over the mountain.

the man and the myth behind David's Lyre not only has the ability to construct brilliant pop songs, he has also been blessed with an awesomely unique voice which is more than pleasant to listen to. a little while ago i featured his amazing cover of Ellie Goulding's 'Under The Sheets'. since then he has been working hard on his own material, playing the occasional show (which i shamefully have yet to see) and keeping everyone firmly on their toes. folk tinged pop goodness.

David's Lyre - Heartbeat

He's a very bloody well dressed northerner brandishing a ukulele, what's not to love?!

whiskey dreaming.

Liam Bailey is a soul singer/songwriter from Nottingham, but he sounds like he's come from (and is eternally trapped in) the Land Of Heartache.

he is owner of one of the most passionate, genuine and breathtaking voices i've heard all year. i'm not sure i can do any justice to how much of an incredible talent he is, but pouring his all into his music has well and truly paid off. the above video pretty much leaves me speechless. this is true soul music that packs a punch and tugs on those heartstrings. i'd make a quip about how Finley Quaye shouldn't bother coming back but that'd be pretty cheap..

Liam Bailey - I Belong

you can see more videos and take a virtual trip round Liam's hometown on his yewtube channel. loooooooooove.

myspace // facebook

jetlag.

i wasn't originally going to post about Vondelpark, predominantly because they've been featured on a couple of other blogs i have a great deal of respect for. but then i realised how obnoxious that was and how fucking great this music is. unfortunately, i don't possess an iota of information about Vondelpark. but they make incredible sounds, dreamy sonic landscapes that transport you to another place via 2-step beats and hypnotic vocals.

Vondelpark - California Analog Dream xxx

explode like you wanna.

Picture Book - Explosions (Demo)

i posted about Picture Book not long ago and you guys went potty for them. understandable. this new track from the band is basically everything that is right with electro pop.

unfinished, unmixed AND unmastered, this is still absolutely bloody amazing; it should be a top 10 smash. i defy you not to dance when you hear this. the final version will be out sometime this summer. plus, they're working with some incredible names over the next few months so make sure you listen out for anything with their name on.

ring the alarm.

D/R/U/G/S really are good for you. no, seriously; this is incredible gear. to borrow a well repeated phrase, this 'emotional electronic music for the dance floor' pretty much sums up why everything is right with sampling. long live the #samplewave.

D/R/U/G/S - Love (Love/Lust Darkmix)

snort them on the following dates:

30th May - Eurocultured Festival, Manchester

7th June - The Corner, Manchester

11th June - Lock Tavern, London

12th June - Stags Head, London

12th August - The Grapes, Hereford

all i've learned.

melancholic indie is not new to the world, in fact i don't think you can get indie that isn't melancholic(??) but sometimes bands just do it so darn well you can't help but love them a little bit. Lost Fiction are brilliant at combining all the best bits of their counterparts (Two Door Cinema Club, Bombay Bicycle Club, etc etc) and weaving those sounds into heart-wrenching pop songs. if teardrops from lovesick teenagers could sing, this is what they'd sound like.

Lost Fiction - Time

haven't got a clue.

it is always an incredible joy to come across someone so clearly brimming with potential, so when i first heard Boxed In, aka Oliver Bayston, you can only imagine my delight. he's able to create such simple yet blissful electronic music that is full of heart. Boxed In is well on the way to perfecting his sound and with additional mixing yet to be done by the same hands that have helped produce The Chemical Brothers, i'd say it won't be long before you hear this name again and again.

Boxed In - No Joke

we fly high.

lord knows i can't resist a sweet bit of samplewave. Elite Gymnastics dropped me their tracks the other day and i loved it straight away. analogue synths and pop melodies to delight your ears, throw in a dash of re-worked samples and they're pretty much an electronic dream.

Elite Gymnastics - Is This On Me?

it's true.

love.

mess detective.

oh hey i got interviewed for Hype Machine Radio.

you can stream it here; i start rambling about 27 minutes in -

#18 Hype Machine Radio (May 2010) by hypem

or go to HypeM on Soundcloud for a listen. ignore my lame voice. and inability to use any hyperbole other than 'incredible' and 'awesome'. fanks.

check out my boy Primary 1.