Depending on the living arrangements you have had throughout your adult life, the notion of a naked roommate might be thrilling or frightening. But today we bring you an exciting (and completely non-threatening) Naked Roommate. The occasion is "Bus", the first single from the upcoming LP Pass the Loofah. And while non-threatening, it strikes our ears as sexy as hell and our feet can't stop moving. We cued it up first thing this morning and all our morning activities have been completed in record time. We may use the race shoes for the morning run! Freewheeling and beat heavy, like Lizzy Mercier Descloux merged with Australia's No Zu.
The Oakland outfit's new album is due October 25 via Trouble In Mind Records.
If a man in a trench coat approaches you and gives you a choice of "zu" or "no zu", you are hereby advised to take the less obvious choice. Sure, you might be tempted to take the first choice and become the proud owner of some zu which, you think, surely must be better than no zu at all. However, if you take the second choice you will have Heat Beat, the new EP by Melbourne's ultra terrific No Zu. If this discussion hurts your head, turn off your brain, press "play" on Heat Beat and let your heart and feet be your guide. This is punk funk. It is dance. It is world beat. It is dark but vibrant. It is the one and only heat beat.
No Zu are icons in Melbourne (and probably everywhere else they have played). Heat Beat is their first record in several years, and presents their last recordings with vocalist Daphene Camf, who died in 2021. We hope they continue because there is nothing quite like them. But the future aside, the weekend comes and everyone should have Heat Beat on their soundtrack. The EP is available in vinyl and digital formats via Chapter Music.
I think London DJ Raf Rundell has created a genuine treat for listeners with O.M. Days. Apparently the name of the album stands for 'Oh My Days', although I have had that confirmed by absolutely no one (Tucker is in the room with me, but Tucker is a dog and usually agrees with me). But whatever its intended meaning, around my house it means 'the party has started'. The album consists of ten tracks, the first six of which providing enough funk, disco, R&B and related styles to make us think we aren't housebound by a virus. Track 2, "Down", was so compelling that I got stuck on it and hit the replay button four times. The following "Monsterpiece" was the perfect disco palette cleanser. Next up is "Ample Change" featuring Lias Saoudi of Fat White Family, thrilling with propulsive tribal drumming accented by middle eastern/North African melodies. It is one of the more compelling tracks, but with a seven minute run time I will leave it to you to stream. But we will deliver the following "Always Fly (ft. Terri Walker)" because we all want, even deserve, some slinky R&B on a Saturday night.
And then with track 7, "Miracle", the album turns more reflective although no less interesting. It is as if Papa Raf knows we need to wind down and relax before Sunday morning. Of those latter songs, we are most taken with "Butter Days (ft. Andy Jenkins)".
Raf Rundell is one half of group 2 Bears (with Hot Chip's Joe Goddard). O.M. Days is his second album, and is out now via Heavenly Recordings.
Scottish producer Sam Gellaitry released three EPs between 2015 and 2017. An EP titled IV is scheduled for release May 14 in digital and June 11 on vinyl. A proven talent as a producer, the new EP will feature his voice for the first time. Sam's refreshingly innovative compositions reflect his penchant to think of expressing music as various color choices, as well as reflecting a broad array of influences. The first single from the upcoming EP is "Duo", which was inspired by French house. Try it out with the video below. "Duo" is out now via on Sam's own imprint Viewfinder Recordings via FFRR Records/Parlophone.
Of course, Sweden's Red Sleeping Beauty needs no embellishment to be a 'must listen' -- they always hit perfection on the synth pop scale. But we must admit that adding Mary Wyer of Aussie pop legends Even As We Speak is a stroke of genius. Born of the failure of a plan to have Mary join the band on stage at the Cologne Popfest, which was derailed by the pandemic, the alternative was to have Mary provide vocals for "Second Time, Red Sleeping Beauty's new single. We must say that for those of us who, for various reasons, did not intend to attend the aforementioned Popfest, this is a clear win. As for "Second Time", the song is an absolute triumph. The synths and beats recall the days in the '80s when we twirled on the dance floor, while Mary's vocals bridge to more delicate indie pop tunes. We really need to go to bed, but this track is so good that we are splashing in a bit more of the 'water of life' in the glass and pressing replay a few more times.
The song is a digital single via Matinee Recordings. It also will be included in the upcoming album by Red Sleeping Beauty.
We must confess that we haven't often featured acts from Tulsa, Oklahoma. But when the music grabs you, its place of origin doesn't really matter. And Get A Good Look Pt. 1 has grabbed us hard to juice our Saturday night. The product of duo Sports, consisting of Cale Chronister and Christian Theriot, the six-track EP boasts danceable pop with elements of psychedelia, shoegaze and disco. It is bright, colorful and irrepressible. What more do you want for a weekend evening?
The Bandcamp link is below, but we expect you can find the EP wherever digital music is sold.
Perfect for the last evening of the weekend, Orange EP by I Am A Rocketship wraps the listener in a throbbing dance groove through three tracks, then the brooding rocker "The Light In Your Eyes" and the slow-burning "Back From The Shadows".
