Tag Archive for Current

Toro Y Moi* – Say that

It seems that I am in a rather ambient mood so far this week. It must be the weather.

This track is from South Carolina singer Toro Y Moi’s recently released album Anything in Return is a breezy slice of electro-pop (“Chillwave” according to Wikipedia – erm…). It reminds me a little of Roosevelt who I posted a couple of weeks back.

I rather like the video here too. Simple but effective.

/RjK

*Artist #606

Daphni* – Yes, I know | (NAT)

This track from Daphni AKA Caribou perfectly straddles two of my favourite musical genres – House and Soul. The result is a hypnotic, funky melting pot. I can’t sit still whenever I hear it, which is usually a good sign for a song (although not universally).

/RjK

*Artist #603

CHVRCHES* – The Mother We Share

That ‘V’ in their name is stylised, not pronounced. You just say ‘Churches.’

With that tiresome piece of administration out of the way, the real work of listening to the song can begin. Thought it’s not work at all, it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy.  Like a lot of the music that’s appealed to me lately, it’s a saccharine mix of melodies and synthesised beats.  It reminds me of Grimes and Purity Ring and a little of Haim. Grimes is really the only one out of those 3 whose music has had any staying power in my regular listening. It remains to be seen if CHVRCHES are going to stick as they have yet to release an LP.

The Scottish trio are ‘hotly tipped’ for 2013 and were featured on the BBC Sound of 2013 list, but don’t let that put you off.  Their other single, ‘Lies’ is also highly listenable so it’s looking likely that they’ll be able to pull off a solid album.

/HC

*Artist #602

Jeremih* – 773 Love | (NAT)

This track from Chicago rapper Jeremih was released toward the end of last year. It is a little insubstantial but it makes me want to move! Sometimes that’s I you need from a song.

/RjK

*Artist #601

Darkstar* – Timeaway | (NAT)


One of the very best things about writing for this blog is getting sent music. This is sometimes bands or DJ’s sending me their own tracks but more often just my friends sharing music that they are excited by. Whist I don’t always share it, I never tire of feeling the warm glow of people’s enthusiasm. Also, I’m frequently introduced to artists I wouldn’t otherwise have encountered.

Darkstar are one such band. A friend (thanks Maggie) sent them along this week and I have been listening to them repeatedly since. Its dreamy and fragile and has rather hypnotised me.

Their album News From Nowhere is out on Warp Records on February 4th. Check it out

/RjK

*Artist #598

Jessie Ware* – Running

I know that I am late on Jessie Ware as she has received significant publicity over the past 18 months. Frankly, I had somewhat dismissed her as being a little too “pop” for my taste.

However, I heard this track over the weekend while out and about and I haven’t been able to shake it from my mind since. Also, once I got home and checked out this video that I realised she reminds me more than a little of Sade, especially stylistically here.

Jessie Ware:

Sade:

/RjK

*Artist #597

David Bowie – Where Are We Now?

Much has been written about David Bowie’s magnificent emergence from what everyone assumed to be retirement. What I admire most about it is the utterly understated way it was carried out. Excuse me, but I’ve been working, he says and we all feel stupid for thinking otherwise.
Where Are We Now is a gorgeous, melancholy piece of nostalgia about Bowie’s Berlin days. He is, as he says, ‘a man lost in time.’ He sighs his way through the opening verse and soars as he reaches the refrain. You’re not sure you like it that much on the first listen, but there’s something addictive about it and on second, third and fourth listen, you’re hooked. That’s how it went for me, anyway.
We’re promised more music by March and have been treated to the titles of the songs on his forthcoming album The Next Day. It is looking like 2013 could be the year that Bowie saves modern music, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s a daunting task.
/HC

Tom Vek – A Chore

I was talking to a friend and fellow blogger on Saturday about some potential improvements to 365 days in 2013 (look out for the fruits of our labour in the coming weeks).

While we were talking he played Tom Vek’s 2011 album Leisure Seizure. I really liked the album at the time but never got around to posting anything from it. It’s release was rather exciting given that it came after and six year hiatus and that 2005’s We Have Sound featured C-C (You set the fire in me) which was abd remains a massive favourite of mine and which I posted much earlier on in my blogging journey.

The thing that strikes me about both tracks is the sense of urgency. I really like that quality in a song.

You’re not really listening to me…

/RjK

Gardens & Villa* – Neon Dove


I spent all weekend listening to this track from Gardens and Villa, a bunch of five college friends hailing from Santa Barbara, CA. Their name is taken from the street on which they reside and the washed out, lo-fi music they make also reflects this setting. It reminds me a little of a long, sunny day at the beach (not that I get to enjoy many of those in Dublin).

Gardens and Villa:

 /RjK

*Artist #593