Listen to this week's Top Ten new tracks and remixes above - it's a fairly laid-back selection this week so kick-back, relax and enjoy. Track listing and details:
The fourth batch of remixes from The King of Limbs is now available to listen to above. You can buy the downloads from Monday, although the vinyl versions have been delayed (due to the fire at the Sony / Pias warehouse).
For the past 18 months or so I've been compiling a weekly list of the best 10 or so new tunes around and emailing it to my friends. That was all well and good, but it was a bit one-dimensional, so now I'm pleased to present to you...the Friday Top Ten Mixcloud Broadcast! Have a listen to this week's selection below and let me know what you think.
This is the third EP from Ewan Robertson (aka Offshore), ex Aberdonian now living in London. The EP opens with the title track 'Pacer', a deceptively simple start of booming drums and simple chords that gradually builds up layers of melody, chimes and extra percussion while still keeping the driving beat. 'Pepper' is up next, with some Major Lazer-esque rhythms - this one will definitely go down well at the Notting Hill Carnival in a few weeks time.
The middle track on the EP is the highlight. 'Pearls and Butlers' features guest vocals from Cienfuegos and has a darker feel, but is also more organic and warmer than the previous two, slower and more thoughtful. 'Mintlaw' is a brief, ticking instrumental, and is followed by closer 'East Coast Capital Connect' (possibly the first track to specifically name a transport company since The Divine Comedy's 'National Express'). The track itself is far mor eenjoyable than a ride on the said company's trains, being full of dark swathes of chords and sci-fi squelches over a throbbing bass.
'Pacer' is out now on Big Dada Records - you can listen to a sample of the EP below.
There's been a lot of talk about this album being a piece of history, and undoubtedly it's hard to think of 2 bigger names who you could get to make an album together. With all the weight of expectation behind it, it's hard to know where to start when dissecting the record for a review.
Let's start with what this isn't. In my little opinion, this isn't as good as Yeezy's epic from last year - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It's almost as if that album had the scale that this one deserves, and hence this feels a bit muted in comparison. Not that there aren't some big moments on here, in terms of both songs and production. 'Lift Off' is probably the zenith in terms of collaborations on here, just take a look through the credits - vocals by Beyonce, Seal and Mr Hudson, production by Kanye, Q-Tip & Pharrell, mixed by LMFAO. One of other main problems here is that every time the Jigga raps he blows Kanye off the stage, the quality of his lyrics is just so much better.
Those points aside, this is a good album. There's variety in the tracks, some great samples, and some good & thoughtful words mixed in with the usual bitch/shit/dick dirty talk. A good sign is that, having heard it 3 or 4 times today, I've liked it more every time, and tracks that passed my by at first are already starting to grow on me.
Either way, it's still pretty much an essential hip-hop purchase, and there are a lot worse things you could be spending your money on (or stealing, if you live in looting London at the moment).
The first release on Dam Mantle's own Get Me! label is this eagerly awaited 12"/download. Regular readers will know that I've been banging on about how good Dam Mantle's new stuff is since I saw him a couple of times at this year's SXSW festival in Austin, and I'm pleased to say that the recorded versions of the tracks he debuted there don't disappoint.
The EP starts off with the immense title track 'We'. By far the longest track that Tom Marshallsay has committed to tape, this is instantly engaging, with skittery beats, hand claps and a chord progressions that's not dissimilar to Moby's 'Go'. Arpeggio'd synths ride the beats before some sampled, mucked about vocals make an appearance. I can picture Tom bouncing about behind his equipment as he puts this together live, layering sounds and beats on top of each other. Three minutes before the end the track breaks down into a vocal loop before building up again into a more percussive and slightly eastern-sounding piece - still recognisable Dam Mantle, but hinting at intriguing new directions for the future.
So then, one track in and already more creative ideas than some bands would put on a whole album. But there's still plenty left to entice you in the other three tracks. 'Meet Me In The Ambulance' is a more frantic track, driven by varying beat patterns, sparser in make-up but no less interesting. Then 'Somnambulate My Dear' has sampled 'oohs' and 'aahs' over a cold,jittery backing of clicks and ticks that is complemented by warm synths. The track ends beat-less, with just resonant, almost organ-like chords.
Finally you get 'Not A Word'. This was my favourite part of Tom's live sets back in March, as he loops his own vocals about 'monks in the cloisters' over fluid beats and effects. This track is effectively a bridge between the 2 EPs he put out last year and the rest of the tracks on here, and as such it feels slightly out of place, less progressive than the 3 tracks you've just listened to. It's still great though and will no doubt go down a storm during his live shows.
Highly recommended - you can buy it at Boomkat here or Rough Trade here, and in the meantime listen to the whole EP below.
