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: ‘Dangerous Days’ by Zola Jesus (The Juan MacLean remix)

Both of these juggernauts are about to release a new album, so what better reason to team up then, eh? The Juan MacLean puts in the sounds verging on techno at the start, though it is that dull thudding sound that makes sure it doesn't sound too devoid of feel. From about the 1:20 mark you get this lovely synth sound, and twenty seconds later you get the impeccable vocals of Zola Jesus. Surprisingly, they mesh pretty well, even if the vocals are a long cry from the more rhythmic Nancy Whang. Here the vocals don’t add something to the rhythm, but they add some warmth, which counter balances the fairly “cold” sounds, without being negative about that. The Juan MacLean always has a certain industrial quality to his sound that I do really love. There are moments in this remix where the voice takes center stage, with The Juan MacLean stripping away all that makes you dance, later obviously coming back to that. It’s got the danceability you’d expect, and the vocals give it a bit of warmth to make it well worth the listen.

‘This Is Not About Us’ by Kindness

Kindness is gearing up to release his new album, Otherness, and this will give you an idea of what might be on there. He starts almost singer-songwriter like with just a piano and his dreamy vocals, but soon the rest comes in to give it some rhythm so you can do a slow little shuffle to it. I really like how he uses his vocals. First of all there’s this huge difference between the vocals in the verses and the chorus, where either they use multiple layers of vocals or there are some backing singers on there. But I also really like the way he alternates between almost pathetically admitting that “you should find someone new” to sometimes being on the verge of shouting it all out. Add to that the slight funk in the percussion that juxtaposes the vocal sound, and what you’ve got is yet another terribly good track by this guy, making the album one to look out for.

‘On&On&On&On’ by Baio

This one starts out like it wants to make you dance, as it immediately jumps in with the beat from the get go. After about twenty seconds the wood percussion gets some extra atmosphere as well, courtesy of the synths. From that point on you get an extra layer after about every so many seconds, putting down the vibe on this one. From about 1:20 you get into an almost tropical kind of sound, making you wish that summer was not yet over. There’s always something going on that a dancer can hold on to, with the bass or the percussion being in there underneath the layer of tropical synths. That is, until the break of course, which starts about three minutes in and which Baio is in no hurry to disturb, lasting over a minute. Then the tropical sounds come back in first, after which the bass is put in again for those needing something a little more sturdy to dance to. If you like your tropicana drinks free and with a slice of bass, then this might be something you’re into.

‘Spellbound’ by Justin Faust

This one puts you in dancing mode from just about the get go, and it even adds another dancing layer at about 30 to push it all out even more. Leave it to Justin Faust to keep the momentum up and happening by adding just a little bit of punch at exactly the right moments. After the first minute you already hear a bit of the vocals, and you’ll keep on hearing them as Faust is working up to the break by upping the volume of the synths more and more throughout the second minute of this one. Those synths and vocals (still fairly muted, as they will remain throughout the song) are the essence of the break, which he lifts to get all y’all dancing again. Second part of the song as well, at exactly the right moments he gives the track a little punch or smoothly transitions into a different main sound to dance to, and that keeps this one from losing any steam in its almost five minute running time. Though, near the end, he slowly builds this one down to then abruptly stop.

‘Can’t Do Without You’ by Caribou (Tale of Us & Mano le Tough remix)

Caribou is going to release his new album Our Love next month, and this is a cut off of that. As with most Caribou songs, they give you plenty of stuff, and the album versions are usually just slightly too off beat to get into unabased party mode. So then, obviously, you bring in Tale of Us and Mano le Tough, who know how to get the crowds out and moving. For this one they first let it build up, and the kick drum and all the other dance elements start to come from about 1:30 onwards. There’s also a deeper, lazy synth on top to give it some atmosphere, with Caribou repeating the title line “Can’t Do Without You’ almost obsessively. That synth line provides a nice contrast with the deeper beat, which gets stripped during the break at about 3:15, where they go with atmospheric sounds, a low volumed synth, and the voice that sings that he-- you guessed it-- “can’t do without you”. They keep with the atmospherics for a pretty long time, and then they start building it up towards the beat from about 4:30 again. With three heavy hitters on board this was always going to be worth listening, though don’t expect a full on party track, with Tale of Us and Mano le Tough keeping the vibe and feel still front and center. Though no one will deny that on 3/4ths of the track you can get some dancing done.

