Track of the Day: 'Daily Routine' by Disq

I'm really into this track from the new Disq album 'Collector'. I'm a sucker for a song that changes pace and rhythm and this one does it more than once over the course of its 4 and a half minutes. The band are a five piece from Madison, Wisconsin and if you like this then I recommend you check out the whole album, which has strains of Bodega, Fountains of Wayne and Weezer among others.

Hopefully the band will make it somewhere near you on a tour when all of this coronavirus business is over.

Recommended music: 'Sixteen Oceans' by Four Tet

Since this record was released a week ago a lot of people have been saying that it's exactly the record we need right now. I'm not sure that releasing a record during a global pandemic is at all beneficial for an artist but I know for sure that it's helping me through these difficult times.

The best and most consistent album that Four Tet has released for a few years, this is a record that seems infused with solar energy. It's crisp and bright and uplifting, expertly produced with just the right mix of dancefloor fillers and reflective moments. The surprising appearance of Ellie Goulding on 'Baby', albeit chopped into pieces, feels like the most natural thing in the world after a couple of listens (and I guess after he sampled Nelly Furtado last year on 'Only Human' it's maybe not that much of a leap).


In an album full of great moments it's hard to isolate highlights, but for me 'Love Salad' is the best uptempo track on here, I love its rumbling groove and the array of keyboard sounds.

I'm really looking forward to listening to this on vinyl - apparently there was a manufacturing error and the original pressings had to be scrapped but I'm sure it'll be worth the wait. With this and the Caribou record released a couple of weeks ago it's already looking like a great year for electronic music (if nothing else). You can listen to the full album below.

Track of the Day: 'Tbilisi' by Nathan Fake

Sometimes all you really need in life is a decent electronic banger to get you out of your seat. This is particularly true of the times we're living in now, where if we're not careful many of us will just sit on out chairs and calcify while the lockdown kicks in.

Riding to the rescue is this chiming, pounding track from Nathan Fake. The first track to escape from his new album 'Blizzards', which is out next month via Cambria Instruments, it's a woozy dance track with a slight nod to rave culture and an insistent rhythmn. Can't wait for the album!

Recommended music: 'Suddenly' by Caribou

The fifth album from Dan Snaith's Caribou has recently been released and I'm starting to think it might be the best thing he's ever done. A couple of things before I start, which are going to sound like cliches but are particularly true of this record, The first is that despite the fact its and electroinc record the warmth of the re recordings really come through if you listen to it on vinyl. The second thing is that if it doesn't grab you on first listen you need to make sure you go back to it again and again. It might feel a little disjointed at first but over time the idiosyncrasies of the samples and production really start to burrow into your brain and meld together into a perfectly formed album

'Suddenly' certainly seems to be more diverse than previous Caribou albums - there are more samples (some of which you might expect to appear in Snaith's Daphni guise) and more variations in style and sound. There's even a couple of racks on here that, with different arrangements, could be lost 'Yacht Rock' classics, 'You and I' in particular.



I read in an interview that Snaith bounces a lot of his ideas off Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) who encouraged him to move forward with some of the tracks.It's great that Dan takes input like that and has used it to craft some of these songs, putting bits and pieces together to create a brilliant sounding record.

Hopefully we'll get the chance to hear this stuff live at some point; Caribou are always an enticing proposition for a night out. In the meantime give it a few listens and maybe buy a vinyl copy too.



'Suddenly' is out now on City Slang Records.

Recommended music: 'Sister' by Ultraísta

After a gap of 6 years the trio of Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker and Laura Bettinson are back with their second album 'Sister'. One of the things that's immediately noticeable about this record is the influence and input that Godrich must have on Thom Yorke / Atoms For Peace records, and Radiohead as well. Some of these tracks could easily be Atoms For Peace tracks with female vocals. Elsewhere there are a couple of songs that remind me of Polica, and a hint of Unloved in the singing too.



It all wraps together in an engaging sound that's part electronic beats, a few funky basslines and some woozy vocals and sounds. It's the sort of record that would be equally at home soundtracking a long drive in the sun, relaxing by the pool or a chilled night in a bar with some friends. The fact that we can't really do any of things at the moment shouldn't detract from the pleasure of listening to this music, it'll be good for your headspace. You can listen to the whole album below.

Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019

Why do people like to look back; over the year, or over a decade, or even their lifetime? There's some comfort to be found in 'a remembrance of things past' I guess, together with the fact that sometimes it's hard to imagine a future, or at least a future that you want to be part of. So I've jumped on the decade review bandwagon and thought about the 10 records that had the most impact on me personally. There's no scientific method to this - some are records I'm still in awe of, some changed my opinion of the artist, and some I just played the hell out of. You won't agree with all of them (maybe not any of them) but that's just the way with opinions - everybody's got one. So here's mine.

1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

It's a masterpiece, there's no other word for it. Even if you took all of the raps off it, it would still be one of the best instrumental hip-hop albums ever made. The depth and breadth of samples used are just ridiculous, the list of credits for each track are insane. Then you add in the vocals - Kanye's are the usual mix of greatness and cheese but each of the guests really ups their game. "$50k for a verse, no album out?" spits Nikki Minaj, a moment of truthful bragging during 'Monster' on a track that also features Jay-Z, Bon Iver and Rick Ross. Yes, that's just one track. Even if you've never listened to this album you'll recognise a lot of the tracks, as their power and pomp has been used in adverts and films ever since. Kanye will never make another album like this (for a number of reasons) but that's ok - we've got this one and that's all we need.

