Tag Archives: Lykke Li

Introducing : Zhala

By now it should be pretty obvious that there’s something in the water in Scandinavia. The latest artist to emerge from Sweden is a lovely lady called Zhala (full name Zhala Rifat).

Zhala has quite the resume: she’s been considered one of the greatest lurking talents in Sweden for a while, playing the festival circuit with Shamoun.

Most recently she sang back-up vocals on Lykke Li‘s Wounded Rhymes, and spent the best part of last year touring through Europe and the US as part of her band. Somehow, she found time in her busy schedule to work on solo material.

No official news on any forthcoming releases, but offering a glimpse of what we can expect from her, we have a single and video (directed by controversial artist Makode Linde) to wet our appetites.

Results: amazing.

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Midnitevulture’s Best of 2011

So here is a list of 50 songs that moved me in some way in 2011. Tracks 1-20 are in the order I wanted them to be. From 21 onwards things got a little harder – I got distracted, couldn’t concentrate, and just placed the songs in whatever order I felt like. You get the idea.

1. The Golden Filter – Mother

A surprising choice for my favorite track of 2011, I know, but I absolutely love this song. “I break your heart, you break my bones” gives me the chills every time I hear it. An unexpected comeback from The Golden Filter.

2. M83 – Midnight City

EPIC. EPIC. EPIC. “The city is my church” EPIC.

3. Beth Ditto – I Wrote The Book

This should have been HUGE this year but, sadly, wasn’t. Beth Ditto proved she could be a disco diva if she wanted to.

4. The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love

This is the other track from this year that ticked the ‘EPIC’ box for me.

5. Bjork – Crystalline

All hail the queen.

6. Yelle – Comme Un Enfant

7. CANT - Too Late, Too Far

8. Azari & III – Reckless (With Your Love)

9. Zola Jesus – In Your Nature

10. Planningtorock - Doorway

11. When Saints Go Machine – Church & Law

12. Niki And The Dove – The Drummer

13. Metronomy – The Look

14. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – NY Is Killing Me

15. Junior Boys – Banana Ripple

16. The Magician – I Don’t Know What To Do (feat. Jeppe)

17. Bon Iver – Calgary

18. New Look – The Balad

19. SBTRKT – Wildfire

20. Light Asylum - Dark Allies

21. Justice – Audio, Video, Disco

22. The 2 Bears – Take A Look Around

23. Joe Goddard – Gabriel

24. Nicola Roberts – Beat Of My Drum

25. Ladytron – White Elephant

26. Yelle - Safari Disco Club

27. S.C.U.M – Faith Unfolds

28. Hercules & Love Affair – My House

29. Little Boots – Shake

30. Chairlift – Amanaemonesia

31. Adele -Rolling In The Deep

32. Austra – Lose It

33. Lana Del Rey - Video Games

34. Beni – It’s A Bubble

35. Kate Bush – Wild Man

36. New Look – Nap On The Bow

37. Little Dragon – Ritual Union

38. Gus Gus – Over

39. Washed Out – Amor Fati

40. Zola Jesus – Vessel

41. Phantogram – Don’t Move

42. James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream

43. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

44. Lykke Li – Sadness Is A Blessing

45. MNDR – Cut Me Out

46. Woodkid – Iron

47. Lana Del Rey – Video Games

48. Radiohead – Lotus Flower

49. Kelly Polar – I’m Not What You Want

50. Class Actress – The Weekend

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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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Incoming : Fallulah – Out Of It (Monsieur Adi Remix)

Fallulah is a Danish beauty. She also sings. Her album Lay Your Head was released earlier this year and it’s well worth checking out if you like your Lykke Lis and your Jenny Lewises.

The latest cut off the album is Out Of It and Monsieur Adi has done a very listenable little remix which you can stream below. Grab the mp3 here if you like it.

How amazing is that organ intro?

Fallulah – Out Of It (Monsieur Adi Remix)

This here is the video for Out Of It.

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How Much Do You Know About Dillon?

Not much at all. And neither do I. But for those of you who love the likes of Lykke Li & Jenny Wilson, Dillon is someone you’re going to want to get to know.

The Berlin-based artist, real name Dominique Dillon de Byington, puts a singer-songwriter spin on electronic pop. She is something of a YouTube discovery, having posted videos onto the site and gained a following which ultimately led to her first live performances in 2007. She went onto release her first EP Ludwig on a limited vinyl release on Combination Records the following year and collaborated with the Cologne group Coma on a digital single Aiming for Destruction, which was included on BPitch’s Werkschau from last winter.

Dillon’s first album, This Silence Kills, was released on November 11th on Ellen Allien’s BPitch Control and has been produced by Thies Mynther of Hamburg duo Phantom/Ghost and Tamer Fahri Özgönenc of MIT. The trio worked in Clouds Hill Recordings studio in Hamburg once a month for six months beginning in November of 2010.

Dillon, who wrote all twelve songs on the LP, explains: “Driven by a situation, a human being, or a word I would sit at the piano and try to verbalize what I was feeling. This never took longer than perhaps 20 minutes: the birth of a song. Turning them into what they are today took days, weeks, months, years.”

Watch the video to the official single Tip Tapping below.

Here’s a “medley” of all the tracks off the album This Silence Kills. As you can hear, it’s pretty good.

And this is one of my favorites off the album, Thirteen Thirtyfive.

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