Category Archives: Reviews

Album Review : John Talabot – Fin

I don’t think I’ve been as excited to get my hands on an electronic release as I have been for the debut LP from Spanish producer John Talabot.

All of his EPs and singles to date have been mesmerizing, making the release if his first full length one of this year’s most anticipated albums. And I am very happy to report it does not disappoint.

Listening to this album gave me the same kind of bliss as sitting on a beach somewhere in the Mediterranean. ƒin is filled with melodies that make you feel like raising your arms and face to the sun.

A soaring collection of late night beats filled with human emotion, it gives you either a warm glow, a heady rush of euphoria or a slight sense of melancholy, depending on your listening circumstances.

At times so beautiful it almost hurts, ƒin is the work of a real sonic craftsman. I can’t recommend this album enough.

10/10

Check out the video to the first single, ‘Missing You’ below.

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Album Review : Casiokids – Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen

Scandinavia is the home of synth-pop. There’s no doubt about that. From The Knife, Royksopp, Annie & Robyn to The Whitest Boy Alive, they have given us some amazing artists.

Add to that list Casiokids – Norway’s answer to Hot Chip. Their latest release, Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen, is a sparkling and intriguingly wonderful pop album.

The title translates as “the revelation over the mountain” and, spanning 11 tracks, is entirely sung in Norwegian. Don’t let this put you off though, as you’ll be sadly missing out on hearing a subtly, sweetly quirky album.

‘Det haster!’, ‘Golden Years’ and ‘Olympiske Leker’ are the stand-out tracks for me, but there are plenty other brilliant moments of oddness and euphoria peppered amongst cool, clean electropop. 

Verdict? Casiokids have crafted an album that combines Afrobeat percussion, Depeche Mode-style synths, glockenspiels and icy cool vocals into a forward-looking, satisfying whole that will keep you satisfied until the next Hot Chip album arrives later this year.

8/10

Check out the video for the first single, ‘Det Haster!’ below.

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Album Review : Lana Del Rey – Born To Die

People obsess about the wrong things. They should be obsessed with her voice and her music, but instead, everyone is going to want to hate and say whatever it is they want to say. Well fuck right off. Seriously.

Our thirst for the next big thing becomes so unquenchable that it prematurely thrusts new artists into the spotlight and onto national television. We only have ourselves to blame when our unrealistic expectations aren’t met.

These increasingly violent micro-cycles of hype and backlash are bad for young artists and exhausting for the rest of us.

The bottom line is Born To Die is in fact a highly pleasant and charming album. Flawed? Yes. Dull and dreary? No.

What you’re getting here is 15 tracks featuring that voice; lavish, dramatic orchestrations heavily laden with jazz, R&B and trip hop sounds and effortlessly catchy melodies.

Lana Del Rey isn’t the indie singer-songwriter we all initially believed she was. She is is a finely tuned popstar. A performer. And that’s fine for now.

7/10

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Album Review : The 2 Bears – Be Strong

This year people will be talking about The 2 Bears. Now that could mean two things: Either, they are talking about husky, large gay men with lots of body hair, or they are talking about the house duo, made up of Joe Goddard (of Hot Chip) and Raf Daddy. 

My money will be on the latter, because The 2 Bears have released the best house album of the year.

Their debut full length “Be Strong” is a homage to – and celebration of – the early 90s dance music they love. Sequenced as a mixtape or DJ set, the result is a brazen blend of house, garage and electro, taking musical cues from Daft Punk and early Basement Jaxx.

A joyful party album filled with soulful backup vocals, house piano, handclaps and window rattling bass, “Be Strong” will bring hazy memories flooding back to anyone who cut a rug in the early 90s.

This is music that’s only meant to be taken seriously in the sense that The 2 Bears seriously want you to be happy and have fun and dance. Mission accomplished.

8/10

“Be Strong” is out today on Southern Fried and to celebrate the release, The 2 Bears are giving away a St. Etienne remix of their single “Work”. Give it a listen below and grab the mp3 here.

