intro.
Thanks for waiting on the somewhat delayed Week in Music since the entire senior staff were summoned to a meeting at our Bearwood HQ for the all important Week of Ancient Champion birthday celebrations. If not to go down to LCD Soundsystem road of Losing His Edge, it's important that AC age. With friends. When the dust settles what will be remembered will be Soho's astonishing acoustic set at Corks; the malfunctioning drum machine situtation saved by Woodenhand's quick thinking and iPad, the dancing and breakfast at Damascena's. It surprising that we got to hear any records at all. Anyway after all of that drama, this week's reviewers... Ancient Champion (4), Hamilton High (1), DJ Fuzzyfelt (3), Lee Paul (2) and Alan Rider (5).
singles.
by Lee Paul
The title track from the LP Heavy Soul. Standard issue mellow dub, that'd soothe the end of your day maybe. No drama. Ease you out of Newsnight and into your future, noodling around until the early hours. Liam Bailey helps then he helps everything ever. Late night sounds for every home.
by Alan Rider
1999 Write The Future, describe themselves as a 'Musical Collective', which is usually industry code for a couple of music Producers spinning up yet another ficticious band, this time featuring South Korean K Rock singer LØREN. It's pop punk with a slacker video, nicely done, but a bit zzzzzzzzzzzz...
by Alan Rider
Prague based electro-industrial merchants Haujobb's sinister sounding retro-futuristic 'In The Headlights', taken from their forthcoming new album, 'The Machine In The Ghost', is a little unsettling. Introduced by a sample of what sounds like the sort of hand drier you find in public toilets, it lurches along in a slightly grating way. I'm not sure whether I really like it tbh. Make your own mind up, but I doubt I will be going back to this one again.
by Alan Rider
'Black Marrow'? Now is that a large green vegetable that has been left out in the sun too long by a careless gardener?, or a symptom of a nasty bone infection worthy of inclusion in House? No matter, this is a stomping wake up call by newbie US Death Metal thrashers Slaughtersun that will blast any sleepy cobwebs you may have clean out of your skull and across the other side of town. I also like it that rather than have a boring old drummer, they have someone who plays with the 'Hammer Battalion'. I have a hammer. Wonder whether I could sign up?
by Alan Rider
This is basically bollox. The lyrics make no sense, it has a creepy AI enhanced video (I KNOW that Toyah does not look like that!), and if there is a hell, this would be on heavy rotation. At one time Toyah was regarded as a punk pioneer. Yes, true! I know, I can't believe it now either.
by DJ Fuzzyfelt
As part of a joint double A-Side release alongside Hyperdub Records boss Kode9, Phoneglow marks a return to the more skittering beats, sped up vocals, and swathes of keyboards that characterises most of Burials earlier works. Burials songs are supposedly best listened to on London nightbus, when it's raining. However, I live in an area where the last bus goes at 5.30pm. How am I to manage loving Burial's work with such denusion of public services? No matter, I love Brials work and this is a very welcome addition to his catalogue. And, to be fair, Kode9s 'Eyes Go Blank' ain't half good too. Five Stars all day long.
by Lee Paul
Superb drum, guitar and pipe driven confection. It's like a manic Talking Heads tune giving the perception of increasing in momentum from the first note until the last. The sound of a rainy day in N. Africa? I don't know. Did get me to put my raincoat on though. Like Ahmed's. Oh Wow!
by DJ Fuzzyfelt
Mr Bongo Records have consistently championed the music of Brasil from the 50s right up to great contemporary artists and groups such as Ana Frango Electro and Bala Desejo. The backbone of their Brasilian catalogue has been 100x7 inch 45s consisting of classic tunes released anytime between the 1950s and the 1980s. Over the years some of the more popular singles have sold out and become collectors items in themselves. Happily Mr Bongo are now starting to repress some of these scarcer sides and this re-release is one of them. Wilson Simonel was a stalwart of the scene in the 60s and 70s releasing many great songs of which Nem Vem Que Nao Tem from his classic 1967 album 'Alegria, Alegria' is one.There are many different versions of this tune written by the marvellously named Carlos Imperial, even a rather shouty version sung in French by Brigitte Bardot, however Simonal's is the original version. Piano lead, almost chatty verse with a grand brass driven chorus. It's a great song worthy of its reputation. It was given a new lease of life when featured on the soundtrack of the film 'City of God'. Trio Mocoto are actually still going to this day. Formed in 1968 and acting as the very great Jorge Ben Jors backing band before cutting loose on their own. Nao Adianta, released in 1977, has been a constant in my DJ box. Big epic start, beautiful vocals, strings, the kitchen sink basically. Luxurious. All in all a fantastic single, well worth investing your hard earned cash in. 5 Stars just aren't enough for this fabulous record.
by Ancient Champion
It's not easy to forget how popular Folk Implosion's Natural One was to the slackers back then that never did more than slack off. A favorite thing. Water Torture has similar mesmeric overtones, they've retained that but I suppose I can't associate anything positive about water torture in popular entertainment. So, after listening I really didn't want to think about this in the way I think about bass guitars and vibraslap after listening to Natural One. The same only darker.
ep's.
ZERO s
by Ancient Champion
Hot Sun from the Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP is a Yes. It's one of those tightly knit, tamped down melodies that has you thinking about thinking about stuff. All the Wilco power you need on one EP.
long plays.
by DJ Fuzzyfelt
Aberystwyths Ynys second album in 12 months is a scintillating ride. Short sharp songs with big hooks that get their claws into you. There's Northern Soul, big harmonies, and Gorkys Zygotic Mynci in the mix, but the bands leader and song writer, Dylan Hughes, leading a band of crack musicians, has produced a great album that will brighten even the most dismal day. Highly recommended. 5 Stars all day long. Just to add Ynys will be performing alongside the mighty Adwaith and also Melyn Melin at Llangollen Town Hall as part the Llangollen Fringe Festival on July 12th and its only £13 a ticket. Treat yourself and go if you're able.
by Ancient Champion
Of course what's not to love? This doesn't in any way remind me of the time I saw Sonic Youth on a Brighton beach and wasn't sure when the tuning up was finished and when the tunes had begun. That's just me, in the ways of music and art I am a know nothing. Although not a proud one. There's the video here for Part 1 of Love Changes Everything, but the whole piece, it is a movement is what you need for a seminal experience. I've used the record to ease my way through prepping the upper part of the garden for a shed base. Now installed sans, shed, because suddenly I want to have the shed erected in a different garden of a different house a mile or so away from here. Mrs Champion—who never ever calls herself that—doesn't necssarily agree. Watch this space.
so, have you got anything else.
by Hamilton High
Uwade is opening for and singing with Kevin Morby on this UK tour. She'd take over the whole show if Kevin wasn't so effervescent.
by Ancient Champion
Really, really loved Kevin Morby at the Castle and Falcon in Birmingham last night. The band was fab, and their version of Beautiful Strangers was a funky chunky one of this soul inflected charmer (all proceeds for gun control causes). Loved how Kevin was so light on his feet on stage. Music and all it can do when it is the way it should be.
by Alan Rider
Apparently Renaissance, the long in the tooth 'symphonic rock band', will be back playing their farewell tour this year after 54 years of torturing us with this sort of nonsense. Thank god for that! Lets hope they don't change their minds. Now all together, sing along to the insightful lyrics to 'Prologue'. "Do Do Do Do Do Daaaaa Do Do Do Daaaa!". And so on.
essential info.
Main image screengrab from Anna White's film accompanying Love Changes Everything Part 1 by the Dirty Three
The previous Week in Music 'Outsideleft Week in Music Kim Gordon Made a Single' is here→