I Am A Rocketship is duo Eric Weissinger and L E Kippner. Weissinger has been a bass and guitar hired gun for various acts, and Kippner formerly was the vocalist for a Swedish pop band. Together they create an intriguing blend of dream pop and dance rock with some experimental touches, embellished with lyrics inspired by the state of the world. The duo is versatile enough that the five songs don't allow us to predict the direction an LP might take, but we can say we would be eager to hear it.
Orange EP is out now as a digital release via My Long Wknd.
"Babylon" is a defiant cry for freedom to be what you are meant to be, and to seek your tribe so you can be comfortable in your own skin. It is about finding yourself, gathering your courage, assuming responsibility and taking risks. It also is a smashing dance tune.
The artist is rising talent and LGBTQ+ champions Dead Method, of Cardiff, Wales. "Babylon" will be available as a digital release on all the usual platforms tomorrow, June 26. That's your first weekend dance tune all sorted for you.
Sometimes when listening to SuckThis Tangerine, the new album by awesome Argentine duo Las Kellies, we say to ourselves "this dance rock sounds like garage rock". Other times, we say to ourselves "this garage rock sounds like dance rock". But even we were smart enough (eventually) to stop torturing ourselves and realize that this album simply is the best dance rock album we have heard in a very long time, and the garage touches, and the incredible dub bass platform, just make the entire confection just more incredible. This is supple, sexy, slinky, and swaggering music that never fails to make us happier than we were before we started playing it (and given how much we stocked up on beer and wine before our virus lockdown, we usually are pretty damn happy before we press "play"). Almost four years since the band's last album, this one is their best so far and well worth the wait.
Las Kellies are Cecilia Kelly (bass/guitars/vocals) and Silvina Costa (drums/percussion/vocals). Suck This Tangerine is out now in vinyl, CD and digital formats via Fire Records.
We always choose music with care, but never more so than selecting our late night listening. If we are going to stay up past bedtime, robbing our ever-aging bodies of the rest needed to serve as global influencers and trend-setters the following day, the tunes need to be compelling. So it is with confidence and joy that we share our current late-night soundtrack, Dance Without Me. The album is the creation of Chicago-based vocalist Via Rosa and producer Na'el Shehade performing as Drama. The duo seamlessly blends electro pop, R&B and dance into a smokey tapestry of troubled romance, dignified resignation, and hope. Rosa's agile and emotionally resonant vocals tell the stories, and Shehade illustrates them with punch and flair. Their mutual understanding seems almost otherworldly, like lovers completing each other's sentences are filling a request before it is made. Quite simply, it is achingly perfect.
To be fair, this album is not just for late night listening. It will bring joy to your day walking down Fifth Avenue or cycling around Stanley Park. But it really hits your core in the dark. Dance Without Me is out now in digital, vinyl and CD formats via Ghostly International.
Sauropoda boast deep grooves, multi-layered atmospherics, and an appealing playfulness. It most likely sounds like nothing else you are listening to, but we strongly urge you to regard its distinctive nature as a feature, not a bug. The music audaciously melds funk, dance grooves and chillwave electronica into a late-night summer soundtrack. Cue it up, wiggle your hips, move your feet, and let that smile show itself to your world. This little delight -- five tracks in under 38 minutes -- is the creation of Geneva, Switzerland's L'Eclair. Frankly, we knew nothing about this band until a few days ago, but they now are on the list elegantly titled "listen to anything they send us from these guys". And since the Sauropoda was largely recorded live with few overdubs, you can treat it as your own private concert from the band.
L'Eclair are Sebastien Bui, Elie Ghersinu, Stefan Lilov, Yavor Lilov, Quentin Pilet, Alain Sandri, and DJ Laxxiste. Sauropoda is out now via Bongo Joe Records.
Ahhh ... springtime in Paris. Except it isn't quite springtime, and we aren't in Paris. We are, however, very much enjoying Kitsune Parisien, the fifth installment of up and coming French stars compiled by French-Japanese label Kitsune Musique. The album consists of 14 vibrant and varied tracks that will keep us smiling up until spring and beyond.
Kitsune Parisien is out now as a digital release. Take it for a test drive at the Soundcloud link -- you won't be disappointed.
London-based four-piece HÆLOS create music that combines the euphoria of dance with the dark side of electro pop. Their sophomore album Any Random Kindness is due in the late spring, but they have already been thrilling fans with releases of singles taken from the record. Here are two videos of singles that demonstrate the band's talent.
HÆLOS are Lotti Benardout, Arthur Delaney, Dom Goldsmith, and Daniel Vildosola. The band is touring in Europe and North America from the third week of February to the first week of June. Dates and venues are listed at the bottom of this post.
