds in. That one ends, fittingly, with some horns, after which that typical bass sound takes over again. He lets those ride for a while before returning with the horns and, this time, the vocals. They’ve got a nice soulful ring to them as they ask you to boogie along with them as they “turn those party lights on”. I love the transition into the chorus, so smile-inducingly old school, after which they immediately announce they are going to boogie. At about 3:10 there’s this break in the action, with just some handclap sounds basically, and what I guess is the horn section who collectively shout out to “turn up those party lights”. I mean, it has that kind of vibe, three-man horn section in the back, playing those damn things to boogie the place up, and then during the drop they have their horns by their side as they sway back and forth and yell in the microphone to get those party lights on. The title says it all, it’s a funky party track with some delicious old school happiness to it.

‘Everything We Are’ by Slow Hands

Slow Hands will release a new EP through the Wolf+Lamb label, and this is a luscious track off of that. It’s got some nice, incessant drums that pop up on occassion, and that whispery voice certainly adds some mood to the whole thing. In the mean time something is going wrong in love country, with the lads singing that There’s nothing left to say and that you are The one that got away. I really like all those additional sounds they put in there at exactly the right moments, like that high synth, and those drums do give it a nice tinge of immediacy that go along well with the dramatic reading the vocalists give. Wolf+Lamb records always manages to churn out some quality, and this EP surely will be no different. Also comes with a Cameo Culture remix of this tune.

‘Got Me Moving’ by Sinden presents The Crystal System feat. SYF

"Party track!", that’s what this one screams right out of the gates. It’s got a punchy beat and some wavy, deep synths that the lads throw out there, though it are the piano and those vocals that are this track’s biggest strengths from the get go (even if I do think there’s something to that wavering, deeper synth that seemingly just lives on its own). That 1:30 momentum builder is build for the masses I do think, and SYF starts repeating the line “you got me moving” quicker and quicker before the track returns to normal again. This all is quickly followed by another drop, after which the track picks up some pace to give a bit of a jolt to those on the dancefloor. I would be lying if I said this is my favorite track SYF has worked on this year, but those vocals can get me to listen to an oral history of the aubergine on tape if that’s what he puts out. Sonny Fodera is one of the guys doing a remix on this though, and it seems like an album will be coming out some time, some place, so there you go.

The Hot Five – My favourite new tracks of the week, usually rounded off with a classic, obscure or alternate track from my music collection.

Track of the week: Phil Selway – ‘Coming Up For Air’

Radiohead drummer Phil Selway has recently announced his second solo album, entitled Weatherhouse. Along with this announcement, Selway has premiered single ‘Coming Up For Air’ and it’s accompanying video, a fantastic, Hitchcock-inspired piece created by Spanish collective NYSU. The track itself carries on where 2010’s Familial left off; it’s atmospheric, and in typical Selway style has a strong, striking drum beat that helps to create a clever, and well-rounded piece. It’s a strong track that is sending all the right messages to promote the new album, which will be released by independent label Bella Union on October 6.

Escapists – ‘Eyes’

Atmospheric harmonies and huge vocal character – that’s what keeps you hooked in the opening exchanges of this track. ‘Eyes’ showcases “a more delicate relaxed sound to counterpoint the chaos heard in other Escapists songs”. The minimal arrangement gives the track a simplistic beauty that justifies the immediate comparison to Bon Iver. Escapists’ debut album, Only Bodies, was released on Monday (August 4), and the band has announced a show at the Lexington in London on August 25.

Vance Joy – ‘First Time’

Vance Joy has announced details of the lead single to be taken from his forthcoming debut album Dream Your Life Away, which is to be released on September 15. Building on hit single ‘Riptide’, the bittersweet ‘First Time’ has an upbeat shuffle beat and cleverly basic arrangement that accompanies sombre lyrics of heartbreak and sorrow. To celebrate the release of the album, Vance Joy will begin a sold out headline UK tour on September 21, finishing up with two consecutive nights at Shepherd's Bush Empire on October 2 & 3, the second London show being added due to demand.

Ezra Vine – ‘Celeste’

Continuing along folky lines, here we have self-produced, London-based singer-songwriter Ezra Vine. Vine is originally from Auckland, and ‘Celeste’ enjoyed great success in New Zealand last year; the song is set for an official release in the UK in late September. It’s another uplifting track, complete with a driving drum beat and reverberating vocal harmonies that emphasise the already strong vocal melodies. You can catch Ezra Vine on tour, funnily enough, with Vance Joy in September, and he is also set to perform at Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall this coming weekend.

Hidden track of the week: Beth Orton – ‘Daybreaker’

I’ve just been reading some reviews of Daybreaker, the 2002 album from folktronica singer-songwriter Beth Orton. I’d like to take this opportunity to be publically upset at the man who branded Daybreaker “Beth Orton's third in a series of progressively bland and unadventurous releases”. This particular track is an intelligent, trip hop-inspired piece with a vocal strong and characteristic enough to rival any female electronica artist. It also uses the talents of collaborators William Orbit and Ben Watt perfectly to create the atmospheric landscape of sound effects, drum beats, and reverberating vocals. Hardly “bland and unadventurous”, now is it?

