For all the great albums that grab the music media spotlight, there’s many more that slip by the warm glow of recognition. It’s not always for lack of quality either, given the huge array of ways we listen to music these days, both online and off, as well as the speed at which we all consume, it’s little wonder that many great releases slip through the cracks. So much music, so little time.
But here’s the chance to take a little pause for breath and reflect at the month that’s been, picking over the best releases that may have missed the love they deserve when first landing. Maybe they were overshadowed by a major label blockbuster, unnecessarily overlooked or misunderstood, perhaps suffered a case of bad timing. No matter the reason for them slipping under the radar, we’ve switched on our musical sonar to help you discover and explore a raft of releases you may well have missed the first time round.
Amen Dunes – Love (Sacred Bones Records)
What happens when you mix the twang of steely guitars, shimmering flakes of psychedlica, a few shakes of fuzzy lo-fi sonics with a rustic yet totally refined folky howl? Damon McMahon’s greatest record to date, that’s what.
This is the solo artists’ third full-length release and witnesses the singer-songwriter climbing out of the blurry lo-fi aesthetic championed on previous recording efforts to produce a far more ‘easier on the ears’ folk-pop laden album.
Standouts on Love include the (auto?)biographical ‘Lonely Richard’ that consistently teases with subtle strings, much akin to The Velvet Underground’s ‘Black Angel Death Song’, that charges to the cathartic chorusing of “have yourself a good time!” that’s virtually impossible not to belt out in unity.
The twisted echoing vocals and keys of ‘Sixteen’ is reminiscent of a poppy Lennon-esque gem whilst the slow-burning bass-y tune ‘Everybody Is Crazy’ is a conversation of McMahon’s mind, that kind of ‘staring at the ceiling stream of conscious’ type tune you just want to play over and over again. If you’re a fan of current neo-psych kings Real Estate or the bleating vocals of James Taylor and Robin Pecknold (of Fleet Foxes), Love is definitely a release you cannot afford to miss. (Joe Harris)
Eno • Hyde – Someday World (Warp)
The union of two legendary sonic innovators such as Brian Eno and Karl Hyde is the kind of musical matrimony that audiophiles fantasised about and for the most part Someday World is exactly the sum of its two imposing collaborative parts.
As you’d expect of its sonic pedigree, the production is peerless, but rather than veering into Eno’s ambient trademarks or even the lush soundscapes of the Underworld singer’s (terrific) solo album of last year, Edgeland, the 10 tracks takes the duo someplace else.
The LP features Hyde’s impressionistic writing and glazed philosophy, but built from songs that veer between 80s art-pop, electronically-charged indie rock across impressively inventive structures and interlocking musical backings. The pacing is sometimes a little off, but for fans of either musical figurehead, there’s plenty of depth to lose your ears in.
The best part? Eno and Hyde have just confirmed a follow-up Warp Records release, High Life, for release later this month. The pair say the new set channels minimalists like Steve Reich and Phillip Glass but welded to polyrhythmic Afrobeat and Fela Kuti funk – as heard on first taste, ‘DBF’. (Al Newstead)
Popstrangers – Fortuna (Carpark Records)
Returning from their triumphant grungy debut release of 2013 Antipodes, Auckland-turn-Londonder trio Popstrangers have returned with their blissful sophomore full-length release.
Stepping away from the grit and grime that laced their first record, Fortuna witnesses the band dive head first into the cool-pool of jangle-rock producing kaleidoscopic pop sonics and straight-laced riffs that are complemented with Joel Flygel’s watery vocals.
‘Country Kills’ is a perfect example of the band’s foray into their more native Flying Nun Records sounds that chops from stop-start verses to neo-psych freakouts in a seamless fashion.
Despite removing themselves from the fat-riff-rock of their debut release, Fortuna displays the three-piece exploring a myriad of new sonic avenues and thankfully, this shift in direction has emphatically paid off. Be sure to dig this refreshing tome of indie rock. (JH)
White Sea – In Cold Blood (POD/Inertia)
Thus far Morgan Kibby’s biggest claim to fame was co-writing ‘Midnight City’ as a member of French favourites, M83. That looks set to change with the debut album from Kibby’s solo project, White Sea.
