list.co.uk/music SINGLES
Records – Singles | MUSIC
MATTHEW COLLINGS They Meet on the Subway (Fluid Audio Recordings) ●●●●●
MUTYA KEISHA SIOBHAN Flatline (Polydor) ●●●●● CARBS Salty (self-released) ●●●●●
More strange and stirring stuff from Edinburgh composer and sound artist Collings, taken from his debut album of earlier this year Splintered Instruments, which featured members of Sigur Ros’s backing band and the Icelandic Philharmonic Orchestra among others. Feeding distantly dialled-down vocals My Bloody Valentine-style and amp- blowingly overdriven Sonic Youth guitars through a deep, dark tunnel of electronic drones and twinkles, this is shoegaze plus, or post-post-rock. Matthew Collings plays City Halls, Glasgow, Wed 18 Sep; and as Convex Mancave, Banshee Labyrinth Edinburgh, Mon 30 Sep. Apart from Sugababes – of which band these three ladies were once-upon-a-time the founding members – who didn’t want this to be an absolute belter of a tune? The Dev Hynes-produced ‘Flatline’ aims for über-pop with indie cred, but perhaps inevitably proves terminally so-so – neither plainly glorious enough to openly embrace, nor infuriatingly dodgy enough to secretly love to hate. Could have been another ‘Overload’, instead it’s just underwhelming. Watch the LA-set video of 'Flatline', on YouTube. Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan play the O2 ABC, Glasgow, Sun 10 Nov.
Bedsit electronica meister Jonnie Common teams up with Jamie Scott of Conquering Animal Sound as Carbs, whose forthcoming debut album Joyous Material Failure promises ‘odd and broken sounds’ embellished by ‘sabotaged processes’. ‘Salty’ pairs a half-rapped lyric about emotional and physical insecurity and the secretion of certain bodily fluids over a Tom Hanks film – tears, sicko – with delightfully gloopy bleeps and beats. And there we were just thinking it’d be about crisps. Watch the video on Vimeo and keep an eye on soundcloud.com/ carbsinjection for more releases.
CAMPFIRES IN WINTER Picture of Health (Bloc+Music) ●●●●● ‘Won’t you take off my head,’ repeats singer Robert Canavan throughout the refrain of this EP title-track from the beardy Croy quartet, as it builds towards a noisy release. Wishing decapitation on himself seems extreme, but some much milder reprieve is deserved for such a conspicuous Frightened Rabbit knock-off. Frustratingly downplayed beneath pounding drums and overegged thick Scots accents, the more unique elements of ‘Picture of Health’ – ambient textures and drones – hint at CiW being well capable of honing a sound of their own. (Malcolm Jack)
EXPOSURE
THE PLEASANCE SESSIONS Probably best known as a mobbed venue for August Fringe shows, the Pleasance is often overlooked during the other eleven months of the year. Now, the Edinburgh University Student Union plans to raise its status as one of the best entertainment venues in the city with a brand new three-week festival So what are The Pleasance Sessions? Basically, the festival is a kind of cultural Oktoberfest of music, comedy and spoken word. Over the three weeks, there’ll be performances from the Pictish Trail, Conquering Animal Sound and Three Blind Wolves, to name a handful. There’ll also be stand-up comedy from Fringe favourites Chris Ramsey and Abandoman, as well as a special spoken word show with Howard Marks. As if that’s not enough, the EUSA Film Society are also holding screenings of Searching for Sugar Man and In Bruges. Bit of a random bunch of acts: how were they chosen? Many of the nights are curated by local record labels, music promoters or boutique festivals. Never ones to blow our own trumpet, The List has curated the opening night of the festival which will see performances from the all-female classical act Cairn String Quartet and wonky-electro soloist Jonnie Common, headlined by SAY Award nominees Miaoux Miaoux (left). Sounds fun, so how can I get tickets? From EUSA’s website. As with all events at the Pleasance, the festival is open to both students and non-students. But why pay for tickets when you can win them? Visit list.co.uk/offers and enter our competition for the chance to win a pair of tickets to the event of your choice. (Nina Glencross) ■ The Pleasance Sessions, The Pleasance, Edinburgh, Thu 10–Sat 26 Oct, £2.50-£15. For line-up details and tickets, visit eusa.ed.ac.uk/eusalive/about/pleasance/
19 Sep–17 Oct 2013 THE LIST 77
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