Tag Archive: UK

The Chemical Brothers – “Life is Sweet” (Daft Punk Remix)

Inspired by this brilliant piece I read today on the life and times of the Chems‘ “Setting Sun,” a song that sounds as vital and compelling now as it did when it shot… Continue reading

Jean Deaux – “Find U” (Produced by Sampha)

Anything that features even a few bars of Sampha‘s production or vocal talent deserves an automatic click of the play button. Here the English falsetto wizard teams up with Chicago’s Jean Deaux (correctly… Continue reading

Burial – “Rival Dealer” & “Hiders” & “Come Down to Us” (Rival Dealer EP)

Earlier today, at around 10am, the nocturnal and bristly beats, clicks, and hiss from the brand new Rival Dealer EP from the unidentified, mysterious, and highly-acclaimed UK producer Burial were freshly streaming from the Internet… Continue reading

Sub Focus – “Turn Back Time” (Paul Woolford aka Special Request Remix)

I cannot get enough of Paul Woolford‘s Special Request project; inspired by the glorious heyday of early 90s jungle and UK pirate radio transmissions. After remixing Lana Del Rey, London Grammar, Tessela, and Friend Within under the Special Request… Continue reading

Ben Westbeech aka Breach ft Andreya Triana – “Everything You Never Had (We Had It All)” (Official Video)

I first got switched on to the English singer and dance producer Ben Westbeech in the spring of 2007. He’d just signed to tastemaker’s tastemaker Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings and the label was releasing… Continue reading

Maribou State – “Blue Sunday”

I’ve always enjoyed Maribou State‘s musical output. All of Chris Davids and Liam Ivory’s sonic productions maintain a steady, consistent groove throughout, but what sets them far apart from other electronic acts in… Continue reading

Frameworks – “Patience” (Free Download)

I was elated this morning when I found a free download of one of the best compilations of 2013 by a country mile. Not a bad start to a Wednesday. The first track,… Continue reading

Dive In – “Let Go” (Official Video)

Dive In hail from Glastonbury (the actual town, not the festival) in the west of England. Their song “Let Go” is happily planted at the musical crossroads of indie, rock, dance, and sunny,… Continue reading

Phaeleh – “Tokoi” (Official Video)

If you like Bonobo, you should definitely listen to Bristolian beatsmith Phaeleh (pronounced “fella”).   Phaeleh – “Tokoi” (Official Video)       Phaeleh‘s first ever North American tour begins this week. Catch… Continue reading

Kasket – “Warm Regards” (Official Video)

Ambient atmospherics from British producer Kasket aka Charlie Baldwin. The best part is when that Cinematic Orchestra-esque beat comes in at 1min 59sec. It makes the song. Some nice Spanish guitar in there,… Continue reading

Sam Smith – “Safe With Me” (Tourist Remix)

  Brighton, UK’s Will Phillips aka Tourist turns in a dizzyingly good remix of Sam Smith’s latest.       Sam Smith – “Safe With Me” (Tourist Remix)         More… Continue reading

Lost Midas ft Taylor O’Donnell – “Love Undone” (Official Video)

My new favorite tune from Lost Midas, the very talented beat producer and songwriter, sporting an impressive mustache and an even more impressive, next-level, Minority Report-filmed-in-Silverlake, hipster edition of Google Glass in the video… Continue reading

Laura Mvula – “She” (MJ Cole Remix)

  Mathematical fact alert! MJ Cole = summer.   Loving these Todd Edwards-esque vocal scissorings of Laura Mvula’s melody, those swinging UK garage beats, these regal strings, and the electronic piano treble jazz-fill… Continue reading

Barbarossa – “Turbine” (Official Video) (Free Download)

Fresh from supporting José González‘s band Junip in New York last week, East London’s suitably red-bearded James Mathé, otherwise known as Barbarossa, combines a large, simple Black Keys-ish garage rock-soul guitar riff and tussled… Continue reading

Simian Mobile Disco & Bicep – “Sacrifice” (Official Video)

Future-funked acid house all day. Watch the accompanying video that resembles the 3D graph blueprints on the 4D desk of some 5D cosmic alien architect.   Simian Mobile Disco & Bicep – “Sacrifice”… Continue reading

Bibio – “À Tout à l’Heure” (Official Video)

West Midlands, UK producer Stephen Wilkinson bka Bibio returns with Silver Wilkinson, a new album of his lo-fi, 70s-soaked, indie electronic soul sound. Lead single “À Tout à l’Heure” couldn’t be more organic… Continue reading

Omar – “The Man” (Official Video)

