This week’s Singles Club finds Getintothis’ Stephanie Heneghan absorbing Lana Del Rey’s latest retro crooning, epic electronica, a slow mo arse shot, elaborate goth warbling and a host of bands featuring in this year’s Sound City – she’s all smiles now, just you wait til Sunday.
Jon Hopkins: Open Eye Signal – Single of the Week
When I get sent these singles to listen to, quite often Peter (that’s me – Singles Ed) will put little notes in the subject line like “please cover this” and “MUST INCLUDE”.
Most of the time I ignore them because he’s not the boss of me and also we have slightly different tastes so if I did review them I’d probably hate them and he’d cry about it. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Saying that, every now and again our musical Venn diagrams will overlap and those pleading notes will actually lead me to listen to something awesome.
This is one of those times. This is epic electronica, an eight minute long synth driven masterpiece that deserves your full attention. It makes me happy to have ears.
SINGLE OF THE WEEK, GUYS.
Lana Del Rey: Young & Beautiful
This is taken from the soundtrack to The Great Gatsby which is out in a couple of weeks. It’s all super hyped up because Jay-Z is exec producing it (the soundtrack, not the film although that wouldn’t come as a surprise really given that he has fingers in all the pies).
Everyone is all agog (what a word) to hear what Andre 3000 and Beyonce are going to do with Back to Black (exclusive – they bloody ruin it) but I’ve always had a soft spot for Lana Del Rey, with her overly affected vocals and haunting mellow retro styling shiz.
Here she’s crooning on about how her fella will defo stick by her when she gets all old and haggard; or more realistically when she gets that plumped up Simon Cowell shiny pillow face full of fillers, eh Lizzie. No growing old gracefully for Del Rey.
Sienna: Little Rich Boy
Sound City kicks off this Thursday; I received my reviewing schedule through yesterday morning which sees me take in 24 bands over three days. That’s a lot of music. I’m going to be sat in a dark quiet room by the time Sunday comes around.
There will probably be tears, there usually is on a Sunday in my gaff.
These lot are playing at Sound City and you can go and see them live (LIVE!) on Friday in Mello Mello.
They’re a bit like Kings of Leon but with the added bonus of a female vocalist (you know how I love a lazy comparison) before they got all big time and Sex on Fire and stadiums and whatnot.
Back when they were focused on making heartfelt bluesy rock instead of knocking up supermodels. When they were GOOD.
Devlin: Love Cards ft Etta Bond
I don’t listen to the radio much and this kind of jig is validation for that.
It’s watered down radio friendly grime for the masses, the lyrics made me laugh because they’re so clunky and awkward, “you want love? Come closer and get them leggings off”. An absolute shoo in for the heavy rotation playlists but listening to it once is enough for me, ta.
Duologue: Cut and Run
I’m really not sure about this. I feel like it’s something I’ve heard a zillion times before but I do quite enjoy it.
The glitchy breakdown towards the end is ace and I really like the strained falsetto vocals, it’s got a catchy chorus… There’s nothing dead special about it though. It’s all pleasingly predictable but who wants to play it safe?
Catch more of this at Sound City on Friday in Duke Street Garage at 1.30am.
Laki Mera: Sweet Warm Dance (South Soul Project remix)
I listened to the original of this which was pleasant enough but this remix is much preferable so have a listen to this instead. It reworks the original laidback pop into a garage sound, taking those vocals from sweet folk into looped stuttering and adding a heavy bassline.
There are few things in life that can’t be improved by whacking a massive bassline behind it. Look at scouse house, that’s an entire genre based on that theory. Or donk! The ultimate in basslines. I’m really not arguing my point successfully here.
Back to the song, I like it, I love the remix, it’ll sound boss cranked up on one of the few sunny days we’ll get this summer.
Bipolar Sunshine: Rivers
Another Sound City act for you to go and check out if you can be bothered leaving the house. Bipolar Sunshine has a ridiculous name but an equally ridiculously good sound so we’ll let him off.
Rivers showcases a more commercial feel to it than his previous release Fire but feels just as fresh. It’s tightly produced melodic hip hop, emotive layered vocals and just oozes talent. Can you tell I’m a fan?
Georgia’s Horse: Ginger
This is all very elaborate gothic folk scenes. Is that a thing? It is now.
Haunting strings and yearning vocals, magnificently maudlin. Can it be described as ethereal? Probably not but I’m going to put it out there anyway. She’s got a great warble to her vocal, there’s a hint of an accent which makes me feel a bit hot under the collar.
It reminds me a bit of Kylie‘s Confide in Me which is probably not a comparison either party would be happy about but it’s the strings, the strings remind me of Kylie. Who doesn’t love Kylie?!
Remember when she went all indie and started knocking boots with Nick Cave? Bad times that.
Sinkane: Warm Spell
“Sinkane shares (NSFW) new video for Warm Spell,” said the email title. Brilliant, I thought, nothing like a legitimate bit of perving.
Massively disappointed when it was just a slow mo arse shot they were referring to, I’ve seen more erotic images in my gym (the lad who does the pull ups deserves a whole YouTube channel to himself).
The track is decent like, there’s some flutes in there, bit of bongo drums, nice rhythm section, all chilled out funky. Chilled Out Funky – that’s a Ministry of Sound compilation album just begging to be made.
But don’t promise NSFW if it’s more PG-13, thanks.
Janelle Monae: Q.U.E.E.N
I didn’t get sent this one to review but I’m such a renegade that I’m just doing my own thing and throwing it in there.
Janelle Monae teams up with Erykah Badu for this track, continuing that futuristic hip pop groove that Monae does effortlessly. It’s more restrained than tracks like Tightrope but it’s feistier too, this is less about bringing a straight up party and more challenging the rules, a bit like Girl Power but less tired and clichéd. Boss.
