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RECORDS Music
DUB POP PEAKING LIGHTS 936 (Weird World/Domino) ●●●●● REMIXES JONNIE COMMON Hair of the Dog (Red Deer Club) ●●●●●
This psychedelic dub-pop excursion from married couple Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis was originally released on LA DIY imprint Not Not Fun, and its woozy mesh of krautrock, afrobeat, reggae, soul and hand built synths is characteristic of the label’s technicolour art-pop vision.
While tribal beats and analogue haze have become de rigueur in US underground pop circles of late, what sets this Wisconsin duo’s second LP apart is the vigour of its songs (and their sun-warped resemblance to The Chills). Highlights include the distorted, acid-washed 808 State reverie of ‘All The Sun That Shines’ and the spaghetti-western/’Chopsticks’ alliance of summer-fried ballad, ‘Hey Sparrow’. (Nicola Meighan)
Jonnie Common’s debut album Master of None: a record so good he actually got two albums out of it. This remix package is more of an appendix to the original than a cohesive new creation in its own right, but its roll call of some of Scotland’s leading contemporary lights throws up a few surprising results.
Dems’ sparse take on ‘Infinitea’ reminds of James Blake, while FOUND turn ‘Shogun’ into a building electro-acoustic anthem in the mould of The Beta Band. OnTheFly’s ‘Lungs Are Important’ starts off all John Carpenter before taking a detour into slowed-down chip-pop, and A La Fu + Loomin's 'Exit Stage Left' is minimal and gorgeous, echoing Boards of Canada. (David Pollock) To read a live review, see page 95.
AMBIENT POP HAPPY PARTICLES Under Sleeping Waves (Self-release) ●●●●●
This lovely debut from Glasgow slow-core melodists Happy Particles may be sneaking out as a self-release on December 25, but don’t be misled by their low-key approach: their ambient vistas could rival those of Sigur Rós. Much is down to Steven Kane’s
ethereal voice, but when you share stellar personnel with Remember Remember (Kane, Graeme Ronald and James Swinburne play in both bands), there’s a fair bet that epic, virtuosic melodies will unfurl – and they do. ‘Slowness’ is awash with chamber post-rock – the strings throughout the album are gorgeous – while the slow-release splendour of ‘Empty Circle’ starts off like the Blue Nile and ends up in the stars, and you hope Happy Particles follow suit. (Nicola Meighan)
FOLK ELECTRONICA TUNNG This is Tunng: Live from the BBC (Full Time Hobby) ●●●●● With a line-up alteration or two, eccentric east London collective Tunng have gone from glitchy cut and pasters to singalong folksters. Their This is Tunng compilation features bouncy numbers (‘Jenny Again’, ‘Bullets’) from 2010’s And Then We Saw Land, but the superior cuts are delectable curios such as ‘Tamatant Tilay’ (their collaboration with Tuareg rabblerousers Tinariwen which sounds like the Stone Roses having a rammy in the Sahara) and ‘Beautiful & Light’, the mashed-up tale of a woman tipping over the edge. A gorgeously mad first half is slightly blunted by later, flatter, saner numbers such as a cover of Blue Pearl’s ‘Naked in the Rain’, but their warped magic lingers. (Brian Donaldson)
SINGLES & DOWNLOADS
This being ‘the Christmas issue’, there are a few festive tracks in the mix. The Plimptons (16 Ohm) ●●●●● release ‘Christmas All Over This Town’ – Madness type fun but with love ‘em/hate ‘em vocals. Smiths & Burrows, comprised of Editors’ Tom Smith and Andy Burrows (Razorlight/We Are Scientists), offer up cringeworthy Christmas beast, ‘When The Thames Froze’ (Kitchenware) ●●●●●. Seemingly pitched as a Christmas protest song, it’s difficult to swallow the trite rhyming couplets and hard to believe there’s a whole album of this stuff (Funny Looking Angels) on the loose.
Elsewhere, a double A-side from Trailer Trash Tracys, ‘Candy Girl’/
‘Strangling Good Guys’ (Double Six) ●●●●●, channels My Bloody Valentine and a Twin Peaks vibe for two breathy, haunting garage rock tracks. Twin Atlantic release ‘Free’ (Red Bull) ●●●●●, the title track from their debut record, and one sure to appeal to their devout fanbase. Best avoided though by those who never liked The Ataris/Taking Back Sunday in the first place. ‘The Lion’s Road’ (Wichita) ●●●●● is the first single from First Aid Kit’s
upcoming Mike Mogis produced record. Fact: the video involves ladies frolicking in a field. Theme Park release ‘Milk’ (Luv Luv Luv) ●●●●●, their danceable, summery second single, while Parisienne Mina Tindle’s self-titled debut EP (Believe ●●●●●) comes off part Dirty Projectors, part Emiliana Torrini.
Since this is the season for generosity, we’ll give a non-seasonal-themed Single of the Month to *Mogwai’s Laki Mera remix, ‘Crater’ (Just Music) ●●●●●, sounding like a haunting, abstract Au Revoir Simone. Christmas Single of the Month goes to She & Him’s ‘Christmas Day’ (Double Six) ●●●●●, to be enjoyed whilst swigging eggnog and wearing a massive novelty jumper. (Lauren Mayberry)
JAZZ & WORLD JAZZ TIME ZONE Crossing The Line (Spherical Records) ●●●●●
This London-based sextet led by trumpeter Loz Speyer are on a mission to bring together restless contemporary jazz and the music of Cuba, with a touch of Eastern European rhythm thrown in. This latest outing is their strongest yet. His resourceful trumpet work is matched by Martin Hathaway’s warm, soulful alto saxophone and bass clarinet, while guitarist Stefano Kalonaris adds a pungent, ear-catching rock edge. The rhythm section – bassist, drummer and percussionist Maurizio Ravalico nail the grooves. Good stuff, although you may not want to hear the final track’s voice-over (an amusing account of the vicissitudes of telephone contact with Cuba) every time. (Kenny Mathieson)
WORLD ANOUSHKA SHANKAR Traveller (Deutsche Grammophon) ●●●●● With cutting-edge Spanish producer Javier Limón as collaborator, Anoushka Shankar (daughter of Ravi, sister of Norah Jones) brings together two strong cultures linked historically by nomadic Roma gypsies. Created more or less in the nine months of Shankar’s
recent pregnancy, this is a thrillingly diverse yet fluent sequence of Indian and flamenco that does justice to both. ‘Bulería con Ricardo’, her explosive duet with flamenco pianist Ricardo Mino, which was the catalyst for it all, is simply outstanding. The other eleven pieces, involving a number of key artists in some stunning yet subtle fusions, is pretty darn fine too. Shankar, one of the few women in the world to play sitar, is undoubtedly moving into mature territory. (Jan Fairley)
15 Dec 2011–5 Jan 2012 THE LIST 97