Film/Noir (aka Tobi Fadalé) is a 19-year-old Londoner with a sound somewhere between The Weeknd and Blood Orange. A very slow, PBR&B feel – with careful, thoughtful verses that could woo BANKS.
Tag: London
“Warm Water” by BANKS (Snakehips Remix)
Snakehips’s remix of “Warm Water” by BANKS speeds up the original track’s vocals then translates the PBR&B sound to a nu-disco combo of staccato keyboard chords, bassline, and flashes of cosmic synths – going from Sade to Moon Boots in 4 minutes and 13 seconds.
“Gripp” – George Maple x Kwes x Kilo Kish
Check out George Maple‘s latest song – a collaboration track called “Gripp” with Kwes and Kilo Kish on the record label Parlez Parlez.
“Sleep Alone” by Chapel Club
The machine-like synths that begin “Sleep Alone” by Chapel Club easily blend into the relaxed bassline which in turn is juxtaposed by the abrupt drums, all an auditory metaphor of the lyrics’ themes of forced insomnia. An insomnia worsened by not wanting to sleep alone.
“Your Four Limbs” by (Kurran and) the Wolfnotes
“Your Four Limbs” by the Wolfnotes (formerly known as Kurran and the Wolfnotes) is a haunting yet simple track. An old track in the Wolfnotes’ discography, which now contains sad harmonica-laced songs and blues-inspired Fender Telecaster (or maybe a semi-hollow guitar) notes, “Your Four Limbs” began The Wolfnotes’ theme of heartfelt alt-country tracks of longing.
“OPST” by George Maple
I realized this afternoon that “OPST” sounds like George Maple‘s response to a Dead Times sexual encounter. Maple soulfully sighs, “just make a move and let me melt into your frame. I never want to talk about it. Just wrap me up in your gold sheets.”
Tribal Beats – International Roundup
I’ve been really into bands that integrate a “tribal drumming” sound into their music, so here’s a roundup of some bands around the world with tribal beats:
“Big Heat” by THUMPERS (London, England)
THUMPERS considers themselves “co-ed alt. pop” amongst other mashups of music styles. They use their tribal drumming beats to create a very Jamaican-influenced offshoot of dreampop. That combination with quick high-hats make you mistake guitars and synths for steel drums in the background.
“Unconsolable” by X Ambassadors (Brooklyn, NY)
Tape One by Young Fathers (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Young Fathers adds tribal drumming to their hip hop beats to give a fuller background sound complementing their rap.
“Pilgrim” by Mø – Remixed by MS MR
MS MR released a sexy remix of Mø‘s track “Pilgrim” today:
For BoxSpeaker readers in the UK: Check out Mø’s “Pilgrim” Single Launch Party on Thursday, February 28 at Electrowerkz. (Hint: If you look listen enough for the only American accent in the venue, you’ll probably see BoxSpeaker in real life.)
Readers in the US: Check out Mø opening for BoxSpeaker favorites CHVRCHES at the Echo on March 12!
Charli XCX’s “Nuclear Seasons”
I found out about Charli XCX completely by accident because of a mistake made by the Knocks/Popshop Radio.
I was listening to the Popshop Radio 12 mix by The Knocks and thought “Man, this really sounds like Feist if she went all electro” at the end. I went over to the Popshop site to see the track listing on the mix and at the very end, I saw “Nuclear Seasons” by Charli XCX.
Googled Charli XCX and found out her site offers that exact song as a free download. “SCORE!” I exclaimed in my head (because I already exclaim too many things out loud in front of other people – not that it mattered at that moment because I was alone at the time). Anyway, I plug in my info and download the song. Click the play triangle on iTunes and am surprised to realize it sounds nothing at all like the Feist-sound-a-like I heard earlier. In fact, Charli XCX sounds like Marina and the Diamonds but with more 80s-inspired, Madonna twinkly synths and boom-boom-ahhhhhs. I can’t remember exactly which 80s band/singer’s darker notes this reminds me of, but I’ll post that in when I do remember.
Maybe I was going about it the wrong way? the darker synths weren’t a female 80s pop star’s style but more Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence”? DEFINITELY! It feels/sounds right.
ANYWAY…
Is this a NEW new wave? Neo-new wave? neu new wave? Awwwww… Just looked it up: I can’t patent “neu wave” or “Neu new wave” because 1) there’s a company called Neu Wave. I think it’s for acne medication, 2) there’s a band called “Neu!” (The exclamation is actually in their name. I don’t know if I’m excited about them just yet. I’ll have to listen to them first.), and 3) I’m pretty sure I’ve heard people talk about “new new wave” before or so. Damn
Newtro? as in New+retro? Neutro? Neutron. hahahaha
Look, if Hipster Runoff can coin “Chillwave,” why can’t I coin some sort of term for this style? Watch, Hipster Runoff probably already has.
ANYWAY…….
I haven’t listened to any other Charli XCX songs yet, but I’m excited to because I really like her sound – as convolutedly as I’ve described it.
Happy listening!
P.S. This also technically gets filed as “Music to Bone to” because I would TOTALLY have sex to this song. So sensual with its 80s retro stylings.
Short but Sweet Sunday Post: “Red Light” by Nicole Dash Jones
My friend Leah pretty much knows exactly what I love in music.
So when she told me to check out her cousin Nicole Dash Jones’s song “Red Light,”I did without any hesitation.
And you know what? TOTALLY AWESOME!
She hails from London, and the best way to describe Nicole Dash Jones’s style is: if Phoenix and The Strokes had a musical daughter.
Oh yeah – ANDDD “Red Light” has been chosen to be in an episode of 90210! She’s becoming a BFD even before her single is released!
Check out her music on her Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/nicoledashjones
And be sure to follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicoledashjones