PAST ISSUES - 2008
18th December - MEURSAULT
Exposure 43 Attempts have been made to shoehorn this amazing edinburgh band into a very wide range of genres, including indie, electronica, shoegaze, folktronica and on and on etc blah etc. I suppose in some ways they actually are all of these things, anyway, the four piece, compromising of Neil Pennycook (vox), Chris Bryant (banjo and ukulele), Fraser Calder (drums) and Callum MacLoed (beatbox) make one hell of a noise. To be more specific, there is definitely a strong Scottish reference, blended with more avant garde electronica sounds, think Thom Yorke featuring at a Fence Collective jam, then put in a spin dryer. And of course there is Pennycooks voice, something amazing and not dissimilar to Win Butler from Arcade Fire. This is a homegrown talent and fortunately its being nurtured by a blogger of some repute, Song, By Toad, who upon hearing them signed them to his own label (Edinburgh based Sonbytoadrecords.com). So, now all you need to do is listen to this track, Salt PT1 which will give you an intro of what they can do... the album really is amazing by the way.14th December - Slow Club
Exposure 43 Slow Club is the name of a two-piece folk-pop band from Sheffield, England. The band formed in 2006, after the break-up of Sheffield band Lonely Hearts, half of which went on to form the electro influenced Run Hide Survive, the remainder forming Slow Club. So, the duet is made up of Charles (vocals, guitar) and Rebecca (vocals, guitar, percussion) who are now really beginning to make things happen, specially since Moshi Moshi released their first EP (sept 08), they have even had a track used on a biscuit ad and toured with Tiny Dancers as well as labelmates Tilly and the Wall. Often found to be employing random objects in their percussion (bottles, a chair etc), Slow Club are a band producing music that is unpretentious, uplifting and fun. We have dropped their christmas single here... don't be scared, its not that christmassy and it even gets quite loud at the end!5th December - Ivana XL
Exposure 41 Yet another Brooklyn artist featured on exposure, this is getting predicable, but we cant resist, last one, promise. Anyway, this is Ivana XL, a young New Yorker, brought up by her mother on the road. During her travels she was exposed to much music and a diversity of cultural influences that clearly left their mark. Over the past year or so there has been an escalating amount of blog buzz and the release of a much praised EP. We are posting a track here called Sweetie Pie which features her bluesy spartan and husky voice over straight blues folk guitar. Its moving and emotional. Its a beautiful track, she is destined for big things, bet you.2nd December - The Brighton Port Authority
Exposure 40 So, Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) reveals his new project and he has pulled in some pretty heavy hitters, turning it into a large scale collective calling themselves the BPA. No doubt its going to be a pretty success and to be honest its both fresh and original. Who's in? Well, we have Norman Cook who is heading it up, plus David Byrne, Dizzee Rascal, Emmy The Great, Iggy Pop, Pete York, Jack Penate, Jamie T, Martha Wainwright, Conan, Olly Hite, Lateef, Ashley Beedle, Simon Thornton, Thomas Gandey, and Justin Robertson... Indeed, a real who's who. So, what sort of sound? Well, essentially its party time, with Cooke's classic style of beat making, upbeat vocals, samples and general maraca-shaking. Have a listen to this one here, titled Toe Jam which is the first single released on Southern Fried and features David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal....21th November - Robots with Hearts
Exposure 38 2006, Rakvere, Estonia, WHA!? Festival, a new music and culture extravaganza showcasing various genres of music put together by DJ Gee of Def Räädu. That night the black sheep of Ninja Tune Records, one Andy Coleman aka Animals On Wheels, would rock the house with frenetic beats and shapeshifting rhythms at lightning speeds twiddling the knobs of his custom built circuit bent equipment. Not to be outdone Philadelphia's favorite underachiever Michael King aka iCON the Mic King would dangle 20 ft above ground delivering his passionate and visceral lyricism in a performance that would echo throughout Estonia. Impressed by each other's music and performance Andy and Mike kept in contact and eventually the thoughts that became words became actions and they embarked on a journey of creating music together. The result is Robots with Hearts. Enjoy, and dont forget, you heard it here first! Listen to Flame...14th November - Arieke Waveband
