December 30 2011 - Five Hot Ones For The Week

The King Blues - Does Anybody Care About Us?




Veronica Falls - Bury Me Alive




Cast - See That Girl




Panda Bear - You Can Count On Me




Wintercoats - Forest Of Lovers (Southern Shores Remix)

Wintercoats - Forest of Lovers (Southern Shores Remix) by CASCINE

20 ARTISTS TO HEAR IN 2012

If these have passed you by in 2011, then set their names on your radar for all that they promise in 2012.

AU PALAIS

BRETON

CLOCK OPERA

CRUSHED BEAKS

DAYSTAR

FANZINE

FILMS OF COLOUR

HOOKWORMS

JAMIE N COMMONS

KINDNESS

MICHAEL KIWANUKA

PERFUME GENIUS

SPECTOR

SULK

THE GHOSTS

THE MILK

TRIBES

VARIOUS CRUELTIES

YOUNG MAGIC

ZULU WINTER

The xx - first glimpse at Open Eyes

Okay, it may be just a demo, but The xx return with some Christmas 'cheer' to offer a glimpse of the next album with Open Eyes.

Slow Club - Live Review at Union Chapel, London December 19 2011

Churches have certainly come into their own during 2011, what with Rev pulling in TV viewers at the fictional St Saviour-in-the-Marshes, St Paul’s with its protesting campers – and artists flocking to church venues to play to packed pews. And it was to be no exception for the duo Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor, together known as Slow Club, playing London’s Union Chapel – their second such touch of ‘holiness’, having performed at St Philips in Manchester a few nights before – and an annual return for the Sheffield pair for their ‘Christmas special’

continue reading more at Shout 4 Music: http://www.shout4music.com/gig-reviews/slow-club-union-chapel-london-19122011/

December 23 2011 - Five Hot Ones For The Week

Paper Crows - Cloudbusting




The Milk - B-Roads




Bos Angeles - Days Of Youth




Sylver Tongue - Hook You Up




James Blake - A Case of You

HALLS FOR EP LAUNCH - JANUARY 2012

https://hallsmusic.net
https://www.soundsofsweetnothing.com

“He’s the most exciting electronic artist around.” This Is Fake DIY
“Halls has already been responsible for one of our favourite releases of the year.” The Line of Best Fit

Electronic newcomer Halls has announced a brand new London launch show for the 'Fragile' EP in January 2012. Halls will headline at the Shacklewell Arms on the 13th January, with support from Shells and entry is free.

Halls aka Sam Howard will release the ‘Fragile’ EP on the 16th January 2012 via up and coming independent The Sounds of Sweet Nothing (Jewellers/ Gross Magic/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra).

The young South London artist also has a stunning video for brand new track ‘I Am Not Who You Want’. Utterly majestic and intoxicating, the delicate glitchy beats and cautious vocals find themselves fluctuating amidst the vibrant smoke-filled screen.

Halls - I Am Not Who You Want from The Sounds Of Sweet Nothing on Vimeo.

On the 'Fragile' EP, Halls further explored using classical instruments, such as pianos and strings, to move away from a primarily synth-driven sound to something grander and more dramatic, whilst keeping elements such as samples as an integral part of the music.

After several incarnations, the final version of 'Fragile' was developed and finished during the Autumn, which influenced the sombre tone present in the songs. Also featured on the EP is the use of clearer and more prominent vocals; a result of Howard's increased confidence in using his voice and a desire to make the songs sharper and urgent.

Established earlier in 2011, The Sounds Of Sweet Nothing is an up and coming London label and home of bedroom dreamers. Alumni past and present in addition to Halls include Au Palais, Tashaki Miyaki, Jewellers, Gross Magic, Whirr and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Pre-order the 'Fragile' EP on vinyl here and receive a free instant gratification download: https://thesoundsofsweetnothing.bandcamp.com/releases

A Lot To Crow About - Paper Crows cover Cloudbusting

Paper Crows, aka Emma Panas and Duncan McDougall, made ripples with their first two singles 'Stand Alight' and 'Fingertips' and with their last single 'When Friends Survive', which has a bigger and dancier feel to it. Their cover of Kate Bush's 'Cloudbusting bridges the gap nicely between the dancefloor feel of the last single and the more haunting and melodic songs that Paper Crows are most wel known for.