You can follow Tom on twitter @tom_fake

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the week: ‘The Way That You Do It’ by Caserta

There’s no mistaking its dancefloor intent with the harsh, sharp beat at the start. Never a big fan of those, but slowly it starts veering away from that, and at about the three quarter minute mark you get into the disco groove with all those characteristic sounds, especially that guitar that is thrown in there. So suddenly we’ve got ourselves a funky little number here, especially when those vocals come in, which assure us that It is not what you do, but it’s just the way that you do it. I love the moment at about 2:45 when the kind of multiple vocal chorus comes in, that’s just so old school right there, and then he slides the track into this all out funk phase before he starts the vocals up again. If, at this point, you’re not dancing yet, you’re probably not in a funky kind of mood. Though, with that beat in the back to hold onto, you don’t necessarily have to be in order to be staying on the dancefloor. But Caserta has got the mood down pat, making this a pleasurable one for some dancing, especially if, like me, you don’t mind a bit of old school popping up every now and again (at about 4:45 that chorus comes in again, and again it’s just bliss). That piano at about 5:45 is another fine example of that.

‘Private Practice’ by Nick Monaco

The start certainly is an attention grabber, with two ways of vocals coming your way (one heavily distorted and seemingly munching). After that you get the drums, and then yet another vocal layer, which I just love. I love vocals, and this certainly has got it in abundance. And it does still have some rhythm, also with the drums. Still needs to be made into a track though, and you get a deep synth sound that for a minute glues the layers together before, at about 1:40, the munchy vocals run away with the track, and its runaway bride is a deep bass sound that gives it some nasty. At 2:20 the nastiness is replaced by higher pitched vocals and a smithering of piano, and about half a minute later these parts get reunited with the drums and the munchy vocal line. At 3:25 though the deep bass returns. So it is a track of layers and of switch-ups, giving it this experimental feel that definitely puts it left field of what you’ll normally be hearing. Not to mention that it ends with a bit of classic house percussion, so it’s all good.

‘Aller Vers Le Soleil’ by Sebastien Tellier (Hercules And Love Affair remix)

Last week the Hercules and Love Affair gang had the track of the week slot, and here they come with another remix (also, they came with a new, conceptual clip for the brilliant ‘My Offence’ of off their latest album, so check that out as well). In last week’s write-up I already mentioned that in many of their remixes they tend to veer to the colder beats, and here too that’s certainly how it starts until that bass sound comes in. It’s quite a mid-to-slow paced affair this, and at 1:44 you get some lovely synths in there working against a simple kick drum. Soon the bass makes its entry again, and at this point the track has this kind of lush vibe, to which the vocals of Sebastien Tellier (singing in French) only add to. I love the airy synths that are put behind the vocals, they give it a nice atmosphere. After the four minute mark it goes a bit deeper with that bass sound, which they nicely contrast with a tu-de-du-doo vocal line of Tellier, along with some piano. At the end Andy Butler throws in some tech-y sounds that, personally, I could have done without, but overall a nice, lush, lower paced remix by the talented house performers.

‘Enter the Dragon’ by Ooft!

Just love those deep sounds at the start, if that doesn’t tell you that you have arrived at a party where you just need to put your head down and dance I don’t know what does. Also enjoy all the percussion elements they throw in there, and they excellently change that main sound up through the first minute to build some momentum. In the mean time, to keep the variety up, they keep changing and adding to that percussion layer to make sure the track keeps going somewhere. Something which they also achieve by playing around with that synth sound. It’s got a nice immediacy to it I feel, definitely one for the late night crowd this. At about 2:40 it goes a bit arena on you, maybe expanding the sound a bit too much (at least for my personal liking), but especially with the drop they sure cater to the crowd who want to party heartily.

‘Return Of The Mac’ by Jesse Rudoy

I just love the title for some reason, it just tells you something I find. Now, if you like dancing, the Let’s Play House label is where it’s at, so no wonder this cheeky little number is released on there. It’s about a fun night out, no question. So you’ve got all those house instrumentals that make you want to dance, and in the mean time you are just thinking No, honey, they wouldn’t, as the Mac in the title is certainly not Mack the Knife or something. In the mean time Jesse Rudoy just keeps on plugging along with all those traditional house elements that keep people dancing and on the dancefloor. All transitions are so smooth, as are all references to the “original”, they are mixed in there surprisingly well, as if they actually belong in a house track. Certainly, by doing this, he shows more guts than I would ever have, and I like to work with some corny stuff, let me tell ya. And, you know, it works, and try repressing a smile during this one (or to not dance as well, by the way).

‘Two For One’ by Will Saul & Komon

Last month Will Saul released a DJ KICKS mix, and as is customary for these things the “curator” himself adds one or two originals from his own back catalogue. Will Saul decided to add one where he worked together with Komon, providing a deep, spacey cut that relies more on atmospherics than pace. There’s a huge dial down followed by a prolonged build-up around the middle of the track, which furthermore reiterates that the focus is on the deep space vibes to groove to (even more so than dance to I’d say). Though at about 2:48 there’s the big bass sound that, when played in a set, will give the crowd enough to be moving to. At first a bit more introverted, but to those deep drums that at one point come in I’m sure some beautiful people can strike some immaculate poses (really like those drums, by the way, gives it some attitude after the atmospherics of the first part).