Exposure 37 Who are the Ariake Waveband? This we don't really know but Matt Cooper, who is one of them, sent us some of their music and it blew us away. Starting off with an ambient soundscape, their music builds and broadens into fully fledged, deep and intelligent electronica. Sometimes referencing Jon Hopkins style cinematic beats to a darker DJ shadow-esque instrumental hip hop style. Citing a broad range of influences (from the Eels to Unkle and pretty much everything in between) and literally dripping bass, this is a big track and its whet our appetites for more.... listen to Always...7th November - Plugs
Exposure 36 Well, heres something really good. Plugs, its a three piece from st. Albans (where, incidentally, their label mates Friendly Fires also come from). Fronted by Morgan Quaintance (Test Icicles and Does it Offend You, Yeah?), alongside local lads Dave Chin and Boomer Opperman, Plugs have spent the last year producing and recording and are about to release a full album to follow up last years EP. The result, they say, is a 'three headed, post rave afro influenced groove monster'... Yikes, well dont be put off by that, its really excellent stuff, you can hear for yourself below in 'That Number', which has just been released by mini indie People In the Sky. Think bleeps, electronics, angular guitar and tight vocals. Oh yeah, they are playing live at the Proud Galleries on friday the 17th. Nov.31th October - Little Joy
Exposure 35 3 piece lazy indie, kind of surf rock band Little Joy are named after a cocktail bar in Echo Park, just down the road from where they lives as it so happens. The band consists of Amarante (Singer/Guitarist of Los Hermanos) and Moretti (drummer of The Strokes) Binki Shapiro, a chance meeting at a festival in Portugal and a random introduction through friends of friends brought them together and Little Joy was born. MOving to Echo Park began demo-ing songs and together with the help of producer Noah Georgeson (who had just finished recording Devandra Banharts latest abum) they have just finished their self-titled debut, which is to be released on Roughtrade sometime in early November. Here is a sweet little track that'll warm you up a bit. A mixture of beach boys, folk and indie sounds. ....Brand new start.27th October - Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra
Exposure 34 Back to folk again this week, though showcasing the Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra is hardly breaking new artists since this was released 10 years ago on cassette. Anyway, we can validate this exposure by adding that it was re-released by Fence on modern compact disc in '06. So, this is a pretty important album since it was the first release on Fence Collective all those years ago. The Orchestra itself was an outlet for Kenny Anderson's singing and songwriting talents and put out a couple of albums. Now, as we know, Kenny plays under the moniker of King Creosote and has re-leased, on cd, cdr etc around 40 albums all told (apparently). i found this track, which is a simple stripped bare blue-grass/trad style of composition and liked it very much, maybe because of the way the scratched old vinyl feel galvanizes the lonely blues, making it stand out from the rest of the album. Anyway, listen to Lavender Moon....27th October - Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra
Exposure 34 Back to folk again this week, though showcasing the Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra is hardly breaking new artists since this was released 10 years ago on cassette. Anyway, we can validate this exposure by adding that it was re-released by Fence on modern compact disc in '06. So, this is a pretty important album since it was the first release on Fence Collective all those years ago. The Orchestra itself was an outlet for Kenny Anderson's singing and songwriting talents and put out a couple of albums. Now, as we know, Kenny plays under the moniker of King Creosote and has re-leased, on cd, cdr etc around 40 albums all told (apparently). i found this track, which is a simple stripped bare blue-grass/trad style of composition and liked it very much, maybe because of the way the scratched old vinyl feel galvanizes the lonely blues, making it stand out from the rest of the album. Anyway, listen to Lavender Moon....17th October - Bomb the Bass
EXPOSURE 33 Tim Simenon aka Bomb the Bass presents his new album 'Future Chaos'. This is his first LP after 14 years, here he revamps his long-running project to produce a record that's fresher than anyone might have expected from an outfit that got its start in the '80s. An electronic album that isn't bound by any genre and a pop album that's not afraid to stretch out. His new album 'Future Chaos' features contributions from no less than Jon Spencer (the jon spencer blues explosion), Mark Lanegan (qotsa, screaming trees), Fujiya and Miyagi and toob. Just check out the production on Smog.....10th October - BUCK 65
