Oh how I love Modular Recordings. The finest label out of Oz has unleashed yet another promising new artist that is sure to bring a smile to my face and hopefully yours for the next little while and beyond. Introducing ceo! Coming to us from Sweden, ceo appears to be shrouded in a cloak of mystery thus far. Is ceo a he? Are they a they? Judging by the promo video, ceo could very well be a solo artist but it’s so hard to tell! What is quite easy to hear is that with a groove as fierce as the one presented here in debut single Come With Me, there’s not much else to be said. This, friends, is what you call a stomper that demands to be played at maximum volume at your local indie disco.
The song is taken from ceo’s debut record entitled White Magic which will be released on the 29th of June. I don’t know about you but I’m a sucker for those samples that loop throughout as well as the strings that chime in at about 1.49. I simply love this track. That is all…
“I want to pretend, I want to pretend The shape of the past could walk in the present tense I’m shaking my head, you’ve certainly said I don’t like you much now”
I don’t know if I’ve stated my love for Australia’s Modular Recordings enough here. They are by far my favourite indie label these days as they consistently put out quality releases and have brought some brilliant tunes from down under giving some great artists a chance to shine. From the Presets to Ladyhawke to Cut Copy to Van She, it doesn’t stop. Of all the bands on the label that have stolen my heart on countless occasions, none do it quite so effectively or with such stealth as New Young Pony Club.
Their 2007 debut Fantastic Playroom was pure new wave heaven. It speaks to how great and solid a record is when you can easily play it two years later and still feel the impact you did when you first listened from track one to the end. That kind of replay value holds true here. At long last, I’m happy to say the band is back! There is a new single afoot! It’s called Lost A Girl and it retains the band’s relentless charm while making things a tad but darker.
Less pep, less immediate than The Bomb or Ice Cream but the band is better for it. Tahita is still the star of the show here with her simple lyrics delivered with such panache, you’re sucked in instantaneously. NYPC , on the debut blended perfect pop moments with killer grooves showcasing some honest to goodness musical chops. That is still evident here in case you were at all concerned. Prepare to fall in love with the Pony Club all over again.
Just remember to pick up the new record The Optimist when it’s released in March unless of course you live in the US where you get to wait…
I’ve got a crush. Actually it’s fair to say I’ve got quite a few. I mean there’s Lily Allen and her ultra-cute rambunctiousness but she’s too big time now and she’s still Keith Allen’s daughter. There’s Karen O but supposedly she’s in Silverlake these days and that’s just way too plastic a scene for me and I fear it may have corrupted her. Here’s hoping I’m wrong on that score. This now leaves my current flame, Philippa “Pip” Brown aka Ladyhawke. If you don’t know who Ladyhawke is then you should be ashamed for she recently released a quite delectable debut record a few months back via Modular aka the best label on the planet. Her self-titled debut was also featured as one of my best records of 2008.
Why do I like Ladyhawke so much, you ask? Well, I will tell you. What’s not to like? From her shameless fangirl-ish enthusiasm for all things Stevie Nicks to the fact she has no qualms whatsoever about letting us see how much of a geek she is. I mean, look at her album cover below. She’s playing video games with her oh-so-cute cat by her side whilst in her pajamas. I ask you again. What is there not to love about that?
Of course, I could just be rambling and spitballing here but yes, I want a date with Ladyhawke. Is that too much to ask for? I really don’t think so. We’ll go on for hours talking about whether or not it was truly was after watching the video for Stand Back for the first time that the thought of becoming a pop star actually dawned on her. I’ll talk about my purely healthy and innocent Smiths obsession and we can totally geek out on video games. Think she’ll be up for it?
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