Lenparrot – Les Yeux En Cavale

This is real nice. Frenchman Romain Lallement crafts disquieting and bewitching beats combining his lovely falsetto and faultless instrumentation.

The song below, one of two currently on general release, is a favourite. It never changes gear in either direction, but that isn’t a bad thing. You don’t have time to admire the view if you’re speeding through.

Tracks available here while the EP ‘Aquoibonism’ is available in April.

Romain recommends

01 AQUASERGE – TVCQJVD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq93rzurU6g

02 TWERPS – Empty Road

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-kb-nris0g

03 AFRICAN BROTHERS BAND – Akwantifi Wuo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa9AS2_1Hpc

Rye Pines – Dead Ocean

Last year’s ‘A Portrait Of Dissonance As A Young Man’ was none stop brilliance. Swaggering, sometimes stuttering, angular and raw rock ‘n’ roll. The drums were consistently brilliant, pounding and inventive while the guitar lines held fast, waving in and out, picked deftly or strummed in anger, never anything other than engaging. On top of all this accomplishment, and the real kicker for me, were vocals that hit right in the gut. Evocative and vivid lyrics carried by a tuneful, half sung, half shout battle cry.  ‘Good Health’s  ‘Never had a good time, taking it easy’ hollered over a thumping riff is one of many highlights. If that isn’t enough adjectives for one paragraph, I haven’t even begun on the new record.

But then I don’t really need to talk about how much I love the new songs, as they’re here for you to listen to. I’ve indulged myself enough.

Rye Pines recommends

Alex

 –  Zip Tie Handcuffs

– Ovlov

– Paws

Ted

– Black Beach

– Cuffs

– Kal Marks

JLYY – Island EP

JLYY just yesterday dropped this EP full of their haunting, atmospheric, occasionally dark yet uplifting wall of sound-rock and it’s as good as could be expected. The vocals are just as strong as the instrumentation with lovely harmonies drifting back and forth.

Glass Drum is a long standing favorite but all six tracks are as layered and accomplished as the next.  Check out their club nights, Truth Mic, which happen regularly in London.

Vntge – Inside

The simplicity of this track is its most striking and arresting allure, a wonderfully repetitive Piano figure with minimal electronic manipulation and accompaniment.

Depending on whether you’re a glass half empty or half full kinda person, it can, as one soundcloud commentator noted, be ‘a sad song to dance to’ or a wonderful track to do nothing but stare out the window to.

Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld – The sun roars into view

Crazily talented couple and collaborators Stetson (sax) and Neufeld (Violin) have released the track below all in good time for their upcoming album, ‘Never were the way she was’, released on 28th April and upcoming tour, reaching London on 17th April.

Rosalie 23 – Stay

This track by Rosalie 23 is a mesmerising display of beautiful restraint. Using nothing but a harp and an operatic vocal style she will leave you rooted to the spot, blanketed in warmth and teetering on the edge of a void you couldn’t be happier to be on.

Deep Men – Drip Feed

Deep Men have little presence online and, so as not to do their mystery a disservice, I wont go on. They’re from London and play wonderfully aggressive and skewed post-punk. Enjoy.

Mischa Blanos – Geckos

After devouring last year’s Solo piano ll by all round incredible prick Chilly Gonzales, I needed more in my piano cannon. And this is just the thing.

Mentioning Chilly perhaps does a disservice to Mischa as, while there are some similarities, he moves and meanders in his own beautiful way across the keyboard.

The track below is a current favorite. The noises filtering through, I assume from the mechanics of the piano, in the more intense moments add to the overwhelming dynamic of Blanos’ playing. Magnificent.

Viet Cong – Viet Cong

I love Viet Cong. I knew nothing of Women, I am ashamed to say, but it wasn’t necessary to enjoy this. Their new album sounds like machines becoming self aware and purposely malfunctioning, striving to make beauty and meaning through their industrial means, which it does with aplomb.

Strong, self aware, accomplished lyrics, and one of the most striking guitar tones heard in a long while, mesh with imaginative, compelling compositions. The album is sublime and ‘Bunker Buster’, originally heard as a demo a while back, is delicious…

Jessica Pratt – Back, Baby

‘Back, Baby’ grabs you hard, with Jessica’s distinctive phrasing and warm, tender tone the song is as compelling as it is lovely. Who hasn’t ‘prayed for the rain’? Plenty of people probably if you live in England, but no matter how your heartache manifests itself it’s easy to get on board with her 60s infused, bare, nylon stringed folk in a fluttering heartbeat.

A beautiful track which only makes the prospect of her new album, due on the 27th of January, all the sweeter.