First Impressions: Nicki Minaj, Dillon Francis, BenZel + more

FirstImpressions11Aug

First Impressions is an interns roundtable review of songs on first (or second) listen. Each week we each review six new songs from the week past, each giving them a score out of five and awarding one our pick of the week.

This week, we're taking on all things pop with BenZel's love lorn new single, Say Lou Lou's collaboration with Lindstrom, Nicki Minaj's ode to big buns and more. Read below as we clash heads, sync opinions and make our pick.

Say Lou Lou & Lindstrom- Games For Girls

Lizzie: I feel like i’ve gone back in time about 20 years. This is a sweet, poppy gem which make me instantly happy. I kinda want to invest in a Xylophone... 3.5 Lizzie’s Pick

Sam: I like everything apart from the fact that we have to wait until February for the album. Of all the stellar tracks these twins have released, this one sounds the most polished, confident and delectable. It’s also the most different sounding thing they’ve released, probably thanks to Lindstrom’s groove-heavy production. 3.5

Bianca: This has such a great groove to it. I'm really digging the nu-disco vibe that Lindstrom is laying down below the twins' poppy vocals. Double trouble! 3.5 Bianca's Pick.

[soundcloud width="740" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/sayloulou/say-lou-louxlindstrom-games-for-girls[/soundcloud]

BenZel- Wasted Love

Lizzie: Love the chorus breakdown, it’s very textured and evocative - especially her voice it just draws you straight in. I have many many feels after this song. 3.5

Bianca: I'm really getting a Jessie Ware vibe from this track but one that's been injected with a warm dose of R&B. Stevie Neale's honey-smooth vocals are an inviting addition to the already super-smooth beat. 3.5

Sam: The fact that BenZel are not two Japanese teenagers makes them no less impressive. Every pop act is surely champing at the bit to work with this duo following Jessie Ware’s Tough Love and now this. It’s a beautiful, understated pop song with a verse that rushes like a hit of sugar to the head. 4

[soundcloud width="740" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/officialbenzel/wasted-love[/soundcloud]

Nicki Minaj- Anaconda

Lizzie: After I managed to draw my eyes away from her derriere for just a second I was able to listen to hear this song in all its glory. Maybe “glory” was not the right word to use. This track is a royal pain in my tiny (comparatively) arse. 1.5

Bianca: She just butchered a classic fave from my childhood and Sir Mix-a-lot deserves a written apology. Yes, we get it. You've got buns, hun. A baker's dozen worth. 1

Sam: I couldn’t agree less with Bianca. The original is far from a classic. As far as I’m concerned this is more palatable. I’m just going to put the fact that this is completely ridiculous to the side and give Nicki some cred. She’s really the only artist on radio right now churning out stuff with a bit of colour and personality. She’s ditched the dance-pop side of things and is heading for a much more well-rounded third album. 3

Andras & Oscar- Everytime I Go

Lizzie: Has someone put the morning coffee run yet, cause I’m gonna need a strong shot of something to wake me up after this track. ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz 2

Bianca: Stop, collaborate and listen! It seems like every song so far has been a joint venture with Andras Fox & Oscar Key Sung leading the pack. It's soulful and seductive in its own right, with Sung's vocals grooving effortlessly over the delicate synths and crescendoing melody. 3.5

Sam: Lizzie, you’re killing me. This is such a warm, bassy treat. Andras Fox and Oscar Key Sung are two of the finest in Australian electronic music right now and this proves why. This one’s light on the tricks and heavy on the groove with an ever so subtle dance break at the end. 4

[soundcloud width="740" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/chaptermusic/andras-oscar-everytime-i-go-album-version[/soundcloud]

Dillon Francis- When We Were Young

Lizzie: Not a fan of the vocalist at all. He sounds whiney, gaspy and just plain annoying. I usually rely on my man Dillon to produce a head banger which everyone will enjoy, not something that sounds like David Guetta’s sloppy seconds. 2

Bianca: If being young sounded like this then I would've had a very intense childhood. 1.5

Sam: Dillon, why? You only have to see one of his sets to see how much personality this guy has got and yet this is completely devoid of any personality. I could literally compile a list of 102 EDM songs that sound exactly like this. An attempt to break into the commercial market that sounds a little desperate. 2

[soundcloud width="740" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/dillonfrancis/dillon-francis-sultan-ned-shepard-when-we-were-young-feat-the-chain-gang-of-1974[/soundcloud]

xxyxx- Untitled (Feat. Vanessa Elisha)

Lizzie: I am not one to play games, but this song has you sitting on the edge of your seat gasping for more at the start. The elongated (almost) silence around the 40 second mark is enticing and unpredictable but as the song progresses I am not blown off the edge of my seat if you get my jist, i’m just intrigued. Meh, it was alright. 3

Bianca: My feelings towards this are similarly untitled. At times, I'm hovering over the next button at other times I'm captivated by Vanessa Elisha's smooth vocal. I think I'll call the feeling content. This is definitely an interesting tune. 3.5

Sam: There’s so much depth and intricacy to this offering. Vanessa Elisha’s vocal on this is sliced-up and bubbles under the myriad of percussion and mellow synths, lulling you into a subconscious state. When the beats drop out and she comes through, it’s a pretty glorious moment. Everytime I think future RnB is getting a bit old, something like this comes out. 4.5 Sam’s Pick

[soundcloud width="740" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/xxyyxx/unknown[/soundcloud]

first impressions / reviews08/11/2014

Review: FKA Twigs- LP1

FKAtwigslp1

Only two years into her recorded career, London artist and producer, Tahliah Barnett, better known as FKA Twigs, is yet to put a foot wrong. From visually breathtaking videos to sporadic, oddball pieces of pop, she’s both divided and captivated audiences with a flair for innovation not seen yet this decade.

There’s a certain fragility to the clown-like, album cover for LP1 and it’s a perfect visual companion for an album which is sexually-loaded and confidently feminine yet also gentle and soft. While some of the lyrics could be considered controversial (“my thighs are apart for when you’re ready to breathe in” from Two Weeks for instance) she washes them in synths and sings in a whimsical tone, almost as to enter your subconscious rather than affect you immediately.

Such is the presence of LP1. There’s a chance that the first listen will wash over you but it hovers with unconventional melodies and vivid soundscapes that are too remarkable to be forgotten. The first tracks, Lights Out, is a choice example of this. On the surface it’s a minimal, one-dimensional track but dig a little deeper and you’re exposed to dripping percussion, soul-rendering double bass and lyrical poignancy. It’s an after-dark tune that traverses issues of sexual self-confidence and intimacy, at that.

The whole album is sexually charged in the most graceful of ways. On Two Weeks she delicately places a microscope on the most intense of sexual attractions while Hours is a frozen snapshot into a passionate embrace, lips on lips. While the lyrics are the most vivid portrayal of that, the instrumental is equally effective in building those moments. In Hours the music rushes with intensity and then backs off, creating gradual climaxes that are quickly dispelled by a glitchy beat.

