The festive season is upon us which means that, amongst the frenzy to get the Christmas no. 1, all sorts of people bring out all sorts of Christmas songs. Today's selection is a four track EP from LA's Akira The Don, which brings some warmth to the cool Christmas vibe. My personal favourite of these is his version of 'A Spaceman Came Traveling', which always had a good tune but thankfully is now devoid of the wailings of Irish short arse Chris de Burgh. Have a listen and grab yourself a copy below.
Showing posts with label download. Show all posts
Showing posts with label download. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Monday, 21 December 2015
Albums of the Year 2015 - the top 40
It's been a pretty good year for albums I reckon. There's been some that smacked you right in the face the moment you first heard them, and others that have been slow-burners and slowly wormed their way into your brain throughout the year. Here's my thoughts on the Top Ten.
1. 'Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit by Courtney Barnett
Sassy, intelligent lyrics, brilliant tunes, and overall such a great attitude and joie de vivre that you can't help falling in love with Courtney. For me this was the album that proved that there's still a future for guitar-based music. Full review here.
2. 'To Pimp A Butterfly' by Kendrick Lamar
Probably the most talked about, analysed (over-analysed maybe) and generally dissected album of the year. Big hitting, powerful lyrics, jazz and funk-themed music and top-notch collaborators (Flying Lotus, George Clinton, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg) combined to make this an immense record that has definitely earned a place in the history of black music. See blog post here.
3. 'Foam Island' by Darkstar
An electronic reflection on life in northern England in 2015, the tracks feature interviews with the people of Huddersfield talking about their town, their hopes and their dreams. This is matched with a great selection of music as the band show their skills in writing great melodies. Full review here.
4. 'In Colour' by Jamie xx
A fantastic ride through the rainbow colours of British dance music in 2015. Mixing great samples with deft touches and cool guest vocals, it's the soundtrack to a night out you never want to end. Oh, and the vinyl set was beautiful to look at too. Full review here.
5. 'All We Need' by Raury
A warm, touching and uplifting album that mixes 60s flower-child mentality and 70s vibes with bang up to the minute raps. I've been going on about Raury for a couple of years now, and he's continued to prove my faith in him is justified. Still only 19, and global superstardom beckons. Full review here.
6. 'Projections' by Romare
Mostly instrumental, with snippets of samples deftly woven into a collage of emotions, this is a brilliant début album full of heart and history. Ninja Tune certainly know how to pick a winner, and I hope Romare goes on to make many more albums. Full review here.
7. 'The Epic' by Kamasi Washington
Epic by name and epic by nature, if you want to listen to this triple album all the way through you'll need to put three hours aside. It's worth it though - the best jazz album for years in my opinion, and with his role in Kendrick's album as well it's been a mega year for Kamasi Washington.
8. 'The Good Fight' by Oddisee
Consistently my favourite rapper both on record and live, the fact that Oddisee isn't more well known continues to astound me. Intelligent and intellectual lyrics matched with smooth, quality beats (that he produces himself) results in a record that's maybe just too good for the masses to appreciate. Full review here.
9. 'The Delta' by Brolin
Another great début album, as the reclusive producer from Leeds crafts a sleek and soulful album. Influenced by the synaesthesia he experiences when making music, the record feels like a journey of discovery. I reckon there's a lot more to come from him. Full review here.
10. '1989' by Ryan Adams
In which Adams completely reinvents Taylor Swift's pop masterclass, swapping the pop smarts for emotions, and in doing so makes the record he's secretly wanted to make for years. Cover version heaven. Full review here.
And numbers 11-40...to be honest the ordering is fairly arbitrary, but you ought to be able to find something you like in here.
11. 'Music Complete' by New Order
12. 'The Race For Space' by Public Service Broadcasting
13. 'Perpetual Motion People by Ezra Furman
14. 'Golden Ticket' by Golden Rules
15. 'Born In The Echoes' by The Chemical Brothers
16. 'Algiers' by Algiers
17. 'Multi-Love' by Unknown Mortal Orchestra
18. 'Shedding Skin' by Ghostpoet
19. 'Lost Themes' by John Carpenter
20. 'Culture of Volume' by East India Youth
21. 'Inji' by LA Priest
22. 'Beauty Behind The Madness' by The Weeknd
23. 'La Vie Est Belle / Life Is Beautiful' by Petite Noir
24. 'Panda Bear vs, The Grim Reaper' by Panda Bear
25. 'Evangelist' by Gavin Clark & Toy Drum
26. 'Hinterland' by LoneLady
27. 'Bones' by Son Lux
28. 'EarthEE' by THEESatisfaction
29. 'Solo' by Nils Frahm
30. 'Get to Heaven' by Everything Everything
31. 'Music In Exile' by Songhoy Blues
32. 'Fold' by Fold
33. 'Return To The Moon' by El Vy
34. 'I Declare Nothing' by Tess Parks & Anton Newcombe
35. 'I Need New Eyes' by Larry Gus
36. 'White Men Are Black Men Too'by Young Fathers
37. 'Portraits' by Maribou State
38. 'Personal Computer' by Silicon
39. 'Magnifique' by Ratatat
40. 'The Most Important Place In The World' by Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat
1. 'Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit by Courtney Barnett
Sassy, intelligent lyrics, brilliant tunes, and overall such a great attitude and joie de vivre that you can't help falling in love with Courtney. For me this was the album that proved that there's still a future for guitar-based music. Full review here.