Work (St. Etienne Remix) by The 2 Bears

 

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Album Review : Grimes – Visions

The first entry for Album of 2012 has arrived.

I have been obsessed with Grimes (23-year old Claire Boucher) since finding out about her last year. Her tracks “Oblivion” and “Genesis” blew me away; and she deservedly topped everyone’s ‘Ones To Watch in 2012′ lists.

With expectations being high, I am pleased to say her third full length does not disappoint. In fact, it’s a 100 times better than I hoped it would be. And that’s a remarkable feat. Visions is “post-internet” music – like Bjork’s Post, but for the YouTube generation.

Grimes has crafted a cohesive piece of work, successfully mixing poppier elements into her traditionally atmospheric sound and fuses the eerie with the ethereal by layering her doll-like vocals on top.

Atmospheric, sometimes chilling and haunting – Visions is upbeat, faux futuristic dream-pop that demands repeated listens.

9/10

The lead single and one of many stand-out tracks on the album, “Genesis”, is out now. Check it out below.

“Genesis” by Grimes

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How Much Do You Know About : Human Woman?

Not much, I’m sure. Let me break it down for you:

Human Woman are an Icelandic duo made up of Jón Atli Helgason & Gísli Galdur. They’re signed to hfn music and their sound is a fusion of 80s indie & electronic pop.

Their debut single, “Delusional”, is out now and is backed by remixes from Denmark’s wonderkid Kasper Bjorke, Berlin’s Vincenzo and Zev (from Wolf + Lamb). Their debut full-length is expected sometime in  Spring.

Check out the video below and also a short buzz clip.

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Midnitevulture’s Best Of 2011

It’s that time of the year when everyone is releasing their ‘Best Of’ lists. Not wanting to feel left out, I am doing the same.

First up is a list of all the albums that moved me in some way this year. They’re in no particular order.

M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Epic in every way, this 2-disc release from Anthony Gonzalez managed to top Saturdays = Youth and is one of the most cinematic albums of 2011.

 

 

 

Zola Jesus – Conatus

Nika Danilova’s follow-up to Stridulum II found her in accessible but uncompromising form. A captivating album going from haunted Grouper-esque drone-folk and minimal techno to industrial pop and back. Amazing.

 

 

 

When Saints Go Machine  - Konkylie

An enigmatic, strange and beautiful record that comes across as a The Knife Covers Band fronted by Antony Hegarty (of Antony & The Johnsons). That’s a compliment.

 

 

 

Planningtorock – W

One of the best releases on DFA this year, W often takes a bit of dedication but is a lavish and rewarding listen for the thinking music fan.

 

 

 

Bjork – Biophilia

My love for Bjork transcends all. She’s been around longer than most people on this list, but is still the most exciting and forward thinking artist making music today.

 

 

 

Yelle - Safari Disco Club

French pop never sounded this good.

 

 

 

Little Dragon – Ritual Union

Sultry, soulful and eccentric, Ritual Union is consistently ground-breaking and lyrically challenging. Lead singer Yukimi Nagano is Sade, Björk, Marvin Gaye and Santigold, all rolled into one extraordinary package.

 

 

 

Metronomy – The English Riviera

NME said it best: “The English Riviera is a deep sea of ideas and imagination: a far-flung, limitless dreamworld full of romance, nostalgia, lovers’ tiffs and good old-fashioned shagging.

 

 

 

Azari & III - Azari & III

This album, for me, was the soundtrack to dancing like my life depended on it in 2011.

 

 

 

Washed Out – Within and Without

Best enjoyed when lying by the pool when it’s 30 degrees outside.

 

 

 

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

A dreamy, mournful and compelling album of love songs to a series of places – some real, some imagined.

 

 

 

Lykke Li  - Wounded Rhymes

Lykke Li came back slightly better and definitely bigger with an album filled with driving, booming percussion and cascading beats combined with her often bleak or malevolent lyrics.

