erm.

oh dear. i half hope it singes Noel Fielding's hair if he's about.

The Clash - London's Burning [YSI]

.. sorry. couldn't help myself!

lykkeeeee liiiii.

Lykke Li has been no stranger to blog love over the past few months. Her song ‘Little Bit’ was recommended by several who found her sound to be completely refreshing and different to the majority of artists currently being churned out to satisfy members of the public who are easily pleased and wooed by the voices of mass media. The Sun readers… Ahem.

Lykke Li is from Stockholm, Sweden and like Robyn, Lykke Li has a sweet-syrupy content to her vocals. It’s insanely endearing and can pretty much wash away a shitty day at work/school/life in general. There’s also a minimalism in her tracks that seems only to enhance the ‘light’ factor in Lykke’s music.

Her debut album, ‘Youth Novels’, has just been released in Sweden (order it here!) and it’s really quite good. Filled with simple instrumental backing tracks, soft electronic bleeps and bloops, then topped off with Lykke Li’s voice like the cherry on top of a sundae, this album has taken 12 cohesive tracks and become a stellar debut release.

Lykke Li - Let It Fall [YSI] [Sendspace mirror]

song of the week

this week's song of the week comes from Munch Munch.

i saw them on Saturday and, although it wasn't the first time, they really impressed me.

synth and keyboard wonderfulness mashed together with the insanity of one and a bit drumkits and a xylophone.

Munch Munch - Wedding [YSI] [SENDSPACE mirror]

match point.

Spawned from the demise of their previous bands, Super Tennis are a three piece that make shouty, incredibly catchy, guitar driven songs. They like tennis quite a bit and go by their first names plus the last name of famous tennis players’ names. “We once thought it sounded like Pat Cash and Sue Barker chatting through the medium of air fresheners,” Tom McEnroe says, “but perhaps our sound is most accurately described as a combination of Def Leppard and R Kelly b-sides covered by the Kinsella family band on a fine summer's sports day.”

As well as being influenced by tennis (obviously…), tennis players, “clean living, fun times and exotic beers”, the band also point out Les Savy Fav, Broken Social Scene and the Kinsella family as noteworthy in their book of inspirations.

Joining in what seems to be the most revolutionary thing to have happened in musical history since the end of Britpop and the emergence of Girl Power, the band and their label (Faux Discx) have put out an EP for zero pennies. You can download it if you head over to their myspace. Is legitimately free music the way forward? If it’s always this good then the answer is obviously yes.

Super Tennis - European Honey Babies / Shyamtronix [YSI] [SENDSPACE mirror]

shunt.

another banging tune has just gone up from Firas.

Firas - Shunt [ysi] [zshare mirror]

straight to the point and 100% danceworthy, this track is surely a fire starter on the dancefloor.

electro goodness to the max. check it outtttttttt.

new new new

A five piece from Leicester, MINNAARS met in various ways through their local music scene. They make poppy, math-indie influenced by the likes of Minus The Bear, Radiohead and Youthmovies although the band dabble in a wider reaching spectrum of artists such as James Brown and Fela Kuti.

“We're evolving very quickly and just starting to get into a stride. The first two songs we put on myspace are literally the first two songs we wrote. People should listen to MINNAARS so they can dance, think and listen to us evolve,” says Neil Humphrey (guitar/vocals) on why you should listen to his band. “I like to think that we could get you dancing and thinking at the same time.”

Complex time signatures and catchy vocals, MINNAARS are like some weird blend of Foals meets The Futureheads but slightly heavier. “Our sound is changing all the time and we keep acquiring new instruments and synths etc, so where we are in 12 months is anyone’s guess... I'm just sure it'll have a strong melody and a foot tapping beat,” Neil explains.

MINNAARS are a brand new band who certainly sound like they are well on their way to accomplishing something wonderful with their music. Whilst a lot of guitar dominated indie moves into bland and boring mainstream territory, this band provides something fresh and exciting.

MINNAARS – Spelt With A K [YSI] [SENDSPACE mirror]

life moments.

After watching a succession of music documentaries this weekend I’ve been thinking about my most vivid and life defining moment of music and I have come up with one very very short period in time.

That time was seeing PJ Harvey perform 'Who The Fuck?' live on Jools Holland sometime in early ’04. At which point I would have been an not so great 13 year old. I was into all the stuff that was in the charts and all my friends at the time were of a similar disposition. I wasn’t the greatest pupil at school (understatement of the year – I was a complete terror) and I hadn’t a clue about anything outside of school playground politics.

Anyway. On this particular episode of Jools, PJ Harvey was wearing a yellow mini dress and her hair was a fierce black set against the intense paleness of her skin. I remember seeing her and thinking to myself that she looked a bit mad.

Then the song began and instantly I was captured. The way PJ tore into the opening lines was amazing. The entire thing was so effortlessly angry but sexy at the same time.

I’d heard my fair share of angry music and swear words by age 13 but this was something completely different. It seemed like everything clicked into place for those two minutes.

That performance showed me that it was okay to be angry outside as well as inside and that not knowing what to do with your life was acceptable. It showed me that it was possible to not care what people think of you and that you could be cool doing your own thing by yourself. And ultimately it led me straight to the path of music with more than just a pretty face.


PJ Harvey - Who The Fuck? live on Jools Holland '04.

If it wasn't for that one song I'd probably be a crackhead with five babies by now.

before the bad times.

song of the week:

Adele - First Love [links removed by request of the record label]. go and listen to her myspace instead.

not a cover of the Maccabees song, but instead a stunning track from '19', the debut album from everyone's top tip for 2008.

jewelry box music paired with remorseful lyrics and Adele's slightly husky vocals. eerie yet entrancing.

throwback.

soooo there's a new Long Blondes track.

The Long Blondes are currently working on a second album with the help of Erol if you didn't know already.

and this track sounds absolutely 80s-tastic with a touch of the late 70s bass heavy vibe and Blondie-esque vocals. and i really rather like it.

The Long Blondes - Century [YSI] [SENDSPACE MIRROR]

the quality's not ab fab but it's going to have to do for the time being. plus when the song goes onto your iTunes it's called 'Everything I Touch' so you'll have to correct that!

song of the week.

this week i will be listening to this song lots and lots and lots.

Florence And The Machine - Postcards From Italy (Beirut cover). [YSI]

i love Beirut lots. i love good covers lots. i quite like Florence And The Machine. put them all together? yes pleeeeeeeeease.

a haunting vocal from Florence makes this track pretty much amazing.

if the link runs out before a week is up let me know!