Ahh yes. Another day, another supremely talented band coming out of London Town. Today it’s Chapel Club. With their late 80’s Creation Records era sound permeating through my senses, it’s easy to say that this quintet had me at hello. Up on first listen to Five Trees, I found the band’s melancholic yet spirited vibe to be something indie music lovers everywhere should hear. They’re a band that demands your attention and by golly, I’m going to help to make sure they get it! Today’s featured song by the band is a new tune I got today called The Shore. Six minutes of swoon-worthy tuneage that will have you swaying and hooked within seconds. I’m quickly falling in love with this band. I hope you feel the same way.
“Im the victim, of this day and age
I’ve forgotten how to feel
I’ve forgotten how to change
So I surrender, to the apple of my eye
I surrender to the wind, I will let the wind decide”
A band based out of England that takes their name from the nickname of the state of Indiana. Credit the Hoosiers for being original in that sense. Credit them also for putting out some quality singles. Case in point the new single taken from the band’s forthcoming second record The Illusion Of Safety. The one is called Choices and it’s everything you loved about 80s FM radio rock but with more taste and a lot less filling. Everything about the song and the video screams out major label backing but let’s not be so quick to dismiss the band or the music for doing so would completely ignore the fact this song is a single through and through with a knock-em-dead chorus. The video itself is a laugh riot especially the intro where singer Irwin Sparkes fumbles his lines pitching a fake Chinese beverage. Give this song a couple of spins and I dare you to hate it. Go on. I dare you.
It’s always nice to receive submissions from earnest indie bands who simply want you to know that they plan on ruling the world one blog at a time. When it comes in the form of cheery no-frills electronic pop, it’s even better. It’s always the quiet ones that you have to watch for! Coming from South London, we have a wonderful trio called Arp Attack. Theirs is a sound that blends the joys of indie rock and throws in some Fisher-Price synths for good measure that add up to songs that are pure saccharine to the ears. Stylistically the band reminds me a bit of another too-cute for words electronic pop band that went by the wayside in Bis. These are the kinds of band that indie kids simply can’t help but love because of their “blink and you’ll miss it” hooks that once enjoyed, you really can’t help but fall in love. Give these four a long listen and see what I mean.
Last we heard from Lucas and Kyle, the duo also known as Visitor had given the blogosphere a jolt with their fantastic single Los Feeling. A scintillating slice of electro-pop with a dynamic chorus that pays off in spades. News of the duo’s bright future spread far and wide as the band would come to the attention of French remix king, Alan Braxe, who quickly snatched them up and signed them to his Vulture label. Now the partnership is about to bear fruit as Visitor is about ready to give Los Feeling a proper release for even more fans of all things synthy and sweet to enjoy.
The single is out on the 21st of June and I trust you all will be waiting with anticipation. I know I will be!
Mondays are always a chore. We all know this. Coming off a fruitful weekend full of partying, dancing and coming down on Sunday, the last thing you want to do is start the work week. Alas, here we are… Luckily I think I’ve got just the track to help you snap into it posthaste. Check out The Other Side by singer/producer Seb who comes to us straight out of London. A future sure-fire club smash, The Other Side strikes a perfect balance of social commentary and the art of filling the dance floor.
The missing link between Daft Punk and George Michael, I’m definitely impressed with how Seb manages to take the best bits of both artists and create a single that reminds us how beautiful dance music can be when the soul and the groove are intertwined. I’m really digging this track and it’s my hope that you will too. More, please?
It was only a matter of time…before things got a bit darker, more sinister…more romantic. If you’ve grown impatient waiting for the new Interpol record and thought the last Editors record was cool and all but left you wanting more…may I present O. Children! This London quartet learned their lessons well at the altar of Andrew Eldtrich and the Sisters of Mercy as evidenced by the single Ruins. For a lead single, the song, to me, proves to be a veritable tour de force. This song could easily become a quick favourite in all the goth clubs which is a plus for a niche genre in dire need of some new blood (Heh heh…get it? New blood?).
The band has the sound you want out of a dark art-rock outfit. Loud and menacing guitar riffs. Keyboards played to be heard as cries of sorrow and lament. Booming drums hinting at the sound of a procession to one’s demise. Put it all together and then throw in Tobi O’Kandi’s voice…the voice that emanates from the belly of the beast telling a tale so ominous and melancholy, it begs repeated listens.
If the song itself doesn’t fully illustrate what I’m talking about then watch the promotional video again. These guys really are in need of some uppers and pronto. To my mind, as long as they are able to serve up some more quality songs like Ruins, they can be as morbid as they want. Needless to say, I’m hooked.
Looks like goth just might be rising from the dead… (You knew there was a corny joke coming…I couldn’t resist!)
It’s interesting how the electronic pop resurgence has started to evolve. In the beginning of the last decade, we had electroclash which was basically a lazy rewrite of anything from 1979-1981 featuring bad vocals, bad clothes and even worse songs. Fast forward from there and slowly but surely, the songs, production and overall presentation got a whole lot better as the focus sharpened largely in part to the bands getting serious about their craft. Today, the assault on the mainstream is well underway as quality bands seem to reveal themselves every week. Of course, the majority of them are coming from Europe as America once again plays catch-up. One such new act comes to us from the north of London called Fenech-Soler.
Already with a couple of singles under their belt, the band made up of brothers Ben & Russ Duffy along with Dan Soler and Andrew Lindsay, are putting the pop world on notice with their glimmering brand of electro. Their latest creation is a simply wonderful slice of new wave heaven called Stop And Stare. Clean production and dramatic crescendos are what grabbed my attention on this track. If I had to compare what I’ve heard from Fenech-Soler to any of the new breed we’ve been hearing especially in the last year, I would have to say they remind me a bit of Delphic as they share a similar polished sound though Fenech-Soler are a bit more upbeat and groovier.
Just another one to watch in 2010…It’s a great year thus year, wouldn’t you say?
From their simply sublime debut record Unicorn, the South London trio Chew Lips release the song Karen as the new single. Less immediate than the previous singles to date, Karen tones down the synths and features more organic instruments than what we’ve come expect. The instrumentation in this piece serves to emphasize melody which is driven home by Tigs’ vocal which is some of the strongest you’ll hear on the whole record.
If you haven’t bought the record yet as an import, I really don’t know what you’re waiting for.
Straight outta South London, the dance-pop trio Chew Lips are quickly coming into the public consciousness with their brand of minimal electronic pop. Their debut record Unicorn this past Monday via Kitsune and if the track Play Together isn’t enough to make you believe then it’s safe to say that you have seriously lost the faith and need to repent. The bass line is rubbery and tres slick. No frills to be found anywhere. Just the beat, the bass, a simple lead and Tigs’ perky yet soulful voice.
Some bands make it seem too easy. autoKratz are one of those bands. The London duo has been making waves and making friends in the electronic/dance circuit in the last couple of years which has resulted in a deal with the Kitsune label and a major buzz. One listen to a song like Always More and it’s really not hard to see why. Minimal electronic dance pop at its finest. Everything is clean, everything is crystal. A tried and true dance progression and the lead…the lead…the not-quite dissonant lead. I just need to say how much I love the lead. For me, it makes the song. Add in the smooth vocals by singer/guitarist David Cox and you’ve got yourself a brilliant dance-pop track.
Their debut record Animal is out 3 March here in the States. Let’s hope they come out here for some shows because rumour has it, the duo absolutely kill it live.
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