5 Must Hear Releases
The Void
Darkness Falls
hfn Music
Heard of Mew? Sure you have; they’re a Danish alternative rock band. Heard of Michael Learns to Rock? Who cares? Anyone who can tie their shoelace since the late 80s must have heard of them. There have yet to be a particular musical group to put Denmark on the world map of music other than the aforementioned. Vocalist-keyboardist Josephine Philip and guitarist-bassist Ina Lindgreen might be the two fresh faces to give that a go.
Under the guise of Darkness Falls, the upcoming electronic duo recently released their debut album Alive In Us –filled with 12 tracks worth of melancholy so poignant you can be caught staring out the window. Assisting them in the production department is Denmark’s most successful electronic dance music export, Trentemoller. Working with them on the album, one can safely expect the DJ-producer threading dark and broody pastures –and he does so without jeopardizing the pop wave that girls ride on.
“The Void” can be considered the best representation to the duo’s sound -an amalgamation of suspenseful synths, teething riffs, dreamy vocals and the occasional triangle twangs. Buy Alive In Us on Beatport.
Something You Should Know
New Ivory
Dim Mak Records
Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records might be famed for the amount of electronic noise coming out from its stable of artists. Think Bloody Beetroots, All Leather, and of course, Steve Aoki himself. But beyond the equation of maximised effects, throbbing basslines and blaring synths, the label is a proud promoter of imaginative and inventive acts. There’s Motor, Spencer & Hill, Ali Love, and there is the recently signed New Ivory.
The London trio of New Ivory has been garnering progressive buzz with their melodic Brit rock offerings. A cross between the Madchester era and modern indie flair, it doesn’t take much to compare them with the likes of Oasis, The Vines or Wolfmother. Their distinctive swagger can be found in their catchy hooks and rocking riffs as heard on their latest release “Something You Should Know,” taken from their upcoming album due later part of this year.
If you think their final bridge tab sound all too familiar, I would agree –it sounds like the tail end solo of “Champagne Supernova” with double the speed.
The Devil Takes Care of His Own
Band of Skulls
Electric Blues Recordings / Psycollective
One of the most underrated bands hidden in the corners of Southampton, the three-piece Band of Skulls has been coming on their own courtesy of their brand of couldn’t-care-less alternative rock. Having no disregards for mainstream needs, the band has been under the radar since they started out in 2004; and neither intentionally nor unintentionally so.
Led by frontman Russell Marsden, he together with bassist-backing vocals Emma Richardson and drummer Matt Hayward only have an album and an EP under their belt and a 2010 SXSW Festival appearance opening for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to boot. Nothing mind-blowing there, but with a second listen to anyone of their releases, one might wonder why not many have heard of them.
2011 could be their catapulting year with the release of their single, “The Devil Takes Care Of His Own” -taken from their upcoming yet to be titled third studio album. Their sound rubs off on the corner of Jack White’s nonchalant attitude from his “other” band, The Dead Weather while delivering harder riff subtleties in sync to their own melody.
Happy Violence
Dada Life
So Much Dada
“Bringing your brain to the club or a rave is an epic fail,” says Dada Life’s Olle Corneer to Rolling Stone. “We just want you to wake up the day after with bruises all over, smiling like a child. Now that’s happy violence.”
A simple description to a destructive music video featuring office workers going absolutely bonkers after they found out that their stock prices went through the roof (and subsequently crashing -but of course.) Such visualization is synonymous to Dada Life’s music –loud, unadulterated and just plain crazy. And it works, especially on the dancefloor after filling yourself up with shots by the dozen.
The madness doesn’t end there; with the likes of Swanky Tunes, Kaskade, Uppermost and Caveat adding their flavours to the tune, Dada Life’s Happy Violence EP (get it on Beatport) is a 5-track ride of driving electro bleeps and beeps at 128bpm.
The First Note Is Silent
High Contrast feat Tiësto and Underworld
Hospital Records
Now, here’s one for the books. Drum and bass lord Lincoln Barrett aka High Contrast writes a tune together with trance superstar Tiësto and living legend of the electronic dance music landscape, Underworld. It might sound something off a bad wishlist, but it’s true and it’s not bad either.
Out on independent drum and bass label Hospital Records, “The First Note is Silent” is taken from High Contrast’s upcoming album due to be released on February 2012. This is not a first-of-its-kind collaboration. Cardiff based High Contrast have worked with Underworld on “Scribble” and remixed Tiesto’s “Kaleidoscope,” and thus, the musical meeting can only be deemed fittingly so.
There are distinctive elements from each of the producers as heard on this track: Tiesto’s euphoric trance lifts, heart-pounding kicks from High Contrast, and galactic pitches from Underworld makes this likely anthem ending 2011. Karl Hyde’s vocal creates a more uplifting spirit for this banger of a tune.