Away from sexual prowess, she also delivers on autobiographical tunes. Video Girl details her history as a dancer for the likes of Britney Spears, N’Sync and Christina Aguilera. The elongated, wobbling synths and whimsical vocals have the same fluid motion as that of a dancer, with the 808s adding an RnB flavour.

The way that Twigs marries the instrumental with the themes of the album, is one of its greatest triumphs. Pendulum sees a gently undulating beat underneath lyrics like “So lonely trying to be yours/ What a forsaken cause”. It’s both heartbreaking and fascinating listening to the beat teeter on an awkward edge, a pendulum, if you like. While at times she’s a broken woman, at other times she’s defiant. On Give Up she digs her toes into the sand, singing “I know that sometimes you’d wish I’d go away/ But I’d wish that you’d know that I’m here to stay”.

Time could be given to dissecting her different influences from modern hip-hop to Sade-inspired RnB, but ultimately LP1 is more than that. It’s a pocket of music that has only been explored by Twigs thus far. It’s one of melodic twists and turns, intimately personal lyrics and industrial beats. She perhaps sums the album up best on Closer when she taunts, “closer, I’m here to be closer”. That she is, with LP1 giving a vivid insight into her life. Artists have been honest and personal before, but not with the same effect as Twigs. LP1 doesn’t only live up to the hype, it sets a precedent for music in 2014.

twigs

albums / reviews08/08/2014

Why the hell did they Shazam that? We review Tomorrowland's Top 10 Tracks

tomorrowlandshazam Tomorrowland finished up last weekend in Belgium with thousands of EDM fans heading back to their home countries to rest their sore heads and frazzled minds. inthemix has published the Top 10 Most Shazamed Songs throughout the event's two weekends and the results are unsurprisingly full of EDM bangers. Two of our writers with the least patience towards EDM agreed to review the 10 tracks and give themselves an education in four-to-the-floor, hands-in-the-air EDM.

All jokes aside, there are many reasons why Tomorrowland is one of the best festivals of its kind.

10. R3hab- & Deorro- Flashlight

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/r3hab/r3hab-deorro-flashlight[/soundcloud]

Bianca: Had to take extra care there to include the ‘3’ in R3hab.

Sam: That trumpet synth is giving me a heart-attack. At one point I thought the build-up was never going to end. Oscillates between a trumpet and farting noises. If the farting noise was intentional, I’m in favour of the novelty.

Bianca: This isn’t a case of when will the bass drop, but why. The build up is so fucking intense, I never want it to end. :'(

Sam: Aaaaand a completely different track after 1:40

Bianca: I’m peaking.

9. David Guetta ft. Sam Martin – Lovers on the Sun

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/avicii-music-holland/david-guetta-ft-avicii-sam-martin-lovers-on-the-sun[/soundcloud]

Sam: That voice is almost as offensive as Nickelback.

Bianca: I've never heard a song before where the whistling was so completely unwelcome and unnecessary.

Sam: “Surprise motherfucker” one person comments when the twinkling synth comes in. Indeed. The bluegrass thing worked for Avicii but the Western stylings of this one for Guetta are woeful.

Bianca: The real question is...who in their right mind would bother to go through the process of bringing out their phone, unlocking it, opening the Shazam app, pressing the button and holding their hand up to the sky for a good 5 seconds so that they could have a record of this song?

david4

Oh, right. Nobody was in their right mind.

8. Zhu - Faded

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/zhu/faded[/soundcloud]

Bianca: I like this song and would Shazam it too...if Tomorrowland was 3 months ago. How does no one know the name of it by now?

Sam: I suppose it’s one of the better ones here and of course a song about getting wasted is going to appear in this list. There’s just absolutely no dynamics or anything interesting apart from a wistful voice singing he’s wasted. Jessica Mauboy’s Pop A Bottle is more successful than this.

7. Secondcity- I Wanna Feel

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/secondcityuk/secondcity-i-wanna-feel-radio[/soundcloud]

Sam: Deep house penetrates Tomorrowland, could this be the end of EDM? Judging by the rest of list, definitely not. It’s been a massive hit in the UK and is probably heading for Australia. I suppose it’s an inoffensive enough slice of disco-house.

Bianca: At least this one has words. And it’s nice to have a little Toni Braxton influence but I honestly would’ve preferred Unbreak My Heart.

6. Netsky- Running Low

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/netsky/running-low-feat-beth-ditto[/soundcloud]

Bianca: Why do EDM voices always have to be so...heavy and overly soulful? The beat is already intense, there’s no need for the double whammy.

Sam: I really like Beth Ditto’s voice but oh my goodness that drum ‘n’ bass whacks you right in the stomach. How do you dance to this? Please someone send tutorials.

Bianca: Oh, didn’t realise it was Beth Ditto. Probably shouldn’t have used ‘heavy’ as one of my adjectives…

Sam: Once again there’s a lyric about drinking a lot.

5. Ommet Ozcan- Raise Your Hand

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/ummetozcan/ummet-ozcan-raise-your-hands[/soundcloud]

Sam: At least I knew what to do from the title.

Bianca: Am I allowed to raise both? In surrender, I mean.

Sam: I’d be out as soon as those trance synths hit. Take me to the clouds above.

Bianca: Can I get a read-out on what the Soundcloud peeps are saying?

"Sweet"

"Add me"

"Sick"

"No. Just no."

"Turkey"

"Dirty"

"And 1, 2, 3...Jump!"

Bianca: Probably agree with “No” & “Turkey”.

Sam: This is served to you right on a plate, with directions far easier than an Ikea manual.

Bianca: I think people did what the song intended them to do- to raise their hands- but they accidentally opened up Shazam in the process.

4. Dimitri Vegas & MOGUAI & Like Mike – Mammoth (Original Mix)

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/dimitrivegasandlikemike/dimitri-vegas-moguai-like-mike[/soundcloud]

Sam: I’m really beginning to feel like I’m taking multiple bullets to the head. I can imagine pulling out my phone and shazaming it for lack of knowing what else to possibly do.

Bianca: I think this hairy situation needs to stay in the Ice Age.

Sam: At this point I’m struggling to find different adjectives to describe very similar tracks.

Bianca: Might I suggest, “heavy”?

3. Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman & Steve Angello- Payback

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/sizerecords/payback-original-mix[/soundcloud]

Sam: My hands are still in the air from Ommet Ozcan tune and I’m yet to be directed to put them down. Another screaming EDM banger with a drop that feels like a meteor. I’m guessing Tomorrowland was the only festival where Outkast weren’t on the bill?

Bianca: Look, it might be a bit unfair to be judging these songs from behind my computer screen, with a lemon and ginger tea in my hand on a cold Tuesday afternoon. I guess you can’t truly rate a banger like this when you’re not surrounded by thousands and thousands of your closest friends.

2. Watermat- Bullit

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/spinnin-deep/watermat-bullit-original-mix[/soundcloud]

Sam: Where’s the Titanium of this year’s Tomorrowland? I could do with a bit of Sia at this point.