2. 'To Pimp A Butterfly' by Kendrick Lamar
Probably the most talked about, analysed (over-analysed maybe) and generally dissected album of the year. Big hitting, powerful lyrics, jazz and funk-themed music and top-notch collaborators (Flying Lotus, George Clinton, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg) combined to make this an immense record that has definitely earned a place in the history of black music. See blog post here.
3. 'Foam Island' by Darkstar
An electronic reflection on life in northern England in 2015, the tracks feature interviews with the people of Huddersfield talking about their town, their hopes and their dreams. This is matched with a great selection of music as the band show their skills in writing great melodies. Full review here.
4. 'In Colour' by Jamie xx
A fantastic ride through the rainbow colours of British dance music in 2015. Mixing great samples with deft touches and cool guest vocals, it's the soundtrack to a night out you never want to end. Oh, and the vinyl set was beautiful to look at too. Full review here.
5. 'All We Need' by Raury
A warm, touching and uplifting album that mixes 60s flower-child mentality and 70s vibes with bang up to the minute raps. I've been going on about Raury for a couple of years now, and he's continued to prove my faith in him is justified. Still only 19, and global superstardom beckons. Full review here.
6. 'Projections' by Romare
Mostly instrumental, with snippets of samples deftly woven into a collage of emotions, this is a brilliant début album full of heart and history. Ninja Tune certainly know how to pick a winner, and I hope Romare goes on to make many more albums. Full review here.
7. 'The Epic' by Kamasi Washington
Epic by name and epic by nature, if you want to listen to this triple album all the way through you'll need to put three hours aside. It's worth it though - the best jazz album for years in my opinion, and with his role in Kendrick's album as well it's been a mega year for Kamasi Washington.
8. 'The Good Fight' by Oddisee
Consistently my favourite rapper both on record and live, the fact that Oddisee isn't more well known continues to astound me. Intelligent and intellectual lyrics matched with smooth, quality beats (that he produces himself) results in a record that's maybe just too good for the masses to appreciate. Full review here.
9. 'The Delta' by Brolin
Another great début album, as the reclusive producer from Leeds crafts a sleek and soulful album. Influenced by the synaesthesia he experiences when making music, the record feels like a journey of discovery. I reckon there's a lot more to come from him. Full review here.
10. '1989' by Ryan Adams
In which Adams completely reinvents Taylor Swift's pop masterclass, swapping the pop smarts for emotions, and in doing so makes the record he's secretly wanted to make for years. Cover version heaven. Full review here.
And numbers 11-40...to be honest the ordering is fairly arbitrary, but you ought to be able to find something you like in here.
11. 'Music Complete' by New Order
12. 'The Race For Space' by Public Service Broadcasting
13. 'Perpetual Motion People by Ezra Furman
14. 'Golden Ticket' by Golden Rules
15. 'Born In The Echoes' by The Chemical Brothers
16. 'Algiers' by Algiers
17. 'Multi-Love' by Unknown Mortal Orchestra
18. 'Shedding Skin' by Ghostpoet
19. 'Lost Themes' by John Carpenter
20. 'Culture of Volume' by East India Youth
21. 'Inji' by LA Priest
22. 'Beauty Behind The Madness' by The Weeknd
23. 'La Vie Est Belle / Life Is Beautiful' by Petite Noir
24. 'Panda Bear vs, The Grim Reaper' by Panda Bear
25. 'Evangelist' by Gavin Clark & Toy Drum
26. 'Hinterland' by LoneLady
27. 'Bones' by Son Lux
28. 'EarthEE' by THEESatisfaction
29. 'Solo' by Nils Frahm
30. 'Get to Heaven' by Everything Everything
31. 'Music In Exile' by Songhoy Blues
32. 'Fold' by Fold
33. 'Return To The Moon' by El Vy
34. 'I Declare Nothing' by Tess Parks & Anton Newcombe
35. 'I Need New Eyes' by Larry Gus
36. 'White Men Are Black Men Too'by Young Fathers
37. 'Portraits' by Maribou State
38. 'Personal Computer' by Silicon
39. 'Magnifique' by Ratatat
40. 'The Most Important Place In The World' by Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Recommended music: 'Tomorrow's Modern Boxes' by Thom Yorke
Another day, another new way of releasing an album...
