Shangri-La - Yacht.
Every once in a while I hear a song that’s so unbelievably beautiful, I could swear it contains the golden ratio; and by playing it backwards at a certain speed I would discover the meaning of life or a cure for cancer or something equally significant.
Well, not to overhype it or anything, but I believe this to be one of those songs.
Contributed by @ianwrote.
Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine cover) - Blue Sky Archives.
Before going on to achieve critical acclaim (read: a whole lot of internet buzz) with Glaswegian electro-pop outfit Chvrches, Lauren Mayberry fronted the anthemic-indie-rock band Blue Sky Archives, with whom she rather epically managed to do the almost unimaginable. Successfully turn Rage Against the Machine’s uproarious, angst-fueled debut single “Killing in the Name” into a jangly, twee love song.
“Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” has never sounded this heartbreaking. Download here.
Contributed by @lancedaniels
Ta Douleur - Camille.
Fans of Nouvelle Vague might recognise Camille Dalmais as the vocalist on the tracks “Too Drunk to Fuck” and “Guns of Brixton”, among others, from the bossa nova cover band’s self-titled 2004 release.
“Ta Douleur” is the second track from Camille’s second full length release, 2005’s “La Fil”. Sometimes classified as a “chanson” performer on account of her rhythmic use of French and her thoughtful lyricism, Camille makes great use of a loop pedal on “Ta Douleur” to use her voice for more than just the melody line.
I’d never heard of Camille until the beginning of this year when a newly-made friend and I tried to out-do each other with catchy female-fronted pop songs. After “Ta Douleur” I admitted defeat.
Contributed by @craigwilson.
As I Am - Paper Bird.
Paper Bird are a truly wonderful indie folk band from Denver Colorado, who combine beautiful three-part vocal harmonies with an ever-increasing array of musical styles. Lead single “As I Am” from their new album “Rooms” has a decidedly African tinge to its guitars, somehow combining the best of Peter Gabriel, Vampire Weekend and vintage Andrews Sisters. Paper Bird play music that makes your heart smile.
“Rooms” is out now on bandcamp and iTunes.
Contributed by @orchidhunter.
Waiting - Alice Boman.
As this website has grown, so has the number of submissions from upcoming artists and their record labels. I finally decided to start sifting through the songs last weekend, and this was the first one that I listened to.
Wow.
Alice Boman recorded “Waiting” at home, as you do, and was recently discovered by an Indie record label. Long story short: they will soon be releasing an EP of her home recordings called “Skisser” (“Sketches” in Swedish).
She’s heading into a studio for the first time in June to record another EP with a band called This is Head (who are also pretty good). Definitely one to watch.
Contributed by @rowaneva.
The Moon and The Stars - John Mark Nelson.
I recently discovered John Mark Nelson, a young folk artist straight outta Minneapolis. At only 19 he is already creating some of the most beautiful music. From watching some of his recording studio videos, it looks like he is totally loving what he’s doing and seems to be having a stack of fun while playing.
NPR music recently did a great feature on him if you want more info. I ordered his “Waiting and Waiting” album and its honestly one of my favourite albums of last year. I was blown away by how well written the songs were. Really nice and catchy, and a great playfulness to the overall sound.
Contributed by @brucehere.
Riptide - Vance Joy.
“Riptide” is taken from Melbourne muso, Vance Joy’s fantastic debut E.P., “God Loves You When You’re Dancing”. In the short time since the release of the single, Vance Joy has caught the attention of music aficionados the world over. After wowing audiences at SXSW recently, Vance Joy was signed to acclaimed label Atlantic Records. Single handedly fighting to make the ukelele cool, this singer-songwriter seems to be winning the battle.
“Riptide” is guaranteed to be one of the best songs you’ll hear all year.
Contributed by @SchweppsRocka.
Diamonds - The Boxer Rebellion.
The Boxer Rebellion are a “band from London” - made up of an American, an Australian and two Englishmen (sounds like the beginning of a bad joke). They have just released their 4th studio album “Promises”, which does not sound like a bad joke at all.
Contributed by @miss_moss.
Happiness - Mafikizolo.
Loving the groove on this track, and it goes immaculately with the styling on the cover. Cool, bright, quirky, and indubitably gorgeous. I’m going to make this my song for the winter months. And great to see Mafikizolo back after the travails of the last few years. This is off their very recent album, 2013’s “Reunited”.
Contributed by @chrisroper
He Would Have Laughed - Deerhunter.
Writing about the concept behind this “Halycon Digest”, Bradford Cox stated;
“The album’s title is a reference to a collection of fond memories and even invented ones. The way that we write and rewrite and edit our memories to be a digest version of what we want to remember, and how that’s kind of sad.”
It’s a great companion if you are feeling nostalgic.
Deerhunter have just released a new album entitled “Monomania” that’s also really worth listening to.
Contributed by @fictionfred
Make It To Me - Manchester Orchestra featuring Grouplove.