Bianca: I wish Shazam had the capacity to tell you at what exact point these people Shazammed the tracks and were like “oh, shit! I need to remember this exact moment!” Was it the steady build? The peak? The drop?? So many questions!

Sam: It seems it’s all one in the same in this track. That whistling sound though is really something. Someone has commented on Soundcloud “so chill”. She must have an insanely hectic life.

Bianca: Sounds like an air raid over a Snake Charmer. Could be the second instalment to Outkast’s B.O.B: Bombs over Bombay.

Sam: Could it be the soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire 2: From Rags to EDM Riches.

Bianca: When you got EDM riches you got bitches.

1. Dimitri Vegas, Martin Garrix and Like Mike- Tremor

[soundcloud width="700" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/martingarrix/dimitri-vegas-martin-garrix-like-mike-tremor-sensation-2014-anthem-original-mix[/soundcloud]

Sam: I am petrified. Am I ready for this?

Bianca: Number one...Everything in my life has been leading to this very moment.

Sam: Does anyone break ribcages at Tomorrowland? My poor little laptop, I promise I’ll put on some Dido for you to recover afterwards.

Bianca: Really glad they had the countdown there so I knew exactly where the drop was.

Sam: ...but in all seriousness this is in every way a #banger

Bianca: So many peaks and troughs I don’t know what to do with myself. I might just have a lie down. Can I get a top up on my lemon & ginger tea?

reviews08/05/2014

First Impressions: FKA Twigs, SOPHIE, Kate Boy + more

FirstImpressions_4Aug

Four people holding one rose each and yet there are six songs to choose from. Among them are some of the most eligible artists in the music world* with feisty females like Jessie J, arty types like FKA Twigs and the sentimental kind like Porter Robinson and #1 Dads. While some will be left brokenhearted, two artists in particular win the adoration of the interns.

*We can't guarantee all these artists are eligible but they sound like they're up for a good time.

Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj- Bang Bang

Sam: Ugh. I’m all for a big diva anthem but nothing sticks with this one. The hook is like something from a Michael Buble meets the songs of Hairspray album and throughout I hear a lot of screaming cats. Nicki’s verse is fire, of course, but it feels like Ariana knows it’s shit and Jessie is way too into it. 1

Bianca: Jessie, Ariana AND Nicki? As suspected, three wrongs do not make a right. Excuse me while I go bang bang into my head. 0

blam

Lizzie: Although it pains me to say it, this song is going to be a hit. Ergh. 2

Hannah: Remember when Xtina jazzed up her sound in the most appropriate pop-diva way possible and released that killer cover of Car Wash with a verse from Missy Elliot...? Yeah that's not what's happening here as much as they wish it was. 0.5

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/dafrican/jessie-j-bang-bang-ft-ariana-grande-nicki-minaj-2014-world-premier[/soundcloud]

FKA Twigs- Pendulum

Sam: After the above song I feel like I’m back in my happy place. I already decided off Two Weeks that Twigs is my favourite artist of the year so all this is just a bonus. Pendulum undulates with intricacy and Twigs takes all the time she needs with the melody. She’s the queen of subtlety and yet also a master at theatrics. This is supreme. 4.5 Sam's Pick

Bianca: FKA Twigs is easily one of the most interesting artists right now. Pendulum is weirdly beautiful and manages to maintain power and intensity through the most delicate of nuances. It's her ability to make these contradictions, to gently oscillate between subtle and intense, that keeps me coming back for more. 3.5

Lizzie: Ain't no one going to rush FKA Twigs through this one. Not too dissimilar to Two Weeks, the soft pops of her to-die-for angelic voice, blended with the slow pattering back beat make for yet another mesmerising track. I have no idea what she is saying, but I'm ok with that. 4

Hannah: This is a heart melting lullaby sung out in the heart of industry. As the pendulum cranks and croons all around, FKA Twigs' melody is all centring and all soothing. She is simply undeniable. 4.5 Hannah's Pick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw6H9YsTLek

SOPHIE- Lemonade

Sam: Oh I love dem candy noises. The trickle at the beginning of this track is total ear candy, literally. From there it’s just full of runaway melodies, Eurotrash synths and popping beats. I guess the whole experience is all a bit like eating popping candy. It doesn’t match the expertise of Bipp, but it comes close. 4

Bianca: There just seems to be no substance to this song, apart from way too many colours and preservatives. It's a sickly-sweet, hands-rubbing-on-balloon headache of a song, although, admittedly, listening to this after I spent all day at a kids' birthday party probably hasn't worked in its favour. 2

Lizzie: Straight out of Willy Wonka washing machine! Please go back to Oompa Loompa Land, SOPHIE. Not even Veruca Salt wants you. 1

Hannah: This sounds like Alvin and The Chipmunks found on their way to a DDR machine and now can't decide if they want to battle it to the sounds of drum and bass or J-Pop. 2

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/msmsmsm/sophie-lemonade[/soundcloud]

Kate Boy- Self Control

Sam: I am pretty pissed that I had to wait almost two years after falling in love with Northern Lights for Self Control, but hey, I suppose it’s worse for fans of The Avalanches. That aside, Self Control has absolutely none of what its title suggests. It’s a big, bombastic pop song with a chorus that would make Dr. Luke salivate. From this point onwards pop music should only be made by the Swedish. 3.5

Bianca: I'm enjoying the tribal beat and poppy synths but the vocal melody, particularly in the chorus, leaves a lot to be desired. 3

Lizzie: Love the thump of the start. If only this was an instrumental version I could be left bopping awkwardly by myself for hours. There must be something in the water in Sweden, because they just keep churning out hit after hit! 3.5

Hannah: There really is something in the water over there in Sweden. Want to make a great pop record? Make like Kate Akhurst, hope a flight over and take one long glassy sip from the closest crystalline lake. This is exactly how all pop music should sound. 3

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/kateboy/self-control[/soundcloud]

#1 Dads- So Soldier

Sam: Right off the bat that guitar riff hits me right in the heart, then Ainslie Wills comes in with this Cat Power-esque vocals and continues to just chip away at me. Tom Iansek and Wills sound so perfect together on the chorus. 3.5

Bianca: What a combo! Iansek's strumming guitar has this essence of familiarity from the get-go, while Wills' dreamy voice manages to transport me somewhere, far, far away. 3.5

Lizzie: Definitely a Summer road trip kinda track - pack a picnic and set off! Ainslie's voice is broody and seductive, but what truly shines in this track is the guitar, it's just so floaty and nostalgic. 4

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/pieater/1-dads-so-soldier-feat-ainslie-wills-about-face-lp-2014[/soundcloud]

Porter Robinson- Flicker

Sam: Finally Porter just goes screw it with subtlety and includes the most explicit representation of his Japanese influences yet. This is a crescendoing, textural, dynamic soundtrack to an anime game that conveniently doubles as a great electronic track. 4

