Rupert reporting: please listen to these two songs, it will only take 8.5 minutes of your life. Ideally make a cup of tea and drink it during this period. The first is by the electro artist Grum. I would also strongly advise listening to the song ‘Heartbeats’ by the same artist, which is truly breathtaking, but not in-keeping with the relaxed theme of these posts. ‘La Lights’ is suitably 80’s with a really catchy chord sequence throughout. Soothing vocals and floating synth pads make this a great song to have an afternoon nap to (based on personal experience).
This guy is absurdly cool. First things first, he has a great taste in music. He’s got an ear for finding a good song (60’s Rock & Roll, modern psych-pop, whatever) and then turning into something you would want to dance to ‘all night looong…all night’. Sorry.
Secondly he’s a French DJ, and these days few of them are doing anything wrong. What’s impressive, especially on the old ones, is how he manages to retain the song’s original sound. Even though they’ve been remixed, they almost sound like they could come from the era. It’s more of a re-edit rather than a remix. Anyway, enough chitter chatter.
A couple more songs, seeing as it’s Tuesday again. First up is a song from 2 years ago that’s got a great vocal pad that repeats all the way through in the background. It’s slightly haunting but fantastic. It’s also got a very Mylo-esque synth part that’s layered on top. I think Mann is going to put up the song I’m thinking of soonish, so keep an eye out for that one.
They are AWESOME!! I like the Strokes a lot. I mean a big lot. In the same way that a kid likes Worthers’ Originals from a man in a long coat standing at a street corner outside his school. So when I heard they’ve finished writing their new album, I went to look for that man who used to stand on the corner of Perry Vale and Church Rise and see if the two feelings are actually the same. Turns out I couldn’t find him, so sadly that story ends here. But on to more relevant things. As they’ve taken a 4 year hiatus, surely Julian, Albert and Nikolai, Nick and Fabrizio must have been doing something other than smoking weed and partying, I hear you say? Well, here’s what I think is the best of what they’ve done.
Julian Casablancas
The Strokes’ front man released a well publicised album in 2009 that critics and Strokes fans generally really liked. The lead single off the album, 11th Dimension, is great. It’s got a great synth lead and a sweet vocal from Julian all the way through. It can also be found just about anywhere on the internet, so I’m going to put up another of my favourties from the album. Left & Right In The Dark has got a really good guitar hook and the vocal is classic Strokes. He also did a song with N*E*R*D and Santogold called My Drive Thru which I really enjoyed when it came out in 2008.
This week I’ve got another two songs for you. Once again they’re pretty electronic and super chilled. The first is a Diplo remix. He is one of my favourite DJ’s/producers of the past 4 years but up until now I’ve always though of him as someone I’d listen to when I’m out. But he’s gone and remixed Deerhunter and made it into something I’d listen to when I got in at the end of a long one.
Sheffield has always been known as a good place for music, even before the Arctic Monkeys existed. The Human League, Long Blondes, Moloko, Def Leppard and Pulp are all from the city and Warp Records was founded up here. What I’m getting at is there is a lot of locally grown music.
There are also a lot of bands that aren’t from here but meet at Uni, and here are three of my favourites from my time up here.
Clever Girl
One of the most interesting four piece bands I’ve come across in a while, they are different to anything I’ve heard before. My first experience of them came in a basement at a house party and it blew me away. It’s a conventional three piece lineup plus a front man who plays Sax. It’s really, really good. Have a look here, and if you like it they’ve got a link to download their ep, No Drum And Bass In The Jazz Room on the page.
A little while ago I wrote something on songs that have been made ‘soul’, so I thought I’d go for an opposite thing. Here are a couple of songs that I’ve found recently that have been made rather dancey, but not just by putting that crappy four on the floor beat and a wooshing sound every now and then.
James Blake – Limit To Your Love (Feist Cover)
Discovery – I Want You Back (Jackon 5 Cover)
Hot Chip/Peter Gabriel – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Vampire Weekend Cover)
This is one of my favourite songs in the world. Don’t actually listen to it while driving at night because the experience will be so perfect that the euphoria induced will cause you to crash. Although it starts out very relaxed, it builds up to a throbbing climax of synth and bass.
Alrighty then all, here we go. Every Tuesday I’ll stick up a song or two for your aural delectation. First up a nice chilled disco remix of Adele’s Hometown Glory. A couple of years ago it was impossible to ignore the original, much as I tried to. But this remix is rather excellent. It’s a little bit ‘come-down’ and it’ll make your feet tap, but it is also super chilled.
Adele – Hometown Glory (Night Facilities Remix) More music below…
I’ve decided to start a bit of a running post, so that we’re forced to put something up on the regs! In my house we’ve got a ‘chilled playlist’, that we put on an awful lot. It’s great if you’ve had a long day at the office (or cup cake shop, Mann), you’re cooking a nice dinner for a fine piece of ass and you want something good on in the background or for doing any other chilling out things you can think of…
So in a bid to let you into what we’re listening to we will each put up the odd song or two every week. Let us know what you think and if you’ve got any suggestions then get in touch. The songs aren’t always new or the cutting edge of ‘cool’, but they work. We promise!
Hello and welcome to our blog. There's a bunch of us who write bits about good songs, bad songs or other stuff that catches our ear. Comment, share and generally enjoy the musings.
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Rupert reporting: please listen to these two songs, it will only take 8.5 minutes of your life. Ideally make a cup of tea and drink it during this period. The first is by the electro artist Grum. I would also strongly advise listening to the song ‘Heartbeats’ by the same artist, which is truly breathtaking, but not in-keeping with the relaxed theme of these posts. ‘La Lights’ is suitably 80’s with a really catchy chord sequence throughout. Soothing vocals and floating synth pads make this a great song to have an afternoon nap to (based on personal experience).
Stig Baasvik
Wilbur Ward
Max
Nicolo Doppelganger
Rupert
Sacha
Safety, Fun & Learning 