Why not start your Saturday morning with some brand new music. Today we’ve chosen a real mix of genres starting with: Gary Clark Jr, sultry Butterfly Boucher, Twerps, Two Door Cinema Club, Levek, Ultraista’s (Four Tet Remix) and some local hip hop from Adelaide group Jimblah. We hope you enjoy.
Gary Clark Jr – Ain’t Messin ‘Round
Gary Clark Jr sure ain’t messing around, with the ‘saviour of the blues’ gearing up for the release of his debut major label album Blak And Blu, and makes a pit stop down under to tease audiences before his full onslaught for the Big Day Out in 2013. Fans of ‘Bright Lights’ may be disappointed by the polish on this track, but the song is still undeniably catchy and lands a pretty serious punch. Listen and enjoy as you watch a superstar in the making.
Butterfly Boucher – Not Fooling Around
Sensing a theme here? Butterfly Boucher’s ‘Not Fooling Around’ provides both the required level of mellowness for a Friday afternoon and just the right amount of energy for the weekend. Beginning with Boucher’s smooth and powerful voice and building to a driving drumbeat and many interesting synth sounds. The catchy and upbeat track continues to build and introduce interesting new, exciting elements, ultimately leading to the synth and guitar-led solo at the end. Boucher’s at times melancholic lyrics contrast nicely with the bouncy and dancey music, providing an immersive and thoroughly enjoyable experience for the listener.
Twerps – Work It Out
In true Twerps style, their latest track ‘Work It Out’ sounds like it belongs in another time. This isn’t to say it’s dated. In Fact, the track has a sort of timeless quality. Considering the jam-packed year the Melbourne quartet have had, it comes as a welcome surprise that the four are still churning out new music. We’re glad to see, they haven’t let touring the US with Real Estate or performing to sold out Aussie crowds get in the way of writing stellar songs. This one’s another keeper and we dare you to listen to it and not think of a John Hughes film.
Two Door Cinema Club – Sleep Alone (BeautauCue Remix)
BeatauCue’s remix of Two Door Cinema Club’s ‘Sleep Alone’ transforms the somewhat melancholic track into a fun, bubbly and dance-floor ready song brimming with energy. Two Door Cinema Club’s Sam Halliday’s restrained and reflective vocals complement perfectly with the slowly building beat and distinct synth sounds which explode in the uplifting final minute. BeatauCue’s remix is a highly enjoyable and entirely interesting track that will make you long for more.
Levek – Girl In The Fog
Former bus driver David Levesque is the man behind Levek, a folk outfit from Florida. ‘Girl in the Fog’ is the gorgeous third single from debut album, Look A Little Closer and it shows off Levesque’s enviable talent for well crafted folk melodies. It begins with some dextrous finger-picking, before Levesque’s haunting vocals enter the fray. “Ask him if she ever faded away from his thoughts long ago,” he sings earnestly. Meanwhile, strings gently stir in the background to create a sound that is both familliar and comforting. ‘Girl in the Fog’ may be simple, but it’s also wholly satisfying. If this is any indication, Levesque’s days driving buses around Florida are long gone.
Ultraista – Smalltalk (Four Tet Remix)
UK-based Ultruista have been living below the radar but as with most things remix-master touches, it seems they too will soon turn to gold. The three-piece is made up of producer/multi-instrumentalist Nigel Goodrich, most famous for being known as the ‘sixth’ member of Radiohead. The remix, while not a huge departure from the original track, is taken to another level thanks to Four Tet’s supreme production skills. A great track.
Jimblah – Capitol City
The last two weeks have been big ones for indigenous hip-hop artist Jimblah. Not only did he put his debut album, Face the Fire, up for free download, but it was announced he would be joining Sydney label Elefant Traks (which features the likes of Hermitude and Urthboy.) ‘Capitol City’ however is an ode to another epicenter of Aussie hip-hop, his home town of Adelaide, and the thriving scene it contains. Shot through with bursts of synth and samples of sirens, contrasting Jimblah’s pronounced delivery with the softer female vocals of the chorus, this is Face the Fire at its most raucously schizophrenic.
