Listening to... 'WHAT DID I DO' - Kele ft. Lucy Taylor

In anticipation of Kele's 2nd EP 'The Hunter', which is released on Monday on Wichita Recordings, I'll mostly be donning my halloween get-up to this little number tonight - his first single to come from his pending EP.

If you've read my blog before you may or may not know that i'm a huge fan of Kele, so a new EP is all but damn good news as far as i'm concerned. And whilst there have been some controversial reviews of it's debut single by commentators and fans alike, for me the ex-Bloc Party frontman can still do no wrong.

Admittedly it's not exactly new but if you're yet too hear it, The latest single What Did I Do, which was officially released on 12 September, sees Lucy Taylor take the lead vocals for this single, with Kele bringing his sincerely smooth and compelling vocals soley to the chorus.
 

Directionally, the track bears undertones distinctly reminiscent of his critically acclaimed debut EP 'The Boxer', with vocals set over an electronic heartbeat and a fuzzy bass line, marked by a mellow injection of dubstep. 

While there are similarities, the track is perhaps not as technically quirky or progressive as his previous solo offerings. But as a result it’s positively more accessible and, at the end of the day, if it still gives me goosebumps it's a job well done.

'The Hunter', released on Monday, is a seven-track EP that also sees Kele collaborate with artists including Sub Focus, Fred Falke and RAC.

FOAMO gets it on in the Alps

Mashup master and super nice bloke Foamo annihilated Tignes’ infamous Loop Bar last night with a set that got seasonnaires proper frothing ahead of his headlining slot at Thursday’s Big Tea Party!

Alongside his proverbially insane remixes of Breakage’s ‘Fighting Fire’, Dub Pistol’s ‘I’m in Love’ and La Roux’s ‘Bulletproof’, the British DJ smashed out a great mixture of house, electro, dub and grime that really pushed all the right buttons, turning this small, popular alpine bar into a beer spilling, break-dancing riot-fest.

Breakage - Fighting Fire (Foamo remix) by Foamo

Admitting he had no clue what to play ahead of his set, the DJ waited to see how hard, low, funky or slow the crowd were willing to go.

Talking afterwards Luke from support act Too Many Front Men described Foamo as an exceptional talent:

“He’s an entertainer. He does what a DJ should do which is perform to the people and he plays with an insane energy which so evidently translates to his audience.

He felt the crowd, he felt the vibe and he played accordingly - now that’s the sign of a true professional”.

Foamo tears up Tignes' Loop Bar (photo courtesy of Tom Greenhill)

Having just returned from gigging in Australia and ahead of his Ibiza season, Foamo will be playing at the British Universities’ Mad Hatters Tea Party alongside Rico Tubbs and Baobinga in Tignes on Thursday.

Catching up with the man himself over apres ski, he admitted that despite being an international globe-trotter his first time in a winter alpine resort had been pretty special:

“I’ve never been anywhere like this before, it’s just amazing, I had no idea what to pack so I brought loads of jumpers but it’s bloody boiling!

I had a snowboarding lesson before I came away, so I’ve been out on the mountain a bit by day and enjoying some crazy parties by night. Yeah there isn’t much time to sleep!”

  FOAMO.NET mixtape (download at www.foamo.net) by Foamo 

ALBUM PREVIEW: Andre Saraiva & Gildas Loaëc Presentent... KITSUNÉ PARISIEN

Another Kitsuné compilation to further establish the label's inherent knack of dishing up seriously tasty electronic beef to satisfy even the hungriest of disco appetites.

 The french music and fashion label's latest album folllows a similar premise to their 'Kitsuné Maison' collections, in exhibiting the talents of  ‘dazzling newcomers and prestigious acquaintances’.

With their previous albums streaming the likes of Digitalism, Penguin Prison, Fenech-Soler, Punks Jump Up and Two Door Cinema Club into our consciousness before anyone else, we'd expect nothing less than dazzling from the french taste-makers.

However the 'Kitsuné Parisien' collection, if the title hasn't already gives it away, steps away from the international scene to focus soley on francophone electronica from 'le capital'. 

Graffiti by Monsieur 'A'

 Compliled by Kitsuné co-founder Gildas Loaëc along with infamous graffiti artist, party go-er and promoter Monsieur 'A' (André Saraiva), the 'Parisien' collection (named after their fashion boutique) showcases some of the city's most promising electronic producers, with some even making their recording debut on this prestigious album.

Kitsune Parisien is also name to their fashion boutique, which opened in Paris last July. In September 2011, they launched a second KP boutique in Barneys, New York.

 In anticipation of it's release next Monday (21 February) Jerry Bouthier has put together a minimix, which is available to download. 

Despite its 'freshness' in music the new album is distinctly 'Kitsuné' in its encompassing, diversely comprehensive approach to electronic sound, reflecting the label's etymological roots; with Japanese tradtion denoting the ability of the 'kitsuné' (Japanese for fox) to change it's appearance and face.

Thus the album has a remarkable ability to offer a varied cross-section of emerging electronic sounds from the Parisian clubs; taste-making the next generation of music whilst appreciating its diversity.

