Nothing like the voices of Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip together. Get downloading this brand new mixtape ‘The Abstract & The Dragon’ featuring a cast of stars such as Kanye West, Lil Wayne, A Tribe Called Quest, Raekwon, Missy Elliott, Talib Kweli and many more.
This long player has various collaborations the pair have worked on over the years including a version of a Tribe Called Quest’s “Oh My God” with a verse from Busta too. Nice vibes. Unlock this free hip hop and savour it today.
Polvo
‘Siberia’
Merge Records
Every band is still going. Every band has reformed, is having one last go or never split up in the first place. Very few of them, however, are capable of making new music that is worth listening to or even comes close to being as good as when the band were in the prime of their youth. I’m struggling to think of ANY band that has managed to make an album that is better than their initial output, apart from Polvo.
Polvo formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1990 and made a string of albums for Merge and Touch And Go Records that were awash with warped and wobbly guitar pop (people often tried to box them off in the math rock bracket, but that didn’t really fit) and addictive song-writing. Their sound was unpredictable and willingly obtuse (according to their Wikipedia page “ the band’s guitarists were often accused of failing to play with correctly tuned guitars” haha!) and they were, alongside the likes of Brainiac and Girls Against Boys, trailblazers in the 90s wave of American indie rock.
Having originally disbanded in 1998, the band reformed in 2009 and re-signed to Merge Records for the release of the excellent ‘In Prism’ album and a handful of shows. Nothing could have prepared us for the sheer quality of latest album ‘Siberia’ though. Bands this long in the tooth should not be able to craft songs of this superior quality. No exaggeration, every song on here is superb. At eight songs, it’s short, but there’s no excess fat, no filler, no dull moments, just eight songs brimming with ideas and mesmerizing melodies. Opener ‘Total Immersion’ sets the scene nicely, a flow with off-kilter rhythms, and obtuse guitar, but delivered, like every song on this album, with energy and melodies that you will remember. There are no highlights as such because every song is equally a winner, although ‘Ancient Grains’ with its mystic, eastern feel and dreamy sonic landscapes never fails to hit the mark and delves into vocalist and guitarists Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski’s love to Asian music.
‘Blue Is Loss’ is another class song. Moving and pulsating, it constantly builds momentum and melody. “How did my dreams get so clean…” croons Bowie as the band shimmer around him.
Beautifully recorded, written and executed, ‘Siberia’ is without doubt my album of the year. Not bad for a band that originally split up over fifteen years ago.
James Sherry
Eagulls
‘Tough Luck’
Partisan
Get ready for the latest and greatest from Leeds post-punks, Eagulls. Announced this week, their self-titled debut is due March 4th 2014 on Partisan Records.
The thunderous sounds Eagulls have crafted here hold such a dark, brooding appeal. The sincere howl of frontman George Mitchell takes hold and shakes you, but at the same time ‘Tough Luck’ is completely uplifting and anthemic. The guitars are utterly momentous and driving without being ridiculously heavy and overdriven. They’re dipped in an 80’s post-punk pool of effects, left shimmering with gritty retain. All this paired with some heavy, mechanical bass work, and tight rhythms blasting from the kit confirms ‘Tough Luck’ as an absolute belter. Press play and turn this up.
Dave Palmer
Death Grips
‘Government Plates’
Caroline Records
Sponteniety is a rarity these days in this social media stained, over-marketed landscape but Death Grips have always remained a diamond in the mud for doing their own thing how and when they want on their own terms. Today they have posted their new album ‘Government Plates‘ online for free featuring 11 brand new tracks stuffed with a belly full of signature violence made up of electronic terror and punk infused debauchery.
Grab the free download and look out for the 12″ vinyl released today. We have a copy here and it’s a must have.
There are videos for each track on their youtube page too.
Run the Jewels
‘Banana Clipper’
Fools Gold
Treats have dropped online today from Run the Jewels aka Killer Mike and El-P’s 2013 hype ting that has driven a truck through our speakers this year and still hasn’t been picked up. Their new video for stand out track ‘Banana Clipper’ is here featuring guest vocalist Big Boi from OutKast that fronts and squeezes part time rappers and leaves them the cream.
Theo Verney
Heavy Sunn
Hate Hate Hate Records
Not many can merge stoner rock and surf-indie together and get away with it but Theo Verney here proves it can be done with aplomb. The Brighton based DIY bod has delivered a video today for Heavy Sunn, the wah-wah, fuzz-filled lead track from a recent EP that has been doing the rounds this Autumn worthy of a listen. With slamming riffs going to 11 and a cool-as-fuck overall crunch, this stomping acid tinged psych-rock number kicks the jams straight out of the bedroom, across the pier and into a fully lit bong. Winner.
Stereo:Type always drops the best mixes for Halloween, 2013 is no different. Check out this beastly dancefloor mash up that he has unleashed with Krafty Kuts this time round. Magic stuff.
Play 4: Krafty Kuts & Stereo:Type's Trick or Beats Mix by Malibu Play on Mixcloud
Perfect Pussy
‘I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling’
Bandcamp
Ph:Brett Davis
Bandcamp is a pretty wonderful site. There’s definitely something more satisfying about transferring money directly to the band rather than giving your money to Apple and every so often you’ll stumble upon something truly exciting. One such discovery we made this week was the brilliantly named Perfect Pussy who hail from Syracuse, New York.
