Track Idea 1 - Paul Molyneux

Funk Track 1

Funk Stem 1

Funk Stem 2

Track Idea 2 - Paul Molyneux

Track Idea 101

The prevalence of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD - a form of depression associated with a lack of sunlight - is alarmingly high in Finland and other areas of the Arctic region. One study puts the figure at 9.5%. That's nearly 1 in 10! Bear that in mind when you listen to Finnish outfit Satellite Stories; a four-piece guitar band who play up-tempo, jangly indie music that slots neatly in between The Wombats and Two Door Cinema Club. It sounds, well, happy. Think The Inbetweeners soundtrack. I can only assume these guys are being ironic. Or perhaps, they're just very optimistic people. Either way, they make great music.

http://checktheavailability.blogspot.com/

Satellite Stories-Mexico

I would say I was excited about Trophy Wife, but that kind of emotion doesn't fit well with the band's ethos. The promotional literature from this Oxford trio tells me they regard their sound as "ambitionless office disco". As Self-depreciating as this may seem, it happens to be a neat way of packaging the bands creatively sparse take on the indie-disco genre in one sound bite. Imagine Swedish band Studio covering a Vampire Weekend track and you wouldn't be far off.

Trophy Wife have signed up with label of the moment Moshi Moshi Records, releasing their single Mircolite/Take This Night via download and 7" on 8th November.

checktheavailability.blogspot.com

Trophy Wife-Microlite

I don't like Girl Talk's new album. There. I said it. Happy now?

All Day is the follow-up to 2008 breakthrough album Feed The Animals, which itself was preceded by 2006's Night Ripper. For me, both these records represent a seminal moment in my consumption of music. They made me get the mash-up art form. Both where pacey, energetic, fun and intelligent. Somehow, Greg Gillies - aka Girl Talk - managed to coherently knit together five generations of music that seemingly spanned every genre known to man.

I heard All Day was two years in the making. A good thing, right? Such a length of time would allow an artist to consider their work, re-evaluate it, make changes. But for this kind of gonzo-genre, has it proved fatal? All Day sounds flat and lifeless, like the fun has been picked out of it. Samples are drawn out and hang around for way too long which is a serious problem. There are moments that hark back to the genius of Night Ripper and Feed The Animals - Triple Double for instance - but they are few in number and only point to what could have been. Girl Talk was meant to be music for the ADHD generation. Well, this album is dedicated to those kids adequately medicated, attending after school catch up lessons.

All Day has been roundly praised on the blogs, but in the long run I fear the album will put in the cupboard like a toy with a flat battery. On the plus side, All Day was released as a free download via the Illegal Art website.

checktheavailability.blogspot.com

Girl Talk-Triple Double

Like master brewers, The Knocks know a winning formula when they see one. Last time it was their summer ditty Make It Better that got the once over from Parisian electro wonderkid Monsieur Adi. Now, the two have teamed up again; this time on single Dancing With The DJ, which has be stretched into seven minute of shimmering French-disco track. A wonderful pairing.

checktheavailability.blospot.com

The Knocks-Dancing With The DJ (Monsieur Adi Remix)

Does anyone remember the Vacanti Mouse? Let me jog your memory. It was the mouse that researchers controversially grew what looked like a human ear on its back. Now you remember. The reason I bring it up is because it was one of those things that you'd never think possible. The same thought crossed my mind when I first heard Newcastle based trio, Polarsets - a band who have successfully blended the seemingly incompatible sounds of indie-rock and euphoric Euro-trance.  

checktheavailability.blogspot.com

Polarsets-Leave Argentina

Does anyone remember the Vacanti Mouse? Let me jog your memory. It was the mouse that researchers controversially grew what looked like a human ear on its back. Now you remember. The reason I bring it up is because it was one of those things that you'd never think possible. The same thought crossed my mind when I first heard Newcastle based trio, Polarsets - a band who have successfully blended the seemingly incompatible sounds of indie-rock and anthemic Euro-trance.  

checktheavailability.blogspot.com

Polarsets-Leave Argentina (Thomas Sagstad and Hawkins Remix)

Although Slough band Brother feature highly on my hypothetical list of ones to watch for 2011, it would be New Zealand Popsicle Ruby Frost who would top it. Whereas the former has been described as potentially "the most polarizing bands of 2011", I believe Miss Frost will unite all peoples and bring about world peace with her utterly adorable looks and cool electro- infused pop hooks. Above is the promo vid - released yesterday - for Ruby's song Moonlight, directed by one Veronica Crockford-Pound.

checktheavailability.blogspot.com

Mt Eden-Oh That I Had (Feat Ruby Frost)

It's only a matter of weeks 'til Zonoscope, Cut Copy's third studio album, is released in Europe and already it seems that most of the album has been leaked and found its way onto Youtube. Is nothing sacred! I've restrained myself, physically and chemically, from taking a listening to this leaked content. I want to the hear the album in its high quality entirety; I feel it deserves it. Until the album's release, I've been making do with the various remixes of the band's new material. This one, by Illinois' Tigorilla, is a particularly good effort:

checktheavailability.blogspot.com

Cut Copy-Blink You'll Miss A Revolution (Tigorilla's Relevant Remix)

Broadly speaking, your in either of two camps: you either love Brother, or you hate Brother. I've met people in from both sides - a middle ground does not exist. So what now for a band that appear to be 2011's musical equivalent of the Israel/Palestine conflict? A new promotional video and a tour with The Streets, of course. Supporting The Streets is a shrewd move. Both acts ham up a gritty, urban image and both play music with yob-pop overtones, a fact that will no doubt endear Streets fans, looking for an alternative now Skinner has decided to wrap up The Streets project, to the cause.

checktheavailability.blogspot.com

Check The Availability

Popular tracks