Bianca: ヽ(=´▽`=)ﾉ ♪♬ ☆*･゜ﾟ･*(^O^)/*･゜ﾟ･*☆ ♪♬ ヾ(。◕ฺ∀◕ฺ)ノ

I'm digging everything this song is throwing at me. It's so multi-layered and kept me enthralled the entire time, first with the funky, almost disco-inspired guitar riff, punctuated by anime-inspired spoken word, before dramatically reaching its glittery finale. I feel like I've just successfully completed the final level of a Sega game. 4 Bianca's Pick

Lizzie: I am a bit torn with this song. Half of it sounds like my Furby keeps turning on and off. The other second half however, in typical Porter style, opens up to be a grand, layered big room sound we I know and love. He drops the bass like no one else around the 2:50 sec mark, but with his Japanese twang - genius. Not my fav on the new Worlds album, but still pretty damn good. 4 Lizzie's Pick

Hannah: A novice when it comes to the world of EDM and its producers, I've been listening to this track all week on Hype Machine (what was that about first impressions?) unsure if admitting to this kind of Porter Robinson over all others would have me vilified by those in the know. That said, as long as Sam likes it, I'm happy to admit I do too. 3.5

first impressions / reviews08/04/2014

Splendour in the Grass by Numbers - An Infographic

SPL

craft corner / events / features / reviews07/29/2014

First Impressions: SBTRKT, BANKS, Jessie Ware + more

FirstImpressions_28July

In the midst of the Splendour in the Grass weekend bender we found some time to sit down with a few new tracks. Here's our slightly sleep-deprived reactions to those tunes.

Jessie Ware- Share It All

Bianca: It reminds me of Intro by the xx. It's really dreamy, it lulls you into a dream state. It could be on repeat and I wouldn't realise. 4

Lizzie: it feels soft and whimsical. I feel I'm floating away on a cloud with it. It's not too sickly sweet though. 4

Sam: her voice is extraordinary. It just floats when she holds those notes. Romy's co-write is also very evident. It has the same sparseness that the xx do and that does wonders for Ware's voice. 3.5

Hannah: Her voice. It just floats and lingers. It pitches and ungulates so smoothly over the sparse, can't hide nothing, melody. It's got a really welcomed breathy quality complimented by her RnB grid. Admittedly, it errs on the repetitive, slightly predictable side but let's be honest, if you're listening to this song you probably have other things on your mind. So sexy. 3

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/jessieware/jessiewareshareit-all[/soundcloud]

SBTRKT- New Dorp. New York (Feat. Ezra Koenig)

Bianca: It's weirdly wonderful. I love Ezra's voice and it's good to hear it accompanied by something so different. It's a great mixture of chaotic percussion and funky guitar that drives a subtle groove. 4.5 Bianca's Pick

Lizzie: I don't love Ezra's talking voice on this it sounds a little bit like Flight of the Concords. But I love everything else about it. I feel that it would be crazy in a club. 4 Lizzie's Pick

Sam: I thought Temporary View was way too safe so I am suitably thrilled that this one takes huge risks. That female vocal under Ezra's voice is so New York chic. It's very pretentious but done so well that it's hard not to love. Wildly chaotic yet comfortably familiar. 4.5

Hannah: This is a totally new sound for SBTRKT, and a totally welcomed one at that. The licking bass and subtle, building percussion is irresistibly catchy, while the chorus brims with perfectly selected samples just long enough to remind you that this isn't all funk. It's a great way to reintroduce his new album, especially after that blip of a release last month. New York, New York! 4

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/detailsofmylifenet/sbtrkt-new-drop-new-york-feat[/soundcloud]

BANKS - Beggin' For Thread

Lizzie: With all due respect to BANKS I feel like it fits in a Mandy Moore teen flick. It's a bit teenie-bopper for me. 3.5

Bianca: I'm with Lizzie on the 90s vibe but there's an RnB vibe that's much cooler than Mandy Moore. The broodiness of Drowning is there but this time it feels like she can breathe a bit better. The creeping quality is sexy. 4

Sam: This is her most forward pop moment yet and it's brilliant. She's so dark yet so so alluring. It's great to hear a sound so consistent but also daring. The man who did BANKS wrong has done us all a favour. 4.5 Sam's Pick

Hannah: This is a perfect example of how sultry, sexy pop should be done. The lyrics are hard hitting and belted with the type of confidence that comes when you're being so bad it's good. The breakdown that crescendos into her final chorus is impeccably placed, securing Banks as one to watch. 4 Hannah's Pick

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/banksbanksbanks/banks-beggin-for-thread[/soundcloud]

Ryan Hemsworth- Gods (Feat. UV Boi)

Bianca: It's got nothing particularly distinctive about it other than giving me false hope that I recieved a few messages. In saying that it would be a fun addition to a dj set as a filler song. 2

Lizzie: there's artists that use real sounds and others that use it in an annoying way. It's like hearing a siren in a song when you're driving. I thought it was going to go somewhere but it didn't for me. 2.5

Sam: From the computer age straight to my heart. It's got a PC Music quality to it and I love how he uses unconventional sounds to create melody. At this point, Hemsworth is one of electronic music's most important names. This further proves that. 4

Hannah: Ryan Hemsworth can do no wrong. That effortlessly melodic intro, glitchy samples and surprise drum solo is the perfect introduction to what is a track perhaps ever so slightly less whimsical than what we've come to know him for. While playful and full obscure samples, this track has march, pace and guts, at times teetering on the side of too much but pulling right back before it falls. 3

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/ryanhemsworth/gods-with-uv-boi[/soundcloud]

Rustie- Attack (Feat. Danny Brown)

Bianca: I like it. But I couldn't listen to it on my own. I'd rather hear it in a club. I think I'd get low. But not that low. Medium low. 3.5

Lizzie: I really like this song. I think it would be much better live with a crowd of people. I love Danny Brown's flow. 4

Sam: I just got smacked in the head with a bat and then thrown in a monster truck. This one goes so hard. Rustie and Danny Brown are a great pairing but I'd need anti-anxiety pills to hear this again. 3

Hannah: This is has the guise of being something you'd happily get low to in a dark club at 3am, before you quickly realise it's just a cheap imitation and a headache waiting to happen. 2

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/rustie/attak-feat-danny-brown[/soundcloud]

Joe Goddard- Endless Love (Feat. Betsy)

Bianca: Hot Chip can never do anything wrong in my eyes. I liked the slow build and the 90s vocals but it didn't have much body to it. 3.75

Lizzie: I really liked it. It wasn't too weird to annoy me and it was interesting enough to keep me occupied. I could get lost on the dance-floor to this. 4

Sam: I found this alarmingly annoying. I like the one part where Betty got to sing a full voice but her chopped and screwed vocals had me clenching my teeth. Surely he could have done something more with that mediocre beat too. Love Joe usually but not today. 2

Hannah: I really don't want to say this. But is anyone kind of bored? As far as lounge music goes it's great and there's some really crystalline moments, like the flickering "endless love," vocal and the percussive samples that sneak in underneath that, but otherwise... Snooze. 2.5