Bringing a tenacious hardcore energy to noise-pop, Perfect Pussy thrash out four distorted, fast-as-fuck, fuzzed out smashers in their EP I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling, which the band put out a few months ago. The four tracks are simply titled as I, II, III and (you guessed it), IIII and bring to mind the experimentalism of Melt Banana, the more ferocious moments of Trail Of Dead, but with pop hooks like our pals Joanna Gruesome. There’s even some shoegaze elements in there for good measure! I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling is exhilarating, intense, intoxicating and above all massively exciting.
Singer Meredith may snarl, but the lyrics are often confessional and introspective – not that you would know it due to the heavy distortion layered on. On ‘III’ she laments: “Every dog deserves forgiveness, no matter who he bit. I’m a real lost cause. I’m a real piece of shit” before “I’ve been lying to get attention, I’ve been lying and lying. I think I’ll just stay home forever this time” – often the simplest lyrics can be the most gut wrenching.
There’s not a hell of a lot about these guys online at the moment, in fact they don’t even have a Facebook page, but we’d love to think that you’ll be hearing more from them soon. From photo evidence, their shows look equally intense, so keep your fingers crossed for a UK tour sometime soon.
Give them some money for their EP and let them crash at your house if they do ever make it over here.
James the Fang and Serious Sam Barrett
‘The North Country Steed’
Ya Dig? Records
Last summer the UK was treated to a Skate Folk tour consisting of Serious Sam Barrett, the Pine Hill Haints and legendary skate rock pioneer Tim Kerr (of Big Boys fame). The shows that I caught were highlights of a fairly washed out slog of a summer. Skating in the day, then cracking a can and on to the show felt like the dream as it’s meant to be lived. Despite a slimmed down trip this time round – with no Tim and only Jamie from the Haints – the couple of weeks it hit the UK was still a whirlwind blast of skating, boozing and good tunes as their sound was bolstered by various crew members in different cities. The tour was in support of new record The North Country Steed, which sees the two put down 13 songs which pay homage to country, folk and rock n roll with a bite gained from identities forged in punk rock. Love, cowboys, skateboarding, whiskey and jailhouses are all fair game for subject matter and the record draws the listener in from the opening title track, with Jamie alternating vocals and fiddle over a mesmerising guitar lick.
‘RWTB’ is the natural sequel to Sam’s ‘Hennessey Nights’, perfectly encapsulating most given weekends in Leeds, while ‘I’m in so much Trouble’ is vintage rock n roll done acoustic replete with Ramones-esque harmonies. The album also includes ‘Silver Dagger’, released as a free mp3 last year with the Serious Sam Barrett/Pine Hill Haints split, and the first studio recording of ‘Mole in the Ground’, long a part of Sam’s live set and here complimented by some impassioned fiddle playing here. Closing proceedings is a cover of Dubliners’ song ‘The Nightingale’, the two taking on the monumental task of covering Luke Kelly in his prime and coming through with a touching version that does the folk legend justice.
Both these guys have been relentlessly touring, sleeping on floors and putting out music for years now and their mutual shows have already demonstrated how their styles complement each other, but it’s awesome to finally hear that put down in the studio. With the two taking turns at vocal duties over for the most part just a guitar and fiddle, the sound has a sharpness and clearness that isn’t always associated with strictly DIY operations but definitely shines through here.
As I have mentioned the record covers various themes, but at its core it is a dedication to music itself; playing, listening and generally immersing yourself in what you love. Stick it on the turntable, crack a can, make a brew or head out and slappy grind the curb on your back street; it’s bound to fuel the hype.
Jono Coote
Spring King
‘In All This Muck and Dirt’
(unsigned)
Spring King make raw, scuzzy garage pop with a twist. Their debut album, In All This Muck and Dirt is not just any old lo-fi jingle jangle, each track is radically different from the next. The Springsteen-esque motoring of ‘Better Man’ is a total contrast to the piano led, ballad like ‘Heat of The Summer’ but this totally works. The vocals of Tarek Musa keep this ship on course; his flow feels relaxed and natural, easing you into the pop magic, in the same way as Craig Dermody of Scott and Charlene’s Wedding does.
‘Drummer Girl’ is so shiny and summery you need to listen to it wearing sunglasses. And what follows is something quite unexpected. The 80’s organ warble on ‘My Sleeves’ comes with an unexpected trumpet solo creeping into the mix, having its own jazzy freak-out amidst the guitars. It’s not all Miles Davis though, single ‘V-V-V-Vampire!’ is a scruffy punk ditty full of guitar grit and thrashing drums.
Musa is the brains behind this operation, responsible for the recording and mixing of all the tracks on In All This Muck and Dirt as well as writing all the songs too. His talents are also spread across other bands, namely the indie vibes of Kankouran, another triumph for Musa, writing and recording all the songs himself.
With allegedly over 50 more tunes in the bank, Spring King are a well-oiled, garage pop producing machine. Surprisingly the five piece are still unsigned, recording and releasing everything they do themselves, online, with no visible help from any industry folk. Surely it’s only a matter of time before these guys cut a deal and get a record pressed. Watch this space.
Dave Palmer