‘Worlds Apart’ by Seven Lions feat. Kerli (Bit Funk remix)

It starts with a batch of percussion, but after a few seconds it dials down for the first time, going for just piano and the vocals of Kerli. Bit Funk then slides the percussion under it again, and after the verse it gets a beat as the track almost moves into the pop arena here. And that’s probably how to look at it, a track that would get the people bouncing at the summer festivals. Also on the back of those vocals I reckon, which Bit Funk uses to the max and which are always going full throttle. As mentioned, there are moments where they tone it down and where the vocals and piano take center stage. Soon they work in the drums again, really going pop structure style I reckon. And it makes for a fresh, happy, catchy little tune not so much for the club. But for that summer festival and with live musicians I can see this happening no doubt.

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: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – ‘Give Us A Kiss’

I think that Nick Cave has to be one of the most consistently fantastic artists on the planet. Not only have The Bad Seeds’ recent studio albums received great reviews across the board, but the band’s live performances are also held in extremely high regard. Cave’s latest project is the documentary film 20,000 Days On Earth, which depicts a fictitious 24 hours in the life of Nick Cave, and seamlessly blends performance and storytelling with emotional truths. Neither a music documentary nor a concert film, 20,000 Days On Earth contains not just electrifying performances, but also keen insights into the creative process. The songs from the award-winning feature 20,000 Days On Earth, including this, the fantastic ‘Give Us A Kiss’, will be available digitally from September 4 with a limited edition vinyl 10” to be released on November 10.

20,000 Days On Earth will be released on September 19.

Philip Selway – ‘It Will End In Tears’

Ramping up the anticipation of new album Weatherhouse, Philip Selway has released a new track, ‘It Will End In Tears’. It’s a succinct and well written song that shows the maturity of Selway’s solo songwriting. Weatherhouse was made in collaboration with Adem Ilhan and Quinta, who had previously performed in Philip's backing band. “From the outset,” Selway recalls, “we wanted the album to be the three of us, and we covered a lot of instruments between us. With a studio full of inspiring gear and a great-sounding desk, we felt like a band.  Different musicians stretch you, and I felt stretched on Weatherhouse, but very enjoyably so.” Weatherhouse will be released on October 6 via Bella Union.

Spoon – ‘Rent I Pay’

Okay, so I’ve got to admit that I don’t really know a lot about Spoon. ‘Rent I Pay’ caught my attention after automatically coming on after the above Philip Selway track had finished playing on SoundCloud. The intro to the song made a big impression on me; it’s a classic bit of rock music with indie and blues overtones that is undeniably cool. ‘Rent I Pay’ is taken from the Texans’ eighth studio album, They Want My Soul, which was released in last month.

I think that Gene Simmons needs to give Spoon a listen.

The Fratellis – ‘Oh Scarlett’

I can’t believe it’s been a year since The Fratellis released their comeback album We Need Medicine. As a thank you to their fan base, the Scots have released a new three-track EP entitled The Soul Crush EP. ‘Oh Scarlett’ shows a slightly different side to the Fratellis; a slower tempo and a bluesy, laid back feel suit the vocal of Jon Fratelli in what is one of The Fratellis’ best songs to date. You can download The Soul Crush EP for free via The Fratellis website.

Hidden track of the week: The XX – ‘Crystalised’

I don’t think anyone ever needs an excuse to listen to ‘Crystalised’, The XX’s stunning debut single taken from their Mercury Music Prize winning album The XX. You can hear the atmospheric, minimalistic influence of The XX in many current bands, including London Grammar and Vancouver Sleep Clinic (a personal favourite of mine). With tracks of such quality and originality under their belt, it is easy to see why the sound of The XX is so influential to emerging artists. In May 2014 the band revealed that they were working on their third studio album, working with producer Rodaidh McDonald at the Marfa Recording Company studio in Marfa, Texas.