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/greco-roman/joe-goddard-endless-love-feat-betsy[/soundcloud]

first impressions / reviews07/28/2014

First Impressions: Tkay Maidza, Perfume Genius, TOKiMONSTA + more

FI_21June

This week, dance-music reigns as we review a number of different takes on the genre from smooth RnB to EDM to PC Music. Enter the madness that is First Impressions below:

Tkay Maidza- U-Huh

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/tkaymaidza[/soundcloud]

Bianca: U-Huh is a more than palatable pop song with some serious hip-hop influences. The hook is instantly infectious and I’m excited to see what else is to come from the Adelaide-born, PG-rated, Azaelia Banks Jnr. firecracker. 4 Bianca’s Pick

Sam: This is a perfect example of when you let a great pop song eventuate under the most natural of circumstances. Every major label in Australia take note- this is how you craft a hit. It’s effortlessly melodic, full of personality and fun to boot. Tkay is surely bound for huge things. 4

Lizzie: I have been a Tkay fan for over a year now, I just think she is the shiz - not just because she is from Adelaide but she has this incredible universal appeal and at just 18 years old, her production skills are impressive. It's not as punchy as Brontosaurus, but I feel this Summer-time nostalgia - similar to that, after listening to M.I.A's Paper Planes. 4

Hannah: Alright Lizzie, we get it. You're from Adelaide, she's from Adelaide, you can claim her. I agree though, Tkay Maidza is a much more bearable Australian answer to M.I.A. She raps across the beat with effortless attitude. It's fun and instantly infectious. 4

Airhead- Believe

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/thump/a1-believe?in=thump/sets/airhead-believe-ep[/soundcloud]

Bianca: The ping pong echoes put the club into the church, evoking visualisations of a Sunday sermon that offers a little less bread and a helluva lot more wine. The record crackling sample also adds a subtle, nostalgic touch. The TV beep effect, however, is a little less welcoming on my ears. 3.5

Sam: The industrial production of this one makes sure that the bass bangs you right into next Saturday. The production feels icy cold, yet the preaching vocal sample that runs under it is comfortably familiar. Some of these sounds just echo around my head, bouncing off dead space (and believe me, there is quite a lot of that). 3.5

Lizzie: I can feel myself float away with this track. This song could be on repeat for hours and I would have no idea - it's very much a song that just blends into the background. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it just has its own special place in my iTunes library. 3

Hannah: The bass on this one is pure, paired-back house. Something you'd expect to find during the early hours of a Berlin warehouse rave or beneath a Jimmy Edgar track. Its intricate and complex use of layered sampling keeps you interested, while the vocal pleads with you to believeee in the track just enough to keep you pulsing right on through. 3.5

Steve Angello- Wasted Love (Feat. Dougy from Temper Trap)

Bianca: This song feels like it belongs in 2009 and I think my 19-year-old self would have loved it. Dougi Mandagy’s voice has a nice familiarity to it but, sadly, I ain’t 19 no more. 2.5

Sam: Dammit. Don’t get me wrong, this is more same, same EDM with barely anything to set it apart from the rest but I’m such a sucker for a crisp, pop hook. Dougy brings that in abundance but I’m so confused. I usually can’t stand the whiny aura of The Temper Trap but there is something somewhat euphoric about this. Also is this not Sky Full Of Stars p.2? DM me if you have answers. 2.5

Lizzie: This track is all about Dougy's voice, and not about Steve Angello - his production here is subtle, and I think it works really well. It's the perfect Summer tune; uplifting, all about love and just in time for the Tomorrowland after-movie soundtrack! 3.5

Hannah: This is just more of that tried and tested EDM formula circulating at the moment. Chiefly, hide the fact it's yet another unbearable, stock standard EDM song, beneath some very cleverly placed, makes-you-want-to-sing-along vocals. Eh. 2.5

TOKiMONSTA- Realla (Feat. Anderson Paak)

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/tokimonsta/realla-feat-anderson-paak[/soundcloud]

Bianca: Was it really necessary to spell ‘real’ the way it's being pronounced? Ugh this track is way too smooth for my liking. 4 realz. 2

Sam: *Adds Anderson Paak to iPod* TokiMonsta kills the productions of this one with those jabbing, brass undertones but Anderson Paak, am I right? The man just murders it on this one flicking between drawn-out RnB vocals and singing rap-like verses. 4 Sam’s Pick

Lizzie: Please listen to this track with your eyes closed. It is the only way to truly appreciate the layered sounds and surround-sound experience this song creates - it's spine-tingling. Then the horns come in, oh when the horns come in. I'm sold! 4 Lizzie's Pick

Hannah: For Realla baby, this track hits you with an instantly welcomed Frank Ocean, Channel Orange nostalgia. That brass, that bass, that cascading vocal sample that falls between Paak's third verse rap. Grind. Just grind. 4.5 Hannah's Pick

Bianca: Yeah, okay. I see how it is...

GFOTY- Don’t Wanna/Let’s Do It

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/pcmus/dont-wanna-lets-do-it[/soundcloud]

Bianca: I really can’t seem to get into PC music. A kid pressing random buttons on a soundboard would produce better noise than this techy headache. 0

Sam: Unlike Bianca, I think PC Music is one of the most interesting and exciting things to happen in the last year or two. Like everything we’ve heard from the label, this is bonkers but it’s even more so than the others. The bipolar flick between I don’t wanna do it/Let’s do it is something I deal with on a daily basis. I have the same conflict with this song. I love it, I also hate it. I’m going to flick to I love it, purely because I keep going back to listen for more. There’s so much hidden melody in this, it’s just chopped up and displaced everywhere. Beautifully incoherent. 3.5

Lizzie: Please, I beg of you, tell me this is not music!? It sounds like a toy-store coming alive when everyone's asleep. Wake me from this nightmare!! 0

Hannah: When an EDM queen dishes out a zero, you know the song's clutching at straws. That said, this song has moments of rhythmic crescendo and almost satisfying bass, but ultimately it's riding an escalator to nowhere. Is that the point of PC music? Who knows. I feel though in the hands of a remix master, that sample could have potential. 2

Perfume Genius- Queen

Bianca: Mike Hadreas is truly making a statement with his comeback track. The steady, marching beat sets the tone with more pomp than a high school graduation. His haunting vocals and synths are gloriously juxtaposed with the cheerful whistling instrument, giving Queen a slightly creepy quality. 3.5

Sam: I found Perfume Genius’ last album a little too introverted to completely get into but Queen is a different story. It’s so outwardly bold, that it feels like a different artists altogether. I would’ve liked a bit more of a climax in the final quarter but apart from that I’m captivated. Please sir, can I have some more? 3.5

Lizzie: I took one whiff of this Perfume Genius and can't say I am a fan of the broody and creepy vibe, it's just not my style. While I can appreciate all the elements - the slow beat, variety of kooky instruments and echoing vocals - I just can help but feel a little sad after listening. It's a Monday and I need a pick-me-up! 2.5

Hannah: If I was still the Hannah that listened to The Editors and Cold War Kids, I'd be right on board with this suburban angst track. As it is, the languid vocals over what feels like an incredibly lazy guitar-meet-drum-kit production just doesn't do it for me. Why the dog barking sample? 2.5

first impressions / reviews07/21/2014

Friday Lock-in: La Roux - Trouble in Paradise

lockin_laroux

It's been a long, five-year wait since La Roux's glorious debut album. Some thought it would never come, others forgot that La Roux was Bulletproof. Well, she's still wearing that vest but this time she's headed for paradise but rather than enjoying cocktails and learning to hula-dance she's sitting in the hotel room weeping. Enter this week's lock-in. We may be in the midst of winter but La Roux's '70s funk and tropical-synths may just be enough to pull us out of our Winter slumber.

