The Invisible
Basking in the ambient atmospheres of electronica, a youthful gem brimming with soul, and some sinister 90s grunge are all part and parcel for Getintothis’ Matthew Wood, as he uncovers the next batch of brilliant new music.
Single of the Week
The Invisible – So Well (feat. Jessie Ware)
Atmospherically brilliant, spiritually soothing and subtly funky, Jessie Ware and British trio, The Invisible are a heavenly match up.
Ware’s vocal floats ethereally over ever-expanding synths that transform from minor blips into strong, resounding bursts of synth-y goodness.
Percussively, it’s somewhat tribal, bouncing like bongos around the kit and giving the track a distinctly human aspect, contrasting with the spiritual, otherworldly resonance that pervades the track.
Their latest EP, Patience is out June 10 and boasts the accompaniment of electronic master class Sam Shepherd of Floating Points, the mind bending ways of Connan Mockasin, and the ingenious Anna Calvi, yikes.
ETCHES – LOVE IS
Another high flying Merseyside act for you here, quintet ETCHES splice contemporary alternative guitar textures with groovy 80’s pop.
The end product is somewhere in between the elegant grooves of Metronomy and LCD Soundsystem, with strong Nick Valensi-eqsue guitar style, offering slick plucking patterns accompanied by some more ferocious attacks with the plectrum.
An expertly polished track with a tasty hook, bundling a tasteful influence into a sweet, reminiscent yet simultaneously innovative shell.
Laura J Martin – I Can’t Bear To Feel Myself Forgotten
Another cracker from fond Liverpool favourite, Laura J Martin, who is gifting the world another three tracks almost immediately after the release of her second album On The Never Never. The trio of tracks is out May 27.
Often compared to such greats as Kate Bush and Joanna Newsom, and rightfully so, Martin’s vocal once again dominates the track’s potency and beauty, accompanied by only a steady beat and sparsely laid guitar strums; a minimalism that one can afford with such a gorgeous vocal.
The unorthodox, dainty riffs throughout add a vintage, original texture and the baritone backing vocals hark back to Bowie’s debut album and will have themselves bobbing around in the back of your brain for hours.
Martin kicks off her UK Tour May 27, keep your eyes peeled for a Liverpool show.
The Night Café – Time
It’s been a joy to trace these boys’ steps over the last few months, hearing them develop as musicians and come to terms with their initial explosion.
The Liverpool four-piece have a now established sound, which they utilise excellently, however they are yet to veer away from trodden ground and in comparison to their earlier tracks, Time follows a similar blueprint.
It’s three minutes of lavish pop with all the candy-sweet licks and swooping fills you could ask for, but with such talent and potential, I’d like to hear something a little more adventurous.
Even so, they’ve got the nation’s attention, no doubt, and we can’t wait for a debut album.
Yellow Days – Little Palace
Take the vocal of a young Paolo Nutini, equally as soulful, and throw in an Alabama Shakes discography, as well as a few smokes shared with King Krule, and you’ll get something of a similar ilk to Yellow Days.
George van der Boek is a mere 16 years old and creates some of the finest woozy blues bedroom recordings you’re likely to hear.
Brimming with a raw emotion, an emotion that has climbed to its zenith at a very early age, Boek channels a rare talent.
Little Palace is a poetic track, that shimmers despite its rough, lo-fi recording and given the support he could transform this magnificent demo into a track that sparkles as coolly as King Krule’s Baby Blue.
Weaves – Candy
Listening to Weaves is much like watching the Cheshire Cat grin, or seeing the Kinder chocolate kid’s face lurking in the chocolate aisle, or watching Pinocchio; they simultaneously encapsulate the childish and playful along with the darkly sinister.
Their 90’s grunge seems to offer you a hand into their world, yet having grabbed the hand you realise you’ve yanked off the fake limb and are left floundering in their mischievous wake, but you bet you’ll still want to climb on board.
Brutishly brilliant and totally irresponsible, don’t try and pin Weaves down, it’ll just cause more trouble.
65daysofstatic – Supermoon
One for you gamers out there, particularly those of you can’t wait to get your hands on the sci-fi, adventure game No Man’s Sky; 65daysofstatic had the irresistible opportunity to score the game’s soundtrack.
I’m sure many of you musicians would drool over the prospect of scoring a sci-fi game, yet the infinite aspects of the musical world made apparent through space exploration, the task may seem a little intimidating, also.
Supermoon is, however, not victim to such intimidation, riddles with rhythmic, biting snares, space-age whirrs and a constant phenomenal building to something monumental, a supermoon perhaps?
Stick this one on when you’re sat moodily in traffic, it’ll transform any journey into something vastly epic and extraordinary… probably.
PJ Harvey – The Community of Hope
In reaction to the USA’s HOPE VI demolition and revitalisation campaign, PJ Harvey’s experiential, observational eye talks us through the controversy surrounding the campaign, criticising the gentrification that has left many uprooted.
The track’s serious, political undertones are tricky to ignore, with the overriding refrain of, “They’re gonna put a Walmart here”, it’s a song of protest.
On the other hand, while it’s persistent pounding on a door, it’s riddled with sweet melody, cherished by the gospel community (see video).
You can hear the full album The Hope Six Demolition Project right now!
David August – J.B.Y./Ouvert
Hamburg’s finest house hero David August makes his return with a two-track EP titled J.B.Y./Ouvert.
J.B.Y. IS a slow burner, generous in texture and transition; squelchy percussion gets thinks rolling, while atmospheric whines seem to build, albeit anti-climactically, which gives the track an introspective feel, moving away from the dance floor and into the mind.
Ouvert is a largely more hectic affair, taking a turn down an almost Bowser’s Castle style synth pattern, accompanied by the pop of a champagne bottle it becomes somewhat unnerving.
August, however, retains the ambient air prevalent in J.B.Y. with some dreamy synths and soothes us with a sonic washing over, cleansing us of the more debauch moments of the track.
Batteries – The Fall-In-Love Club
Formerly of Scottish pop outfit Bis, Sci- Fi Steven goes solo in new project Batteries. It’s a gutsy amalgamation that instantly recalls early Blur and catapults it through a mosh of angular punk, all sweaty and topless and inked.
There’s plenty of shout backs for you to wrap your tonsils around and get all guttural if you so wish, it’s as abrasive as it is infectious but perhaps a little behind its time, sending ripples of the raucous alternative rock movement of the early Noughties.
Batteries‘ second album The Finishing Line is out now!
[paypal-donation]