It's hard not to dwell on the delivery method of this record, when Yorke made such a big thing of it. Dropping it on us all by surprise just over 24 hours ago, he decided to release it via a new version on BitTorrent, which features a pay gate on the front end so that you can charge for files instead of giving them away for free. One of the stated aims of Yorke's experiment was to see if people could get on with the technology - well, at the time of writing 119,000 people have downloaded it, so it seems OK so far (also, at $6 a download, it also means that York is approximately £440k better off than he was this time yesterday).
So the question is - is he coming up with all of these new ideas to distribute his music to hide the fact that there's nothing new in the tunes themselves? Well one of the most noticeable things about this record is that, despite spending a couple of years on the road with his 'Atoms For Peace' band, this is his most electronic album yet. Apart from a (heavily treated) piano you'd be hard pressed to spot any 'real' instruments. Taking 2006's 'The Eraser' as its starting point it develops the musical ideas even further, and becomes more experimental as it progresses. If it wasn't for Yorke's distinctive vocals you'd be hard pushed to know that this was one of his records rather than one of the many electronic artists that he loves. 'A Brain In A Bottle' opens the album sounding very much like Pink Floyd's 'On The Run' when it starts, but once it gets going it could have been on his last album, as could 'Guess Again!'. 'Interference' sounds like Radiohead on downers (yes, it's that happy), but when we get to 'The Mother Lode' things start to get interesting. 6 minutes of skittery beats and looped melodies over which Yorke sings quietly of 'hollow men' who 'can't see their way out of this'.
Side 2 (as it will be on the rather over-priced £30 vinyl copy) starts with the slow-paced 'Truth Ray' - simple and hypnotic, it's the most emotional piece on the record and provides some humanity amongst the electronic heartbeats. 'There Is No Ice (For My Drink)' (which may or may not be a comment on global warming) is a heavily repetitive, mostly instrumental track with just some backward-spun spoken words and a few warbles in the background. It leads into 'Pink Section', all warbled tape loops and distorted piano and the most unsettling thing on the record, which takes us on to 'Nose Grows Some', which could probably have been on 'Amnesiac'.
Overall then, it's a development on from 'The Eraser', rather than a complete reinvention. With Radiohead back in the studio this week, maybe this has got the electronic leaning out of Thom's system and they'll return with an album of Bends-era guitar belters. We'll have to wait and see...
It's hard not to dwell on the delivery method of this record, when Yorke made such a big thing of it. Dropping it on us all by surprise just over 24 hours ago, he decided to release it via a new version on BitTorrent, which features a pay gate on the front end so that you can charge for files instead of giving them away for free. One of the stated aims of Yorke's experiment was to see if people could get on with the technology - well, at the time of writing 119,000 people have downloaded it, so it seems OK so far (also, at $6 a download, it also means that York is approximately £440k better off than he was this time yesterday).
So the question is - is he coming up with all of these new ideas to distribute his music to hide the fact that there's nothing new in the tunes themselves? Well one of the most noticeable things about this record is that, despite spending a couple of years on the road with his 'Atoms For Peace' band, this is his most electronic album yet. Apart from a (heavily treated) piano you'd be hard pressed to spot any 'real' instruments. Taking 2006's 'The Eraser' as its starting point it develops the musical ideas even further, and becomes more experimental as it progresses. If it wasn't for Yorke's distinctive vocals you'd be hard pushed to know that this was one of his records rather than one of the many electronic artists that he loves. 'A Brain In A Bottle' opens the album sounding very much like Pink Floyd's 'On The Run' when it starts, but once it gets going it could have been on his last album, as could 'Guess Again!'. 'Interference' sounds like Radiohead on downers (yes, it's that happy), but when we get to 'The Mother Lode' things start to get interesting. 6 minutes of skittery beats and looped melodies over which Yorke sings quietly of 'hollow men' who 'can't see their way out of this'.
Side 2 (as it will be on the rather over-priced £30 vinyl copy) starts with the slow-paced 'Truth Ray' - simple and hypnotic, it's the most emotional piece on the record and provides some humanity amongst the electronic heartbeats. 'There Is No Ice (For My Drink)' (which may or may not be a comment on global warming) is a heavily repetitive, mostly instrumental track with just some backward-spun spoken words and a few warbles in the background. It leads into 'Pink Section', all warbled tape loops and distorted piano and the most unsettling thing on the record, which takes us on to 'Nose Grows Some', which could probably have been on 'Amnesiac'.
Overall then, it's a development on from 'The Eraser', rather than a complete reinvention. With Radiohead back in the studio this week, maybe this has got the electronic leaning out of Thom's system and they'll return with an album of Bends-era guitar belters. We'll have to wait and see...
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