Uptight Downtown

Lizzie: Did anyone live in the UK see Boots chemist flash mobs?

Hannah: Yeah and they do the jazz runs? Like- slide, slide, slide. Yeah they had an add campaign like that

Bianca: I think this is classier than a flash mob to be honest

Hannah: What’s classier than a flash mob

Bianca: QR codes. *laughs* This song never fails to get me moving

Sam: It’s such a perfect homage to ‘70s funk as well as re-appropriating it with the synths

Bianca: I love beginning the album with this

Hannah: Yeah, it throws you right to where she wants you to be

Sam: There’s something sombre about it too. It’s upbeat and tropical but also really dark

Bianca: I think that’s her voice, it’s always been a bit pleady

laroux1

Kiss And Not Tell

Hannah: Both of the songs so far are very familiar. She’s hamming to those…

Bianca: Tropical beats

Hannah: Really familiar chord progressions

Bianca: It does remind me of a gameboy game a bit

Hannah: I'm jumping up and grabbing coins

Sam: Part of me wondered if her production partner, Ben Langmaid, was the melodic genius of it all and when I saw the album was nine tracks I thought she’d really struggled with it. I thought it would sound bland but I’m not worried at all so far

Hannah: It’s a modern twist on more classic combinations that we’ve already heard. She slots right back in after five years

Bianca: Yeah she’s back and better

Sam: No one writes slightly left-of-centre pop better than La Roux can

Cruel Sexuality

Hannah: It sounds like too much is happening

Lizzie: Going back to familiarity. I felt like I wanted to join in without knowing what’s going to come next

Sam: I think this one is beautiful, one of the best so far. It’s so subtle. The melody builds and builds and then the harmonies come in at the end. Everything is so non-explicit about it

Bianca: I really like the bass-line. I love that kind-of speaking part but it’s not speaking

Sam: She does a great third verse, La Roux

Bianca: I love how each song has their different ‘moments’. I remember with Klaxons it was A B A B A B, with this it is A B C B A C D...

Sam: This is so so perky but she’s talking about this guy who’s pissing her off laroux2

Paradise Is You

Hannah: Really slow version of crocodile rock

Lizzie: Once you said that I couldn’t get it out of my head

Sam: I love this one. It’s a nice little break coming up to the mid-point of the album

Bianca: She needed a break

Sam: She does slow well. I can understand how this floats over you after listening to the whole thing

Bianca: I love how the synths sound like strings. It’s kind of like an electronic orchestra

Sam: I’m really impressed by how she’s kept the whole tropical paradise vibe running ever so slightly in the background. It’s not St.Lucia full-on or like when the Triple J thing was to sound like you’re in the Bahamas

Hannah: She’s using it as a thread to feed her way through the ‘70s and then the ‘80s. That’s the commonality but it’s such a subtle one

Bianca: It’s such a smorgasbord this one. She doesn’t need steel drums to get noticed

Sam: She’s not using obvious things. It doesn’t sound like anything in pop music today probably because she’s been isolated for five years

Sexotheque

Lizzie: Love it, love it. It’s on the money money money

Everyone: *laughs*

Lizzie: My work here is done

Sam: There’s many things I love about it. Firstly, she’s this omniscient narrator, fly on the wall that watches the whole situation go down and then comes out with this cracker “money, money, money” hook

Hannah: It’s such a funny way to express angst in a relationship with a pina colada and maracas

Lizzie: So passive-agressive

Bianca: Like crazy-eyes “I’m gonna kill you”

Sam: That’s why I love that she narrates it all. Like she’s not in the situation, well she probably was, but she’s detached and she’s watching over and dancing. There’s this girl that’s miserable because her boyfriend’s being a dick to her but it’s so upbeat. It’s like how cartoons have a way of expressing really sad moments in a really poignant and satirical way

Bianca: Comedic relief

Hannah: This is a song version of a meme

Tropical Chancer

Lizzie: It’s interesting. You can associate it with that tropical feel but she hasn’t gone too far. It’s been taken-back and it’s subtle. I love it

Sam: I think she was just born with good taste because she just knows where the line is and she treads it so carefully on her debut, holding back from going full-on into pop territory and on this one again she’s held back from getting people with maracas

Bianca: My favourite is the way she pronounces “chancer”. I really like her accent there

Sam: There’s something about the line, “You have to believe that I’m a dreamer”

Hannah: If you got back to the title Trouble In Paradise, the whole album really gives you that vibe. Everything is sweet but there’s still that darkness underneath

Sam: We’ve talked lots with other albums about not listening to the lyrics but this is the first time we’ve been picking them up

Bianca: It’s a heartbroken person on a really beautiful pacific island. Like you want to enjoy the scenery, the water is amazing but it’s not as good as it could be because you’re heartbroken

Sam: It’s like you’ve been left at the altar but you still have to go on the honeymoon

Silent Partner

Lizzie: I don’t like this song at all

Hannah: I feel a little bit anxious

Sam: It’s definitely the outlier of the album but there is something I do like about it which is on the first album she was part of La Roux and this time she sound like the lead-woman. She’s more aggressive and she’s taken control

Lizzie: Nah, I’m just anxious

Bianca: It’s a really long song. I would’ve loved for there to be a big drum break-down

Hannah: For a seven-minute song you have to have something that hooks you

Sam: But she’s been very restrained with her anger the whole time maybe this is when she’s decided to let loose. I like it actually

Lizzie: The breakdown is quite cool

Hannah: Yeah but it’s not good enough for 7 minutes

Bianca: I can definitely see how it was needed on the album. Everything was a bit crazy-happy

Sam: I feel a change. On Tropical Chancer she’s was a little bit annoyed and now she’s pissed off laroux3

Let Me Down Gently

Bianca: That pause is just so good

Lizzie: And then the breakdown...ahhhhh

Sam: The silence just lingers almost too long

Hannah: It’s another perfect demonstration of her knowing where the line is and then pulling back

Sam: She’s just a brilliant pop writer. The whole album she’s mixed sadness with happiness and this is just total sadness

Bianca: So much angst, that guitar with the breakdown…

Sam: That brass sounds like she’s devastated

Hannah: There’s still the ‘70s feel but she’s gone from tropical to a much more subdued sound

Sam: The storm's gone and this is the calm

Lizzie: It makes me feel sorry for her. Awww…

The Feeling

Sam: I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said apart from her voice sounds flawless

Bianca: How is her voice so high but not grating

Hannah: Or breathy

Sam: And she jams so many words into a voice…

Hannah: Without losing coherence. Ah, we’ve started finishing each other's sentences

Lizzie: Think about the story of the album. She’s gone from paradise to the anger and the sadness and now this is mellowed out. Like, “ok now I’ve gotta move on”

Sam: The whole album sounds like a nice narrative packaged together and again, she’s found a line where it’s like “nine songs, that’s enough”

Bianca: Yeah, it doesn’t sound forced. She is just so natural. Maybe because she’s had five years to mull it over

Sam: Can you imagine that?

