Listen / Review: Pauma - Sink Or Swim

pauma
Pauma know that the finest pop songs are built on the simplest structures. It wouldn’t take a Royal Academy graduate to perfect the four-stop circular progression that forms the bedrock of ‘Sink Or Swim’, but these fellas dispatch it in a wilfully composed manner. From this locked-in phrase, cut from cavernous surf guitar and a laidback finger-clicking shimmy of a beat, rises a wounded baritone vocal, recalling such grandees of savvy Eighties croon as Ian McCulloch and Edwyn Collins. As the chorus blossoms, awash with reverb and fuzzy keys, the rather defeatist lyrical premise of “I Want To Give Up/Don’t Want To Give In” is a neat counterpoint to a stirring few bars of sound. Pauma’s silhouette-based promo photo, as spectral as the song’s outro, indicates that this London quartet wish to give off an enigmatic air prior to the release of their debut EP. But then a band that can pen stylish pop nuggets as catchy as this one don’t need to be a bunch of try-hards.
Pauma’s debut EP is out on 10 November
Words by Nick Mee: Follow @Nickjmee on Twitter

Listen/Review: Demob Happy – Succubus

deob
If there’s one band in Brighton guaranteed to host the best Great Escape after-party, as well as be a consistent burden to plasterers in the area after causing ceilings to cave in with their uproarious sets, it has to be Demob Happy.      Due to the sheer quantity of bands in the city, you have to be a cut-above to get noticed and Demob have rattled enough cages and massacred enough nights at Brighton’s Late Night Lingerie club to warrant this attention. Grotty, feral and lucid, ‘Succubus’ is the debut single to be released from Milk Parlour Records, the band’s own label, on November 17. These boys are a clan, you can tell they live out of each other’s pockets and this consequent camaraderie and brotherhood brings unmistakable cohesion to their sound and chemistry to their live set, facets that reinforce their ability to carry the same intensity in any live setting. Whether playing live out of the back of their van, at a student party or at Concorde 2, Demob Happy should not be missed. 
 Starting with the distinctive DH fuzz bass sound, the opening riff makes you feel uneasy but wanting more, like there’s a devil on your shoulder licking your face with its sandpaper tongue. Complemented by ‘Era Vulgaris’-era QOTSA-like guitar tones, ‘Succubus’, dissected by frontman Matt Marcantonio as being a “love-sucking demon who leaves your front door open but your mind on pause" delivers enough promise and excitement to justify Demob as being one of the most lauded new bands in NME recently.  
Marcantonio wields his bass with the same vigour and demeanour that would make The Datsuns smile, and this aptitude is backed up with enough songs, in the same calibre as ‘Succubus’, that’ll make you crave their debut LP. 
Succubus is a female demon or supernatural entity in folklore and is derived from the late Latin term succub which means to ‘lie under’, the polar opposite of what Demob Happy will be doing next year - they have the potential to be one the best breakthrough bands of 2015.

'Succubus' is out on Milk Parlour Records on November 17
Follow @Alister_88 on Twitter  


See Demob Happy live in October 5: Manchester, Eagle Inn 6: York, The Duchess 7: Hull, The Adelphi 8: Sheffield, Southsea Live 9: Guildford, The Boileroom 10: Maidstone, The Rafters 11: Sunderland, Independent 13: Newcastle, Think Tank 15: London, Birthdays 17: Brighton, Bleach

Listen / Review: Syd Kemp - As I Don’t Get It

syd kemp
'As I Don't Get It', the first track from Syd Kemp's ‘The Horror’ EP, isn't an easy one to label. It immediately strikes you as too off-kilter for a pop song, but it's too easy to listen to to be called experimental. It blurs psychedelic rock, ambient, new wave and indie rock, somehow achieving the feat of evoking both an unsettling, anxious atmosphere and euphoria. There is a seemingly endless depth to the opening, then the song’s signature synth riff kicks in; it's on edge and an instant hook. Kemp scatters his unique paranoid pop with a mix of horror sound effects. The distorted vocals bring an inherent spookiness, yet, helped by the buzzing saxophone, the whole thing sounds like a chemically induced dream.
The Horror is out now on Little League Records
Read more of Holly’s reviews here