Exposure 32 Buck 65: DJ, MC, producer, turntablist, radio dj and Canadian is also know as Richard Terfry. His sound is underpinned by an background in abstract hip hop with his sound incorporating blues, country, rock, folk and avant garde and has often been compared to Beck and Tom Waits. Anyway, he is an incredibly creative and accomplished fellow, with around 4 or 5 different pseudonyms, each representing a different character and different rap style. Now, the reason for posting him today is that he has just released the second part of his new album titled 'Dirt Bike' and he has rather generously decided to give it away online. in fact you can get it here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/196100404f5b55dc You wont find this track on the album though, but i'm posting it cause its one of my favourites. Its called Protest, have a listen.6th October - I Blame Coco
Exposure 31 and a half Here is a nice little track from a new band called I Blame Coco. Coco is the lead singer and is the daughter of Sting, she is joined by Joy Joseph on drums and Raphael Mann on bass both of whom are from Mr Hudson & The Library. So, this is a catchy little piece, nice beats and very simple ska based harmonies. Coco (real name Eliot Pauline Styler Sumner) is in possession of a decent voice too. its good enough on its own to be a bit of a hit, however, no doubt due to Coco's heritage it will definitely be so, indeed, they are already signed to Island records....3rd October - Gang Gang Dance
Exposure 31 Well, this threesome are from brooklyn like so many super fresh electro clash bands of the now. Having just stumbled upon them out of the blue and listened to a few of their tracks i would definitely agree with Wikipedias cautious 'experimental' tag. They are wild and mad, i just didn't know what was going to come next... and even when i thought i had a grip on their tracks who should show up but grime MC Tinchy Stryder - didnt see that one coming. Anyway, this isnt for everyone, but i like it and it makes a difference from the 'breathy folk' we so often post (not that there anything wrong with breathy folk by the way). ps they are playing in Hoxton next Saturday26th September - Justin Vernon
Exposure 30 Bon Iver's Justin Vernon is one bad-ass dude. He grows beards, he pushes people around in the post, and he writes records that everyone loves and wants to buy. Thats three out of three. This is from an album he did before the now super famous For Emma, Forever Ago (but when he was still pushing people around in the post). Vernon recorded and released this in Eau Claire back before DeYarmond Edison moved to Raleigh. However, There is still the same loneliness, the same isolation that so many people have come to relate with Justin's current work, but there's still something folky and earthy about the Hazeltons recording as well. This is Justin stripping down, calling us out, and getting out before anything hits the fan. Oh, and the music is unstoppable too. It's pretty hard to find this recording, but if by magic you find it, immediately pick it up...5th September - THE RALFE BAND
Exposure 29 This is the Ralfe Band, they are about to release their second studio album, titled Attic Thieves, look out for it on the 13th of October, no, really do, we aren't just saying that, cause this is really and truly an excellent album. Having spent a bit of time trying to find out a bit about these guys, we were underwhelmed by the low yield of information and most of what we read we had figured out for ourselves from listening to their music. 1. they make weird and wonky acid folk. 2. there is clearly a very vivid and original imagination at work here 3. its difficult to pin down any specific influences, there is some sort of gypsy action, waltz music and a hint of psychedelia. 4. they are from the uk Anyway, the best thing to do is have a listen to them. Here is Helmutsine, a jolly jaunt about zoo's, tigers, small husbands and other stuff.29th August - TV ON THE RADIO
