Recommended music: 'Postable EP' by Oceania

Take one Russian composer, multi-instrumentalist and singer. Add another singer to the mix, brew gently, and release the result on label best known for releasing sharp dubstep. What emerges is 5 intriguing tracks, full of atmosphere, bass wobbles and crisp beats, but with an overall air of something slightly unwordly.

'Mantra' starts with a Balam Acab-type vibe before the beat steps up. It's followed by the boy-girl duet 'You Live In Me', which sounds more than a little like Portishead might if they stepped up their beat quotient. Title track 'Postable' throws a wobbly bass under a looped vocal and seems to be aiming for a James Blake feel. 'Stop' brings back boy-girl dreamy vocals on the most up-tempo track on the EP, while closer 'Forest' picks up an old school drum and bass beat and hunts at a different direction. Throughout the EP the vocals are used sparingly, leaving the right amount of space for the music to permeate your ears. Listen below.

New Music Mix - 15/6/12

DJ Cull's New Music Mix - 15/6/2012 by Dj Cull on Mixcloud

Here's the latest mix of music that's been clogging up my brain for the past few week. Press the play button to listen above, the tracklisting is below. If you've got any new music you think I should be listening to then please send it to me - one of the main points of this podcast is to introduce people to new artists that they might not have heard of before (as well as including a few more well known tracks). Enjoy!

1. Ghosting Season - Time Without Question (Russell.M.Harmon remix)
2. Fhloston Paradigm - Chasing Rainbows
3. Actress - Raven
4. Gold Panda - Financial District
5. Eliphino - Don't Make Sense
6. Luke Abbott - Modern Driveway
7. Mogwai - How to be a Werewolf (Xander Harris Remix)
8. Cakewalk - Glass
9. Lussuria - American Babylon
10. Gravenhurst - Fitzrovia
11. Seamus Fogarty - The Wind (Geese Remix)
12. Peaking Lights - Beautiful Son

Recommended music: 'Multi-layered Shining' by Deech

I was tipped off to this release by a tweet from Slugabed the other day. Created by the 23 year old Dmitriy Deech from Minsk, Belarus the EP was originally released at the end of March.

The five tracks on display are a confection of squelchy keyboards, snatches of vocals, dubstep rhythms and blips. My favourite is probably 'Skyworm', but they're all worth a listen, and anyway you can download them for FREE so you've got no excuse not to listen. Warm your ears up below, then head off to Bandcamp for the downloads.

Free Download of the Day: BBC6 Mix by Kutmah

Spliced together for a guest slot on Tom Ravenscroft's show on BBC6 music, Kutmah has just made this 23 minute mix available on soundcloud. Grab it while it's hot - undoubtedly the best free thing you'll get hold of this weekend.

Recommended music: 'Love Me Oh Please Love Me' by Bullion

An intriguing release from Londoner Nathan Jenkins, on which he potentially starts the transition from mash-up maestro to fully-fledged pop act. Making full use of his own vocals throughout the tracks, there's an upbeat, summer feel to the songs. The cover of Robert Wyatt's 1984 track 'The Age of Self', whose words seem even more pertinent now than they did 27 years ago, sits well with Jenkins' own compositions, and overall the EP hangs together well, displaying much of Bullion's talents and hinting at stronger things to come.

For me there are strong hints of Metronomy, both in terms of the sound and what he is trying to achieve - think mainly 'Nights Out' with a bit of 'The English Riviera' thrown in. If he can transport this to the live arena (and overcome his desire not to sing in front of anyone) then Bullion could hit the same sort of heights that the band from Torquay are now reaching.

Jenkins has often talked about his 'un-coolness' in terms of his influences and sensibilities, but on this evidence 2012 could well be the year that 'uncool' is the new 'cool'.

You can stream the record, and buy it direct from Bullion, below.

 

Live: in pictures and video - Lower Dens at The Lexington, London 16/5/12

Lower Dens brought their rhythmically dreamy, soothing but brittle new album 'Nootropics' to a packed Lexington last night. Mixing in a fair smattering of old songs as well, the highlight (as expected) was a blisteringly-good version of 'Brains', which you can watch below.



The band are continuing their tour throughout Europe and America, but will be back in the UK for the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas Festival curated by The National - details here.

Tracks of the Day: 'Mountain / Financial District' by Gold Panda

Gold Panda's new single came out yesterday, and above and below you'll find the videos for both tracks. 'Mountain' has a similar feel to the stuff on his debut album, although maybe with a slightly harder edge, while 'Financial District' evolves into something slightly dancier but just as good. It's great to have the Essex boy back from Berlin - let's hope there's a new album on the horizon too...