This funky bassoon bassline is destined to heavily soundtrack my summer. Omar is the man.   Omar – “The Man” (Official Video)     “The Man” is taken from Omar‘s forthcoming new album,… Continue reading

Fyfe – “Lies”

23-year-old London musician Fyfe blends relaxed and gently plodding drums, soulful and gently soaring vocals, and nonchalant and gentle indie guitar plinking to create this beguilingly disenchanted song that recalls Radiohead’s “Talk Show… Continue reading

L-Vis 1990 – “Signal”

  Raw, retro, reductionist, Juno-heavy newness from the Night Slugs label co-boss.       L-Vis 1990 – “Signal”         Catch more bass shake, rattle, and roll from L-Vis 1990… Continue reading

Strange U – “Klaatu Barada Nikto” (Official Video Directed by Alexander Nut)

This agitated, gritty heatwave loop from Eglo’s mysterious new signing, Strange U, believed to be a moniker of UK hip-hop stalwart Kashmere the Iguana Man. Although why anyone would even think about adopting… Continue reading

Luke Sital-Singh – “Bottled Up Tight” (Official Video)

A departure from my usual penchant for boom-bap beats and growling bass but a crackingly well-written tune nonetheless.   Luke Sital-Singh – “Bottled Up Tight”   Luke Sital-Singh’s Old Flint EP is out… Continue reading

Toddla T Sound – “Worst Enemy”

Sheffield, UK, badman Toddla T teams up with Shola Ama and emcees Serocee and MC DRS to form super-collective Toddla T Sound. “Worst Enemy” is their first ever tune. Love the A$AP-esque pitched-down… Continue reading

Wave Machines – “Ill Fit” (Official Video)

The video for Liverpool’s Wave Machines’ “Ill Fit” actually fits the song quite nicely, if you equate subtle, gently-sung wafts of future pop-funk with running around large buildings in London really fast while… Continue reading

Bonobo – “Cirrus” (Official Video) (Free Download)

Fractal factories of 1950s Americana click and whir in this kaleidoscopic dicing and splicing of Norman Rockwell’s cerebral cortex that sounds light, gentle, and benign, just as the song’s title would suggest. For… Continue reading

Vanilla – “Rashida” (Free Download)

Vanilla is a very talented beatmaker from the UK. I played his track “Morning Sun” from his album Soft Focus a lot last year. “Rashida” is my favorite song from his new(ish) album… Continue reading

Troumaca – “Lady Colour” (Official Video)

Digital squeaks and indie pop splashes from Birmingham, UK’s Troumaca, pronounced truh-muh-kuh.   Troumaca – “Lady Colour” (Official Video)   “This is cosmic love coming from above.”    

The xx – “Chained” (John Talabot & Pional Blinded Remix)

This xx remix. That “Blinded by the Lights” synth line.   The xx – “Chained” (John Talabot & Pional Blinded Remix)   Hear the original track here.    

London Grammar – “Hey Now”

Hannah, Daniel, and Dot are London Grammar. As the cryptic clue in their name suggests, they are from London. They are also currently catching a lot of well-deserved attention for their gentle and… Continue reading

AlunaGeorge – “Diver” (Album Teaser) (Official Video)

So hyped for what London electronic R&B/pop duo AlunaGeorge will do, sing, and create in 2013.   AlunaGeorge – “Diver” (Album Teaser) (Official Video)   Aluna Francis and George Reid release their debut… Continue reading

Folk Acoustic Cover Versions of Mos Def’s “Umi Says” & the Pharcyde’s “Runnin” by B.J. Smith

This is special. Two sublime and subaqueous folk acoustic cover versions of two hip-hop classics.   Mos Def’s “Umi Says” & the Pharcyde’s “Runnin” by B.J. Smith (Folk Acoustic Cover Versions)   Download… Continue reading

“Sound Business” – 1981 TV Documentary on Jamaican Sound System Culture in the UK

Featuring a young David Rodigan.   “Sound Business” – 1981 TV Documentary on Jamaican Sound System Culture in the UK   The grainy VHS vibes and hiss make this all the more glorious.… Continue reading

Werkha – “Le Roitelet”

Only five songs deep on his Soundcloud page, Manchester, UK producer Werkha has created some Francophonic Brainfeeder-ish brilliance with his song “Le Roitelet.” It starts off simple enough, but it’s the Debruit-esque bass… Continue reading

Alice Russell – “Heartbreaker” (Official Video ft Harry Shearer)

The stunning vocal prowess of Alice Russell paired with the comedic greatness of Harry Shearer is a potent combination.   Alice Russell – “Heartbreaker” (Official Video ft Harry Shearer)   “Heartbreaker” is out… Continue reading