The multi-faceted Japanese Kitsune

The French-sung electro pop of Adélaïde, by Destin, opens proceedings and provides a fitting start to the album, with smooth vocals and repetitive beats layered over a synthy resonance, to lure us comfortably in.

Track two features Birkii; a french violinist turned songstress/producer. Her serene yet funky approach to electro disco irk somewhat thought not entirely of Breakbot. All in all this understated and uplifting track casts no 'Shades of Doubt' and follows track one particularly well.

Birkii

Track three, Reccession Song by Yan Wagner, seriously cranks up the funk agenda. 80s yet très nouveau; familiar yet hard to put your finger on. Maybe if I elegantly put French Horn Rebellion, Chromeo and Empire of the Sun inside a bottle of coca cola and shook it hard, it would fizz out some Yan Wagner.

Housse de Racket - Château (Golden Bug remix) offers an interesting fusion of laidback electro-rock. Think guitar riffs and snare hits littered amongst synth lines, chords and catchy melodies.

The happy-go-lucky disco of Saké by Jupiter makes it a favourite of mine, for the moment. I'd love to hear it on a night out. French/English duo Jupiter, who are a couple in real life, also feature on Kitsuné Maison 9.

Jupiter

Logo are also making their second appearance, this time with Hello.jpg. Computer game-esque and more electro-house than the rest, it's a gem made for a hazy summer's day.

Track seven - RYSKEE feat. Jenny Wilson – Horrors Of Love (Jamaica’s Sunshine Remix) - slips back into funk. Upbeat disco that's worth winding down the windows of your topless car and turning up loud to.

 Youngguns BeatauCue take more electro-techno direction with eigth track Behold. An energetic display of electro laid over repetitive trippy beats.

Beataucue

 Track nine, Glory by Sauvage, brings in a darker mood with it's eerie melodies, unusual structure, soft disjointed vocals and glitchy beats. MGMT-esque for 2011.

1999 by Valley - a track about the city itself - is the album's biggest pop contestant. Pulsating beats, dominant vocals and a catchy chorus that gets better with each listen.

Désorbitée by Exotica again demonstrates the musical beauty of french lyrics. Whether you understand them or not, her soft, elegant vocals do the talking for this single, in sealing its amibient new-wave, dreamy effect.

Saving the best 'til last; Meaning by Cascadeur is nothing short of a musical epitome, justifying its place as the closing track. Rich in classical instrumentation, this emotive ballad sets piano hypnosis against searing vocals. It brings the compilation to a breathtakingly, dramatic end, and in an almost symbolic representation of the entire album leaves you wanting for more.

Pre-order your copy here. In the meanwhile all of the tracks mentioned above are available to preview on YouTube.

Listening to... 'NOT IN LOVE' - Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith

A delicious fusion of electro and indie, that manages to combine the nostalgic 80s tones we'd expect from The Cure's frontman, Smith, with an injection of electronic bleeps and digital distortion from new-wave masters Crystal Castles.

The song (orginally a track by 80s band Platinum Blonde) appeared on Crystal Castles self-titled album earlier this year, minus the addition of Robert Smith. Luckily Smith's romantic and convicting vocals go a long way in saving the song from its previous and excessive self; replacing much of the warped, distressed sounds CC usually rely on with a more understated but equally emotive sound. 

As such when Crystal Castles tense yet urgent pace lets loose towards the end, the result is all the more dazzling. 

This collaboration was always going to be risky and diehard fans may still be fighting from both corners, but for me it strikes a dreamy balance between old and new, and importantly a sound that I can't get out of my head.

Listening to... 'ON THE LAM' - Kele

I'm not going to lie, I am a MASSIVE fan of Kele, so this post may leave some musical objectivity at the door. But if you haven't yet heard the third single from the Bloc Party frontman's debut album, 'The Boxer', have a listen asap.

'The Boxer' album whilst not entirely removed is a clear progression from Kele's indie-rock roots thanks to a distinct electronic buzz throughout. Single 'On The Lam' takes things one step further. 

 The single makes its entrance with laid back vocals set against pulsating repetition and jagged beats, with drum kicks soon dropping into a grimy bassline of a chorus. Curiously even his distinctive bold vocals are digitally altered, to a higher tenor. 


For some his comprehensive electro-makeover may rather compromise the poetical intensity that we could have expected from a Bloc Party performance. However I think his 'new-wave' approach works here and on so many levels, because it does not detract from passionate melodies and his lyrics still pack a punch; yet it allows the emphasis of this song to be one of musical rather than lyrical progression. 

The result of this lyrical/melodic symbiosis is the kind of song that you can wake up to/work out to/chill out to/rave to. A rare versatile gem.


Most importantly, 'On The Lam' identifies Kele as 'Bloc Party frontman' but as a worthy solo artist in his own right.

Upcoming Tour Dates

15 - Institute Library, Birmingham 
16 - Arches, Glasgow 
18 - Ritz, Manchester 
19 - Electric Ballroom, London 
20 - Motion, Bristol