Website Facebook Twitter Links to pre-order AnyRandom Kindness HÆLOS
Tour Dates:
Thurs. Feb. 21 - Berlin, DE @ Badehaus – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 22 - Brussels, BE @ The Rotonde at Botanique – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 23 - Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet – SOLD OUT
Tue. March 12 - Sat. March 16 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
Sat. March 16 - Sun. March 17 - Mexico City, MX @ Vive Latino
Tue. March 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Wed. March 20 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Fri. March 22 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Sat. March 23 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Sun. March 24 - Vancouver, BC @ Wise Hall
Wed. March 27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
Thurs. March 28 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Fri. March 29 - Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar
Sat. March 30 - Toronto, ON @ The Garrison
Mon. April 1 - Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB
Tue. April 2 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
Fri. April 5 - New York, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sat. April 6 - Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
Thu. May 16 - London, UK @ EartH (Hackney Arts Centre)
Fri. June 7 - Sat. June 8 - London, UK @ Field Day
Monday's require special handling. Our lives are busy and the start of the week demands a jump start. So the perfect beginning for us is Zandoli, the new EP from artist Charlotte Adigéry. With mixed Belgian and Afro-Caribbean heritage, Adigéry creates a bracing brand of dance pop, combining light-hearted by vivid storytelling with intriguing rhythms and captivating melodies. And as much as we recommend this album to start your week, we suspect it will find a place on your weekend playlist as well.
Zandoli is out now via DEEWEE, the label run by the Soulwax brothers.
Late night -- a place in time, an event, a state of mind. Last Night, by trio Benin City, is a surging, sparkling ode to London nightlife comprised of beats, spoken work, hip hop, electronica, and dance floor delights. And it is one of our favorite discoveries this year. Cue it up and push back the furniture. This album is so good you may skip going out this evening.
Benin City are Joshua Idehen, Tom Leaper, and Shanaz Dorsett. Last Night was released earlier this year via Moshi Moshi Music.
It is Saturday night here and we are getting our party started with two essential tracks by Belgian dance/electronica wizards Soulwax. We know they are essential, because they are titled "Essential Three" and "Essential Four", taken from the duo's upcoming June 22 release titled Essential. The album springs from an invitation to appear on BBC's Essential Mix program, which inspired Soulwax to create an hour of original music based on the word "essential".
Essential will be released in CD, vinyl and digital formats by DEEWEE / PIAS.
We have a wisteria growing alongside our front steps. It winds up the pillars of the overhang and overhead trellis, and then spreads up, out and across, creating a virtually impenetrable tangle of branches and leaves that is eight feet high, 10 feet front to back and 14 feet side to side. At this time of year it blossoms, and the visual effect is stunning.
And with our own foliage in mind, we think that Wisteria is an apt name for the new album from Dunedin, New Zealand's Death and the Maiden. Its nine tracks present dark, tangled pop, full of mystery and unease, but always propelled forward by an insistent, inspired polyrhythmic beat. The synths and reverbed guitars create an enveloping sound, like a dense aural fog. The overall effect is hypnotic, evocative, and addictive -- at the same time claustrophobic and liberating. And frankly, after listening to it we find it hard to turn directly to other other music.
Death and the Maiden are Danny Brady, Lucinda King, and Hope Robertson. Wisteria is out now via Fishrider Records and Occultation Recordings.
Let's Make Love - as titles go, it is hard to quibble with that sentiment. But that is fitting, because the music offered in the album under that title is pretty damn wonderful as well. Brazilian Girls has been with us for over a decade, but this album is only their fourth. While the sparse production is understandable, as the members all have lives and don't, at this point, even live in the same city, it is unfortunate as the band is excellent. Their sweet spot is energetic dance music painted with a broad palette of jazz, electronica, South American and Caribbean influences. Thirteen years after their debut album, the music world finds the members of Brazilian Girls with a bit of maturity and perspective, and perhaps even more confident and subtle. But make no mistake, this band was born and nurtured in the New York City club scene, built on talent, improvisation and fearlessness, and happily those attributes remain core elements of Let's Make Love. Released in April, this album could be your feel-good party album for the entire summer and beyond.
For the readers unfamiliar with the band, we will perform the public service of advising you that the band consists of New Yorkers Didi Gutman, Aaron Johnston, and Jesse Murphy, with European vocalist Sabina Sciubba. That's right -- no Brazilians and only one woman. But with the spirit of Brazilian party music infusing their music, no one can feel cheated. I think we all can agree on that.
Black Gold Buffalo entered our consciousness in early February, and we immediately told our readers about it because that is what we do with great musical discoveries (link). The London quartet now has released their self-titled debut album, and to be perfectly honest, it is even better than we thought likely -- and we expected quality. Our only concern was whether the band's previously released material was far above the remainder of the album. This is an understandable concern because that sort of thing happens often in the music world. However, we are here to assure you that Black Gold Buffalo is excellent, darkly-shaded, pulsating dance rock crafted to the same high standards as the singles. This is a keeper of an album, folks. Black Gold Buffaloare Keziah Stilwell (vocals), Hannah Holland (rhythm/production), Joy Joseph (rhythm/production), and Marc Hayward (guitar). The album is available via the band's own Buff Rekkids label. Check your preferred digital sources.