'When Friends Survive’ was the first release on Pete Tong’s resurrected ffrr label, which previously launched an eclectic array of talent including Jay-Z, Shakespeare’s Sister, and Goldie. In a classic case of fortuitous timing, Tong had come across the duo via his BBC Radio 1 show just as he was looking for an exciting young act to re-launch his iconic label. Paper Crows fitted the bill perfectly. This talented pair have been steadily building a reputation as an exciting live proposition. They have in 19 year old Emma a mesmerising front woman with a dramatic stage presence that compliments her spectral vocals and the band’s dramatic and often haunting take on electronic pop music.

Paper Crows are currently in the studio working on their debut album, for release in 2012.

Meanwhile, check out the video for 'Cloudbusting' here:



or download here:

http://soundcloud.com/paper-crows/paper-crows-cloudbusting

Christmas Jingles!

It's Chris-s-s-tmas!! Feeling festive yet? Well, here's a few little tunes with a theme to warm your Yule - and not a Cliff, Slade or Wizzard amongst them.


Fairewell - In The Bleak Midwinter




The Polyphonic Spree - It's Christmas




Smith & Burrows - As The Snowflakes Fall




The Killers - The Cowboy's Christmas Ball




Gruff Rhys - Slashed Wrists This Christmas

Top 20 Big Ones of 2011

Fed up with the interminable end of year lists? Yeah, so are we, but here's ours anyway....

WILD BEASTS - Smother
OTHER LIVES - Tamer Animals
THE HORRORS - Skying
PJ HARVEY - Let England Shake
THE ANTLERS - Burst Apart
TOM WAITS - Bad As Me
THE WEEKND - House Of Balloons
ST VINCENT - Strange Mercy
BILL CALLAHAN - Apocalypse
LYKKE LI - Wounded Rhymes
WASHED OUT - Within and Without
CHAPEL CLUB - Palace
BATTLES - Gloss Drop
YUCK - Yuck
ELBOW - Build A Rocket Boys!
I BREAK HORSES - Hearts
SMITH & BURROWS - Funny Looking Angels
SHABAZZ PALACES - Black Up
NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
KURT VILE - Smoke Ring For My Halo

December 16 2011 - Five Hot Ones For The Week

The Chapman Family - Every Day Is Like Sunday




Young Magic - Sparkly




Au Palais - Tender Mercy




Embers - Days Turn Into Weeks




Spector - Grey Shirt & Tie

Interview with Zulu Winter

With the total number of live shows played not even requiring the fingers of one hand to total up, when Zulu Winter sashayed onto the stage at London’s Hoxton Bar & Kitchen back in September, not only were they playing to an audience who included Tom Vek, and members of the Kaiser Chiefs and The Vaccines, but also to a large proportion of the music press. From seemingly nowhere, the five-piece (Will Daunt, vocals, guitar; Iain Lock, bass; Dom Millard, keyboards; Henry Walton, guitar; Guy Henderson, drums) London-based indie pop outfit had suddenly become a band being hailed as ‘one to watch’. Releasing their double-A-sided single ‘Never Leave’/’Let’s Move Back To Front’ in November, they have followed this up with live dates in Europe (opening for Givers), supporting Friendly Fires at Brixton O2 Academy, and playing a live session for Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music. Currently working on their debut album - to be released next May - for the label Play It Again Sam (owned by the PIAS group) to which they have just signed to, the band kick off 2012 with appearances at Eurosonic and SXSW, and were last week announced for Field Day festival in June. Taking a brief break from their current recording schedule at The Pool studio in London, we caught up with Zulu Winter’s synth man Dom Millard for a chat about life so far.

continue reading at Hooting & Howling magazine: http://www.hootingandhowlingmag.co.uk/zulu-winter-interview.php

December 9 2011 - Five Hot Ones For The Week

SULK - Back In Bloom




Kindness - SEOD




Perfume Genius - All Waters




The Ghosts - Enough Time




Sound Of Guns - Silicon