New York based TVOTR formed all the way back in 2001 and have since released a handful of EP’s plus two albums (the most recent being The Return To Cookie Mountain, voted best album of the year 06 by Spin Magazine). Now, after a bit of a hiatus they are back, about to release their new album ‘Dear Science’, which, we have to say is a pretty bloomin exciting proposition, expectation being further galvanised after we heard this, their much blogged about track “Golden Age’. So, what’s it all about? Well, basically its super electro funk, massively catchy and by far the most accessible release of theirs to date. Its going to be huge and we love it. Now this simply whets our appetite for their forth coming album, which has one Uncut journalist saying its the best art-rock release of the decade. High praise when you consider the genre only really began this decade and the decade is nearly through. Anyway, blah blah blah, just have a listen, I bet you like it. Ps thanks Chris B for the tip...22th August - Dj Mujava
Exposure 28 Elvis Maswanganyi otherwise known as Dj Mujava is a south african producer and DJ who has just been signed to what is probably the worlds most forward thinking electronic label, Warp. He must be feeling good. Its not always been a bed of roses for Mujava though, being brought up in the industrial city of Pretoria didnt allow much access to music education, plus being from a family of 7 with limited resources, sacrifices had to me made. Anyway, long story, but the upshot of it is a very unique and globally appealing style of house and beats, hence the interest from Warp. Mujava has a huge SA fan base and is gradually drawing more interest internationally. So, have a listen to the first release from Mujava on Warp, with its simple, stripped down beats, dirty base and minimal electronica....15th August - Pictish Trail
Exposure 27 Pictish Trail, real name Johnny Lynch, was born and raised in Scotland but spent his teenage years in America. In 2000, after writing music and cleaning record shops, he returned to Scotland in the and meet Kenny Anderson (aka King Creosote), soon after their label, The Fence Collective was born…. This is a classic Fence release in the making with the idiosyncratic blend of acoustic guitars, drums, accordions, delicate harmonies and slight, subtle electronics. Pictish Trail’s full length LP will be Coming out in September, titled Secret Soundz Vol.1, which shows a beautiful emotive voice mixed with his unique acoustic and folky root music. Have a listen to ‘I don’t know where to begin’8th August - A HUMAN
Exposure 26 A strange conception for a strange band, this 6 piece met whilst working in an old mans pub in Londons own Clerkenwell.. Serving the city suits they soon and inevitably became tired of their vocations and decided to form a band. Nothing strange in that, however, the band they formed broke all expectation and were really very good. Their combination of sharp, noir lyrics with twisted electronica and rock is strikingly original and catchy. Telling dark Shakespearean-esque stories about a world (thankfully) far away from our own, A. Human are a new breed of band and ones you should certainly be watching out for, as they currently pen their new material in a grotty cellar studio in Farringdon. Still reading? Well, draw your own conclusions and listen to 'Come Death and Welcome' released on Wall of Sound.1st August - THE WHIP
Exposure 25 Manchester 4 piece The Whip, love a party. We saw them last Saturday at he Secret Garden festival, not really knowing exactly what to expect, they opened their electric set with Sister Slam (which you can hear below), the capacity crowd started bouncing and didn't stop til the end. Bruce Carter and Danny Saville began honing their sounds in a basement in Salford, producing crisp rock and electronica crossover, they were joined by bass player Nathan Sudders and drummer Lil Fee to form what is now the Whip. Their first single was released on French label Kitsune and now they have released a full album on Southern Fried. Sister Slam is a single from the Album X Marks the Destination.11th July - The Early Years
Exposure 22 ‘The Early Years of a person’s life is often when they are doing things purely on their own agenda, unspoilt and unconcerned by outside influence; pure and true to themselves. That’s the best place to be when you’re making music.’ Formed in 2006 by David Malkinson in Hackney, London, The Early Years began as an experiment in improvisation and live james, singlehandedly generating huge waves of psychedelic noise around the seedy venues of East London. David was soon joined by Roger Mackin, Phil Raines and Brendan Kersey, constituting the current four piece. Their unique sound quickly won them fans in Steve Lamacq, Huw Stephens and John Kennedy at Radio 1 and XFM and they were invited into both stations within the same week to record sessions. The live sessions drew the attention of Beggars Group with whom they signed and released their first EP ‘All Ones And Zeros' which you can listen to here:24th July - The Death Set