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: ‘Satisfy’ by Bicep (John Talabot remix)

You know two things when Talabot does a remix, it will be nice and deep, and it will have plenty of atmosphere. He starts with the latter, getting the rain to pour down on whomever is listening to this one. After he’s got the water in your brain he gives you the beat, which is, as expected, pretty deep and lovely. The synth provides a lovely counterpoint to that, and together they soon have you hypnotized. Just before the two minute mark he mixes it up a bit, adding some muscle (...) to it to give it a bit more bass for the dancefloor. In the mean time he’s not forgetting the details though, still bringing you all the little bells and whistles to make sure there’s always enough atmosphere for you to understand that this still is mister John Talabot you are listening to. Take that lovely sound just after the three minute mark for instance, which just cuts through all the dancefloor sounds like a knife through warm butter. At about 3:30 he gives you the ol’ stare down, building up to the re-introduction of the beat. But, again, not in any ordinary way. He’s got the synth wavering, ready to go, but in the mean time he almost gives you this cinematic interlude with plenty of vibes and images, just so that after a mintue your body will start to automatically dance again when the bass comes back in. It’s Talabot, what more can you say? It’s deep, it’s hypnotic, but it still has plenty of vibe to go around. And there’s nine minutes of it to boot!

‘Take Shelter’ by Years And Years (Onra remix)

Years and Years is fronted by Olly Alexander, someone who surely has a fabulous voice. So no wonder that’s the thing Onra focuses on and runs away with. Basically, the whole first minute is a showcase of the vocals, with only a piano that manages to squeeze out a bit of that attention. After that you get some percussion beats and a synth line, but the vocals are still out and up front. The original is a relatively fast paced pop track, especially compared to this remix, where the beat slows it down, which is emphasized by a deep, lazy synth sound that arrives around 2:30. I love the comeback of the piano at around 3:10, that’s nicely done, and this one as a whole certainly gives you a totally different kind of angle than the original track. Years and Years doing some touring this Autumn, so if you fancy the voice (which also featured on a fairly recent The Magician track), pop in and have a look.

‘Calling Out’ by Midnight Magic (Bell Towers remix)

Midnight Magic is readying a second album I believe, so they are dusting off some old tracks and they’re putting them out there again. This is a Bell Towers remix of ‘Calling Out’, a cut off of their lovely What The Eyes Can’t See EP that was released a few years ago (and was a free download, I believe at the time). That first sound you hear, that’s the main asset this remix gives you, putting that one underneath a lot of the original stuff to provide you with the Bell Towers signature. It gives it a sort of clubby vibe, which the lovelornly sung original does not really have. “Calling Out to you, I am”, she sings, as the vocals are left behind for some clubby electro sounds. Which doesn’t mean they are cutting the vocals out, not at all, they are still allowed to shine, which I would consider a very wise move. I would be lying if I’d say that I’d prefer this to the original, but the more mechanical sounds of Bell Towers do provide a different background for the vocals, making for a nice contrast. The last couple of minutes they kind of ditch Midnight Magic and they run with their own thing aimed at the dancefloor, really indicating a clear break from the disco sound of the original.

‘One More Day’ by Sven Weisemann

If you kind of know Sven Weisemann you know he’s kind of an all-around guy. He’s got his DJ stuff going on, but he also likes to veer into the more classical side of the whole music business, and this is a good example of that. Not short on atmosphere this one, as one has come to expect from him. He’s just one of those guys whose got an ear for music and who can seamlessly weave sounds in and out of a song at the exact right time. It’s like the piano version of something like Nicolas Jaar this, the kind of music you put on after midnight as you’re walking around through all the city lights. All the different sounds, from the piano to the voice (no real vocals though) to all the sound effects, they blend together perfectly to create this beautiful atmosphere. It goes from slightly melancholic and dark to, at around 3:30, the opening of the heavens and the seeing of the light (whether that is a good or bad thing I’m still debating, as it can be an epiphany or the putting-your-troubles-at-ease-forever kind of thing). And as everyone who reads this column faithfully could’ve guessed, he had me at the horn sounds.

‘Sun Down’ by Tricky feat. Tirzah

Tricky is one of those guys whose name will be forever linked to the Trip Hop hype, and here he teams up with Tirzah who provides some actual singing to this track. With Tricky doing the talking, of course. I just love how this track works, when those strong instrumentals come in and when they disappear into the background. They definitely give the track something ominous, something immediate. And that vibe definitely seems to fit with the lyrics, with Tricky saying that she makes him “run round” and asking “where is the fun now”. Just a prime example of how music and story can really enhance each other, even when, at one point, the music pierces through Tirzah’s vocals, presumably out of anger and frustration. New album coming later this month.