 

 

 

Austra – Feel It Break

Chilly synths and cut-glass vocals, theatrical intesity and dancefloor-friendly beats, this album was The Knife with soul.

 

 

 

Gill Scott-Heron and Jamie xx – We’re New Here

Who knew the combination of Gil Scott-Heron’s gritty, well-worn voice and Jamie xx’s dubstep-hoods-up introspection would fit together so nicely.

 

 

 

SBTRKT - SBTRKT

“A mix of shiny vocals with tight, accelerated textures, steeped deep in a glorious combination of two-step, UK funky, dubstep, US RnB and Chicago house. Add that to the compendium of a killer pop sensibility, infectious bubbling rhythms, unbridled energy and astounding curation, and what we have here is the promise of this decade’s Timbaland.”

 

 

New Look – New Look

Sarah Ruba’s voice is an understated treasure chest of emotion on an album filled with angst and mystery. It’s been a while since a voice like hers has floored me every time I hear it.

 

 

 

Justice – Audio, Video, Disco

Their sophomore album divided fans, but I loved it. With this album, the Justice boys try their hands at ’70s arena rock, melding Italo-disco and singing hair-metal guitars with great success.

 

 

 

Beni – House Of Beni

Sydney producer and one-man party show Beni released a shape-shifting, solid-state wall-of-dance album. Someone needs to fill the gap Basement Jaxx left, right?

 

 

 

Modeselektor – Monkeytown

Modeselektor’s music always amaze me. Forward-thinking, intelligent and experimental dance music that’s fun to listen to. If Thom Yorke approves, then it must be good, right? Well, it is. And then some.

 

 

 

Siriusmo – Mosaik

And then there’s Siriusmo. This talented German wunderkid stole Daft Punk’s dusty crown and released an album filled with manic energy and playful ideas. Mosaik was my house-party mixtape of 2011.

 

 

 

Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials

I almost didn’t include this in my list, but there’s no escaping the power of Florence. She came back with a brilliant follow up to her debut – a darker, moodier and more cohesive collection of songs, produced by Paul Epworth.

 

 

 

James Blake - James Blake

An unsettling and strange modern pop record that has amazed and confused me in equal measure. I’ve never heard anything like it and I love it. Limit To Your Love and The Wilhelm Scream are my favorites.

 

 

 

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

Pitchfork summed up Zonoscope perfectly: “an album of euphoric, starry-eyed dance-rock”.

 

 

 

Penguin Prison – Penguin Prison

A very long delay in release due to label switch-ups meant this album flew under a lot of people’s radars. And what a shame. This is such a great disco funk-pop album.

 

 

 

Jamie Woon – Mirrorwriting

James Blake with soul. This album has soundtracked many nights walking the empty streets of London home and sitting alone on a night bus.

 

 

 

Junior Boys – It’s All True

I have a special place in my heart for the Junior Boys. Their music has a delicate sophistication that moves me. Personally, It’s All True was not their best, but it was still a beautiful record.

 

 

 

The Weeknd – House Of Balloons

Some people listen to Mary J, I listen to The Weeknd.

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Album Review : Kate Wax – Dust Collision

I’ve been circling Kate Wax for a few years now since discovering her first album Reflections of the Dark Heat. She has since been signed to James Holden’s Border Community, following releases for Mental Groove and the now defunct Output, and is coming out with a brand new album, Dust Collision.

Written and produced by Kate Wax in her home in Switzerland, with the final mixing done in London with James Holden, Dust Collision is a rather delightful album. The first full-length release on Border Community where the vocals take center stage, it’s a crystal clear, multi-textured brand of retro futurism – ranging from unrelenting, hard electro to some of the sharpest, iciest, industrial pop that often comes close to – but never quite reaches – The Knife-like highs.

Kate Wax succeeded in created a beautiful pop record where reverb-heavy bass and arpeggiated synths sit comfortably alongside propulsive piano and dark, ethereal vocals.

