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New music blog dedicated to bringing you quality music reviews of everything from unsigned bands to major label stars! Artist and Tune of the day, + more!!

Tuesday 20 November 2012

[TuneOTD] Rudimental - NOT GIVING IN (ft. John Newman & Alex Clare)

Artist: Rudimental
Genre: Drum & Bass
Location: Hackney, London, UK
Label TypeIndie
Record Label: Asylum Records/Black Butter Records
Websitehttp://rudimental.co.uk/
Twitterhttp://twitter.com/RudimentalUk
Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/RudimentalUK




Today’s tune is a big one! ‘Not Giving In’ is the brand new single from Rudimental released just a couple of days ago (November 18th) on Asylum Records (US) and Black Butter Records (UK).

Following up the UK’s second ever Drum and Bass number one is a massive challenge. Naturally, Rudimental have stepped up with something equally refreshing; John Newman’s vocals are even more powerful than before, and the string/horn combo sends major shivers. They have continued where they left off with a rumbling bass accompanied by twinkling piano keys and lashing jazzy brass. The smooth, soulful vocals simply add to the already impressive amalgamation of brass, keys and bass. The meaning of the track given by the lyrics is simple. It aims to promote a message of standing tall, remaining strong throughout the tough times and ultimately, not giving in!

The Hackney quartet have once again decided to make full use of Newman’s infectious talent as they did on ‘Feel The Love’, a track which went platinum down under earlier this year. Furthermore, the latest release also features Alex Clare; the man responsible for bringing us the outstanding track, ‘Too Close’, which itself went platinum across the pond and in Germany.

Not Giving In’ comes with speaker-splicing remixes from Loadstar and Ed Rush, as well as a powerful, complementing video which you can check out below:



Wednesday 14 November 2012

[TuneOTD] St. Vincent - THE ANTIDOTE

Artist: St. Vincent
Genre: Indie Pop, Baroque Pop, Art Rock
Location: New York City, NY, US
Label Type: Indie
Record Label: 4 AD




The Antidote is the first song to be released by Annie Clark AKA St Vincent since her collaborative album with from former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, Love This Giant. This track is the first possible sign of what Ms Clark has in store for us on LP4, which is expected to drop some time next year.

Recent indication is that the next St. Vincent record will follow along the lines of the guitar based baroque dream pop of Strange Mercy, but with added bite. Earlier this year, Clark released a limited edition 7-inch single Krokodil/Grot for Record Store Day. The single showed Clark’s punk rock credentials, as have recent live covers of Big Black’s Kerosene and The Pop Group’s She Is Beyond Good & Evil.

Starting with the clatter of a drum machine, The Antidote builds around a trademark Clark fuzz riff and seductive vocals before exploding into a highly catchy synth lead chorus. The Antidote is probably the closest that St. Vincent has come to a mainstream pop/rock song. Lyrically Clark really gets in touch with her Goth side, ‘I am the Antidote/I'll suck the venom out/Show me where it really hurts/I'll show you where it really hurts.’ This is perhaps not surprising as the song features on the soundtrack to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and here lays the only problem with The Antidote, it is simply too good to be tucked away on a soundtrack album. Traditionally artist give only second rate songs to soundtrack compilations, if Annie Clark thinks The Antidote is a throwaway track then the fourth St. Vincent record is going to be quite something!



P.S - sorry about the Twilight video! Here's another Annie Clark picture to make up for it.



James Shingler        

Monday 12 November 2012

[ArtistOTD] Hullabaloo

Artist: Hullabaloo
Genre: New Soul
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK.
Websitehttp://hullabalooband.bandcamp.com
Twitterhttp://twitter.com/hullabaloouk
Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/HullabalooBand




Today’s artist from our very own South Wales roots come causing a right ruckus, in the form of rock ‘n’ roll band, Hullabaloo. This 6-piece outfit produce a wonderful sound placing them at the very heart of an indie-pop-rock-soul-funk Venn diagram. Their refreshing clatter of noise is created through a funky fusion of a vast array of instruments. The lively musical numbers created by this sprightly bunch include pianos and brass as well as the usual guitars, bass and drums.