Exposure 24 Baltimore/ Gold Coast (aus) duo Johnnyy Siera and Beau Velasco are the Death Set. Purveyors of electro punk hook laden bursts of musical fun. Their sound is comprised of synch, drum machines, guitars and overblown mics and up until april this year they had 2 e.p's to their name, one released on Rabbit Foot and the other on Morphius. Skip forward to spring 08 and the lads have finished their debut album titled Worldwide, which is 25 minutes long and made up of 18 high energy, relentless tracks, released on Ninjatune imprint Counter Records. This track here, titled Around the World is from their latest EP also released on Counter and showcases their frenzied energy, punk influences mixed with distinctive hip hop and lo-fi electronica Listen to Around The World17th July - JAMES YUILL
Exposure 23 One man electro/ folk aficionado James Yuill is just about to release his latest single, 'No Pins Allowed' on Moshi Moshi (yes them again, we know, we know), so to celebrate we thought it would be good to introduce those of you who haven't heard of him to his sound. Folk music has been taking on many new guises of late, and one which seems to be growing in popularity is a hybrid of electronica and folk, cleverly (read annoyingly) labeled 'Folktronica'. Within this sub-genre James is master, beautifully and effortlessly blending glitchy electronic beats, folk acoustic guitars, keyboards and pop tinged vocals. Posted below is one of his earlier releases, titled No Surprise which we reckon sums up his style and talent nicely. Interestingly James was also featured in the recent 'Meet The Millenial's' Musictank event where a large panel of industry specialists brainstormed approaches to marketing James and his music... Listen to 'No Surprise'27th June - Endless Boogie
Exposure 21 Never was a bands name so appropriate, Endless Boogie, an NYC phenomena, with a reputation for only playing shows when asked, one LP four members, (The Governor, Top Dollar, Memories from Reno and Grease Control) and a combined age of 177. Confessing that they dont really have any agenda other than that they just want to rock with you its not difficult to see why they have become a bit of an underground sensation back home in NYC. So, whats it all about? Well, as blog Raven Sings the Blues so eloquently puts it - "pounding, fevered, extended jams that burn with the hot tempered chooglin' soul of Classic Rock". And we'd have to agree, with general nods in the direction of Credence, Stack Waddy, Beef Heart and more Credence, this is pure, unadulterated good time, beer swilling rock and roll, progressive and intense. We Love IT. Listen to 'Jammin' With Top Dollar'20th June - Culture Reject
Exposure 20 Lo-fi, considered and mostly solo, Canadian Michael O'Connell is Culture Reject. His voice is stripped back, soulful and strong, his lyrics are thoughtful and provocative. This track, 'inside the cinema', is an excellent example of what makes Culture Reject, its infectious and makes us want more, watch the video to see how he has looped vocals to create the rhythm - Exclaim (canadian music site) claim this as one of the Canadian Singles of the year and thats high praise indeed when considering the competition. Anyway enough sycophancy, he's a good musician, this is a good track, that ticks the exposure boxes, listen to it....13th June - FLEET FOXES
Exposure 19 Signed to indie hit makers Sub Pop, the sensational Fleet Foxes have stacked up over 250,000 plays on their myspace page without having released anything at all. So, who are they then? Well, they are a five piece from Seattle being compared to Arcade Fire, the Polyphonic Spree, Midlake and Mercury Rev. Their music is fully unorthodox, based on unconventional structures and ornate instrumentation, with tracks featuring tom drums, banjos, dulcimers, mandolins and organs. Vocally they are often choral and harmonic, sometimes even putting two songs together as one, building songs that have no chorus and that are surprisingly short. Below is a track they gave away free called White Winter Hymnal, it builds, layers with harmony, tambourines, guitars, acoustic, electric and bass. Its beautiful, file this one next to the Beach Boys, maybe.... anyway, have a listen.6th June - The Vivian Girls
Exposure 18. This week its a big noisy all female three-piece brooklyn based guitar punk exposure. The Vivian Girls are causing a stir, they have already released a couple of 7" singles, following which their limited run of 500 LP's sold out. With comparisons to the likes of the Vaselines and the Shop Assistants (and i reckon a touch of Archie Bronson), their songs are short, punchy and harmonious, energetic and fun, look out for the re-release of their LP in the autumn on In The Red. Here's Around the World...2nd June - !!!
