After the shit storm that was last week there were no surprise releases this week which gave us more time to delve deep into the internet and pick out some stuff that didn’t have the same weight attached to it as a Kanye debut or Drake drop. We’re pretty pleased with what we’ve found too - plenty of delectable electro-pop and a few late-night RnB tunes. There’s all some new stuff from Passion Pit, A.G. Cook and Twin Shadow.
PURPLE - Extinction
There are so many elements that are encapsulated in this track. The bassline throbs throughout, creating a brooding undercurrent while percussive and vocal elements jitter above. The track is given slight relief just over halfway as gentle piano keys make us pause for reflection, before dropping into a full-blown amalgamation of loss and despair. It makes total sense that PURPLE comes from the same label that houses Shlohmo and RL Grime, both masters of dark and affecting tracks.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/purplepurplepurple/01-extinction[/soundcloud]
Passion Pit - Lifted Up (1985)
The SleepyHeads have finally awoken from their slumber, returning after their two year hiatus. Kings of nostalgia, their new track focuses on the very theme as they reminisce on the year 1985. After a quick Wikipedia search, we have uncovered that none of the band members were born before 1987 so we can only assume that Passion Pit are time-travellers, reincarnated or just huge fans of the ‘80s. Either way, it’s good to have Massachusetts band back on the scene with their glittery electro-pop.
A.G. Cook + Hannah Diamond - Drop FM
It’s always a sugary sweet day when new PC Music arrives but we’ve never before heard a collaboration between the label’s head A.G. Cook and it’s resident pop princess Hannah Diamond. It’s exactly what you’d expect from the pair - a melodically sweet tune that rushes like blood to the head while Diamond makes it sparkle with her computerised vocals. With every listen it gets harder to imagine ever having thought that Diamond’s voice was too monotonous to be enjoyable. This is ace.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/pcmus/drop-fm[/soundcloud]
Jack U - Take U There (Feat. Kiesza and Missy Elliott)
2015 is poised to be the year of the Missy Elliot comeback. After her performance at the superbowl her albums and hits re-entered the charts and bootlegs have started to arise from every direction. Diplo and Skrillex are smart men and they have got Missy to jump on their track to capitalise on the momentum she’s gaining. She adds a few verses and proves that she’d be comfortable heading in the direction of electronica which is probably the best move for her if she wants to stay relevant which obviously she is capable of. Everybody has fallen back in love with her.
Twin Shadow - I’m Ready
We’re gearing up to hear Twin Shadow’s third album Eclipse next month and here’s another taster from the record. He’s obviously going for epic, euphoric music this time around with all tracks so far sounding like they’re ready for cellphone-lit arenas. I’m Ready has a thumping beat behind it and a chorus that heads straight for the stratosphere. We haven’t heard power ballads this powerful since the ‘80s. You can catch Twin Shadow at Berlin Festival this May.
Saint Felix - Speak/Lie
This is the debut single from Melbourne artist Saint Felix which actually sounds a bit like the music coming out of Twin Shadow (above). He’s got his foot firmly in the ‘90s and giving off a strong whiff of nostalgia which makes sense given that his biggest inspiration is Michael Jackson. There’s also a hint of Savage Garden in there which in case you thought was a bad thing it most definitely isn’t (I Want You still goes off, trust us). Speak/Lie is an expertly crafted song with a melodically delicious chorus and layered, textured vocals.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/saintfelix/speaklie/[/soundcloud]
Sufjan Stevens - No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross
Last time around Sufjan Stevens was experimenting with elements of electronica on his previous record Age Of Adz but going by this track his next LP, Carrie & Lowell, will see him going back to basics. No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross is a sentimental, beautiful tracks that harks back to tracks like For The Windows In Paradise. If anything it certifies once again just how good a songwriter he is. With a bare bones instrumental he’s able to craft a song that genuinely throws your heart into your throat. It’s a gift that many songwriters lack in these days of complication.
Heems - Home (Feat. Dev Hynes)
There is literally nobody on this earth that Dev Hynes couldn’t produce and do a formidable job. Here he’s working with Heems, previously of Das Racist, on his solo track Home. The song reeks of Hynes’ production with industrial percussion underneath rhythmic guitars and airy vocals. It’s from Heems’ debut solo album Eat, Pray, Thug and shows a clear shift in direction from the hip-hop inspired sounds of Das Racist. It has us very intrigued.
George Maple - Talk Talk (Ta-Ku Remix)
George Maple is currently in the process of releasing official remixes for her brilliant single Talk Talk. She’s said that there are three remixes - a thumper, a lover and a mover. This Ta-Ku remix is the lover and you can see why. It’s a delicate, pitch-altered remix which is sensual, silky and smooth. Ta-Ku has a knack for crafting late-night, bedroom-bound tunes and he does exactly that with Talk Talk. We thought that this track couldn’t get anymore steamy but we were wrong. Maple says Talk Talk is a song “about lust, drama and late night antics,” and this remix retains that expertly.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/takugotbeats/george-maple-talk-talk-ta-ku-remix-1[/soundcloud]
Jack Garratt - Chemical
There’s something going on in London right now because there’s a heap of pop cross RnB cross electronica pumping out and it’s all good. We’ve already heard the likes of MNEK and Shura and now we can add to that Jack Garratt. Chemical is taken from his The Synesthesiac EP and it’s one of the more experimental pop tunes we’ve heard in a while. The synths are dense and the percussion at times shudders like gun shots transforming this from run-of-the-mill electro-pop into a genuinely captivating song. His vocals are on point but it likes he knew it needed more to make people sit up and listen, which is correct. This song almost grabs you by the neck and demands your attention.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/hillydilly/jack-garratt-chemical[/soundcloud]
