Photo: facebook.com/m83music
It's quite a mixed bag in terms of tracks this week, with a bit of rock, some stunning R&B, some straight up dance music and a little quirky Scandanavian electro-pop. Something to suit every taste, you might say.
Before you ask, barely able to conceal your outrage, 'Where's the leaked Daft Punk track?!', we're not entirely convinced 'Future Is Now', in fact, by the French dance legends, and this list is reserved for genuine tracks that are by who they say their by, not pesky producers scamming dedicated listeners.
There's plenty here to keep your ears busy over the weekend, whether you're after something to renergise you after a long and draining week, or something to help you mind slip into 'stand-by' mode while you catch up with some much-needed R&R, it's all here.
Enjoy!
Sound City Players - 'Mantra'
If there was ever a collaboration that wasn't surprising, it's Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and Trent Reznor (or as one YouTube commenter puts it Nine Inch Queens Of The Stone Fighters). All three are involved in the new Queens Of The Stone Age record (due later this year) and when Grohl began texting his mates to recruit for the Sound City soundtrack, Homme and Reznor must have been some of the first. 'Mantra' is set to be the closing track on the Sound City soundtrack and is a gently building rock number with an air of serenity about it. If the rest of the Sound City soundtrack is done with the class of this track, it'll be more than just a supergroup's soundtrack to a film, it'll be a quality record in its own right.
M83 - 'StarWaves'
The first track taken from their soundtrack to the new Tom Cruise film Oblivion, M83 this week unveiled 'Starwaves'. From the opening notes the track bares characteristics of the epic and dramatic. Gentle and understated but still full of tension and looming disaster, 'Starwaves' soars and plummets at the same time with strings lifting the track ever-upwards while its bassline drops to subterranean levels. While it sounds very much like something taken from a movie score 'Starwaves' is nonetheless an impressive listen. The full soundtrack, made with Joseph Trapanese - the man who helped Daft Punk with the Tron Legacy soundtrack - will be available on April 9.
SZA - 'Ice.Moon'
The incredible vocal talent that is SZA slipped under the radar for many people one way or another when her first EP See.SZA.Run was released. But it doesn't look like there'll be a repeat of that with her forthcoming S EP, which is due out in April. Opening to with a gently chiming apeggio, a grinding bassline gives the track its backbone before SZA's vocals sweeten the whole affair. Reflective and poetic lyrics, often wistful and touching on sadness, balance against the brightness of the chimes and the deepness of the bass.
Shout Out Louds - 'Walking In Your Footsteps (Lissvik Remix)'
As is often his way, producer Dan Lissvik adds a compelling and inticing bounce to the Shout Out Louds' track, though arguably this particular song doesn't need it being a buoyant and upbeat track in its own right. But the remix is an excellent reworking, creating a brilliantly danceable track while not straying too far from the original, which to be honest didn't need a whole lot doing to it. Something to lift your spirits when the weather's a bit rubbish.
Danny Brown x Harry Fraud - '#HottestMC'
MTV's hottest MC count down was a dubious venture even before they started announcing a slightly poorly judge top ten. Something good to come out of it, however, is this vitriolic response from Danny Brown, who apparently isn't on it. While it might seem like the actions of a bitter man, Brown's pedigree as a rapper shouldn't really be in doubt and his lyrical delivery here proves that (97,000 odd plays and more than 1,000 likes since he created a soundcloud account to host the track two days ago). More importantly Brown's point is that ranking musicians is a redundant and detrimental thing to do. Stop it, MTV.
James Blake - 'Digital Lion'
Excited about the new James Blake album yet? You should be, it looks like it might be really quite good. Having posted a dub version of the track 'Voyeur', Blake kept giving the following day with new track 'Digital Lion', continuing his return to his dance roots and featuring none other than Brian Eno. Once the incessantly rumbling bassline gets going on this track it's hard not to get into it. Scattering snare beats give it a determined drive, and faint wails make it sound like Thom Yorke was walking past the doorway while it was being recorded.
Kate Boy - 'In Your Eyes'
For better or worse, Kate Boy have been dubbed 'the new Knife'. Depending on your feelings about the previews we've had so far of Shaking The Habitual, you might feel like we really do need a new Knife, but judging by this track the Stockholm electro-pop quartet don't need to have The Knife's name attached to them to get noticed. And to be honest what they're doing isn't particularly derivitive of The Knife, it's its own brand of stylised elctro-pop that treads the fragile line been cool and pretentious, avoiding stepping over it into the realm of uncomfortable pretention.
Indiana - 'Bound'
Interesting, good things are happening all over the place in R&B, not least, apparently, in Nottingham. Indiana serves up a track and video that are equally seductive, initialy a stripped back vocal number showcasing what her voice can do, it becomes something really good when a pulsating beat is introduced and the song begins to build some steam. Just about managing to stay the right side of the seductively sexy/worringly sinister boundry.
Generationals - 'Put A Light On'
We've had a few sunny days this week, and this track is something to get you ready for some more. Sunshine indie-pop executed very, very well. 'Put A Light On' is catchy and upbeat without being cheesy of unoriginal. A clattering electronic hook makes the song, balancing polyrhythmically with a low, picked guitar line. Immensely enjoyable, not overthought and uncomplicated. Just a good song.
Drake - '5am In Toronto'
Drake seems to be stepping up his game when it comes to rapping at the moment, shirking the dancey club tunes for genuine rap music. He managed to get himself onto the most highly anticpated hip hop album of the last 24 months (A$AP's Long.Live.A$AP) and will appear on Snoop's reggae album Reincarnation (not sure what that's about). '5am In Toronto' sees him rant his way through the track of a darkly glittering backing track with surprising lyrical dexterity. Whatever you might think about Drake, if you heard this track without knowing who was responsible for it, chances are you'd struggle not to like it.