Submotion Orchestra – “It’s Not Me It’s You” (Official Video)

Future organic garage and dubstep rhythms from Leeds, UK live electronic seven-piece Submotion Orchestra. They join the ranks of my top-rated, best-loved Orchestras, which include Cinematic, Hidden, and BBC Concert. What Reprazent are… Continue reading

Part-Time Heroes – “Words” (Fybe:One Remix) & “Heaven Won’t Make Your Wish Come True” ft Colonel Red (Stream)

Couldn’t decide which new track I thought was more incredible from Ross Wakefield and Toby Vane aka London’s Part-Time Heroes, so I ended up posting ’em both! Taken from “Holy,” the third single… Continue reading

Eveson – “Things You Say” (Amen Version)

Glastonbury, UK drum ‘n’ bass producer Eveson laces his “Things You Say” track with a slowed-down Amen break to simultaneously create some beautiful downtempo jungle and some beautiful uptempo chillout.   Eveson –… Continue reading

Bat for Lashes – “All Your Gold” (Hercules and Love Affair Remix)

Bat for Lashes aka Natasha Khan’s latest parlor pop single “All Your Gold” mines and mimics the eccentric, operatic success of stars Florence and Marina (and their Machine and Diamonds respectively), but it’s… Continue reading

Letherette – “Shoo Be Doo”

Tell me this ain’t a dope loop.   Taken from the Chi-Lites’ classic “I Just Want to Hold You.” Listen to the sample lifted from the original at 3:05. More beats from the… Continue reading

The White Lamp – “Make It Good”

Nothing like a Rhodes-y stomp, scattered scat vocals, and shaking shakers coming together to literally make it good. An absolutely fantastic tune.   Who is/are the White Lamp? Rumor has it that it’s… Continue reading

The Nextmen vs Joe Dukie of Fat Freddy’s Drop – “When We Fight”

The dub reggae lilt of New Zilla’s Fat Freddy’s Drop vocalist Joe Dukie gets a propulsive bass-step boost from the Nextmen.   The Nextmen vs Joe Dukie of Fat Freddy’s Drop – “When… Continue reading

Warren Xclnce – “Say Goodbye” (Free Download)

Say hello to unsigned London beatmaker Warren Xclnce.   Warren Xclnce – “Say Goodbye” (Free Download)   More Xclnce here.    

The Versatile Vocal Talent of Kwabs aka Kwabena Adjepong (Video)

This voice!     London’s Kwabs demonstrates his majectic vocal versatility at Buckingham Palace as part of the BBC TV series Goldie’s Band: By Royal Appointment, hosted by the renowned British drum ‘n’… Continue reading

Disclosure ft Sam Smith – “Latch”

  The brothers from Surrey, UK return with “Latch.”       Disclosure ft Sam Smith – “Latch”           Disclosure’s production is enviably precise.          … Continue reading

Star Slinger – “Take this Up” (Free Download)

Free newness from the Slinger.   Star Slinger – “Take this Up” (Free Download)   Love the explosion of four-to-the-floor house sunshine at 2min 24sec.    

Sure Thing – “Holding You Tight” (Official Video)

Bristol, England goes boogie! Sure Thing is a live boogie funk outfit fronted by the legendary drum ‘n’ bass DJ and producer DJ Die (who also spins disco under the name Laminate Radio),… Continue reading

Walter Ego ft Trim – “Set Off” (Official Video)

Joining the dots. To get familiar with East London MC and former Roll Deep member Trim, listen to his track “Confidence Boost” as excellently reworked by James Blake under his Harmonimix alias. Here… Continue reading

Colonel Red – “Spaceface” (Official Video)

Love this for the lyrics, the mood, the soul, the groove.   Spaceface is the place.    

Alt-J – “Tessellate” (Official Video)

Dubstep-influenced bass and drum patterns are sneaking into every genre of music in 2012. Leeds, UK band Alt-J‘s video for “Tessellate” is a gangstered reversion of Italian Renaissance painter Raphael’s “The School of… Continue reading

Boy Kid Cloud – A Better Version of Me EP (Promo Video)

Maximalist joy from a Prince-adoring bedroom producer from Leicester, UK.   Great songwriting that injects some real heart and soul into the laser synth storm and dubstep bass wobble.    

Enjoyed – “Teeth” (Clip) (Live Video) (Free Download)

We’ve talked about Enjoyed‘s life-affirmed, sunshined housed beats on Neoned Milked befored, but that only means you should get even more acquainted with the talented UK producer and Shoes Off label boss by… Continue reading