Manchester Orchestra are no strangers to collaborations (Bad Books started out as a collaboration with Kevin Devine). So, this year for Record Store Day they released a two-track 12” with Frightened Rabbit and Grouplove. “Architect” is a paired-down acoustic track with vocal duties from both Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchinson and Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull, and makes for a great listening. However, “Make It To Me” features the full bands of both Grouplove and MO and is definitely the stand-out track of the two.
MO’s grungier, guitar-driven sound is surprisingly balanced by Grouplove’s upbeat synth-heavy delivery. Christian Zucconi also bounces vocals with Hull and harmonises Grouplove-style to make for one of the most interesting and successful colabs I’ve heard in some time.
Hit that F-key that makes things louder and treat those tympanums.
Contributed by @johnpienaar
Good Stuff - Kelis.
Pharrell Williams is currently the golden boy of the global pop charts, featuring on two singles that are tearing it up: Daft Punk’s instant classic “Get Lucky” and Robin Thicke’s undeniably groovy “Blurred Lines”.
Young Pharrell was discovered at a school talent contest in the early 90’s by Teddy Riley, superproducer of R&B royalty - and inventor of New Jack Swing.
As a drummer, songwriter and producer - along with Chad Hugo, his production partner in the Neptunes - he has racked up a stack of great R&B, Hip-Hop and Pop tracks. SWV’s “Right Here”, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Got Your Money”, Mystikal’s “Shake Ya Ass”, Nelly’s “Hot in Herre”, Kelis’s “Milkshake” and Snoop’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” are some of the highlights.
Kelis was one of Pharrell’s key production partners right from the beginning - and this was the track that first introduced me to his sound….a unique mix of slow, dopey, minimalist beats, booming kick drums and snappy, quirky percussion - with synth stabs that bounce between harpsichord and clavinet.
Kelis continues to be a left-field R&B hitmaker - and actually has a cracking new single out, produced by TV on The Radio’s David Sitek. “Good Stuff” is off her 1999 debut.
Contributed by @jonathanbeggs.
Love Spreads - The Stone Roses.
I have been agonising over what track to pick this week. Not because of the artist — The Stone Roses were a foregone conclusion ever since I heard about their upcoming documentary. (Good Lord, I’m excited to get my grubby paws on that thing.) It’s more a problem of selecting one song at the expense of others…
I was ultimately swayed by Rob Flemming, the reluctant protagonist of Nick Horny’s classic, “High Fidelity”. You see, Rob decides that his most recent life crisis is an opportune moment to arrange his music collection. Of course… but how to do it? Alphabetically? Chronologically? No, Rob already has the perfect answer: autobiographically.
I was only seven when the Stone Roses eponymous début came out. An early teen obsession with the grunge scene is perhaps partially responsible for keeping them off my radar in the years that followed. However, I’m glad to say that I eventually came round and have since come to the same conclusion as many others, i.e. that it is one of the seminal albums to come out of England. (Of any decade.) “I Wanna Be Adored”, “Elephant Stone”, “Made of Stone”, “Fools Gold”… Virtually every track is enough to reaffirm your faith in popular music.
However, “Love Spreads” is the song that introduced me to The Stone Roses. It is taken from their (less fêted) sophomore album, “Second Coming”. Unbeknownst to me, some kindly soul in the early 2000s had uploaded it onto my iPod. I was minding my own business, distractedly listening to the device on shuffle one day… when all of a sudden this rip-roaring, bluesy beast of a slide guitar riff exploded into my headphones. The rest, as they say, is history.
Personal history, of course. But that’s what makes us fall in love with music in the first place.
Contributed by @grant_mcdermott
Suburbia (featuring Havoc) - Kavinsky.
If you have seen “Drive”, then you know Kavinsky. He made that haunting, taut electro track that Ryan Gosling drives around to.
He’s a French house music DJ, and his specialty is the nostalgic, electro-pop of popular eighties films (think “Flash Gordon”, but done by a 21st century Frenchman instead of Queen).
Get the whole album (his first, released in February this year. It’s called “Outrun”) if this is your cup of tea. This is my favourite track from the album, featuring Mobb Deep’s Havoc. I defy you to hate it.
Contributed by @comradesipho
She Will - Savages.
Given the scientifically proven ability of music to soothe savage beasts, it is not too surprising that a band should choose to call themselves Savages and make music to soothe savage beasts by.
“Husbands”, the standout track from their just-released debut album featured here a few months ago, hath charms of the dark and delirious variety, propelled by a snaking bassline and quavering vocals that give way to gasps and yelps as the guitars and the drums collide.
It will remind you, if you are fond of the era, of the gloomily rhythmic Post-Punk bands of the 80s, such as Bauhaus and Gang of Four, proving too that music is a beast that feeds on itself, and that it sounds just as good the second time around. Bon Appetit.
“She Will” is the first single taken from “Silence Yourself”.
Contributed by @gussilber.