Watch / Review: Emperor Yes - Paramesse To Tannis

emperor yes
Driven by unrelenting synth lines and soaring vocals, Emperor Yes are truly a band who will take you to another place very far from reality, and you’ll find it tough not to dance around your bedroom alone while this is playing. Picture this: Passion Pit actually developed a more danceable groove, took a gram of mushrooms, and shot off into outer space.
From the album ‘An Island Called Earth’, single ’Paramesse to Tannis’ displays the band’s strengths well – mind-altering synth arpeggios, addictive indie-rock drumming, otherworldly lyrics and reverb-soaked vocals. Emperor Yes do a stellar job of incorporating elements of other genres, so we’re not left with a bland pile of synth-pop mashed potatoes. In the hook/chorus alone, we hear little flavours of The Flaming Lips, MGMT, Phoenix, and plenty more. The inclusion of these other influences is the keystone that will mark Emperor Yes as unique, and help them build a crossover fan base. And then there’s the rest of the album…
For fans of: MGMT, Passion Pit, The Flaming Lips, Phoenix
Emperor Yes are playing the following London dates: Nov 1st St Pancras Old Church; Nov 11th The Old Blue Last; Dec 11th The Finsbury
‘An Island Called Earth’ is out now on Alcopop! Records
Words by Mike Guerard: Follow @Mike_Guerard on Twitter

Listen: Kate Miller – Collar Up

kate
Dispensing with the sort of ostentatious nom-de-plume that has improved the prospects of countless pop stars from Reg Dwight to Elizabeth Grant, Kate Miller is gambling that her music alone will be enough to linger in the memory banks, aggrandising her rather bland title by proxy. Fortunately, her first release, ‘Collar Up’, is packed with promise. An infectious meld of glossy AOR and sensual R&B, the lead track from Miller's debut EP ‘Neophyte’, out on September 29, builds on a neck-straddling bassline that strides towards a soaring and singable chorus on which choral backing enhances the 19-year-old London art student's pristine pop vocal. Kate Miller – remember the name.
‘Neophyte’ is out on 29 September via Karma Artists
Words by Nick Mee: Follow @Nickjmee on Twitter

Watch: Xinobi - Mom and Dad

xobi
Though accompanied here by a vague conceptual promo (she needs to work on that golf swing), this sonically clinical offering would be best appreciated on a high-end hi-fi, or potent club soundsystem. You’ll get your chance when Portuguese producer Xinobi releases his ‘1975’ album on his own Discotexas label later in the year. Meanwhile, this taster, ‘Mom and Dad’, is all refined space and reverb, a dubbed-up ambient outpouring of electro-pop comprising Duane Eddy-style guitar twang and a crisp bass groove traversing an insistent kick-drum. The plaintive vocal by Margarida Encarnação adds a touch of Iberian seduction to what is a finely crafted studio piece.
Mom and Dad is out now on Discotexas
Words by Nick Mee: Follow @nickjmee on Twitter

Listen: Kormac Feat. Speech Debelle - White Noise

kormac
Dublin-based DJ Kormac shares with Lost in the Manor the fourth track from his upcoming album 'Doorsteps', featuring Mercury Music Prize-winner Speech Debelle on vocals. Kormac is getting championed by the likes of Annie Mac, DJ Food, DJ Yoda and Mr Scruff, and we wholeheartedly endorse that. Give it a listen.