Exposure 17 !!! (or Chk Chk Chk) have been around for a few years now and sadly, just recently, their charismatic lead singer John Pugh decided to leave to concentrate on his other project, Free Blood. To celebrate the great machine that is !!! we are posting a track released earlier this year. Yadnus is a track that demonstrates the bands energy, dynamism and edge. Its a bit more accessible than some of their other material though its still genre busting, progressive party magic.23th May - QUIET VILLAGE
Exposure 16 This is a bit different....Notorious crate diggers Matt Edwards and Joel Martin - AKA Quiet Village - have released a series of singles and been remixing for diversity of bands including the Gorrilaz, Francois K (and apparently the Osmonds), all of which have built up their profile on the blog-net-world-web. K7, (berlin label featured last week), have picked up on this buzz and are now releasing their first LP, titled SIlent Movie, which is a hybrid of slow-motion disco, psych-rock and sundown surf tunes. Citing their influences as Italian film soundtracks, BBC library music, disco edits, acid rock, vintage soul and easy listening... This tune, titled 'Horror Circus' is all prog guitars, organic beats, flutes and inventive samples. Imagine the intro to a slick 70's cop film, muscle cars, grim chicago streets, trams, traffic lights and dealers, or pick your own imagery, whatever, its all good. Have a listen:
16th May - Au Revoir Simone
Exposure 15 After last nights fairly loud and late urban mini festival, Stag and Dagger, we thought it might be good to feature something a little more soothing. By some amazing coincidence, we received a promo from Berlin indie K7! called Life Beyond Mars - Bowie Covered. What a treat, especially the first track, Au Revoir Simone's cover of Oh! You Pretty Thing. With a love of synthesizers and vintage drum machines, Brooklyn trio Au Revoir Simone made their UK debut with the release of mini album, 'Verses of Comfort, Assurance and Salvation', on Moshi Moshi Records (yup, featured again!) This is all layered synths, ethereal, heart felt vocals, dreamy melodies, and occasional and very light percussion. Check out their version of the Bowie classic, steeped in gentle harmonies, its very very sweet on the ear.8th May - M.I.A vs Holy Fuck
Exposure 14 This weeks Exposure is all about a remix. We (as in I) are fans of M.I.A. We (as in I again) are also fans of Toronto lo-fi improvisation collective Holy Fuck. You can barely imagine our (my) delight when i discovered a remix of M.I.A's Paperplanes by the aforementioned Canadians. Holy Fuck have taken what was already a pretty amazing hip hop track and turned it into a piece of multi-layered progressive psychedelica. M.I.A vocals can just about be heard in the background of what quickly turns into a serving of mental funk bass and wild drumming which is fast becoming typical of this sensational band. To be honest, its not for everyone, but indulge us just this once....1st May - Tapes 'n Tapes
Exposure 13 This is Tapes 'n Tapes, a four piece indie rock outfit from Minneapolis who have just released their second long player titled 'Walk it off' on London indie XL Recordings. They have been classified by many as one of the Blog phenomena success stories, having been championed by some of the uber-cool taste-makers. In terms of their sound, there are comparisons to the Pixies and Pavement, Griers vocals reminiscent of Arcade Fire with production coming from a restrained Dave Fridmann (flaming lips). The track below, 'hang 'em all', kicks off with a wicked guitar hook, slick bass and then Griers idiosyncratic vocals... it also comes with an excellent video, directed by Jonnie Ross.25th April - FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE
Exposure 12 Born in Camberwell, managed by Camden's Queens of Noize and now signed to Londons Moshi Moshi (alongside illustrious artists like Hot Chip, Architecture in Helsinki and Lykke Li), Florence Welch really is an artist of the city. Possessing an incredibly powerful voice, (some say reminiscent of Janis Joplin) she sings her stories in simple, stripped bare folk and blues, from whispers to shouts, she and her machine tell it how it is. Have a listen to 'Girl With One Eye', its just Florence, a guitar, some pretty early percussion and some dark lyrics all about jealousy and retribution...18th April - JAMIE LIDELL
Exposure 11This weeks post is all about UK ground breaking soul vocalist Jamie Lidell, who is releasing his 3rd album, titled Jim. Known for his incredible live shows involving full tilt funk right through to hard edged electronica, layering, looping and often improvising his incredible vocal range. Indeed, its his vocals that have gained him widespread acclaim, being likened to Little Richard, Sly Stone and Prince... towering accolades of course, but he lives up to them and if you check out the attached track - Little Bit of Feel Good, you'll hear its not hype. This track will give you a good taste of what to expect on his new album 'JIM', he has dropped the electronica and focused mostly on upbeat Funk and Soul. Its an excellent album, its a change and it works. No doubt it'll be hit this summer, and you'll be see him on some of the festival bills for certain.