Rating: 7/10

You can read a nice little interview and stream the whole album over at ElectronicBeats.

 

 

 

 

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New Release Round Up

Surkin – USA

Energy-driven, electro funk that blends modern electro with classic French funk. Perhaps a little too nostalgic, it sounds like it was produced in 2007.

 

Rating: 6/10

 

Renaissance Man – The Renaissance Man Project

A collection of 12 songs that will push the boundaries of electronic dance music for any artist that wishes to dabble in such an intricate sound. The days of tech house and dance music are behind Renaissance Man as they venture into a refined, exquisite sound that will be very hard to duplicate.

Rating: 8/10

 

Mr. Oizo – Stade 2

Frenchman, film director and master of sick sounds Quentin Dupieux is back with his fourth album Stade 2. Plenty of the usual weirdness, it’s a charming, wild mix of organic and electronic sounds, synths, whacky samples and complex, funky rhythms.

Rating: 7/10

 

L-Vis 1990 – Neon Dreams

A disorientating record, spiraling out of control with collaborators Javeon McCarthy and Julio Bashmore, that should grow into relevance because of it’s futuristic Chicago house sound.

 

Rating: 6/10

 

Fred Falke – Part IV

The long awaited debut album from one of the best producers/remixers out there doesn’t disappoint. Mostly instrumental, the album’s slick, euphoric French House productions are nothing short of pop perfection. Prepare for a wallop of funky disco grooves, hazy electronica and searing House beats!

Rating: 8.5/10

 

Buraka Som Sistema – Komba

The new full-length from the Portuguese dance collective finds them assembling Jamaican dancehall, Brazilian favela beats, South African ghetto-tech, and video-game ear candy like colorful Lego blocks on an earthy yet impeccably crafted working-class fiesta for dance-floor zombies and vampires of all nations.

Rating: 7.5/10

 

Class Actress – Rapprocher

A tight little album from Brooklyn singer-songwriter Elizabeth Harper, full of melodramatic pop tunes dripping in ’80s loving.

 

Rating: 7.5/10

 

Crookers – Dr. Gonzo

Their follow up to Tons Of Friends is a unique, techno-infused electronic album. Showcasing the evolution of their sound, this remains inherently an electro album, but it has a unique, tribal theme, definitive of the Dr. Gonzo aesthetic.

 

Rating 8/10

 

Billy Bogus – Night Movie

An exercise in twilight disco propulsion, rich with fuzz, funk, world sounds and sci-fi tendencies.

 

Rating: 7/10

 

Florence & The Machine – Ceremonials

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to her acclaimed debut Lungs is a gorgeous, layered album filled with contradictions and complexities in sound and lyric. It is filled with words and sounds that are dark and romantic, inviting and forbidden, accessible and hidden. The songs can be soaring, anthemic, and dramatic and Welch’s voice can be ferocious and expansive one minute and tiny and vulnerable the next.

Rating: 8/10

Modeselektor – Monkeytown

Intelligent, progressive & well-constructed dance music, twisting tempos and convention. Thom Yorke guests on two tracks.

 

Rating: 8.5/10

 

Pandr Eyez – Eyes On You

London duo’s stylish, 5-track EP owing as much to 70s soul as to modern electronica. Recontextualizing rap and R&B but also having fun at the same time, this is hard to place, but accessible pop music of the highest standard.

 

Rating: 8.5/10

 

Phantogram – Nightlife EP

The new EP from New York trip hop duo shines. Gorgeous electronic music with intricate beats and dazzling vocals that has a dance-floor-meets-after-hours feel.

 

Rating: 8/10

 

The Sound Of Arrows - Voyage

Euphoric synth pop from this Swedish duo reminiscent of early Pet Shop Boys.

 

 

Rating: 7/10

Saint Saviour – Suukei EP

Another gorgeously original set of songs with her soaring Kate Bush-esque voice. Includes a cover of Army Dreamers.

 

Rating: 8/10

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