In Cold Blood not only shows that that playing keys, singing, and co-writing as part of Anthony Gonzales’ electro-rock group honed her chops for penning cinematically-proportioned pop, but also her patience, wisely waiting to deliver a full set of finely crafted songs – each strong enough in mainstream appeal to achieve major crossover success.
Each song doesn’t just have widescreen hooks (expect to find ‘They Don’t Know’ rattling about your eardrums for days after) it also has the masterful arrangements and tweaks to make it count between the stadium-sized choruses, and as ‘Prague’ beautifully demonstrates, a darker edge to her delivery.
Kibby’s got the voice (sweeping ballad ‘Small December’ would make Florence Welch jealous), she’s got the sense of adventure (‘Future Husbands’ touches on funk, tempo changes, and a dramatic soliloquy), and just the right touch of familiarity (‘Warsaw’ sounds like a lost Eurythmics hit).
If you like your lung-belting pop with a heavy dose of drama (and not saccharine), then file In Cold Blood is the perfect sleeper hit just waiting to be awoken. (AN)
Fatima – Yellow Memories (Eglo)
What is life without soul music? Absolutely nothing! So here’s your monthly prescription and it comes in the name of Fatima.
Having kicked around for a couple of years, lending her honeyed croon to the likes of electronic producer Floating Points (on the masterful ‘Mind’), it’s with great excitement that this bourgeoning nu-soul Queen-to-be has at long last released her debut record, and man, it’s just so good.
The release is expansive, including (br)ass-kicking jazzy tunes such as opener ‘Do Better’, the menacing groover ‘Ridin Round (Sky High)’ the bluesy bellowing ‘You Gave Me My Name’ to the simple vocal orchestras of ‘Sun Star Solar’ and ‘Rest In Peace’ (that remind you of two things: Fatima can fuckin’ sing and you can’t sing with Fatima), Yellow Memories is jam-packed with goodies for any neo-soul fan.
If you dig the likes of Erykah Badu, Solange, or Kelis – this record’s especially for you. (JH)
Jesse Davidson – Ocean EP (Warner)
HOLD UP! Do you like Jeff Buckley? And how about Grizzly Bear? Then don’t go skipping this name just because it looks like “another singer-songwriter”, for what lies beneath is one of the most exciting up and coming talents within Australia.
Punching in at the barely legal age of 18-years old is Adelaide’s Jesse Davidson, a solo artist who on his Ocean EP, has crafted 5 heart-stopping tracks that are guaranteed to blow your mind. Davidson’s sound resonates with that melancholic mist of dream-pop that charmed our hearts by the aforementioned Grizzly Bear.
However, that’s not to pigeonhole Ocean to one genre. There is a striking resemblance of the late and great Jeff Buckley both sonically through the crystallised stand-alone blues Buckley honed as his own and of course, that ethereal haunting delivery that cuts straight to the soul. This is definitely an extended-player that you’ve got to hear. (JH)
Bo Ningen – III (Stolen Records)
While some happily rocked out to Primus, Cosmic Psychos, and Grouplove at this year’s Big Day Out, others wandered away, their faces melted from a frenzy of psych-rock, by Bo Ningen.
Originally hailing from Japan but meeting in and working from London, this four-piece were clearly nourished on a diet of all kinds of six-stringed fuzz rock. Bo Ningen’s resulting mix of metal, punk, shoegaze, math and motorik rock should be chaos, but instead it’s a smooth cocktail stirred with a heavy psychedelic mixer.
Much like its predecessor Line The Wall, III (album #3, duh) rides on a glorious tension where the group’s aggressive tendencies are just barely contained by the tight-snapping rhythms that keep everything ticking along at a gloriously unpredictable pace.
That noisy storm is syndicated by the unpredictable vocals of bassist Taigen Kawabe, swaying from whooping howls to jagged lines of Japanese. There’s also some cameos from Savages member Jehnny Beth and Roger Robinson of King Midas Sound to boot, offering the perfect soundtrack to let your hair down and lose your mind to. Just make sure you play it loud for maximum effect. (AN)