Kormac's new album 'Doorsteps' is out on Oct 20 via Bodytonic Records
Words by Chris Sharpe (Musicborn)

Watch: Sinkane - How We Be

sinkane
The solo project of Ahmed Gallab, Sinkane continues to build on the hype of his new album ‘Mean Love’. We are delighted to share Sinkane's video for 'How We Be', directed by Nick Bentgen.
‘How We Be’ is a gorgeous ode to New York and a love letter to summer as it explores various neighborhoods through dance. It’s a beautiful visual representation of Sinkane's fluid, worldly sound as it mixes step, ballet, breakdancing and more. Buzzfeed introduced it by saying: "Ahmed Gallab is known for blending African beats, funk and soul into joyously kinetic concoctions. His new video for effervescent single 'How We Be' celebrates those moments when everything is going your way, the sun is shining and you just want to move."
Sinkane plays Oslo in Hackney on Oct 1st - Get Tickets

Introducing / Listen: Lomboy - In The Chamber Of Vanu

lomboy
If you've just had a hard day's work and want to do nothing but just chill, then the best option is to sit back, relax and let the sweet sounds of Lomboy float right through you.
The band are based in Brussels. If you are wondering what Lomboy means, it's an evergreen tropical tree native to Southeast Asia.
"In the Chamber of Vanu" is out now on Philippine indie label Lilystars Records.
Enjoy and share if you like the track!

Listen / Free Download - Cocoa Futures - Scotland

COCOA
As you all know, after much passionate debate, the Scottish have finally voted 'No'. To celebrate the whole referendum campaign, and indeed the country, Scottish band Cocoa Futures are giving away a free download of their brilliant track, 'Scotland'.
Greg from Cocoa Futures said: "This song is about the place where we grew up - Scotland. The day after the referendum will be a happy or sad one for most, and some of us will also wonder if a big opportunity has been missed. Either way, we wanted to remember that, whichever way you voted, Scotland is still great."
Cocoa Futures play the Finsbury on Nov 13th with The Ghosts & Hero Fisher - Get Tickets

Watch: The Incredible Magpie Band - This Chose Me

magpie
They may have first attracted attention as a trigger for Liam Gallagher to have yet another dig at his older brother (“There’s only one high-flying bird and that’s The Incredible Magpie Band”) but this Wakefield five-piece certainly have an easy swagger and ear for a hook that would appeal to those who yearn for the cocksure retro clarity of early Oasis. ‘This Chose Me’, one half of their double-A-sided debut, is a gratifying stomp of northern beat-group skiffle, accompanied by a video centred on a duplicitous evangelist figure. A band to keep your beady eye on, you might conclude.
This Chose Me/Money is out now
Words by Nick Mee: Follow @Nickjmee on Twitter

Listen / free download: Louis Berry – 45

9D32B87B-DFAE-46A1-8AE5-FBE2490F1B87
‘I think I would like to play chess with the devil’ rasps Liverpudlian Louis Berry over the opening salvos of his debut single’s lean psychobilly shuffle. And, sounding like Dan Sartain turned Scouse and streetwise, or a modern-day P Paul Fenech from The Meteors, Berry has a malevolence to his voice that insists you believe him. It’s the spark that illuminates this lively slice of unidirectional rock’n’roll.
45 is out now as a free download