Bianca: Well, she couldn’t even sing for part of that because she had anxiety attacks, she thought she had throat cancer. But it was purely from stress and anxiety. I guess this is her breaking free

Sam: There was a point last year when I thought we weren’t going to see another La Roux album but the fact she’s come back and this is so impressive is amazing

Hannah: I think what’s impressive is she sounded like she never left. It’s slipped back into where you want to be

Sam: As soon as I heard Let Me Down Gently I was confident about this record

Bianca: This album also doesn’t make me pine for the old album. When we listened to Klaxons I wanted to go back and listen to their old stuff so I could remember how good they used to be

Lizzie: Yeah this stands on its own

Best Song

Bianca: Sexotheque

Hannah: Sexotheque

Sam: Yeah, Sexotheque

Lizzie: That one’s the money, money one yeah? Yeah, I like that one

Sam: Sexotheque and Uptight Downtown

Bianca: And Let Me Down Gently

Overall Score

Lizzie: 8.5

Hannah: 7, I don’t think it tops Jungle and I gave Jungle an 8. Maybe 7.5

Bianca: I’m going to give it a 9

Sam: Yeah for me it flies past Jungle. 9

albums / reviews07/18/2014

First Impressions 14 July

firstimpressions_july14

Another six new songs up on the chopping block. This week we walk a tight-rope between electronic music and pop with one curveball thrown in just to make sure everybody's paying attention. While J-pop is appreciated by some other's fail to get on board.

Read our reviews below:

Usher- She Came To Give It To You (Feat. Nicki Minaj)

Lizzie: Is it as good as Pharrell’s Hunter? Unfortunately not. However, on its own merit this track is a very groovy funk/disco number. I feel like it is a right of passage for every pop-artist to have Nicki Minaj feature in song - feels a bit like old news to me. 3.5

Bianca: I’m getting Blurred Lines vibes from this. Points for not actually featuring Robin Thicke and for the funky percussion and sassy backing singers. 2.5

Hannah: This is equal parts hits and misses. The walking bass? hit. Nicki M’s rhyming of Ush-her with her as the song fades out? Miss. There’s no climax here, but it certainly won’t crash and burn either. 2

Sam: I like that Usher is taking a different approach this time around. Both this and Good Kisser don’t sound like they’re reaching only for the charts and I suppose when you’ve been in the industry this long you can afford to be a bit creative. Pharrell’s production always sounds so effortless that sometimes his songs can sound too cruisy. Luckily, here Nicki Minaj steps up with this attitude-filled, sassy verse that brings the track home hard. 3.5

Arty- Up All Night

Lizzie: The vocalist packs a real punch here. It definitely has a that European summer festival vibe about it - getting people up and pumping. Annndddd, the build-up to the drop does not go for hours, thank god! I am curious as to who will tackle a remix of this baby. 4 Lizzie’s Pick

Bianca: The ‘drop’ was completely predictable but such is the life of an EDM banger? 2

Hannah: For a song about staying up all night… it’s really a little bit of a snooze-fest, isn’t it? Sounds like every other mediocre EDM song striving for popular appeal with a female vocalist. 2

Sam: EDM always gets a pretty hard wrap on First Impressions but I honestly think this is the best one we’ve had yet. Angel Taylor’s hefty vocals compliments Arty’s dense production and the drop shakes the room just like a big-room EDM track should. Is it groundbreaking? No. Is it enjoyable? Yeah, it is. 3

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/interscope/arty-up-all-night-feat-angel-taylor[/soundcloud]

Juce- Burning Up

Lizzie: C’mon everyone, do the hustle! This a lovely rosy little jam. It’s got that sassy edge that makes you want to get up in the morning and do great things with your self. I love the cheeky inclusion of “Juce it up” - that’s a little bit of fun isn’t it. 4

Bianca: So much sass, so little time! This track is hot, hot, hot and Chalin’s vocals are as smooth as ever. 3

Hannah: This is just so catchy. Despite being in the middle of a fairly non-existent winter, I’m still transported to a rooftop party in the middle of summer. 3.5 Hannah’s Pick

Sam: I always lose it when I hear lyrics directed towards a hometown and when a song is released in conjunction with a season. So, this week Juce get two big ticks from me for doing both. They earn a third gold star for the lyric “Juce it up”. If I was in a boy band I would make sure our name was used as innuendo in every second verse. Burning Up induces so much nostalgia. Juce have yet to put a foot wrong yet in my books. 4

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/jucelovemusic/juce-burning-up[/soundcloud]

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu- Kira Kira Killers

Lizzie: I don’t know what I just heard. Is it a song or a hyperactive chipmunk? 0

Bianca: A candy-pop, sickly sweet J-Pop number that would slip in quite easily to a Dance Dance Revolution track list. And I love Dance Dance Revolution so: 3

Hannah: For a j-pop track it’s incredibly insightful. The only english words used are happy, happy, happy, F-U-C-K and killer. It’s about a bad break up right? Digging the empathy. 2.5

Sam: Hang on give me 30 seconds to digest what I’ve just seen.

If pop music in this country was this interesting, commercial radio would be a much safer place. This sound is being appropriated into so many electronic tracks right now, which makes this sound very current, actually. I’m not sure if Kyary meant to be so of-the-moment but it is. And for that reason I love it. Please somebody insert me into this video so I too can dance with that odd looking beast-like character. 4 Sam's Pick

Banoffee- Got It

Lizzie: The warped male voice in the background is just weird and unnecessary, and to be quite honest, it’s a little creepy. Martha’s voice on the other hand, is a tantalisingly fresh and unique sound that I’m totally diggin’. 3.5

Bianca: This is a quirky, RnB little number with Martha’s subtle vocals complimented by 80s-inspired synths. And the male voice? Unlike Lizzie, I like my men warped. 3 Bianca's Pick

Hannah: Simultaneously sickly sweet, yet smooth and a little too heavy, just like the dessert itself, Banoffee gives us an Australian female voice that doesn’t sound like The Jezabel’s on one side or Rainbow Chan on the other and that is fine by me. 3