To date, the gang have fashioned one EP released in the summer earlier this year on July 16th. This release highlights an impressive introduction to the music industry for Hullabaloo who formed just last year in October 2011. The EP titled ‘Landslide’ is a five-track offering, available to purchase now for just £3 on their bandcamp site.

There is an abundance of energy portrayed throughout the EP which kicks off in style with ‘Found A New Way’, and in particular it’s effective use of brass and organs. This is followed by the sure-fire future signal ‘All Shapes and Sizes’, which incorporates one fine sounding piano solo polishing off the funky clamour on a solid rock base. This is a fun, poppy tune, ticking all the boxes of a radio-friendly banger with its fabulous production and sheer catchiness. This is certainly the band’s champagne track but should not detract away from any of the other four tracks on the record. In particular, the brass-filled ‘Landslide’ and the punk-rock-infused riffs on ‘DoYou Think I’m Crazy Enough?’. This is a continued theme moving onto the final track on the record, ‘Leave This Town’. There is a more ska-punk feel to this than the more indie and poppy introduction to the EP. A switch up in tempo applied for the chorus is a welcome surprise proving to be a more than adequate rounding off to a generally fun-filled, vibrant and spirited debut EP.

Finally, for both your listening and viewing pleasure, here is the creative video for the EP title-track, ‘Landslide’:








Sunday 4 November 2012

[AlbumOTD] Rusko - KAPOW

Artist: Rusko
Genre: Glitch-Hop/Dubstep/Electronica
Location: Los Angeles, California, US
Websitehttp://www.ruskoonfire.com
Twitterhttp://twitter.com/ruskoofficial
Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/ruskoofficial


Today’s record is the newly released ‘KAPOW’ EP from Leeds-born dubstep producer, Rusko. The industrial glitch-hop EP features four tracks, ‘Yeah’, ‘Booyakasha’, ‘Bring It Back’ and ‘Like This’. The release is not the first thing to come out of camp Rusko this calendar year with March seeing the release of ‘Songs’, Rusko’s second solo full-length album, followed by the EP collaboration with hip-hop heavyweights Cypress Hill in June, titled ‘Cypress X Rusko’. The former was released on US-based label Mad Decent, however he has decided to release ‘KAPOW’ independently in order to produce it just the way he wants it to be produced. The emphasis for the EP is not on profit, but rather on promotion. 

The first track ‘Yeah’ is a real positive-sounding number suited more to a summer climate. It possesses an innate ability to bring a whole rave to a state of ecstasy. The intensity of the beat reaches peaks and troughs making it an ideal club banger.  

This is followed by ‘Booyakasha’ which again is an upbeat hard-style track around the 140bpm mark. It’s filled with energy and features certain wobbles synonymous with the sound of Rusko, transforming the hard-style opening into an eclectic pounding fusion of dubstep and drum & bass.  

The penultimate track, ‘Bring It Back’ threatens to go deep whilst continuing to hover just above the surface with its break-beat style. Undoubtedly the most club-style anthem on the EP, it blends twisted dubstep basslines with a dose of soul.

The final track ‘Like This’ may not be something new to Rusko die-hards with the full track dropped on Youtube on October 16th.  Dissimilar in fashion to the other three tracks it clocks in at just 110bpm offering groovy, bass-filled drops with a move away from Rusko’s signature wobbles. This is certainly more ‘hands-in-the-air’ than your ‘down n dirty’ dustep classics, it’s a tune that is sure to get a crowd united and jumping as one. The track also samples the word “Wow” from an ’08 Crookers remix of ‘The Salmon Dance’.

The EP is officially released today free of charge on Rusko’s website here, and below you can check out the final track on the EP, ‘Like This’: