Showing posts with label jessie ware. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jessie ware. Show all posts
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Overlooked Records of 2012



The end of the year brings about countless "best of" lists that often focus on the few albums and artists that have gathered widespread acclaim. While artists like Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, Grizzly Bear and Beach House certainly deserve all the attention they'll receive when looking back on the year that was in music, there were some solid LP's that may go overlooked as we focus on the major releases.

DIIV- Oshin
The Brooklyn quartet's debut album spans 13 tracks of reverb heavy, post-punk influenced jangly-pop with a sound similar to bands like Lotus Plaza, Wild Nothing, Real Estate, and Beach Fossils. Taking a minimal yet highly atmospheric approach to their songwriting, Oshin may not blow you away after an initial listen, but the dream-like production throughout will bring you back craving its undeniable bliss.


Jessie Ware - Devotion
In a year that has seen the release of groundbreaking R&B from artists like Frank Ocean, Miguel, and How To Dress Well, the soulful London singer Jessie Ware's debut is just as striking. An undoubtedly sophisticated pop record, Devotion features incredibly crisp, smooth production that subtly draws in the listener coupled perfectly with a strong female vocal presence working together to deliver a striking sound.


Melody's Echo Chamber - Melody's Echo Chamber 
While Tame Impala's mastermind, Kevin Parker, will receive endless praise this year for his band's sophomore release, Lonerism, the production work he contributed to Parisian singer Melody Prochet's debut album under the name Melody's Echo Chamber would be a crime to miss. The pop sensibilities of the singer paired with the expansive sound of Parker's production is easy to get lost in and is highly reminiscent of bands like Stereolab and Broadcast. From a sonic standpoint, the album is one of the most intriguing debuts in recent memory and pushes the dream-pop genre forward while looking back and giving a nod to its undeniable influences.


Joey Bada$$ - 1999
In one of the strongest overall years for hip-hop in recent memory, Brooklyn native, Joey Bada$$, released a seemingly out of nowhere debut entitled 1999 that rehashes the sounds of early 90's New York hip hop with boom-bap production and energy filled rhymes. While it may be easy to write off this debut as merely the sum of its all too obvious influences, the style is so perfectly executed that its easy to see why the 17 year old New Yorker was drawn in by these sounds in the first place. This record more than anything, hints at incredible promise for a teenage rapper with the ability to bring gritty, raw energy back into hip hop without sacrificing the smooth flow that first made hip hop such a crossover success.


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Weekly Remix: Jessie Ware: "Night Light" (Wild Beasts Remix)


The newest single from London R&B singer Jessie Ware's fantastic debut album, Devotion, has already  been been remixed by electronic artists Hot Chip and Perseus. Here, English indie rockers Wild Beasts, give the track a haunting feel, adding their own vocals to create a rework that hits just as hard as the original but instead of the empowering vocals of Ware defining the song, the quivering vocals the band adds turn the track into a statement of desperation.

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Top 10 August Album Releases


Yes, we've reached August. And while the summer is fleeting past, there's still plenty of time for new music to find it's way to your ear canals and then to any subsequent barbecues, frisbee golf tournaments, or Sunday afternoon naps. Let's face it though, this has already been such a substantial year for new music; I still find myself catching up on past releases. Just wait 'til December when we come out with our "Best of 2012" lists. It's going to be insanely difficult.
10. Niki and The Dove - Instinct
Niki and The Dove are Malin Dahlström and Gustav Karlöf of Stockholm, Sweden. The electro-pop duo, who formed in February 2010, were signed by Sub Pop late last year and have released their debut record, Instinct, today. The folks at Sub Pop have explained their sound as being “...full of magic and light but with an unsettling darkness hidden beneath the surface. It’s pop music but a world away from the production line aesthetics of much modern chart music.” There’s really no better way to describe these guys sonically, especially after listening to their track “Tomorrow” as it begins with Dahlström's brittle, cutting vocals and slowly builds to a spellbinding chorus via organ blips and a rustling electro-drum roll. You can watch the video for "Tomorrow" here, which consists of Dahlström flying through space, and landing on a distant planet that resembles earth.
9. Poor Moon - Poor Moon
Way back in March Poor Moon actually topped this list with their debut EP, Illusion. The 5 song EP was good, but didn’t exactly live up to the wild expectations I had for it, which were probably a little premature in the first place. So sorry Shins, you deserved that #1 spot... But in good fun I’m giving these guys another sporting chance, but certainly not a #1 spot. I think the reason Poor Moon gets and deserves my attention so much is because two of the members, Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott, did such an incredible job as members of Fleet Foxes, who released one of the best albums of 2011 with Helplessness Blues. And while Poor Moon doesn’t maintain every sly attribute of the afforementioned Foxes, they do grasp the wistful folk-factors in songs like “Anyplace” which stick to desperate harmonies and twangy telecasters. The self-titled LP is due out 8/27 via Sub Pop.
8. Teengirl Fantasy - Tracer
Ohio dream-pop duo Teengirl Fantasy who released their 2010 debut 7AM, are back with their sophomore effort Tracer, which will be out on August 21 via True Panther. A couple singles from the new record have been released including "End" which starts with harrowing keys and gives off similar effervescence as a Strawberry Jam era Animal Collective track. Listen to "End" here. 


7. Jessie Ware - Devotion 
Before releasing a strand of singles this past year including, “Running”, “110%” and “Wildest Moments”, Jessie Ware was known little more as a contributing backing voice on the futuristic London producer SBTRKT’s works. Ware herself might have been previously unaware of her songwriting and singing talents which bind sensuous melodies and seizing pop vocals into dazzling focus. Her songs are catchy and easy to dance to; they possess diva-esque attributes that tow the line of commercial, but intelligently so. Her debut album Devotion is out on 8/20 via PMR. 


6. Anthony and The Johnsons - Cut The World 
Chances are you’ve already read a review for Anthony and the Johnsons’ new record Cut the World, which was released today. This is either due to my lack of punctuality or the amount of music/media blogs you follow on Twitter. Either way, Cut The World looks to be an equisite piece of music-making. It's out now on Secretly Canadian.
5. Matthew Dear - Beams 
When you listen to Matthew Dear’s latest track, “Her Fantasy” you relaize why his album is so faultlessly entitled Beams. Better yet, the music video might actually do the title more justice as you're melodically tripping-out over your morning coffee. This dude is seriously strange. And seriously, so very talented. His 2010 LP Black City was a critical success for all the same dark, fascinating reasons. You can pre-order it now over at Matthew Dear's website and expect it at your local record store on 8/27 via Ghostly International.
4. Dan Deacon - America 
The jack-of-all-trades, composer and experimental electro-pop artist, Dan Deacon, is back with his latest and tenth LP, America, which will be released on Domino records on 8/28. The Baltimore musician has always had a knack for curating peculiar, uber-creative music, but what might be most compelling about Deacon is his ability to sync his music to video, so much that he even wrote the film score to Francis Ford Coppola’s Twixt. His latest track “True Thrush” presents a compelling music video where Deacon and members of Baltimore’s Wham City art collective, among other groups, play a drawing game similar to ‘telephone’, only using video. Read the introduction at the beginning of the video and you’ll see what I mean. Watch it here.
3. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes 
On 4AD’s website, the record label has described Ariel Pink’s new album as “Vomit on fine Italian marble. A jet-shot of beautiful glowing puke on something recently mopped and shined.” As disgusting as that sounds, could we expect anything less from an artist who notoriously plays his armpits? All grotesque images aside, Ariel Pink has proved his musicianship over and again, and is coming off his sensational 2010 release, Before Today, which was named to many end-of-year lists. Now Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti are back with more lo-fi lovin' with Mature Themes, which might be the group’s cachtiest yet, especially on the latest cuts, “Only In My Dreams” and “Baby”. The record is out 8/20.
2. Yeasayer - Fragrant World 
Yeasayer has been making quite the stir at buffaBLOG as of late. Coming off a unanimously stunning performance at Town Ballroom, the Brooklyn four-piece is only increasing their kinetic energy, fuled by laser lights and wild, electro-world-music rythms as they ready their third studio collection, Frangrant World, out 8/20 via Secretly Canadian. While those who attended the show probably heard most of the 11 tracks from the latest LP, there is still time to pre-order the record for those of you who weren’t able to come out last week. Listen to the first cut off the record "Henrietta" here.
1. Wild Nothing - Nocturne 
I admit it. I’m in love with the music of Wild Nothing, aka 22-year-old Virginia (no, not Brooklyn) native Jack Tatum’s hazed-out, Instagramized indie-rock jams. His 2010 debut full-length, Gemini, is up there (for me) as one of the best albums of the past 5 years. When tracks like “Summer Holiday” and  “Chinatown” come blaring through car speakers on the ride to work, Tatum's freewheeling, reverb-loaded vocals and guitar buzz could make one forget all stressful obligations and play eternal hooky, driving 'cross endless senery. It’s no surprise that Tatum is back with more of the same stylings with the latest track, “Shadow,” exhibiting a similar lo-fi coo, but set amid a steady kick drum and sirens of droning guitar riffs. Wild Nothing is currently touring with a group that captures a very similar style, DIIV, who recently released their latest LP, Oshin, also via Captured Tracks. Nocturne is out Augiust 27. Find out how to get a free poster from the band and pre-order your copy here.


Tom Dennis
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