10th April - The Ruby Suns
Welcome to New Artist Exposure 10, and this week its New Zealand based global pop all round Ray McPhun and his band The Ruby Suns.... Signed to Sub Pop in the US and Memphis Industries in the UK, this track, 'There Are Birds" is taken from their second album and is a great representation of the sonically complex sounds that they have made their own. Their often cluttered sound features maori singing, sunny guitar melodies, field recordings of animals and a wide range of unusual percussion approaches. This is a global sound, infused in a blend of indie, electronica, pop and original melodics, vocals and harmonies. Its feel good and if you like this track then you should definitely have a listen to their new album 'Sea Lion'.
4th April - MGMT
Welcome to New Artist Exposure 9, and what may or may not be your first intro to MGMT, formerly known The Management. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden met at college in the states, where they spent a fair amount of time messing around rock and electronica, soon finding a sound that was different and worthy of pursuing. In 07 they began recording with Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridman for their debut album Oracular Spectacular. Sign to Columbia and head on tour. Expect to see them in the UK and Europe later this year. Below is 'Time to Pretend', one of the tracks from their current album...
31th March - Feist
Welcome to New Artist Exposure 8, this week its more about a track than an artist. Oh and neither artist or remixer are exactly new artists... Anyway, the track is 'I feel it all' by Feist and its remixed by Britt Daniel from Spoon. This is an uncomplicated track, beautifully produced with a bit more percussion than the original, piano layers and a much richer sound. It is rare to find a remix actually superseding the original in its quality, and yes, i know its entirely subjective, but i think this is a better version.. Have a listen to 'I Feel It All' here:
24th March - The Felice Brothers
Welcome to the 7th exposure, this week we showcase a band (siblings) who are being hailed by some as the American version of the Pogues... Its Americana, its blues, its dirty, gritty and soulful, its the Felice Brothers. This track is taken from their second and self titled album, full of songs that give a real taste of being young, broke and American. Their sound seems to be inspired by the great artists of the Americana-folk tradition, yet their approach is original and fresh. Check out 'Frankies Gun', a story song littered with guitar hooks, ambient accordions and a shouty call - response chorus.
14th March - Lykke Li
Welcome to New Artist Exposure 6, this week we are showcasing Lykke Li. Some of you may have heard her music already, for those that haven't its time you did. The 21 year old Swede has just release her first LP, produced by Peter Yttling (from Peter, Bjorn and John), her style is quiet yet determined, reminiscent of Regina Spektor and Bat for Lashes and her music takes you along an unpredictable journey but leaves you wanting more. Brought up in the mountains of Portugal by hippy parents, and writing poetry as soon as she could write, the girl has curious heritage but is brimming with talent. Have a listen to this, its - 'Dance, Dance, Dance'10th March - Chewy Benson
Blackburn based electronica and hip hop producer Chewy Benson is the most recent signing to UK online label 'A Future Without...' His sound, though pretty much completely electronic is heavily influenced by his love of jazz. The track we are featuring is a remix of a classic Roots Manuva track, 'Blessed be the Manner' - and brings with it a totally fresh jazz and beats style. Its definitely worth giving 'A Future Without...' more of a mention. A new UK based label, they have been unrelenting in their signings and have built a diverse catalogue of digital releases. We will be featuring more of them in the following months. listen to 'Blessed'29th February - A. THEORY
Welcome to Exposure 3. This week we present 'A. Theory', a new concept instrumental electronica production from Aaron Horn and Alex Praeger and featuring pianist/ songwriter F. Lunaire. Produced in the world famous Sarm Studios and influenced by DJ Shadow, the Beatles, Kate Bush and Portishead - this is beautifully cinematic, laden with dark sharp beats, pianos and samples. Aaron comes from a new breed of artists, savvy to the workings of the music industry, bristling with creativity and steadily making his name with high quality remixes, producing and dj'ing. listen to 'Edinburgh'