Sam: When stuff as interesting as this comes out of Australia I get so excited. Recruiting Oscar Key Sung on this one is a choice move by Banoffee and the production is just so particular and finicky. It’s almost hard to make out when one syllable ends and another one starts yet the track is so dynamic and melodic. Yeah, I’ll take this Banoffee. Even sweater than the real one. 4

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/banoffeeme/banoffee-got-it-1[/soundcloud]

RL Grime- Core

Lizzie: I did not think it was humanly possible to cram this many annoying sounds into one song. Well done RL Grime, you have successfully given me a migraine. 0.5

Bianca: Sounds like an apprentice snake charmer learning his scales for the first time. In the middle of a bomb raid. 2

Hannah: For about 3 seconds I want to get low to this track, and then I’m put off by the wailing siren sounds. I’m not sure if I should drop it low, or run for the hills. 2

Sam: This is murder on the dance floor. That alarming synth make me very anxious but at the same time I’m captivated by the war-like take on trap. Points for innovation but this one will have to sit with me for a little longer if it’s going to appease my tastebuds. 3

first impressions07/14/2014

Friday Lock-in: Jungle- Jungle

junglelockin

“Right on time/ Back by the beach/ Still gonna bring the heat” is how enigmatic British collective, Jungle begin their debut album. And it’s the perfect foreshadowing for what is an album that continuously brings the heat. Jungle have been stirring up serious hype with their brand of disco-tinged funk, so what better way to groove right on into the weekend than to spin this baby.

We locked ourselves in, took away phones and attempted to keep ourselves cool against the flurry of heat that wafts from this record. Stream the album and play along at home. Just be warned this one contains sex with guns, Grand Theft Auto references and Venice Beach cruisin’.

The Heat

Bianca: Great start to the album. I usually hate police sirens when I’m driving because I feel like I’m being chased after but this time I’ll make an exception.

Hannah: This is the perfect cruising down Venice beach- police sirens, a little bit of ‘80s grime to it.

Lizzie: Yeah, watching the world go past, all the little scenarios.

Bianca: So GTA.

Lizzie: Yeahhhhhh, it’s got a soundtrack quality.

Sam: Perfect start to the album- “right on time, back by the beach…”

Accelerate

Sam: What d’ya think bitches?

Lizzie: It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Bianca: Lovin’ the chimes.

Lizzie: Yeah, lots of surprises.

Hannah: It’s got a kind of Aloe Blacc quality to the voice that then errs onto disco

Sam: The verses just creep. Creep on up thurrrr….

Bianca: I just feel like I’m playing a game. It’s definitely the soundtrack to my life. Life is a game guys. It’s kind of rainbow road-y

Lizzie: And we’re still cruisin’. Still in the car.

Sam: It’s not cruisy in the way it floats over you.

Hannah: Yeah, you’ve got your hands out the window doing waves in the air

Lizzie: We’ve got one of those….what is it? Take the roof off…

Bianca: Convertible.

Busy Earnin’

Bianca: I do not regret putting this as number one in our Top 20 of 2014 so far…

Sam: Me neither. I’m very content with the fact I feel like someone’s in a leather jacket with a baseball in their hand coming for me to beat me

Bianca: It’s all very evocative isn’t it

Sam: I think that’s the point with jungle. They’re very…

Lizzie: Cinematic

Sam: They’re one of those band whose video clips need to be there

Platoon

Lizzie: This is my favourite. They have lots going on but it’s a perfect mix. It’s new sounds. You’re questioning what those sounds are

Sam: I’m the opposite it’s my least favourite

Hannah: Yeah

Sam: It’s not dynamic enough

Hannah: It’s a nice track for approaching the middle of an album. You’re already hooked, you can just cruise on through

Lizzie: If the next song is not good then…

Bianca: Wait, you said it was your favourite song?

Hannah: Yeah, but there’s provisions around that obviously

Sam: It’s not unconditional

Drops

Bianca: I love the door creak samples

Hannah: It’s like Bon Iver but…

Bianca: …with a gun

Sam: I’m thinking American Hustle now. It’s something really sweet with something dangerous

Bianca: Having sex with a gun on your bedside table

Sam: I love this one. It creeps in a subtle way

Bianca: This is a creep. In a good way

Time

Sam: Love it love it love it love it love it

Lizzie: I just creamed my pants

Bianca: What?!

Sam: Why do we love it so? Like all of their songs, there is almost no dynamic, it flat-lines but they have this “we’re going on a bear-hunt” creep

Bianca: His voice stays at the same level but I’m ok with that

Hannah: I haven’t stopped nodding my head the whole time

Julia

Hannah: It’s definitely changed the tone

Sam: Julia has been a bad bad girl because this beat is dirty

Hannah: We’re no longer cruisin’. We’re not happy with Julia

Lizzie: More random sounds

Sam: It’s so textured. It’s yummy

Bianca: It’s not my favourite

Sam: Why?

Bianca: Because I just hate Julia. No, I don’t know actually. I love it of course, it’s just a bit pleady

Crumbler

Sam: This one’s neither here nor there for me

Lizzie: I was worried at the start but I think they redeemed themselves- sirens!

Sam: It’s funky. I think it’s something that grows on you

Bianca: This is the police chase in GTA. This is when I’m jumping out of the car and singing

Sam: It’s a bit Starsky and Hutch even

Son Of A Gun

Hannah: Venice Beach. Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet

Sam: It’s so interesting all the visual references that are coming out

Lizzie: It blends in but I’m not sure about it

Sam: I love it

Hannah: I think the second half of the album is already noticeable different to the first

Sam: This song’s the first one on the album that we’ve all been silent through the whole time because it’s interesting and there’s many different levels

Bianca: Does anyone know what he’s saying

All: Nup

Lizzie: I just got taken away by the whole sound

Lucky I Get What I Want

Bianca: This song has so many elements to it. I love the break-down when shit gets real

Sam: Shit gets real so many times on this album. This song is just so brilliant. It’s so melodically perfect

Hannah: Yeah. This one’s a winner

Lizzie: Damn, so smooth.

Lemonade Lake

Bianca: I love that this song actually sounds like a Lemonade Lake. It’s bubbly…

Hannah: Candy, Willy Wonka land

Lizzie: Euphoric

Sam: What an end

Hannah: I feel like that was a journey guys. We’ve been on a journey. We’ve killed some people, we’ve been in and out of gang wars and I’m walking away happy

Most Memorable Song

Bianca: Lemonade Lake

Sam: Lucky I Get What I Want and Accelerate

Lizzie: I love Time. I’ve always loved Time. And Lemonade Lake is the nicest surprise

Hannah: I like Lemonade Lake as the close to the album more than on its own

Overall

Bianca: Can I give it a 10?

Lizzie: I’m going with 9.5

Sam: I’m going to say 8. 8 is a solid number and that’s what it is a solid album. I’m not going to listen to it and be like wow wow wow. The whole How To Dress Well album was full of wow moments, this is just solid.

Bianca: Can I give a 9.5, maybe?

Hannah: I’m gonna give it an 8

albums / reviews07/11/2014