CHVRCHES
We’ve been quite slow getting into Chvrches, whilst other blogs wet their pants with excitement and danced a jig of glee we remained firmly on the fence. After reflection and a wish to hear more tunes before declaring them saviours of pop we decided all things being equal, we rather liked them, and we must say their new single ‘Gun’ is their finest release to date. Effortless life affirming pop of the highest order replete with several nods to classic 80’s electronica.
SKINNY DREAM
We’ve previously described Southend’s Skinny Dream as creating perfectly realised shoegaze anthems full of yearning, imbued with a fluid hypnotic languid kind of grace. And their latest offering ‘Exhale’ proves that such sentiments were entirely correct. The word is there’ll be a début album surfacing very soon, but in the meantime, this’ll do nicely.
L A U R E L
The aloofness of Sarah Nixey, the languid indifference of Lana Del Rey, both are certainly in evidence here. The verse is spoken with complete emotional detachment and it’s only when Laurel sings the chorus that things get passionate and erm, a bit steamy – “When she’s out of town, you go, down down, on me to the ground, ground.” It’s transpires Laurel’s not entirely happy with this ‘fake love affair’ but alas confesses ‘I need you like no other I wanna be your world ‘. Well we’ve got news for you Laurel, he’s no good for you, get rid of him, he can’t be trusted, he’s a cad and a bounder ! Men … Pfft! But we digress, this is a great pop song from a singer with huge potential, let’s just hope the LDR comparisons don’t become a hindrance.
TIERANNIESAUR
This lot are apparently Irelands best kept secret, a band who seem to fuse a C86 indie-disco sensibility with glam, electro and new wave. ‘ Horses With Melting Eyes’ is from their second album DIYSCO which we are currently attempting to get our noggins around. It sounds a bit like Julz Sale fronting the Tom Tom Club whilst discussing ‘Architecture and Morality’ at a glam disco with Alison Goldfrapp…or something.
BIG WAVE
Torquays finest release another slice of jangling, sun kissed off kilter pop in the form of their latest single ‘Goldmine’. It also features one of their fast becoming trademark videos which stars a quiz show host who manages to ooze the sort of unctuous smug insincerity not fully realised since the days of Bob Monkhouse.
videos here
TOKYO TABOO
Tokyo Taboo aren’t from Japan but London, and their latest single ‘Naked’ sounds like a cross between Cyndi Lauper and Pink after falling into a VAT of espresso. Hyperactive multicoloured superhero pop with overtly suggestive lyrics and a lead singer who says she’d like to fly naked into one of their gigs one day ? Hell yeah!
Here’s the video
Avec Sans Vs Curxes
What happens when two of our favourite emerging electronic duos collide ? THIS… a fabulous remix by Avec Sans of Curxes ‘Further Still’ which takes the original and spins it into a whole new orbit. A cinematic electronic polyphony of elegance and beauty. And it’s FREEEEE