It's a done deal
God has it really been a week since my last post?
This week I have mainly been listening to a great new label from Leeds - I Can Count music.
Their first label compilation is remarkable in that I hadn't heard of one of the bands on it, yet the whole thing is graced with an uncommon quality and an unflinching touch of pop goodness.
You could loosely describe all the tracks as electronic pop music, but there are quite a range of styles on offer here... from the frenzied Gameboy beats of David Sugar, to the Zero 7-esque Mica. The gentle indie pop of Grand Prix '86 to the West London broken beats of Deckshufflers and the French house leanings of Pea Green Boat.
It's hard to pick out favourites, but here are some of them:
Project: New City are from Chapel Allerton in Leeds (I only mention that as my mate Ant lives there...), and have a speaker-filling sound with beautiful lush melodies. This track came in at #95 on the Popjustice chart of last year.. which is some kind of guarantee of pop excellence!
PROJECT NEW CITY - ON ARRIVAL IN NARITA
Altogether more frenetic is this great cut by David Sugar. Crunchy beats, 8-bit madness and somehow 350,000 YouTube views for the ace video!
DAVID SUGAR - WE WEREN'T PUT TOGETHER
Probably my favourite track from the album is this one by Glasgow's Nut Bros.... with it's slightly 80's sounding riffs reminiscent of a Whatever We Want re-edit. Somehow it sounds very familar, but also slightly out of its time. Very hummable.
NUT BROS - DONE DEAL
and finally here's the track by Deckshufflers. It sounds kind of like a drum 'n' bass track by Alex Reece but with most of the beats removed. Well yes, that's broken beat isn't it? I dunno, all these genres do my head in. It's got beats; low as fuck bass; sweetly sung vocals and a bit of schwing.
DECKSHUFFLERS - FALLING
I hope they don't mind me posting up so many tracks, but hopefully it may encourage you to buy the compilation from their website. There are eighteen great tracks, there are only 500 made and it only costs a fiver. Deal or no deal?
The first single on the label is by Grand Prix '86.... coming straight outta Chunky Norwich and representing the more indie side of the label.
Grand Prix '86 has a special resonanance for me. In my youth (i.e. when it was good) I used to be a bit of a Formula 1 nut, and for my twelfth birthday that year I pleaded and pleaded that all I wanted to do was to go to the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. The treat of a lifetime!
To say it was slightly anti-climactic would be putting it mildly. Notwithstanding the three hour traffic jam to get into the circuit. Having spent a kings ransom on getting down there and gaining admission, there was nothing left in the pot to get a grandstand seat or a spot on a bend. So we stood on a straight, at about the fastest spot on the track, and watched these noisy coloured shapes fly past our eyes for two hours. I seem to recall it was raining as well, however my brain may have added that to the memory to reflect it's overall gloom and disappointment!
Apparently Nigel Mansell won an absolutely thrilling race. But fucked if we could tell what was going on. In fact it was only when he drove past and waved at the end that we had any idea who was even winning. I was never quite as interested in motor sport after that.
You can watch the video for the single ('Everybody's Dancing') here:
Also included is a quite excellent David Sugar (see above) remix of what I reckon is the better track: 'Lights in Your Eyes'. Check it & check it good:
GRAND PRIX '86 - LIGHTS IN YOUR EYES (DAVID E SUGAR 'IT'S RIGGED' MIX)
So yes, all in all I think this is a label worth looking out for. Also, a quick browse of the website will reveal a mini cornocopia of treats on sale....
Tetris cushions:
Lightning earrings:
O Fracas Maracas:
(OK, they're not so great, but it's just good to say 'O Fracas Maracas')
Funky T-Shirts with ninjas and fangs and lightningbolts:
see you sooner than next Sunday I hope.
This week I have mainly been listening to a great new label from Leeds - I Can Count music.
Their first label compilation is remarkable in that I hadn't heard of one of the bands on it, yet the whole thing is graced with an uncommon quality and an unflinching touch of pop goodness.
You could loosely describe all the tracks as electronic pop music, but there are quite a range of styles on offer here... from the frenzied Gameboy beats of David Sugar, to the Zero 7-esque Mica. The gentle indie pop of Grand Prix '86 to the West London broken beats of Deckshufflers and the French house leanings of Pea Green Boat.
It's hard to pick out favourites, but here are some of them:
Project: New City are from Chapel Allerton in Leeds (I only mention that as my mate Ant lives there...), and have a speaker-filling sound with beautiful lush melodies. This track came in at #95 on the Popjustice chart of last year.. which is some kind of guarantee of pop excellence!
PROJECT NEW CITY - ON ARRIVAL IN NARITA
Altogether more frenetic is this great cut by David Sugar. Crunchy beats, 8-bit madness and somehow 350,000 YouTube views for the ace video!
DAVID SUGAR - WE WEREN'T PUT TOGETHER
Probably my favourite track from the album is this one by Glasgow's Nut Bros.... with it's slightly 80's sounding riffs reminiscent of a Whatever We Want re-edit. Somehow it sounds very familar, but also slightly out of its time. Very hummable.
NUT BROS - DONE DEAL
and finally here's the track by Deckshufflers. It sounds kind of like a drum 'n' bass track by Alex Reece but with most of the beats removed. Well yes, that's broken beat isn't it? I dunno, all these genres do my head in. It's got beats; low as fuck bass; sweetly sung vocals and a bit of schwing.
DECKSHUFFLERS - FALLING
I hope they don't mind me posting up so many tracks, but hopefully it may encourage you to buy the compilation from their website. There are eighteen great tracks, there are only 500 made and it only costs a fiver. Deal or no deal?
The first single on the label is by Grand Prix '86.... coming straight outta Chunky Norwich and representing the more indie side of the label.
Grand Prix '86 has a special resonanance for me. In my youth (i.e. when it was good) I used to be a bit of a Formula 1 nut, and for my twelfth birthday that year I pleaded and pleaded that all I wanted to do was to go to the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. The treat of a lifetime!
To say it was slightly anti-climactic would be putting it mildly. Notwithstanding the three hour traffic jam to get into the circuit. Having spent a kings ransom on getting down there and gaining admission, there was nothing left in the pot to get a grandstand seat or a spot on a bend. So we stood on a straight, at about the fastest spot on the track, and watched these noisy coloured shapes fly past our eyes for two hours. I seem to recall it was raining as well, however my brain may have added that to the memory to reflect it's overall gloom and disappointment!
Apparently Nigel Mansell won an absolutely thrilling race. But fucked if we could tell what was going on. In fact it was only when he drove past and waved at the end that we had any idea who was even winning. I was never quite as interested in motor sport after that.
You can watch the video for the single ('Everybody's Dancing') here:
Also included is a quite excellent David Sugar (see above) remix of what I reckon is the better track: 'Lights in Your Eyes'. Check it & check it good:
GRAND PRIX '86 - LIGHTS IN YOUR EYES (DAVID E SUGAR 'IT'S RIGGED' MIX)
So yes, all in all I think this is a label worth looking out for. Also, a quick browse of the website will reveal a mini cornocopia of treats on sale....
Tetris cushions:
Lightning earrings:
O Fracas Maracas:
(OK, they're not so great, but it's just good to say 'O Fracas Maracas')
Funky T-Shirts with ninjas and fangs and lightningbolts:
see you sooner than next Sunday I hope.
posted by headphonesex @ 11:53 PM