Words by Nick Mee: Follow @Nickjmee on Twitter

Live Review: The New Finsbury, HOO HAs and FURS - Sept 4th 2014

Words By Nick Mee - Follow Nick on Twitter @nickjmee
So the stage has changed position, the sound-system has been upgraded, there’s a new dressing room, back bar, toilets and space for a few more punters to lively up themselves on the dancefloor. Essentially, The Finsbury has had a makeover, giving it a slicker aspect and spec yet, crucially, without sacrificing the low-lit easy ambience, welcoming lack of pretention and fabulous acoustics. A grand redesign that would have Kevin McCloud spewing superlatives over the closing credits. Were he a live music fan.
DSC_0021
First to grace the new crescent-shaped stage on one of many unofficial relaunches this month were HOO HAs, whose blend of blues-rock and Britpop was driven by rough-and-ready lead licks, evoking the current surfeit of post-White Stripes duos but given greater range and scope by the simple factor of being fleshed-out by a four-piece. Their reach was extended further by each of the band weighing in on vocals, the backers layering laddish unison chanting to HOO HAs’ catchy tunes, bringing to mind bygone bands such as early Kaiser Chiefs and – mainly due to the Albarnesque quaver of frontman Jamie – Blur, most obviously during the earthy tale of a day by the Westway, ‘Carnival’. HOO HAs’ rootsier stateside flipside was best captured on closing number ‘Early Film Noir’, a ballsy riff-fest driven by the raucous chops of guitarist Mark, animating the band and indicating there’s plenty of stage-stealing rock’n’roll posturing in these fellas when the fires begin to burn.
hoohas
Follow-up four-piece Furs’ poppy electro-soul was enhanced by sample triggers and loops, leading to a vibe that fell somewhere between Spectorish wall-of-sound and indie twee, waving in the general direction of Camera Obscura or a more proficient Alvvays. Vocalist Elle is aptly named due to her chic, Jane Birkin-like Sixties allure, and her compact band dished up sweet helpings of sugary psych-pop on tracks such as ‘Just Kids’. Furs have a look and a sound that never seems to go entirely out of vogue, and, although their set needs the odd tweak to maintain the standard, are clearly a band of some potential. The Finsbury, too, requires a few final nips and tucks before the overhaul is truly complete, but in the meantime it’s just a pleasure to be watching bands there again.
furs
Click and share the post if you enjoyed the read!

Review: Jane Allison - Just Another Girl

album cover
Welsh-born and Bristol-based, but with an ear cocked somewhere to the south of the Mason-Dixon line, Jane Allison releases her pretty collection of Celtic Country & (Great?) Western in September. Backed by an able assemblage of Bristol’s finest folk players, Allison’s expansive vocal and beautifully formed harmonies are top-drawer, lending emotion and authenticity to her rootsy musings. ‘Just Another Girl’ is being marketed as Americana, and certainly the delightful Southern swing of ‘Hymn To Hope’ (listen below), the homespun ‘Country Lovin’ and the poppy title-track display many C&W tropes (chicken-peckin’ steel guitar, standup-bass-and-brushes shuffles, hell, even banjo). Yet a chunk of the album is actually taken up with ethereal piano balladry, the most striking of which – the powerful gospel lament ‘Real Life’ and the mournful AoR of ‘Wait For Me’ – touch on mystic folkisms that are more Brecon Beacons than Blue Ridge Mountains. The intersection of these two approaches is reached on ‘Fading Moon’, which, lovelorn subject matter aside, sounds like something off PJ Harvey’s ‘Let England Shake’. All considered construction, polished instrumentation and consummate vocal, Allison’s songs have bountiful commercial scope, in whatever style she chooses to perform them. Already an established actress, she plays two musical roles equally effectively on ‘Just Another Girl’: her next move may be to decide which one suits her best.
Just Another Girl is out on 6 September.
Words by Nick Mee: Follow @Nickjmee on Twitter

Listen: Candy Darling - Money


Candy darling
Candy Darling are named after Lou Reed’s transgender muse, so it’s perhaps no surprise that their debut single is all brash melodrama. Yet the camp theatrics of the Bristol trio’s grinding electro noir is shot through with malice on ‘Money’, a spurned lover’s defiant stand given edge by the cold-hearted clarity of Emily Breeze’s powerful vocal (reminiscent of Karen O’s), as she proclaims: “Next time I see you I’ll be laughing/and you’ll be shot down with regret”. Her memorable couplets adorn an industrial meld of serrated synth oscillations, distorted glam guitar and piercing snare claps shattering a lazy 4/4 that gives the track an unhurried, peacocking swagger. ‘Money’ is a sleazy, bittersweet egocentric shout-out which, like all the best comebacks, is delivered with a good deal of wit.
Money is out on 1 September
Follow @Nickjmee on Twitter