2. David Bowie - Blackstar

The greatest artistic farewell ever made? I think so. Still pushing boundaries even as he edged closer to death, Bowie delivered a jazz-tinged album that stood in its own universe, with possibly his least obscure and most personal lyrics ever. Three days after its release he died, sealing the mythology of the album and ascending into the stratosphere of true genius musicians. Oh, and the album cover art was a masterpiece in itself and inspired my first ever tattoo, which has become a slippery slope of music-related inkings.

3. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Compared to their previous few releases this is a decidedly old-fashioned and traditional record. A lot of the previous electronic leanings were ditched and instead this release reflected a band embracing their maturity. It's a calm but dense record, full of gentle moments but with an undercurrent of darkness. If it turns out to be their final record then it's a pretty good way to bow out.

4. Bon Iver - 22, A Million

By the time of his third Justin Vernon had become a bit of a celebrity collaborator, working with the likes of Kanye West and James Blake. You can't help thinking that this helped him to push his boundaries further, resulting in this album. Initially hard to penetrate, but once you can decode the obtuse titles and equally opaque musical refrains you'll find a brave and uncompromising artistic vision.

5. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

There are a couple of reasons why I love this record. Firstly it showed that Vampire Weekend had a depth and maturity that their previous albums hadn't even hinted at, and secondly it's one of the best albums about New York ever recorded, which I played a lot on my first visit to the Big Apple.

6. John Grant - Queen of Denmark

Having never heard of The Czars, Grant's previous group, this album came out of nowhere for me and hit me hard. The self-deprecating, witty and frankly rude lyrics were juxtaposed with beautiful melodies, and bellowing the lyrics to the title track is still one of my favourite things to do at Grant's concerts.

7. James Blake - James Blake

A truly ground-breaking record, and one that showed that it was possible so imbue electronics with heart and soul. Loops, vocoders and glitches combine with stomach-rumbling bass, over which Blake’s fragile vocals threaten to break entirely and disappear into the electronic void. For me there’s a line that runs from Kanye’s ‘808s & Heartbreak’ through this and onto albums like Bon Iver’s ’22, A Million’ and both the FKA Twigs records.

8. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

The skill and craftsmanship on this record still leaves me breathless. Unfairly maligned by some (for the inclusion of Pharrell, for being a change of direction, for just being so damn GOOD) this is a record that achieves its aims by the bucketload. From the recruitment of ‘live’ musicians – Nile Rodgers, Nathan East, Chilly Gonzales – to the use of 4 different microphones from the periods of time Giorgio Moroder describes in his monologue – this is a record that screams quality and style.

9. St. Vincent - St. Vincent

A stunning re-invention , which followed on the heels of her working with David Byrne, and which pushed St. Vincent into a whole new league. This is futuristic guitar-based pop at its very best, a million miles away from when I first saw her supporting The National with just a guitar and not much stage presence.

10. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

An album that I was ready to hate, almost wanted to hate in fact, following the whole splitting up, saying goodbye and then reforming scenario. But what a record to come back with! Far better than its predecessor ‘This Is Happening’,  it manages to sound like LCD Soundsystem the live group, but also weaves in most of the key artists James has ever been influenced by in his songwriting. Let’s hope they don’t feel the need to break up again before they can make another record.

Albums of the year 2019

In another good year for music here are the albums that really hit the spot for me.

1. Kate Tempest - The Book of Traps and Lessons

A haunting and beautiful evocation of despair and hope in Great Britain in 2019. Demands to be listened to as one piece, or for an even more powerful and cathartic effect, watched live.

2. Black Midi - Schlagenheim

In a great year for new guitar bands two stood out, but only one released an album, and that band was Black Midi. Indescribable vocals, an incredible drummer, and songs that evolve each time you hear them, this is a band destined for legendary status. (Black Country, New Road, it’s your turn next year. Don’t disappoint us).

3. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!

On which LDR finally lives up to the hype and really does deliver ‘the next best American record’. Excellent lyrics, beautiful melodies, and a sense that she’s tried slightly less hard and in doing so has achieved a lot more.

4. The National - I Am Easy To Find

The introduction of a number of guest female vocalists has brought a whole new angle to The National’s songs, and in doing so has helped them produce their best album in years. Bonus points for a beautifully packaged vinyl set as well.

5. Floating Points - Crush

An album that feels effortless, as Floating Points creates an electronic landscape for you to immerse yourself into. His work just gets better and better.

6. Dave - Psychodrama

A startlingly intellectual and coherent album from one of the break-out voices in UK rap music. Covering subjects ranging from mental health to domestic abuse, it’s not always an easy listen but it’s a rewarding one.

7. These New Puritans - Inside The Rose

Beautifully constructed, this is a record that displays the true depth and skill of the Barnett brothers, gathering their influences (Talk Talk in particular) and coalescing them in their most accessible album to date.

8. FKA Twigs - Magdalene

Out of nowhere Twigs dropped an astonishing album, laying her heart bare while still pushing musical boundaries. It’s a brave record that deserves repeated listens.

9. Apparat - LP5

Another atmospheric record that owes as much to Talk Talk as Apparat’s usual electronic influences, this is a widescreen approach to electronic music that escapes the boundaries of the genre.

10, Bon Iver - i, i

More immediate than his last record, this is still an album that rewards you every time you listen to it. I miss the risk taking of 22, A Million though.