‘Sunrise in Paradise’ by Satin Jackets

There’s already that sole drumkick that helps the piano move along, but after twenty seconds you get the full rhythm in, which after another twenty seconds gets some help from the synth to keep ‘r moving. Slowly but surely more instruments are introduced until about 1:15, when all the drum sounds get stripped for a moment as a lead up to some brief vocals. Soon, the percussion comes back again, not scaring the vocals away, and the track really gets into its feel good groove. It is the kind of soft disco track I would play at the end of a set in summer time. You know, sun already rising again, at no point during the night was there any cold whatsoever, and you are trying to get everyone going home in a good mood. The piano certainly helps with that, as in the middle of the track that takes over from the beat for a moment before, obviously, the latter comes back again to give everyone the opportunity to do some more dancing. It’s just got this happy-go-lucky vibe to it, where you breathe in the fresh summer air and are like, Yeah, this was another good day. After having typed all this, I certainly see why they named the track like they did. Not too fast paced this one, not too much of a floorbanger or something, but a gentle kiss into that ol’ goodnight. With the percussion at the end having a bit more kick to it than at the start to make sure everyone can put their last bits of energy in.

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: TV On The Radio – ‘Happy Idiot’

Despite having a name worthy of a Scouting For Girls track, TV On The Radio’s latest release, new single ‘Happy Idiot’, is an upbeat, catchy track with punchy guitars and entrancing vocal hooks that makes an instant impression. ‘Happy Idiot’ is the first track taken from TV On The Radio’s new album Seeds, the band’s first album release since the death of bass player Gerard Smith in 2011 following a courageous fight against lung cancer. Seeds is set for release this autumn.

We Were Promised Jetpacks – ‘I Keep It Composed’ 

Boasting a more refined sound with their new material, indie rockers We Were Promised Jetpacks have just launched their latest single. ‘I Keep It Composed’ is taken straight from We Were Promised Jetpacks’ third album Unravelling, which was recorded at Chem19 Studios in Glasgow and is due for release on October 6. ‘I Keep It Composed’ feels more mature than previous Jetpacks material, with a well balanced sound and clever arrangement that showcases the band at their best; it’s also a great advertisement for the new album. Unravelling is available in physical and digital formats via Fat Cat Records, including a special edition yellow vinyl release. 

Fable – ‘Stranger In My Head’

At just nineteen years old, ‘Stranger In My Head’ is a seriously impressive release from Brighton’s Fable. She has recently worked with electronic acts Orbital and Archive, and you can really hear their influences on her work. Co-written and produced by Archive, the light and shade of ‘Stranger In My Head’ is superb, and the dark strength of the vocal line takes the track to a whole new level. Later you hear the real influence of Archive in the trip-hop inspired drum beat that builds the track along with vocal harmonies. Fable’s debut EP, Parasite, will be released on October 13.

The Lost Brothers – Gold and Silver

When a track opens with an acoustic guitar part that has this much character, I’m normally hooked straight away; this example of a traditional folk fable is no exception. The duo vocals tell a story of riches and greed, life and death, and precious metals in this quant track, which was produced by Bill Ryder-Jones (The Coral, Arctic Monkeys). The Lost Brothers will be playing an in-store at Rough Trade East on September 22 to mark the release of their fourth album, New Songs of Dawn and Dust, on the same day. ‘Gold and Silver’ is available as a free download via The Lost Brothers’ SoundCloud page.

Hidden track of the week: Kate Bush – ‘Wuthering Heights’

She really is the artist of the moment; Kate Bush has received unanimously positive reviews from critics and fans alike as she performs Before The Dawn at the Hammersmith Apollo in her first live dates for 35 years. On top of that, Bush also had eight entries in the UK Official Album s Chart last week, something that has only been better by The Beatles and Elvis Presley. ‘Wuthering Heights’ was Kate Bush’s debut single in 1978, and it went straight to the top of the UK Singles Chart.

You can follow Tom on twitter @tom_fake